Cultivation starts from simplifying the exercises

Chapter 2047 Battle for the Dao Domain

At this moment, Shi Pojun suddenly stopped the duel, purely to save face for Shi Zhoushuo and prevent him from being defeated by Chen Fei in front of everyone.

How could Cao Feiyu not be furious at such blatant favoritism and interference!

Faced with Cao Feiyu's rebuke, Shi Pojun was not annoyed at all. Instead, his smile remained unchanged. "Junior Sister Cao, don't be anxious. Zhou Shuo's defeat in this battle can be considered as him being outmaneuvered. This Junior Brother Chen is indeed remarkable in the art of formations. It's not unfair that he lost to such a formation."

Shi Pojun directly admitted that Shi Zhoushuo had fallen into a disadvantageous position, although he used the slightly reserved phrase "by a point of weakness," but the meaning was very clear.

This left those around who wanted to challenge them speechless. Since the other party had already admitted defeat, there was indeed no point in continuing the fight, after all, this was just an internal sparring match, not a life-or-death duel.

Upon hearing his uncle's words, Shi Zhoushuo's face flushed red, his fists clenched tightly, and he felt an immense tightness in his chest.

He truly hadn't expected that this native from a lower plane would have cultivated array formations to such a degree.

Despite his own transforming Earthly Dao Foundation and the ability to see through obstacles, he was unable to discern the true location of the opponent, and the opponent had unknowingly laid such a dangerous trap for him.

Therefore, despite his deep resentment, Shi Zhou Shuo did not refute, but gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and did not let anyone see the anger and resentment that was about to burst out of his eyes.

What made Shi Zhou Shuo even more heartbroken and unable to accept was that the sixteenth-grade low-rank spiritual material that he had been waiting for and regarded as his own was about to be given to a native who had just entered the Dan Chen Sect because of today's duel.

Cao Feiyu's face also showed surprise. However, this could be considered a tacit admission of Chen Fei's strength. Her anger subsided slightly, and she was about to speak.

"but……"

Shi Pojun, however, spoke first, interrupting her.

His gaze returned to Chen Fei, who had put away the array puppets and was looking at him calmly. His smile turned into one of concern and regret.

"Junior Brother Chen's mastery of formations is truly impressive."

He said slowly, "But...I heard that Junior Brother Chen is cultivating the Heavenly Origin Technique?"

He emphasized the words "Heavenly Origin Technique" to make his voice resonate clearly throughout the entire training ground, reaching the ears of everyone present.

"The Heavenly Origin Technique is not a good cultivation method."

Shi Pojun shook his head. "Junior Brother Chen should find a way to change his cultivation method as soon as possible. Otherwise, the effect won't be obvious at the fifteenth level, but once he reaches the Tai Cang Realm, he will be completely restricted, and his future will be bleak!"

After Shi Pojun finished speaking, before anyone could react, he laughed loudly, waved his sleeve, and a gentle Yuan energy supported Shi Zhou Shuo below. The two figures instantly became blurred and then disappeared into the sky above Cuiping Peak.

Only that one sentence about the Heavenly Origin Technique remained, echoing continuously in the training ground, penetrating the ears and hearts of everyone present.

Everyone present, whether they were experts of the Tai Cang Realm or disciples of the fifteenth rank, was stunned for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, an incredulous uproar and discussion erupted like a tsunami.

"The Heavenly Origin Technique? He cultivates the Heavenly Origin Technique?"

"No way? The formation is so powerful, but the main cultivation technique is the Heavenly Origin Technique?"

"It's actually the Heavenly Origin Technique! Isn't this self-destruction?"

All eyes, filled with unprecedented complex emotions—surprise, incomprehension, regret, and even a subtle sense of superiority and disdain—were focused on the young man who still stood tall in the center of the arena.

In the midst of this suddenly strange and oppressive atmosphere, an inner sect elder of the Taicang Realm who had previously spoken a few fair words for Chen Fei stared at Chen Fei and asked in a deep voice:

"Chen Fei, tell us honestly, is what you are cultivating really the Heavenly Origin Technique?"

At this question, all the voices fell silent again, and their eyes were fixed on Chen Fei's face, waiting for his answer.

Although the duel just now was forcibly stopped by Shi Pojun, and we didn't get to see the final result, Chen Fei's performance on the training ground was already amazing enough, leaving a very deep impression on everyone.

After all, Chen Fei was facing Shi Zhou Shuo, the most outstanding disciple of the fifteenth level of Cui Ping Peak, who was only one step away from the Heavenly Origin Dao Foundation.

Such a person, even among the fifteenth-level disciples of the entire Danchen Sect, would definitely be considered to be in the top tier below the true disciples, possessing formidable strength and a promising future.

Yet, this very strong individual was completely suppressed by Chen Fei from beginning to end in the previous duel, thanks to Chen Fei's exquisite array formation.

It wasn't luck or trickery, but a truly masterful application of formations that forced Shi Zhoushuo into a dilemma.

If Shi Pojun hadn't stopped the duel, Shi Zhoushuo's defeat would have been a foregone conclusion.

This performance was enough to make anyone look at Chen Fei with new respect, acknowledging his extraordinary skill in array formations and his formidable combat prowess. Many people had already begun to reassess him and accept that such a genius in array formations was inheriting Chu Xuanyu's legacy.

However, the question Shi Pojun posed before leaving was like a bucket of ice water, chilling the newly formed sense of amazement and recognition.

If Chen Fei really was cultivating the Heavenly Origin Technique, then things suddenly became completely different.

At the fifteenth level, the problems with the Heavenly Origin Technique might not be very obvious. Although its normal combat power is also very poor, the Heavenly Origin Technique is sufficient to support it in formations and other unorthodox methods. Chen Fei's performance just now is proof of this.

However, if one attempts to break through to the sixteenth-order Tai Cang Realm with the foundation laid by the fifteenth-order Heavenly Origin Technique, all the hidden drawbacks will be exposed at that moment and magnified infinitely.

Because the Tai Cang Realm is fundamentally different from the fifteenth level and below, it is no longer just about the accumulation of personal Yuan Power and the cultivation of techniques, but also involves the perception and integration of the world and the struggle for dominion.

Cultivators need to use their own Dao foundation as the root and Yuan power as the guide to communicate with, occupy, and refine a Dao domain that belongs to them, thereby borrowing more power from heaven and earth to achieve a leap in combat power.

In this process, the quality of the cultivator's own Yuan Power, the solidity of their foundation, and the potential and bearing capacity of their Dao Foundation will play a decisive role.

The Yuan Power cultivated by the Heavenly Origin Technique is inherently superficial, of low quality, and unstable in foundation.

Using this as a basis to compete with cultivators of the Tai Cang Realm who practice other cultivation methods for control of the world region will only result in one outcome: they will absolutely lose.

In this situation, even the art of formations cannot compensate for this fundamental flaw.

The power of an array also depends on the caster's understanding and control of the rules of heaven and earth, as well as the strength and stability of their Dao domain.

How could a fragile Dao Domain support a world-destroying formation? Without the support of a Dao Domain, the formation would be easily broken by the powerful Tai Cang Realm expert on the other side.

In other words, cultivating the Heavenly Origin Technique is almost equivalent to personally blocking all conventional methods of improving combat power, thus destined to remain at the bottom of the same realm.

Under the complex and unreadable gazes of everyone, Chen Fei's calm expression remained unchanged. He raised his head to meet the questioning elder from the Tai Cang Realm, then glanced at everyone around him who were staring intently at him, and slowly nodded.

"Yes, what I am cultivating now is indeed the Heavenly Origin Technique."

This is an undeniable fact. The reason Chen Fei chose to use the Heavenly Origin Technique as a facade was precisely to conceal his true cultivation speed.

From the Xuan Yu Realm to Tian Hai City, and now to the Dan Chen Sect, his cultivation level has improved far too quickly, to an unreasonable degree.

In just over a month, he broke through from the mid-stage of the fifteenth rank to the peak of the fifteenth rank, and quickly possessed the combat strength to approach the limit of the fifteenth rank. This is something that ordinary cultivation techniques cannot explain.

If it weren't for the fact that he had cultivated the Heavenly Origin Technique, which allowed him to burn his potential, he would have been completely unable to explain what had happened to him.

Rather than inviting deeper suspicion and investigation, it's better to attribute all the anomalies to the Heavenly Origin Technique.

Chen Fei's candid admission was like throwing a boulder into an already turbulent lake, creating even bigger waves.

"Trading the future for momentary glory is utterly foolish!"

Those who had been swayed by Chen Fei's amazing performance in array formations, and even began to acknowledge his qualifications to obtain a high-ranking spiritual material, now had complicated expressions. The admiration and recognition in their eyes quickly faded, replaced by deep regret and disappointment.

The most excited were none other than the fifteenth-level peak disciples who were eager to compete for that sixteenth-level low-grade spiritual material.

The moment Chen Fei admitted it, their eyes all lit up simultaneously.

In that duel just now, Chen Fei used his true fighting power to practically block all their paths. They could no longer attack Chen Fei from the angles of insufficient strength or lack of talent to create an opportunity for themselves.

But now, the situation has changed completely.

Even if someone who has cultivated the Heavenly Origin Technique is currently very powerful, their future is bleak.

The opportunity has returned.

Wei Zhongqian stood there, and when he heard Chen Fei admit it himself, his expression changed from initial shock to unprecedented solemnity, even with a hint of deep disappointment.

He certainly didn't have any deep feelings for Chen Fei. After all, they had only known each other for a short time, from their first meeting in Tianhai City until now, it had only been a day or two.

If it weren't for Chen Fei refining Chu Xuanyu's Xuanyu Realm, thus inheriting part of Chu's junior brother's karma and legacy, the two would never have had any interaction.

He could accept that Chen Fei's main cultivation technique was relatively weak, after all, he came from the lower realm and lacked resources, which was understandable. The Dan Chen Sect had many profound cultivation techniques, and as long as Chen Fei had the potential, he could gradually change and solidify them after joining the sect.

However, he found it hard to accept that Chen Fei was actually cultivating the Heavenly Origin Technique.

Because this is not just a problem of weakness, it's a problem of poisoning.

The damage that the Heavenly Origin Technique inflicts on one's foundation is almost irreversible. This will severely affect Chen Fei's actual combat power even after he breaks through to the Tai Cang Realm, putting him at a natural disadvantage among those of the same level.

More importantly, this would inevitably affect the potential trip to Tianlin Prefecture. A teammate with weak combat power and an unstable Dao Domain in the Tai Cang Realm would not be an asset, but a burden, or even a fatal weakness, and this is something that the formation cannot change.

The most troublesome thing is that once you cultivate the Heavenly Origin Technique, it's not as simple as switching to other cultivation methods to solve the problem.

Practicing the Heavenly Origin Technique midway through is equivalent to burning all the foundation and potential previously built up through other cultivation methods in exchange for a rapid improvement in cultivation level. This burning is destructive and predatory.

Otherwise, many people would first cultivate the Heavenly Origin Technique to raise their cultivation level, and then switch to other cultivation methods to solidify their foundation.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, so no one practices like that.

If you want to switch to another cultivation method at this point, it's like starting all over again. You'll need to spend a long time and precious resources to repair the foundation and Dao base that were damaged by the Heavenly Origin Technique before you can start cultivating according to the new method.

This process will be extremely time-consuming and costly, and the results may not be ideal.

As for waiting until reaching the Tai Cang Realm to switch cultivation, that would take much longer than starting at the fifteenth level.

Because once a cultivator reaches the Tai Cang Realm, their foundation is deeply bound to the Dao Domain they have refined.

Why do fifteenth-level cultivators cultivate Xuan Yuan, Di Yuan, and even Tian Yuan Dao Foundation? Besides their combat power being far superior to those of their peers, it is also to prepare for the Tai Cang Realm.

If you are strong in one step, you will be strong in every step!

The fragile Dao Domain created by the Heavenly Origin Technique is better off being painfully altered at the fifteenth level, even if it means starting over.

However, modifying the fifteenth floor is easier said than done!

Chen Fei is already at the fifteenth level limit and is about to break through to the Tai Cang Realm. If he were to waste most of his cultivation now, rebuild his foundation, and start cultivating from scratch with a different technique, the time that would take would be...

As Wei Zhongqian's thoughts were churning, the elders and core disciples of the Taicang Realm around him had already begun a heated discussion.

"If we consider Tianlin Prefecture as the ultimate goal..."

An elder from the inner sect of Taicang, with a stern face, said in a deep voice, "Chen Fei is probably not suitable! The foundation of the Heavenly Origin Technique cannot support the fierce battles within Tianlin Prefecture. What we need are partners to fight side by side, not burdens."

His words were blunt, even somewhat harsh, but they represented the thoughts of a considerable number of people.

"Perhaps... we could get him to start the switch right away?"

A disciple from the Tai Cang Realm who had previously spoken up for Chen Fei tentatively suggested, "We don't need any particularly advanced techniques. Even a regular fifteenth-tier inheritance from within the sect would be fine to gradually solidify our foundation."

"too slow!"

An elder from the inner sect of Taicang shook his head, his tone filled with helplessness, "The Heavenly Origin Technique is both mediocre and domineering, it's difficult!"

For a moment, everyone was discussing the matter, but no one could reach a consensus, and the atmosphere became tense again.

"or…"

A slightly shrill voice rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the speaker was Cheng Zhengchu, an elder of the Taicang Inner Sect, who was wearing a dark green robe and had a thin face. He was one of the people who had clearly opposed bestowing the rank and spiritual material upon Chen Fei in the Danxin Hall.

His eyes flickered, and he slowly said, "How about we have Chen Fei refine a new plane?"

He paused, and under everyone's suddenly serious gaze, continued, word by word, "And then, how about handing over the Xuan Yu Realm?"

"Give up the Xuan Yu Realm?"

As soon as Cheng Zhengchu said this, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence once again.

Everyone was stunned by his suggestion: to strip away the natal plane that the cultivator had already refined.

This is tantamount to forcibly severing a cultivator's foundation and the part most closely connected to their cultivation; it is an act of destroying a person's path to enlightenment.

Although Cheng Zhengchu said he was refining a new plane, which seemed like compensation, everyone knew what the refinement and fusion of one's natal plane, especially a plane like the Xuan Yu Realm, which was once a sixteenth-order plane with special foundations, meant to a cultivator.

Forcibly separating them would inevitably cause immeasurable damage to the cultivator's foundation.

While such trauma is not entirely irreparable, it requires an immense amount of rare and precious natural resources.

Moreover, even if it is repaired at great cost, it will certainly not be able to return to the original state without any damage, and will inevitably leave hidden dangers that will affect the future path.

The moment Cheng Zhengchu uttered those words, Chen Fei turned his gaze and stared directly at Cheng Zhengchu's face.

Chen Fei knew this person.

Previously, Cao Feiyu had briefly introduced him to several important elders of the Tai Cang Realm within Cuiping Peak, including this Cheng Zhengchu, who was at the mid-stage of the Tai Cang Realm and had considerable seniority within the peak, but was also realistic and even somewhat harsh.

Seemingly sensing Chen Fei's gaze, Cheng Zhengchu also turned his head, looking directly at Chen Fei without flinching. His lips moved slightly, his voice soft, yet clearly reaching Chen Fei and many others around him:

"Junior Brother Chen, please don't misunderstand, I'm doing this for your own good."

Cheng Zhengchu's tone was sincere, "Tianlin Prefecture is not a safe place, it's very dangerous. Your foundation in cultivating the Heavenly Origin Technique is too weak. Even if you reach the Tai Cang Realm, you'll still be at the bottom among those of the same level. Going there is too dangerous."

"Rather than bearing the heavy burden of the Xuan Yu Realm, where the slightest mistake could lead to death and the annihilation of one's cultivation, it would be better to relinquish the Xuan Yu Realm in exchange for compensation and resettlement from the sect."

Without this karmic connection, you can cultivate peacefully within the sect. Although your path to enlightenment may be slightly damaged, at least your life will be safe, won't it?"

"Cheng Zhengchu, you've gone too far!"

A sharp, angry shout suddenly rang out, shattering the suffocating silence.

Cao Feiyu stepped forward, her light blue flowing dress fluttering without wind. Her beautiful face was now covered with a layer of frost, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger as she stared directly at Cheng Zhengchu. The aura of a Tai Cang Realm expert emanating from her body pressed down on Cheng Zhengchu.

"Strip away the Xuan Yu Realm? How dare you say that!"

Cao Feiyu's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

"We've waited for the Xuan Yu Realm for so many years, why can't we wait a little longer for Chen Fei to change his cultivation method?"

Cao Feiyu paused, her tone becoming more intense, even carrying a hint of stubbornness: "Even if Chen Fei really breaks into the Tai Cang Realm with the Heavenly Origin Technique, it's not impossible."

"At that time, we will equip him with a mid-grade Tai Cang Divine Weapon to make up for his lack of control over the Dao Domain with the power of the divine weapon."

Cao Feiyu's words were less of a rational analysis and more of an emotional outpouring and a firm defense.

"Junior Brother Cheng!"

Wei Zhongqian's calm voice rang out, suppressing Cao Feiyu's excitement and drawing everyone's attention back to him.

His expression remained solemn, his brows furrowed, but at this moment, his gaze was unusually firm as he looked at Cheng Zhengchu and said in a deep voice:

"The Xuan Yu Realm was obtained by Chen Fei through his own fortuitous encounter. He acquired and refined it by fighting against demonic cultivators in Tianhai City."

“There is no reason to force him to separate it. This is against the rules of the sect and the basic ethics of the cultivation world.”

Wei Zhongqian's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and resolute. (End of Chapter)