Chapter 297: Spiritual Sense Proves the Dao

What kind of Dao foundation should one build?

Mo Hua had never considered this question, so he asked:

"Isn't building a foundation just building a foundation? What's the difference?"

"Among cultivators, there are great differences; naturally, their foundation-building differs too."

Mr. Zhuang went on to explain:

"A cultivator's foundation relies on spiritual sense, spiritual energy, and the physical body."

"Different cultivators are born with varying spiritual seas, qi seas, and bodies; the cultivation techniques and Dao methods they follow are countless; choose differently, and the Dao they cultivate will naturally differ."

Mo Hua was troubled.

He had originally thought that merely being able to establish a foundation was good enough, but he hadn't expected that building a foundation involved so many nuances—now he had to choose what Dao to cultivate.

Yet he had never considered these matters before, and now he didn't know what to do.

But Mo Hua hadn't finished speaking when Mr. Zhuang added:

"But before certain clans discovered that spiritual energy could be inherited—and that this inheritance could be controlled—they all violated this principle, arranging marriages among their descendants to secure spiritual roots."

"That's how it is…" Mo Hua sighed faintly.

"Can your physical body and spiritual energy still be improved?"

Mo Hua was stunned.

Mo Hua paused, then asked weakly: "Mr. Zhuang, based on my condition, what would you recommend I cultivate?"

"Spiritual energy is predetermined at birth; if you're born with Yao Yuan, you'll have Yao Yuan for life—you can't change it. Being worse than others isn't just being worse; there's no other way around it."

Mr. Zhuang hesitated a moment, then decided to speak plainly: "The gap isn't just small—it's even smaller than I just said…"

The spiritual energy of some clans' Yao Yuan disciples is indeed much stronger than yours.

Seeing Mo Hua's watery little eyes, Mr. Zhuang couldn't bring himself to say it outright.

"Precisely because of this, among all major clans today, lower-grade spiritual energy is everywhere; even lower-grade upper-tier spiritual energy is no longer rare."

One cannot be too greedy; cultivating your spiritual sense is already quite good.

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and silently thought: "It's even possible it's weaker than you imagine…"

Mr. Zhuang rubbed his chin. "It depends on who you're comparing yourself to."

Mr. Zhuang said: "First, your spiritual energy is middle-upper grade—it may still seem decent, but that's only compared to scattered cultivators in Xiancheng. If you compare it to clan cultivators, spiritual root descendants, especially those from eighth- or seventh-rank sects, it's not even worth mentioning."

Mo Hua nodded; that was indeed true.

"How much worse?"

It didn't take thought to know: cultivating spiritual sense, sect techniques, and the physical body simultaneously requires extremely deep Dao heritage, vast spiritual stone resources, and exceedingly precious heavenly and earthly artifacts to sustain.

He didn't know Bai Zixi and Bai Sheng's talents were this low?

"Your physical body and spiritual energy are stronger than you think, but your spiritual sense is weaker than you think."

Middle-grade upper-tier is still eight thresholds away from lower-grade middle-tier.

"A lot."

Mo Hua nodded, feeling his thoughts suddenly clear, then asked curiously:

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and said bluntly:

Mo Hua didn't know what Mr. Zhuang was thinking, still wrestling with his own physical body and spiritual energy talents, and asked:

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

"How to put it?"

But if one primarily cultivates spiritual sense, can one truly reach the Great Dao? And I've never heard of any cultivator who primarily cultivates spiritual sense.

Mr. Zhuang's words were indeed very tactful…

Low potential in the future means current ability is terrible, right?

"Will you still have a chance to cultivate the body, or gain some advantage within the sect?" Mo Hua still held out a sliver of hope.

Mo Hua understood Mr. Zhuang's meaning, and hung his head, letting out a long sigh.

"Take Bai Sheng and Bai Zixi as an example—their talents in physical body and spiritual energy are worlds apart from yours."

"Physical strength is an innate issue—it can't be changed. No matter how much you improve, you can't alter the fundamental reality: even after improvement, your body won't be as strong as those born with innate body-cultivation bones."

Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Spiritual sense, sect techniques, and the physical body are the three pillars of a cultivator's foundation; none can be missing. But the Dao is harsh, human talent is limited, and it's ultimately impossible to excel in all three. Cultivation doesn't require you to surpass others in everything—just master one thing deeply, and that's enough."

"That's still only compared to special disciples of clans with spiritual roots. If you compare yourself to their true prodigies, your gap with them becomes even smaller."

Mo Hua recalled Mr. Zhuang's earlier words about "the Dao" and "spiritual sense," and said:

Mr. Zhuang shook his head slightly and said:

"Do you know about Yao Yuan inheritance?" Mr. Zhuang asked.

Mr. Zhuang kindly refrained from saying it outright.

"Mr. Zhuang, can't we just take it one step at a time?" Mo Hua whispered.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then asked: "Mr. Zhuang, are there any other cultivators who primarily cultivate spiritual sense?"

Mr. Zhuang said: "Cultivators cultivate the Dao by refining Qi to nurture the root, and establishing the foundation to pave the path. One must consider from the very beginning what path to take and what Dao to cultivate; changing course later becomes extremely difficult."

"So if you're weak in something, you should primarily cultivate what you're strong in—play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses, right?" Mo Hua said.

"Will you primarily cultivate spiritual sense?"

He thought it was fine—at least his spiritual energy was still middle-to-upper.

Mr. Zhuang glanced at Mo Hua again silently.

Mr. Zhuang smiled. "Your physical body and sect techniques are obviously weak; your spiritual sense is weak in a subtle way, and spiritual sense is intangible and hard to grasp. Except for a few array masters, who must possess strong spiritual sense to practice array techniques, no other cultivators choose this path."

He is such a once-in-a-generation talent, yet without heritage or resources, he is merely a pearl hidden in dust, wasting his potential.

Mr. Zhuang said: "Abnormal cultivators never cultivate spiritual sense."

Mo Hua nodded and said, "It's true—since his physical body and spiritual power can't match others, he might as well compete in something else: his spiritual sense."

"Is the gap really not that small?" Mo Hua asked quietly.

Lower-grade upper-tier? What's so rare about that kind of spiritual power, let alone Mo Hua's middle-grade upper-tier?

Mo Hua felt no envy, but after thinking it over, he decided against it.

Yao Yuan Dai fell silent for a moment, then hurriedly said, "No—but those with heavenly talent are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns; across the entire cultivation world, such extraordinary geniuses appear only once every thousand years!"

"Your physical body isn't good, and your spiritual roots… aren't much better either."

I heard Young Master An say that when spouses' spiritual powers differ, the spiritual power and grade of their child follows no predictable pattern—that's Yao Yuan's inheritance.

"It's not that bad…" Yao Yuan Dai said delicately, "but his potential is extremely limited!"

Yao Yuan Dai said, "Two thousand years ago, when the Dao Court was first established, a Lower-grade Yao Yuan was indeed exceedingly rare—even a Lower-grade upper-tier spiritual power would be highly valued and heavily nurtured…"

Mo Hua froze, his expression turning serious.

"Then what about someone who excels in everything?"

Or rather, is my talent really that high?

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened slightly, "But he's different—his innate physique is strong, his spiritual power is unusual, and spiritual sense is almost his only strength—and it's far too strong…"

Mo Hua froze, his mood simple—he was one of those 'abnormal' cultivators…

Though Mo Hua knew well that weak innate physique and mediocre spiritual roots were his lot, hearing Mr. Zhuang say it this way still left him unsettled, so he ventured to ask:

"As long as he cultivates his spiritual sense to sufficient strength, one day he will attain the Dao through spiritual sense alone—using his non-existent spiritual power to glimpse the true essence of the Great Dao!"

"If so, then cultivate your spiritual sense to its utmost—push it so far that other cultivators can't even catch up, and are even terrified to look upon it…"

Yao Yuan Dai gazed at the towering Mo Hua, his eyes distant:

"Is it really that bad?"