Cultivation starts from simplifying the exercises

Chapter 2190 Deviant and Heretical

"Yes, this is the usual practice, but it is not applicable to your current situation."

The old man stroked his long, snow-white beard. “Then, let’s talk about two other methods… that are less orthodox, but perhaps more effective.”

“The first type,” the old man began slowly, his voice carrying a strange rhythm, “is called catalytic combination.”

"Catalytic combination?" Chen Fei listened intently.

"The so-called catalytic combination is not about obtaining new power or insights from the outside world, but about digging inward and squeezing out the potential that is already there."

The old man explained, "For ordinary peak Tai Cang Realm cultivators, the Heavenly Status they have refined and their understanding of the Great Dao are two relatively independent yet interconnected parts."

Position is the source, the proof that invokes the rules of heaven and earth. One's own understanding and power of the Dao is the application, the means to unleash the power of these rules.

"The method of catalytic fusion is to use one's own condensed Dao Domain as a catalyst to forcibly catalyze one's own Heavenly Status, so that it can merge with one's own power core, especially the Dao Domain, at a deeper level, or even be forced."

The old man lightly tapped the stone table with his fingertip, and a spark of spiritual light appeared, transforming into a small, illusory figure. There was a point of light in the figure's dantian, representing its celestial status, and a halo around its body, representing the nascent Dao realm.

Suddenly, the halo contracted, like countless fine threads, wrapping around the point of light. The point of light immediately shone brightly, emitting an aura far greater than before. At the same time, the point of light and the halo became tightly intertwined, inseparable from each other.

"You see,"

The old man pointed at the illusion and said, "After such catalytic fusion, the Heavenly Rank and Dao Domain are deeply bound together. The power of the Rank can be amplified and stimulated by the Dao Domain to a greater extent. The power it displays can indeed surge, and it may even be comparable to some half-step Heavenly Monarchs."

Chen Fei gazed thoughtfully at the bright yet tightly intertwined points and halos of light.

“However,” the old man’s voice pulled Chen Fei back to reality, his tone carrying a clear warning, “the drawbacks of this method are also extremely fatal.”

"Once this method is adopted, your Heavenly Status will be deeply bound to your Dao Domain, and you will share both glory and loss."

The old man's expression was serious. "In a battle, it is common for one's Dao Domain to be broken. Once your Dao Domain is damaged in a battle, due to the deep binding, your Heavenly Status will inevitably be affected, cracked, or even directly shattered."

"You should be aware of the consequences of a shattered Heavenly Status. A drop in cultivation level is almost inevitable, and the damage will be to the very foundation, making repair virtually impossible."

Usually, the only way to compensate is to find and refine a new spiritual material of the same grade. But how precious are these spiritual materials? The risk is immense: stagnation in cultivation, enemies coveting them…

The old man looked at Chen Fei and slowly said, "Therefore, although this method can obtain great power, it is no different from drinking poison to quench thirst, putting oneself on the edge of a cliff. Once the Dao Domain is broken, there will be no way out."

Unless faced with a desperate situation, or with absolute certainty that one's own Dao Domain is indestructible, very few people would use this method. In my opinion, it is almost a dead end with no way out.

Upon hearing this, Chen Fei frowned deeply. Catalyzing one's Heavenly Status and deeply binding it to their Dao Domain in exchange for a surge in power…

This is indeed an extreme method. The risk of the Dao Domain being broken cannot be completely avoided in any battle. No matter how confident he is in himself, he dares not say that he can keep the Dao Domain intact forever.

Once bound, it's tantamount to exposing one's greatest weakness, inevitably restricting their movements in battle. Just as the old man said, this is practically a gamble with one's life; probably not many cultivators would dare to use it.

wrong.

A flash of inspiration struck Chen Fei.

His Dao Domain was shattered, his rank damaged, and his cultivation level plummeted, making repair nearly impossible… This was indeed an intractable and fatal flaw. But, Chen Fei, it seemed, was an exception?

He has backup and restore functions. He has been injured many times before, and even suffered backlash from his cultivation techniques. He has relied on the backup and restore function on the panel to restore himself to his best condition in a very short time.

So, if one's divine status is damaged, wouldn't it be better to simply restore it afterward?

If this idea holds true, then the method that the old man considered a dead end would become a shortcut for him.

Although there are still risks, such as if Chen Fei's Dao Domain is destroyed in battle and he will not be able to recover immediately, his combat power will inevitably drop sharply, but at least it will no longer be a matter of life and death.

Chen Fei didn't immediately reveal his thoughts; his brows relaxed slightly, but the thoughtful light in his eyes intensified. He needed to weigh the options more carefully and verify the panel's ability to recover from damage to his character.

Seeing Chen Fei frowning in thought, the old man assumed he was weighing the risks of this method, and continued, "As for the second unorthodox method, it is even more extreme."

Chen Fei composed himself and looked up at the old man: "What is the second one?"

"Imitating the methods of demonic cultivators."

"A demonic cultivator?" Chen Fei was taken aback.

"good."

The old man slowly said, "The cultivation of the demonic path is very different from that of the righteous path. There is a kind of secret method that emphasizes destruction before construction. Specifically, in terms of the Heavenly Status, it means actively breaking down a part of one's already refined and stable Heavenly Status."

Chen Fei was shocked. To deliberately shatter one's divine status? This was tantamount to destroying one's own Great Wall.

"Of course, it's not a complete collapse, but a partial collapse. Then, using a special secret method, demonic energy is drawn into the body and forcibly fused with the collapsed fragments of the rank, forming an unstable rank."

The old man explained, "This kind of position, catalyzed and bound by demonic energy, can temporarily draw upon stronger forces of the laws of heaven and earth, allowing cultivators to possess power close to or even reaching the level of a half-step Heavenly Monarch for a short period of time."

"but,"

The old man's tone was clearly negative, "This method has even greater drawbacks. First, demonic energy enters the body and erodes the foundation of one's cultivation, causing endless troubles. If one is not careful, one's mind and nature may change drastically, and one may fall into the demonic path, never to be redeemed."

Secondly, this rank is extremely unstable and can only be maintained for a few months at most. If a higher-grade orthodox rank spiritual material cannot be found within these few months to refine and stabilize it, then...

When the time comes, the pseudo-rank will collapse, the demonic energy will backfire, and not only will cultivation level plummet, but the foundation will be severely damaged due to the erosion of demonic energy, almost severing the path to enlightenment. It's even possible to directly suffer a cultivation deviation and fall into demonic possession.

The old man shook his head: "This method is almost a demonic shortcut, with extremely hidden dangers. In the eyes of the righteous path, it is an evil method that will ruin one's future. Therefore, almost no one uses it."

Chen Fei nodded, realizing that he could use this method as well, and could simply restore it later using the panel backup.

In this light, the panel backup is indeed an unparalleled marvel.

"Senior, besides these methods that rely on external objects or are extremely risky, is there some kind of special secret technique? After cultivating it, can one forcibly enhance their control and application of the power of the Great Dao without raising their rank or damaging their foundation?"

Chen Fei added, "I have heard that some exceptionally talented seniors were able to create their own Xuanqiong Divine Power in the Tai Cang Realm, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth far exceeding their own level. Presumably, there must also be some inherited secret techniques that can achieve similar effects, right?"

After listening to Chen Fei's question, the old man in the gray robe remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded and shook his head.

"Have."

The old man's voice was certain: "The myriad realms are vast and boundless, with civilizations passed down like grains of sand in the Milky Way. Indeed, there are some ancient and powerful secret techniques that, when cultivated to a high level, can demonstrate an inconceivable control over the rules of the Great Dao even at a lower realm."

Some secret techniques, when mastered to their fullest extent, make it not impossible to contend with or even defeat a half-step Heavenly Monarch in the Tai Cang Realm.

"but,"

The old man looked at Chen Fei and said, "These secret techniques are all closely guarded secrets of top forces, reclusive ancient clans, and ancient lineages. They are the true core inheritances and will never be easily passed on to outsiders."

Even in relatively open places like the myriad realms, such secret techniques could never be openly exchanged or traded.

The old man pointed to the vast void outside the pavilion and said, "Inside the martial arts arena, you can exchange for cultivation techniques, supernatural abilities, pills, and materials. You can even enter certain ruins and illusions to seek opportunities. However, the most top-tier secret techniques are absolutely forbidden to any force."

"Let alone you, even the core disciples of those powerful forces, if they want to make contact, must swear a great oath and undergo numerous trials."

The old man paused, looked at Chen Fei, and left his words unfinished, but the meaning was already clear.

Chen Fei nodded, understanding the old man's unspoken meaning.

The Danchen Sect does not possess such a secret technique.

In the martial arts arena of the myriad realms, or rather, in the eyes of the truly top forces in the myriad realms, the Dan Chen Sect might just be an ordinary force.

With Daoyuan Realm in charge, it dominates one side of the Yanyang Immortal Dynasty, but it is still far from being at the top.

Inside the Lin Yuan Pavilion, the aroma of tea has cooled, but the sea of ​​clouds remains.

Orthodox protective methods are time-consuming, catalytic methods are dangerous, collapsing and melting magic self-destructs, and top-tier secret methods are unavailable.

"senior,"

Chen Fei raised his head and looked at the gray-robed old man. His voice was steady and clear. "If you don't pursue the ultimate control of the Great Dao's origin with a single cultivation method, but instead cultivate several sixteenth-level top-grade cultivation methods, you can increase the total amount and level of your own power by stacking the quantity and supplementing it with special integration methods."

Is it possible to unleash power approaching or even rivaling that of a half-step Heavenly Monarch at the limit of the Tai Cang Realm?

Chen Fei elaborated on his ideas: "For example, I currently use body refinement as the foundation to bear power and strengthen myself. I use the Dao of Formations as the framework to construct a system for the circulation, amplification, and variation of power. I use the Dao of Divine Soul as the central hub to govern the entire situation and control it precisely."

The three techniques each have their own function, and through integration, they complement and enhance each other.

If, on this basis, one could further integrate one or more top-tier cultivation techniques of the same grade but with different focuses, especially techniques that strengthen the control of the soul and the capacity to bear power, could this synergistic effect be pushed to its extreme, so that the final burst of combined power would be sufficient to counteract the suppression of the rules?

Chen Fei's plan was very clear: he would not compete with her on who had a deeper grasp of the origin of the Great Dao, but on who had a larger total amount of power.

By combining and fusing three, or even more, sixteenth-tier top-grade cultivation techniques, he forcibly created a power that surpassed the limits of the Tai Cang Realm.

This idea isn't particularly bold, but it's certainly unconventional enough.

Because the key to martial arts is quality over quantity, practicing multiple high-level martial arts at the same time can easily lead to conflicts of power and a distraction of mind, resulting in nothing gained.

Even the most exceptional geniuses typically only master two or three core cultivation techniques, using the rest as supplementary or reference methods. Someone like Chen Fei, who has already begun to integrate three top-tier sixteenth-level cultivation techniques and still wants to integrate more techniques of the same level, is practically unheard of.

However, after hearing Chen Fei's idea, the old man in the gray robe suddenly brightened his eyes, as if stars were twinkling within them. He did not immediately deny it, but instead showed a thoughtful and contemplative expression, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the stone table.

The pavilion was quiet for a moment, with only the faint sound of the sea of ​​clouds churning.

After a long pause, the old man slowly spoke: "Theoretically, this method is not entirely unfeasible."

He looked at Chen Fei: "You can think of using body refinement as the foundation to withstand the backlash of power; using formations as the framework to build a power system, increasing its variability and resilience; and using the soul as the central hub to perform superhuman precision control and multi-functional coordination..."

This line of thinking ultimately boils down to the release, bearing, and control of power.

The old man paused, then continued, "The key point you raised lies in two aspects. First, the ability to withstand pressure. Without a higher level to invoke deeper levels of the Great Dao rules, yet trying to unleash power comparable to a half-step Heavenly Monarch, the backlash from such power, far exceeding the limits of one's realm, will inevitably be terrifying."

Therefore, an extremely powerful body-refining method is the most fundamental of all; it is your ship, determining how much cargo you can carry without sinking.

"Secondly, it is the ability to control."

The old man pointed to his brow, “Multiple top-grade cultivation techniques running in parallel, with different power attributes and complex operating paths, will result in power conflicts at best, and the collapse of the sea of ​​consciousness and the destruction of the soul at worst.”

Therefore, a top-tier divine soul technique is your rudder and sail, determining whether your overloaded ship can sail stably in a raging ocean of power, and even perform exquisite tactical maneuvers.

"As for the art of formations..."

The old man stroked his long beard. "It's more like the keel and rigging of your ship, building the framework for power operation, enhancing stability, and providing the possibility of change and amplification."

It's important, but compared to the previous two, it's slightly less crucial in terms of the fundamental issues of endurance and control. It's icing on the cake, not a lifeline. If one's physical body and soul aren't strong enough, even the most intricate array framework will be instantly destroyed by the violent power.

The old man's analysis was incisive and hit the nail on the head.

The two most critical shortcomings of Chen Fei's proposed path of layering multiple techniques are physical endurance and the ability to control one's spirit.

"so,"

The old man concluded, "Your idea has a theoretical possibility of success, but the prerequisite is that your body and soul must be strong enough to support this crazy idea. Otherwise, you will only bring about your own destruction."

After listening, Chen Fei smiled.

If the theory is feasible, that's enough.

What he fears least is something that is theoretically feasible but practically difficult to achieve. Because he has a control panel with those almost supernatural simplification features.

As long as the technique exists and the path is clear, he can push it to perfection in a short time.

As for whether the body and soul can withstand it? How will we know if we don't try?

After all, compared to the fusion of celestial status with the Dao Domain and the methods of demonic cultivation, these are not suitable to be displayed in the Grand Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.

With the path clear, the next step is to take action.

Chen Fei looked at the old man and said, "Senior, according to the previous idea, I need several sixteenth-level top-grade soul cultivation methods to strengthen my soul and improve my ability to control and harmonize it."

It's best to focus on the aspects of differentiation, command, resilience, and insight.

Chen Fei paused, then added, "In addition, I would also like to exchange for the catalytic fusion secret technique that forcibly integrates the Heavenly Status and Dao Domain of the Sect Master."

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed elder gave Chen Fei a deep look and slowly said, "The martial arts arena has collected quite a few techniques for cultivating the soul, including several of the highest quality. As for the Catalytic Synthesis Secret Technique, although it is an unorthodox and dangerous method, it can still be exchanged."

The old man changed the subject, adding a hint of warning: "However, that fusion technique is extremely risky. Once it is used, it's like an arrow on a bowstring, with no turning back."

Chen Fei nodded calmly, "Senior's reminder is correct, junior understands."

In real-world application, especially in the highly anticipated Grand Competition of Ten Thousand Sects, one must be extremely cautious. It should never be used unless it's a matter of life and death, or if there is absolute certainty of concealing an anomaly.

Chen Fei's main reliance and direction for improvement still lie in strengthening his soul and integrating more cultivation techniques.

As for body-refining techniques?

As early as the initial stage of the Tai Cang Realm, he already possessed the heaven-defying body-refining technique, Devouring Heaven Divine Forging. He had integrated almost all the body-refining techniques of a high grade that he could access in the martial arts arena of the myriad realms at that time.

It can be said that in the field of body refinement, he has already reached the theoretical pinnacle that is currently accessible.

It will be difficult to find another body-refining method that can fundamentally improve the Devouring Heaven Divine Forging technique in the short term. There is none in the Danchen Sect either, because the strongest sixteenth-level body-refining method in the Danchen Sect is the Dao Ruins Return to Truth Body.

Therefore, the current focus is on the method of cultivating the spirit and soul.

Arm your central nervous system with more powerful and sophisticated spiritual techniques.

Seeing that Chen Fei's eyes were clear, the old man said no more. With a wave of his sleeve, the space in front of the stone table rippled, and a soft light screen slowly unfolded in front of the two of them.

Above the light screen, shimmering with color, appeared lines of ancient characters, exuding a profound aura. This was the list of items that could be exchanged in the Martial Arts Arena of the Myriad Realms.

The old man's mind stirred slightly, and the content on the light screen was quickly filtered and located, finally settling on the area related to spiritual cultivation techniques and special secret methods. (End of this chapter)