Chapter 964: Chapter 50: Sheng Xie’s Tonic_3
He didn’t know how much time had passed when Ah Dai gradually regained consciousness. To his astonishment, he discovered that his body felt empty. The dense Silver Energy that used to be there had vanished completely, replaced by a tiny silver figure about an inch tall located in his Dantian. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the figure closely resembled himself—what on earth was happening!
Slowly opening his eyes, Ah Dai saw that the cave had transformed entirely. What had once been a dimly-lit cavern now seemed filled with countless colors, all strikingly captivating. When he raised his right hand in the same way he used to perform his exercises, the yellow Energy Sword appeared in his grasp at more than double the speed it had before, while the little figure in his Dantian appeared to have merely dimmed slightly in its silver glow.
"You’re awake," came the voice of the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang.
Ah Dai turned to look at the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, who was sitting cross-legged on the rock. He was taken aback to find that he could clearly see every fine line on the Sword Saint’s face. The Sword Saint looked much more haggard, his complexion slightly pale, "Ancestor, what has happened to me? Why is my True Qi gone?"
The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang opened his eyes, smiled kindly, and said, "Child, do you know? You have entered the eighth Realm of the Life Life Decision—the Realm of Body Refining. Your liquid True Qi hasn’t disappeared; it has condensed into the little figure in your Dantian, which resembles you. That figure represents the total convergence of your body’s energy. In the future, you can still practice according to your original technique."
The eighth Realm? Ah Dai was stunned with amazement. Just half a year ago, he had only recently entered the fifth Realm, and now, in such a short period of time, he had already achieved the eighth Realm’s power—didn’t this mean that his strength was now equivalent to Uncle Owen’s?
Clearly perceiving the confusion in Ah Dai’s mind, the Sword Saint continued with a smile, "Child, you really are fortunate to have reached such a Realm so quickly. Among the Sword Sect, you are the first. However, you must understand that reaching the eighth Realm doesn’t mean you possess the strength to match your senior brothers. Advancing each Realm in the Life Life Decision is very difficult, especially after the sixth Realm, as most of your power increase relied on external forces. This has resulted in your power not being entirely pure. Therefore, even if you consolidate this eighth Realm power, it will take a very long time. Moreover, even at the same eighth Realm, the level of power can vary significantly. Eight of your senior brothers are individuals of exceptional talent; except for Zhou Wen, whose hot temper prevented him from breaking through the final limit of the eighth Realm, your other senior brothers have reached the eighth Realm’s peak through decades of hard training. Even so, their levels of power differ greatly. Your eldest senior brother, Xi Wen, and the second, Feng Wen, have the highest level of power because they have both maintained the eighth Realm for more than twenty years. To progress from the eighth to the ninth Realm, even I spent thirty years of grueling practice to achieve it. So, you have a long way to go. From now on, it all depends on you." After pausing for a moment, the Sword Saint added, "Go and fetch your senior brothers for me. I have orders for them. After you have called them, stay in the Sword Sect. Once your senior brothers return, you may come back too. Sigh—your power is now sufficient to make your way across the continent; it’s also time for you to leave."
Ah Dai was startled. In the beginning stages of his cultivation, he had always wished for this half a year to pass quickly, so he could leave this place sooner and search for the missing members of the Elf Clan. But now that the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang was suddenly preparing to let him go, he was filled with reluctance. Over the past half year, though the Sword Saint had never shown him a kindly face, he had imparted all of his secret teachings and even transferred 20% of his hard-earned power to him. How could Ah Dai not be deeply moved by such profound kindness?
The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang closed his eyes and said indifferently, "Those who need to leave will always have to leave. You have a long journey ahead. Do not act like a child. Go now."
Ah Dai nodded, bowed deeply to the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, glanced once more at Sheng Xie, who was still sleeping in the corner, and then floated out of the cave.
Breathing in the slightly chilly air at the mountain’s peak, Ah Dai felt that his power had improved tremendously compared to before he reached the eighth Realm of the Life Life Decision. With every movement, there seemed to be a subtle flow of energy. With a mere thought, his body was already soaring out, heading towards the direction of the Sword Sect of the Front Mountain.
The gates of the Sword Sect were wide open. Upon entering, he encountered Liao Yi. "Ah! Little Uncle-Master, it’s you! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you," greeted Liao Yi enthusiastically. Ah Dai had been recognized by the Sword Sect as a third-generation disciple, which naturally placed him a generation above Liao Yi. Liao Yi was extremely envious of his little Uncle-Master. Not only was Ah Dai younger, but his martial prowess was much greater, and having been taught martial arts personally by the Ancestor, his strength must have improved by leaps and bounds. Seeing Ah Dai again, he could clearly sense the difference. Although Ah Dai’s expression was still somewhat dull, there was a radiant glow beneath his skin, enveloping his entire body in a lustrous sheen. Although he didn’t show any outward signs of powerful energy, Liao Yi knew that compared to half a year ago, Ah Dai had made significant progress.
"Big brother Liao Yi, just call me by my name instead of Uncle-Master. I’m not even older than you!" Ah Dai replied with slight embarrassment.
