Chapter 615 - 88: Trial, Gusu! Gusu

Body Refining Techniques of Tier Three and higher, upon reaching the Great Perfection Realm, could form a powerful War Body. Niu Dazhuang’s Nine-Transformation Golden Body, for example, boasted incredible defensive power and could withstand Little Divine Techniques head-on—a truly remarkable feat.

The Five Beasts Body Forging Technique that Song Changsheng cultivated didn’t have a specific grade, but in terms of sophistication, it was leagues above the vast majority of other Body Refining Techniques.

Yet, despite having already reached Five Viscera Perfection, he still hadn’t formed a War Body. This was a question that had puzzled him for a long time.

Only after breaking through to the Purple Mansion did he learn from Little Ninth that the Five Beasts Body Forging Technique had a second half. It contained the method to forge the War Body, but cultivating it required undertaking an extremely dangerous trial.

Song Changsheng hadn’t been fully prepared to face this trial, but to prepare for the Celestial Thunder Tribulation, he had no choice but to move up his plans.

After all, he could afford to wait, but Song Qingyun could not.

Song Qingyun was already ten years old. In the two years since he had begun cultivating, he had stayed by Song Xianming’s side. However, because the family lacked a Heart Method suitable for his Illusory Dream Body, his cultivation progress was exceptionally slow. He could only rely on medicinal baths to temper his body and solidify his foundation.

This included practicing basic Techniques, studying ancient scripts, and learning about the Hundred Skills of Cultivation.

Song Qingyun had an outstanding aptitude. In just two years, his foundation had become incredibly solid, placing him firmly in the number one spot among the clan’s youths his age.

But no matter how good his foundation was, it was all for naught without a suitable Cultivation Heart Method.

Two years had passed, yet Song Qingyun’s Cultivation was still hovering at the Qi Refining First Layer. This was even slower than the average cultivator with Three Spirit Roots, a pace completely mismatched with his innate talent.

With his aptitude, a two-year delay wasn’t a major issue. His foundation was so solid that he could catch up at any time. However, if things continued this way, even the greatest talent would go to waste.

This was something Song Changsheng could not accept.

So, he turned his attention to the Creation Wondrous Scripture. With Little Ninth’s help, he found a Heart Method called the Great Dream Illusion Celestial Technique. It had been created by a Great Power during the Ancient Era and was only a small step down from the Yin Yang Profound Flower Scripture he himself cultivated. Most importantly, it was a perfect match for Song Qingyun’s Illusory Dream Body.

To get Song Qingyun’s cultivation on the right track as soon as possible, Song Changsheng had no choice but to take this gamble.

Little Ninth was highly efficient, quickly transmitting the second half of the Five Beasts Body Forging Technique into Song Changsheng’s mind.

After carefully reading through it, Song Changsheng finally understood what Little Ninth had meant by a "trial."

It turned out the scenes he saw during his previous cultivation were actually an illusory world, constructed through special means by the creator of the Five Beasts Body Forging Technique. Placed within this world was a wisp of the remnant souls of five great Fierce Beasts: the Earth Dragon Emperor, the Red-eyed White Tiger, the Bi Fang, the Six-armed Demon Ape, and the Unihorned Flood Dragon.

A Cultivator simply needed to use the corresponding "catalyst" to see visions of a beast’s remnant soul, and in doing so, comprehend its unique Body Refining Technique.

This was the first half of the Five Beasts Body Forging Technique, which primarily tested a Cultivator’s insight.

The second half was much simpler: it consisted of a single trial. Anyone who passed it could forge the Five Beasts War Body.

The trial itself was even simpler. Aside from the instructions on how to begin it, there was just a single command: defeat all the Fierce Beast remnant souls.

Song Changsheng blinked, unsure of the precise connection between defeating these Fierce Beast remnant souls and forging a War Body.

But he was a firm believer in one principle: everything happens for a reason.

He went to his Seclusion Chamber and sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. He then took out the five catalysts one by one: the Flood Dragon Scale, the Monkey Heart, the Earth Dragon Bead, the Bi Fang Feather, and the White Tiger Claw.

Following the method recorded in the technique, Song Changsheng’s hands blurred into a series of afterimages as he formed one Spell after another.

As if drawn by some unseen force, the five catalysts slowly levitated to Song Changsheng’s sides and began to circle him clockwise.

Gradually, their energies merged and focused back onto Song Changsheng.

Song Changsheng felt himself enveloped by a strange power. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing on a desolate plain.

He glanced at his surroundings, then down at himself. ’So this is a Spiritual World constructed from my own Divine Soul Power,’ he realized. ’No wonder those visions were so clear and vivid.’

’Five Elements Creation Seal,’ Song Changsheng murmured. A square Jade Seal instantly appeared in his hand. The moment he grasped it, however, he discovered a problem.

’This is definitely the Five Elements Creation Seal in my hand, but it’s just an empty shell. The Artifact Spirit is gone. In other words, this is just something I manifested with my Spiritual Power. It’ll be completely useless in the fight to come.’

’Hmm... I can’t sense any Mana, either. But the strength of this body feels about the same as my real one. Does this mean I have to fight those Fierce Beasts hand-to-hand?’

At this thought, Song Changsheng’s expression darkened. ’Who knows how strong those Fierce Beasts are in here? What if I get killed?’

’I wonder what effect dying in my own Spiritual World would have on my Divine Soul,’ Song Changsheng muttered to himself. The question was far beyond his current knowledge, delving into a realm he had never explored.

’But it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that even if I don’t die, the consequences will be severe. Otherwise, Little Ninth wouldn’t have called this trial dangerous.’

Just as he was mulling this over, he suddenly felt the ground beneath his feet begin to tremble violently.

Song Changsheng instinctively shot backward. In the next instant, a massive Earth Dragon erupted from the soil, its enormous, earth-yellow body radiating an oppressive aura.