Cultivation Methods

"The progress only increased by four hundred-thousandths, yet the sheer volume of information it contained was far from small." Yaoguang assimilated the newly acquired information from Higher-Dimensional Cognition. On second thought, however, that was only fitting. Advancing Dao Integration progress by anywhere from one ten-thousandth to one thousandth signified a breakthrough in realm. In other words, four hundred-thousandths was equivalent to advancing about four percent in the Dao Lord stage. That was already quite substantial. After all, the gap between a Dao Lord and a Void Shattering cultivator... was truly immense. Translating that into technological civilizations, the former could traverse the cosmos, while the latter was still merely dominating a single planet. "Hm?! Cultivation methods are here as well, though they're only introductory volumes... No... more accurately, they're only the early-stage progress. In this stage of Dao Integration, be it a Dao Lord, an immortal, or even the legendary Dao Ancestor, the path of cultivation is almost identical... raising one's degree of mastery over the Grand Dao... from one ten-thousandth to one hundred percent..." Yaoguang perused the thirteen cultivation manuals that surfaced in his mind. Among these thirteen cultivation manuals, there was one Heavenly Immortal method, one Divine Immortal method, three Earthly Immortal methods, and four each for the Human Immortal and Ghost Immortal paths. It seemed one could discern the relative numbers of practitioners walking the five immortal paths simply from the quantity of these arts. "Heavenly Immortals take the path of integrating Dao arts. This Heavenly Immortal method is called the World-Destroying Heavenly Immortal Formula, requiring the fusion of nine perfected Dao arts to reach the source directly. But... why is it the Grand Dao of Destruction? Wasn't the Grand Dao of the Void supposed to have the greatest number of Dao Lords?" Yaoguang muttered in critique. Next, he looked at the Divine Immortal path. This art did not follow the Grand Dao of the Void either. Of the remaining three Earthly Immortal methods, four Human Immortal methods, and four Ghost Immortal methods, arts of the Grand Dao of the Void accounted for four. This ratio... was a bit lower than on Beihai Star. However, that was not the main point. The main point was that among the thirteen cultivation methods, nine actually came from a faction both familiar and foreign to Yaoguang. "Creation Group?" Yaoguang murmured the name. Back then, not long after arriving on Beihai Star, he had chosen to approach the Heavenly Dao Sect because of divine abilities like Heavenly Dao Selflessness, but he had never found the slightest trace of the Creation Group represented by the Creation Mystery Origin Art. Originally, he had thought this faction hailed from some other mighty world with a Gate of the Immortal Realm like Beihai Star, but looking at it now... The true origin of the Creation Group... "It's the Immortal Realm." Yaoguang let out a breath. Or rather... the world behind the Gate of the Immortal Realm. After a moment, Yaoguang turned his attention back to the four cultivation methods. Among them, the Earthly Immortal method was the easiest for him to practice. All one needed was an immortal artifact or an immortal plant. Using the immortal artifact or immortal plant to remodel one's grotto-heaven and merging it into the soil of the Immortal Realm created a grotto-heaven and blessed land; the might of the immortal artifact or plant essentially dictated the strength of the Earthly Immortal. The Ghost Immortal method, on the other hand, was simple and brutal. Find a way to slay a Human Immortal and refine them into an immortal pill, or refine an Earthly Immortal's grotto-heaven and blessed land to usurp their place. Doing the same to a Ghost Immortal of equal realm worked as well. However, because this was a path of plundering another's foundation, the Ghost Immortal could not cultivate further on their own; if they wished to elevate their realm in the future, they would have to kill and plunder an even stronger immortal. The advantage of this system was rapid progress—as long as one could successfully integrate another immortal's foundation, the results were instantaneous. The downside was that each advancement was effectively a fight against the odds, overcoming the strong as the weak. Moreover, if the compatibility was low, integrating another immortal's foundation could easily fail, and the backlash ranged from a regression in cultivation at best to having one's soul scattered to the winds at worst. "I definitely won't choose the Ghost Immortal path; the hidden perils are too great, and they seem to be universally reviled in the Immortal Realm. Earthly Immortals are essentially confined to a single place... The God race likely walks this path: Divine Immortals deepen their Dao assimilation with the Grand Dao to increase their strength, but over time, they become devoid of emotion and desire, just like machines... That goes against my original reason for cultivating." Yaoguang paused as he spoke. The true meaning of cultivation for him was to enjoy life, roam the starry skies, and experience the wondrous marvels of all creation. Yet whether enjoying life or traversing the stars, one needed sufficient strength. In this world, simply wanting to develop peacefully and live a good life didn't mean others would allow you to do so. Plenty of people would envy your good fortune and come to attack and plunder you. Under such circumstances, living a good life naturally required sufficient strength—ensuring one's personal safety while enjoying life. Furthermore, wishing to roam the cosmos and observe and experience all things under heaven likewise demanded a certain level of power. Without enough strength, how could one leave their footprints in every corner of the universe? "What suits me best is actually the Heavenly Immortal path, followed by the Human Immortal path... A Heavenly Immortal continuously cultivates various Dao arts, using the different understandings of the Void within each art to piece together and fill in the gaps until fully stepping into the Heavenly Immortal realm. Because of its unique nature, Heavenly Immortals are the most divinely versatile among the five types of immortals. As for Human Immortals... they cultivate their own bodies!" Yaoguang weighed his options. He felt that the Heavenly Immortal was somewhat similar to orthodox immortal cultivation, whereas the Human Immortal leaned closer to the Nine Demon Immortal Lineages. Given the choice, he also wished to walk the Heavenly Immortal path. But the problem now was... He had no Heavenly Immortal cultivation method. Because... By all appearances, Heavenly Immortals were the most difficult type of immortal to cultivate. Hard to cultivate meant fewer practitioners, and fewer practitioners meant fewer inheritances. Under such circumstances, his Higher-Dimensional Cognition could not find enough information in the short term. At least, within the information gathered from merely four hundred-thousandths of progress, there was no trace of a Heavenly Immortal method suitable for him. "I wonder if one can transition between the five types of immortals," Yaoguang pondered. He sensed the grotto-heaven inside him... where two Dao seeds resided. Since he could possess two origin Dao arts... Perhaps he could cultivate both the Heavenly and Human Immortal paths simultaneously? In an instant, Yaoguang's gaze fell upon the Human Immortal method. "Martial Dao Human Immortal Secret Cache? Taking the martial path?" Yaoguang contemplated this Human Immortal method. To some degree... This Human Immortal method was somewhat similar to the Earthly Immortal method. The difference was that the Earthly Immortal method used innate spirit roots and immortal artifacts or treasures to integrate with the Grand Dao. The Martial Dao Human Immortal Secret Cache, however, tempered oneself as if one were an immortal artifact or treasure, thereby achieving oneness with the Dao. "I've suddenly realized that the technologies of the two branches, [Artifact Refining] and [Formation]... actually offer considerable help toward cultivating the Human Immortal path?" Having digested the Martial Dao Human Immortal Secret Cache, Yaoguang had gained some comprehension. Immediately afterward, he thought of the Wuji Sword within his body. Merging a pinnacle Dao artifact like the Wuji Sword into oneself, and then using the sword to leverage the power of the Grand Dao of the Void and project it onto his own person to unleash greater might—wasn't that very similar to the methods of a Human Immortal? If he was to delve deeper along this path going forward, he would need to consider how to construct formations within himself, integrating Dao artifacts... and even immortal artifact materials. Through these materials, he would ultimately turn his physical body, essence, qi, and spirit into his own most formidable immortal artifact. "Be it Ghost Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, Divine Immortals, Earthly Immortals, or Human Immortals, it turns out that shadows of them have long existed within the various cultivation systems and auxiliary branches of the lower realms." Yaoguang smiled slightly. This Martial Dao Human Immortal Secret Cache could allow a cultivator to rival an immortal artifact with their mortal flesh? Then... He would give it a try. Yaoguang shifted his attention to the [Artifact Refining] branch. Thoughts churned in his mind. "I can't forge immortal artifacts... Not just immortal artifacts, I can't even forge semi-immortal artifacts. That requires truly stepping into the Dao realm." Yaoguang had an accurate measure of his Artifact Refining skill, which had just reached level sixteen. However... While he couldn't craft immortal or semi-immortal artifacts, forging pinnacle Dao artifacts was much more manageable now. "The cultivation of a Human Immortal is about refining one's essence, qi, and spirit into the most powerful immortal artifact. In terms of 'qi', I already have the Wuji Sword. Next, I must forge a defensive and strengthening pinnacle Dao artifact representing 'essence', as well as a pinnacle Dao artifact targeting the psyche, mind, and soul, and then unite all three into one. In this way, the foundation of a Human Immortal will be laid, and when that time comes, charging into the Dao Integration realm should be far easier." Yaoguang organized the path he was to take ahead based on this secret cache manual. Once he successfully became a Dao Lord, refining the three pinnacle Dao artifacts representing essence, qi, and spirit into immortal artifacts would equate to truly stepping into the Human Immortal realm. A Heavenly Immortal needed to combine nine Dao arts into one. A Human Immortal, on the other hand, bore three immortal artifacts with essence, qi, and spirit. Between the two... To Yaoguang, each had its advantages and disadvantages, its pros and cons. ... Yaoguang immersed his mind in digesting the knowledge related to the Martial Dao Human Immortal Secret Cache and [Artifact Refining]. Before long, Beihai Star was already before their eyes. "Sect Master, are we heading directly back to the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Southern Domain next, or...?" Li Hanqiu asked for instructions. Yaoguang glanced at Beihai Star "below" and pondered briefly. "Head to the Penglai Immortal Sect!" "The Penglai Immortal Sect?!" Li Hanqiu was slightly taken aback. But he did not ask any questions, swiftly piloting the battleship to slightly alter their descent heading before plunging into Beihai Star—a planet whose spiritual energy was so dense it seemed on the verge of precipitating as spiritual rain. Shortly after the battleship broke through the atmosphere, a vast, boundless expanse of ocean entered Yaoguang's view. "The Deep Blue Sea," Yaoguang murmured. At the same time, a transmission jade talisman appeared in his hand, bearing messages sent over the past several years from the Heavenly Dao Sect, the Southern Domain, and several Void Refining cultivators who shared acquaintances with him. Yaoguang reviewed them... In the span of a few years, nothing major had occurred across the entirety of Beihai Star. The Southern Domain had steadily encroached upon the Shadow Moon Sect, seizing territory province by province. The Shadow Moon Sect had maintained the sealing of their mountain gates, not daring to offer the slightest resistance to the Southern Domain's actions. "Nothing unexpected happened at all... Beihai Star being so peaceful actually feels a bit unfamiliar," Yaoguang said with a laugh. "A few years might seem long to you, Sect Master Yaoguang, but to the native Void Piercing, Void Refining, and Void Shattering cultivators, it's as fleeting as a few days," Li Hanqiu replied. "It's just that your concept of time hasn't adjusted yet, Sect Master." With that, he raised the jade talisman in his hand. "Besides, it's not as if nothing significant happened at all." "Hm?" Yaoguang's gaze fell upon him. Li Hanqiu did not keep him in suspense. "The latest edition of the Dao Lord Candidate List was published. Sect Master, you... are ranked tenth!" His tone was filled with immense pride. "This means your strength has genuinely won everyone's recognition—you rank among the top ten Void Shattering cultivators on all of Beihai Star!"