"Crimson Bright Nine Heavens Map?"
"Sounds good!"
The Yellow-Haired Great Bear spoke up. "I've heard of this God-Devil Body Refining method. Though it tests one's comprehension, those with strong comprehension will find it easier to practice."
"Most importantly, each time you break through with this method, you'll cultivate the most perfect divine body of your level. You should know that some of the Three Realms' most powerful divine abilities cannot be practiced unless a God-Devil Body Refining cultivator possesses the most perfect divine body."
The Yellow-Haired Great Bear continued, "By my reckoning, you've only been a God-Devil for four years. You still have a great chance to obtain a divine ability in the Divine Ability Hall—one left behind by my master or one of his six disciples."
"If you obtain one of them, your path ahead will be much smoother. Perhaps... perhaps you might even inherit my master's legacy."
Throughout the endless ages, it had gone an endless span of time without seeing its master. The second successor had died young, and the third, Immortal Juhua, had only average talent in God-Devil Body Refining. Though he had lived for a million years, he had still only reached the perfect Primordial Spirit stage.
Now, a cultivator even more monstrous than Juhua had appeared. Naturally, it held some hopes for him.
The Yellow-Haired Great Bear's eyes shone as it looked at Lei Zhan. "In any case, before you turn ten, you must cherish this opportunity. Have your master, Juhua, teach you well!"
Juhua looked at Lei Zhan too. "Back when I began God-Devil Body Refining, it was because my aptitude was poor. I couldn't even complete the first step of the Crimson Bright Nine Heavens Map—visualizing the two Supreme Stars—so I settled for a lesser God-Devil Body Refining method."
"But one step behind, and you're behind at every step. My divine body was never fully tempered when I was weak. Even now, my God-Devil Body Refining cultivation remains stuck at the perfect Primordial Spirit Daoist stage."
"The Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations are growing more and more powerful, and I don't know how much longer I can endure them. Just as Senior Big Bear said, stay by my side for the next few years. With my wholehearted guidance, the Divine Ability Hall is not beyond your reach!"
"Master, you... you can endure the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations for a long time yet!" Lei Zhan looked at the old man in Daoist robes before him, his voice sincere. Those words reflected his truest feelings.
He could inherit the Star-Plucking Mansion gradually. Having a million-year Loose Immortal, one who could rival a Celestial Immortal, at his back would give him more confidence.
At the very least, he wouldn't die young at the Myriad Phenomena stage, as he had in the original timeline—not long after Immortal Juhua's death.
"Hahaha!"
Immortal Juhua laughed heartily. "Now that I've taken in a little monster like you, no matter how hard the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations are to withstand, I'll have to live a few more years. At least long enough to see you become a Primordial Spirit Daoist and refine the Water Mansion!"
"You..." The Yellow-Haired Great Bear glanced at Immortal Juhua and shook his head helplessly.
With this Star-Plucking Mansion left behind by its master, the Hall of Treasures filled with countless treasures and magic treasures, and the Star Hall, a place of inestimable value that could aid one's comprehension of the Dao, he would still end up falling to the ever-stronger Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations... It was a profound tragedy.
"Alas!"
All the words in the Yellow-Haired Great Bear's mouth turned into a sigh.
It turned to Lei Zhan. "Lei Zhan, come with me! Now that you've officially entered the Immortal Mansion, you're also a prospective successor. I'll show you around the Immortal Mansion and take you to the branch halls you're allowed to enter!"
"These are an immensely important opportunity for a cultivator, and a tremendous boon. After your master, Immortal Juhua, failed his Celestial Tribulation, these branch halls played a crucial role in helping him withstand the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations for several million years."
"Mm. Senior Big Bear speaks the truth." Immortal Juhua nodded.
The Yellow-Haired Great Bear glanced at Immortal Juhua, who remained standing in place, then turned and headed toward the corridor beside the hall. Lei Zhan also glanced at the motionless old man in Daoist robes.
"Go with Senior Big Bear."
"Yes."
Only after receiving Immortal Juhua's permission did Lei Zhan follow the Yellow-Haired Great Bear.
The Star-Plucking Mansion was a tremendous opportunity, but as long as he showed sufficiently monstrous talent, the Magic Treasure Spirit would naturally take him seriously.
If his aptitude was poor, then it wouldn't matter how respectfully he treated the Magic Treasure Spirit. It might not even bother to spare him a glance.
Magic Treasure Spirits and puppet spirits primarily acted according to their previous masters' commands and established rules. Daoist Star-Plucker had never decreed that showing the Magic Treasure Spirit great respect would earn someone many benefits.
But Immortal Juhua was different.
A master was like a father: once a teacher, always a father. The bond between master and disciple on the path of cultivation was even closer than that between parents and children, especially when that master was a powerful Loose Immortal with little time left.
He wasn't just going to inherit Daoist Sanshou's legacy.
In the future, he would inherit Immortal Juhua's legacy as well.
Given the circumstances, he naturally had to consider things from his master's point of view.
"Look there! Up ahead is the opportunity I mentioned—the Divine Ability Hall, where you might inherit my master's legacy. Inside are divine abilities left behind by my master and his six disciples."
"Back then, your master Juhua didn't meet the requirements, so he couldn't enter the Divine Ability Hall."
The Yellow-Haired Great Bear gazed at the enormous, towering bronze doors, his eyes filled with remembrance. Magic Treasure Spirits had feelings too, after all. It had spent nearly a million years with Immortal Juhua.
"I know Juhua harbors resentment. I understand. But he can only blame his own lack of fortune. He was already over ten when he finally had the chance to refine the Immortal Mansion's Message Talisman."
"Still, if Juhua had been able to enter the Divine Ability Hall, his strength would likely have grown even greater. Perhaps... he might even have passed the Celestial Tribulation."
"Your master missed his chance, but you still have yours. You can practice the extraordinarily difficult Crimson Bright Nine Heavens Map, and you reached the Purple Mansion stage in just four years. That's more than enough to prove your potential."
"You should have a chance of passing the trials my master set. Remember, you have only one chance, so make sure you seize it!"
"Mm." Lei Zhan nodded firmly.
He knew full well what kind of opportunity lay behind those enormous, towering bronze doors, steeped in an ancient aura: the powerful Star-Plucking Hand, a divine ability that ranked among the very best in the Three Realms!
Obtaining it would mark him as someone with a chance of surviving the Tribulation of the Celestial God in the future. He would also have the chance to truly inherit this powerful, top-grade Xiantian spiritual treasure and the legacy of the Master of Star-Plucking Mansion.
If he remembered correctly, the original story said his master, Immortal Juhua, had remained active through the late God-Devil Era.
The great battle that destroyed the ancient Pangu World had only happened not long ago.
The powerful God-Devils of the Star-Plucking Lineage—and its Celestial Gods—had barely begun to leave. It was impossible for the vast Star-Plucking Great World to have only seven Celestial Gods.
By the time Ji Ning inherited the Star-Plucking Mansion, only six remained at the end. Red Snow Celestial God could form the Seven Luminaries Celestial God Formation, but that only happened later, after a Void Return Divine Demon survived the Tribulation of the Celestial God and brought the Star-Plucking Lineage's number of Celestial Gods to seven.
If he truly had the chance to survive the Tribulation of the Celestial God in a very short time and take charge of the Star-Plucking Lineage...
An endless, brilliant future awaited him, waiting to be explored.
Since he had awakened the memories of his past life and come to this dazzling world, failing to develop great ambition would be to squander this peerless opportunity.
The seed of ambition would take root and sprout, bit by bit, starting with inheriting this Star-Plucking Mansion.