Chapter 169 : Immortal Golden Nature
Chapter 169: Immortal Golden Nature
What was a Treasure Art?
Golden nature was imperishable and unrotting, thus it was deemed the treasure of all things.
When a Golden Core True Person refined their true qi to transform into dragon and tiger, their mana became one with primal chaos. Once they possessed a trace of the immortal quality, they could steal from heaven and alter fate, using the immortal golden nature as the foundation to display a Third-Tier Treasure Art resonating with heaven and earth.
What did this mean?
Simply put, although Foundation Establishment cultivators could freely manipulate qi and traverse the air, casting Five-Element Spiritual Arts…
The reason these arts could take shape was entirely due to the mana within the dantian’s sea of qi.
The more abundant and pure a cultivator’s mana was, the stronger their Second-Tier Spiritual Arts would become. Within a spiritual vein that matched the attribute of their spiritual root, the power of the art could be further enhanced.
Conversely, if a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s dantian sea of qi was thin and weak, and they were not in a vein matching their root attribute, they might fail to perform even a Second-Tier Spiritual Art, and could even suffer backlash.
But Third-Tier Treasure Arts were different!
Even if a Golden Core True Person did not use the Earth Fiend True Qi within their dantian, even if they were not within a matching spiritual vein, they could still, based only on the immortal golden nature, stir heaven and earth with a single thought and unleash a Third-Tier Treasure Art that crushed Second-Tier Spiritual Arts.
This was because Second-Tier Spiritual Arts depended on the caster, whereas Third-Tier Treasure Arts depended on heaven and earth.
No matter how strong one’s personal mana was, it could not compare to the vastness of heaven and earth’s spiritual mechanism.
Of course, though Third-Tier Treasure Arts were formidable and carried the might of heaven and earth, it still depended on who wielded them.
If cast by a Golden Core True Person whose body of golden core could not be invaded by myriad evils, they could fully display the might of the Treasure Art, suppressing Foundation Establishment cultivators with a flick of a finger.
But if cast by a Third-Tier Treasure Beast that had yet to step into the Third Realm of Beast General, relying only on innate bloodline to forcibly manifest immortal golden nature, its might would be greatly reduced.
After all, when a Treasure Beast displayed a Treasure Art, it was not based on immortal golden nature, but on the uniqueness of its bloodline.
Even so, when facing Second-Tier Spiritual Arts, a Second-Realm Treasure Beast could hold an overwhelming advantage, often crushing its opponent one-sidedly, unless there was a vast gap in cultivation.
Thinking of this, Chen Beiwu impatiently extended his divine sense into the depths of Gold Egg’s law meridians.
As expected, just as he had foreseen, the Second-Tier peerless Spiritual Art [Flowing Gold Scales] had already transformed into a Third-Tier Treasure Art.
【Innate Ability】: Gilded Body
【Grade】: Third-Tier, Middle-Grade Treasure Art
【Effect】: The body shimmered with flowing gold, water virtue nourishing metal, outwardly soft yet inwardly unyielding.
The Gilded Body was at once soft and firm, able to dissolve First-Tier exotic arts, negate most Second-Tier Spiritual Arts, and regenerate even from bodily destruction.
Note: The innate Treasure Art [All Rivers Embraced] could enhance the grade of Gilded Body, condensing a strand of immortal golden nature.
“Hiss!”
Seeing this, Chen Beiwu could not help but draw in a sharp breath.
No wonder Immortal Alliance cultivators yearned for Companion Beasts with powerful bloodlines.
It was no exaggeration to say that condensing immortal golden nature alone was a hurdle that countless Second-Tier Spirit Beasts could never overcome.
Yet a Third-Tier Treasure Beast, by relying on the Treasure Art inherent within its meridians, could easily break through this barrier, greatly increasing its chance of advancing into the Third Realm of Beast General.
This was the difference in bloodline between Second-Tier Spirit Beasts and Third-Tier Treasure Beasts!
“With Gold Egg leading the way, the Golden Core is no obstacle for me anymore!”
Chen Beiwu sighed with emotion and turned his divine sense toward the transformed innate art.
【Innate Ability】: All Rivers Embraced
【Grade】: Third-Tier, Middle-Grade Treasure Art
【Effect】: With gold as the vessel, with water as the sea, it embraced all rivers, seized the fortune of heaven and earth to feed back into itself, nurturing its own immortal golden nature.
Note: The stronger the Treasure Art Gilded Body became, the more multiplied would be the devouring and feedback effect of All Rivers Embraced.
“With these two Treasure Arts, Gold Egg should be able to surpass realms and defeat mid-Foundation cultivators… but I wonder if it can contend with late-Foundation cultivators?” Chen Beiwu muttered.
He did not know how strong mid-Foundation cultivators were, but he did know just how terrifying the weight of a Third-Tier Treasure Beast was.
If Gold Egg could not at least leap a minor realm to defeat a mid-Foundation cultivator, Third-Tier Treasure Beasts would not be so coveted by the entire Immortal Alliance.
Thinking of this, Chen Beiwu put Gold Egg away, took out the Lan Mountain Cloud Residence token, and stepped out of the Third-Tier Cultivation Room.
“I suppose I should start calling you Chen Wanderer now?” Xu Lingling teased, her tone unable to hide envy.
In just a single month’s absence, Chen Beiwu’s spirit and bearing seemed like that of another person altogether.
Without a doubt, Gold Egg had smoothly advanced into a Second-Realm Lesser Beast.
Chen Beiwu cast her a sidelong glance and chuckled, “Sure, go ahead, call me once and let me hear it.”
“Hmph, don’t even think about it. Your Companion Beast advancing to the Second Realm doesn’t make you a Foundation Wanderer just yet.”
Xu Lingling snorted softly, then turned to her close friend, “When do you plan to set off for the Immortal Exam retest?”
Hearing this, Xu Ziqing looked toward Chen Beiwu. “There’s still a month before the retest begins. Why don’t we head over early?”
If not for hearing in the Lan Mountain Cloud Residence group about the appearance of a First-Nine Crimson Fire Lightning Tribulation, she would still have been in closed cultivation, sprinting with all her might to prepare for the Immortal Exam.
“Alright.” Chen Beiwu nodded. “Then let’s book tickets for next Monday.”
…
Pingchen Township Train Station.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely get into the Thirteen Immortal Sects.”
Meeting his parents’ gaze, Chen Beiwu smiled calmly.
For the Immortal Exam retest, examinees could either attend in their own prefectural city, or travel to the sect they had registered for.
The only difference was that the former was free, while the latter required a certain application fee.
Huang Xiaoling and Chen Dong exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison: “Shall we accompany you then?”
“No need, just wait at home for the news.” Chen Beiwu waved his hand, firmly refusing.
This journey was to compete against the geniuses of the Immortal Alliance and secure entry into Bixiao Immortal Sect—there was no need for his parents to accompany him.
“Hello, Uncle, Auntie.” Xu Ziqing appeared alone, dressed in a white dress.
Her gentle smile caused both father and mother’s eyes to brighten.
Just then, the Fuxi Train arrived at the station.
Chen Beiwu bid farewell to his parents and boarded the train to Tianyan Prefecture together with Xu Ziqing.
The journey from Yuankong County to Tianyan Prefecture was long, passing through Shengyuan Prefecture, and required two days and two nights.
Xu Ziqing looked out the window at the swiftly flashing scenery, unable to help but take a deep breath.
“Rare to see you nervous for once.” Chen Beiwu initiated conversation.
“No choice. The difficulty of getting into the Thirteen Immortal Sects is just too high.” Xu Ziqing glanced at Chen Beiwu, her eyes betraying envy.
Last year, 127,860 cultivators who passed the initial exam chose to take the final exam at Tianyan Immortal Sect. Yet only 60 were accepted in the end.
The ratio was 2131:1. The acceptance rate did not even reach 0.05%.
And what did that mean?
It meant that even those county-level geniuses standing at the peak, once they applied for the Thirteen Immortal Sects, would merely become the background for the state’s prodigies—not even worthy of being called cannon fodder.
Of course, Xu Ziqing understood in her heart as well. With only Ninth-Level Qi Refining, it was nearly impossible for her to enter a sect. Most likely she would become one of the eliminated.
But taking the Immortal Exam at Tianyan Immortal Sect might be her only chance in this life to get close to a sect!
After all, she was not Chen Beiwu, who at such a young age had already surpassed the limits of Qi Refining, whose Companion Beast had reached the Second Realm, and whose entry into a sect was practically guaranteed.