"Precisely. It seems the mansion's stone didn't just unlock our cultivations. It created this mysterious thread here. If my guess is right, it must have bound our progress together as partners of this space," Ford analyzed, feeling the faint ebb and flow of Vastocean's aura through the link. "When one of us strengthens, the other will likely reap the benefits as well. This is likely due to the fact that we share the same body"
Vastocean looked back at the remaining seventy-four white stones floating serenely behind him. A wide smile spread across his face as he realized the sheer potential before them. "Sir Ford... if just one stone granted us Spiritual Sense and opened our path to cultivation... what will happen when we absorb all seventy-five?"
Ford's gaze shifted to the giant, ancient doors of the Cosmic God Mansion emanating an ancient and solemn pressure. Then, his gaze once again landed on the seventy-four remaining white colored stones.
"We won't know until we try," Ford replied, excitement gleaming in his eyes as he grabbed another white stone, "Since this stone marks the start of our journey, I think it would be apt if we named it Primal Stone, don't you think?"
"Primal Stone, it sounds cool and fitting! I like it!" Vastocean concurred as he grabbed a Primal Stone as well.
The two nodded to one another and crushed the Primal Stone! Once again, they were enveloped by the mist-like white energy that their bodies quickly absorbed.
Feeling the energy of the Primal Stone enter their bodies, Ford and Vastocean both felt a sudden surge of energy ripple through his Spirit Core. The line or bridge that connected their Spirit Cores also resonated with one another!
Finally, this surge of energy reached its maximum causing their realm to instantly break through to the next stage!
From the Initial Stage of the Spirit Core Realm to the Early Stage of Realm in an instant!
Ford froze, stunned. "Isn't this a little too ludicrous?"
Typically, one would need to accumulate energy first and comprehend the necessary insights needed to advance before breaking through.
A single stone could awaken a cripples cultivation. That would be enough to drive any top sect insane just to have it. Two Primal Stones caused their cultivations to advance an entire level, completely ignoring the rules of comprehension!
If word of this ever reached the outside world, it would trigger an absolute uproar and even wars among sects!
"I thought, we would need to meditate and comprehend before breaking through...?" Vastocean was also stunned. "Is breaking through that easy?"
If other cultivators could hear what Vastocean had just said they would all be aiming to kill him immediately from annoyance.
Breaking through was not a trifling matter! One would need to refine natural energy into Innate Energy, accumulate until a bottleneck, then use one's comprehension or enlightenment to break through.
Ford thought of a plausible answer, crossing his arms as he processed the absurd speed. "I think it might be due to the purity of the energy of the Primal Stones energy?"
"Are you saying that its purity bypasses the need to refine into our own Innate Energy?" Vastocean asked, turning to Ford with wide eyes.
"Exactly, for some reason, the Primal Stone's energy is easily absorbed into our body. I think its a sign that our energy is quite compatible with our physique, smoothening out the process."
Vastocean glanced back toward the remaining seventy-two floating white stones, a reckless spark flashing in his eyes. "Maybe, that's why the Cosmic God Mansion chose us?"
"Could be," Ford agreed, looking up at the ancient, towering doors, a sharp grin forming on his face.
Without wasting another breath, Ford reached out and grabbed another white orb, his fingers crushing it instantly. Beside him, Vastocean mirrored his movement, shattering a second stone.
Two Primal Stones in total.
The white, mist-like energy erupted once more, surging into their shared body like a torrential river. Within their inner world, the Spirit Core vibrated violently. The luminous thread connecting their spiritual consciousnesses thrummed, syncing their intake and amplifying the pure power as it washed over every spirit.
Boom!
A sharp, resonant pop echoed inside their mindscape. The energy within the Spirit Core condensed and expanded in a fraction of a second, solidifying its radiance.
Mid Stage Spirit Core Realm!
"Another stage broken through?!" Vastocean gasped, his jaw dropping as he felt the immediate, violent surge in their internal power. "We didn't even need to stabilize our foundation or meditate!"
Ford stared at his palm, then looked back at the remaining floating stones, his mind racing through the numbers. "Wait... Vastocean, hold on. Look at the consumption."
"What about it?" Vastocean asked, eyes still fixed on the energy pulsing under his skin.
"To unlock cultivation and reach the Initial Stage, it took one stone," Ford analyzed, his gaze sharpening. "To go from Initial to Early, it took two stones. But to jump from Early to Mid just now, it took ten stones!"
Vastocean froze, realizing what Ford was driving at. "The cost... it's multiplying by five for every stage!"
"Exactly," Ford nodded, excitement gleaming in his eyes alongside calculated precision. "Initial took 1. Early took 2. Mid took 10. That means Late Stage will demand fifty Primal Stones, and Peak Stage will need a staggering two hundred and fifty!"
"Fifty stones for Late Stage?!" Vastocean sucked in a cold breath, turning to glance at the white orbs floating serenely behind them. "We started with seventy-five... after using one to awaken, two to reach Early, and ten to reach Mid, we only have sixty-two Primal Stones left!"
"Which means," Ford's lips curved into a confident, exhilarated smirk as he gestured toward the remaining stones, "we have more than enough to force our way into the Late Stage Spirit Core Realm right now!"
Without a second thought, Ford and Vastocean swept their arms forward, drawing fifty Primal Stones into their grasp. Together, they crushed all fifty at once!
BOOM!
An overwhelming tide of white mist exploded around them, completely engulfing their figure. The pure, unadulterated energy surged through the spiritual thread, bypassing all bottlenecks and refining requirements in a blinding flash.
Late Stage Spirit Core Realm!
The awesome aura of Late Stage erupted from their body, shaking the very air inside the Cosmic God Mansion space. In just a few breaths, they had bypassed months, if not years of grueling, painful effort, rocketing through three sub-stages at a speed that defied the fundamental laws of the world!
"So this is the feeling of breaking through..." Ford stood rooted in place, his chest heaving as the residual white mist gradually dissolved into their skin. The sheer density of the spiritual energy pulsing through their body was drunk with power, heavy and potent.
"This is crazy! We actually advanced four stages in just a few minutes?!" Vastocean could not believe what he was witnessing. Vastocean clenched and unclenched his fists, staring at his palms in absolute disbelief. The sensation of power flooding through his veins was almost terrifying.
"It isn't just bypassing meditation," Ford said, his voice quiet as his analytical mind worked at overdrive.
He extended his hand, watching a faint, luminous aura wrap tightly around his fingers without any sluggishness or resistance. "When a normal cultivator breaks through, their realm is unstable. They have to spend weeks, if not months, nurturing their Spirit Core, smoothing out the turbulent energy, and solidifying their foundation. If they rush, their meridians tear, or worse, their Spirit Core fractures, driving them into madness."
He looked down at his navel, where the luminous thread connected his consciousness with Vastocean's.
"But look at us," Ford continued, his eyes gleaming. "Our foundation is rock solid. The purity of the Primal Stone energy had no impurities in the first place! There are no violent and unstable remnants, no chaotic energy spikes, and no physical strain. The breakthrough is absolute and instantaneous. This speed... if any elder from a top-tier sect saw this, they would call it demonic!"
"Would that mean we might get branded as evil cultivators?!" Vastocean was terrified. He knew the prejudice and hatred towards those labelled as evil cultivators.
Ford reassured, "No, we won't. We're only a low level cultivator. I don't think we will be prosecuted. Plus, our body is already eighteen. It's not strange to have a cultivation of the Peak Stage Spirit Core in our town. Although I think we need a way to be able to hide our cultivation..."
"True, how do we do that?" Vastocean asked.
"I think we would have to put in a request to Bob's builders for an artifact." Ford suggested.
"Oh, right! But it would definitely cost a lot." Vastocean was stingy by nature so he could not help but feel it was a waste despite knowing it was necessary.
"It will but everything with quality comes with a price." Ford flatly said.
"Twelve," Vastocean muttered, his excitement dampening into a groan. "There are only twelve Primal Stones left..."
Ford walked up beside him, eyeing the dozen floating white orbs. "Twelve stones. And to reach the Peak Stage of the Spirit Core Realm, we need two hundred and fifty."
"I guess that's the goal then! Serving two hundred and fifty customers!" Vastocean declared.