C12 Exhaustive Consumption

Time flew by swiftly as Laojiu immersed himself in his cultivation. Before he knew it, three months had slipped away.

During that period, Laojiu had made remarkable progress, advancing from the Qi Fostering Stage to the Marrow Entering Stage, and then successfully ascending to the Three-qi Gathering. He had managed to break through to Low Rank Three within just three months.

Laojiu took particular pride in his mastery of the Three-Stacking Wave Staff, a significant achievement. He had also discovered the method to practice the Azure Dragon Secret Technique. However, his current level only permitted him to execute the initial technique, Azure Dragon Goes to Sea.

"Senior Brother, I've noticed that the Origin Energy in our vicinity is somewhat insufficient. Reaching the pinnacle of the Three-qi Gathering could take an exceedingly long time," Laojiu lamented.

The primary reason he had been able to reach the peak in the previous two stages was the substantial aid from his lifeblood Dragon Blood. The amount of Origin Energy he absorbed from the environment was comparatively minimal.

"What can be done? I had no idea that the Celestial Dragon Inheritance would be so demanding. I assumed that with the natural conditions we have, you could easily progress to the God Cultivating Stage of Middle Rank Three. But now we're running low on Origin Energy," Patriarch Lieshan expressed his helplessness. The Celestial Dragon Inheritance was undeniably prodigious, yet its energy consumption was astonishingly high. To make matters more challenging, Laojiu had opted for the Ultimate Cultivation Method, which demanded an exceptionally high concentration of natural Origin Energy.

"Didn't you mention that our Master left behind some cultivation resources? We should find them quickly," Laojiu urged, feeling disheartened and turning his hopes towards the Xuanyuan Dragon Monarch.

"The resources are within the Ink Crystal Stone you hold, but the issue is that you haven't developed your Primordial Spirit, so you can't access the resources inside," Patriarch Lieshan admitted, realizing his oversight. He had assumed that Laojiu would smoothly reach the God Cultivating Stage and cultivate his Primordial Spirit, thereby gaining access to the resources.

"Ah! What am I supposed to do now?" Laojiu exclaimed, examining the Ink Crystal Stone from every angle. He could sense the presence of a space within, yet he remained clueless about its contents. The stone was still shrouded in mystery, just as it had always been.

It felt like sitting atop a mountain of treasure, yet without a penny to one's name.

"The first approach is gradual accumulation. Given your circumstances, you should have the opportunity to reach the God Cultivating Stage in three to five years."

Patriarch Lieshan spoke with a calm demeanor. In reality, for a novice to achieve the God Cultivating Stage within five years was already a sign of genius. However, when compared to those who attained sainthood in a century, there was still a significant gap.

Laojiu's rate of cultivation had exceeded that of a mere genius. He was a prodigy, an exceptionally rare one at that!

"Three to five years seems like an eternity. Is there a better way?"

Laojiu was not keen on being stuck at the same level for so long. If every stage took this long, wouldn't he grow old and die before ever becoming a master? Despite his current strength, which was formidable among Cultivators of his level, facing a higher-level Cultivator would make disposing of him no more difficult than squashing an ant.

"There are other methods, but they may not be suitable for you."

After much deliberation, Patriarch Lieshan still didn't reveal the answer Laojiu was hoping for. The Celestial Dragon Inheritance's teachings on cultivating the Primordial Spirit were not introduced prematurely but rather after a Cultivator had broken through to the God Cultivating Stage. Even the Ultimate Cultivation Method didn't mention this.

The cultivation of Origin Energy and the Primordial Spirit were two distinct paths!

Particularly in the early stages of cultivation, there was little to no overlap between the two; many traditions even kept the cultivation methods for the Primordial Spirit and Origin Energy separate.

"What's the method? I'm intrigued."

"Many years ago, I heard from a Saint Becoming Level Great Perfection Cultivator with an extraordinarily powerful Primordial Spirit. He said that cultivating the Primordial Spirit is essentially a process of continuously stimulating the Divine Sea. If one's resilience is strong enough, it's possible to begin cultivation ahead of time. This elder mentioned that during his Three-qi Gathering stage, his Primordial Spirit was already more powerful than many Middle Rank Three Cultivators."

Laojiu understood that the Divine Sea was the source and storage for the Primordial Spirit, essentially the human brain. If he followed Patriarch Lieshan's advice, he would need to relentlessly stimulate his brain, fortifying the Divine Sea to the point where it could spontaneously generate the Primordial Spirit.

This technique is vastly different from the practices of the God Cultivating Stage.

"How should I stimulate the Divine Sea? Are you suggesting using your Primordial Spirit to stimulate mine?"

"That's not possible. Aside from the fact that my Primordial Spirit is currently weak and in a nurturing phase, even if it were strong enough, I couldn't use it to stimulate yours. Our symbiotic relationship means that such a Primordial Spirit attack would be ineffective."

"The only option is to visit the Beast Control Room. There's a Water Shadow Beast there, in the early period of the Life Union Stage. This creature's physical attacks are mediocre, but its Primordial Spirit attack is incredibly potent, surpassing many at the Mortal Exuviating Stage. Releasing it might just provide the help you need." Patriarch Lieshan spoke with a hint of reluctance, as if he had made a significant decision.

"Are you referring to that peculiar stone chamber on the west side? There are actually fierce beasts locked up in there?"

Laojiu had been here for three months and had visited almost every chamber. Yet, he hadn't been to this one because Patriarch Lieshan hadn't given him permission.

"Indeed, there are. If my guess is correct, there are several other fierce creatures inside. These beasts were once captured by the Flame Emperor for the combat training of lower-level disciples, many of which are exotic species. My master acquired some from the Flame Emperor with the intention of training a group of disciples here."

Patriarch Lieshan's concerns were significant. He was hesitant to let Laojiu near the stone chamber, primarily out of a desire to protect him. Without any powerful guardians and with limited personal strength, Laojiu could easily lose his life if something went wrong.

Now that he had achieved the Three-qi Gathering, he was somewhat capable of defending himself.

"So there really are creatures in there? What have they been eating for thousands of years? They couldn't have starved, could they?" Laojiu asked incredulously, looking somewhat bewildered.

"Just open the stone chamber, and you'll find out."

Patriarch Lieshan offered no further explanation, as it was unnecessary.

The seal on the Beast Control Room was quite straightforward, akin to a key in a lock. Laojiu managed to open it with ease. The space inside was modest, cluttered with an assortment of disordered items.

"Senior Brother, where are the fierce beasts you mentioned? Where are they hiding? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"I'm not in the mood for jokes. See those rows of shelves inside? Each shelf holds beast rings, which are used to seal the fierce beasts. As long as the beast rings are intact, the fierce beasts will remain dormant. They'll be a bit weak, but they won't die," Patriarch Lieshan explained earnestly.

"You've got to be kidding me. There are no shelves left; they've all turned to dust. But there are plenty of beast rings scattered on the floor."

Laojiu walked into the stone chamber with a sense of resignation and picked up two bracelet-like rings from the ground. These items were not made of gold, copper, or iron, yet they shone with a distinct metallic sheen.

"Oh no! How could I have forgotten this? The shelves were made from ordinary wood, which, after all these years, would have certainly rotted away."

Patriarch Lieshan had an epiphany. The Beast Control Room was never a place of great importance, so it made sense not to squander resources on something as trivial as shelves. The beast rings themselves weren't heavy, so ordinary wooden racks would have sufficed, but they couldn't withstand the test of time.

"What does it matter if they've rotted? As long as we have these sealed beast rings, that's all that counts," Laojiu remarked nonchalantly.

"You naive boy! These sealed beast rings may look alike, but the strength of the fierce beasts inside varies greatly. The ordinary ones are on par with a Middle Rank Three God Cultivating Stage, while the formidable ones have reached the Transcendence Stage and Life Union Stage. The two most dangerous creatures are nearly at the Mortal Exuviating Stage!"

"In the past, fierce beasts of each level were stored together and clearly labeled on the shelves. Now that the beast rings are all mixed up, how can you tell which one to open? If luck isn't on your side and you release a creature close to the Mortal Exuviating Stage, do you think you'll survive?"

"Ah! Aren't there any with a slightly lower level?"

Upon hearing Patriarch Lieshan's explanation, Laojiu's jaw dropped. Given the current circumstances, unlocking beast rings seemed as risky as drawing lots with one's life on the line.

If one was fortunate, they could train with a Fierce Creature well-suited to them. But with bad luck, they might be tormented to the brink of death or even lose their life entirely.

"There's no shortage of Low Rank Three Fierce Creatures on Yanhuang Star. They roam wild and are found everywhere, so there's no need to obtain them from Shennong. Fortunately, given your strength, being one or two ranks above shouldn't pose a major issue. However, the Fierce Creatures of the Life Union Stage are another matter entirely."

"Let's just store these beast rings for now. We'll hold off on the cultivation methods that stimulate the Divine Sea," Patriarch Lieshan advised, wary of the great risks and uncertainties involved.

Laojiu gathered all the sealed beast rings, counting a total of 385. They formed a large pile in the stone chamber.

"Senior Brother, shouldn't we at least give it a try? The most dangerous ones are only two in number; surely I won't be so unlucky as to release them from the hundreds here," Laojiu reasoned, clinging to a sliver of hope and unwilling to forgo this opportunity to accelerate his God Cultivating progress.

"The odds of drawing one might be low, but the more times you try, the less certain it becomes! Are you mentally prepared for this?" Patriarch Lieshan cautioned.

"How about we start by opening just a few? What if I'm lucky enough to draw the Water Shadow Beast right away?" Laojiu persisted, not quite ready to let go of the idea.

"Don't let your imagination run wild. I should first inform you about the two most formidable Fierce Beasts. In the event that you release them, at least you'll be somewhat prepared."

"The most formidable is the Blood-scaled Flood Dragon, known for its robust defense and even more potent attack. It's incredibly fast; you'd likely fall short in speed even at your fastest. Its vulnerability lies in its weak resistance to Primordial Spirit Attacks, but since you haven't cultivated your Primordial Spirit, this shortcoming is negligible for you."

"The other is the Iron-Winged Wolf, a Fierce Creature that's cunning, ferocious, and adept at ambush and camouflage. Its ability to glide short distances in the air makes it particularly troublesome. However, its defense isn't very strong, which is a clear disadvantage."

"Besides these two particularly vicious creatures, there are several others at the Life Union Stage. I can't quite remember what they are, so it's really going to come down to your luck."

Upon hearing Patriarch Lieshan's briefing, Laojiu felt his heart sink. Both of these fierce creatures had reached the pinnacle of the Life Union Stage. If either one were to be unleashed, he feared he wouldn't stand a chance. And even the less powerful creatures of the Life Union Stage could give him a run for his money!