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Chapter 228: Chapter 225 First Grade
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Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on the bed in the Tingtao Courtyard.
The moonlight, like water, poured through the open window onto the bed inside the room.
He carefully examined the small transparent stone in his hand, the demon crystal of the Shadow Beast.
After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly placed the demon crystal into the moonlight.
The demon crystal in his hand instantly disappeared.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled.
This Shadow Beast can evade the perception of a Great Grandmaster, truly extraordinary.
The perception of a Great Grandmaster is similar to the release of spiritual power.
Spiritual power establishes an elusive connection with the world, thus obtaining an ability to sense beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
He felt it was not as good as his Super Sense.
But the release of the Great Grandmaster’s spiritual power not only enhances perception but can also be used against enemies.
This is something that Super Sense cannot do.
Super Sense can only provide insight, not action.
The demon crystal left the moonlight and became crystal clear again, like a piece of crystal.
Cool to the touch, slightly warmer than ice, as if chilled in a deep spring.
His eyes fixed upon it for a moment, immediately focusing on the Spirit Summoning Talisman.
The Spirit Summoning Talisman turned, and his vision blurred momentarily.
Then his perspective changed drastically.
Everything became immense.
Grass like trees, flowers covering the sky, colossal rocks, dense ravines.
The grains of sand turned enormous, a shallow pit became a deep one.
Everything changed.
Including smell and hearing, several times more sensitive than when he didn’t use Super Sense.
The air carried various scents.
The green of grass, the fragrance of flowers, the earthy smell, the moldy odor of dead leaves, and the wine-like smell of rotting fruit.
Also the coolness of river water, with the distant sound of trickling streams.
His body flew up, like a wisp of smoke skimming through the trees.
All insects and beasts ignored him, as if they didn’t see him.
This was his gift.
An innate ability to easily take bird eggs.
As long as he finished eating the eggs before the mother bird returned, then smeared himself with rotting fruit to mask the fishy smell with wine, he could hide it effortlessly.
He flew back and forth, across mountains and plains, high peaks, coming and going as he pleased.
Forbidden zones for other Spiritual Beasts, he walked as if on flat ground.
Those Spiritual Beasts with earth-shaking abilities disdained to deal with him.
He simply passed by without stopping, and they didn’t even bother to look up at him.
If he stopped for a moment, he would have to endure overwhelming might; if he couldn’t retreat in time, his life would be at risk.
Fortunately, he was clever, and didn’t provoke any of the spiritual beast giants, becoming familiar enough to occasionally greet them.
While the response was indifferent, not being acknowledged was the best acknowledgment.
...
Chu Zhiyuan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze exuding a sense of time’s passage.
This Shadow Beast lived for over three hundred years.
The experiences and memories of these three hundred years were vividly presented in his mind.
His spirits were bright, eyes shining, as if he had had a deep sleep.
This fullness of the soul was unmatched by any physical benefit.
Is this the Dragon Mountain Secret Land?
Through the perspective of the Shadow Beast, he saw clearly, secretly astonished.
He witnessed the encounters between the demon beasts and the Great Grandmasters, the moments when a Great Grandmaster unleashed their full power.
He had a feeling.
In terms of strength, a Grandmaster was already at the peak; a Great Grandmaster’s power didn’t seem particularly stronger.
The greatest strength of a Great Grandmaster was in using spiritual power.
And the demon beasts in the Dragon Mountain Secret Land could all use spiritual power, including the weakest Shadow Beast, which also used spiritual power.
Their demonic power was naturally imbued with spiritual power, akin to the spiritual power of a Great Grandmaster.
Below Grandmaster level, they couldn’t endure the environment of the Secret Land, and even if they could, they weren’t opponents for these demon beasts.
No matter how strong the power, if you can’t hit the demon beasts, you’ll only get hit by them. How to win?
Through the experience of this Shadow Beast, he learned a lot about the demon beasts of the Dragon Mountain Secret Land.
Many demon beasts even Great Grandmasters had to avoid.
More importantly, the top-tier demon beasts could undergo tribulations.
Even more importantly, after successfully overcoming a tribulation, a beam of light would descend from the Void.
In the beam, flowers danced, and melodic sounds surrounded.
A demon beast successfully overcoming a tribulation would ascend in the light, higher and higher, eventually disappearing from the Dragon Mountain Secret Land.
This was Ascension.
He thought, this might be the greatest secret in the world.
He wondered if the Great Grandmasters knew.
He mused.
Ascension, could this be becoming immortal?
If it’s possible in the Dragon Mountain Secret Land, what about the other three Secret Lands?
What about the other four Grotto Heavens?
Can they all ascend?
This world is becoming more and more magical.
He looked at the other demon crystals.
These eight demon crystals would have to wait.
Now he felt as if he was overeaten, unable to perceive further.
——
When dawn broke, he arrived at Mingwu Hall and saw Chu Qingfeng beside the Martial Arts Training Ground.
Chu Qingfeng gave him a look: "Starting tomorrow, you can go to that valley. Huang Cheng will be guarding in the shadows."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Then I’ll head over tonight, so I don’t have to call for the city gate in the morning."
"Mm, that makes sense."
"Where to? Where to?"
Just then, Chu Mingxuan and others arrived, overhearing, eagerly asking.
Chu Zhiyuan then explained that there was a valley outside the city suitable for cultivation.
Planning to stay over at night, train there in the morning, and try it for a month first.
Chu Mingxuan and the three others were eager to join without hesitation.
They had already heard the news.
Chu Zhiyuan had displayed tremendous power, defeating all the Secret Shadow Sect experts in Yujing City alone.
This deeply motivated them, sparking their determination to strive hard.
Chu Zhiyuan’s attempts to advise were in vain, ultimately agreeing.
The sun rose, the purple light vanished.
Chu Mingxuan first headed to the Ministry of Rites for roll call, while he stayed back, entering the left and right halls of Mingwu Hall to start reading books.
Searching for the records of Great Grandmasters through the ages.
In the thousand-plus years since the founding of the Da Jing Dynasty, there hadn’t been many Great Grandmasters.
Mingwu Hall contained part of the biographies of these Great Grandmasters, recording their birth and death, legendary life events, and glorious past.
But there was not a single record about Ascension.
These Great Grandmasters all passed away of old age, living varying hundreds of years.
After browsing, Chu Zhiyuan directly asked Chu Qingfeng.
Chu Qingfeng shook his head.
Demon beasts could indeed ascend in the Secret Land, but Great Grandmasters couldn’t ascend in the Secret Land.
The Great Grandmasters had thoroughly researched, possibly because Great Grandmasters ultimately did not belong to the Secret Land.
So no matter what they did, it was useless; no amount of cultivation could lead to ascension.
The key was, they couldn’t undergo tribulation.
The thunderbolts of the Secret Land wouldn’t strike a Great Grandmaster on the head.
Even if deliberately jumping up, or standing at the highest point, using sword or blade to attract, or even practicing miracle techniques involving lightning, none could attract tribulation lightning.
Without undergoing tribulation, ascension was impossible. 𝖓𝔬𝔳𝔭𝔲𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
All they could do was watch the demon beasts leave the Secret Land after undergoing tribulation.
Yet Chu Zhiyuan wasn’t too disappointed upon hearing this.
This was just one path.
Immortality, indestructibility might not necessarily require ascension; why not achieve it within this world?
...
When he arrived at the Ministry of Rites office, two light-footed maidens were waiting.
At a glance, Chu Zhiyuan recognized them as the two women who recorded behind him before, from the Auditing Department.
"Princely Heir, congratulations," the two light-footed maidens said with bright smiles, handing over a Merit Token.
Seeing the Merit Token, Chu Zhiyuan immediately smiled.
First Grade Merit.
It was actually a First Grade Merit.
Initially, he thought he could only obtain a Second Grade Merit this time.
Upon thinking of First Grade Merit, the Transcendence Pill immediately came to mind.
The previous Transcendence Pill had been extremely effective.
Unfortunately, it could only be taken once.
Were there similar Spirit Pills for purifying the body and altering innate talents?
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