Su Muyu’s Cultivation Dilemma

Upon witnessing Xie Yuyan’s battle conclude, Dou Ke immediately transmitted a message via divine sense to Shangguan Jinyang, inquiring, “Did you see that? Honestly, have you ever encountered an ‘ordinary’ Cavern Heaven Realm cultivator capable of such feats?”

Shangguan Jinyang found himself utterly speechless. This was, in all likelihood, the very first battle he had ever witnessed since embarking on his cultivation path where an individual, relying solely on their physical strength, managed to defeat an opponent a full major realm above them.

Talent, it seemed, was indeed a peculiar thing. Xie Yuyan had been born with innate divine strength, effortlessly able to topple adults even when she was just a few years old.

As her cultivation journey began, her power continued its upward trajectory, allowing her to suppress opponents a full major realm higher through sheer force alone.

Xie Yuyan had now undeniably captured Chen Yingtian’s attention.

For the subsequent string of matches, Yan Yun and the others were relegated to the role of mere spectators.

Not every bout proved captivating; indeed, the vast majority concluded within a minute.

Such swift conclusions typically signaled a vast disparity in strength between the combatants, with the more powerful party ending the fight almost as soon as they made their move.

For instance, in the third match, a Divine Mark Realm cultivator from Ji Country faced a Great Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator from Jiang Country. The outcome was utterly devoid of suspense, as the Jiang Country cultivator suffered a severe blow and was defeated with a single strike.

Observing the pattern of several consecutive matches, it became clear that Jiang Country cultivators were consistently pitted against those from Ji Country. This arrangement must have been deliberated with Chen Yingtian and his associates, likely to prevent internal conflicts between the cultivators of the two nations.

The cultivators from Jiang Country were, for the most part, at a distinct disadvantage. Across ten consecutive matches, it was considered fortunate if they managed to secure even a single victory.

Of the initial ten bouts, Xie Yuyan’s victory remained the sole triumph for Jiang Country, a fact that proved considerably demoralizing.

What was initially hoped to be Xie Yuyan’s auspicious opening victory, a harbinger of good fortune for Jiang Country’s cultivators, now appeared to be the extent of their luck.

A pall of despondency swiftly settled over the cultivators of Jiang Country.

They were forced to concede that a significant disparity existed between the contemporary disciples of the two nations. This gulf was not necessarily one of innate talent, but rather a profound inequality in cultivation resources.

It was common practice for Ji Country cultivators to meticulously cultivate their current realm to Great Perfection before advancing to the next.

Indeed, among all the Ji Country disciples attending the Jiang Country Immortal Dao Assembly, not a single one had advanced to the next realm from a Minor Perfection stage.

“Alas,” the high-ranking elders of Jiang Country’s sects sighed continuously, “the disparity lies in resources, a stark difference indeed! Despite comparable aptitudes, the chasm in combat prowess is immense.”

At the very least, Ji Country’s Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators had refined their Qi Sea into a Spirit River. The difference in power mobilization and storage between such a state and a lesser one was simply incomparable.

Even if they appeared evenly matched initially, as time inexorably passed, they would find their reserves increasingly depleted.

Yet, in the fifteenth match, Jiang Country managed to secure another victory. A top disciple from one of Jiang Country’s major sects clashed with a Minor Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator from Ji Country. Their battle raged for nearly half an hour before concluding, marking it the longest engagement of the entire day.

It was widely known that this individual was ranked among the top five disciples of that prominent sect. Had the realm disparity been reversed, the cultivators from Jiang Country would undoubtedly have faced certain defeat.

Fifty matches were contested throughout the entire day’s competition. However, only a meager dozen or so cultivators from Jiang Country managed to successfully advance to the next round. It was anticipated that among the top hundred, the contingent of Jiang Country cultivators would likely not surpass thirty.

Thus concluded the inaugural day of the finals. In its wake, a palpable gloom settled among the cultivators of Jiang Country, who had initially harbored the belief that they were in no way inferior to their counterparts from Ji Country.

Yet, the stark reality presented before them revealed a general inferiority to Ji Country’s cultivators, leaving no one in a cheerful disposition.

A pervasive sense of discontent began to fester in many hearts, as they indulged in the fantasy that, had they been born in Ji Country, their cultivation would undoubtedly be far superior to their current state.

On their journey back, numerous disciples of the Yunhua Sect were engrossed in discussions about the day’s events.

Yan Yun and her companions listened to their animated discussions, their faces etched with expressions of profound helplessness.

“Alas,” Yan Yun sighed, a hint of weariness in her voice, “instead of wasting energy lamenting injustice, it would be far more productive to consider the plight of cultivators from smaller sects and the mundane world. In every realm, the circumstances of one’s birth are inherently unequal; some are blessed with innate brilliance, while others are born with an inherent dullness.”

Su Muyu nodded in emphatic agreement, her expression mirroring Yan Yun’s sentiments.

“Precisely,” she affirmed. “Only the weak resort to lamenting their birth. One’s origins are immutable; it is only the self, shaped by subsequent efforts, that holds the potential for transformation.”

No sooner had they returned than cultivators from Ji Country arrived at their doorstep, specifically seeking out those with promising aptitudes, their intention clearly to entice them to join Ji Country.

To Ji Country, this was a trivial matter. If they desired talent, would Jiang Country’s sects truly dare to refuse them?

Before long, the fifty matches slated for the second day commenced.

Today, it was finally Su Muyu’s turn to step into the fray. As the referee’s voice resonated, announcing Su Muyu’s name, she promptly rose to her feet.

“Mother, you can do it!” Yan Yun instantly cheered, her voice brimming with encouragement.

Su Muyu offered a faint smile, then gracefully ascended, descending onto the combat stage like a fleeting wisp of light.

Her opponent was a female cultivator from Ji Country, whose cultivation base had reached the Minor Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm—though clearly, she was no ordinary practitioner of that stage.

For a Great Perfection Cavern Heaven Realm cultivator to be matched against a Minor Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator was already considered a stroke of luck.

The female cultivator from Ji Country observed Su Muyu’s ascent to the stage, then, with a flicker of suspicion, narrowed her eyes at Yan Yun, who stood on the opposing platform.

“Are you and that woman who wields poison sisters?”

Yan Yun and Su Muyu shared a striking seventy percent resemblance in appearance, making their close familial bond instantly apparent.

Su Muyu offered a subtle smile.

“I am her mother,” she clarified.

“I await your guidance,” she added, a respectful formality.

Having delivered her response, Su Muyu drew the gleaming blue sword in her hand and unleashed a decisive slash towards her opponent.

The opposing Ji Country female cultivator froze in astonishment, her features registering profound surprise.

“Why, I… I had assumed you were sisters!” she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. “To think you are mother and daughter!”

While such occurrences were not entirely unheard of in the cultivation world, it was exceedingly rare for ninety-nine percent of female sect cultivators to marry and bear children at an early age, much less for both mother and daughter to belong to the same sect.

Su Muyu felt a fleeting urge to correct her, to clarify that she had given birth to a son, not a daughter.

However, a moment’s reflection convinced her that explaining such a detail to a stranger was utterly unnecessary.

As the referee’s declaration officially marked the commencement of the battle,

Su Muyu, without a moment’s hesitation, unsheathed the blue sword clutched in her hand.

“One Sword Transforms into a Vast Ocean!”

As this single sword swept forth, a boundless tide of blue energy, akin to a tumultuous ocean, cascaded relentlessly towards the female disciple from Ji Country.

The sheer magnitude of this power was immense, a testament to the Primal Spirit Physique’s inherent traits. Such a body could store colossal amounts of energy and boasted an exceptionally rapid recovery rate, allowing its wielder to regenerate strength even in the midst of battle.

“A Primal Spirit Physique—truly an exceptional constitution,” remarked a silver-haired woman in blue robes from Ji Country, her expression tinged with regret. “What a lamentable pity that she lost her purity so early.”

Su Muyu’s Primal Spirit Physique had been unveiled on a prior occasion. The Tianshui Sect, renowned as one of Ji Country’s ten most prominent sects, had dispatched envoys to approach her. However, upon learning that Su Muyu was already wed, they promptly abandoned their efforts.

The reason stemmed from the Tianshui Sect’s unique cultivation method, which mandated the preservation of a pure Yin body for its successful practice.

“It’s not as though those without a pure Yin body are incapable of becoming formidable cultivators,” someone interjected. “Are there not numerous female cultivators of this very type within the Demonic Dao Alliance? A considerable number have even ascended to the higher realms.”

“Alas!” another Ji Country expert added, “on our righteous path, the cultivation methods suitable for women lacking a pure Yin body are truly scarce. I observe that the technique this young woman practices, though ostensibly water-attributed, is neither high-grade nor truly suited to her unique constitution.”

None of them had ever seen the cultivation technique Su Muyu was currently practicing. It was a water-attribute method that Fairy Yunshuang had painstakingly sought for a considerable time, its grade approximately aligning with the Divine Mark Realm.

What did this imply? Should Su Muyu advance to the Divine Mark Realm without discovering a more suitable cultivation technique, her progress would inevitably stagnate.

In the world of cultivation, the caliber of one’s cultivation technique was the ultimate determinant of how far a practitioner could ascend.

Within the Yunhua Sect, any disciple who successfully broke through to a corresponding realm was entitled to claim a higher-tier cultivation method from the sect’s repositories.

“What formidable magic power,” the Ji Country female cultivator on the stage murmured, a flicker of surprise crossing her features as she observed the surging waves unleashed by Su Muyu’s sword.

Yet, she did not recoil. Instead, forming a swift hand seal, she conjured a luminous blue treasure pearl that soared forth, forming a protective barrier before her.

The potent energy emanating from this blue treasure pearl effortlessly rent apart Su Muyu’s assault.

A slight frown creased Su Muyu’s brow as she relentlessly intensified her power, compelling the Ji Country female disciple to fall back, step by arduous step.

‘Her power, though vast, lacks sufficient destructive force.’

Su Muyu, rather than employing intricate offensive maneuvers, relied on the sheer magnitude of her power, continuously unleashing it to gradually wear down and overwhelm her opponent.

Had she been matched against a Great Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator from Ji Country, her victory would have been far from assured.

Ultimately, the opposing female cultivator was utterly overwhelmed and crushed by the sheer force of Su Muyu’s power.

“Pfft!” the woman gasped, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “I concede.”

The Ji Country female cultivator, having been utterly suppressed, coughed up a mouthful of blood before promptly admitting defeat.

“This match was unwinnable for her,” one observer noted. “She is a water-attribute cultivator, as is Su Muyu’s opponent, who merely broke through to the Spirit Transformation Realm from five Cavern Heaven Great Perfection. For every additional Cavern Heaven realm cultivated, the combat power upon advancing to the Spirit Transformation Realm increases significantly.”

“When cultivators share the same attribute, they cannot rely on elemental suppression. If their raw power is also comparable, then victory is determined solely by the depth and endurance of their cultivation.”

Su Muyu prepared to depart after accepting her victory, but the Ji Country female cultivator spoke up, offering a word of caution.

“You are powerful, but it is a pity you lost your purity so early. Your path has narrowed, and before long, you will encounter various troubles.”

Su Muyu’s footsteps merely faltered for a brief moment before she took flight.

This was a truth Fairy Yunshuang had conveyed to her when she first became her disciple.

However, Fairy Yunshuang had also assured Su Muyu that she would exert every effort to help her overcome this very issue.

“Mother, congratulations on effortlessly securing this victory!” Yan Yun immediately exclaimed upon Su Muyu’s return, her voice filled with delight.

Yet, Su Muyu let out a soft sigh.

“Alas, I could have finished it much faster.”

Yan Yun found herself momentarily at a loss for words, naturally understanding the unspoken meaning behind her mother’s sentiment.

Even with wealth, Yan Yun had explored every avenue to assist Su Muyu, but some things, like high-grade cultivation techniques, money alone could not procure.

The higher the grade of a cultivation technique, the more arduous it was to acquire, and suitable methods for Su Muyu were even scarcer.

This Divine Mark Realm cultivation technique was one that the Yunhua Sect had painstakingly sought for a considerable time before finally finding it.

“Mother, please don’t worry,” Yan Yun quickly assured her. “I will certainly help you resolve this issue with your cultivation technique.”

“Yes, Mother, you must ease your mind,” Jiang Yao added, offering her own comforting words.

Observing their concerned expressions, Su Muyu offered a gentle smile.

“Don’t look so overly dramatic. If a little one like you, without a spiritual root, can find a path, then your mother can too.”