Chapter 28: Yuan Yang Sword

Although Terrastar has entered a cultivation civilization, and everyone's lifespan has significantly increased, there is still an ultimate limit.

The Grand Medical Academy has also conducted extensive research on lifespan.

After sampling the ultimate lifespans of one hundred thousand normal cultivators, they determined the maximum lifespan for cultivators at each realm.

Qi Condensation cultivators generally live for two jiazi, or 120 years.

Foundation Establishment cultivators live for four jiazi, or 240 years.

Golden Core cultivators live for eight jiazi, or 480 years.

Nascent Soul cultivators double that again, reaching sixteen jiazi, or 960 years.

Of course, these figures are not absolute and vary from person to person, but this is the general lifespan for normal cultivators.

If one cultivates special techniques, practices proper health preservation arts, or consumes longevity-extending spirit medicines, it is possible to live an extra one or two jiazi.

As for Soul Transformation cultivators, due to the scarcity of examples and a lack of sufficient samples, the Grand Medical Academy has not published information on this realm.

However, following the previous lifespan pattern, it should be thirty-two jiazi, which is 1920 years, or nearly two millennia.

Chen Mobai's original greatest dream was to successfully establish his Foundation before turning 60.

The Grand Medical Academy also researched cultivators breaking through major realms and concluded that the success rate for breakthroughs is highest before half of one's lifespan has passed.

For example, for Qi Condensation cultivators aiming for Foundation Establishment, it is best to do so before the age of 60, as this is the body's last peak. After this age, no matter how well one maintains their Qi Condensation cultivation, various bodily functions will begin to decline significantly.

Originally, Chen Mobai felt his chances of establishing Foundation before 60 were only one percent. Now, even with the fortuitous encounter involving the mysterious turtle shell, he feels it's merely a ten percent possibility.

In the Immortal Sect, cultivation is universal, with three hundred million cultivators.

Only one in a hundred can ultimately cultivate to Qi Condensation Layer Nine.

Among those at Qi Condensation Layer Nine, only one in a hundred can successfully establish Foundation. Analyzing the data from these successful Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Grand Medical Academy found that over ninety percent were young individuals who established Foundation before turning 60.

Once past 60, with insufficient vital essence and blood, those who succeed in Foundation Establishment either possess a great fortuitous encounter or are divinely favored.

If Foundation Establishment is already this difficult, forming a Golden Core is even harder. The success rate for this realm is already one in a thousand.

As for Nascent Soul, which is even higher, it goes without saying that one might not appear even across several eras.

The current Nascent Soul Venerables in the Immortal Sect are old relics accumulated over a thousand years, across a hundred eras.

Chen Mobai's aptitude was average. He originally had little confidence in establishing Foundation before 60. If he were to spend another ten-plus years cultivating the Tri-Yang Physique, he felt he would basically be finished.

So, although the Pure Yang Scroll was very rare, after considering many factors, he decided it was better to honestly cultivate the Five Elements Art.

Venerable Qingping was a good example right before his eyes: cultivating straight through with this most common Qi Condensation technique, and then, if one could form a Nascent Soul, switching to cultivate the Jade Purity Scripture, would still be a broad path to immortal cultivation.

Old Man Ding was the bad example; one should learn from him.

After admonishing himself mentally, Chen Mobai suppressed the impulse to use his "Great Emperor Qing" account to exchange for the "Pure Yang Scroll - Qi Condensation Chapter" after logging off.

However, despite thinking this, he still unconsciously downloaded the video of True Monarch Shaoyang explaining the cultivation of the "Pure Yang Dharmakaya."

At least it could pass the time during class today.

“It's Old Man Ding's class today anyway,” he murmured, “I'll ask him about the Tri-Yang Physique.”

Mumbling to himself, Chen Mobai pressed the 'return to city' button.

Office.

After class, Chen Mobai, as usual, stayed a step behind, and while entering the office to ask about deciphering thunder-art restrictions, he casually asked, feigning curiosity. “Teacher Ding, you were a student of the Pure Yang Academy. What's the difference between these major academies and the Four Great Daoist Academies?”

Old Man Ding, who enjoyed teaching, shared what he knew after hearing Chen Mobai's question. “Actually, in terms of student scale and faculty strength, the top-ranked among the Ten Great Academies are no different from the Four Great Daoist Academies.”

“So, the cultivation techniques are different?” Chen Mobai inquired further, trying to guide the conversation towards the Pure Yang Scroll.

Old Man Ding shook his head. “The Grand Origin Academy and the Pure Yang Academy also have Soul Transformation grand techniques, comparable to the inheritances of the Four Great Daoist Academies.”

“Then what exactly is the difference?” Chen Mobai asked, unable to directly mention the Pure Yang Dharmakaya, so he just followed Old Man Ding's lead.

“The Four Great Daoist Academies have the most ancient inheritances, and each possesses Soul Transformation foundations. The founders of the Ten Great Academies were basically all from the Four Great Daoist Academies, so even if they temporarily surpassed them, they respectfully kept to their place and dared not call themselves the Fifth Daoist Academy.”

“And what are the Soul Transformation foundations of those Four Great Daoist Academies?” There were many online speculations and differing opinions about these matters. Chen Mobai thought Old Man Ding might know, and to steer the conversation back to the Pure Yang Academy, he continued to press.

“Those are all top-secret matters. Only the Venerables at the highest level truly know the exact details. However, as for the Immortal Sect's Twin Sages, one originated from the Martial Instrument Daoist Academy, and the other once studied at the Heaven-Mending Daoist Academy in his youth and is still the honorary dean of that academy in name.”

The origins of the two Soul Transformation Grand Ancestors were widely known.

“However, I do know that the Pure Yang Academy possesses a top-grade fifth-tier Yuan Yang Sword, which can also be classified as a Soul Transformation foundation!” Just as Chen Mobai was fretting over how to steer the conversation back, Old Man Ding himself began talking about matters concerning the Pure Yang Academy.

“In the entire Immortal Sect, there are only three top-grade fifth-tier flying swords. This Yuan Yang Sword was sublimated and manifested after Patriarch Yuan Yang exhausted his lifelong cultivation fruits before passing away, and it has already gained sentience.”

“Patriarch Yuan Yang's eldest disciple once wielded this sentient flying sword, and anyone below the Soul Transformation realm could be slain with a single strike.”

“However, refining this sword requires at least Nascent Soul cultivation, and continuous refinement over prolonged periods would greatly deplete one's vital essence, which is detrimental to cultivation. Thus, when I enrolled, this sword had already been sealed away and enshrined in the hall. I was fortunate enough to worship it once.”

Hearing this, Chen Mobai only felt sorrow.

A magnificent top-grade fifth-tier flying sword was actually sealed away because no one could refine it.

“Don't cultivators of the Pure Yang Dharmakaya have abundant vital essence?” Chen Mobai asked, “How could they still be unable to refine the Yuan Yang Sword?”

Old Man Ding rolled his eyes. “That would require fully cultivating the Pure Yang Dharmakaya. Even a Nascent Soul Venerable with a Nine Yang Physique cannot withstand the Yuan Yang Sword's daily and nightly absorption of spiritual energy. They find their own cultivation insufficient as it is; how could they possibly sacrifice half of their daily cultivation to a flying sword?” His words made Chen Mobai instantly empathize.

If it were him, before his Great Dao was complete, to sacrifice half of the spiritual energy painstakingly absorbed from daily cultivation to the Yuan Yang Sword, even if this flying sword was a Soul Transformation magic treasure, he would certainly refuse a hundred thousand times over.

Furthermore, this Yuan Yang Sword can only be refined by Nascent Soul Venerables, and Nascent Soul Venerables all prioritize Soul Transformation as their primary goal. How could they waste half of their cultivation time on a single flying sword?

“Don't magic treasures degrade in quality if they aren't nourished and refined with spiritual energy for a long time?” Chen Mobai asked. “In that case, wouldn't Patriarch Yuan Yang's sacrifice be wasted?”

“Don't worry,” Old Man Ding replied. “Every fifth-tier magic treasure is a material cultural heritage of the Immortal Sect. The Immortal Sect annually allocates a sum of spirit stones from the National Bank to the Pure Yang Academy to nourish the Yuan Yang Sword, preventing its quality from degrading. It's just a shame that this allocation of spirit stones is for a specific purpose and can only be used for that designated purpose. Otherwise, the Pure Yang Academy could at least save its Dharmakaya-cultivating students half of their time.”