Chapter 274: I Challenge You

"Please advise!"

He Pingsheng bowed to Ling Zhiwang.

Ling Zhiwang said: "Actually, the emergence of the Dao root and the shattering of the golden elixir to form a fetus are not necessarily synchronized, nor are they inherently linked!"

He Pingsheng was familiar with the concept of shattering the golden elixir to form a fetus.

When advancing from the Golden Core stage to the Nascent Soul stage, one ingests a 【Shatter-Elixir Pill】, causing the golden elixir in the dantian to fracture and ultimately transform into a Nascent Soul.

This process is called shattering the golden elixir to form a fetus.

After successfully forming the Nascent Soul, one can summon the heavenly tribulation; surviving the tribulation means entering the Nascent Soul stage.

Under normal circumstances, the Dao root emerges simultaneously with the shattering of the golden elixir to form a fetus.

This is common knowledge in the cultivation world.

He Pingsheng had always assumed these two processes were inseparable and essentially one and the same.

But today, Ling Zhiwang claimed they are not necessarily synchronized and have no inherent connection!

This shattered He Pingsheng's understanding completely.

Ling Zhiwang continued: "As I just mentioned, some exceptionally gifted cultivators can awaken their Dao root even at the Golden Core stage!"

"Others, though not exceptionally gifted, can still awaken a Dao root at the Golden Core stage due to practicing certain unique cultivation techniques!"

"Comrade Xu, do you understand what I mean?"

He Pingsheng nodded: "I understand!"

This was certainly understandable.

Ling Zhiwang said: "But... the Dao root that emerges at the Golden Core stage is inherently unnatural and, compared to the Dao root formed during the shattering of the golden elixir, it is much weaker!"

"How do I put this?"

"Let me give you an analogy—like... premature birth!"

"A premature infant!"

"Now, do you understand?"

He Pingsheng nodded again.

Ling Zhiwang said: "Therefore, even if you've prematurely reached this 【Golden Core pathway】 and generated a Dao root, you still cannot use it!"

"To use it, two conditions must be met!"

Ling Zhiwang continued speaking.

He Pingsheng listened silently.

After hearing it all, he finally understood the purpose of the 【Dao-Grinding Stone】 that Mi Cangyuan had given him.

According to Ling Zhiwang, the Dao root formed at the Golden Core stage is like a human premature infant—it cannot be used directly.

To utilize the Dao root at the Golden Core stage and make it as robust as one formed at the Nascent Soul stage, two steps are required.

The first step is to stabilize the Dao root.

After entering the Golden Core pathway, ingest a Grade-3 pill called the 【Supplement-Dao Pill】.

This stabilizes the Dao root.

But to make the Dao root grow strong and vigorous, it must undergo further refinement.

How is this refinement done?

That's the second step.

Use a substance capable of polishing the Dao root to grind and refine it; after this process, the Dao root can become as powerful at the Golden Core stage as one formed at the Nascent Soul stage.

The substance that polishes the Dao root is precisely the 【Dao-Grinding Stone】.

So that's how it is! So that's how it is!

But He Pingsheng finally let out a wry smile: What's this got to do with me?

Exactly!

What's this got to do with me?

All of this assumes that one awakens the Dao root prematurely at the Golden Core stage.

I don't even have the ability to awaken a Dao root!

So I'll almost certainly never use this Dao-Grinding Stone.

"Heh..." He Pingsheng exhaled deeply: "These things are simply not meant for us!"

"Indeed..." Ling Zhiwang said: "They truly aren't meant for us!"

After chatting a bit longer, He Pingsheng and Ling Zhiwang returned home.

There's still something else to do!

Meditate on the 【Spear Intent Crystal】.

He Pingsheng had not yet studied the Spear Intent Crystal he brought back from Divine General Mountain.

……

Back in his room!

He tidied up and rechecked the formation array.

After confirming everything was in order, he sat down on his meditation cushion.

A pitch-black crystal rested in his palm.

How do you use it?

He Pingsheng didn't know, but he had once heard Jiang Lan (Jin Lan) say that swallowing it would allow one to comprehend the Spear Intent.

Swallow it?

But this crystal is far too large to swallow whole!

He stared at the black crystal, its surface marked with faint purple veins, for a long while, then pulled out a flying sword.

With a sharp clang, he extended the sword to a foot long and scraped off a fine powder from the crystal with a slight pressure.

In a flash, He Pingsheng tossed the powder into his mouth.

Boom...

The next instant, an immensely powerful spear intent surged forth, traveling backward along his meridians until it reached his spiritual root.

Then, with a sudden burst, it dispersed.

Vanished without a trace.

"What the...?" He Pingsheng was speechless: How could this happen?

After a moment's thought, he understood.

This spear intent must contain the Dao principles of the spear path.

It is a force of cosmic law.

But He Pingsheng is merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator—he has not yet awakened his Dao root.

Without a Dao root, one cannot capture cosmic law.

That's all there is to it.

"Then..." He Pingsheng frowned again: Did previous Foundation Establishment disciples who obtained spear intent also fail to comprehend it?

Not necessarily!

Perhaps they truly could comprehend it.

My inability to comprehend it is probably because this crystal was enhanced inside my Treasure Basin.

Forget it—if I can't meditate on it now, I'll keep it for later, once I reach the Nascent Soul stage.

After all, my current combat techniques are already more than sufficient.

I can easily dominate peers at my level.

Even if I mastered the spear intent, it would merely be icing on the cake.

He Pingsheng put away the Spear Intent Crystal and pulled out another jade slip.

The jade slip's title: The Joyous Union Scripture.

He needed to cultivate this urgently.

Once mastered, he could practice it with a partner—perhaps it would help him break through a bottleneck!

……

Life was simple!

Cultivate, refine pills, sell pills.

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.

During these six months, He Pingsheng had thoroughly mastered the Joyous Union Scripture.

Hmm... it was time to find a partner.

Before he even left his chamber, Xiao He's voice rang out from outside: "Master! Master! Something's wrong!"

"Someone's come to challenge us!"

"What?" Hearing Xiao He's cry, He Pingsheng's heart jolted: Challenge?

Has someone come to provoke us?

He quickly dispelled the several layers of formation barriers outside his hut and stepped into the courtyard.

"Xiao He, what's going on?" As he spoke, his spiritual sense swept over Xiao He.

Xiao He's cultivation had improved significantly—he was now at Qi Condensation Stage 7.

"I... it's the Free Immortal Sect!" Xiao He said: "They've come demanding to fight you!"

Fuck...

He Pingsheng suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

He didn't dare to linger, and quickly strode away, arriving instantly at the alchemy shop ahead.

Five or six people stood before the counter.

All of them wore identical attire, which He Pingsheng recognized as the robes of the Free Immortal Sect.

"You're Xu Kunlun?" The lead man stared at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng scratched his head. "Yeah, what's up?"

He extended his spiritual sense and took a glance—the man was at Foundation Establishment level eleven.

"Heh, it really is you!" the man said. "Xu Kunlun... I challenge you!"