Wang Lin frowned. The words of the first generation Vermillion Bird echoed in his mind, causing him to become silent.
âThe Five Void-Shattering Fingers is a process to gather the power to break the void. Only by cultivating to the limit of the second step can you borrow the power of your essence to break the Void Gate in one fell swoop!
âYour cultivation is too chaotic. First of all, your ancient god body. Ancient god, ancient god, I didnât expect a member of my Vermillion Bird Clan to become an ancient god!â There was a strange light in the first generation Vermillion Birdâs eyes as he looked at the blood sword before him.
âThis old man doesnât know much about ancient god cultivation, but during my time, the ancient godsâ power was heaven-shaking. Back then, although the Ancient Orderâs Ye Mo wasnât as strong as the Ancient Celestial Sovereign, the Ancient Celestial Sovereign still dreaded himâ¦â
âAncient Order?â Wang Lin was startled as he looked at the first generation Vermillion Bird.
âDue to my promise from back then, I canât tell you any more, so donât ask me again. If you have the opportunity, you will find the answer that is lost in time.â The expression of the first generation Vermillion Bird seemed crestfallen.
âIf you were to only cultivate the ancient god body and use your power as dao, it would be easier to open the Void Gate⦠However, essences have appeared inside your body, and it is a shocking five essences!!
âTherefore, if you want to enter the third step, it will be even more difficult. The more essences you have, the more difficult it becomes, unless you give up your essences and enter the third step as an ancient god. Or you can give up your ancient god body and four essences to enter the third step with one complete essence!â
Wang Lin silently pondered.
âThe third step requires the completion of an essence. Then, with the help of Joss Flames and devouring a dao spirit, there is a chance to enter the third step. However, I canât find any Joss Flame aura from you.
âYou walk a very difficult path, one completely different from that of the second and fourth generations, so I canât help you⦠However, right now you have a choice, and I want you to think about it carefully.â
Wang Lin looked at the first generation Vermillion Bird and calmly said, âWhat choice?â
âGive up your ancient god body, abandon your seemingly complete but still flawed thunder essence, and also give up all your essences except for your fire essence⦠Stay in the Heaven Trial and this old man will help you reach the third step within 100 years!
âFrom then on, you will only have one essence, the fire of the Vermillion Bird! Once you have reached the third step, this old man will teach you the Vermillion Bird Endless Flame! You will cultivate in peace here with the second and fourth generation Vermillion Birds and wait until this old man breaks the seal. Then this old man will take the three of you⦠and leave this place!â the first generation Vermillion Bird said slowly.
âLeave this place?â Wang Linâs eyes lit up. He felt like there was some hidden meaning behind these words.
âLeave this place!â The first generation Vermillion Birdâs eyes revealed reminiscence as he softly said, âTo go back to the world I came fromâ¦â
Wang Linâs mint trembled and he was about to speak.
âDonât ask, I canât say. If I speak, Iâll die! They want to fight, they want to steal, but this old man is tired. Iâm unwilling to participate, I just want to⦠go home.â The first generation Vermillion Bird sounded tired.
âIâll give you time to think, I hope you consider it carefullyâ¦â The first generation Vermillion Bird let out a sigh.
Wang Linâs breath became a bit rough and he struggled. The words of the first generation Vermillion Bird was very tempting, even more tempting than Dao Master Blue Dreamâs offer!
Dao Master Blue Dream was not of the Vermillion Bird Clan. In his heart, Wang Lin was leaning more toward the first generation Vermillion Bird.
Wang Lin hesitated and asked, âIf I give up my ancient god body and my other essences, once I reach third step, can I re-cultivate my essences?â
âOf course you can. Third step cultivators also cultivate essences, and the more essences, the deeper their comprehension; their cultivation level also increases this way. However, the new essence will never reach true completion and will stop at the third step. This path poses no danger to you; it is a peaceful path that will allow you to keep your obsession. This old man has also faced the flame of obsession and knows how important it is to people like usâ¦â The first generation Vermillion Bird looked at Wang Lin as if he was looking at himself and let out a sigh.
Wang Linâs mind trembled and his breathing became even more rough. Before him, the choice began to tilt. There was a voice filled with 2,000 years of exhaustion in his heart. With the possibility of a quiet life, there was a hint of excitement in the voice that continued to whisper to him.
âStay hereâ¦
âStay here⦠You donât have to experience the bloodbath, you donât have to worry about life and deathâ¦
âStay here⦠Reach the third step in 100 years⦠Even if it means giving up the other essences and the ancient god body. After reaching the third step, they can be re-cultivated⦠Even if they canât become complete, reaching the third step is worth it, even if it means not being able to move forward any more!
âStay here⦠Are you not tired of 2,000 years of cultivation? Walking the line of life and death over and over again, are you still not afraid⦠Stay here, stay hereâ¦â
Wang Linâs struggle became even stronger and his breathing became anxious. This short period of time was like thousands of years for him. After a long time, Wang Lin suddenly looked up at the first generation Vermillion Bird. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, âCan the ancestor only take the three of us? Can I bring a few more people? Junior has some friends I canât leave behindâ¦â
The first generation Vermillion Bird pondered, and a moment later, his voice echoed in the world.
âTaking the three of you is my limit⦠Forget it, when the day to leave comes, this old man can give you one more spot! If any more people come, I fear I wonât be able to make it back.â
âOne spotâ¦â Li Muwan appeared in Wang Linâs eyes⦠Then Situ Nan, Qing Shui, and Zhou Ru appeared⦠Li Qianmei appeared⦠The figures that he had encountered over his 2,000 years of cultivation that caused him to struggle with this decision appeared.
âNow tell me, what is your choice?â The first generation Vermillion Birdâs words entered Wang Linâs mind.
A monstrous wave was set off in Wang Linâs heart. This choice made him struggle and hesitate⦠A moment later, Wang Linâs right hand reached at the void and a rift to his storage space appeared. A coffin slowly floated out, and Li Muwan was calmly sleeping inside the coffin.
âCan Senior resurrect her?â Wang Lin looked up with bloodshot eyes. The struggle of making this choice was like a vicious battle for him!
A long sigh echoed across the world and the first generation Vermillion Birdâs words echoed.
âThis old man saw the coffin when you opened your storage space earlier. This woman must be your obsession⦠This coffin was refined by a junior, because I have never seen it before, but I can feel the effect of this coffin⦠This womanâs lifespan ended and her nascent soul was then injured. She died⦠Then you put the nascent soul inside the coffin to reform her flesh, but her soul had already collapsedâ¦â
Wang Linâs body trembled as he stared at Li Muwan inside the coffin.
âThis coffin is very strange. It allows a collapsed soul to not dissipate for a while. If you can find the correct method of control, you can find the shattered pieces of her soul one by one⦠But even if you can find all of her soul, this old man canât resurrect herâ¦â
Wang Linâs heart was filled with despair and his gaze became dim. He stared at the coffin as if his heart had been torn apart, and pain filled his body.
The first generation Vermillion Bird pondered a bit and slowly said, âHowever, if this old man canât do it, that doesnât mean others canât. In my hometown, there are three people that can mend her soul and resurrect her! Itâs just⦠all three of them have extremely high statuses, and this old man canât get them to help⦠However, you can rest assured, Iâll do my bestâ¦â
Wang Lin didnât look up, and he slowly withdrew his gaze from the coffin. His right hand touched the coffin and he put it back inside his storage space.
âThe three people Ancestor talked about are too far away from Junior. The three are able to do it presumably due to their unfathomable cultivationâ¦â Wang Lin raised his hand and looked at the first generation Vermillion Birdâs statue. Although his eyes were still bloodshot, they no longer contained any struggle. Instead, they were filled with clarity and determination.
âJunior also wants to live peacefully. Iâm tired of the constant life and death situations and the schemes of the cultivation world. I would very much like to stay here until Iâm old. Even if it means my cultivation would stop at the third step, so what?â
Wang Linâs eyes became bright and he continued, âItâs just that Junior canât do it⦠Asking others for help is too unreliable, and I donât like having someone else controlling my fate⦠I might as well not ask for their help. Since they can cultivate to that degree, I, Wang Lin, can do it as well!â
â⦠Can do it as well!â Although these words were not loud, but after he spoke them, it was as if an indescribable force had surged into his body, giving him a shocking presence.
There words seemed to echo inside this world. Even the first generation Vermillion Birdâs eyes narrowed.
âI canât give up my ancient god body! I canât give up my other four essences. Even if this path is difficult, I have to continue down it! I canât allow my cultivation to stopâ¦â Wang Lin bowed at the first generation Vermillion Bird before stepping into the air.
âJunior appreciates the old ancestorâs good will⦠Whether it is the Five Heavenâs Blights or the Five Void-Shattering Fingers, they are all things comprehended by cultivators as required steps to break the Void Gate⦠Then why canât Junior find my own way, a method unique to me! Ancestor said that I need five fingers to cover the sky, but Junior doesnât want to go through the five Heavenâs Blights!
âMy ancient god body is juniorâs palm and my five essences are my fingers! Five Heavenâs Blights, Five Void Shattering Fingers, five essences, they have different names, but their meanings are the same!
âIâve completed one essence, which is the same as the first Heavenâs Blight. Once my five essences are complete, Iâll be the same as a peak fifth Heavenâs Blight cultivator. Iâll break open the Void Gate and form my own path!â
Note:
1. "We don't understand exactly what the author is saying in this chapter regarding the essences and staying at the third step. We don't know if he would be pema-stuck at the third step with his fire essence or if he could continue cultivating the fire essence but the other essences and the ancient god body would be stuck at the third step."