Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Rewards from the Dao Sect
The intoxicating fruit scent so enchanting and overwhelmingly rich seemed to permeate into one's very bones.
Inside the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, there was no actual flesh but rather a viscous liquid akin to honey, radiating a resplendent glow with Spiritual Light dispersing in all directions.
Yang Ji only felt his body becoming restless and swallowed it unconsciously.
A surge of potent medicine power spread out, immediately drawn by the Zhou Tian energy produced by the True Rigidity Divine Art within his body, converging in the whirlpool of Spiritual Energy within his Dantian and commencing refinement.
Yang Ji could feel that the medicine power of the Heavenly Spirit Fruit not only contained immense Spiritual Energy but also had the ability to nourish the physique.
Part of the medicine power turned into streaks of fine, rosy light, rushing into his organs, limbs, and bones, enhancing his physical strength.
Seeing this, Yang Ji immediately operated the Humanoid Weapon technique, and the Golden Tadpole Runes hidden within his body and soul surfaced on his skin, instantly drawing forth strings of Dao momentum, connecting with the might between heaven and earth, drawing in the Spiritual Energy to temper his physique.
This method of tempering was somewhat similar to the Nascent Soul True Monarch's Dharma Image of Heaven and Earth.
The Dharma Image of Heaven and Earth could link with the great momentum of heaven and earth, borrowing the power of the cosmos, capable of unleashing divine might.
A single finger could cause the elemental energy within dozens of miles to boil, the heavens and the earth to shake, fearsome beyond compare.
But clearly, Yin Zhi True Lord was not among these ranks.
...
After more than six years of rigorous cultivation, the Humanoid Weapon had achieved a degree of small accomplishment.
Although Yang Ji's body did not appear as robust as Mang Biao and others, when he exerted his strength, his blood vessels swelled, and his muscles, tight as serpents, became distinctly visible and as firm as refined steel.
The first volume of the Humanoid Weapon had merely reached minor accomplishment; without the protection of Spiritual Energy, even Low-grade Magical Artifacts would find it difficult to harm his flesh.
Even if struck by a Flying Sword, it would merely create a shower of sparks without leaving even a mark.
That is to say, at this moment, his body was already as tough as a Low-grade Magical Artifact.
Yang Ji could sense that if the first volume of the Humanoid Weapon were cultivated to perfection, the strength of his body could reach the level of Supreme Magic Tools.
If he were to obtain the subsequent cultivation techniques and continued to cultivate, in the future, he could catch Spiritual Artifacts with his bare hands, ward off Treasure Devices, and even withstand Dao Devices and Immortal Artifacts.
While countering Dao Devices and Immortal Artifacts with bare hands might seem exaggerated, if he could follow this path continuously with his cultivation technique, theoretically, it would be feasible.
If the upper limit of the cultivation techniques he acquired did not reach that extent, then he would surely use the Golden Finger to continuously test and deduce, explore the path ahead, and complete the cultivation technique.
To forge an extraordinary body refinement Cultivation Technique that would shock the world.
Of course, all of those were currently Yang Ji's beautiful visions. At the moment, he did not have the luxury of time to attempt such exploration and deduction. Diligently cultivating to break through realms and acquiring a more prolonged lifespan was the proper path.
After all, creating a cultivation technique was not an easy task; devising a Dao-level cultivation technique required a considerable amount of time and effort.
Yang Ji, with a mere two hundred years of lifespan, dared not act recklessly. For now, it was better to earnestly stand on the shoulders of his predecessors and cultivate.
He practiced the Humanoid Weapon by day, and by night, he pondered over the Gui Cang Sword Dao and Zhou Tian Nuoyi.
Of course, he did not fall behind in consuming Heavenly Spirit Fruit and Demon Essence Pills to advance his cultivation.
Thus, his days passed by in an undistinguished manner.
In the secret chamber, he was oblivious to the changing seasons, spring or summer, autumn or winter.
But Yang Ji, looking down, could see his lifespan flowing away day by day.
[Lifespan: 35/200]
[Lifespan: 45/200]
...
[Lifespan: 59/200]
He couldn't help but sigh that time truly flew by too quickly after one reached adulthood.
In the blink of an eye, twenty-five years had passed, and now he was fifty-nine years old.
The face of a once youthful boy now bore the relentless marks of the years, his features no longer tender but etched with a few more hard lines.
As time hurried by, during this period, he had pondered over a question.
What was the purpose of cultivation?
And what was the purpose of longevity?
After much thought, he arrived at a rather mundane truth.
Pursuing longevity might merely be for having ample time to think aimlessly, as he was doing now, or to daydream without a care.
...
Twenty-five years of dedicated meditation – this was Yang Ji's longest period of secluded cultivation since he began his path as a cultivator.
At that moment, he decided to go out for some fresh air.
As he had just pushed open the door of the chamber, Jian Yuanzi, who was sitting in meditation within the grand hall, suddenly opened his eyes. With a flicker, he appeared before him, smiling.
"Not bad, disciple. You're not far from breaking through to the Golden Core Realm," he said.
"Thanks to the Sect's endless supply of high-grade Demon Essence Pills, otherwise reaching the Golden Core Realm would have required an unforeseeable amount of time," Yang Ji replied with a slight smile, then suddenly asked, "By the way, Master, has there been any news from my senior brother since he went to the Wuji Dao Sect?"
"I was just about to discuss this matter with you," Jian Yuanzi said.
He smiled amiably and remarked, "Your senior brother Chang Xiao successfully passed the assessment to join the Wuji Dao Sect and then, ten years later, passed the second assessment. He is now on stable footing there. He just needs to pass the third assessment to stay in the Dao Sect forever."
"Senior brother passed the second assessment?" Yang Ji exclaimed joyfully, "With senior brother's abilities, it shouldn't be difficult to pass the third assessment. Master, you have been to the Dao Sect and have met geniuses. Haven't you said that senior brother's comprehension and talent are comparable to some geniuses with a Sacred Body?
Although senior brother doesn't possess a Sacred Body, he's better than one."
"Indeed, the Sect also thinks so and hopes for Chang Xiao to succeed," Jian Yuanzi said with an approving smile. "After Chang Xiao passed the second assessment, the Dao Sect sent someone to bestow a great number of rewards."
"Oh? What rewards did they send?" Yang Ji asked curiously.
Jian Yuanzi replied with a smile:
"There's one Lower-grade Treasure Device, a replica of the Haotian Mirror. There are three Supreme Spiritual Artifacts, six high-grade Spiritual Artifacts, nine mid-grade Spiritual Artifacts, and twelve lower-grade Spiritual Artifacts, including protective armors, knives, spears, swords, and halberds of all kinds."
"As for Medicine Pills, there are ten each of the Wind Tribulation Pill, the Fire Tribulation Pill, and the Thunder Tribulation Pill. These three types of pills correspond to the wind, fire, and thunder tribulations that Nascent Soul True Monarchs face. Consuming them can effectively shield the Primordial Spirit, greatly increasing the success rate of passing the tribulations.
With these pills, our Canglan Sect can ensure a continuous line of Nascent Soul True Monarchs."
"Additionally, there are Barrier-breaking Pills that span from the Qi Cultivation stage to the Golden Core Realm, ten for each stage."
"It's just regrettable that the Dao Sect didn't bestow any pills that could improve cultivation or enhance Spiritual Roots; the rewards are random, which is quite a pity."
"Moreover, the Dao Sect also granted one medium-grade Spirit Vein and three low-grade Spirit Veins, equating to tens of millions of Spirit Stones – truly a generous act."
Jian Yuanzi added, "If Chang Xiao can successfully pass the third assessment and stay in the Dao Sect forever, then every hundred years, the Dao Sect will bestow our Canglan Sect with an abundant amount of cultivation resources, the benefits of which are endless."
"By then, Chang Xiao will have the right to designate the items rewarded, as long as their value does not exceed the total value of the rewards."
"If a few Enlightenment Pills can be granted, our supreme elder might even break through the Void Refining stage, and at that point, our Canglan Sect would truly stand unshakeable in the Thousand-Islands Sea Area."
Upon hearing this, Yang Ji slightly exclaimed, "The Dao Sect is really generous."
Be it Treasure Devices or pills like the Wind Tribulation Pill, these were all precious items seldom seen in the Thousand-Islands Sea Area.
Perhaps the three major Sects each had one or two Treasure Devices, but such pills were unattainable due to the lack of necessary Spiritual Ingredients for their creation.
The Dao Sect's generosity was evident by their contribution of thirty pills.
With these pills, the Canglan Sect could absolutely foster three to five more Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
These were treasures foundational to the Sect's stature, and in some respects, they were far superior to Treasure Devices.