Testing area.
"1,550 crystals!" Li Yang looked at the test result and smiled faintly.
Xiang Yu's voice rang out in Li Yang's mind. "Li Yang, you've only just entered the Innate Realm and haven't fully stabilized it yet, so your Internal Energy is only at the lowest level of a thousand-odd crystals. In the future, absorb more of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. At your rate of absorption, while others need seven or eight years to break through, you'll probably break through to the fourth level in half a year."
Li Yang could not help but smile. "I know. My own absorption rate for the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is nearly ten times that of others, and with your help, Hegemon, it's dozens of times faster than theirs. Then shouldn't I reach the sixth level very quickly too?"
Xiang Yu immediately sneered. "Your greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. The sixth level represents the Golden Core realm, the mark of a cultivator. The power within the body also transforms from Innate True Qi into Demonic Energy. There is a vast chasm between the fifth and sixth levels. The fourth and fifth levels both use Innate True Qi, which is why you can break through quickly. As for the sixth level, without more than ten years, you cannot possibly break through."
Li Yang was startled. "More than ten years?"
Xiang Yu explained, "Forget it. This Hegemon will explain it to you properly. The Mortal Realm is divided into the Postnatal Stage, Innate Stage, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Tribulation Crossing, and Great Completion! From Innate to Golden Core is a hurdle, and from Golden Core to Nascent Soul is another. The hardest is Nascent Soul to Tribulation Crossing. Cultivators spend almost half their time at this level; ordinary cultivators need three or four hundred years.
"The Tribulation Crossing Stage takes the least time. The early stage is preparation, generally lasting around ten years. The middle stage is the heavenly tribulation itself—you either pass or fail! Once you survive the heavenly tribulation, you enter the late Tribulation Crossing Stage. Then the energy within your body begins to transform, and Demonic Baleful Power begins changing into Demonic Yuan Force. Once it has completely transformed into Demonic Yuan Force, you will reach Great Completion and await the summons of the Demon Realm."
After hearing this, Li Yang finally understood the matters of the cultivation world. When all was said and done, he, Li Yang, was still only advancing outside the threshold of becoming a cultivator. Even if he worked tirelessly, reaching the Golden Core realm would still be extremely difficult.
Suddenly, Li Yang said carelessly, "Forget it. With your help, Hegemon, coupled with my comprehension of the three great realms and my unprecedented speed at absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, I believe I'll reach the Golden Core realm very quickly. I can't be too greedy."
In truth, Xiang Yu had been trying to dampen Li Yang's confidence. He did not want Li Yang to become too proud or too impatient. In reality, with Xiang Yu's help, reaching the Golden Core realm within ten years was still possible.
Li Yang continued training. The white-bearded old man never had Li Yang take the B1 Gene Potion, nor did he come to check on him.
Li Yang leaned against the icy metal wall, numbing himself with strong liquor while the Internal Energy within his body circulated madly...
"Li Yang, your Innate Realm has now stabilized somewhat. This Hegemon has two trifling techniques to teach you. Though these techniques are not the Great Dao, they will be of great benefit in preserving your life." Xiang Yu's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
Li Yang raised his brows and immediately asked, "Trifling techniques? What are they? And what is this Great Dao you speak of, Hegemon?"
Overlord Xiang Yu said proudly, "The Great Dao is naturally body refinement. We demonic cultivators focus on the body, while those immortal cultivators are the opposite, relying on spells and formations. Hmph, those immortals all have such frail bodies. Great Venerable Chi You of our Demon Realm has cultivated his body to the realm of an undying body. Even if the Three Pure Ones, the supreme rulers of the Immortal Realm, joined forces, they could not harm Great Venerable Chi You of our Demon Realm in the slightest." Xiang Yu did not mention that although the Three Pure Ones could not injure Chi You, they could still join forces to trap him with formations.
Li Yang could not help laughing. "Oh? By your reasoning, then wouldn't the Demon Realm be able to destroy the Immortal Realm with ease?"
Xiang Yu said awkwardly, "Well... hehe, it can't be put that way. Supreme experts are all invincible. The Immortal Realm has the Three Pure Ones, three supreme rulers. They cannot do anything to Great Venerable Chi You, and Great Venerable Chi You cannot do anything to them either. Their spells and formations have already reached the terrifying realm of overturning heaven and earth."
Li Yang immediately asked in confusion, "Oh, is there only one supreme ruler in the Demon Realm? The Immortal Realm has three, at any rate."
Xiang Yu said proudly, "Of course our Demon Realm also has three Great Venerables. But our Demon Realm differs from the Immortal Realm—we follow the law of survival of the fittest. The three Great Venerables each represent one of the three great powers. Once you enter the Demon Realm, Li Yang, you will naturally become one of the members under the command of my supreme Great Venerable Chi You. Besides, although Great Venerable Chi You has cultivated for fewer years than the other two, in terms of power and strength, he is not the least bit inferior to them!"
"Who are the other two Great Venerables?" Li Yang grew curious.
Xiang Yu said impatiently, "Don't ask about those two. We'll be enemies with them in the future."
Li Yang suddenly thought of a question. "Hegemon, which is stronger, the Demon Realm or the Immortal Realm?"
After hearing this, Xiang Yu pondered for quite a while before saying, "In one-on-one combat, if it is long-range attacks, then the immortals' powerful spells naturally make them stronger. But in close combat, with the formidable bodies of our Demon Realm experts, we Demon Realm experts are certainly stronger! If it is a true large-scale war, then our Demon Realm would definitely be stronger. Our Demon Realm experts all grow through battle, and though we are not proficient in formations, we still know a little about them. Unfortunately, the infighting in our Demon Realm is fierce, so we have always remained in balance with the Immortal Realm. Otherwise... hmph, enough. This Hegemon is teaching you two minor techniques now. Are you going to learn them or not?"
"Learn them, of course!" Li Yang immediately said. Could the trifling techniques Overlord Xiang Yu spoke of possibly be ordinary skills?
Xiang Yu seemed quite satisfied. "Good. Since that is the case, this Hegemon will transmit everything into your mind. Study and comprehend it slowly. Though they are merely trifling techniques, they still require long-term cultivation."
In an instant, Li Yang's head suddenly swelled as a vast number of incantations and secret methods appeared in his mind.
Only after quite a while did Li Yang feel his mind clear considerably. Then he began sorting through the two trifling techniques Xiang Yu had placed in his mind.
"Breath Concealment Technique, Evasion Technique!" A smile immediately appeared on Li Yang's face. The Breath Concealment Technique concealed one's aura, making it impossible for others to observe one—an ultimate tome for ambushes and assassinations. At a shallow level, it could conceal one's cultivation; at a deeper level, it could completely hide the vital aura of life. Naturally, it became increasingly difficult to cultivate, and higher levels also required exceptionally great cultivation to support them.
However, merely concealing one's cultivation at the shallowest level could be practiced by Innate Realm experts.
As for the Evasion Technique, that went without saying. Upon seeing it, Li Yang's heart stirred, and he said to Xiang Yu, "Right, those Japanese ninjas seemed to know evasion techniques too. Are their evasion techniques the same as this one?"
Xiang Yu said disdainfully, "Boy, when you dealt with that Golden Flower-level ninja that day, this Hegemon saw everything clearly. That ninja's evasion technique was the most basic and simplest kind. In this Hegemon's estimation, ninja evasion techniques are merely the most basic formulas of the Five Elements Sect in the Kunlun Immortal Realm. This Hegemon's Evasion Technique was seized from the Immortal Realm, so it is naturally even stronger than the supreme tomes of the Five Elements Sect, a cultivation sect. You actually compare the evasion techniques of petty ninjas to the technique this Hegemon taught you? Hmph, don't you know who this Hegemon is?" Xiang Yu was naturally annoyed. Given his status, how could anything he produced be inferior?
Li Yang immediately laughed. "Hegemon, don't be annoyed. I was only asking." After saying this, Li Yang ignored Xiang Yu and calmly began cultivating these two trifling techniques, which were even stronger than the supreme tomes of the Five Elements Sect in the Kunlun Immortal Realm.
Before you continue