Chapter 281: Dark Earth Sword Path

“After reading the immortal slips I gave you, you should understand the importance of a strong immortal root establishment treasure to support the opening of your qi sea." the realm master said.

“The cultivators in the Middle Land generally have weak immortal roots, with only a few sixth-degree ones. Their shortcomings are not solely due to a lack of natural talent, but are mainly the result of a lack of guidance and a scarcity of the precious treasures needed for root establishment," explained the realm master.

Wu Yuan nodded, "Root establishment treasures are indeed incredibly important."

The Luminous Immortal Soil that the realm master previously gave him was an earth attribute treasure that could help him establish a fourth-degree immortal root at minimum.

A fourth-degree immortal root was already incredibly strong.

As for the highest three degrees? They were extremely rare even within the Greenridge Macrocosm. Those who managed to establish them were considered top-tier geniuses.

As for his Heavenly Endowed Eldritch Tattoos, that was considered an immense fortuitous encounter.

"Naturally," the realm master continued, "For someone like you with both great physical and soul strength, establishing a fourth-degree immortal root would be easy."

Wu Yuan murmured, "Fourth degree?"

If this were a year ago, he would have been satisfied with establishing a fourth-degree immortal root in qi refining. After all, it wasn't his main cultivation focus.

But now? Wu Yuan felt somewhat dissatisfied.

"Realm Master, do you have any superior root establishment treasures?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but ask.

"I possess various treasures such as weapons and talismans, but they are not suitable for root establishment," the realm master replied. "Moreover, when the Fourth Eldritch Realm was established, the main emphasis was on raising eldritch warriors rather than eldritch mages."

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

In his previous life, different universities emphasized different aspects of their students’ education, which led to different facilities and equipment prepared for their students.

"Even the finest of the root establishment treasures I have here still pale in comparison to the Luminous Immortal Soil," the realm master shook his head. "They wouldn't be of much help to you, and will not support the establishment of a third-degree immortal root."

"And as for the second and first degrees? They are simply myths! To establish such high-tier immortal roots directly, one would need an extremely rare opportunity."

Wu Yuan sank into deep thought.

According to the immortal slips, powerful cultivators with second or even first-degree immortal roots mostly established lower degree roots at first, then slowly upgraded them over time.

The number of cultivators establishing a second-degree immortal root on their first try was far fewer than those establishing a first-degree immortal root after numerous years of cultivation.

"Realm Master, please have a look at this." Wu Yuan suddenly flipped his palm, revealing several glimmering shards. Little Black had given them to him when he woke up.

“Oh?” The realm master was initially surprised, but after a brief examination, his eyes lit up with excitement. "Hahaha! Wu Yuan, the heavens must favor you indeed! This is Soul Ethercrystal, an invaluable treasure that greatly supports the unlocking of one’s qi sea. It’s far better than the root establishment treasures I have."

“Soul Ethercrystal?” Wu Yuan was startled.

"Where did you find such a treasure?" asked the realm master curiously. "In the Middle Land, it is rare for anyone to come across such invaluable treasures."

“It was retrieved from the remains of the worm devil,” Wu Yuan explained

Wu Yuan sensed the uniqueness of these crystal shards but had no idea what they were until now.

"I see," said the realm master. "Worm devils are mysterious creatures. The knowledge I have on them is only a tiny fraction of its many secrets. I never imagined that its main body would be so valuable even after death."

“But it makes sense. The worm devil’s main body is inherently frail, yet it’s able to control an army of devil soldiers. So it turns out the reason behind this is that its main body is made up of Soul Ethercrystal, naturally endowing it with an extremely strong soul. Perhaps it has an innate Yang Soul?” The realm master speculated.

Wu Yuan was rather impressed at how quickly the realm master could make a logical deduction of the workings of the worm devil’s soul from just its remnants.

“Realm Master, can I potentially establish a third-degree immortal root with the support of Soul Ethercrystal?” Wu Yuan asked.

The realm master shook his head slightly. "There is a possibility, but fortune will also play a role."

Wu Yuan’s expression froze.

“Soul Ethercrystal is just as precious as Luminous Immortal Soil, albeit slightly rarer. Typically, they are able to help one establish a fourth-degree immortal root at least. Even if your soul is incredibly strong, there is no guarantee of being able to unlock a third-degree immortal root. It all depends on luck.” The realm master clarified.

Luck? Wu Yuan nodded slightly. On the path of cultivation, luck was indeed crucial.

"I’ll use it then." Wu Yuan said, "In all honesty, even if I did manage to obtain better treasures, I don’t have the ability to refine them as of now. If I do end up with a fourth-degree immortal root, then I'll wait for another opportunity in the future to advance to the top three degrees."

"Mm. A fourth-degree immortal root is not bad at all," the realm master said. "In the history of the eldritch lineage, many powerhouses who travel between spacetimes started with only fourth or fifth-degree immortal roots."

Wu Yuan nodded gently.

Starting high implied that one had a good chance of becoming a powerhouse, but starting low didn’t necessarily mean one couldn’t reach the peak.

"Now that you've chosen your root establishment treasure, next, you need to choose your main cultivation class." The realm master said, "In my opinion, it’d be best for you to become a sword cultivator!"

"Sword cultivator?" Wu Yuan was taken aback, "Not eldritch mage?"

He remembered that the realm master initially recommended that he become an eldritch mage.

"That was in the past, things are different now." The realm master said, "Back then, I didn't know your soul was so powerful."

"Wu Yuan, you must understand that for an eldritch warrior, the only benefits of a powerful soul are faster cultivation and comprehension of the profundity of heaven and earth. After all, eldritch warriors are melee fighters."

Wu Yuan felt that it made sense. Soul Force didn’t help much in melee combat.

"But for qi refiners, a strong soul can greatly enhance their combat power. With powerful Soul Force, they can wield more artifacts and harness more mana." The realm master continued,

"The eldritch mage relies heavily on supporting abilities. Their attack power is not too strong, and how powerful their soul is won’t make a big impact on their overall strength."

"But throughout countless worlds in numerous spacetimes, the sword cultivator is known for their attack power." The realm master said, "It is the most powerful class for a qi refiner."

"Can’t I choose the throwing knife as my lifebound object?” Wu Yuan asked, feeling puzzled. In his perspective, it shouldn’t matter whether it was a saber or sword, weapons were just vessels for his power.

“It isn’t the same,” the realm master said with a smile, “Among the countless worlds, you’ll find an abundance of lifebound objects - sabers, spears, swords, halberds, and more. However, only sword cultivators and cauldron cultivators are truly able to stand alongside array cultivators and pill cultivators! Do you know why?"

Wu Yuan shook his head.

"Many eras ago, two terrifying beings were born in heaven and earth. Eventually, they went on to stand at the peak of the countless spacetimes. One wielded a sword as their lifebound object, while the other wielded a cauldron. With their unparalleled might, they gained the ability to influence the very mechanics of heaven and earth. Hence, their weapons went on to hold a unique significance in this vast heaven and earth."

"The lifebound flying sword, unmatched in attack, shatters all laws!"

"The lifebound divine cauldron, unmatched in defense, can subdue mountains and rivers!"

"Ever since then, any cultivator in the subsequent generations that chose either equipment as their lifebound object was granted far greater power than their peers." The realm master continued,

"Thus, two major classes emerged, impacting other cultivators as well. Why else would qi refiners frequently employ flying swords in their attacks?" chuckled the realm master.

Wu Yuan was dumbfounded by what he had heard.

There were powerhouses so fearsome that their choice of weapon could influence the mechanics of heaven and earth? It was inconceivable.

"Furthermore, you’ll receive an additional benefit by embarking on the path of a sword cultivator," the realm master grinned suddenly. "A tremendous benefit."

"There’s more?" Wu Yuan's curiosity was piqued.

"When unlocking the Qi Sea, one must forge their lifebound flying sword. Even the weakest cultivators can forge one sword," said the realm master with a subtle smile. "Prodigies with powerful souls may attempt to condense a second, or maybe even a third sword."

"The more lifebound flying swords one possesses, the stronger the sword cultivator becomes."

"And you can definitely forge more than them," the realm master said, his eyes gleaming brightly.

"Haha, just as alchemists who can refine multiple divine pills with different uses are far more versatile, multiple lifebound flying swords grant you far more power than ordinary flying swords," the realm master laughed.

"If you unite your lifebound flying swords to form a sword array in combination with your soul, you will be invincible in battle, even mightier than in close combat."

These words ignited a fire of yearning inside Wu Yuan.

Compared to others at the same cultivation phase, he was already incredibly powerful in close combat. Now, he could become even more powerful at long-range assaults?

Other qi refiners had to prioritize self-preservation due to their frail physiques. But for Wu Yuan, he could launch long-range attacks without worrying about self-preservation.

"Of course, don’t get too excited just yet," the realm master said. "Unless you are able to divide your soul and create two true selves in the future, your progress on both cultivation paths will slow. Think carefully before you decide."

"I understand," nodded Wu Yuan, "I won't have any regrets."

An additional path meant an additional way to reach the peak. Furthermore, the path of a qi refiner wasn’t inferior to the path of an eldritch warrior. Hence, Wu Yuan made his decision without hesitation.

"Alright. I have already shared with you the eldritch mage teachings," said the realm master. "I have several sword cultivator teachings in my possession, but for condensing multiple lifebound swords of the earth element, the only teaching I have is called 'Dark Earth Sword Path'. This is considered a high-tier cultivation methodology."

"When you enter the Greenridge Macrocosm in the future, you should look for opportunities to join a major sect and cultivate the ‘Heaven and Earth Sword Path'. Both teachings are compatible."

Wu Yuan nodded slightly. He trusted that the realm master wouldn’t deceive him.

Whoosh!

The realm master waved his hand.

Wu Yuan didn’t resist, allowing the deluge of information to flood his mind. With his powerful soul, he assimilated the knowledge within ten breaths.

It was the cultivation method of the 'Dark Earth Sword Path'.

"This is just the first half?" Wu Yuan froze.

"The first half is enough to last you until the Golden Core phase, and this is all I have," the realm master stated. "To obtain the other half of the methodology, you’ll have to rely on yourself."

"Understood," said Wu Yuan with a smile. "May I cultivate here?"

"Naturally. I’ll send you to the meditation chamber," the realm master replied, gesturing with a wave of his hand.

In the distant sky, a rift in space opened, revealing a meditation chamber inside. An unseen force wrapped around Wu Yuan, pulling him into the chamber, and then the rift closed.

Apart from a jade platform, the meditation chamber was bare.

Wu Yuan sat cross-legged on the platform. He felt the cluttered thoughts in his mind fade away, and his spirit felt calm and serene.

This jade platform alone is a true treasure.

Wu Yuan marveled.

Suddenly, invisible vibrations filled the air, and a large quantity of metal ores materialized in the chamber. The metal ores emitted rich spiritual qi, and came in shades of black, yellow, and silver.

“This is?” Wu Yuan was taken aback.

"When you first unlock your qi sea, your lifebound flying sword mustn’t be too strong as your qi sea won’t be able to contain it. You may forge your swords with the metal ores provided," the realm master's voice echoed within the chamber.

"As you continue to progress in your cultivation, you will have the opportunity to gradually refine and upgrade your lifebound flying swords."

"Thank you, Realm Master," Wu Yuan said with gratitude.

The realm master's voice echoed, "No worries. Concentrate on your cultivation. These are just some things I can offer within my capacity. If you need anything, feel free to inform me."

With that, the voice of the realm master faded away.

Life is indeed much easier with a senior’s guidance.

Wu Yuan chuckled and closed his eyes.

The steps to cultivate the methodology rose in his mind.

He only had one opportunity to establish his initial immortal root and forge multiple flying swords. There was no room for error. Hence, he had to fully understand the cultivation method before proceeding.

...

While Wu Yuan cultivated in the meditation room within the Fourth Eldritch Realm, his formal challenge quickly spread across the thirteen continents of the Middle Land with the help of the Middle Land Alliance.

"Deity Wu Yuan is still alive?”

“From what the Starcom Consortium wrote, he surpasses Emperor Dong Pan in strength and is currently the number one expert in the world. He’s just 21 years old!”

“Wasn't he killed during the battle with the worm devil?”

"Wu Yuan is alive! He will challenge Imperator Jin at the Holy Capital on September 8th, and the result will determine who lives and dies."

"Whoever wins will be rightfully called the world's number one expert." The thirteen continents buzzed with excitement.

Upon hearing the news, countless martial artists began their journey to the Holy Capital, eager to witness this epic showdown. Battles between Heavenly Rankers were a rare sight to begin with, let alone a fight to determine the number one expert in the world.

...

Within the depths of a cave in the forbidden zone of the Jin royal family.

“Father, will you accept the challenge?” Jin Ji asked, looking at Jin Quan on the jade platform.

Jin Quan gave a mirthless smile. "Do I have a choice?"