Cultivation Technique [2k]
Translator: CinderTL
Outside, various factions stirred at the news.
The Taixu Sword Sect, the War Commission, and the Celestial Qin Dynasty all mobilized.
Even the Chiyang Sword Sect and the Wu Ji Sect within the Immortal Alliance were no exception.
The influence of the Star Brilliance List's number one far surpassed that of the Star Glory List's top spot. Even these Overlord-level factions couldn't afford to ignore it.
At the Chiyang Sword Sect, Vice Hall Master Dongfang Yu, responsible for managing branch sects, summoned Senior Deacon Yang Ming from the Azure Sea Domain. His expression was grim. "Have you seen the news about the Star Brilliance List? That Li Chunjun, who entered the top ten just seven hours ago, has already reached number one!"
"Y-yes, I saw it," Yang Ming replied immediately. "I've been monitoring him since he entered the Star Glory List and tried to contact our branch sect in the Blue Star Minor Realm. However, the branch sect is currently sealed off by the Multiverse Hegemony War Committee, and we haven't been able to obtain any specific information..."
"Then what's the situation with your branch sect? My information suggests that Li Chunjun has had a serious conflict with them!" Dongfang Yu's eyes flashed with anger. "How dare a branch sect cause such a disturbance and offend the number one on the Star Brilliance List? Who gave them the audacity!?"
"Li Chunjun hadn't displayed such astonishing potential before the conflict with the Branch Sect..." Yang Ming explained softly.
But before he could finish, Dongfang Yu waved him off. "I don't want to hear excuses. I want the facts!"
Yang Ming, terrified of concealing anything, quickly recounted everything he knew.
However...
Compared to the Wu Ji Sect, which viewed the Taixu Sword Sect as its mortal enemy, Sect Leader Zhan of the Chiyang Sword Sect seemed hesitant to report the scandal unfolding here. Consequently, this Primordial Spirit True Monarch didn't possess much information.
After listening, Dongfang Yu quickly seized on the key point: "Originally subjects of the Chiyang Sword Sect, they betrayed us?"
"Yes," Yang Ming replied. "As I understand it, the Branch Sect Master of the Azure Star Minor Realm also tried to recruit Li Chunjun. However, because Li Chunjun possessed the Flaming Phoenix Bloodline, he was deceived by the Taixu Sword Sect and stubbornly joined them. The Branch Sect employed numerous methods to bring him back, even resorting to the 'if we can't have him, we'll destroy him' strategy. But..."
"Fool!"
Dongfang Yu roared, his voice filled with fury. "This entire matter boils down to the incompetence of that Branch Sect Master! If he truly possessed the ability to recognize and cultivate a genius like Li Chunjun, why would Li Chunjun have been forced to join the Taixu Sword Sect simply because of his Flaming Phoenix Bloodline?"
Yang Ming trembled inwardly, too afraid to respond.
"Li Chunjun was born within the Chiyang Sword Sect's territory, a heaven-sent talent. By rights, the Chiyang Sword Sect should have gained another Void Refining cultivator. But because that Branch Sect Master lacked the ability to recognize talent, he turned Li Chunjun against us, squandering a golden opportunity!"
The Vice Hall Master's gaze turned icy. "I suspect that after entering the Lesser World, he became arrogant and self-important, acting like an emperor in his own domain. This ultimately led to this disastrous outcome! He deserves to be executed!"
With that, he issued a direct order: "The Chiyang lineage in the Azure Star Minor Realm has caused trouble and acted stubbornly. They are hereby expelled from the sect. Every member of this lineage is no longer a member of the Chiyang Sword Sect. Their fate is their own to bear!"
The Chiyang Sword Sect had chosen to sever ties.
The Wu Ji Sect was equally troubled by the situation.
Listening to the report were not only Hall Master Pan Wuji, who oversaw the Branch Sects, but also Vice Hall Master Wu Ming and Senior Deacon Mo Xuan from the Azure Sea Domain Branch Sect.
"So... you contacted Divine Race Affiliates to leak Li Chunjun's information, intending to use them to kill him?" Pan Wuji asked, his voice thoughtful.
"The Chiyang Sword Sect was the one who actually carried out the assassination attempt. We merely offered a suggestion," Mo Xuan replied, his voice trembling slightly.
He immediately bowed deeply. "This subordinate admits his guilt and requests to be sent to the Sea Sacrifice Battlefield."
Pan Wuji stared at him, silent for a long moment.
Throughout this process, Mo Xuan, a Primordial Spirit True Monarch, didn't dare to breathe.
Finally, Hall Master Pan Wuji spoke in a calm voice. "Enough. Since it's come to this, there's no point in dwelling on it. Ultimately, you were acting in the sect's interests."
As a Void Refining cultivator, he valued Li Chunjun, the number one on the Star Brilliance List. However...
Given his status and position, he wouldn't let himself be consumed by worries about what might happen in the future.
Leaving aside whether Li Chunjun could successfully advance to the Void Refinement Realm, even if he did, their allegiances to different factions meant there could be no real entanglement between them.
"Your greatest fault isn't in using a borrowed blade to kill, but in failing to finish the job once you'd already struck."
Pan Wuji glanced at Mo Xuan and waved his hand. "After the Blue Star matter is resolved, you'll go to guard the Fiery Forest for thirty years."
Mo Xuan visibly relaxed, exhaling a relieved sigh.
Guarding the Fiery Forest for thirty years, though harsh and unsuitable for cultivation, was far safer than the life-threatening Sea Sacrifice Battlefield.
"Thank you, Hall Master."
Mo Xuan bowed deeply, his gratitude genuine. "I take my leave."
After Mo Xuan departed, Wu Ming asked, "Hall Master, what about Li Chunjun...?"
"A tree that stands too tall in the forest is easily felled by the wind. The Profound Yellow Great World isn't as peaceful as the Immortal Alliance. Now that he's on the Star Brilliance List, we're watching him, but so are the Foreign Races. They've added him to their new assassination list. Even with his talent, he might not reach the Void Refinement Realm."
Pan Wuji spoke calmly. "Besides, even if he does... he might not be qualified to challenge the Wu Ji Sect."
The Chiyang Sword Sect and the Wu Ji Sect each made their own decisions.
However, these had no impact on Li Chunjun.
At this moment, Li Chunjun had returned to the space where Liu Yu, the Spirit Artifact of the Profound Yellow Ranking, resided.
"Congratulations! I never expected you to actually reach first place on the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List. Truly outstanding."
Liu Yu smiled and offered her congratulations.
Her words were genuine.
For her to deem someone "outstanding" was a rare honor, even for Nine Tribulation True Monarchs.
Even some Void Refining cultivators might not have earned such praise.
After all, in terms of lifespan, she had existed for over ten million years.
Over such an immense timescale, even Primordial Spirit True Monarchs and Void Refining Great Powers had come and gone in countless generations.
"So, the Void Refinement Inheritance?"
"Of course."
Liu Yu waved her hand, and two streams of light appeared before him—one blue and one red.
"I can offer you two choices. First, the Great Void Kunpeng Art. Based on the traces of Void and Destruction Dao Body in your constitution... your Dao Body is relatively weak, but it has indeed reached the Dao Body level. This may be the reason you achieved first place on the Solar Radiance List."
Liu Yu explained, "The Great Void Kunpeng Art and your various attributes complement each other perfectly. It can unlock the profound mysteries of your Dao Body bloodline while also accelerating your cultivation speed as your Dao Body bloodline grows stronger."
She smiled faintly. "This Cultivation Technique can transform your Lifebound Flying Sword into the Great Void Kunpeng Dharma Manifestation. As a top-tier Dharma Manifestation, once fully transformed, it would make you a formidable force even in the Void Refining Immortal Realm."
Formidable force?
Just a formidable force?
Li Chunjun didn't rush to make a decision. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the crimson light.
"This is the Sovereign Dao Canon!" Liu Yu declared. "A Cultivation Technique once obtained by the Supreme Sovereign. Its origins are unknown, but according to the Supreme Sovereign's research, once mastered, it grants the Cultivator absolute control over themselves and all the forces they wield!"
She added, "Unlike the Core Formation Realm's control over the physical body, this control—this sovereignty—encompasses every aspect of one's essence, energy, and spirit. At a certain level, it even allows one to command the heavens and earth, control yin and yang, and even, before Dao Unification, to command the Grand Dao Power itself as a Sovereign!"
"Command the Grand Dao Power!?" Li Chunjun was stunned.
The Grand Dao!?
That was a realm of Dao Unification!
While Void Refining cultivators could touch upon the power of laws, that power was merely an outward manifestation of the Grand Dao Power.
The true Grand Dao Power was a vast, boundless force comparable to the Great Dao Light Net—the true power of the Cosmos itself.
If they unleashed their full might, they would unleash a cosmic-level catastrophe.
Yet this Sovereign Dao Canon, when cultivated to its peak, could command the Grand Dao Power itself!?
"There's a golden-grade Cultivation Technique, isn't there?"
Li Chunjun asked, "If a red-grade Cultivation Technique is already this extraordinary, how powerful must a golden-grade one be?"
"There is," Liu Yu replied honestly, "but you don't meet the requirements yet."
She added, "Furthermore, the final golden-grade Cultivation Technique is only granted to Official Disciples of the Supreme Sovereign. Its profundity may not even rival the Sovereign Dao Canon."
"Hmm? Then why..."
"The difficulty of cultivation."
Liu Yu stated directly, "This Cultivation Technique is even more challenging to cultivate than the Heavenly Heart Eternal Method."
She glanced at Li Chunjun. "Judging from your battle with Li Hentian, you have a high chance of mastering the Heavenly Heart Eternal Method. Since you can master it, I believe you can also..."
"I choose the Great Void Kunpeng Art."
Li Chunjun made his decision without hesitation.
"Huh?" Liu Yu was taken aback.
"I'm choosing the Great Void Kunpeng Art," Li Chunjun reiterated.
Though Liu Yu didn't understand why Li Chunjun had suddenly changed his mind, she clearly had no authority to influence his choice.
She only advised, "Mastering the Great Void Kunpeng Art will only make you a powerhouse in the Void Refining Immortal Realm. But if you can master the Sovereign Dao Canon, you'll become the Overlord of this entire realm! An invincible Overlord!"
"Mm."
Li Chunjun acknowledged, then continued, "I'll still choose the Great Void Kunpeng Art."
The difficulty of cultivating the Sovereign Dao Canon was set by the Profound Yellow Supreme.
A Supreme Sovereign?
That's the Human Race's decision-making elite.
They stand just one step away from the most powerful beings at the peak of the Cosmos.
Even with sudden enlightenment, it took him two months to master the first layer of the Heavenly Heart Eternal Method. The Sovereign Dao Canon was even harder...
He wouldn't be able to cultivate it. It was simply impossible.
And without mastering the Void Refining Method, he couldn't advance to Void Refining.
The gap between the Primordial Spirit and Void Refining realms was vast, like an uncrossable chasm. There was virtually no chance of overcoming this difference in combat.
Across all recorded history, excluding external assistance or special circumstances like scavenging corpses, no Primordial Spirit Heavenly Prodigy had ever defeated a Void Refining cultivator through their own strength.
Even the Invincible True Monarch, ranked first on the Cosmic Light List, would face certain death against a Void Refining opponent.
In other words, if he couldn't advance to Void Refining, he'd never be able to kill another Void Refining cultivator in his lifetime.
As a Primordial Spirit True Monarch, his Life Level would stop gaining experience after reaching 38. He wouldn't survive until the moment he reached level 40 perfection.
Therefore, he chose the Great Void Kunpeng Art with a clear understanding of his own limitations.
Seeing Li Chunjun's resolve, Liu Yu could only push the blue orb toward him.
"As you wish, then."
(End of the Chapter)
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