"Option two: Refuse to leave and receive the reward [Pangu Axe's Blade]. Pangu Axe's Blade: It is rumored that before the Primordial Era, when chaos had yet to be ordered, God Pangu slaughtered 3,000 demons and gods, with only a handful managing to escape. He then refined the corpses of these 3,000 beings to form an axe blade, used the trunk of the World Tree as its handle, and thus fashioned the Pangu Axe, with which he sundered the heavens and the earth."
A smile touched Sha Chen's lips; he hadn't expected such a grand reward.
He had stayed in the cave dwelling for a long time. Meanwhile, the group of pilgrims, after ten years of hardship, had finally reached the foot of Lingjiu Mountain and were about to ascend to the Great Thunder Sound Temple.
There was no longer any need for him to remain in the cave dwelling. It was now essential for him to go out, to convey his confidence, fortify his beliefs, and establish an era of enduring peace for all. His strength was no longer merely sufficient for self-preservation; it had reached a realm where others would tremble in fear. Staying was unnecessary; going forth was what he must do.
Sha Chen had already made his choice. He didn't need anyone to ask if he would leave; he only needed to follow his own heart.
Sha Chen said, "In that case, I will go out and see what changes have occurred in the world."
Siti was stunned.
She hadn't expected Sha Chen to actually agree to leave. For hundreds of years, countless people had tried every conceivable method to persuade Sha Chen to venture out, yet none had succeeded. And now, her few words had prompted him to make such an astoundingly world-shaking decision? She was utterly dumbfounded.
Sha Chen seemed to notice her shock and confusion. He smiled and said, "Your suggestion is something I've deeply pondered for some time; it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. It truly is time to go out."
"Then what about me?" Siti suddenly grew worried.
She had come here seeking refuge. If Sha Chen left, and she remained, she would be doomed to a lonely existence until her end. Moreover, if another powerful enemy attacked, her strength would be insufficient to resist; she could only sit and await her demise.
Sha Chen smiled and, quite unexpectedly, gently pinched Siti's somewhat pouting face. Siti, surprisingly, felt a little aggrieved.
She was a woman who had lived for countless eons, weathered innumerable storms, and yet had always maintained her original intentions. When had she ever been so demure or acted coquettishly before a man? Yet, for some reason, behaving this way in front of Sha Chen didn't feel embarrassing. Perhaps, as Sha Chen had once said, she was the last to arrive but had stayed the longest. Over the years, Sha Chen had many followers, most of whom were merely posturing or fawning. Only she had formed a genuine, heartfelt connection with him. Even if they weren't lovers, they were true confidantes.
Sha Chen said, "Since I'm going out, I'll certainly take you with me. I wouldn't feel at ease leaving you here alone. Besides, what if you were to cause mischief and damage my belongings?"
He gestured towards the garden, filled with Elixirs and Immortal Herbs. Siti rolled her eyes, the flicker of sentiment she had managed to gather instantly shattered.
Nevertheless, Sha Chen's words about taking her along truly moved her. But she was still worried about being a burden and was about to shake her head in refusal.
Sha Chen then took out the essence of the World Tree. It was a cluster of green light, not intensely dazzling, but the moment it appeared, all the Elixirs and Immortal Herbs within the cave dwelling began to grow with frenetic energy.
Siti was beyond shocked, her voice filled with disbelief, "The essence of the World Tree? How do you possess such a thing? Wasn't it rumored that for the Three Realms and Six Paths to flourish, the essence of the World Tree dissipated on its own, and only then did life emerge, eventually leading to the birth of life throughout the Three Realms, Six Paths, and the vast cosmos?"
Sha Chen replied, "Clearly, that's just a legend, quite an exaggeration."
He continued, "This essence of the World Tree is immensely powerful. If you consume it, your strength might even reach the same realm as Saint Zhunti."
Siti was startled. "You're giving it to me?" she exclaimed. "No, this is far too precious! I cannot accept it."
"Um, don't…"
Before Siti could say more, Sha Chen had already pushed the essence of the World Tree into her mouth and, without another word, began helping her refine it.
Siti's eyes swirled with a complex mix of emotions: surprise, anxiety, a touch of reproach, and a sliver of worry.
「Another half year passed.」
Siti had completely refined the essence of the World Tree. However, during this process, her physical body alone proved incapable of withstanding its immense power.
Therefore, Sha Chen initiated a profound yin-yang union with her. Through this 'magpie bridge,' a portion of the World Tree's essence was channeled back into him. This not only aided her refinement but also infused his own body with an additional source of world essence, granting him incredibly potent regenerative abilities.
As a result, Siti's power naturally ascended to the Quasi-Sage Peak realm. Although she hadn't reached the Saint Realm, this was only because she had not yet received the recognition of the Heavenly Dao.
Her Mana, however, had long since reached the standard of a Saint, even more terrifying than the Mana Tathagata Buddha possessed before he attained Sainthood.
After all, she had refined the essence of the World Tree. Possessing heaven-spanning, earth-penetrating Mana that was undeniably comparable to that of a Saint was to be expected.
Thus, Sha Chen and Siti found themselves in a rather anomalous situation: their Mana had surpassed that of ordinary Saints, yet their cultivation realms remained at the Quasi-Sage Peak.
This was both awkward and astoundingly formidable.
However, Sha Chen was not troubled by this. Since his physical cultivation realm had already managed to transcend the Legal Body and pioneer the Divine Dao realm, it stood to reason that his Mana cultivation could also evade the Heavenly Dao and establish its own unique path.
Sha Chen called his current level of Mana the Saint Realm. His Mana was now equivalent to the High-ranked Holy Realm, that of a Superior Saint.
