Book 5, Chapter 56: Iron Cliff’s Breakthrough
Chapter 56: Iron Cliff’s Breakthrough
In a secluded piece of wilderness.
Cloud Leopard was sitting at the bottom of a valley, profound inscriptions surrounding him and glowing as they formed a complicated Origin Formation.
In the middle of this Origin Formation, Cloud Leopard’s body was glowing with an intense light like a large lightbulb. He was revolving the Origin Energy in his body.
Behind him stood Su Chen, Zhu Chenhuan, Feng Anya, and the twelve Sword Servants, who were watching on anxiously.
This was the first time the Origin Formation was officially being tested, which was why Su Chen were anxious. Zhu Chenyuan and Feng Anya were witnessing a miracle take place before their very eyes.
They would be the first ones to witness someone without a bloodline break into the Light Shaking Realm.
Of course, the first person in human history to reach the Light Shaking Realm without a bloodline was Su Chen, but the path he had taken was not universally applicable. Cloud Leopard was the first person to officially pass through this process.
As the formation flickered with light, Cloud Leopard’s Origin Energy surged to its peak. Su Chen commanded, “Start!”, and the Origin Formation began to glow intensely.
Under the pressure of the Origin Formation, Cloud Leopard followed the technique and gathered his Origin Energy, and extremely profound engravings began to appear, slowly assuming the form of a Lotus Platform.
Forming a Lotus Platform was the basic manifestation of a Light Shaking Realm cultivator. Once it was finished, the technique would be completed. As a result, even though Cloud Leopard’s Lotus Platform wasn’t completely finished, Zhu Chenhuan and Feng Anya knew that the technique was truly valid.
“I never expected that you actually managed to do it,” Zhu Chenhuan sighed. “You have managed to create a path that belongs to us humans alone.”
“This is only the beginning,” Su Chen said calmly.
Yes, this was truly only the beginning. The future path was incredibly long, and no one knew what would happen. However, Su Chen believed that this would not be the end of their discoveries.
At the very least, the Spirit Burning Realm was already within reach.
As Cloud Leopard’s Lotus Platform continued to solidify, Cloud Leopard put the finishing touches on the Lotus Platform and accepted it into his being. A streak of light burst forth from his body, indicating that Cloud Leopard had officially reached the Light Shaking Realm.
Cloud Leopard’s success opened up a new path for everyone present.
The twelve Sword Servants were next.
To accelerate the process, Su Chen created three more Origin Formations so that the Sword Servants could pass through in three rounds. A total of thirteen Light Shaking Realm cultivators appeared just like that in front of Zhu Chenhuan and Feng Anya, badly surprising them.
Countless individuals dreamed of reaching the Light Shaking Realm but would never be able to achieve it, yet Su Chen had managed to bestow that realm upon all of his subordinates.
If this were to continue, the Light Shaking Realm’s value would decrease greatly.
Thankfully, Su Chen understood their thoughts and said, “My twelve Sword Servants always follow me. You both should know that I am not lacking money and give them lots of resources and guide their cultivation. As such, I have a better understanding of them and their cultivation path, which is why I was able to help them succeed. There is still a certain chance of failure for most other people.”
Su Chen’s Light Shaking Realm technique was not guaranteed to succeed. It was more like fifty percent, but because Su Chen understood his subordinates well, he was able to provide them with the proper support to help them succeed.
It would have been fine even if they had succeeded. They could just try again after taking some time to recover, but every failure would decrease the chance of success slightly. It was possible for someone to never reach the Light Shaking Realm if they were unlucky enough.
“That is already frightening enough,” Zhu Chenhuan sighed when he heard Su Chen’s explanation.
Even those with bloodlines couldn’t guarantee success when breaking into the Light Shakin Realm. Zhu Chenhuan himself had failed twice when he was trying to ascend.
In terms of likelihood of success, Su Chen’s method was not inferior to the bloodlines in the slightest, and there might even be more room for improvement in the future.
Zhu Chenhuan could easily imagine that the future of humanity would change drastically.
“It’s not over yet,” Su Chen chuckled as he glanced at Iron Cliff. “I want to see how well this technique will work on the Stoneskins.”
Iron Cliff sat down in the middle of the formation.
No Stoneskin had ever reached the Light Shaking Realm before, regardless of whether they possessed a bloodline or not.
This time, however, Su Chen wanted to turn a Stoneskin into a Light Shaking Realm cultivator. Not only so, but he even wanted to turn Iron Cliff into the first Spirit Burning Realm Stoneskin, the first Thought Manifestation Realm Stoneskin, and even the first Ultimate Emperor Realm Stoneskin.
This wasn’t a condition Su Chen had agreed to meet for Iron Cliff, but the best reward he could give to the Stoneskin who had followed him loyally for so many years.
At that moment, large quantities of Origin Energy began to surge into Iron Cliff’s body. Iron Cliff revolved the Origin Energy entering his body as fast as he could, beginning the process of filling the Lotus Platform mold. However, the density of the Origin Energy in Iron Cliff’s body had not reached the level necessary to form the Lotus Platform. The light on Iron Cliff’s body seemed to dim and glow, flickering incessantly as if the source of energy was insufficient, while the others were able to maintain a stable light. Even the bystanders could tell that there was a problem with Iron Cliff’s ascension.
Su Chen had the clearest idea of what was happening due to his microscopic eye. He could tell immediately that Iron Cliff’s Origin Energy was insufficient. He was at the right realm, so there was no problem with his Origin Energy levels; he just lacked the ability to fully control it.
This was one of the deficiencies unique to the Stoneskins. Their crude perception of Origin Energy and their inability to control it effectively made it incredibly difficult for them to advance.
Even so, Iron Cliff was unwilling to accept it.
He had always dreamed of breaking through the restrictions inherent to the Stoneskins and create a new path of cultivation.
Why couldn’t the Stoneskins become more powerful and earn a higher status?
The Stoneskins should be able to pursue the things that the five Intelligent Races pursue, even if he had to pay his own life as a price.
When Iron Cliff saw that he had no way of forming his Lotus Platform, Iron Cliff yelled, “Master, increase the power of the Origin Formation.”
“Increase the power of the Origin Formation? That might increase the risk and suffering you need to endure,” Su Chen said.
Su Chen knew what it felt like to have a deluge of Origin Energy surge into his body, since he had been baptized at the Origin Energy Temple before. The Ravagers were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to obtain the ability to use Origin Energy, causing their lifespan to decrease as a result.
Even so, this was indeed the simplest method for races who did not possess as great of an innate control over
If I cannot control the direction of the stream, then add more water!
Iron Cliff gritted his teeth and said, “Do it!”
When he heard this, Su Chen nodded. “Good!”
He activated another Origin Formation on the spot.
The two Origin Formations combined to double the amount of Origin Energy rushing into Iron Cliff’s body.
The light on Iron Cliff’s body became noticeably brighter, indicating that this was effective. However, the light was still flickering and unstable.
Iron Cliff’s expression was beginning to pale. “Master, I remember you said before that Stoneskins have only one-fourth the perception of humans, right? So we need to cultivate four times as long as a human would, and the Light Shaking Realm is a place that we can never reach.”
Su Chen froze. He had indeed said that before.
Did Iron Cliff mean to…...
Iron Cliff said with determination, “Open two more Origin Formations!”
Su Chen frowned, “Four times the Origin Energy is too much. If you can’t complete the Lotus Platform by then, you might explode from the violent Origin Energy.”
“Then I’ll die! I will have died for a good cause anyways, but I hope that Master will give me this opportunity! I don’t want the Stoneskins to never see the dawn of a new era, and I don’t want to be unworthy of following you in the future. If that is my fate, I would rather die here and now,” Iron Cliff said without hesitation.
“Is that so?” Su Chen stared at Iron Cliff as he realized how determined Iron Cliff was.
Finally, Su Chen nodded. “Fine. Since that’s the case, I will give you this opportunity.”
As he spoke, he activated the other two Origin Formations as well.
With the four Origin Formations open simultaneously, a sea of Origin Energy surged into Iron Cliff’s body. He endured the violent, turbulent energy rampaging through his body and hardened his body like iron to wrangle it under his control, crying out in pain in the process.
You must endure! Calm your mind and form your Lotus Platform, quickly!” Su Chen’s words pierced through Iron Cliff’s state of mind, reawakening his will. He used all the strength in his body to resist the onslaught of energy as he directed it towards forming his Lotus Platform.
At this moment, iron Cliff’s body was glowing with a blinding light as a massive, dense Lotus Platform began to form on Iron Cliff’s forehead.
“That big?” Cloud Leopard and the others were stunned when they saw this.
“It’s not that strange. The flow of Origin Energy entering his body right now is four times that of what we needed. In any case, the Stoneskins aren’t suited for precise work, so it’s easier to engrave the Lotus Platform if it’s bigger,” one of the Sword Servants said.
“So doesn’t that mean that his cultivation base will be much larger once he reaches the Light Shaking Realm? He’ll be much more powerful than us even though we are at the same cultivation realm.”
“That is normal. He paid a high price to gain such a solid foundation, so the returns will also be great as well.”
“He needs to pass this test first,” someone said anxiously.
“He will. He definitely will!” Cloud Leopard said sincerely.
“Is that your premonition?” someone asked.
“No, it’s my belief in them,” Cloud Leopard replied.
He believed in Iron Cliff, and he also believed in Su Chen.
He believed that Su Chen would not stand by and watch his most beloved servant just die like that, even if Iron Cliff’s situation was still extremely dangerous…...
The Lotus Platform was slowly taking shape, indicating that Iron Cliff wasn’t having any more trouble exerting enough control over the Origin Energy.
However, his body was being forced to withstand the brunt of the attack, and his ability to physically endure began to decline.
His rock-like appearance began to crumble, and his internal organs began to sustain heavy damage under the onslaught of energy.
These wounds were not superficial and resulted from the Origin Energy rampaging throughout his body. These wounds could not be recovered by cultivation alone, or at the very least not yet - you could not use the energy that was harming you to heal your wounds at the same time.
Only when the torrent of Origin Energy had ceased would Iron Cliff be able to use the Origin Energy again. Until then, he would need to silently endure.
The Lotus Platform began to slowly take shape. There were some differences from that of a human’s. It was much larger and simpler. Iron Cliff’s Stoneskin background put him at an inherent disadvantage when it came to delicate craftsmanship, and his Lotus Platform’s simpleness reflected that characteristic.
However, the collapse of his physical body was beginning to accelerate.
It seemed like he was going to give in before the Lotus Platform was completed.
At that moment, Su Chen suddenly said, “You will not die.”
As he spoke, he sliced open his wrist. Fresh blood sprayed onto Iron Cliff as a strong aura of vitality suddenly burst forth.
Su Chen had absorbed the power of the Vitality Totem, which had made his lifeforce incredibly powerful. A single drop of his blood contained a nontrivial amount of life energy. When this fresh blood splashed onto iron Cliff, Iron Cliff’s condition immediately stopped degrading as his wounds began to recover.
With the support of Su Chen’s vitality, Iron Cliff eventually finished forming his Lotus Platform.
“Success!” everyone yelled excitedly at the same time.
Only Iron Cliff wore an ashen expression, seemingly not happy in the slightest.
“What is it, Iron Cliff?” Su Chen asked him.
Iron Cliff sighed, “I still failed. Without Master’s support, I would have died already. My success will not benefit the Stoneskins.”
Su Chen arched an eyebrow. “Who said it won’t benefit the Stoneskins? As long as we concoct a medicine that can increase the lifeforce of a Stoneskin, this technique will be useable by them as well, won’t it?”
Iron Cliff’s eyes lit up.
“Also, the path of cultivation is constantly advancing and improving. With this success, I believe that we will also be able to create an Origin Formation suitable for the Stoneskins to use as well. At that point in time, succeeding will be easier. In any case, the path of cultivation for the Stoneskins has been opened!”