Chapter 318: Divine Blood Dao Body, The Sword God's Battle Begins
During these recent days, Li Hao had engaged in more casual conversations with Lin Shanhai and other alchemists, gaining deeper insights into incense offerings and many matters related to Saints. Incense power is not something that ordinary people can bear; it requires the completion of a Dao body!
In these days, as Li Hao continuously converted his Dao power, he filled all his body's acupoints and major meridians, and his Dao body had already reached the level of perfection in the Dao Law Realm.
After reaching perfection in the Dao Law Realm, the next step forward would be to accumulate incense. The incense power that gathered within Li Hao's body was unstoppable, slowly settling in his body, turning into dust-like particles resembling incense, gradually forming into a small bean-sized particle. This particle was the nascent form of an incense stick.
To become a Saint, the incense power must accumulate to three incense sticks!
Currently, the absorbed incense within his body had only condensed to about one-tenth of a single incense stick.
This was due to his recent completion of the Dao body, which allowed him to perceive and receive incense. The incense he was now receiving had been accumulated and deposited beforehand.
Emperor Yu had once promised him that after ten years, he would transfer the incense of Great Yu to him. Before becoming a Saint, the eight incense sticks would remain intact, and even if ignited, they would not be covered by the Holy Dao. The continuous cycle of life and death would be like steam trapped in a sealed boiler, endlessly circulating.
With his exceptional culinary purification skills, Li Hao had gained favor from various alchemists. Additionally, Cui Zhu was fond of alchemy, and his harmless nature, along with his lack of competitiveness, made him a central figure in the alchemist circle.
Li Hao hadn't expected that this incense power could traverse the Immortal Gate, coming from the mortal world to the land of the Saints without obstruction.
Now, the absorbed incense could be used for becoming a Saint, merely requiring his divine sense to ignite it. However, igniting it prematurely would be unwise, as it is a method reserved for life-and-death struggles above the level of Saints.
Lin Qingying smiled at Cui Zhu's words, feeling somewhat nostalgic.
The conversation of the seven people in the courtyard also fell on the ears of those at the Enlightenment Realm. Their eyes slightly narrowed. During those days of daily exchanges between the old and young in the courtyard, they had listened, gaining a deeper understanding of becoming a Saint.
Watching someone become a Saint made them sigh helplessly. "But he stays in such a treasured place, only wanting to paint?"
However, if they could find a Saint to assist them, wouldn't that ensure success in alchemy? "If Lin Lao dislikes it, you plan to stay a bit longer, wait until you paint a masterpiece, and then consider other matters," a Saint said. Such a carefree life is not something everyone has the chance to enjoy.
However, you have your own path. Until you reach the pinnacle and become a Saint, cultivating your ultimate swordsmanship, won't you be like that person?
Most importantly, with your body imbued with final realms, you allow Cui Zhu to perceive others' Dao laws and break through them with force.
Li Hao had been fleeing in the void for ten years, and a hundred years had passed in the mortal world.
"If he wishes to practice alchemy, with just a word, you could give him two of the eight lower-grade pill recipes you hold, and others would likely be willing to exchange with him." Meanwhile, in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, the Sword God battle was finally about to begin. "Cui Zhu... reaching this point, this is the end!"
As for those several thousand or even tens of thousands of years old, they are already considered old monsters. Cui Zhu only now realized the meaning of "human power has its limits."
Moreover, with the Sword Bones carrying the final realm, forming the Sword Bone Dao Body, his attacks became even more fearsome. After all, the offering of incense to a Saint every four thousand years was nearly impossible. This Sword God contest had an age limit of under eight hundred years. And Li Hao had reached the ultimate limit of things, even if he walked the perfect path—there was no further way, as there was no road ahead.
Cui Zhu's expression remained calm, as always, but his eyes darkened, as all his cultivation was preparing for this moment. Alchemy, martial arts—what the world pursued, Saints would no longer even glance at.
Lin Qingying inquired of Cui Zhu.
Lin Qingying couldn't help but smile bitterly and sighed, "This is the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, a place countless people dream of entering. If he stays here, with his current status and connections, he can get anything he desires!"
Eight thousand years of incense offerings to produce a Saint is relatively slow, mainly because the population of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty is moderate, a small kingdom even within the entire Eastern Wilderness.
With this realization, your gaze grew darker, and your sword momentum became more rounded and heavy. With the completion of the Divine Blood Dao Body, the Saint thought he had touched Lin Shanhai's limits, but in fact, he had not. It was only equivalent to him refining a Dao Body. Now, with the completion of the Dao Body, the Saint's physical body had been refined to an extremely terrifying degree. He could use his physical body to comprehend the Dao, with his bones, blood, and flesh serving as his Dao, able to withstand Daoist arts and divine abilities.
These points include refining materials for Cui Zhu, refining his Divine Blood's final realm, and spending time in the courtyard alone, painting and carving, immersed in comprehension.
With the Divine Blood now fully integrated into the final realm, the Saint's body had reached its limits, thanks to the immense energy of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land. The energy in this place was far denser and purer than even the richest regions of the mortal world.
After all, the Saint's Dao Domain still needed many techniques to be filled and expanded.
After all, those prodigies each had their own forces; they were not individuals fighting alone. Those without backgrounds or connections would have long been killed in some unknown ditch.
Usually, forcing someone to burn incense to fight means it's a matter of life and death. Like a bottle filled with water, any more will overflow. The power of incense is indeed immense!
Cui Zhu's intense emotions were hidden beneath his calm exterior. He gazed intently into the Saint's eyes, as if trying to discern his true thoughts.
And on this front, the Saint was often invited by alchemists to assist.
As time passed...
Though Cui Zhu had established a secluded life in this small area, he was focused on improving his arts, preparing for the day he would seek revenge on the Void Saint.
But the Dao of the body also had its limitations; the Saint could not speak and make things happen by command. In the Daoist realm, even those under a hundred years old could be considered top-tier prodigies.
Under eight hundred years, one was still considered part of the younger generation. Only after surpassing a thousand years was one regarded as an old figure.
Cui Zhu had adapted to life here, following a routine.
Perhaps due to Li Hao's Divine Blood, even after perfecting his Dao Body, he could continue to absorb and convert Cui Zhu's power, integrating it into his Divine Blood.
In the Daoist realm, prodigies abound, but even they need to bow their heads and rely on the protection and resources of various forces.
"Qingfeng, come, let's accompany Qingying to take a look, and also show him how these top-tier prodigies fight."
"Hmm."
In recent days, the threshold of the Saint's courtyard had been worn down by constant visitors. The bustling scene reminded Lin Qingying of the small banquet she had hosted when she first became a lower-grade alchemist, a gathering that had been equally lively.
This was the true moment when the power of incense could be freely used in battle; after this, it could only be accumulated, not used.
The Saint realized that cultivating the physical body might be a necessary path, one that could push Cui Zhu to his limits, or perhaps even beyond.
He had lived for nearly a thousand years, witnessing countless people, but the Saint remained an enigma to him, someone whose desires he couldn't fully comprehend.
In the Alchemy Hall, Cui Zhu gazed at the Enlightenment Realm disciple dressed in green, a trace of worry in his eyes.
Cui Zhu called out to the Saint.
Eight hundred years in the Daoist realm were equivalent to eight thousand years in the mortal world. "Poor!"
In the Alchemy Hall...
But what Cui Zhu saw was only a pair of calm and steady eyes, without a trace of hesitation. The Saint nodded in agreement.
Before the completion of the Divine Blood Dao Body, the Saint's thoughts shifted more towards painting, focusing more intently on his art and studies.
"If he wishes to learn martial arts, even if he only shows a hint of interest, those Saints and others would be eager to open the door and let him directly enter the inner sect, becoming a disciple of a Semi-Saint!"
Even if he were victorious, it would be no fault of the alchemist if he lost. Cui Zhu carried the exotic fruits sent by the inner sect prodigies, sharing them with Cui Zhu and the old man.
Lin Qingying chuckled.
After gathering this time, if there's an opportunity, you might consider visiting the Holy Land's Sword Pavilion to glimpse the Holy Land's techniques.
However, Cui Zhu felt that even with his perfected Dao Body, this was still not his limit.
Cultivation, aside from breakthroughs in understanding, also requires time-consuming tempering over the years.
In the absence of divine power, his physical strength still remained at a steady ten million pounds, with little fluctuation, as if this was the limit of his body.
But this is the limit of effort, not the limit of existence itself, as most things in the world, no matter how hard you try, remain beyond reach.
Each encounter with someone carried smiles, difficult to distinguish as genuine or fake. Only when standing at the pinnacle of success can one see the true nature of people.
As his Dao Body reached completion, all the incense accumulated over the past ninety years gathered together, finally forming a bean-sized piece.
He chuckled softly, an independent spirit yet somehow still appealing to others—what a strange thing.
Some people are born with Sword Bones, and as their cultivation progresses, they can transform this final realm into the Sword Bones, creating more room for power and making them even stronger.
The Saint remained unhurried in his quiet life, and those who knew of his connection with Cui Zhu refrained from using harsh methods, ensuring he faced few setbacks.
This often required giving the alchemist a significant amount of goodwill in advance; otherwise, if they ruined the precious materials, all would be wasted, though they would bear no blame.
Given his current connections, the Saint would do well even without help. Others were eager to deepen their relationship with him. After all, it only took a few months to get things done here.
To make his words come true, the Saint needed to elevate his mastery to the fourth stage, only then would he be able to summon wind and rain at will, even make rivers flow backward.
With the official commencement of the Sword God battle, the entire Sword Ancestor Holy Land was ablaze with excitement.
This battle was also a great opportunity to observe and record the top-tier techniques of various prodigies.
Lin Qingying remarked, "If he keeps walking his own path, it will make him seem out of place."
These rare spirit fruits nourished the body, and while their effect on Cui Zhu was special, they mainly provided a delightful crunch and a fragrant taste.
"Child, are you ready?"
Simply put, although he had reached perfection in the Dao Law Realm, it was still not enough. "You owe him," the Saint chuckled.
Even though Cui Zhu had not yet reached the level where his words could shape reality, he had come close to his limits. As Cui Zhu's Divine Blood was refined, the final realm grew deeper, becoming a boundless sea. His body held both the power and the final realm, surpassing the limits of most.
Those prodigies either achieved greatness through innate talent, or by wearing down the years, or had become Saints.
This has led many inner sect prodigies, including some Saint Sons and Daughters, to seek closer ties with the Saint, with some visiting personally and others sending messengers.
Hoping to let the Saint witness the grandeur of the top prodigies and spark an interest in martial arts, regardless of his talent, there was nothing wrong with taking an interest in martial arts.
However, though the constant strength of ten million pounds remained, his Divine Blood Dao Body could still briefly surge tenfold in power. Combined with the final realm, this made him even more formidable, capable of smashing mountains and tearing through the earth.
Incense is extremely precious, but Emperor Yu kept his word.
Lin Qingying smiled, clinking cups with the Saint before downing his drink, smacking his lips in satisfaction.
The Saint understood his thoughts and smiled, saying, "There's no rule that says you can only paint in the Holy Land, drink in the tavern, or study in the academy. The environment is just the environment; how you respond to it is what makes life interesting. Life is a long journey, full of many landscapes, but you remain yourself."
Cui Zhu smiled, saying nothing more as he raised his cup. "Cheers." It was not uncommon to seclude oneself for decades or even sixty years at a time.
Power struggles, court politics, natural disasters, and human calamities can all sever faith.
"What are his plans now that his injuries are mostly healed?"
For these special disciples, while they rarely had the chance to appear, witnessing these rarely-seen prodigies clash in battle was an invaluable opportunity for their own cultivation.
This has made the name of Qingfeng Alchemist increasingly renowned, even spreading among the disciples of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land.
The path of the body is a path of refining, equivalent to condensing the final realm and laws into the body.
The days passed in a blur.
These connections might not be immediately useful, but there would be a time when they came in handy, and they could also help gather famous paintings, chess manuals, and other illustrations.
Some of the Saint's thoughts you might not entirely agree with, but you do not reject them either. In fact, you may even feel a twinge of envy.
Judging by the current pace of accumulation, within eight hundred years, he could condense into a Saint just by lying down. Many disciples were aware of a peculiar alchemist—though there might be debate over who was the best alchemist, there was no dispute about who had the best connections.
While he knew his grandson was exceptional, the other Saint Sons and Daughters were not to be underestimated; a storm was sure to come.
To exhaust one's efforts and still not reach perfection.
It felt like the Saint's name, as if he were a breeze in the mortal world, rising and falling at will, with nothing in life but the pleasure of painting and carving.
If it were in the mortal world, Cui Zhu would need another hundred years to completely fill his Divine Blood with the final realm.
Months passed.
To commission a lower-grade alchemist to refine rare medicine, one must provide their own materials and notify the Holy Land, and only proceed with the alchemist's approval.
Among the prodigies of Lin Shanhai, many possessed their own Dao bodies, such as the Sword Bone Dao Body or the Dao Heart Dao Body.
If it were the barbarian kingdoms surrounding Great Yu, it might take ten thousand years or even more to produce a Saint.
"Thanks to him, we get to enjoy a rare treat."
For Enlightenment Realm, another method seemed necessary; the Saint speculated that only by mastering the fourth stage would this be attainable.
The Saint understood why some of Cui Zhu's elders lived for a thousand years. Regarding the goodwill brought by others, the Saint accepted it all, as long as it was given with good intentions.
This wasn't something that could be solved through cultivation alone; it was a limitation inherent in life.
After all, alchemy has a low success rate, especially when it comes to high-grade divine pills. I brought out my treasured tea leaves, making tea for the Saint as the two of us chatted and enjoyed the fruits.
The Saint remained humble and polite, as always, though our relationship had grown closer, and we often exchanged banter, with you calling me an old fool, and me replying with "smelly brat."
Upon reaching perfection in his Dao Body, the Saint realized that his physical strength had not increased.
With the surge of incense that had arrived earlier, the subsequent flow had become more subdued, but it still trickled in daily.
"No matter how high his martial talent may be, the Semi-Saints will surely take him as a disciple, as his connections have become his foundation."
"But the essence of an environment is not a group of people doing the same thing, forming the environment."
The body is the same. No matter how much you cultivate, or how well you refine, the body can only go so far; reaching the extreme is "becoming divine in the flesh."
Thinking of this, I tried to teach the Saint to be more sociable but quickly realized that his connections were even wider than mine. If anyone should be teaching, it should be him teaching me.
The Divine Blood, like a sponge, absorbed the final realm, allowing me to withstand more conversion than any other being in Lin Shanhai.
Even for Saints, incense is a valuable resource, which is why they teach and spread their faith.
Beyond eight hundred years, potential dwindles, and the dust of time can cloud the heart, leading to rapid decline.