Translator: CinderTL
"Another breakthrough?" Liu Yu glanced at Li Chunjun, receiving the information transmitted through his mental power. "If I'm not mistaken, your Mind Realm has advanced to the Sixth Heaven. As expected, life-and-death battles are the greatest catalysts for unlocking one's inner potential. When designing your dharma manifestation, I anticipated the possibility of your Mind Realm advancing and factored that into the design..."
Her voice trailed off abruptly.
Her gaze fixed intently on Li Chunjun, scrutinizing him relentlessly.
"You..."
"Yes," Li Chunjun nodded, confirming her suspicion. "The data was accurate."
Liu Yu maintained her peculiar gaze for a long moment before communicating through a mental wave only they could perceive: "With the Human Race's vast population... over tens of millions of years... perhaps... it was inevitable that a few anomalies would emerge..."
"Yes, this is perfectly normal," Li Chunjun said with a slight nod.
So normal...
Liu Yu found herself momentarily speechless.
At the same time, a thought that had previously surfaced in her mind resurfaced with renewed force:
Innate Divine Being!
Aside from beings born embodying the Great Dao, she couldn't imagine any other species possessing such potential.
Accumulating forty thousand years of Millennial Magic Power during the Void Refining stage!
And in just a few years!
This rate of progress...
Liu Yu took a deep breath.
Whether Li Chunjun was truly an Innate Divine Being or not no longer mattered.
From the potential he had already demonstrated, she saw a genuine hope for him to achieve dao unification.
This hope far surpassed that of her previous direct disciples, including the Rising Sun Supreme Sage, whom the Three Sages of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity had so highly praised.
It wasn't about quantity, but about a qualitative difference.
Among all the disciples she had observed over countless years, who else could possibly achieve dao unification?
For millennia, Li Chunjun alone stood as the sole candidate!
If Li Chunjun truly achieved dao unification, it would mean he could journey into the Great Dao River to seek out the Profound Yellow Supreme and uncover the truth behind the Supreme Sovereign's disappearance millennia ago.
With this realization, Liu Yu's expression turned utterly serious.
"I will mobilize all my resources to help you derive the most perfect dharma manifestation forging plan as quickly as possible."
"Thank you."
"It's my duty."
Liu Yu vanished in a flash, leaving no trace behind.
After her departure, the Three Sages of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity cast envious glances at Li Chunjun.
To have Liu Yu, a Quasi-Tenth-Tier existence, treat him with such deference...
Only her personal disciple could command such respect.
For them, even a brief audience with Liu Yu was a rare privilege.
Of course, avatar appearances didn't count.
At that moment, Li Chunjun's gaze shifted to the Three Sages.
"Tell me everything you know about the Wu Ji Sect's Supreme Sages," he said. "I recall there being nine Supreme Sages stationed in the Profound Yellow Great World?"
The Three Sages exchanged glances. Now that Li Chunjun had openly clashed with the Wu Ji Sect, they had no reason to hold back.
"That's correct," they replied.
The Human Sage Venerable, who possessed the most detailed intelligence, spoke: "Supreme Sages serve as each sect's ultimate trump card. They reveal some of their power, but never their full extent. The Wu Ji Sect's greatest display of Supreme Sages occurred during a massive battle with the Taixu Sword Sect sixteen thousand years ago, when twenty-three Supreme Sages appeared."
"Twenty-three?!" Li Chunjun exclaimed, startled.
That number...
It aligns somewhat with my understanding of the number of Supreme Sages.
"Since the Profound Yellow Great World aligned with the Immortal Alliance, the situation here has stabilized. The Wu Ji Sect's Supreme Sages have been intermittently using Star Gates to venture into the Human Race's controlled Great Worlds for adventure, training, broadening their horizons, and enriching their minds. The publicly known number of Supreme Sages has dwindled to sixteen. Especially after the Taixu Sword Sect joined the Immortal Alliance a millennium ago and the conflict ceased, only nine Supreme Sages now permanently reside in the Profound Yellow Great World."
The Human Sage Venerable paused. "Based on these nine permanent residents, the strongest... would likely be Yuan Taiji. However, if we include those Supreme Sages who are currently adventuring and training abroad, the undisputed number one would be Wu Tongtian."
He said gravely, "This one once briefly contended with the Heaven Origin Sword Master."
"Quasi-Tenth-Tier? Or a supreme sage?!" Li Chunjun exclaimed.
"A supreme sage," the Human Sage Venerable confirmed. "The term 'Quasi-Tenth-Tier' refers to those who have perfected their Qi, laws, and heart. Such individuals are essentially qualified to attempt dao unification. They rarely interfere in worldly affairs, lest their state be compromised and they fall from the perfected realm."
"Fall from the perfected realm... I don't fully understand Qi and laws, but isn't Heart's Perfection supposed to be the Tenth Layer of Mind Immortality? How could one possibly fall from that?" Li Chunjun asked, puzzled.
"Naturally, they can maintain their immortal state as long as their realm remains intact. But..." The Human Sage Venerable nodded matter-of-factly. "In this world, apart from the eternally unchanging Great Dao, what truly immortal thing exists?"
"I've heard of Mind Power Techniques that, when cultivated to a sufficient level, can ensure the mind never retreats," Li Chunjun countered.
The Human Sage Venerable paused, taken aback.
After a long pause, he said, "I've heard that claim as well, but the notion of 'The Mind Never Retreats' only circulates among those who have achieved dao unification or the Supreme Sovereign realm—legendary figures themselves. These dao unification practitioners are essentially Mind Immortals. Their so-called 'The Mind Never Retreats' might be like the story of the little horse crossing the river—trivial for them, but an insurmountable chasm for those who haven't reached dao unification."
"The little horse crossing the river," Li Chunjun murmured, recalling the fable.
Even if that were the case...
The Heavenly Heart Eternal Method still seemed to be a Mind Power Technique of immense value in the eyes of the Profound Yellow Supreme.
Only now did Li Chunjun truly grasp the method's worth!
No wonder Liu Yu had accepted him as a Supreme Disciple even before he reached the Void Refining stage, recognizing his mastery of the Heavenly Heart Eternal Method.
"The Wu Ji Sect became the banner against the Taixu Sword Sect's dominance in the Profound Yellow Great World precisely because Wu Tongtian possessed combat power that could barely match the Heaven Origin Sword Master."
The Heavenly Sage Venerable, sensing Li Chunjun's thoughts, remarked, "Senior Brother Li, are you worried this Supreme Sage might disregard the rules?"
"How many who cultivate to the Supreme Sage realm truly adhere to the rules?"
Li Chunjun nodded.
The Heavenly Sage Venerable and Human Sage Venerable smiled. "That's true, but Senior Brother Li needn't worry about Wu Tongtian. First, the Wu Clan and Yuan Clan have always been at odds. Second, Wu Tongtian secured a spot at the Supreme Research Institute and will be studying the Dao at the Heavenly Dragon Dao Field for three thousand years. He's only been there for a millennium so far, so he has plenty of time left. He certainly wouldn't squander such a precious opportunity."
Li Chunjun nodded again.
"Now, let's discuss Yuan Taiji in detail," the Human Sage Venerable continued. "Yuan Wuji has cultivated for over eighty thousand years. While he hasn't reached the twelve-thousand-year mark of those who've endured the trials of becoming Law-Manifesting Lifeforms, he's been in that state for quite some time. As Sect Master, he undoubtedly has access to countless spiritual elixirs and miraculous medicines. His Qi reserves should be at least ninety thousand years' worth, and we wouldn't be surprised if they exceeded a hundred thousand or even a hundred and ten thousand years."
"A hundred and ten thousand years of Qi!" Li Chunjun's expression tightened slightly.
Only after becoming a Law-Manifesting Lifeform could one cultivate Qi at an accelerated pace, gaining a year's worth of Qi for every year of diligent practice.
In reality, many Supreme Sages don't cultivate constantly. Factoring in the time spent on Void Refining and Dharma Manifestation, most Dharma Manifestations who have lived for a hundred thousand years, or even a hundred and twenty thousand years, rarely accumulate a hundred thousand years of Qi.
This calculation assumes they consumed precious pills during their cultivation journey.
Without such supplements, considering thirty thousand years for Void Refining to Dharma Manifestation and sixty thousand years for Dharma Manifestation to Supreme Sage, these sages would only have thirty thousand years left to refine their Qi, ultimately reaching a maximum of sixty thousand years of Qi.
This highlights just how astonishing Yuan Taiji's maximum of one hundred and ten thousand years of Qi truly is.
"Yuan Taiji himself is a Heaven's Chosen, though not yet qualified to become a Supreme Sovereign's disciple. But... that doesn't mean his talent is lacking. In his prime, he even topped the Star Brilliance First Rank!"
The Human Sage Venerable continued, "Especially since the Yuan Clan is a major clan within the Wu Ji Sect, he received preferential access to precious resources from a young age, allowing him to forge a Top-Tier Dharma Manifestation! According to the mechanical race's calculations, his combat power ranges from 270,000 to 330,000!"
"270,000 to 330,000!"
Li Chunjun took a deep breath.
Regardless of their tier, all Supreme Sages have a maximum Qi capacity of 129,600 years—the duration of a Primordial Cycle. This is one of the three benchmarks for Quasi-Tenth-Tier status.
However, without sufficient Heavenly Treasures, cultivating even 100,000 years of Qi represents the absolute limit for 99.9% of Supreme Sages.
With 100,000 years of Qi, a Supreme Sage with an ordinary dharma manifestation has a maximum combat power of 200,000. Those with high-grade dharma manifestations reach 250,000, Top-Tier Dharma Manifestations peak at 300,000, and even those with Supreme Dharma Aspects only reach 400,000!
Yuan Taiji, by contrast, is estimated to possess 110,000 years of Qi and a combat power of 330,000—a testament to his extraordinary strength.
"Beyond Yuan Taiji, the Second-Tier contenders are the four we recently clashed with: Vermilion Bird, Xuan Wu, Black Sea, and Crimson Soul," the Human Sage Venerable said gravely. "We've already tested the mettle of the first three."
"Vermilion Bird is the strongest, with 100,000 years of Qi and a high-grade dharma manifestation. His combat power leans higher, likely around 260,000. Xuan Wu and Black Sea trail him by half a step, with combat power ranging from 220,000 to 240,000."
He added, "As for Crimson Soul Supreme Sage, we can assume he's not far behind, with combat power exceeding 200,000."
"What about the remaining four?" Li Chunjun asked.
"The Supreme Sages stationed at the great sects typically consist of two groups: those who serve as the sect's public face, and those who have recently ascended, lack sufficient foundation, or haven't honed their Qi enough to dare venture out for trials and adventures," the Heavenly Sage Venerable explained with a smile.
"Those four likely have combat power ranging from 100,000 to 150,000. It wouldn't be surprising if some fall below 100,000."
Li Chunjun nodded in understanding.
Whether it was Void Refining, dharma manifestation, or Supreme Sage cultivation, newly ascended cultivators invariably spent a period of consolidation in the safety and comfort of their sect. Only after achieving sufficient strength would they venture out for trials and adventures.
After years of wandering, when further advancement seemed impossible or their spirits were exhausted, they would return to the sect, settle down, and accept the fate of their mortal lives.
In that moment, Li Chunjun gained a clear understanding of the Wu Ji Sect's true strength, and his heart settled with confidence.
(End of the Chapter)
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