Chapter 538: Crossing

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Chen Fei re-entered the mountain peaks of the spiritual treasure, only to find that the simply restored energy within did not offer the profound insights he had experienced earlier, nor could it be absorbed by the Dragon-Elephant Induction Point’s technique.

Clearly, only the power refined through the broken ruler would provide substantial assistance to Chen Fei’s cultivation.

The broken ruler was now akin to a small wooden bucket, capable of holding only a limited amount of water. Only the water within the bucket had a special effect on Chen Fei.

As for the energy flowing outside the bucket, the broken ruler was powerless.

Of course, the elements that had been simply stored away would gradually accumulate some clever insights over time, which would still be beneficial for cultivation, much like the original Elemental Tide.

However, this process took time and was far less efficient compared to the direct refinement of elements through the broken ruler. Moreover, these were just simple insights, offering limited assistance to Chen Fei.

“This kind of cultivation is a bit too costly!”

Chen Fei rubbed his chin, realizing that it required seventy-three high-grade elemental stones for a single recovery, followed by an hour of cultivation.

An hour of cultivation, costing nearly a hundred high-grade elemental stones, was an exorbitant price.

After a bloody battle, obtaining five hundred high-grade elemental stones would only be enough for about seven hours of cultivation, just barely over half a day.

Of course, Chen Fei could let the broken ruler gradually recover on its own, even if it didn’t absorb the elemental energy of heaven and earth on a large scale. Small amounts of elemental energy from the surroundings should be sufficient for its recovery.

However, this would require a considerable amount of time, which might be somewhat lengthy.

Just think about it; to accumulate the amount of elements equivalent to seventy-three high-grade elemental stones without absorbing it recklessly, how much time would that take?

Now, the peak-level Combined Aperture Tempering realm cultivators within the Thousand Feathers Alliance would probably continue searching for spiritual treasures frantically for some time. This period could be a year or even several years.

During this time, it would be best for the spiritual treasure to remain in a dormant state and recover using high-grade elemental stones. Otherwise, even a slightly significant fluctuation in elemental energy could lead to unnecessary trouble.

After all, the way a spiritual treasure absorbs elemental energy is fundamentally different from how a person cultivates with it.

Alternatively, Chen Fei thought about occasionally heading out to the open sea and letting the spiritual treasure absorb some elemental energy. However, this approach had its risks. Once or twice might be fine, but doing it repeatedly could easily attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

“How about going out to sea, killing a sea monster, and using that as a cover?”

A thought popped into Chen Fei’s mind. Using this cover could work well; killing sea monsters was quite common. But how often should he go out to sea?

Various thoughts raced through Chen Fei’s mind, and he began to calculate his wealth.

At present, Chen Fei had a fairly ample supply of high-grade elemental stones on him. The ones he had obtained from the previous battles, after his consumption and various expenses, still amounted to just over half.

However, this time in the imperial city, he had first killed the Heavenly Sun True Immortal, then subdued Jian Jinsheng, and finally, he had slain the three men led by Sui Minghua.

Thanks to items like the Qiankun Bag, each of these five individuals carried a significant amount of elemental stones on them, along with the low-grade magical treasures they used. All of these items could be sold for elemental stones.

According to Chen Fei’s estimate, just from this trip to the imperial city, not even considering anything else, he could easily exchange the Qiankun Bag and the low-grade magical treasures for over two thousand high-grade elemental stones.

This was undoubtedly a substantial sum, but when it came to cultivation within the spiritual treasure, it could only sustain nearly thirty hours of practice.

For anyone at the early Combined Aperture Tempering realm stage, obtaining such a quantity of elemental stones would drive them to ecstasy because it was indeed a huge fortune. However, in the face of the spiritual treasure, it was entirely insufficient.

Although Chen Fei couldn’t continue cultivating constantly within the spiritual treasure, as he would inevitably take breaks and settle down after each period of cultivation.

The insights gained from the spiritual treasure were indeed different from the boosts provided by the panel. The boosts from the panel could be directly absorbed, whereas the cultivation within the spiritual treasure required Chen Fei to spend time pondering and truly making them his own.

No matter how much he contemplated and settled down, thirty hours of time remained fixed, and in less than a month, Chen Fei could exhaust them all.

And to be frank, considering Chen Fei’s usual diligence in cultivation, he might use up his entire allocation of thirty hours in just over ten days.

Additionally, Chen Fei had to allocate time to consume pills to enhance his elemental power.

After all, the insights came from the spiritual treasure, but he still needed to cultivate his elemental power himself. Fortunately, with the Qianyuan Sword upgraded to a high-grade magical treasure, it could assist Chen Fei in his cultivation.

However, he still had to buy pills, which required elemental stones, creating additional expenses.

When he did the math, it became apparent that the seemingly vast sum of over two thousand high-grade elemental stones, coupled with the few hundred he had previously saved, were simply not enough to sustain Chen Fei’s consumption.

A person with three thousand high-grade elemental stones but still feeling poor?

Chen Fei chuckled to himself, realizing that if he ever said such a thing out loud, other early Combined Aperture Tempering realm cultivators would be quite envious.

The cultivation of elemental power was undoubtedly a priority for Chen Fei. While the insights of the peak Combined Aperture Tempering realm and the path to the Mountain Sea Realm were crucial, they weren’t the most pressing matters right now.

Elevating his own cultivation level was the most urgent task at hand.

If Chen Fei already had a peak Combined Aperture Tempering realm cultivation, he wouldn’t need to be so secretive about using this spiritual treasure. It was precisely because his cultivation was too low, at the early Combined Aperture Tempering realm stage, that he had to be so cautious.

The only exception was the effect of the spiritual treasure on the Dragon-Elephant Induction Point’s technique, which was difficult to replace and exactly what Chen Fei needed at the moment.

“What if I don’t absorb the insights and purely use them to stimulate the Dragon-Elephant Induction Point’s technique?”

A sudden thought popped into Chen Fei’s mind. The energy within the spiritual treasure was limited, and since it consisted of insights and absorbed special energy, it naturally consumed quickly.

However, if he used it all for refining the Profound Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, could he make it last longer?

Just as the cultivation of elemental power was his most pressing need, the strength of his physique was also indispensable for Chen Fei.

Currently, Chen Fei could single-handedly slay three individuals at his level. Besides his high-level comprehension of various techniques, the power of his physique played an essential role.

With determination in mind, Chen Fei sat cross-legged on the mountain peak and ceased absorbing the insights. Instead, he fully activated the Profound Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, drawing in the energy from the spiritual treasure.

One hour, two hours, three hours…

In the blink of an eye, a full five hours had passed.

By this time, the energy within the spiritual treasure had been completely depleted. Compared to the previous one-hour span, the time interval had increased by a staggering fourfold.

Chen Fei stood up, sensing the strength of his physique, and a faint gleam appeared in his eyes.

Previously, Chen Fei had attempted to use high-grade elemental stones to cultivate his physique, which did show some growth but was ultimately not worth the cost, leaving him unable to sustain it.

Now, using an amount of elemental stones almost equivalent to the value of a high-grade one, the growth of his physique far exceeded what it was initially.

Based on Chen Fei’s initial estimate, with a conventional approach, it would take several years, perhaps even a dozen years or more, to reach the pinnacle state of the Profound Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, equivalent to the strength of the late Combined Aperture Tempering realm in terms of physique.

However, with the use of this spiritual treasure for cultivation, at a rate of five hours per session, minus the time for settling and digestion, Chen Fei would only need a few months to achieve what would have taken over a decade.

The only concern was that there was still a shortage of elemental stones, and Chen Fei might indeed need to venture out to the open sea, slaying several third-tier sea monsters to replenish the gap in elemental stones.

Five days had passed in the blink of an eye.

During these five days, Chen Fei had refrained from using the spiritual treasure for cultivation. Instead, he had focused on improving the proficiency of Three Lives Slicing Shadow Sword through the panel. He had also consumed mid-grade spirit pills to cultivate his elemental power.

Significant improvements in physique couldn’t be achieved overnight, especially at higher realms. It was easier during the lower stages, but as one reached the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, every step of improvement in physique became arduous.

The cultivation from five days ago had left Chen Fei’s physical body slightly stiff, and there were areas where his blood circulation wasn’t smooth, a result of the abrupt advancement.

He would need at least a few more days to recover before he could proceed with the next session of cultivation.

Nevertheless, even with these breaks, Chen Fei could still complete the cultivation of the Profound Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique in a few months.

His physique, comparable to the late Combined Aperture Tempering realm, combined with the mid-grade Qianyuan Sword and his current early Combined Aperture Tempering realm elemental power, would make it challenging for most third-stage Combined Aperture Tempering realm cultivators, even those in the mid-stage, to escape his dominance.

After five days of seclusion, Chen Fei left his chamber and made his way to the main peak of the Primordial Sword Sect.

Today was the day when Chen Fei would begin his alchemical process. At this moment, all the inner disciples of the Primordial Sword Sect stood quietly in place on the main peak, eagerly awaiting Chen Fei’s appearance.

As for the outer disciples, they didn’t have the qualifications to be here yet. However, in reality, some of the outer disciples recruited by the Primordial Sword Sect in recent years had talents that surpassed those of the original true disciples.

On the main peak, not only were there disciples from the Primordial Sword Sect, but also representatives from the Break Soul Sect, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, and a few other allied sects who had come to witness Chen Fei’s alchemical process.

The fact that Chen Fei would be practicing alchemy was known to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, but the other three sects were completely unaware.

However, Chen Fei had already displayed various secret techniques in front of Qin Haishan and the others, creating a sort of immunity among them.

For someone like Chen Fei, who was considered a genius, if one day he told them he would also be forging magical treasures, they wouldn’t find it too surprising.

Among the spectators from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Sect Master Wei Xingshan had the most complex expression.

Back when Chen Fei was a member of the Alchemist Alliance, he had only reached the Bone Tempering realm in terms of cultivation. At that time, Wei Xingshan was already in the later stages of the Aperture Tempering realm.

Many years had passed since then, and now Chen Fei, at the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, forcibly suppressed the Sea Peak City and effectively led the Five Sects Alliance. Meanwhile, Wei Xingshan remained in the later stages of the Aperture Tempering realm.

This situation couldn’t help but evoke a sense of nostalgia and admiration.

Within the Primordial Sword Sect, many people had never seen Chen Fei before, and he intended to make an appearance during this alchemical process to strengthen the cohesion of the sect.

“Boom!”

Directly channeling elemental power, flames soared into the sky and enveloped the alchemical furnace. Chen Fei tossed various spirit materials and spirit essences into the furnace all at once.

After several years, this extreme alchemical technique had once again appeared in Chen Fei’s hands.

As the onlookers from the main peak watched Chen Fei’s alchemical process, whether they understood alchemy or not, they all had a hint of bewilderment in their eyes.

So, this was how alchemists practiced alchemy?

So, alchemy could be done like this?