Chapter 171: An Miaoli’s Dilemma

Upon discovering that the person she encountered might indeed be the Senior Ye who Yun Qianyue had met before, Caidie was thrilled. In the days that followed, she guided Ye Chen with even greater dedication, so much so that she didn’t even want to return to the sect at night. She was wholly fixated on the life of a luxurious cultivation maven, equipped with all the resources she could possibly desire.

However, Ye Chen remained aloof. He was not lacking in women… to him, Caidie was merely a tool. He couldn’t be bothered to seek another. Thus, he completely ignored the implications of servitude that Caidie’s actions suggested. Each day, his routine consisted of selling goods, purchasing treasures suitable for gifts, and then quietly cultivating.

The past half-year had brought him close to the threshold of the late Foundation Establishment stage. He felt that a breakthrough was merely a month away.

…

Ye Chen peacefully continued his cultivation. As a seeded contestant, he only needed to participate in the last five days of competition.

Meanwhile, the Divine Will Assembly was already in full swing. Numerous talents stood out in the conclave, drawing the attention of countless cultivators. The added option to place bets only made the atmosphere more vibrant.

With the Qi Refining stage competition concluded, the Foundation Establishment stage contestants took to the stage one after another.

Various rogue cultivators showcased their astonishing talents and magical techniques, providing a feast for the eyes and elevating the event’s prestige further.

Atop a certain celestial peak within the Divine Will Sect, An Miaoli stood in a pavilion. Clad in a flowing white gown, with her black hair gently swirling around her, she seemed a celestial being untouched by the mortal world.

She turned around, her eyes like tranquil waters, and looked upon An Yuyi, whose face was etched with sorrow and frustration. Her voice, ethereal as an illusion, rang out, “Although you lost the direct disciple competition and didn’t secure a spot to enter the Divine Will Pool. There’s no need to be disheartened! The path of cultivation is long and obstructed; momentary speed means little. The Divine Will Pool can rapidly enhance one’s cultivation, but it also impacts one’s mental state. Since you can’t enter the pool, you should focus on steady cultivation. You can still achieve the Golden Core in the future.”

However, An Yuyi, looking up defiantly, replied, “Aunt, the drop of Phoenix Blood available in five years is the top-grade spirit material for forming the Golden Core! If I can’t use the Divine Will Pool to quickly reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment. In five years, I won’t be able to reach the peak of Foundation Establishment, nor will I be eligible to contend for the Phoenix Blood.

“Without the Phoenix Blood, even if I break through to the Golden Core in the future, with my mismatched spiritual roots and the resources you can provide, at best, I could only form a mid-tier third-grade Golden Core. And the likelihood of advancing to the Nascent Soul from a mid-tier third-grade Golden Core is exceedingly low.”

Golden Cores are categorized into nine grades. Divided into top three grades, middle three grades, and lower three grades. It is widely accepted in the cultivation world that only those with a top-tier Golden Core have the highest chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage.

As for those with a middle-tier Golden Core, the chance of advancing is one in a hundred. The grade of a Golden Core is influenced by the cultivation technique practiced, the cultivator’s talent, and their accumulated resources. But to form a top-tier Golden Core, supreme spirit materials are indispensable.

An Miaoli was well aware of this fact. In a secret realm, their Divine Will Sect had acquired a piece of Phoenix flesh, which, due to its properties, was indestructible. Every hundred years, it produces a drop of Phoenix Blood.

Using it not only forms a top-tier Golden Core but might also grant related Divine Abilities due to the properties of the Phoenix Blood. Its importance was self-evident.

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Yet, the problem was, her niece had lost. The Divine Will Sect’s direct disciples were exceptionally talented. Her niece, with her discordant spiritual roots and less than a year into the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, was simply too weak.

An Miaoli, her eyes misty like veiled waters, giving an ethereal, dreamlike sensation, looked at An Yuyi and said, “Yuyi, luck is also crucial. Cultivators must learn to accept their fate. Since fortune was not on your side this time, don’t dwell on it. These five years may yet bring other opportunities to reach the peak of Foundation Establishment and qualify to contend for the Phoenix Blood. Obsessing over this will only hinder your cultivation.”

However, An Yuyi was unwilling to accept fate: “We cultivators defy the heavens; how can we simply resign ourselves to fate? Aunt, you are the great elder of the Divine Will Sect, and you are most likely to breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage in the future. Could you please speak to the Sect Master on my behalf? My father would certainly want me to obtain the Phoenix Blood to achieve a top-tier Golden Core. Aunt…”

An Yuyi pleaded pitifully, shaking An Miaoli’s arm.

An Miaoli initially wanted to refuse outright. But upon hearing her niece mention her father, a wave of emotion stirred within her.