Chapter 930: Fetal Grading

In an instant, Zhang Xuan had a complete grasp of the book's contents.

The book provided a detailed account of Master Kong's canonization process. Most of his experiences described were similar to the insights left on the Canonization Platform, but this account was more comprehensive, detailing not only his feelings but also his real-world actions.

"This complicated?"

Zhang Xuan's brows gradually furrowed.

He had assumed the so-called Canonization Enlightenment was a straightforward cultivation technique that would significantly boost one's strength if followed step-by-step. However, it was not that simple.

To be canonized by the heavens, one needed not only strong vital energy and immense power but, more crucially, also had to cultivate their mind and spirit.

Cultivating the mind and spirit essentially meant tempering one's mental fortitude.

This type of cultivation did not directly enhance combat power, but it broadened one's perspective, allowing them to see further and reach higher.

Only when one's mental fortitude could encompass all things and contain heaven and earth would their Dantian naturally expand, capable of holding more vital energy.

Seeing Zhang Xuan put his previous clothes back on and seriously read the book, Master Mu's puppet stopped being troubled. He explained, "The Silkworm Chrysalis Realm is also known as the Embryo Concealment Realm, the Hidden Embryo Realm, or the Golden Core Realm. It signifies accumulating cultivation to condense a Nascent Embryo (Golden Core) within the body. Once successful and integrated with oneself, one can break through limitations to become a spirit or a saint..." Then he asked, "You have already cultivated to this level, so you must have a deep understanding of this realm."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Silkworm Chrysalis Realm is essentially condensing the vital energy throughout the body into an embryo, which then transforms into a core. In simpler terms, it involves solidifying vital energy, which is originally in a gaseous form.

This allows the body to accommodate more vital energy. Once the Nascent Embryo is formed, one can completely conceal the embryo to become a Saint, reaching a higher realm.

Although he had not collected any Heaven's Path cultivation techniques higher than the Silkworm Chrysalis Realm, the vital energy within his body had already begun to converge towards the center, forming a vital energy vortex in his Dantian. As long as he cultivated diligently, forming a Nascent Embryo would only be a matter of time.

"In normal cultivation, as long as one follows the steps and cultivates diligently, the vital energy in the body will quickly condense," Master Mu's puppet said. "However, that is only the lowest grade of Nascent Embryo, the so-called third-grade Nascent Embryo!"

"Third-grade Nascent Embryo? Nascent Embryos are also graded?" Zhang Xuan asked, his face full of doubt.

He had never heard of this before. Even though he had collected many professional books in the academy, he had never seen a similar description.

"Of course, they are graded," Master Mu's puppet replied, shaking his head. "It's just that very few people know about it! This grading system was proposed by one of Master Kong's students. He originally intended to inform all cultivators, but Master Kong stopped him! It was kept a secret, which led to fewer and fewer people knowing about it!"

"Master Kong stopped it?" Zhang Xuan asked, finding it strange.

Wasn't Master Kong the Grand Teacher for all ages? He made immense contributions to humanity, founded the Master Teacher profession, and spread its legacy throughout mankind. How could such a figure deliberately conceal information?

"Master Kong did this for humanity!" Master Mu's puppet said with a sigh. He continued, not letting Zhang Xuan wonder for long, "Most ordinary cultivators can form a third-grade Nascent Embryo with diligent effort. However, a second-grade Nascent Embryo is difficult. It requires not only a large amount of cultivation materials but also guidance from others; even a slight mistake can lead to complete failure."

"In other words," Master Mu's puppet explained, "forming a second-grade Nascent Embryo costs at least ten times more than a third-grade one. Humanity cannot afford such a cost! Most crucially, not everyone can succeed; it also requires exceptionally high talent and temperament. Should one fail, at best, their Nascent Embryo will be destroyed and their cultivation crippled; at worst, they will die on the spot, beyond saving."

Master Mu's puppet shook his head. "Regarding the grading information, it's better not to know," he stated. "Once known, countless Master Teachers would risk attempting it to boost their combat power. The consequence of doing so would only be to burden humanity further, causing countless people to suffer cultivation deviations and eventually die, rather than fostering more powerful individuals."

"This..."

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan finally nodded. What the puppet said was true.

To pursue a higher-grade Nascent Embryo, one would naturally have to pay a price!

Many people, limited by their innate talent, would force themselves to try, which would not only be ineffective but also harmful.

It's like a snake trying to swallow an elephant: despite being the size of a well rope, it insists on trying to consume a multi-meter elephant. Even if it doesn't succeed, it could easily kill itself in the attempt.

Such was the case with the Nascent Embryo grading. If people knew this information but were prevented from pursuing a higher grade, realizing there was a realm they hadn't reached, their state of mind would develop flaws, causing them to feel inferior to others and thus limiting their future achievements.

Yet knowing it would lead to danger...

Sometimes, ignorance is a form of happiness.

"A high Nascent Embryo grade only signifies stronger combat power at the same level," Master Mu's puppet continued. "However, the cost incurred could be enough to cultivate cultivators at Saint 2-dan or even 3-dan! Such a cost, just to raise one's Nascent Embryo by a small sub-grade... Anyone would know how to choose! Especially for Master Kong, the Grand Teacher for all ages who considered humanity's future! Furthermore, the Master Teacher profession's primary ability is to cultivate more humans to reach the peak; teaching is paramount. Even if combat power at the same level is slightly weaker, it's harmless."

"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

This secret was truly shocking. Once it spread, it would undoubtedly overturn the cultivation world, and doing so would bring psychological pressure and burden to people without any benefits.

Rather than that, it was better not to say, allowing everyone to remain ignorant of the matter.

Moreover, the Master Teacher's main profession was "teaching" and "inheriting," not fighting, so even a third-grade Nascent Embryo was nothing.

Based on their understanding of cultivation techniques and combat arts, Master Teachers remained unparalleled in many professions; no one could compare to them.

"You said ordinary cultivators only form third-grade Nascent Embryos. What about those with second-grade Nascent Embryos?" Understanding the puppet's purpose, Zhang Xuan no longer hesitated and continued to ask.

"Most with second-grade Nascent Embryos are Combat Masters!" Master Mu's puppet replied.

"Combat Masters?"

"Yes! Combat Masters don't need to study auxiliary professions; they focus solely on combat, thus having more energy to dedicate to martial arts cultivation. Combined with the free provisions from the Master Teacher Pavilion and all of humanity, and their own talent, forming a second-grade Nascent Embryo is not difficult!" At this point, Master Mu's puppet paused. He continued, "When Master Kong forcefully separated the Combat Master profession from the Master Teacher profession, it was actually to pass down the grading system for Nascent Embryos!"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

No wonder Wu Xu, whom he met earlier, was also at the peak of the Silkworm Chrysalis Realm, yet he alone could overwhelm Hu Yaoyao, Xue Zhenyang, and others, leaving them helpless. It wasn't because Dong Xin and the others lacked talent, but because their Nascent Embryo grades were insufficient!

In this way, whether it was vital energy purity or control over power, they were inferior to him, so being defeated was quite normal.

"Combat Masters are only second-grade Nascent Embryos... What about first-grade?" Zhang Xuan asked again.

Combat Masters were already so powerful, yet only second-grade. Wouldn't first-grade be even more terrifying?

"First-grade Nascent Embryos only exist in legends; no one has succeeded in forming one for a very long time!" Master Mu's puppet explained. "I haven't seen one, anyway. It's said that Master Kong back then might have achieved it... Of course, the books don't record the specifics, so I wouldn't dare to draw conclusions."

"No one has succeeded?" Zhang Xuan was startled.

"Indeed!" Master Mu's puppet replied, a bitter smile on his face. "Precisely because of this, I suspect that a first-grade Nascent Embryo is... the main reason for becoming a Heaven-Acknowledged Saint! Therefore, I have always wanted to achieve a first-grade Nascent Embryo, spending no less than several centuries on it... However, in the end, I only managed to condense a peak second-grade Nascent Embryo, and still did not succeed!"

Wasting several centuries, nearly half of one's life, for a dream with an unknown outcome, anyone would be filled with regret.

"Second-grade high-rank?"

"Yes, Nascent Embryos are not only divided into first, second, and third grades," Master Mu's puppet replied. "Each grade is further divided into four levels: low-rank, mid-rank, high-rank, and ultimate-rank! My ability to condense this also came at a great cost, requiring life-and-death experiences and wasting an unknown amount of time! Although I could fight above my level after succeeding, my peers and competitors who were originally weaker and less talented than me... had already reached Saint 4-dan and 5-dan. Seeing this, I realized I had made a mistake! At that time, I was just an ordinary Saint-realm cultivator... having already missed the optimal age for advancement, I could never advance to a higher realm again, ultimately stopping at the peak of Saint 1-dan... The regret in my heart was unimaginable!"

"It was only then that I understood why Master Kong deliberately concealed this information," Master Mu's puppet explained. "If one's talent is insufficient, even if they succeed, it's just a waste of time! Consider, who is more beneficial to humanity: a Saint 4-dan expert or a Saint 1-dan peak cultivator? The answer is obvious!"

Master Mu's puppet's eyes were filled with regret.

Saint-realm experts have a lifespan limit; they cannot live beyond two thousand years at most. He had wasted his prime seven to eight hundred years on advancing his Nascent Embryo, missing the most golden period for cultivation. Once his physical functions declined, breaking through naturally became impossible.

Meanwhile, his former competitors, who were originally inferior in strength and talent, had all reached Saint 4-dan or 5-dan. What was the use of a higher-grade Nascent Embryo then? What was the use of being invincible at the same level? Could he really fight across several levels?

Clearly, it was impossible.

Therefore, in conclusion, insufficient talent simply meant wasting time.

"Precisely because I knew all this," Master Mu's puppet continued, "I specially set up this Record Mountain to assess combat power. Only those below Half-Saint who can defeat me, who was at Saint 1-dan early stage, are qualified to know this information. They have hope... of successfully condensing a higher-grade Nascent Embryo... because such talent is stronger than mine; they might succeed and complete what I could not!"

Master Mu's puppet looked at him with bright, keen eyes.

"You are only at the early stage of the Silkworm Chrysalis Realm, yet you defeated me and made it all the way here," Master Mu's puppet said. "Your understanding of combat and your powerful battle strength are unmatched in tens of thousands of years. If you can cultivate this Canonization Enlightenment, you might be able to condense a higher-grade Nascent Embryo and have hope of becoming a Heaven-Acknowledged Saint!"

"Me? I have hope?"

Hearing the puppet's words and seeing his fervent gaze, Zhang Xuan was startled.