A Farmer's Journey To Immortality

"I see," Aksai said, nodding in understanding.

"So the Martial World Sharang and Aether World Acarnis that I managed to visit after breaking into two Spirit cultivation realms… they were…" His voice trailed off, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

This time, it was Yelia who spoke.

"The coordinates of those two worlds, along with several others, were given to Lord Amel Everwood by his master before he left Dadangar and ascended to the Immortal Realm. Even Holy Land Torel had a grand teleportation array that allowed Nascent Soul cultivators and beyond to explore other worlds.

"After all, the Myriad Worlds Painting wasn't the only way Spirit cultivators could explore other worlds—it just made the process much easier. Of course, Core Formation cultivators wouldn't have been able to survive such journeys through conventional means.

As such, these explorations could only be undertaken by the core disciples and sect elders of the Holy Land Torel. Plus, they were incredibly expensive, consuming vast amounts of the sect's precious resources for each trip. The cost of such explorations could easily bankrupt the current Big Five Sects active in the Dadangar Subcontinent."

"What?" Aksai's shock was evident as he heard her words. He had seen the might of the Purple River Sect firsthand. Though it was far from the Holy Land Torel's peak glory, it was still a very powerful sect in his eyes.

The idea that the frequent trips he had taken to Martial World Sharang and Aether World Acarnis could cost so much left him dumbfounded.

'I… I really took a lot of things for granted,' he thought to himself, the weight of the revelation sinking in.

"Anyway," Yelia continued, pulling Aksai from his thoughts.

"Lord Amel used the Myriad Worlds Painting to visit those worlds and later modified the Enchanted Everwood Farm so that their coordinates would be permanently stored within it. This way, he could revisit them anytime he wanted without relying on the sect's resources.

"Of course, except for a select few, nobody in the sect knew about the Myriad Worlds Painting's existence. It wasn't that Lord Amel didn't trust the Holy Land Torel's administration. Rather, it was a decision made by the sect master himself when he sent this logic-defying artifact to his disciple."

"Indeed. Yelia and I were the only two individuals, apart from the sect master and that brat Amel, who knew about the Myriad Worlds Painting. The reason I say it wasn't a coincidence that you broke the legacy records is that it was all arranged by Amel Everwood himself," Velia said with a sigh.

"That brat was too smart. He saved the coordinates of those worlds so he could revisit them and take advantage of the alternative cultivation paths and resources they offered. Even though he was a star disciple in the sect, he had many restrictions as well.

Even the sect elders saw him as someone who could carry on the sect master's mantle. As such, his security was paramount to the sect. However, that also meant he was forced to stay caged within the sect.

Amel wanted to break those shackles using the Myriad Worlds Painting. To do so, he needed to progress in his cultivation journey faster than anyone could imagine. Thankfully, his master sent him the perfect tool—something that allowed him to do whatever he wanted without risking his life."

"Do you mean that my arrival and my inheritance of the Myriad Worlds Painting were planned by Amel Everwood?" Aksai asked.

Yelia spoke next, her tone calm yet respectful.

"Not exactly. Lord Amel Everwood didn't make these arrangements specifically for you, my lord," she said, meeting Aksai's gaze.

"In fact, they were meant for his own use so he could diversify his cultivation path. As my sister mentioned, Lord Amel understood that the best way to expand his potential was to cultivate along three paths—Spirit, body, and soul.

It is common knowledge in the current Dadangar Subcontinent that diversifying one's cultivation path slows progress. As such, almost everyone sticks to practicing standardized Spirit cultivation techniques.

While that assumption holds some truth, it doesn't consider the bigger picture. A Spirit cultivator faces significant bottlenecks after reaching the Core Formation realm. This is because they lack a steady foundation.

For example, the first Spirit cultivation realm focuses on elevating one's soul to harness the power of Spirit essence. The second cultivation realm focuses on purifying the mortal vessel, ridding the body of impurities to make it an optimal container for Spirit essence. The first two Spirit cultivation realms set the foundation while the third realm finalizes it.

The third Spirit cultivation realm focuses on refining the Spirit essence itself, condensing it into a core to enhance both its quality and quantity. This process defines the Core Formation realm, completing one cycle of a Spirit cultivator's path.

But do you know what happens in the Nascent Soul realm?" Yelia asked Aksai, her tone inquisitive as she allowed him to process her words.

Aksai didn't need much time to think. He pieced everything together, arriving at a rather shocking conclusion. It was the kind of realization that had been staring him in the face all along, but he hadn't seen it because he was too close to it.

His eyes widened as he looked at Yelia and Velia, his expression filled with disbelief.

"The fourth cultivation realm… it focuses on one's soul again, doesn't it? The Nascent Soul Realm… so that's how it works.

It's like the first cultivation realm—but the level of sublimation one's soul undergoes in the fourth realm is something a Spirit Refining Realm cultivator can't even fathom.

Then the Deity Transformation Realm… does that mean the fifth realm focuses on one's body again?"

"Yes," Velia replied with a nod.

"The Nascent Soul Realm allows Spirit cultivators to harness a far greater amount of Spirit essence within themselves. The soul's ability to influence elemental forces increases dramatically—so much so that one's mortal vessel becomes strained.

This is why the Deity Transformation Realm focuses on fortifying the mortal vessel. Only with a stronger container can one truly wield the power of nature.

To be honest, Nascent Soul Realm cultivators already have souls powerful enough to cause great disturbances if they wish. However, they can't wield that strength effectively without risking severe injuries to their bodies.

It is only in the Deity Transformation Realm that cultivators can use their Nascent Souls as a medium to control god-like elemental powers without bodily harm.

A Spirit cultivator's ability to influence the elemental powers around them increases exponentially with a strong soul and body that acts as its container. That is why Deity Transformation Realm cultivators are often regarded as gods by lesser cultivators and mortals alike."

"I… I see…" Aksai murmured, stunned. Then, as another realization dawned on him, he blurted out.

"Wait a minute… is that why the Dadangar Subcontinent has failed to produce a genuine Nascent Soul King all these years? Because they haven't focused on cultivating both their bodies and souls?"

"Indeed," Yelia replied with a nod.

"Of course, there are ways to strengthen one's body and soul while adhering to the Spirit cultivation path alone. For example, the soul-related elixir you received as a reward for clearing the trial. It strengthened your soul, which had already been enhanced by your Aether cultivation technique. Or just some better… or rather… tailor-made cultivation techniques.

There are many such resources—some man-made, others naturally occurring. But Spirit cultivators in today's Dadangar Subcontinent don't have access to these resources. Their inheritance has been fractured, making it almost impossible for them to cross the threshold and enter the Nascent Soul Realm.

Why do you think the three Core Formation Lords from the demonic faction are still stuck in here? They cannot leave, yes, but another reason is that they don't want to leave.

They know the elixirs needed to strengthen one's body and soul can only be found here. Only such elixirs give them a real chance at breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm. Without the resources of Holy Land Torel, they wouldn't dare attempt the breakthrough, even if they could.

After all, celestial tribulation is no joke. Without a solid foundation, attempting the breakthrough is akin to knocking on death's door. The sect masters of the demonic faction understand this. That's why they've tried to monopolize the resources of Holy Land Torel through their minions."

Yelia paused, giving Aksai a moment to absorb her words. Then she continued.

"Now—back to our earlier topic. Lord Amel wanted to solidify his foundation so he could advance quickly and stably in his cultivation journey. He understood that focusing solely on the Spirit cultivation path wouldn't yield the desired results—not for someone as ambitious as he was to follow in his master's footsteps.

Even though he was already a Nascent Soul cultivator by the time he received the Myriad Worlds Painting, Lord Amel still made the effort to study alternative paths.

The books and martial techniques you found in the Enchanted Everwood Farm when you first acquired it? Those were materials Lord Amel studied himself. He left them there, refined and preserved for later use.

Lord Amel understood the trinity of mind, body, and spirit. That's why the first coordinates given to him by his master were for Martial World Sharang, which focused on body cultivation, and Aether World Acarnis, which focused on soul cultivation.

He also took into account the standards of the Holy Land Torel's trials when selecting those worlds for his initial explorations.

The advantages you gained from visiting those worlds helped you in the trials. It was all pre-planned—though not specifically for you."

Velia nodded and picked up where Yelia left off, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"That's why you found the tests relatively easy, even if it didn't feel that way to you.

The first two worlds that brat selected weren't just for personal growth. They were also chosen to ensure he could beat his own records in the Holy Land Torel's trials.

Of course, no matter how much I curse that brat for being over-smart, Amel wasn't shallow. He cared little for fame within the sect.

All of it was part of his greater plan to eventually follow in his master's footsteps and ascend to the Immortal Realm."