Chapter 691 - 85: Two Years of Cultivation (2)

"Father, you can’t be so biased."

Dragon Soul burst into tears and tried to throw himself into Li Ji’an’s arms.

For so many years, he had not given up on the True Spirit Essence Blood aura on Li Ji’an, and coveted it even more.

Every now and then, he tried to get close to Li Ji’an.

"Slap!" Li Ji’an casually slapped him away, and Dragon Soul was flung aside.

"Mother, you must stand up for me!" Seeing his trick fail again, Dragon Soul flew towards the top of the Underground Palace.

"Gugu~ Huhu~" Gugu and Little Fire Spirit immediately beamed with joy, scrambling to get in front of Li Ji’an.

Li Ji’an gently stroked Gugu and Little Fire Spirit. He naturally felt closer and more at ease with these two little creatures.

After all, they had accompanied him through two lifetimes.

After being together for over a hundred years, there was naturally an emotional bond.

"You must also work hard." Whether they could accompany him in the next life placed some pressure on the two little ones.

Demon Beasts generally have longer lifespans than the Human Race in the initial stages, but once reaching Tier Three, it is almost on par with humans.

In the Post-Ancient Era, the difficulty for Demon Race and Holy Spirit to advance to Tier Four and transform is much higher than for humans to reach Nascent Soul.

Looking at the current Great Marsh Cultivation Realm, Li Ji’an knew there were nearly a hundred Nascent Soul True Monarchs, but less than a handful of Transformed Demon Kings.

"Gugu~" Gugu rubbed its head against Li Ji’an’s leg, its big eyes blinking in a pitiful manner.

Ever since unexpectedly forming its Golden Core in the Ten Thousand Beasts Garden of the Fierce Tiger Commerce Association, its cultivation progress had been extremely slow these years.

The Golden Core significantly enhanced its sensing of Spiritual Qi in the world, yet the advancement of Demon Beasts is primarily reliant on bloodline, and its bloodline among Tier Three Great Demons was simply nothing to look at.

However, Li Ji’an currently did not have the ability to enhance its bloodline.

Within the entire Great Marsh Cultivation Realm, only one of the giants in the Central Ten Domains, the Holy Beast Mountain, held this hope.

As for Little Fire Spirit, the Post-Ancient Era had very few cultivation records for the Holy Spirit Race, and he was unable to assist at all.

"Husband, your clan’s descendant is here." At this moment, Ning Sujin’s voice transmission arrived.

Li Ji’an retracted his thoughts, his figure disappearing from the Underground Palace, while activating the Restriction Array of the palace.

Soon, Master Chunyuan walked in, looking exhausted but extremely passionate.

He took out a bottle of Pill Medicine from his Storage Ring: "Ancestor, Grandson’s Alchemy Skill has improved recently and produced a supreme Rising Source Pill this time."

Li Ji’an received the bottle of invaluable Pill Medicine, which specifically benefited the cultivation of mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, with a gratifying smile on his face.

"My grandson, you’ve worked hard."

"Not hard, not hard at all. Ancestor, how is your current cultivation progress?" Master Chunyuan asked expectantly.

Li Ji’an nodded affirmatively: "With your Pill Medicine aid, my re-cultivation progress is remarkable, fear not a single cycle of sixty years before I can advance to late-stage Core Formation."

These two years, he benefitted from the superior Dual Cultivation Secret Technique, Dragon and Phoenix Double Cauldron Technique, along with being in Unity of Heart and Mind with Ning Sujin, his cultivation improvement was significant.

Generally, mid-stage Golden Core takes nearly eighty years to advance to late-stage Golden Core given sufficient Spiritual Talent.

Even in the case of a possessed re-cultivation, it would still take a complete cycle of sixty years.

Moreover, the eastern environment of Great Marsh is actually somewhat lacking for mid-stage Golden Core cultivation.

Without the dual cultivation benefits with Ning Sujin, a hundred years would be considered normal.

"To advance to late-stage in sixty years!" Master Chunyuan’s old face blossomed with joy.

Two years of dedicated alchemy have paid off!

Later, the grandfather and grandson reminisced about the hardships and sweet memories of the glorious past.

At their parting, Master Chunyuan gazed at Li Ji’an’s current younger appearance and finally expressed his innermost feelings.

Two years ago, when returning to the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain with Tong Yaoyao, Li Ji’an had restored his original appearance.

Initially, Master Chunyuan was unfazed.

After all, he had already been aware that his ancestor resorted to soul steering Li Ping’an.

However, over the past two years, as he continuously refined Pills, his appearance had aged noticeably, while his ancestor appeared younger with each passing day, causing inevitable sighs within his heart.

"Ancestor, seeing you reclaim youth makes me truly envious, especially given my current..."

Li Ji’an chuckled to himself, aware that there were too many regrets and missed opportunities in life, as youth fades quickly and water is relentless, who wouldn’t want to relive their youth?

But he outwardly responded indifferently: "Merely an appearance, my grandson, do not get attached."

"Ancestor, this grandson also wishes to relive youth again." Master Chunyuan did not follow Li Ji’an’s words this time, but instead looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"I plead that Ancestor assist grandson in soul steering!"

Li Ji’an was slightly moved in his heart.

In this realm, soul steering is against the harmony of heavens, only Nascent Soul True Monarch has the possibility of guaranteed success.

Even a Core Formation Ascendant’s Divine Sense becomes weak due to Celestial Dao limitation, almost inevitably failing when soul steering into mortal.

The consequence is a collapsed Sea of Consciousness for the mortal, with the soul of the possessor scattered, never entering the cycle of reincarnation.

Yet, there is indeed a countermeasure.

If there is a True Monarch’s Nascent Soul to resist Celestial Dao erosion on behalf of the Divine Sense, there is hope in soul steering a Junior Cultivator in Qi Refining Stage.

The cost, however, is the damage to the True Monarch’s Nascent Soul, forever preventing any further advancement.

Before the True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws’ demise from soul steering, Master Chunyuan never entertained such thoughts.

He also knew his ancestor would never consent to it.

But now, after the True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws has soul steered once, with the Nascent Soul marked by the Celestial Dao, there is essentially no hope for further progress.

Therefore, he dared to make this rebellious request.

Li Ji’an gradually looked at Master Chunyuan, his face showing no emotion, but a sneer echoed within his heart.

In the previous life, he was the cause behind the destruction of a Magical Treasure and the nascent forms of two other Magical Treasures.

Master Jade Pill suffered on account of him, through Soul Search reminiscent of cruelty.

Not to mention this life, when he formed the Golden Core, hunted by him, the retribution of such causes... the day of heart-killing countdown had long begun.

Dreaming to relive his youth days again?