Volume 1 Chapter 23: Dao Heart
[Current Willpower Amplification: 121% Original Willpower]
As Fang Zhaoge was rummaging from section to section, a notification appeared on his face. He blinked, completely forgetting that one particular quality.
"This… is somewhat vague."
However, it's pretty crucial. Fang Zhaoge just realized it when he read the literature of those experts. Many even mentioned that the most important aspect of cultivation is neither talent nor resource, but willpower!
To defy the heavens and absolute fate, to break through when everything is against them, to solve grudges resolutely, all need willpower!
Fang Zhaoge became thoughtful as the detail of the quality No Life Cultivator appeared.
[No Life Cultivator (White): A cultivator has to be patient and remain stable. Disputes are hassles, and cultivating is true eternality! For every seclusion, increase willpower by 0,1x. Quality limit: Blue]
[Warning: The system could detect whether the host truly went into seclusion or not.]
He may severely underestimate the usefulness of this quality!
In an approximate analogy, if 100% willpower means 100 meters step further, then 121% means 121 steps further. It's already more than 21% steps ahead of the majority!
Fang Zhaoge cupped his chin thoughtfully. He should upgrade the quality if he had the chance.
Soon, after finalizing his study on these subjects, Fang Zhaoge came out. His eyes are clear, and his mind is tranquil. Turns out, the conclusion of each subject is quite simple.
Qi and divinity!
Especially divinity.
There are even countless formulas to determine qi, like for example, the qi's acceleration, the qi's volume, the qi's force. However, although he could memorize them, he truly had no knack for combining this kind of method with real combat.
"It may be useful. But unless I'm a person who loves school, then I probably won't use them even if my master beats me to death…"
Back to the topic, as each subject was considered incomplete in his previous life, the scholars of Star Institution completed them by using qi and divinity while also using stars and galaxies as test subjects…
It's a no-brainer how they could complete those subjects. With such a power in hand, what kind of object would be able to resist them?
They could even do so intricately by controlling and observing the test subjects on a molecular level with their divinity. If the scientists from his previous life saw this method, they'd definitely die in envy!
"How about it, Your Highness? Was our research adequate in your eyes?"
"I'm very satisfied. Also, you're not bad. Here."
Fang Zhaoge casually tossed a pill bottle. In the war, he killed many Immortals, and their treasures were too many.
Although he intended to let Li Mengzhi and Princess Shinmeng manage them, they insisted on giving him half of the whole treasures.
He told them countlessly that these treasures were basically useless for him, but they refused to budge. And arguing with a woman is never an easy thing…
Not to mention two!
Even that seemingly delicate and tender Princess Shinmeng was unbearably stubborn. Thus, now, in his spatial ring, a pile of treasures worth dozens of mountains was left untouched.
They're useless… but not for Yang Guangli.
"T-Twelve-Leaf Chrysanthemum Pills?! Your Highness, this is too much!"
He knew the Overlord was overly generous, but he didn't expect to get his hand on this kind of heavenly pills just by serving him!
This is literally a bottle of pills that could change any talent into that of an Immortal! Although it's only Pseudo Immortal, it was too precious for cultivators in the Mortal Realm!
Even the mightiest of ancestors in the Mortal Realm would scrambled and crawled just for a pill. But the Overlord gave him a whole bottle!
"Alright, no need to be so excited. It's only right for me, the Overlord, to give out peerless pills and increase the overall prowess of my homeworld."
"Yes, yes Your Highness! I swear that from now on, if someone dares to slander you, I'll make him act like a donkey! If someone dares to talk bad about you, I'll make him act like a donkey!"
Fang Zhaoge just smiled. Although that was a bit…
"Then, farewell. Send my message to the Dean and the Ancestor that I have left and do not need an exaggerated exit. And also, here's my thanks. Treat it as a token of friendship!"
He tossed out a ring simply before his body accelerated to the extreme. After a while, Yang Guangli witnessed how the Overlord disappeared silently, as if he was entirely in a different dimension!
In the room at the utmost top of the magic tower, a figure stumbled into a room filled with book's ambience and a studious exterior in excitement. It was Yang Guangli!
In the middle of the room, Duan Weizhe and Ancestor Zhou were staring at the only window available in the room, their eyes glistening with awe.
"D-Dean! Ancestor–!"
"It's fine. We already knew it all."
Then Yang Guangli excitedly reported about what happened. Duan Weizhe and Ancestor Zhou merely smiled at his excited yapping and sighed as they saw what was inside the ring.
"Ancestors Zhou, do you think we should use the formation? I think it's very important to tell the headquarters about the Overlord. Such a man is worthy to become our Honored Guest!"
The long-browed man just chuckled and answered happily, "What do you think? Of course we have to!"
Thus, as Yang Guangli left, the duo went to the back of the room and started to fiddle around with a formation…
Outside the magic tower, Fang Zhaoge strolled around the Star Institution, silently integrating himself with the disciples. He could see the lecturers delivering their speeches to the students.
There are also couples secretly giggling at each other in the dark corners, trying to hide their relationship from the lecturers. Fang Zhaoge just shook his head.
The Star Institution is quite strict, as even the disciples are not allowed to have a lover. But it's normal not to adhere to it as long as they are not caught by the lecturers and other bureaucrats of the Star Institution.
There's an interesting reason behind it. Once, because of the lack of intercourse, a man was so thirsty he decided to force swordplay with his brother!
Fang Zhaoge's mouth twitched. As expected of the Star Institution, even such an issue could be fixed!
Soon, he left the vicinity and entered the forest. His figure did not disappear, but a demonic beast wouldn't dare to approach him. His sheer aura alone would arouse their instinctual fear from the depth of their bones.
Actually, Fang Zhaoge had sadly reached a bottleneck in his proficiency. It's precisely the Fury of the Demon God and the Eight Slashes Severing a Thousand Seas.
They reached pinnacle proficiency long ago. Unfortunately, evolving them was not as easy as Fang Zhaoge had thought. As he couldn't break through anymore, the only way to increase his power was to increase his abilities.
"Wait, what about my other abilities?"
Simultaneously, he looked at his attribute points. He felt sheepish now. He dares to speculate what sort of use the things he never even used…
That's pretty presumptuous.
[Attribute Points: 120]
"So how does this work?"
It's silent. Fang Zhaoge sighed, "I guess I have to find out on my own."
Thus, he looked at his abilities and took a while to consider them. As he needed a test subject, he decided to spend a little on his very first ability.
Yes, it's the Qi Drawing Technique!
[Abilities:
Level 1: Qi Drawing Technique (Level 1, Pinnacle) [+], Mountain Breaking Fist (Level 1, Pinnacle) [+].
More…]
Fang Zhaoge didn't even hesitate. After all, it's just a level 1 ability. It would probably cost around a point or something. Thus, he tapped the plus sign and waited.
[Qi Drawing Technique (Level 1, Pinnacle) → Qi Absorption (Level 2, Entry) Cost: 1 Attribute Point. Confirm?]
So it's to evolve a technique once the limit is reached. Fang Zhaoge had partly expected this. Still, he was extremely satisfied. There's no such thing as a bottleneck for him when it comes to ability!
But the cost was still pretty vague. Fang Zhaoge determines an ability to be used as a test subject.
It's the level 5 Qi Devouring Heaven Technique. Fang Zhaoge felt a little bit emotional, this was given by his master, not by the simulation. The sentimental level is naturally different.
[Level 5: Qi Devouring Heaven Technique (Level 5, Pinnacle) [+].]
There's no hesitation. Fang Zhaoge indifferently tapped the sign.
[Qi Devouring Heaven Technique (Level 5, Pinnacle) → Divinity Devouring Heaven Technique (Level 6, Entry) Cost: (16 ÷ 4) 4 Attribute Points, Confirm?]
"Wait, why was it divided by 4?"
The answer was immediate, unsurprisingly.
[Notice: The total cost will be divided by the level difference between the ability and the host. For example, A Level 9 ability's total cost will be divided by 7 if the host was in the Foundation Establishment realm.]
"Ah…"
So that's how it was! For every level, the cost will be increased by two times, and the cost will be divided by the gaps between him and the ability.
It was very convenient. But although it sounds good, in some cases, it was ultimately futile. Imagine if he wanted to upgrade an ability 16 levels above him. That's 2^15 Attribute Points! Even if it was divided by 15, it would still be over 2000 Attribute Points…
"Where can I get that much? The attribute points coming from simulation would surely be increased as my realm got higher, right?"
Yes, it must be! If not, how the hell can he improve in the future?
Anyway, Fang Zhaoge confirmed the upgrade, and a brand new group, level 6, appeared in his abilities.
Divinity Devouring Heaven Technique… Can he absorb divinity with this?
Fang Zhaoge's face turned strange, and he tried to activate it. Sadly, even if there was a billionth billionth point of divinity, he can't absorb it. He had yet to form even his Nascent Soul…
"Tsk, you wish to rush my breakthrough? Dream on! I'll reach the 40th Qi Refinement realm and be invincible!"
He understood now, that if one wished to attain invincibility, one must face an equally invincible obstacle! If not, how can they deserve to be called invincible?
The reason for invincibility… Fang Zhaoge was actually lost when it came to that. Fortunately, he's only a Qi Refinement junior, so it's not advanced enough to form a Demon Heart.
"How can I find a reason to seek invincibility?"
Fang Zhaoge's looked up to the sky. Everyone cultivates for a reason. For dignity, for self-worth, for wealth, for love, for filial piety… Even Immortals have a reason to cultivate.
It's what many call a Dao Heart. Everyone wanted to be invincible, to be a god who could look down upon all. But for what?
The question "For what?" if answered, is what drove those talentless men and women to defy the heavens and rise above the masses! To not bend even when the demons surround them and entice them with countless benefits!
Fang Zhaoge has no such a thing. He kept yapping about invincibility, when his journey was even smoother than a 13-year-old apprentice in a sect.
He received the memories from the simulation, but his muscles and his bones, his eyes, his ears, and all of his senses have no sharp edges. They are untrained and weak. He's strong with weak qualities!
In short, he has no qualities of a true cultivator who was designed to defy the heavens!
Fang Zhaoge reflected as he sat before a pond. His eyes stared at his own reflection, trying to find something. It looked very effortless for those main characters in those works to find their goals, huh?
He felt ashamed. Others have already discovered their dreams and their ultimate goal, yet he, a transmigrator, hasn't even found a trace of why he wanted to become what he dreamed of…
But if such a crucial aspect of a journey was so easy to find, then why do countless cultivators still get devoured by their own Demon Hearts?
From the books he read, an answer from a wise daoist by the name of the Empress of Whores concluded that they wavered in their own goal midway!
Remembering that, Fang Zhaoge felt quite thankful that he only tried to continuously break the limit of the Qi Refinement realm. If he carelessly breakthroughs realms after realms, wouldn't he be easily devoured by his own Demon Heart?
"Just what do I even want in this life?"
Fang Zhaoge's thoughts drifted away as he looked up in peace, creating a spectacle of that of a wandering immortal…