Chapter 1238
Chapter 1238 - Body as the Seed
The purple bamboo forest was extremely peaceful, no one coming to disturb Shi Hao. Every single bamboo was purple and sparkling, the leaves gentle, carrying purple splendor and faint purple mists.
The cobblestone laid out a small path, a creek murmuring about, flowing past the jade-like translucent bamboo roots, occasionally releasing ding dong sounds, extremely pleasant to listen to.
Shi Hao sat quietly in meditation, carefully examining the things before him. He began to seriously think to himself; what kind of path was he going to take from today forth?
Would he be able to tread on the path of ancient methods cultivation through these things?
He didn’t know what this strange seed was like, to the extent where he didn’t even know what exactly it contained within. Back then, Qi Daolin also only said that it was Immortal Gold or something of the sort.
Strictly speaking, he still had room for change, not necessarily having to walk the path of ancient methods. There were present world methods awaiting him as well.
He cultivated a single heavenly passage, surpassing the ancients. If he took the perfect seed element into consideration, he could abandon the ancient method and steadily continue along the present world path.
Only, Shi Hao was a bit unwilling to just abandon cultivating the ancient methods. He wanted to cultivate the ancient methods first, and then practice present world methods, both wings taking flight at the same time, using both sides as reference, from this comprehensively mastering the art of cultivation.
He was extremely ambitious, not because he was arrogant or had too much self-confidence, but rather because he was forced to do this. The foreign side’s people were too strong, completely crushing the residents of Immortal Ancient Great Era, to the extent where they killed immortals!
This result really was bloody, leaving everyone horrified. They couldn’t help but feel apprehension, needing greater strength and power to contend against them!
Shi Hao desired strength, wishing to become one of the most powerful, to stand at the very peak. Only then could he protect himself, have hope to win the war against the foreign side.
It would be a vast and boundless battlefield, true immortals descending into this world to fight a great battle against the undying beings of the last great era! Just the thought alone made Shi Hao’s blood boil. Only this was a world shaking battle!
He didn’t wish to become weeds to be mowed down, didn’t want to become the ashes of history. He wanted to continue living, to participate in that battle, protect his close ones and friends!
If he could, he wanted to be able to twist the world, alter history, seize a glorious victory, not let this world wither away, watch as all things fell into ruin.
Shi Hao put away the scripture, Everlasting Immortal Sword, True Primordial Record, and other things, only leaving behind that seed. It was still changing, fluctuating between large and small, chaotic mists surrounding it.
This type of seed couldn’t remain stable, its level unknown. He always felt some confusion inside, could this be used as a seed to harmonize with the dao?
“Should I cultivate the present world methods first, and then practice the ancient methods?” Shi Hao said to himself. If there were no suitable seeds, then this was the only option.
However, when one cultivated the present world methods, one needed all types of heavenly materials when breaking through the limit. He recalled that when he was establishing the single heavenly passage, Willow Deity’s essence descended, helping him break through.
Now, it was still the case. Based on what Sacred Academy’s people said, it was best when supplemented with True Dragon heart blood, Heavenly Horned Ant extreme strength blood, using these things to help open up the heavenly passage, spiritual transformation, and other divine treasuries.
Did Heavenly Deity Institution have these things?
Shi Hao knew that the academy had impure phoenix blood, but it had pretty much all been distributed. However, what he needed the most right now was this type of spiritual blood’s essence!
He didn’t use up ten days, seeking out the Great Elder that very day. He didn’t want to waste time, because every second of time was precious for him, couldn’t be squandered away.
The Great Elder’s residence was extremely simple, not a spiritual mountain, nor was it a garden area full of spiritual wood, but instead a marsh.
There was a thatched cottage, extremely simple looking. There was no great dao aura, no immortal energy, extremely simple in appearance.
There were a few mud ponds around the cottage, not connected to each other. They surrounded this place, a few loaches and dragon fish making an appearance from time to time.
The Great Elder was dressed in hemp garment, currently sitting on a large brown rock, in his hand a bamboo staff, currently angling, looking extremely relaxed and peaceful.
Shi Hao displayed an act of respect, not disturbing him, quietly waiting. It was because he saw something was biting.
The bait was extremely fine, releasing a fragrance, actually a stalk of holy medicine that swirled with brilliance! If not for it being in the water, a sweet fragrance would have definitely scattered out.
This left Shi Hao shocked. What was he fishing for? Why did he need a stalk of holy medicine as bait? It was just too extravagant!
The bamboo pole sunk, clearly something biting. The Great Elder gently lifted upwards, and then a creature jumped out, currently biting rigidly on the holy medicine without letting go.
This was a white turtle that was a foot in length, its white shell like fine jade, extremely strange looking. Meanwhile, its snow-white head was actually a tiger head, completely different from the normal turtle head.
As for the tail, it was a meter in length, like the tail of a snake.
Was this still even a turtle? It was so strange. The holy medicine was for the sake of catching it?
Shi Hao’s mind moved. He suddenly thought of something, a flash of light passing through his eyes. “This is… the Octadic Treasure Tortoise?”
“Precisely that gluttonous fella, ruining my angling mood.” The Great Elder said with a smile. With a light swing, he released that snow-white tiger-headed tortoise back into the swamp.
“Octadic Treasure Tortoise, this is but a great mending medicine!” Shi Hao wiped at his saliva in a rather unsightly manner. This thing was too precious, known as one of the archaic octadic treasures, a rare delicacy in this world!
Apart from this, it had blood enriching effects. Whenever one’s blood energy dried up, one could use it as a medicinal primer, producing miraculous effects, make up for deficiencies.
This was the biggest headache of old cultivators. No one could resist the power of time, the day when their blood energy dried up, bodies withered would inevitably arrive. This Octadic Treasure Tortoise could slow down this decline. Even though it couldn’t stop the aging of the primordial spirit, it could nourish the flesh and strengthen it.
Shi Hao didn’t expect to see this kind of thing in the swamp. No wonder the Great Elder used holy medicines to lure it in, it really was worth it.
Only, what he was confused about was why did the Great Elder let it go?
“The one I am aiming for is not that tortoise, but rather a creature inside a cave. However, that thing is too cunning, not taking the bait even after several years of angling.” The Great Elder smiled, seeing through Shi Hao’s thoughts.
Shi Hao was shocked. Something that is even rarer than the Octadic Treasure Tortoise, wouldn’t its value be even more astonishing? What was this thing?
His mind shook, thinking back to the rumors he heard when he first arrived in Heavenly Deity Institution. The entire academy was located on historical remains, beneath some immortal caves that hadn’t been opened yet, waiting to be broken through.
When he thought of this, he understood a bit. This swamp might be connected to an immortal cave!
This wasn’t that surprising, because otherwise, with the Great Elder’s skills, would he need to use bait? He could just directly grab at it. Only that cave could stop him.
“You came so quickly, have you already thought through your future path?” The Great Elder asked.
“Yes!” Shi Hao nodded. In an extremely serious tone, he said, “Regardless of whether it is the ancient method or the present world method, I want to learn both!”
The Great Elder’s eyes released a hint of brilliance, raising his head to look at him for the first time. The hemp clothes fluttered about in the wind. His age was great, white hair fluttering about, an imposing aura naturally exuding from his calm exterior.
However, this might quickly disappeared.
Meanwhile, it was precisely in that instant that Shi Hao felt as if he fell from the human world to the netherworld, and then returned, that instant too terrifying.
The instant he was observed by the Great Elder, all of his blood stopped moving, his mind going blank, as if he was facing a resurrected Vicious Ten. A living being could actually be this frightening!
“You are quite greedy.” The Great Elder said, becoming calm once more.
“It is because I know that this great era might wither away once more, all creatures wiped out! I cannot accept this, Great Elder, you do not want to accept it either, no one in the Nine Heavens Ten Earths are willing to resign themselves to such a fate. Meanwhile, all we can do is to start from ourselves. I want to become strong, change everything!”
Shi Hao’s voice was downcast, expressing his resolution, speaking about his reasoning. He wanted to become stronger, to the point where he didn’t fear any foreign enemies!
“To cultivate the ancient technique, one needs a dao seed. Lacking a perfect ancient seed when you have such talent truly is a pity.” The Great Elder said, raising this problem.
Shi Hao frowned, and then said bluntly, “I thought that the academy had me stay behind because you all can help me find a seed.”
He indeed had this type of thought before, especially when he saw the Great Elder angling just now, thinking that there might still be an immortal cave waiting to be opened up, feeling like he had more hope.
“There is a cave underground, but it might not have a perfect seed. Those things are rarely seen, even in Immortal Ancient Great Era, difficult to find.” The Great Elder said with a sigh.
“I have a seed prepared for myself, only, I do not know if it is suitable.” Shi Hao produced a seed that was wrapped within primal chaos, continuously changing.
“Yi, this seed is rather interesting, still not taken form and in a growth stage. It contains the natural luck of heaven and earth!” The Great Elder’s eyes immediately became incredibly deep,as if he was going to peer through the nine layers of hell.
“Great Elder, what do you think about this seed?” Shi Hao asked for guidance.
“It’s not simple, extremely precious. However, it is still being nurtured, unknown when we will have to wait until.” The Great Elder said, attaching great importance to this seed.
In addition, he took the initiative to ask about where it came from.
Shi Hao responded earnestly, and then said, “Previously, I tried to seize its benefits for myself, taking its place, connecting the heaven and earth placenta to my body, not waiting for it to mature, merging it into my body.”
“Quite creative, it is similar to the dao harmonizing method I wanted to pass onto you. Perhaps it truly might succeed.” The Great Elder’s eyes erupted with sharp divine radiance!
“En?” Shi Hao was shocked. That was merely an idea he had before, one that he didn’t even know what to do with.
“How many unmatched precious seeds could there be in this heaven and earth? Since the ancient times until now, the number can be counted. The reason why Immortal Academy was able to find a few is all because they were purposely sealed and left behind from the last great era, or else it would be difficult to find even a single one!” The Great Elder said.
He had travelled the Nine Heavens Ten Earths, indeed also wishing to find one, but he failed, unable to find a perfect seed.
They existed in Realm Tomb. He also went there to take a look, but the All Dao Tree, heavenly seed, and others couldn’t be seized, all guarded by others, couldn’t be touched. Otherwise, there would be heaven-shocking changes.
Apart from this, there was nothing else!
Meanwhile, this further proved the exceptional rarity and value of perfect dao seeds!
This was precisely why the Great Elder had flipped through countless ancient texts, searching through the experiences and wisdom of predecessors, trying to find another way.
In the end, he finally obtained something, but that path was one that was cut off.
“When there is no perfect dao seed, then the body will become the seed, refine the true self!” This was what the Great Elder said.
Shi Hao was shocked. This idea was extremely shocking. Using the body as the dao seed, not borrowing any external objects, directly achieving the dao through the flesh, primordial spirit returning to one, evolve the true self.
How could this be accomplished? The reason why one chose the Yin Yang Seed, World Tree Sapling, Nascent Cosmos Seed was because they were without flaws, perfect, innately interlinked with the dao!
Only with that type of merging can one step onto the perfect path, harmonize with the dao, tread on a path of no equal.
This sounded easy, using the body as a seed, but would it work? Could he himself exceed the Nascent Cosmos Seed, surpass the All Dao Tree, be more powerful than the heavenly seed?
“Has anyone from Immortal Ancient Great Era succeeded?” Shi Hao asked.
“They all failed, became crippled, or refined themselves to death.” The Great Elder calmly replied.