Journey To Become A True God

Chapter 5: The Heart of the King Technique

Gu Xuan stepped through the door and found Ye Chen standing exactly where he had left him. He scanned him from head to toe — no visible injuries. A quiet sense of relief settled over him, though he masked it quickly.

What surprised him more was what he sensed in Ye Chen's aura. In just a few short hours, the boy had progressed from zero to the first level of the Spirit Formation Realm.

"Chen — how did you advance so quickly?" Gu Xuan asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

Ye Chen recounted everything from the beginning. When he finished, Gu Xuan broke into a wide grin. "Excellent! Haha — I knew I made the right choice taking you as my student!"

"Come with me. It's time I gave you a proper overview of the cultivation path." Gu Xuan took Ye Chen by the hand and they soared up out of the room into the open sky.

"Now then — how much do you already know about cultivation?" Gu Xuan asked.

Ye Chen shared the basic knowledge he had absorbed from the Legacy of the Sage God earlier. Gu Xuan listened, then nodded.

"A solid foundation. Now I'll fill in the rest." He held up one finger. "The cultivation path is divided into two great stages: the Mortal Realm and the Divine Realm. Within the Mortal Realm, there are nine levels of power, in ascending order:"

"Martial Realm, Condensation Realm, Spirit Formation Realm, Spirit Profound Realm, Earth Profound Realm, Sky Profound Realm, Emperor Realm, Ancient Warrior Realm, and finally — the Overlord Realm."

"You are currently at the first level of the Spirit Formation Realm," Gu Xuan added.

"The Overlord Realm is the peak of what any mortal cultivator can achieve. Beyond it lies the Divine Realm, which is itself divided into seven stages:"

"Divine Nascent Realm, Divine Spirit Realm, Divine Tribulation Realm, Divine Rebirth Realm, Divine Monarch Realm, Divine Preceptor Realm, and at the very pinnacle — the Divine Overlord Realm."

"And beyond the Divine Overlord Realm?"

"Beyond it lies the realm of the True Gods. But that era ended millions of years ago. No one alive today has ever reached that level — at least, none that anyone knows of." Gu Xuan paused. "The Sage God whose legacy resides within your body was one of the nine mightiest gods of that ancient age. That is why your potential is, quite literally, limitless."

Ye Chen had absorbed every word with perfect clarity. "So, Master — what realm are you at now?"

"The sixth level of the Divine Overlord Realm," Gu Xuan said, with a note of pride.

Ye Chen stared at him. "That's incredible. How long would it take me to reach that level?"

"Haha — perhaps a few thousand years. Or tens of thousands. It depends on your talent and the resources you can gather."

"That's way too long!" Ye Chen groaned.

"Don't be so impatient. Now — there's something important I need to explain about your body specifically." Gu Xuan's tone grew more serious. "The Ancient Body generates vast amounts of Yang energy. This is what makes it so extraordinary for cultivation. However, that same Yang energy must be kept in balance. If it accumulates unchecked, it will harm you — and eventually destroy you."

"To maintain the balance, you need Yin energy. There are three methods to absorb it from women." He held up one finger. "First — proximity. Simply being near women allows you to passively absorb trace amounts of Yin from the air around them. It is the weakest method and barely makes a difference."

"Second — physical contact. Touching a woman directly allows you to absorb Yin far more effectively."

"Third — dual cultivation through intimacy. This method benefits both parties equally and is by far the most powerful."

"Fortunately," Gu Xuan said, reaching into his sleeve, "I have a technique specifically designed for someone with your constitution." He produced a slim, worn book and held it out.

The cover read: Heart of the King.

"This manual was written for an Ancient Body. It teaches you how to properly circulate and refine Yang energy, and how to absorb and harmonize Yin. Study it carefully."

Ye Chen took the book and opened it. The first few sections covered what Gu Xuan had described — the management of Yang and the absorption of Yin. But when he reached the middle portion, his expression froze. He had never even kissed a girl before — he and Yu Ting had only held hands and shared a brief hug once. The content he was now reading was on an entirely different level.

Gu Xuan caught the look on his face and burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Quite something, isn't it?"

"Master… do I really have to learn all of this?"

"If you want to live, yes. You have less than five years before the Yang energy reaches a critical point. If you haven't started training by then, it won't matter how talented you are."

Ye Chen tucked the book away without another word.

"Now." Gu Xuan rose to his feet. "Time to begin your real training." He reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small glowing object, holding it up above his head.

A soft light radiated from it, and within moments, the world around Ye Chen transformed into a vast, luminous white expanse.

"Welcome to the Wheel of Time," Gu Xuan said. "Time flows differently here. One month inside this space equals only a single day in the real world."

"So ten years of training here would only be about four months outside?" Ye Chen's eyes went wide.

"Correct. But —" Gu Xuan coughed lightly, "— this item is extraordinarily rare. I have exactly twenty left. That is enough for twenty months of real-world time."

He turned to face Ye Chen fully, his expression shifting from warm to stern.

"Prepare yourself, Chen. In body and in mind. The training ahead will push you beyond anything you've ever imagined." A slow smile crossed the old man's face — not entirely reassuring. "Let's begin."