Wang Lin frowned. The words of the first generation Vermillion Bird echoed in his mind, causing him to become silent.
āThe Five Void-Shattering Fingers is a process to gather the power to break the void. Only by cultivating to the limit of the second step can you borrow the power of your essence to break the Void Gate in one fell swoop!
āYour cultivation is too chaotic. First of all, your ancient god body. Ancient god, ancient god, I didnāt expect a member of my Vermillion Bird Clan to become an ancient god!ā There was a strange light in the first generation Vermillion Birdās eyes as he looked at the blood sword before him.
āThis old man doesnāt know much about ancient god cultivation, but during my time, the ancient godsā power was heaven-shaking. Back then, although the Ancient Orderās Ye Mo wasnāt as strong as the Ancient Celestial Sovereign, the Ancient Celestial Sovereign still dreaded himā¦ā
āAncient Order?ā Wang Lin was startled as he looked at the first generation Vermillion Bird.
āDue to my promise from back then, I canāt tell you any more, so donāt ask me again. If you have the opportunity, you will find the answer that is lost in time.ā The expression of the first generation Vermillion Bird seemed crestfallen.
āIf you were to only cultivate the ancient god body and use your power as dao, it would be easier to open the Void Gateā¦ However, essences have appeared inside your body, and it is a shocking five essences!!
āTherefore, if you want to enter the third step, it will be even more difficult. The more essences you have, the more difficult it becomes, unless you give up your essences and enter the third step as an ancient god. Or you can give up your ancient god body and four essences to enter the third step with one complete essence!ā
Wang Lin silently pondered.
āThe third step requires the completion of an essence. Then, with the help of Joss Flames and devouring a dao spirit, there is a chance to enter the third step. However, I canāt find any Joss Flame aura from you.
āYou walk a very difficult path, one completely different from that of the second and fourth generations, so I canāt help youā¦ However, right now you have a choice, and I want you to think about it carefully.ā
Wang Lin looked at the first generation Vermillion Bird and calmly said, āWhat choice?ā
āGive up your ancient god body, abandon your seemingly complete but still flawed thunder essence, and also give up all your essences except for your fire essenceā¦ Stay in the Heaven Trial and this old man will help you reach the third step within 100 years!
āFrom then on, you will only have one essence, the fire of the Vermillion Bird! Once you have reached the third step, this old man will teach you the Vermillion Bird Endless Flame! You will cultivate in peace here with the second and fourth generation Vermillion Birds and wait until this old man breaks the seal. Then this old man will take the three of youā¦ and leave this place!ā the first generation Vermillion Bird said slowly.
āLeave this place?ā Wang Linās eyes lit up. He felt like there was some hidden meaning behind these words.
āLeave this place!ā The first generation Vermillion Birdās eyes revealed reminiscence as he softly said, āTo go back to the world I came fromā¦ā
Wang Linās mint trembled and he was about to speak.
āDonāt ask, I canāt say. If I speak, Iāll die! They want to fight, they want to steal, but this old man is tired. Iām unwilling to participate, I just want toā¦ go home.ā The first generation Vermillion Bird sounded tired.
āIāll give you time to think, I hope you consider it carefullyā¦ā The first generation Vermillion Bird let out a sigh.
Wang Linās breath became a bit rough and he struggled. The words of the first generation Vermillion Bird was very tempting, even more tempting than Dao Master Blue Dreamās offer!
Dao Master Blue Dream was not of the Vermillion Bird Clan. In his heart, Wang Lin was leaning more toward the first generation Vermillion Bird.
Wang Lin hesitated and asked, āIf I give up my ancient god body and my other essences, once I reach third step, can I re-cultivate my essences?ā
āOf course you can. Third step cultivators also cultivate essences, and the more essences, the deeper their comprehension; their cultivation level also increases this way. However, the new essence will never reach true completion and will stop at the third step.[1] This path poses no danger to you; it is a peaceful path that will allow you to keep your obsession. This old man has also faced the flame of obsession and knows how important it is to people like usā¦ā The first generation Vermillion Bird looked at Wang Lin as if he was looking at himself and let out a sigh.
Wang Linās mind trembled and his breathing became even more rough. Before him, the choice began to tilt. There was a voice filled with 2,000 years of exhaustion in his heart. With the possibility of a quiet life, there was a hint of excitement in the voice that continued to whisper to him.
āStay hereā¦
āStay hereā¦ You donāt have to experience the bloodbath, you donāt have to worry about life and deathā¦
āStay hereā¦ Reach the third step in 100 yearsā¦ Even if it means giving up the other essences and the ancient god body. After reaching the third step, they can be re-cultivatedā¦ Even if they canāt become complete, reaching the third step is worth it, even if it means not being able to move forward any more!
āStay hereā¦ Are you not tired of 2,000 years of cultivation? Walking the line of life and death over and over again, are you still not afraidā¦ Stay here, stay hereā¦ā
Wang Linās struggle became even stronger and his breathing became anxious. This short period of time was like thousands of years for him. After a long time, Wang Lin suddenly looked up at the first generation Vermillion Bird. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, āCan the ancestor only take the three of us? Can I bring a few more people? Junior has some friends I canāt leave behindā¦ā
The first generation Vermillion Bird pondered, and a moment later, his voice echoed in the world.
āTaking the three of you is my limitā¦ Forget it, when the day to leave comes, this old man can give you one more spot! If any more people come, I fear I wonāt be able to make it back.ā
āOne spotā¦ā Li Muwan appeared in Wang Linās eyesā¦ Then Situ Nan, Qing Shui, and Zhou Ru appearedā¦ Li Qianmei appearedā¦ The figures that he had encountered over his 2,000 years of cultivation that caused him to struggle with this decision appeared.
āNow tell me, what is your choice?ā The first generation Vermillion Birdās words entered Wang Linās mind.
A monstrous wave was set off in Wang Linās heart. This choice made him struggle and hesitateā¦ A moment later, Wang Linās right hand reached at the void and a rift to his storage space appeared. A coffin slowly floated out, and Li Muwan was calmly sleeping inside the coffin.
āCan Senior resurrect her?ā Wang Lin looked up with bloodshot eyes. The struggle of making this choice was like a vicious battle for him!
A long sigh echoed across the world and the first generation Vermillion Birdās words echoed.
āThis old man saw the coffin when you opened your storage space earlier. This woman must be your obsessionā¦ This coffin was refined by a junior, because I have never seen it before, but I can feel the effect of this coffinā¦ This womanās lifespan ended and her nascent soul was then injured. She diedā¦ Then you put the nascent soul inside the coffin to reform her flesh, but her soul had already collapsedā¦ā
Wang Linās body trembled as he stared at Li Muwan inside the coffin.
āThis coffin is very strange. It allows a collapsed soul to not dissipate for a while. If you can find the correct method of control, you can find the shattered pieces of her soul one by oneā¦ But even if you can find all of her soul, this old man canāt resurrect herā¦ā
Wang Linās heart was filled with despair and his gaze became dim. He stared at the coffin as if his heart had been torn apart, and pain filled his body.
The first generation Vermillion Bird pondered a bit and slowly said, āHowever, if this old man canāt do it, that doesnāt mean others canāt. In my hometown, there are three people that can mend her soul and resurrect her! Itās justā¦ all three of them have extremely high statuses, and this old man canāt get them to helpā¦ However, you can rest assured, Iāll do my bestā¦ā
Wang Lin didnāt look up, and he slowly withdrew his gaze from the coffin. His right hand touched the coffin and he put it back inside his storage space.
āThe three people Ancestor talked about are too far away from Junior. The three are able to do it presumably due to their unfathomable cultivationā¦ā Wang Lin raised his hand and looked at the first generation Vermillion Birdās statue. Although his eyes were still bloodshot, they no longer contained any struggle. Instead, they were filled with clarity and determination.
āJunior also wants to live peacefully. Iām tired of the constant life and death situations and the schemes of the cultivation world. I would very much like to stay here until Iām old. Even if it means my cultivation would stop at the third step, so what?ā
Wang Linās eyes became bright and he continued, āItās just that Junior canāt do itā¦ Asking others for help is too unreliable, and I donāt like having someone else controlling my fateā¦ I might as well not ask for their help. Since they can cultivate to that degree, I, Wang Lin, can do it as well!ā
ā... Can do it as well!ā Although these words were not loud, but after he spoke them, it was as if an indescribable force had surged into his body, giving him a shocking presence.
There words seemed to echo inside this world. Even the first generation Vermillion Birdās eyes narrowed.
āI canāt give up my ancient god body! I canāt give up my other four essences. Even if this path is difficult, I have to continue down it! I canāt allow my cultivation to stopā¦ā Wang Lin bowed at the first generation Vermillion Bird before stepping into the air.
āJunior appreciates the old ancestorās good willā¦ Whether it is the Five Heavenās Blights or the Five Void-Shattering Fingers, they are all things comprehended by cultivators as required steps to break the Void Gateā¦ Then why canāt Junior find my own way, a method unique to me! Ancestor said that I need five fingers to cover the sky, but Junior doesnāt want to go through the five Heavenās Blights!
āMy ancient god body is juniorās palm and my five essences are my fingers! Five Heavenās Blights, Five Void Shattering Fingers, five essences, they have different names, but their meanings are the same!
āIāve completed one essence, which is the same as the first Heavenās Blight. Once my five essences are complete, Iāll be the same as a peak fifth Heavenās Blight cultivator. Iāll break open the Void Gate and form my own path!ā
1. "We don't understand exactly what the author is saying in this chapter regarding the essences and staying at the third step. We don't know if he would be pema-stuck at the third step with his fire essence or if he could continue cultivating the fire essence but the other essences and the ancient god body would be stuck at the third step."