Chapter 177
In this small world, cultivators could typically ascend to the Upper Realm upon reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. However, a problem had arisen with the world, leaving them stuck at that level.
As for why they couldn't forcibly advance their cultivation like the Divine Transformation Ancestor of the Tianyuan Sect, there were two reasons. First, they were not as wealthy and powerful as the Tianyuan Sect. Second, after the Tianyuan Sect produced a Divine Transformation cultivator, they immediately spread the word that this realm could not accommodate too many cultivators at that level. A forced breakthrough, they claimed, would very likely cause the small world to cease to exist.
They dared not take the gamble, and they also felt it wasn't worth exhausting all their manpower and resources to forcibly create a Divine Transformation cultivator who might not even succeed.
It was worth noting that this small world lacked cultivation techniques for the Divine Transformation stage. Even before the world's problems began, when communication with the Upper Realm was still possible, the techniques passed down never included anything beyond the Nascent Soul stage.
Their techniques ended at the Nascent Soul stage. The Tianyuan Sect's success in producing a Divine Transformation cultivator was already a stroke of incredible luck. Therefore, even if the Tianyuan Sect hadn't spread that warning, the other sects would not have dared to attempt a breakthrough lightly.
However, while they didn't dare to try, it didn't mean they hadn't grown resentful after years of oppression by the Tianyuan Sect.
For years, nearly all the promising young talents had gone to the Tianyuan Sect. The other sects could only pick from the leftovers, the ones the Tianyuan Sect didn't want. Unable to replenish their ranks with fresh blood, the gap between them and the Tianyuan Sect only grew wider.
It wasn't that their sects lacked Nascent Soul cultivators, but the Tianyuan Sect had a Divine Transformation Venerable. Whenever the Tianyuan Sect played that card, the other sects had no choice but to reluctantly concede, despite having Nascent Soul cultivators of their own.
Who wanted to be inherently inferior? Who wanted to spend their days living at the mercy of another's whims?
By now, it could be said that all the other sects were filled with resentment toward the Tianyuan Sect. Though they said nothing on the surface, in their hearts, they had long cursed its members to death.
Some sects with weak foundations, feeling they had no future prospects for development, simply pledged allegiance to the Tianyuan Sect.
Other sects, whose foundations were originally no weaker than the Tianyuan Sect's, had fallen behind only because they had lost contact with the Upper Realm while the Tianyuan Sect had gained a Divine Transformation cultivator.
Naturally, they couldn't just watch their sects crumble in their hands. They could only grit their teeth and persevere, searching the world over for promising disciples. By doing so, they could bypass the grand spirit testing assemblies and avoid having their choices cherry-picked by the Tianyuan Sect.
And now, Qiu Chi had offered them another path.
She went directly to the Sword Sect, which was being crushed under the Tianyuan Sect's oppression.
Back when ascension from this small world was still possible, the Sword Sect had been the most powerful sect. But times had changed.
Moreover, the Sword Sect was truly poor. They had been poor before, and now, under the Tianyuan Sect's pressure, they were even more destitute.
They were no longer the strongest sect, and they had no money, so even fewer disciples were willing to join.
Standing on the Sword Sect's territory and sensing the number of its members, Qiu Chi felt a bit conflicted.
The Tianyuan Sect had tens of thousands of outer disciples alone, yet the entire Sword Sect, from top to bottom, had fewer members than that.
The disparity made the Sword Sect's situation seem all the more pathetic.
Qiu Chi didn't dwell on it for long before going directly to find the Sword Sect's Nascent Soul cultivators.
The Sword Sect had a decent number of Nascent Soul cultivators—seven in total. However, of those seven, three were nearing the end of their lifespans, and two were only in the early Nascent Soul stage.
Once those three cultivators passed away, life for the Sword Sect would only become more difficult.
Qiu Chi appeared directly before the oldest and most powerful of the Nascent Soul cultivators.
When Qiu Chi appeared silently before him, he was startled for a moment before regaining his composure. "Young friend, you move like a ghost. Your techniques must be extraordinary. Is there a reason you have come to see me?"
Outwardly, Qiu Chi displayed a cultivation level based on Ge Yanling's—the Golden Core stage. This fact was not lost on the Nascent Soul cultivator.
Yet, the fact that she could appear before him so silently, without him detecting her presence beforehand, was enough to make him understand her formidable strength.
Thus, he spoke with a calm tone, devoid of the arrogance a high-level cultivator might show to one of lower rank.
Qiu Chi casually found a place to sit, not standing on ceremony in the slightest. "Of course I'm here for a reason. I see you've been stuck at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage for a long time. It's about time you advanced, don't you think?"
Her words were just as calm, but to the Nascent Soul cultivator's ears, they were earth-shattering. His composed expression faltered, revealing a hint of shock.
He stared at Qiu Chi, his gaze as sharp as a falcon's.
Under his intense stare, Qiu Chi remained perfectly at ease, as if she hadn't been the one to utter such astonishing words.
After a long moment, the Nascent Soul cultivator spoke again. "Young friend, do you know what you are saying? Some things are better left unsaid."
"You'll find out later whether I'm speaking carelessly. For now, you just need to tell me: do you want to advance to the Divine Transformation stage or not?"
The Nascent Soul cultivator fell silent once more.
Did he want to? Of course, he did.
He had pursued cultivation to seek eternal life, to escape the suffering of the six paths of reincarnation.
Having come this far, how could he possibly be content to simply wither away?
If it were a matter of insufficient talent or a lack of effort, he might have accepted it. But a greater future was right before his eyes, yet he was trapped here for life, unable to ascend to the Upper Realm, forced to watch his lifespan tick away. How could he possibly be resigned to that?
Seeing his silence, Qiu Chi spoke again. "That nonsense the Tianyuan Sect spouts about this small world collapsing if there are too many Divine Transformation cultivators—you can just ignore it. This world isn't nearly that fragile."
"Besides, you're far too wary of the Tianyuan Sect's Divine Transformation cultivator. Although he's at that stage, he's still in this small world. The most power he can wield is equivalent to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. There's no need to be so afraid of him."
"However, given that he's the only Divine Transformation cultivator you've ever seen, your caution is understandable. To help you stand up to them, I will assist you in advancing to the Divine Transformation stage—with absolutely no harmful side effects. It's up to you whether you agree."
"I don't have much time. If you don't agree, I'll just have to find someone else. Oh, and you can also bring along any others from your Sword Sect who are ready to advance. I can guarantee your successful breakthrough to the Divine Transformation stage."
Qiu Chi spoke with such ease and confidence that the Nascent Soul cultivator was on the verge of agreeing immediately.
In the end, however, his composure won out.
He looked at Qiu Chi, who was only at the Golden Core stage, and said, "But young friend, your cultivation is merely at the Golden Core stage. How can you guarantee our successful advancement to Divine Transformation?"
Asking such a question was a clear sign that his resolve was wavering and he was about to agree.
Qiu Chi tossed him a Recording Stone. "Take a look at how miserably I beat the only Divine Transformation cultivator in this small world of yours."
The Nascent Soul cultivator glanced at the Recording Stone, then at Qiu Chi, and then his gaze snapped back to the stone.
He had seen Venerable Tianming of the Tianyuan Sect before. Could the images in this Recording Stone be real?
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