Chapter 47: Difficulty
A cultivator's bitter sea, as its name implies, was a desolate expanse, lifeless and devoid of any vital energy. However, at the very center of Ye Fan's bitter sea, that golden speck of light shone brilliantly, like the rising sun at dawn, brimming with vigorous life.
Just as Pang Bo had said, this golden speck of bitter sea contained a faint ripple of divine power. Though extremely weak, it was clearly extraordinary. Compared to the bitter seas of others, it could be called miraculous, resplendent like the essence of a rainbow, completely unique.
"Could it be that you've already connected to the Wheel of Life?" Based on Pang Bo's speculation, Ye Fan might have opened a passage, linking to the Wheel of Life beneath the bitter sea, causing a divine spring to gush upward, creating such a miraculous scene.
"No passage has been opened, and no divine power source is surging upward." Ye Fan shook his head, denying his speculation. He could be certain that this was indeed the bitter sea, not a divine spring flowing from the Wheel of Life.
Pang Bo repeatedly exclaimed in amazement, "This is truly astonishing! The Primordial Saint Body is indeed extraordinary, completely different from ordinary people. Could it be that a golden bitter sea is exclusive to those with this physique?"
"It's only the initial opening of the bitter sea; I don't yet know if I can continue cultivating." Ye Fan wasn't swept away by joy into losing his rationality.
Then he began to introspect, carefully examining the state of his bitter sea. The sesame seed-sized golden bitter sea was surrounded by a deathly stillness, engulfed by endless darkness and emptiness, yet it could not be completely submerged by that light. This speck of light hung like a bright, clear moon in the void. This filled Ye Fan's heart with boundless hope—perhaps one day, he could open up a vast, boundless golden bitter sea, completely dispelling the darkness and death, allowing the desolate land to burst forth with vibrant life.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo discussed the matter for a long time, agreeing that Ye Fan's physique was too special, like a bottomless pit, requiring massive amounts of Hundred Grass Liquid to open the bitter sea. Unlike ordinary people, he didn't fear the potency of the medicine piercing through the bitter sea; his bitter sea was like an abyss that could never be filled.
Reaching this conclusion, both of them felt troubled. Other newly initiated disciples took one bottle of Hundred Grass Liquid every three months, only four bottles a year. Yet Ye Fan, having just opened a sesame seed-sized bitter sea, had consumed a full fifty-nine bottles, equivalent to what others needed for over a decade. This was truly frightening!
According to Elder Wu Qingfeng, the path of cultivation grew harder the higher one climbed, with each step forward costing ten times the price of the previous one.
Thinking of this, Ye Fan was momentarily stunned. This principle must also apply to the consumption of Hundred Grass Liquid. At the very beginning, he needed dozens of bottles at once. It was hard to imagine how staggering a number it would be when he achieved significant cultivation.
"Don't worry, there will always be a way." As he spoke, Pang Bo seemed to recall something, his eyes lighting up. "We can tell Elder Wu Qingfeng that you can cultivate. If the Primordial Saint Body from before the ancient era can be cultivated, it would absolutely shake the Yan Region, shake the Eastern Wasteland—it's simply unimaginable. I think the elders of Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven would be extremely shocked and do everything in their power to provide what you need."
Ye Fan thought seriously and carefully for a moment, then finally shook his head. "I can't tell them."
"Why?" Pang Bo was puzzled.
"First, because Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven cannot intimidate the Eastern Wasteland. If the news leaks out, I will surely die. Second, because I suspect that although the golden bitter sea is miraculous, I may not be able to continue cultivating steadily. It's very likely still a waste physique."
Pang Bo thought it over carefully and strongly agreed with the first point. The news must not leak out, or it would truly bring disaster.
"As for the second point, I think you're overthinking it."
Ye Fan shook his head. "Now I finally understand why this physique occasionally appears in the post-ancient era but is so difficult to cultivate. Just this consumption alone is something ordinary sects cannot bear. The early stages are manageable, but the immortal path is long. Each step forward requires ten times the consumption. Walking this path, with the consumption increasing tenfold at every step, even reaching the middle stage would be an unimaginable astronomical figure. I'm afraid even those Holy Lands and ancient aristocratic clans passed down from the Primordial Era would find it extremely taxing. It could even be said to be not worth the cost. Such consumption could raise many other outstanding disciples."
"Is this the reason the Primordial Saint Body cannot be cultivated and becomes a waste physique?" Pang Bo showed a surprised expression.
Ye Fan thought for a moment and said, "This reason was only discovered during the initial stage of cultivation. I think there must be far more to it. Otherwise, those Holy Lands and Primordial aristocratic clans wouldn't give up so easily. There are likely even harsher and more difficult conditions or reasons."
"How could this be..." Pang Bo was stunned, feeling that Ye Fan's path ahead was bleak, and the road of cultivation seemed extremely difficult.
But Ye Fan showed no sign of discouragement. "The Primordial Saint Body, if it could be cultivated so easily, would lose its meaning. The harder the path ahead, the more it proves its extraordinariness. Against the current, climbing the cliffs, crossing the abyss—I'll go as far as I can. Perhaps I can glimpse the ultimate peak."
In the following days, Ye Fan and Pang Bo cultivated even more diligently, striving to improve their own cultivation.
During this time, Elder Wu Qingfeng summoned Pang Bo to the back mountain of Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven, formally designating him as an Immortal Seedling, encouraging him to cultivate hard and soon have the divine spring gush forth from his bitter sea. At that time, he would accept him as a closed-door disciple.
After being formally designated as an Immortal Seedling, Pang Bo could receive eight bottles of Hundred Grass Liquid each month. Compared to the previous four bottles a year, his treatment had greatly improved. Moreover, as his cultivation continued to rise, the supply would gradually increase to meet all his needs, so he didn't have to worry about a shortage of Hundred Grass Liquid.
At the back mountain of Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven, Pang Bo earnestly asked Elder Wu Qingfeng many questions, mainly hoping to resolve the mystery of Ye Fan's golden bitter sea.
Elder Wu Qingfeng spoke of many secrets about the bitter sea, saying that in this world, some exceptionally talented individuals indeed manifested various strange phenomena when opening their bitter seas.
"What kinds of strange phenomena are there?"
Elder Wu Qingfeng listed over a dozen types of phenomena but did not mention a golden bitter sea.
Finally, Pang Bo couldn't hold back and directly asked, "When opening the bitter sea, is it possible for waves to surge to the heavens, for ten thousand divine rainbows to appear, and for the bitter sea to become a golden ocean?"
"Impossible!" Elder Wu Qingfeng shook his head, but then hesitated. "Perhaps the 'Divine Body' that legends say has reappeared in the Eastern Wasteland might possess such unparalleled phenomena, but it shouldn't have such a grand scale."
Recently, there were frequent rumors that certain rare Divine Bodies had reappeared in the Eastern Wasteland, and not just one case. They were said to be in the process of growing, hidden away in Holy Lands or Primordial aristocratic clans. Even Elder Wu Qingfeng had heard these rumors many times.
"Those rare geniuses have almost all been taken in by those Holy Lands and Primordial aristocratic clans..." Elder Wu Qingfeng seemed quite helpless.
After Pang Bo returned, he recounted everything he had heard to Ye Fan, finally saying, "It seems the golden bitter sea is indeed extraordinary. Even the legendary Divine Body that has reappeared in the Eastern Wasteland might not have such a grand scale when first opening the bitter sea. I really hope you can cultivate smoothly. Then you'll surely be able to contend with the geniuses nurtured by those Holy Lands and Primordial aristocratic clans."
After hearing this, Ye Fan pondered for a long time, then looked at Pang Bo. "I think I should leave Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven."
"Why?" Pang Bo was very surprised, not understanding why he had suddenly made such a decision.
"I came to Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven to learn how to cultivate. Now, it's no longer suitable for me to stay here. I need to go elsewhere to seek my opportunities."
"No, if you leave, I'll leave too." Pang Bo firmly opposed.
"You've been designated as an Immortal Seedling. Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven will fully nurture you. There's no need for you to leave. But I'm different. With my physique, staying in Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven won't lead to any development."
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