Chapter 186: Shambhala Phase, 10,000 Year Lifespan (2)

According to the giant, there were two distinct paths to transcendence.

You find it strange?" The towering figure clad in black armor peered down at Wu Yuan, a smile playing on his lips. "Do you know what an eldritch is?"

Wu Yuan shook his head. "Junior is ignorant on this matter."

The black-armored titan spoke softly. "In the tumultuous era of the creation of heaven and earth, where chaos reigned, ancient deities clashed and devils ran rampant, humanity was mere prey, struggling to survive. However, there arose a group of exceptional humans who brandished primal weapons, treading upon the earth with unwavering determination as they waged war against the devils. They carved paths and cultivated lands, establishing a sanctuary for humanity."

"Their relentless pursuit of knowledge allowed them to commune with the essence of heaven and earth, bringing prosperity to all of humanity. They defied heaven and the earth, compelling the ancient deities and devils to retreat, and even forcing primordial Demonic Deities and Devil Monarchs to their knees."

"In the end, all the races of the myriad worlds submitted, and humanity became the leader of all beings," the giant spoke slowly. "They are called eldritch."

"The eldritches are those who never kneel, who stand tall and indomitable. They are the ones who possess an intimate connection with heaven and earth, comprehending its every facet. The eldritch, apart from the ancient deities and devils, are the earliest cultivators, their power and antiquity tracing back to the dawn of time."

Wu Yuan was utterly captivated. The word eldritch held a profound significance indeed!

"There are two types of eldritch cultivators: eldritch mages and eldritch warriors," the black-armored titan elucidated. "However, with the passage of time, many ancient mythological tales have been forgotten. The rise of immortal cultivation has caused a gradual decline in eldritch cultivation. Nevertheless, it remains an immensely powerful and enduring cultivation system."

"The eldritch warriors, inspired by the cultivation methods of ancient deities and devils, ultimately created a comprehensive system of their own. Many body refiners, both human and demon, can trace their roots back to the eldritch warriors or simplified versions of their practices," the giant explained, his voice growing softer. "Becoming a body refiner is within the grasp of most. Any first-grade martial artist who practices any inferior body cultivation method can become one. However, progressing to future phases also becomes increasingly challenging, often leading to insurmountable obstacles."

"Only a peerless genius can become an eldritch warrior. To put it simply, an eldritch warrior is the most powerful and perfect body cultivator," said the black-armored titan indifferently, "It is also the core cultivation heritage of my Fourth Eldritch Realm."

A peerless genius?

The black-armored giant sighed. "Your talent evaluation reveals that your soul talent and qi refining talent are merely above average. However, your body refining talent is exceptional! Should you choose to forsake the path of an eldritch and instead cultivate as a qi refiner, you would be squandering your immense potential."

"If you choose the path of qi refining, you might become a competent qi refiner. However, if you become an eldritch cultivator, you will be a top-tier body refiner. With enough hard work and opportunities, you could even reach the point where a single punch of yours shatters all laws." The giants words carried a weighty seriousness.

Wu Yuan understood what it meant now. The core of the Fourth Eldritch Realm's inheritance lay in the eldritch warrior cultivation method, a path designed specifically for body refiners.

But despite the black-armored giant's grandiose claims, Wu Yuan couldn't shake off his doubts. Were the giant's words truly reliable? If eldritch cultivation was that incredible, why did it fall into decline? Why did the immortal cultivation path of qi refining become the trend? These questions swirled incessantly in Wu Yuan's mind.

"Realm Master, how does one become an eldritch warrior?" Wu Yuan asked. "Qi refining revolves around the fusion of the soul and qi, while body refining revolves around the fusion of the soul and flesh. Aren't they fundamentally different?"

"Indeed!" The black-armored giant affirmed. "For qi refiners, as long as they reach the necessary phase and possess sufficient soul strength, they can open their qi sea. However, the degree of their immortal root may vary. But the path to becoming an eldritch warrior deviates from this."

"The first obstacle of becoming an eldritch lies within the physical body. The human body must be capable of wielding a punch strength of 600,000 catties with a single arm. This is the minimum requirement, and the higher the better," the black-armored giant explained. "Simultaneously, the demands on ones soul are exceedingly high. It must reach the Soul Perception level at least."

"Furthermore, one must integrate a unique eldritch treasure into their body. The strength of this treasure determines the strength of ones initial eldritch tattoos the term for immortal root unique to eldritches!"

"This eldritch treasure is not a natural treasure. Calling it that is an insult. An eldritch treasure is a thousand times, no, a million times more valuable than a Redwood Spirit Fruit or Purplewood Spirit Fruit."

Wu Yuans eyes widened. Now he understood why the black-armored giant confidently claimed that an eldritch cultivator could rival a ninth-stage Qi Sea cultivator. With a remarkable physical constitution, a powerful soul, and an immortal root forged by rare and precious eldritch treasures, one was just able to become a novice eldritch cultivator. How could an average qi refiner, who only commanded spiritual qi, compare?

At the same time, Wu Yuan also began to comprehend why eldritch warriors were on the decline. One significant reason lay in the difficulty of cultivation. Merely the initiation itself was a formidable challenge; breaking through the later phases would undoubtedly be even more arduous!

Over the course of thousands of years, hundreds of qi refiners had emerged from the ruins of the Middle Land. Perhaps even Golden Core cultivators had been born. Yet this realm master had yet to find someone qualified to be nurtured into an eldritch warrior.

The vast majority of qi refiners might be weak, but their easy initiation and astonishing numbers would invariably produce some shockingly talented geniuses.

"Once you become an eldritch warrior, the first phase is known as the Communion phase. This phase is divided into nine stages, during which you are able to consume qi. Your physical strength will grow, your recovery abilities will be strengthened, and you can cultivate various eldritch techniques, thereby exhibiting a variety of physical powers. It is comparable to the Qi Sea phase, and your lifespan will be extended to 1000 years," the black armored giant explained.

"But isn't the lifespan of Qi Sea cultivators only 500 years?" Wu Yuan asked.

"What a joke! What kind of bodies do they have? And what kind of bodies do eldritches have? An ordinary body refiner may live longer, but generally only up to 600 to 800 years," the black-armored giant shook his head, "Qi refiners seek to live for as long as heaven and earth, while the ultimate pursuit of eldritch warriors is to survive even if heaven and earth perishes."

Wu Yuan felt his breath catch as he listened. He finally grasped the uniqueness of eldritch warriorstheir lifespan! Just the first phase alone granted a lifespan of 1000 years, comparable to Golden Core cultivators.

"The second phase of an eldritch warrior is known as the Spiritual Body phase. Once you reach this level, your strength grows, but the most important enhancement is your vitality. Your head and heart are no longer weaknesses, and severed limbs can be regenerated, even decapitation can be healed. You have practically no vulnerabilities," the black-armored giant proclaimed proudly.

"Regrow severed limbs? No vulnerabilities?" Wu Yuan was shocked by the overwhelming vitality.

At that level, none of the usual fatal injuries that plagued ordinary martial artists would be weaknesses anymore. How terrifying would an eldritch warrior be in a life-or-death battle?

"Furthermore, the lifespan of a Spiritual Body phase cultivator can reach 5000 years," the black armored giant looked down at Wu Yuan, "Forget Golden Core Superiors, not even Amethyst Cradle Reverands have a lifespan as long as eldritch warriors in the Spiritual Body phase."

5000 years? Wu Yuan was momentarily stunned.

What else was cultivation for, if not great power and longevity? In these two aspects, the eldritch perfectly embodied them.

"The Shambhala phase," said the black armored giant in a slow, deliberate tone, "is the third phase of an eldritch warrior. This phase forms the essential distinction between refining qi and refining the body."

"The Amethyst Cradle Reverand reflects heaven and earth through their qi sea, employing heaven and earth as the abode of their soul as they prepare themself for their Void Refining transformation. Meanwhile, in the Shambhala phase, the eldritch warrior contemplates heaven and earth, etching the imprint of the mountains and rivers within their very beings, laying the foundation for the Grotto-Heaven Elysian Field. One seeks the Dao externally, while the other seeks it internally!"

"At the Shambhala phase, one's lifespan is extended to 10,000 years," the black-armored giant revealed. "At this phase, one can be revived from a single drop of blood, ones mental imprint is nearly indestructible, and one possesses the true capability to shatter countless laws with a single punch."

In just a few short sentences, the black-armored giant had undeniably displayed the might of the eldritch warrior.

The Communion phase offered a lifespan of 1000 years. The Spiritual Body phase allowed for a lifespan of 5000 years. The Shambhala phase granted a lifespan of 10,000 years!

The stark contrast in longevity, coupled with the astounding vitality, ignited an unstoppable desire within Wu Yuan to become an eldritch warrior immediately. However, Wu Yuan still held back.

"Realm Master, if the eldritch warriors are truly so formidable, what about the eldritch mages?" Wu Yuan asked. "Based on what you've said, it seems the eldritch mages lean towards the path of the qi refiner. Is it possible for one to cultivate both paths simultaneously?"

"You little rascal. Walk both paths at the same time?" The black-armored giant's angry glare pierced through Wu Yuan. "Your strength may be lacking, but your ambitions are certainly lofty!"

Wu Yuan remained silent, sensing that the black armored giant wasnt outright dismissing the notion. Perhaps, there was still a glimmer of hope.

Were eldritch warriors powerful? Certainly! But if he were to forsake the path of an eldritch warrior and instead wholeheartedly pursue the path of a qi refiner?

The path of a qi refiner relied on harnessing the qi at its core, ultimately giving up on the physical body. However, the blood-red mist that was released from his black pagoda enabled Wu Yuan's physical genome to undergo an unprecedented transformation.

Yet, Wu Yuan was reluctant to relinquish the path of a body refiner as well. His instincts were warning him that solely embarking on the path of the eldritch warrior might not be the wisest choice.

"The majority of individuals find it difficult to master even one path of eldritch cultivation," the black-armored giant spoke slowly. "But for you? Your soul talent is extraordinary. If you have the ambition for it, you may even endeavor the path of eldritch universal cultivation!"

"However, be warned, it is a path fraught with unimaginable agony!"