Free Web NovelChapter 499: Chapter 276: Chen Chuyu: Where is Ling Changqing?
Human desire knows no bounds.
For the vast majority of low and middle-rank cultivators, reaching the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm was the greatest ambition of their lives. Most toiled for a lifetime, yet it remained forever out of reach.
However, for cultivators who had already reached the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm, the Divinity Transformation Realm no longer seemed so out of reach.
Ling Changqing had only just ascended to the Nascent Soul Realm, yet he was already considering his future advancement. This was only natural.
"Under normal circumstances, it would take about two hundred years, right?"
Gong Ling replied, "If you want to advance sooner, Master, you will need more Dao Companions to perform Dual Cultivation with you. And the higher their Cultivation Realms, the better."
"Just as I expected."
Ling Changqing was not surprised by this reply.
In fact, he had already experienced the immense benefits of Dual Cultivation.
If it weren’t for the help of Luo Qingxuan, Bai Qingyi, Qin Mengxuan, Liu Ying Ziyi, and his other High Level Female Cultivators, it would have been nearly impossible for Ling Changqing to reach the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm so quickly—even as a Child of Destiny.
Relying on himself alone, he would have needed to train arduously for at least another century to have any hope of reaching his current level.
In the future, as long as the women of his harem continued to cultivate with him, Ling Changqing’s Cultivation speed would inevitably surpass that of most of this world’s chosen geniuses.
"Oh, right. How much has your main body recovered?"
Ling Changqing asked.
The Era Star Palace was a mysterious Heavy Artifact. As his Cultivation Realm rose, its damaged body continuously recovered, and its powers grew stronger and stronger.
"It has recovered some, about three percent. I’ll be able to protect you better in the future, Master."
Gong Ling said with a radiant smile as a stream of secret information flowed into Ling Changqing’s sea of consciousness.
The first of the Era Star Palace’s current powers was the ability to apply a much more thorough and comprehensive Shielding of his Destiny.
When he was in disguise, even a Void Refinement Realm expert wouldn’t notice a thing, not even face-to-face. It would even be difficult for a Great Power at the Integration Realm to see through his disguise.
The second power was the ability to proactively divine the private information of Void Refinement and Integration Realm Cultivators with nearly ninety percent accuracy, at the cost of a portion of Ling Changqing’s Lifespan.
This level of accuracy was astounding. Typically, even High Rank Cultivators proficient in the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination would struggle to achieve such precision when divining information about opponents at the same Realm; they could usually only obtain a rough estimate.
The third power was "Defying Fate." It could now be used to benefit those close to Ling Changqing. Specifically, it could optimize and enhance a target’s Spirit Root Talent, thoroughly cleanse a Cultivator’s body of accumulated toxins and impurities, and heal all hidden injuries and latent ailments.
This ability could be used once a month on up to ten people at a time, at the cost of one hundred years of Ling Changqing’s Lifespan.
Furthermore, the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land within the Era Star Palace had expanded once more, now spanning fifty li in every direction—roughly the size of a city.
The Spiritual Qi within the space was even more abundant, its quality equivalent to a Grade Five Spirit Vein. It was now sufficient for a Divinity Transformation Powerhouse to live and practice Cultivation in Seclusion there for extended periods.
"Alright, let’s upgrade the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination first."
"Rank Four Low Grade will cost five hundred years of Lifespan. Middle Grade will cost one thousand years. Are you sure you wish to upgrade?"
"Upgrade it!"
Ling Changqing gave the command. ’With the Era Star Palace’s recovery, the Lifespan cost has also decreased,’ he mused. ’Back when I was at the Golden Core Level, the cost for this kind of operation would have been even more exorbitant.’
A ball of chaotic-hued Dao fire enveloped Ling Changqing. His Lifespan melted away like snow in a heatwave, a huge chunk vanishing in the blink of an eye.
[Bone Age: 87/1153]
[Celestial Secret Technique and Divination: 0/200000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]
In Ling Changqing’s view, the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination was the most important of the Art Skills a Cultivator could possess.
Finding treasures, stumbling upon fated encounters, foreseeing fortune and disaster, evading or resisting tribulations, and plotting against enemies—none of it was possible without this ability. That was why it had to be prioritized.
Between two Cultivators of equal strength and Realm, if one was proficient in the Path of Celestial Secret Art and Divination while the other knew nothing of it, the latter would sooner or later be plotted against and killed.
As for the four other common Art Skills—Pills, Talismans, Artifacts, and Arrays—Ling Changqing pondered for a moment and decided to raise his Alchemy Dao to Rank Four Middle Grade first.
Ling Qiyue was still struggling to refine Rank Four Low-grade Elixirs, and her success rate wasn’t high. Therefore, Ling Changqing decided to do it himself. After all, as the women’s Cultivation continued to rise, their demand for Rank Four Elixirs would only increase.
The cost of raising his Alchemy Dao to Rank Four Low Grade was three hundred years of Lifespan, and to Rank Four Middle Grade, it was six hundred years.
[Alchemy Dao: 0/160000 (Rank Four Middle Grade)]
With that, Ling Changqing was left with only 253 years of Lifespan.
Ling Changqing opened his Storage Bracelet and took out all the Third and Fourth Rank Demon Beast Inner Cores he had stored inside. There were over a hundred in total, and he sacrificed them all at once.
A moment later, his remaining Lifespan had increased to 1,360 years.
’This should be enough for now. Once I get out, I’ll collect another batch of Demon Beast Cores to sacrifice. I need to upgrade all my practical Art Skills, as well as my main Cultivation Technique and Divine Techniques...’
Ling Changqing mused to himself. As his Cultivation rose, his need for Lifespan was becoming more and more outrageous. A mere two thousand-some years of life was nothing.
Putting his worries aside, he continued his Cultivation in Seclusion. Two months later, once his Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm was completely stable, Ling Changqing finally rose from his bed and deactivated the Array Restriction.
As he stepped out of the Cultivation Chamber, Liu Ying Ziyi, Bai Qingyi, Qin Mengxuan, and Su Qinglian were already waiting for him. Adorned with hairpins and jewels, dressed in flowing skirts and jackets of vibrant greens and reds, they were like a garden of dazzling flowers, a sight that could mesmerize any man.
