Chapter 285: Cultivation Advancement

[Clouds and mist wreathed Heavenly Sword Peak in endless, majestic variation.]

[As the strongest faction in the Human Realm, Heavenly Sword Peak sat at the center of the world. Directly beneath it lay the ancestral vein of the Human Realm, a spirit vein of the Fifth Tier Middle Grade.]

[In ancient times, this ancestral vein had gathered the essence of heaven and earth, reaching the quasi-Sixth Tier.]

[Only with the decline of the world's status had it fallen to the Fifth Tier Middle Grade.]

[Even so, the ancestral vein remained the greatest spirit vein in the Human Realm.]

[You sat cross-legged and opened your eyes. The fragments of the two thousand years that had passed since this simulation began flashed through your mind, filling you with emotion.]

['Two thousand years,' you thought. 'In such a long span of time, my Divination and puppetry arts have both stepped into Rank 5. Yet in my cultivation, I am still at the Deity Transformation Early Stage, quite a distance from the Early Peak...']

[You sighed inwardly.]

[Two thousand years was a truly long time for you.]

[Only the time you experienced in the sixth simulation slightly exceeded two thousand years. The first five simulations combined added up to a mere two or three thousand.]

[Counting the time you spent in the Deity Transformation Early Stage during the sixth simulation, plus the years passed in this simulation so far, the time you had lived in the Deity Transformation Early Stage surpassed the total time you spent going from the Qi Refining Stage to the Late Nascent Soul Stage in all previous simulations.]

['Cultivation in the Deity Transformation Early Stage is incredibly difficult on its own. Coupled with the current restrictions of the Human Realm, every step forward feels like carrying a hundred thousand mountains on my back. How am I supposed to cultivate?']

[You thought to yourself. You had gathered virtually all the resources in the Human Realm and used the methods of a Dao of Alchemy Heavenly Master to refine numerous fifth-tier spiritual pills, yet this was still the result. With such conditions, even in ancient times, you might not be guaranteed to reach the Deity Transformation Middle Stage, but hitting the Early Peak would be an absolute certainty.]

[But now? You made a rough estimate. You were about six-tenths of the way through the Deity Transformation Early Stage, with four-tenths left to go.]

['It's just too hard.' You sighed, your understanding of why no Deity Transformation Middle Stage Heavenly Monarchs had been born in the near-ancient era deepening even further.]

[It wasn't that the Heavenly Monarchs of the near-ancient era hadn't worked hard enough; they were simply suppressed and restricted by the world itself.]

['The Dao of Alchemy and the Dao of Talismans have both reached the peak of the Fifth Tier Low Grade. I'm only one step away from crossing into the Fifth Tier Middle Grade. This has gone much smoother than my cultivation...']

[You mused. Your Dao of Talismans had reached the peak of the Fifth Tier Low Grade long ago, and recently, you could vaguely sense the signs of an impending breakthrough.]

['I can't wait any longer. I need to use Yan'er's first strand of Primordial Yin Qi...']

[You pondered. Originally, you had planned to wait until you reached the Deity Transformation Early Stage Peak before using that strand of Primordial Yin Qi to break through to the Deity Transformation Middle Stage.]

[However, reality was far crueler. You were certain that at your current cultivation speed, there was no chance for you to reach the Early Peak.]

[You were already over two thousand years old, with only about six hundred years of lifespan remaining. Even if you ground your way to two thousand six hundred years of age, your progress in the Deity Transformation Early Stage would reach seven-tenths at most—and possibly remain stuck at six-tenths.]

[Recently, your cultivation had nearly ground to a halt. You couldn't manage even the slightest advancement.]

['My physical body is in a similar state. It's progressing even slower than my dharma cultivation. I haven't even reached the six-tenths mark...']

[You shook your head slightly. In the near-ancient era, body cultivation was even more difficult than dharma cultivation. Among the current Great Cultivators in the Human Realm, the number of body cultivation Great Cultivators was noticeably lower than their dharma cultivation counterparts. The same held true for the Core Formation Stage and the Foundation Establishment Stage.]

[Although the two paths seemed roughly equal among the top factions in the Central Continent, in reality, the cultivators of the Four Great Chambers of Commerce were overwhelmingly dharma cultivators, with only a small percentage of body cultivators.]

[The other regions outside the Central Continent were much the same.]

[This held true even at the level of Heavenly Monarchs.]

[As for your Second Primordial Spirit... its cultivation realm matched your main primordial spirit exactly.]

[The Second Primordial Spirit was also you. Since your realms were identical, raising it to the same level as your main spirit was merely a matter of accumulating energy.]

[Given your status in the Human Realm, you had no shortage of resources and external aids. The only thing restricting you was your realm advancement.]

['Hmm?']

[You stepped out of your immortal cave and saw Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword waiting for you outside.]

["Fellow Daoist Qingyuan..." Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword immediately said. "At the edge of the Deep Sea, the seal on the spatial rift connecting to the Demon Abyss Realm is about to fail."]

[Compared to the last simulation, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword's lifespan in this simulation was more than ten years longer, as he had not gone all out against the Void Whale Master.]

[Because you had completely suppressed and slain the Void Whale Master, the other Heavenly Monarchs hadn't suffered the world's backlash or lost their lifespans.]

["I know."]

[You nodded slightly, not surprised in the least.]

[The seal being breached was an inevitability. Relying on your experience from the sixth simulation, you had even managed to extend its duration by several centuries.]

[But by now, it had reached its absolute limit.]

["What should we do next?"]

[Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword spoke in a heavy voice. Once the seal broke, countless demonic monsters from the Demon Abyss Realm would descend upon the Human Realm, reenacting the world-shaking war from the late ancient era.]

["There is no need to panic. We just have to wait."]

[You cast a glance at Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword and consoled him.]

[Given the current situation, the Human Realm was destined to be occupied by the Demon Abyss Realm. It was only a matter of time; panicking would serve no purpose.]

[At the very least, according to your plans, you would delay the Demon Abyss Realm's occupation of the Human Realm as long as possible. Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword likely wouldn't live to see the day the Human Realm was annexed.]

["All right."]

[Hearing your calm tone, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword's mind settled slightly.]

[Watching Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword set off for the edge of the Deep Sea once more, your expression fell into brief pensiveness.]

[Over these two thousand years, the general development of the Human Realm had been largely identical to the sixth simulation. Aside from Li Yan, it was still Heavenly Monarch Qianshu and Heavenly Monarch Lingshe who ascended to the Deity Transformation realm.]

[Because of the threat from the Demon Abyss Realm, the will of the Human Realm had begun to save itself. Thus, the limit on the number of Heavenly Monarchs had increased from the original five to six.]

[They were you, Li Yan, Heavenly Monarch Extreme Sword, Heavenly Monarch Miduo, Heavenly Monarch Qianshu, and Heavenly Monarch Lingshe.]

[Among them was Heavenly Monarch Miduo... but the Heavenly Monarch Miduo you knew had already passed away in meditation several centuries ago. The current Heavenly Monarch Miduo was a newly broken-through Heavenly Monarch who took the mantle after the old one passed away in meditation.]

[The succession of Buddhist Heavenly Monarchs was far less secure than that of Heavenly Sword Peak. Two Buddhist Heavenly Monarchs emerging in succession was an exceedingly rare occurrence.]

[However, even if Mituo Hall hadn't produced a new Heavenly Monarch, the memories of their past generations would still exist in the mind of a certain Arhat, passed down from generation to generation until a new Heavenly Monarch Miduo emerged.]

[You had studied this memory transmission art of Mituo Hall and found its hidden dangers to be severe. It was easy to lose one's sense of self. This was a far graver risk than what the past Heavenly Monarchs who cultivated the Sword Scripture faced.]

[Although the successive Heavenly Monarchs of Heavenly Sword Peak were influenced by the Sword Scripture, they at least retained their independent consciousness and knew who they were.]

[But the successive generations of Heavenly Monarch Miduo from Mituo Hall? What they pursued was the ego and the alter ego. Fortunately, the Buddhist inheritance was excellent at suppressing this exact issue, which was the only reason the successive Heavenly Monarchs Miduo hadn't run into catastrophic problems.]

[After pondering for a moment, you willed the Dark Chessboard to appear in front of you.]

[As the long years flowed by, you had fought your way up to the three hundredth level of the "Three Thousand Illusion Realms".]

[However, at the three hundredth illusion realm, you hit a bottleneck. You had been trapped for nearly a century and still hadn't broken through it.]

[Staring at the Dark Chessboard, you extended your divine sense toward it.]

[Hum. Your divine sense was pulled inside the chessboard, arriving within a world spanning tens of thousands of miles.]

[This vast world of tens of thousands of miles was incredibly complete. The sun rose and the moon set, and mortals lived and multiplied within it. Although it hadn't given birth to any cultivators, it was indistinguishable from the real world. Every mortal was an independent lifeform with their own thoughts, worries, and joys.]

[Every living creature possessed their own karma, heavenly secrets, and destined fate.]

[At the same time, the moment you descended into this illusion realm, you heard waves of indistinct whispering. The murmurs were intermittent and muffled, and you couldn't understand their meaning.]

[However, these vague whispers constantly suppressed your mind and willpower. You had to split off more than half of your focus to resist them, which severely interfered with your observation of this illusion realm.]

[These indistinct whispers had suddenly appeared when you reached the two hundred and eightieth illusion realm.]

[In the beginning, the murmurs were very faint, and their pressure on your willpower was mild. You only needed to divert a tiny fraction of your focus to ward them off.]

[But as you continued to break through the illusion realms, the murmurs rapidly grew louder. By the three hundredth level, they had a pronounced impact on your willpower, leaving you with only a small fraction of your focus to observe the illusion realm.]

[You had been trapped in the three hundredth illusion realm for nearly a century. Aside from the fact that this illusion realm itself possessed no flaws or incongruities, these whispering murmurs were also constantly affecting you.]

[You tried to shake off the whispering murmurs, even sealing your five senses to do so, but it was useless. As long as your divine sense entered the illusion realm within the chessboard, the whispers would appear.]

[After holding out for barely half a day, you retracted your divine sense and stopped observing the three hundredth illusion realm inside the chessboard.]

['This chessboard...']

[You looked at the Dark Chessboard in front of you. You were a Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarch who excelled in the divine soul. Coupled with the enhancements of your numerous talents, even the soul suppression of a Deity Transformation Late Stage cultivator would have a limited effect on you.]

[But these Three Thousand Illusion Realms? The omnipresent whispers pressed down harder and harder on your mind and willpower. If it reached this intensity at merely the three hundredth level, what about the six hundredth? The thousandth? In the end, wouldn't it be the equivalent of a Void Return Venerable subjecting you to their divine soul pressure every waking moment?]

[Could a mere chessboard actually contain the divine soul pressure of a Void Return Venerable?]

[Your expression turned solemn. You realized you had still underestimated the Three Thousand Illusion Realms. Even in the Upper Realm, this was probably no ordinary artifact.]

['It's a pity... Any living creature making contact with this chessboard for the first time starts from the first illusion realm. Otherwise, I could use it as a trump card...']

[You felt a pang of regret. If other Heavenly Monarchs who touched the chessboard with their divine sense could inherit your level of progress, they would suddenly face those omnipresent whispers and inevitably be compromised, allowing you to seize the chance to launch a sneak attack...]

[But in reality, even if other Heavenly Monarchs were willing to extend their divine sense into the chessboard, they would descend into the first illusion realm. There were no whispering murmurs on the first level, and anyone who entered could sever their divine sense at any time.]

['However, those first two hundred and ninety-nine illusion realms...' Your eyes lit up. Breaking through two hundred and ninety-nine illusion realms had made your understanding of the essence of the world's workings increasingly concrete. You had a premonition that once you cracked the three hundredth illusion realm, your insights would undergo a qualitative change, stepping into an entirely new dimension.]

['The three hundredth level...']

[You reined in your thoughts. You had been trapped on this level for nearly a century. Under the influence of those constant whispers, you had yet to discover a single flaw; you didn't even have a speculative direction to pursue.]

['Take it slow. If I can't do it in this simulation, then in the next...']

[You composed yourself and stowed the chessboard away.]

[You stood up and walked to a nearby immortal cave, which was precisely where Li Yan carried out her daily cultivation.]

[A sparse, ethereal melody drifted through the air. Faintly, even the spiritual energy of heaven and earth seemed swayed by the music, beginning to gather toward it.]

[Li Yan had broken into the Deity Transformation Stage less than a century ago, yet her musical arts had already stepped into Rank 5, making her the first Heavenly Master of Music in ten thousand years.]

[The Dao of Music was a niche path to begin with. Though slightly easier than Divination, the near-ancient era hadn't produced many Heavenly Masters of Music. The last one had lived over ten thousand years ago.]

[Half a day later, Li Yan finished her performance and turned her breathtaking, world-topplingly beautiful face toward you.]

["Master..."]

[Li Yan spoke in a soft, melting voice as she walked to your side.]

["Yan'er, let's dual cultivate tonight."]

[You rubbed Li Yan's head and spoke gently.]

["Dual cultivate..."]

[Pleasant surprise rippled through Li Yan's beautiful eyes. Having entered the Deity Transformation Stage, and after a thousand years together, she had long wanted to give her first time to her master, but you had never permitted it.]

[You looked at Li Yan. After this possessor of the Primordial Yin Treasure Physique advanced into the Deity Transformation Stage, her appearance and temperament had both surged drastically, making her look like an immaculate fairy from the Upper Realm.]

[You scooped Li Yan into your arms and carried her back to your immortal cave.]

[You and Li Yan made passionate love for a full day and night.]

[As a Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarch, although Li Yan's physical body hadn't reached Rank 5, she could still barely withstand your conquests. In turn, her flawless, snow-white body thoroughly captivated you.]

[Even after entering the Deity Transformation Stage, you still harbored the seven emotions and six desires. It was just that at your level, ordinary beauties held no appeal to you; even Late Nascent Soul Stage female cultivators left you entirely uninterested.]

[But Li Yan was different. Not only was she a Deity Transformation female cultivator, she also possessed the Primordial Yin Treasure Physique. This treasure body was exceptionally adept at charm and seduction—especially once you entered the dual cultivation phase—which thoroughly ignited your desires.]

[You had spent many years comprehending texts in the Book Mountain World of Heavenly Sword Peak, making you well-versed in numerous ancient Yin-Yang dual cultivation arts. This time, you unleashed them all on Li Yan.]

[It was said that in ancient times, a certain Heavenly Monarch had relied on dual cultivation arts to cross into the Deity Transformation Stage, earning the title "Heavenly Monarch Juyang".]

[You had memorized all the numerous dual cultivation secret arts he had passed down.]

[After your indulgences, Li Yan changed into a plain dress. The lingering afterglow of pleasure had yet to fade from her perfect face, leaving her looking utterly endearing.]

["Master..." Li Yan looked up at your closed eyes. Thinking you were resting, she lowered her head and pressed it against your chest.]

[A day and night of madness had left Li Yan somewhat overwhelmed. Even for a Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarch, weathering your onslaught was no less exhausting than fighting a major battle.]

['The first strand of Primordial Yin Qi...']

[At this moment, all your focus was concentrated inside your dantian, fixated entirely on that strand of Primordial Yin Qi.]