Chapter 152: Perfect Plan

"You're so foolish…"

The Grand Void Elder said: "How could someone without a spirit root cultivate?"

"Actually, this Grand Void Great Mystery Scripture was created by a cultivator with five elemental spirit roots!"

At these words, He Pingsheng's body trembled again.

Five elemental spirit roots?

Isn't that me?

"So-called attributeless cultivation methods are like the Void Spirit Root of the Ice Extreme Sect!" Grand Void, unaware of He Pingsheng's reaction, continued: "The Void Spirit Root isn't the absence of a spirit root—it's that its spirit root has no form or shape. No form or shape means all forms and shapes!"

"It can cultivate any attribute within the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—but isn't limited to them!"

"But the Grand Void Great Mystery Scripture passed down by our Grand Void Gate is the opposite!"

"The cultivator who created it possessed all five elemental attributes—he first mastered all forms and shapes, then returned to simplicity, becoming formless and shapeless!"

"With the Grand Void Great Mystery Scripture, any attribute-based cultivation method can be operated; naturally, any attribute-based spell or divine art can also be cast without obstruction!"

"And without any reduction in power!"

He Pingsheng's heart shook violently.

He had basic cultivation knowledge.

For example, spells have attributes, but they don't necessarily require a specific type of spiritual energy to cast.

Take He Pingsheng's spell, Golden Body Shield—it can be activated with metal spiritual energy.

Similarly, even without a metal spirit root, one could activate a protective shield using earth, wood, fire, or water spiritual energy.

The problem is, shields activated with other spiritual energies have reduced defensive power.

The degree of reduction varies.

The weakest might retain ninety percent of the original attribute's defense.

But if the spell is weak or especially unsuited to other attributes, it might only function at ten percent capacity.

The difference is like night and day.

Thus, under such cost-benefit imbalance, few cultivators attempt to learn spells or techniques outside their own attribute.

But if, as the Ancestor claimed, one perfected the Grand Void Great Mystery Scripture, it would be formidable.

After cultivation, it transforms your cultivation method into attributeless.

Then, using attributeless spiritual energy to activate spells and divine arts, you can override your original attribute.

He Pingsheng frowned and said: "Ancestor, this… isn't this pointless?"

Grand Void asked: "Why say that?"

He Pingsheng said: "A five-element spirit root cultivator already possesses five roots—he can naturally wield all attribute-based spells and techniques. Why transform?"

"Hehehe…" The Grand Ancestor chuckled: "Five-element cultivators aren't all as monstrous as you, advancing metal, wood, water, fire, and earth simultaneously. Most only focus on one!"

He Pingsheng suddenly understood.

It was right before his eyes, yet he never saw it—he'd fallen into habitual thinking.

"You might ask why I, lacking five elemental spirit roots, can still cultivate?" Grand Void asked and answered himself: "Because this scripture is extremely ruthless—if one lacks five elemental spirit roots but wishes to cultivate, one must seek out a five-element spirit root cultivator and devour his roots!"

"I… followed this path… after cultivation, I even changed my Dao name to 'Grand Void'!"

He Pingsheng felt a chill run down his back.

Damn it, no wonder that bastard Wuwei Daoist called me a medicinal catalyst.

"Wuwei covets this scripture not for its formless, shapeless ability!" Grand Void said: "The Grand Void Great Mystery Scripture has another heavenly ability!"

"But I cannot tell you."

"Go!" The old man waved his hand: "I'll be in quiet cultivation these days—go break through to Qi Refining Level Twelve!"

…

Back at his own cultivation ground!

He Pingsheng had no heart left for cultivation—he was numb all over.

The events of today had been utterly shocking.

Medicinal catalyst!

Someone wants to devour my five-element spirit roots.

That damned Wuwei.

And this Grand Void old man—is he friend or foe? What does he want from me?

He smiles now, acts kind and benevolent, but men's faces don't reveal their hearts—who knows what he truly thinks?

Don't forget Luoyu!

And this old man is terrifyingly powerful.

He saw at a glance that I cultivate all five elements.

He even knew I'd obtained the Crimson Essence Ginseng—why else urge me to break through Level Twelve so urgently?

Thinking of these things, He Pingsheng couldn't sleep—he was restless.

Being completely at another's mercy, with zero autonomy—this was unbearable.

Right now, He Pingsheng had only one thought: flee.

Run fast!

Far away!

As far as he could go!

I've got the Treasure Basin—I don't need your scraps, and I don't need your orders.

Isn't self-cultivation better?

At this moment, He Pingsheng conceived for the second time the idea of leaving the Grand Void Gate.

But leaving the Grand Void Gate wasn't easy.

After all, the Ancestor is watching!

What if I anger him and he swallows me whole or possesses me—where would I turn?

Calm down!

Calm down.

Must stay calm!

I need a perfect plan.

Thud…

He Pingsheng collapsed backward onto the pink meditation cushion, his mind beginning to strategize.

First, clarify one thing: how far can a Nascent Soul cultivator's spiritual sense extend?

In other words, how far must I run to escape this old bastard's surveillance?

The next instant, He Pingsheng leapt up like a leaping carp, waved his hand, and pulled out a jade slip.

Miscellaneous Records of Cultivation!

It should contain records on this.

He Pingsheng's spiritual sense seeped into it, beginning to scan.

After browsing for half a stick of incense, he finally found it.

According to the Miscellaneous Records of Cultivation, a cultivator's spiritual sense expands with cultivation level.

In Qi Refining, spiritual sense coverage ranges from ten zhang to about sixty zhang, depending on rank.

At Foundation Establishment, spiritual sense surges—Level One Foundation Establishment grants a hundred zhang.

Yes, exactly a hundred zhang—and that's the minimum spiritual sense strength required for sword flight.

He Pingsheng's spiritual sense currently reached one hundred and twenty zhang, thanks to his cultivation of the Profound Gate Stillness True Scripture for spirit refinement.

Otherwise, he'd never reach one hundred and twenty zhang.

At peak Foundation Establishment, spiritual sense spans roughly five to six hundred zhang.

By extension!

A Golden Core cultivator's spiritual sense spans one thousand to six thousand zhang.

A Nascent Soul cultivator's spiritual sense spans ten thousand to sixty thousand zhang.

Hiss…

He Pingsheng sucked in a sharp breath.

The Ancestor is Nascent Soul Level Nine—his spiritual sense must be around forty to fifty thousand zhang.

Doesn't sound far.

But calculate it—it's terrifying.

One li equals one hundred and fifty zhang!

Ten li equals one thousand five hundred zhang.

One hundred li? Only fifteen thousand zhang!

Fuck…

The Ancestor's spiritual sense of fifty thousand zhang—that's… three to four hundred li?