Put Away Your Divine Techniques Now!-Chapter 976 - 288: [A Lively Affair]

Chapter 288: [Bustling Matters] (6600)

"In this world, all tricks and shortcuts come with a price."

Chen Yan recalled what a philosophy teacher said to him during his school days.

Everyone somewhat understands this principle; everyone has likely encountered similar sentiments.

There’s a saying that [pies don’t drop from the sky].

In a more literary tone: [Every gift of fate comes with a hidden price tag]. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

This idea is universally understood; everyone has heard of it.

Yet, human nature always harbors hope; we think, what if...

When encountering shortcuts or handsome deals, it’s hard not to fantasize at least a little.

Before the formation of the Ghost Race and the revelation of the powerful cultivation technique created by an eminent figure, the Domain Realm’s various sects and families all shared this mentality, even those of great power!

Indeed, even the Venerable Saints who deliberately attended the revelation found it hard to deny this expectation.

A cultivation technique that allows one to directly comprehend the Heavenly Dao from scratch?!

What a marvel that would be, completely overturning the previous cultivation system in the Domain Realm!

However, when the Ghost Race elder publicly disclosed the cultivation technique and openly explained some of its secrets,

everyone present, including the Great Celestial Venerables and those Venerable Saints, had to accept a fact:

No free lunch exists, and shortcuts also demand a hefty price!

·

The innate flaws of the Ghost Race cultivation technique seemed resolvable in many people’s eyes.

For the bloodline issue, marrying more into the Ghost Race could solve it—at least, they are all Human Race!

The ritual for starting cultivation can be smoothed over by fostering good relations, catching a ride during the Ghost Race’s ceremonial enlightenment for newcomers.

These issues can be more or less resolved.

But, the cultivation technique has a tremendous flaw!

The Saint who developed the technique, the elder of the Ghost Race, revealed the mystery publicly.

This cultivation technique demands a part of the soul to be sacrificed to the Heavenly Dao from the start for acceptance.

The direct consequence is that cultivators on this path are in a "fragmented soul" state from the beginning.

This state of soul fragmentation leads to a series of consequences in subsequent cultivation paths.

The first side effect is that due to soul fragmentation, cultivators’ mental consciousness is significantly weaker than those who follow a normal cultivation path.

In other words, starting from the Second Realm, when cultivators begin to refine the Primordial Spirit, strengthening and expanding their Divine Sense, they’re greatly weakened.

And because of this, it leads to the second side effect.

The second side effect is: because of inadequate inherent strength during the soul refinement process starting from the Second Realm,

then in the Third Realm, facing the first major celestial tribulation, in attempting to ascend to the Celestial Human Realm, the difficulty exponentially increases!

Because the intensity of the Primordial Spirit is insufficient! During the Realm-Breaking Celestial tribulation, it’s excruciatingly hard to overcome!!

Even if you’re lucky or have extraordinary talent, with initially formidable soul power that still holds enough capital after sacrificing part of the soul to refine the Primordial Spirit, cultivate Divine Sense, and ascend to the Celestial Human Realm...

Even then, upon reaching this step, one finds out: the hardships are just beginning!

Beyond the Celestial Human Realm, comes the Golden Body Realm and the Primordial Spirit Realm—the entire second stage of the cultivation system—for Ghost Race cultivators, this becomes a nightmare-level difficulty!

Because the step in the second phase of cultivation primarily focuses on refining the Primordial Spirit!

Even if Ghost Race cultivators advance to the Celestial Human Realm and enter the second phase, every step thereafter becomes incomparably harder than those following a normal path!

To put it bluntly, Ghost Race cultivation mode allows starting immediately with comprehending the Heavenly Dao.

Inner Room Realm, Guiyuan Realm, Ascension Realm all progress much faster and smoother than traditional paths.

Battle strength is significantly more potent!

One could even crush cultivators of the same level!

There’s also the capacity for crossing realms, but note: it’s crossing levels, not realms!

Ascension Realm belongs to the first stage, Celestial Human Realm to the second stage!

Ascension can slay Celestial Humans; this was sheer impossibility in the previous Domain Realm cultivation system!

It’s akin to a frail child defeating a well-armed strong man with bare hands!

The Ghost Race cultivation technique can achieve this!

But...

All shortcuts and advantages gained in the first stage... are returned upon entering the second stage!

Even more intensely!

For Ghost Race cultivation, the challenge of breaking into the second stage is far greater than the normal system!

Every step beyond the second stage becomes increasingly arduous!

The innate flaw, from sacrificing part of the soul, manifests increasingly in the mid-stages of cultivation.

This realization abruptly halved the interest of all sects and families in the cultivation technique.

There’s still interest, of course.

Everyone sees that the Ghost Race cultivation technique follows an "instant battle strength" route.

With a shortcut method, allowing Ghost Race to surge a multitude of powerful first-stage cultivators, using them to challenge second-stage practitioners.