Paragon of Sin

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The difference was unimaginable.

This Mystic Intent must be the fuse to trigger a Mortal's right to ascend beyond the limits.

”As for how one glimpses into Mystic Intent, it is always present.
Even here, if you try and sense it, you will.
The issue isn't sensing it, its being able to differentiate it.
It is similar to mana in that regard.
I remember the False Reality Phase, what a doozy that was.
It stopped my cultivation for three decades, how terrible. ” Wang Yutian lamented.

Simultaneously, as if agreed upon prior, both Wei Wuyin and Wang Yutian said: ”Cultivation is difficult. ”

”… ” A moment of solemn silence was born between them, as if they felt each other's struggles.
After all, even with ninth-grade alchemical products and claiming the Primal Yin or yin energies of women who've comprehended the phases, its secrets marked within, he was still delayed years.
It was quite embarrassing to be honest.

It took Wei Wuyin a decade to reach the Yin Form Phase from the Qi Creation Phase, just three stages in the Qi Condensation Realm, so the saying was felt thoroughly by them both.
However, it was worse for others.
Some Astral Core Cultivators used up their entire lifespans, a thousand or so years, and never comprehend the intricacies of the Sky Ruler Phase, the Second Stage of the Astral Core Realm.

Wu Jiao was an example of this, needing massive support from the Myriad Monarch Sect to do so.

Wang Yutian sighed.
The mutual suffering created unseen yet remarkable bonds.

Wei Wuyin was solemn for a while and then amused.
A cultivator that later reached the Mystic Ascendant Realm, comprehending the Intent that exceeds Mortal Limits, took three decades just for the False Reality Phase, the Sixth Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.
It truly showed that speed of cultivation was mostly irrelevant to the height one will reach.

However, Wang Yutian hit him with the harsh truth of cultivation that changed his mentality entirely.

”After one comprehends a Seed of Mystic Intent, it takes but a single thought to ascend.
However, doing so requires a price: lifeforce.
If one succeeds, the price is rendered negligible, but if one fails their ascension, their lifeforce is exhausted.
If they don't have enough lifeforce, they will die, but if they do, they will survive.

”This is how Mystic Star Phase, the First Stage of the Astral Core Realm was reached and why most refer to it as the tenth stage of the Astral Core Realm—a product of failure. ” Wang Yutian scoffed, the disdain reemerging in his voice.
It seemed he held true contempt for this cultivation stage.

Wei Wuyin was startled by this, unhesitatingly asking: ”How much lifeforce do you need to attempt an ascension? ”

”Eight hundred years, ” Wang Yutian indifferently answered.
After a moment of silence, he added, ”But most Starlords have a lifespan of fifteen hundred years. ”

”One attempt? ” Wei Wuyin's heart shook.

Wang Yutian gave off a sign of agreement.
”For most.
However, certain cultivators such as Wood, Yang, or Life-based Intent cultivators had much high natural lifespans.
Some even reach two thousand years.
So they can reach the Mystic Star Phase and attempt it again, but only them. ”

”… ” Wei Wuyin thought about Qing Qiumu and Lian Yu.
They both possessed these traits, with the former being a Wood Cultivator and the latter possessing Life-based Intent of the Water Attribute.

”What if a cultivator was eight hundred years old but only had fifteen hundred years of lifeforce total attempts to ascend? ” Wei Wuyin's heart, for some reason, was pounding.

”Death.
I said it before: death or success.
There is no other result.
However, the most difficult obstacle is comprehending Mystic Intent, forming a Seed of Mystic Intent. ” Wang Yutian pointed out, wanting Wei Wuyin to not fixate on this lifeforce requirement.
After all, Wei Wuyin had ninth-grade alchemical products and was a Mortal Sovereign Alchemist.

Perhaps for others, this was an obstacle, but Mortal Sovereign Alchemists had hundreds, if not tens of thousands, of listed recipes that can infuse lifeforce into cultivators.

”What happens if one succeeds? ” Wei Wuyin realized crucial pieces of information weren't explained yet.
If the Mystic Star Phase was a product of failure, the first stage of a Mystic Ascendant, then what about those who succeed their ascension? Furthermore, what constitutes failure or success? Why was the Mystic Star Phase named such?

”If one finds success in their ascension, then they'll reach what most cultivation societies consider the true first stage of the Mystic Ascendant Realm, the Soul of Mysticism Phase.
They'll skip the first stage entirely.
For example, all those little pesky Ascended you met are at this stage.
However, the difference between the two stages is vast, unimaginably vast. ” Wang Yutian was annoyed recalling those Ascended that interfered with the trial.
If he had the means, he would've taught them a lesson.

Unfortunately, the trial was established by a cultivator at their level, so it was impossible to act against them without suffering catastrophic retaliation that could collapse the entire World Realm.
The consequences of this was the certain death of every mortal on the Four Extreme Continent.

”I'll simplify the details of the phases, because I'm unable to properly describe them, ” Wang Yutian directly admitted before continuing, ”The Mystic Ascendant Realm is divided into nine stages, and these stages from initial to pinnacle are: Mystic Star, Soul of Mysticism, Demi-Mortal Lord, Earthly Saint, Worldly Saint, Heavenly Saint, Ascended Saint, True Sage, and True Soul.

”The Mystic Star, once again, is a product of failure when the power of Mystic Intent merges its qualities with the Star Core yet halted at that stage, unable to be pushed further for any number of reasons.
The Soul of Mysticism is the complete state when the power of Mystic Intent infuses with one's Spirit of Cultivation and Star Core, transforming their Astral Soul into a Mystic Soul and Star Core into a genuine Mystic Core.

”The Demi-Mortal Lord is when Mystic Intent is infused further into one's physique, bloodline, etc.
All things physical, changing one's state of existence to beyond Mortal Limits.
At this phase, Ascended gains an absurd amount of lifeforce, greater than any other phase in the entire realm.

”As for the Earthly Saint Phases and beyond, I can't explain those clearly.
I can barely explain the first three stages well, ” Wang Yutian sighed.
This was one of the main reasons cultivation was so terrifyingly difficult.
It was almost impossible to pass along one's comprehension to the younger generation.
If it was possible, then no cultivation society would ever decline.

Wei Wuyin didn't blame him.
This was a very well known difficulty of cultivation even in the Myriad Yore Continent.
Most cultivators struggled to birth Elemental Intent, so they were forever stuck at the Elemental Birth Phase.
Some could never even sense their souls, so they were unable to reach the Qi Condensation Phase and form a Spirit of Cultivation.
It was the lack of being able to pass along one's comprehension that made comprehensive talent so highly regarded, including alchemists who could concoct products like the Everlore Ascension Pill or the World-Light Reflection Elixir.

”What cultivation stage did you reach in your lifetime? ” After a moment of digesting all this information, Wei Wuyin curiously asked.

”…I was a Worldly Saint Ascendant. ”