Reborn as a Demonic Tree

Stella bit her lip as she mulled over Morrigan's words. Having three affinities that were all near the Monarch Realm sounded unbelievable.

How did Vincent Nightrose even survive long enough to get strong? It will have taken him at least three times as long to cultivate as he had to rotate between gathering and processing three different Qi types. Is he a madman or a genius? The amount of insight into the heavens daos he must have... I shudder just thinking about it. Even with all of Ash's help, I feel like I'm falling behind with just one affinity.

Stella looked around the table and saw everyone else contemplating what they had just been told. Even Sebastian Silverspire seemed confused despite being part of the Silverspire family, which had close ties to Vincent as they made the spatial rings for the whole sect. Well, they used to have closed ties. They are the ones trying to lead the mutiny.

"That's terrible news. That means it will be far worse fighting Vincent Nightrose than three Nascent Soul Realm cultivators at once," Grand Elder Redclaw spoke aloud, drawing everyone's attention. "As I'm sure you all know, except for the younglings at the table, our Qi reacts violently with each other. Even if we are of the same affinity and from the same family. But when a cultivator has multiple affinities, they can be seamlessly combined. Two affinities already greatly increase a cultivator's possibilities in combat, but three? I just can't believe it... no wonder he has ruled this sect for so long."

Stella nodded at the Redclaw Grand Elder's words as his musing matched her past experience. A long time ago, she tried to fling spatial techniques through Ash's portals, but it didn't work despite them sharing the same affinity. But according to the Redclaw Grand Elder, if I had another affinity, let's say fire. I could throw fireballs through portals? That really is far different from fighting a separate spatial and fire cultivator.

"Big Uncle, I'm confused. If having more than one affinity is so strong, why do I only have metal?" Ryker asked. "What are the downsides to having multiple affinities?

Stella gave the kid a side-eye. Despite being five years old and his head barely reaching above the table, he commanded a surprising presence due to his Star Core Realm cultivation. How does a kid that young reach the Star Core Realm anyway? Just what did he find in the Mystic Realm for such growth? I never bothered to ask since there's been so much going on... Is this how things keep escaping Ash's notice?

Elaine, who was sitting next to an empty seat where Douglas should be, enthusiastically took up the kid's question. "Cultivation speed is by far the biggest downside. Each affinity needs to be tended to individually, and while they can be at different stages within the same realm, in order to ascend to the next realm, the cultivator has to bring them all to the maximum stage. So Vincent Nightrose might have blood at the 9th stage but cannot ascend to Monarch Realm until he gets gravity and his mysterious third affinity to the 9th stage as well."

"I believe he would need to learn the laws of all three of his affinities, too," Ashlock added, but it seemed he only spoke directly to a few people in the room, which made Stella smile wearily. There was still a lot of research she needed to carry out before she could create an aether origin stone for Ashlock. Stella felt on a time crunch. It might be too late to change his affinity if she couldn't figure it out before Ash reached Monarch Realm.