"If I let you go back now, knowing you, you’d probably just lock yourself in your room to meditate and cultivate, wouldn’t you?"
Zhou Changkong suddenly spoke, a hint of resigned amusement in his voice.
Chu Bai paused and said frankly, "I admit, that was my intention. The recent battle gave me some new insights into my Magic Techniques, and I was hoping to strike while the iron is hot to review and internalize them."
"I knew it." Zhou Changkong sighed, then his expression turned serious. "Diligence is a good thing, but sometimes, the right choice is more important than hard work. What I’m about to say concerns both your three hundred double-hours of reward in the Class A Blessed Land and your future Dao path. You need to listen carefully."
Hearing the term "Dao path," Chu Bai’s expression sharpened. He immediately cleared his mind of any distracting thoughts about his skills and said respectfully, "Please guide me, Master Zhou."
Zhou Changkong stopped in front of an ancient pavilion with a wide, open view, pointing toward a tall tower shrouded in mist deep within the Daoist School.
"That is the Spirit Pavilion. You only know that the Spiritual Qi inside is dense, allowing one’s cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. But you don’t know its true, miraculous nature."
Zhou Changkong’s voice grew deep and solemn. "The Spirit Pavilion isn’t a simple Spirit Gathering Array. It’s actually a ’microcosmic world’ that the Dayuan Prefecture Daoist School has sectioned off.
Especially the Class A Blessed Land you’re heading to. The Five Element Spiritual Energy there is incredibly active, and it has even given rise to many accompanying forms of Exotic Spirit Energy.
Ordinary students go in there to snatch up some Spiritual Qi and raise their Cultivation, but for a ’seed’ like you who has a chance to reach Foundation Establishment, it is the starting point of your refinement."
"Forge a Dao Foundation?" Chu Bai’s heart stirred.
"Correct. Qi Cultivation is the groundwork, and Foundation Establishment is erecting the building." Zhou Changkong turned around, his eyes blazing as he looked at Chu Bai. "Do you know why Foundation Establishment is divided into different tiers?"
Chu Bai shook his head.
He truly knew very little about matters at the level of a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.
"In the Cultivation Realm, Foundation Establishment is divided into three categories: Miscellaneous Order, Collateral Order, and Orthodox Order."
Zhou Changkong held up one finger. "The so-called Miscellaneous Order refers to those reckless Cultivators who, during the Qi Cultivation Stage, indiscriminately devour all kinds of attribute spiritual energy, causing their Magical Power to become mixed and impure.
Although they might manage to reach Foundation Establishment by a stroke of luck, their potential is exhausted. Their lifespan sees a minimal increase, and they have no hope of ever reaching the Golden Core stage.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty today, ninety-nine percent of all Loose Cultivators fall into this category."
"The second category is called the Collateral Order. These cultivators specialize in a single attribute. While their Magical Power is pure, it often becomes unbalanced, or their understanding of the underlying Laws is incomplete. Although their combat strength is considerable, they will always fall short on the path to the Great Dao."
At this, Zhou Changkong paused. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes as if he had thought of something, then he continued, "Only those with pure Magical Power, who have achieved Five Elements Mutual Generation or a harmony of yin and yang, can achieve an Orthodox Order Foundation Establishment. This is the cornerstone of the Golden Core Dao."
"Thank you for clearing my confusion, Master Zhou." Chu Bai bowed deeply. "So, how should I choose?"
Zhou Changkong looked at his prized student, his eyes full of expectation. "I have given this much thought on your behalf. There are two stable, high-tier paths before you, either of which can secure your future."
"You currently cultivate the Guiyuan Technique, which is balanced, moderate, and highly versatile. You have a foundation of Pure Qi in your body and have also cultivated the Purifying Spirit Flow with its purifying properties."
"The first path is called Scattered Spirit Dust," Zhou Changkong said slowly. "After you enter the Spirit Pavilion, you will draw ’Void Spirit Qi’ into your body to completely strip away and cleanse the Water-Attribute Purifying Spirit Flow within you.
By doing so, you will return to a state of the purest attributeless magical power. This is the safest path, and in the future, you’ll be able to switch to any High-tier Cultivation Technique without any barriers. It is the moderate choice."
Chu Bai’s brow furrowed slightly.
’Strip it away? Doesn’t that mean the Water Attribute properties I worked so hard to cultivate will be reduced to nothing? Although it’s a safe choice for the long run, my combat power would plummet in the short term. That’s not my style.’
"What about the second path?"
"The second path is called Mingmeng Dew."
Zhou Changkong seemed to have expected this question. "Since you don’t want to abandon your Water Attribute, then push it to its absolute limit. In the Spirit Pavilion, you will specifically seek out ’Cloud Mist Water Qi’ and sublimate your purification property into one of ’Endless Life and Silent Moisture.’
Once this Dao Foundation is forged, your Magical Power’s sustainability will far surpass others at your level. Combined with your Spirit Water Needle and Formless Cloud Hand, your control and resilience will reach their peak."
Chu Bai fell into deep thought.
’Scattered Spirit Dust is too mediocre; it would be a waste of the skills I’ve painstakingly grinded for. Mingmeng Dew is good, but it leans toward support and control, lacking decisive burst damage. I had actually heard Dean Chen mention these two paths before, but I had been so focused on raising my Cultivation that I hadn’t yet considered which one to take.’
Just as Chu Bai was weighing the pros and cons, an indifferent yet supremely majestic voice abruptly cut into the master and disciple’s conversation.
"There is another path."
The voice seemed to ring directly in their ears, carrying an oppressive weight that made one’s Divine Soul tremble.
Zhou Changkong’s expression changed. He hurriedly turned and bowed to a figure who had appeared beside the ancient pavilion at some unknown time, his voice filled with reverence. "Dean Chen!"
Chu Bai’s heart seized and he looked up. He saw Dean Chen standing with his hands clasped behind his back, dressed in a dark Daoist Robe. He was clearly standing right there, yet he seemed to have merged with the surrounding shadows, his aura unfathomably deep. This was the oppressive might of a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.
Dean Chen gave a slight nod, his gaze passing over Zhou Changkong to bore directly into Chu Bai.
"There is another path," he repeated, his eyes holding a hint of scrutiny. "If you fuse a few more spiritual energies and form the Five Elements within your body, you can walk the path of the Impermanence Root."
"Impermanence Root?" Chu Bai had never heard the term before.
Zhou Changkong’s pupils constricted, and he cried out, "Dean, you can’t! The Impermanence Root is an extremely perilous path recorded only in ancient texts! It requires one to absorb all Five Elements into their body. The slightest misstep will lead to a conflict of spiritual energies, causing one’s body to explode! An ordinary person’s Spiritual Power and physique are not strong enough; they would be utterly unable to suppress it..."

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