Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 702

“Five Elements Unification, that’s a tough one. The Azure Origin Sword Art is solely a wood-attribute technique. But to master techniques of so many attributes, wouldn’t one need to be born with various spiritual roots?”

“Are you saying that in the Spirit Realm, cultivators with single-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Roots are treated as dullards? And what is this Minor Heavenly Tribulation? Does it mean that we human cultivators also have to endure lightning tribulations like the demon cultivators in the Spirit Realm?”

“I didn’t expect my casual remarks to raise so many questions. Since we’re on the topic, I’ll explain a few things for the sake of your cultivation.”

As Han Li bombarded him with questions, the boy looked at him with a strange expression.

“Heavenly Spiritual Roots are still precious talents in our Spirit Realm. Various sects and forces strive to recruit them. If you don’t reach the Refinement Void stage, there’s no need to think about the Five Elements Unification. Until then, the cultivation speed of cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots is quite fast.

In our Spirit Realm, cultivators who reach the Refinement Void stage are either the leaders of some force or overlords ruling a region. Those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots mostly practice other attribute techniques or change their main technique to various techniques before reaching the Refinement Void stage. The limitation of spiritual roots, which is an obstacle, can be overcome by using a secret technique that replaces the deficient spiritual root with the inner core of a demon beast that has undergone special refinement. This is called a Pill Spiritual Root. Although it’s slightly inferior to a natural spiritual root, it doesn’t pose a significant problem for cultivating techniques. Of course, Pill Spiritual Roots are useless for ordinary people.

In the past, there was also something called a Tool Spiritual Root, which used certain magical artifacts or treasures to produce the effect of a spiritual root, but it took too long and was too dangerous, so it’s rarely used now.

It’s not that there aren’t cultivators who are born with two, three, or even five spiritual roots and naturally break through to the Refinement Void stage. But they are all descendants of powerful families or have powerful backers, so it’s not common. Also, the Minor Heavenly Tribulation is something that all cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage in the Spirit Realm must undergo.”

The boy paused for a moment before speaking again.

“Nascent Soul or Soul Transformation cultivators in the Lower Realm experience a Heavenly Tribulation every three hundred years, which is called the ‘Minor Heavenly Tribulation.’ The Heavenly Tribulation for Refinement Void, Body Integration, and Great Ascension cultivators in the Middle Realm occurs once every three thousand years and is called the ‘Great Heavenly Tribulation.’ Finally, the tribulation experienced when ascending to the Immortal Realm is called the Immortal Tribulation!

Of course, even within the same type of Heavenly Tribulation, the difference is significant depending on the stage or who is undergoing it. Even if there’s no progress in cultivation, the Heavenly Tribulation will return twice as powerful as before. So, no matter how dense the spiritual energy is in the Spirit Realm, once you succeed in condensing the Nascent Soul, it means that you can only move forward or die.

I don’t know how many cultivators die each year because of the Heavenly Tribulation. But once you reach the Refinement Void stage, you have nothing to worry about. Theoretically, once you reach the Refinement Void stage, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is sufficient, and your lifespan is infinite. But in reality, even cultivators who reach the Refinement Void stage often die from various Great Heavenly Tribulations if they don’t reach the Immortal Realm.”

Having said this, the boy’s expression darkened.

According to the boy, the Spirit Realm was not the paradise that people in the mortal realm imagined.

However, the fact that the lifespan of a Refinement Void cultivator was infinite was enough to excite Han Li. He had vaguely seen similar content in the scriptures, but the words of someone who had come from the Spirit Realm were more trustworthy.

To gain eternal life, he had to go to the Spirit Realm. Otherwise, even if he reached the Refinement Void stage in the mortal realm, his lifespan would be limited due to the lack of spiritual energy from heaven and earth.

‘No wonder those Soul Transformation old monsters are all trying to find a way to ascend to the Spirit Realm…’

Of course, it was still a distant matter for him, so there was no need to worry about it yet. He asked more about Pill Spiritual Roots and Tool Spiritual Roots before closing his mouth.

Han Li, who had been lost in thought for a while, fiddled with the cyan bottle in his hand and flicked the lid with his fingertip.

Then, a blue light flashed, and the bottle was turned upside down. Even though the lid was open, nothing came out.

‘Hmm?’

Suddenly, a green light quickly shot out, trying to escape. It was sudden, but Han Li wasn’t going to let it go.

He snorted and grabbed the air, and a huge blue hand appeared, snatching the green light. The green light was so weak and faint that it couldn’t speed up even if it wanted to escape.

Inside, unexpectedly, was a Nascent Soul in the form of a woman. Han Li stroked his chin, looking surprised.

“Who are you that you were captured and confined by Six Paths?”

“Who are you, cultivator? And what about that old hag, Six Paths?”

The Nascent Soul shouted defiantly even while being held by the giant hand.

“If you want to meet Six Paths, you’ll be disappointed. I’ve already sent him to the underworld.”

“You killed him? How could that be? Huh, you are…”

The Nascent Soul trembled, looking at Han Li in disbelief.

“Do you know me?”

Han Li’s expression became strange. He knew a few female cultivators in the Chaotic Star Sea, but only Ling Yuling was above the Nascent Soul stage.

“I saw you in the Void Sky Hall. I heard you obtained the Void Sky Cauldron, and you even escaped the old monsters’ pursuit and reached this stage. I never expected it.”

“You are… could you be Madam Wen?”

When the other party mentioned the Void Sky Cauldron, Han Li suddenly remembered a woman.

“I’m surprised you still remember this old woman.”

The woman sighed deeply. The Nascent Soul was unexpectedly Madam Wen, whom he had only met once when he entered the Void Sky Hall.

At that time, he had heard that she had obtained some spiritual herbs in the Void Sky Hall and left midway.

“If my memory serves me right, wasn’t Madam Wen the companion of Six Paths?”

“Companion? Is there anyone who would imprison their companion’s Nascent Soul in a magical treasure? But cultivator Han, did you really kill that bastard, Six Paths?”

In response to her question, Han Li quietly pointed to somewhere in the air.

In the air, there was the corpse of Six Paths Extreme, only half of which remained, encased in purple ice.

He flicked the giant hand that was holding her Nascent Soul, releasing her. Madam Wen’s Nascent Soul was free again.

“Indeed, it’s that bastard. …Damn him, after all his scheming, he died before me!”

The Nascent Soul hurriedly flew around the purple ice block a few times, then raised her head and laughed miserably.

Han Li frowned. He didn’t know what had happened between Six Paths and Madam Wen, but he was worried about how to deal with her.

The Nascent Soul’s laughter subsided, and she spoke again.

“Cultivator Han, there’s no need to worry. I’ve been trapped in a magical treasure for too long, and my Nascent Soul is too weak. I don’t even have the strength to seize another cultivator’s body.

The only way for me to enter the cycle of reincarnation is to immediately scatter my Nascent Soul and leave this world.

You have avenged my grudge, so I can only be grateful. I have no way to repay your kindness with my current abilities, so I hope that I can repay you in my next life.”

After speaking, the Nascent Soul raised one hand and struck her own skull.

Then, a dazzling red light exploded, covering the Nascent Soul from head to toe, and the woman’s Nascent Soul was torn to pieces on the spot, disappearing without a trace.

Han Li was stunned by what he saw.

‘How can she be so resolute!’

She had committed suicide so quickly without even thinking of having a few words with him. Whatever had happened, she didn’t seem to want to mention it to a stranger.

However, even without thinking deeply, there was no doubt that there was an untold story between Six Paths and Madam Wen.

Although he felt a little uncomfortable, it was a good thing for him. If he had to decide how to deal with her, it would have been quite a headache.

Han Li shook his head and sighed, then summoned the green bottle in the air and put it into his storage pouch.

Then, he extended one hand and sent out golden lightning, and the purple ice block shattered into pieces, scattering into light and disappearing.

Of course, he immediately retrieved the storage pouch left by the old demon.

After scanning it with his consciousness, he noticed a few treasures, but none of them caught his eye.

Of course, he was interested in some of the demonic cultivation technique books, but unfortunately, there was nothing written about the Six Extremes True Devil Art.

After finishing his cleanup, Han Li gestured to the human-shaped puppet and flew towards the distant giant flag.

The skulls of the Five Phantom Devil Corpses had neatly dealt with the three flag skulls and were now even gnawing at the flag itself.

Han Li shook his head at the sight, at a loss for words.

The giant flag looked powerful, but its killing intent was too strong, making it unsuitable for him to use.

That’s why he let the Five Phantom Devil Corpses do as they pleased.

Whoosh!

……

After a while, the five skulls finally devoured the flagpole completely, and their demonic aura became even denser, emitting strange cries.

Han Li quietly watched them, and when the five devils stopped crying, he sent out a hand seal.

They seemed reluctant, but having tasted the pain of the restrictions several times, they did not resist and came to Han Li’s side, prostrating themselves.

Han Li did not immediately take them back but calmly turned into a streak of blue light and flew towards the direction of Heavenly Star City, followed by the Five Phantom Devil Corpses.

The battle between him and the old demon Six Paths had ended in just an hour. If the defense of Heavenly Star City had been breached without even lasting this long, Han Li would have left without looking back.

That would mean that they were not worth helping!

When he returned to the eye of the Windfire Heavenly Formation with the Five Phantom Devil Corpses, the cultivators of the Star Palace and the Rebel Alliance were fiercely fighting each other, surrounded by dozens of li.

It was still difficult to determine which side had the upper hand, but upon closer inspection, the Rebel Alliance seemed to have a slight advantage.

‘Those fellows called the Nan Brothers are truly savage and brutal.’

The Star Palace cultivators were retreating repeatedly due to the blue aura and pink mist they created.

Old Man Zhao and the purple-robed giant, who were confronting them, were far inferior to the Nan Brothers in terms of strength and could only provide support and restraint from the side.

Therefore, the low-level cultivators could only scream miserably and fall or crash the moment they came into contact with the blue aura and pink mist.

He first glanced at the Windfire Pearl and then shifted his gaze to the Nan Brothers.

He immediately gestured to the two demon beasts, and the Five Phantom Devil Corpses, who were following behind, roared lowly and turned into a gray-white aura, rushing towards them.

Then, without hesitation, he brushed his spirit beast pouch on his waist, summoning a swarm of golden insects that covered his head.

He spread one arm and threw in a hand seal, and the buzzing sound of the insect swarm grew rapidly, and with a ‘pop!’ sound, they scattered into small groups and flew in all directions.

After completing the spell, Han Li summoned the Wind Thunder Wings and quietly blended into the wind.

The Rebel Alliance had sent out all of their Nascent Soul stage cultivators, but they had left a few Core Formation stage cultivators at the bottom of the giant copper pillars to guard them.

This was to prepare for a surprise attack from the Star Palace that might destroy the eye of the formation.

A few Core Formation stage cultivators were chatting, and as the Rebel Alliance gradually gained the upper hand, they showed signs of joy.

“……”

A middle-aged cultivator dressed as a scholar turned his head, about to say something to another cultivator, but his face instantly turned pale when he saw something.

The surrounding cultivators also turned pale when they saw him and looked back, equally shocked.

Behind them, a young man with his arms crossed, standing about a dozen feet high, was floating silently.

The young man had the face of the great cultivator from the Star Palace who had left with their leader.

‘How is that person alone!’

The Core Formation stage cultivators felt a chill run down their spines.

But before they could escape, Han Li flicked his fingers, which were hidden in his sleeves, and golden sword qi shot out in a row, piercing through them the moment the golden light flashed.

Those who tried to block with magical treasures had holes pierced through their bodies along with their magical treasures.

The sword qi emitted by the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords was comparable to top-grade magical treasures, making it difficult for even Nascent Soul stage cultivators to deal with, let alone Core Formation stage cultivators.

After instantly killing the Core Formation stage cultivators, his expression did not change, and he looked at the giant pillar, flicking his sleeves.

A clear cry was heard, and dozens of small golden swords poured out of his sleeves, growing to the size of a palm and then merging into one in the air.

Then, a golden light spread out, and a giant golden sword floated above the pillar.