Chapter 47 Difficult
A cultivator’s Sea of Bitterness was just like its name, empty and lifeless without any fluctuations of vitality. However, Ye Fan’s Sea of Bitterness that was just the size of a grain was filled with golden light, and it was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with vitality like the morning sun.
As Pang Bo said, the fluctuations of divine energy from his golden Sea of Bitterness might be weak, but they were extremely extraordinary. Compared to an ordinary person’s Sea of Bitterness, it was very mystical, as gorgeous as a rainbow’s soul, and completely stood out from the norm.
“Then could this mean you’re already connected to your Wheel of Life?” According to Pang Bo’s speculation, Ye Fan might have opened a channel within his Sea of Bitterness, connecting him to his Wheel of Life. Only if the Divine Spring there had begun to flow would there be such a mystical scene.
“I haven’t opened the channel and there’s no bubbling from my Divine Energy Spring.” Ye Fan shook his head, rejecting Pang Bo’s speculation. This was all caused by his Sea of Bitterness, not from the Divine Spring from his Wheel of Life.
Pang Bo repeatedly sighed. “It really is far too astonis.h.i.+ng. The Ancient Desolation’s Sacred Body is actually completely different from ordinary people. Is the golden Sea of Bitterness an exclusive property to that physique?”
“It’s just the first step in establis.h.i.+ng the Sea of Bitterness. I still don’t know if I will be able to continue cultivating.” Ye Fan wasn’t that happy since he felt it was better to be more cautious.
He began to carefully inspect inside himself, checking the condition of his Sea of Bitterness. The area around the sesame seed-sized golden Sea of Bitterness was completely black and lifeless, filled with an empty, deathly air. But it couldn’t drown out that little speck of light that seemed to be suspended there like a bright full moon. This scene gave Ye Fan endless hope. Maybe one day he really would be able to establish a boundless golden Sea of Bitterness and completely get rid of this black and deathly air, filling this area with a glowing and thriving vitality.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo investigated for a long time, and they unanimously came to the same conclusion that Ye Fan’s physique was simply too special and different from others. Just in order to establish the beginning stages of his Sea of Bitterness, he had used up such a huge amount of Hundred Herb Liquid. His Sea of Bitterness was like a bottomless pit that was impossible to fill, and unlike others, his Sea of Bitterness was not afraid of the violent medicinal strength.
Coming to such a conclusion, the two of them felt slightly awkward. Normal disciples who just entered the sect would only be given one bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid every three months, and they would only get four bottles a year! But Ye Fan had only just established an extremely tiny sesame seed-sized Sea of Bitterness and required fifty nine bottles. This was over ten times what an ordinary disciple would get a year!
According to senior Wu Qingfeng, the path of cultivation was one that became more difficult the further you went. At later stages, each step forward would require ten times the price of the previous steps.
When Ye Fan thought about this, his mind became slightly blank. This kind of reasoning naturally should be applicable to the Hundred Herb Liquid. Just to start establis.h.i.+ng his Sea of Bitterness he had required dozens of bottles. By the time he finished establis.h.i.+ng it, just how frightening would this number become?!
“Don’t worry, there’ll definitely be a solution for that.” Pang Bo seemed to think of something and his eyes lit up. “We can tell senior Wu Qingfeng that you can cultivate now. If the Ancient Desolation’s Sacred Body can be successfully cultivated, that will definitely be enough to shock the region of Yan, probably even enough to shock all of the Eastern Wastelands! Can you imagine how amazed the Spirit Ruins Paradise’s Elders will be? They’ll definitely supply you everything you need.”
Ye Fan seriously and carefully thought about it a while before ultimately shaking his head. “We can’t tell them.”
“Why not?” Pang Bo didn’t understand.
“For one, the Spirit Ruins Paradise isn’t strong enough to deter the Eastern Wastelands. If the news were to leak about me, I would definitely die. The second reason is that I am still doubtful. Although the golden Sea of Bitterness is miraculous, it doesn’t mean I will be able to continue cultivating. Most likely this will still continue to be a garbage physique.”
Pang Bo carefully though it over, and he really did agree with the first point. If this rumor did get out, then there really might be killers sent over.
“I think you should reconsider your second reason.”
Ye Fan shook his head. “I now realize why this kind of physique is so difficult to cultivate properly now. With such a consumption rate, an ordinary sect would definitely not be able to support it. It’s still acceptable at the beginning stages, but the immortal path is extremely long. Each step forward requires ten times the consumption rate as the previous steps. If I were to continue on like this, then let alone the later stages of cultivation, I probably won’t even be able to reach the middle stages without a heaven-defying cost. Even those Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.bilities might find it difficult to swallow such a cost. Such a huge price is enough to raise many outstanding disciples, so using it for one physique is quite a loss.”
“The Ancient Desolation’s Sacred Body is no longer capable of cultivating for such a reason?” Pang Bo asked in amazement.
Ye Fan carefully thought about it and said, “This is just one reason we found just at the beginning stages. There’s definitely more. Otherwise those Sacred Lands and Ancient n.o.bilities wouldn’t care so little about it. I bet that there are many harsher and more demanding conditions or reasons.”
“Why is it like this…?” Pang Bo was lost in thought, feeling that Ye Fan’s path was far too bleak and his cultivation seemed far too difficult.
But Ye Fan didn’t appear even slightly dispirited. “If the Ancient Desolation’s Sacred Body could be so easily cultivated, it would have lost all its meaning. The more difficult the path is, the more extraordinary the result. The higher the mountain, the deeper the abyss. Whatever step I end up at is just what I end up at. It’s not impossible that I won’t be able to look out into the distance from the peak.”
Over the next few days, Ye Fan and Pang Bo cultivated even harder, striving to promote their cultivation base.
A couple days later, senior Wu Qingfeng called Pang Bo over to a mountain at the back of the Spirit Ruins Paradise and formally granted him the t.i.tle of an immortal sprout. He encouraged him to work hard at his cultivation and hurry to have the Sea of Bitterness’ Divine Spring bubble forth. At that time, he would be taken in as his last disciple.
After being granted the t.i.tle of an immortal sprout, Pang Bo received eight bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid every month. Compared to the previous four bottles a year, it was an enormous increase. His cultivation base continuously increased following this. Now that all his demands were met, he no longer needed to worry about lacking the Hundred Herb Liquid.
Within the rear mountains of the Spirit Ruins Paradise, Pang Bo asked senior Wu Qingfeng many questions. He mostly wanted to help Ye Fan understand the mysteries of his golden Sea of Bitterness.
Senior Wu Qingfeng spoke about the Sea of Bitterness’ mysteries. In this world, there were many cases of times when abnormal events would occur when shockingly talented people established their Sea of Bitterness.
“What kind of abnormal events?”
Senior Wu Qingfeng listed over ten different abnormal events, but not one of them involved a golden Sea of Bitterness.
In the end, Pang Bo couldn’t hold and directly asked, “At the time of establis.h.i.+ng the Sea of Bitterness, could be there tsunami waves soaring toward the sky, thousands of divine rainbows, and a rolling golden ocean?”
“Impossible!” Senior Qu Wingfeng shook his head. He then hesitatingly said, “It might be possible if those divine bodies from the Ancient Desolation once more appeared. They might cause exceptional abnormal events, but there shouldn’t be such a vast scene.”
There were rumors recently of divine bodies appearing within the Eastern Wastelands, and not just one. It was reported that they were in the midst of growing, and so they were hidden within the Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.bilities. Even senior Wu Qingfeng had heard these kinds of rumors many times.
“Those kinds of rarely seen talents have all been taken away by the Sacred Lands and the Ancient Desolation n.o.bilities…” Senior Wu Qingfeng helplessly said.
After Pang Bo returned, he repeated everything that he had learned just now to Ye Fan. “Looks like the golden Sea of Bitterness is truly unusually mystical. Even the divine bodies that occasionally appear within the Eastern Wastelands don’t have such a spectacle occur when they first establish their Sea of Bitterness. I really hope you can continue to smoothly cultivate. When the times, you’ll be able to contend to those heavenly talents that the Sacred Lands and the Ancient Desolation n.o.bilities have been raising.”
Ye Fan contemplated for a long time after hearing this. He then turned to Pang Bo and said, “I think it’s time for me to leave the Spirit Ruins Paradise.”
“What, why?” Pang Bo was very startled, not understanding why Ye Fan would suddenly come to such a decision.
“The reason I came to the Spirit Ruins Paradise was to understand how to cultivate. This place isn’t suitable for me to continue staying at. I need somewhere I can b.u.mp into opportunities.”
“No. If you leave, I’ll also leave,” Pang Bo firmly reb.u.t.ted.
“You’ve already been declared an immortal sprout. The Spirit Ruins Paradise will use all their strength to train you, so there’s no point in you leaving. But I’m not the same. With my physique, just foolishly staying in the Spirit Ruins Paradise won’t allow me to grow at all.”
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Translator Notes:
The last disciple of a master generally receives much more attention than the previous disciples. Such a person would receive a master’s complete devotion and inheritance.