Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Supreme Star Realm (2)
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The results of the Conception Ceremony and the Dragon Pearl Ceremony were nearly identical.
Whether human or dragon clan cultivator, upon reaching the Supreme Star Realm, all bore a five-colored star called a spirit star within them.
The difference lay in the location of the spirit star.
Human cultivators harbored it in their middle dantian, while dragon clan cultivators held it within the Dragon Pearl in their lower dantian.
Seoran couldn't help but ask.
"If I undergo both the Conception Ceremony and the Dragon Pearl Ceremony, I'll end up with two spirit stars in total. Is that really okay? It'd be like one person having two Origin Souls or two Golden Cores."
"Having multiple Origin Souls or Golden Cores causes problems, but spirit stars are fine no matter how many you have. In fact, that's the very purpose of higher realm cultivation."
"The goal is to increase the number of spirit stars?"
Deung Baekwol answered.
"Yes, exactly. Ah, why don't we just make this a proper lesson? I'll explain everything. Let me fetch the blackboard and chalk, so both of you wait here a moment."
Damcheong panicked as if struck by lightning.
"No, I...!"
But his desperation didn't reach Deung Baekwol.
The door shut firmly, sealing off any escape.
Now, he was trapped into attending the lesson.
Damcheong's face grew even more sullen.
*****
Neat white writing filled the blackboard.
Lower Realm.
Higher Realm, Little Universe, Quasi-True Immortal Realm.
True Immortal Realm, Great Universe.
Having finished writing, Deung Baekwol set down the chalk and asked a question.
"Taking human cultivators as the standard, the realms up to the Origin Soul Realm are called the Lower Realm. From the Cloud Mist Realm onward, they're classified as the Higher Realm. So, what exactly distinguishes the Lower Realm from the Higher Realm?"
Damcheong raised his hand and said.
"Flight Establishment?"
Geum Yeongyeong wasn't one to back down.
"Power?"
Seoran gave her own answer.
"Mixed Origin Spiritual Power?"
Deung Baekwol nodded.
"Flight Establishment, power, Mixed Origin Spiritual Power—all correct. In truth, it's obvious when you think about it. All those elements combine to form the Cloud Mist Realm. Ultimately, we must look at the forest, not the trees. Not the individual pieces, but the whole—the most essential nature of cultivation."
Seoran raised her hand and said.
"Is it transcendence?"
"Transcendence, exactly. In the Flame Calamity Realm, we washed away impurities with heaven-earth spiritual energy. After Foundation Establishment, we accumulated pure spiritual power. Further on, we formed the Golden Core and condensed the Origin Soul. That's transcending the limits of body and soul."
Deung Baekwol pointed to a spot on the blackboard with the chalk.
It was the word "Lower Realm."
The explanation continued.
"All cultivators pass through the Lower Realm, transcending their innate limits. Extending lifespan, raising their tier, and finally being reborn as spirit beings. Some call it proving oneself to the heavens. Anyway, once you become a Cloud Mist Realm cultivator, Higher Realm cultivation begins."
Deung Baekwol pointed to other words in succession.
This time, "Higher Realm, Little Universe."
"The Cloud Mist Realm, Supreme Star Realm, Radiant Rainbow Realm, and Silver Halo Realm—these four realms together are called the Higher Realm. You can sense it from the names, right? All four are deeply tied to celestial bodies. They represent nebula, star, star cluster, and galaxy, respectively. In other words, Higher Realm cultivation is the process of perfecting the Little Universe within."
Quasi-True Immortal Realm.
"As Higher Realm cultivation progresses, Mixed Origin Spiritual Power compresses into five-colored stars, and their number gradually increases. Thus, one creates a rainbow star cluster, their own galaxy. And when the inner Little Universe is finally complete, they reach the Quasi-True Immortal Realm."
Seoran, listening to the lesson, spoke up.
"Lower Realm cultivation transcends innate limits, and Higher Realm cultivation perfects the inner Little Universe... So from the True Immortal Realm, it's related to the Great Universe?"
"Yes, correct. It definitely has something to do with merging with the Great Universe, but I don't know the details. Either that knowledge was never there to begin with, or it was lost along with other memories."
At that moment, Damcheong raised his hand with a question.
"I have one curiosity."
"What's on your mind?"
"If one star is the Supreme Star Realm, how many make the Radiant Rainbow Realm? And the Silver Halo Realm?"
Deung Baekwol replied.
"Even two qualifies as Radiant Rainbow Realm. When the number exceeds ten thousand, it becomes Silver Halo Realm."
"Then, that one-eyed dragon carrying three complete Dragon Pearls was a Radiant Rainbow Realm cultivator?"
"Hmm, if he ascended safely, he'd probably be at the quasi-Radiant Rainbow stage or so. Of course, he never reached true Radiant Rainbow before dying."
Seoran, who had been listening quietly, asked.
"Why is that?"
"Because stolen power isn't truly one's own. Cultivation is a solitary uphill path no one else can walk for you. You can never reach transcendence through theft."
"Does that mean as long as it's your own power, the method doesn't matter?"
Deung Baekwol nodded.
"That's right."
"If I undergo both ceremonies, do I become quasi-Radiant Rainbow too? Since I'd have two spirit stars?"
"Officially, it's still Supreme Star Realm, but in practice, yes."
Seoran took a moment to think.
Then she asked Deung Baekwol.
"After becoming half-human half-dragon, what's the probability of suffering serious side effects?"
"Side effects... The vast majority of half-human half-dragons die before birth. Human blood can't withstand dragon blood. But a tiny fraction are born safely. In fact, one of the Earth Immortals not affiliated with Peach Blossom Haven is a half-human half-dragon. So for you, Ryu cultivator, there shouldn't be any issues."
Seoran fell into contemplation.
Should she take the ordinary path like other cultivators?
Or risk it and tread the unknown path?
Both had pros and cons.
Reaching Supreme Star Realm the normal way was fine.
She had plenty of time and talent anyway.
It was safe to say there was zero chance she'd fail to reach True Immortal Realm due to insufficient lifespan.
But that meant giving up dragon powers.
The dragon eyes that peered into all things, the supremely precious thunder spirit root, immortality, and more.
Seoran was human too—she couldn't help but feel greedy.
Seoran's heart began tilting toward becoming half-human half-dragon.
Her gender had changed with reincarnation anyway.
No reason she couldn't change species now.
Moreover, the current situation in Sector Im-6 added weight to her decision.
The Immortal Realm was divided into a hundred conventional sectors, from Gap-1 to Gye-10.
Peach Blossom Haven's five Earth Immortals strove to station a World-Cleaving Immortal in every sector if possible.
But success was a distant prospect.
For one, there were only 84 existing World-Cleaving Immortals.
And not all were affiliated with Peach Blossom Haven.
Vacancies were inevitable.
Coincidentally, Sector Im-6 had no assigned World-Cleaving Immortal.
If Seoran reached True Immortal Realm before other competitors in the sector, she could claim the spot.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Golden Bamboo Sect's dominance for the next tens of thousands of years hinged on her cultivation speed.
The risks were minimal.
She personally felt the desire.
There was reason to hasten her cultivation.
No need to hesitate then.
Seoran declared.
"Fine, let's do it!"
Damcheong leaped for joy.
"Yahoo!"
His head seemed to touch the sky.
*****
In the 25th year of Flight Establishment, preparations for the half-human half-dragon ceremony were complete.
On one side of the vast rocky island stood the altar for the Conception Ceremony, and on the opposite side, the altar for the Dragon Pearl Ceremony.
The plan was to proceed directly to the Dragon Pearl Ceremony as soon as the Conception Ceremony ended.
This unprecedented dual-core ceremony filled the Golden Bamboo Sect cultivators' faces with tension.
Geum Yeongyeong, who had unusually woken early, asked.
"Deung cultivator, on average, how long does it take a Cloud Mist Realm cultivator to reach Supreme Star Realm?"
"The time from Cloud Mist Realm to Supreme Star Realm is deeply tied to Five-Color Heart cultivation."
"Oh, really? Could you explain a bit more in detail?"
Deung Baekwol answered, feeling puzzled.
"You're showing unusual academic enthusiasm lately. Well, it's not hard, so I'll explain. You know that after reaching Origin Soul Realm, the more Five-Color Heart cultivation you do, the less innate spirit root talent matters?"
"Of course. Everyone becomes a Five Spirit Root Holder, right?"
"Yes. From then on, spirit bone talent and aptitude become far more important than spirit roots. So, knowing the time to achieve Double Root Harmonization lets you infer the cultivator's other talents beyond their spirit roots."
Geum Yeongyeong scribbled notes enthusiastically and asked.
"The average time for a mundane spirit bone cultivator to harmonize Five Spirit Roots was 540 years, right? In such cases, how many years to Supreme Star Realm?"
"Usually about three times longer than Five Spirit Root harmonization, so around 1,620 years. For Ryu cultivator, it took 9 years for Double Root Harmonization, so we can estimate 27 years to Supreme Star Realm. And in reality, it was almost exactly that."
"Wow, really?"
Having resolved her curiosity, Geum Yeongyeong closely observed Seoran's ceremony process afterward as well.
She took photos and videos, leaving extensive records.
This series of antics continued until the ceremony ended.
That day, a half-human half-dragon Supreme Star Realm cultivator was born.