The Law Has Three Stages

"Not bad!"

Just as Lu Chuan was about to stand up and share the good news of his success in cultivating Qi with Shen Gongbao, he heard a voice from nearby.

Before he knew it, Shen Gongbao was already standing in the courtyard, one hand behind his back, the other gently stroking his beard as he nodded slightly.

"Master, I have successfully achieved Foundation Establishment and birthed the first strand of true Qi in my dantian," Lu Chuan said, rising with a smile. "I suppose I have finally entered the gate of cultivation."

"To achieve Foundation Establishment in three days—your root bone and aptitude are indeed quite good. Disciple, let me tell you one more thing: the cultivation techniques of this world are divided into three stages: Minor Accomplishment, Medium Accomplishment, and Great Accomplishment."

Shen Gongbao nodded in satisfaction and said to Lu Chuan, "Once you have cultivated the Five Elements True Origin Formula to Great Accomplishment, you should be able to reach the stage of Refining Spirit to Return to Void, Reversing to Innate, and achieving the Yang Spirit."

"Minor, Medium, and Great Accomplishment?"

Lu Chuan pondered this after hearing it and asked, "Then Master, in your estimation, how long will it take for your disciple to reach the realm of Great Accomplishment?"

"Given your aptitude..."

Shen Gongbao glanced at Lu Chuan and mused, "If there are no accidents, you can reach Minor Accomplishment in three years and Medium Accomplishment in six. However, to reach Great Accomplishment... it will require at least ten years of diligent, day-and-night practice without slack."

"Ten whole years?"

Lu Chuan lowered his head to think. Ten years—it didn't sound particularly long, yet it wasn't short either.

But the timing was all wrong.

In ordinary times, he could simply seclude himself in the deep mountains for a decade, but this was the era of the Investiture of the Gods Catastrophe. It wasn't as if one could just hide away and rest easy.

Look at those Qi Refiners and high-level masters who had set their sights on the List of Conferred Gods; weren't they all cultivating in the mountains? Yet in the end, they sat at home while disaster descended from the heavens.

Furthermore, he now held one specific identity: he was a disciple of Shen Gongbao.

The three sects were discussing the List of Conferred Gods together, and this catastrophe was a trial for all disciples of the Human, Chan, and Jie sects. Therefore, no matter which of the three sects he had apprenticed under, he was already caught in the middle of this great calamity.

In this catastrophe, gods, humans, and devils were all involved. It was destined that the human world would flow with rivers of blood; whether one was an immortal, a mortal, or a demon, blood would be shed in the end.

If he hadn't taken the path of cultivation, he would have remained a mortal, caught in the mortal's trial. Either way, a calamity was inevitable; there was no escaping it.

It was currently the ninth year of King Zhou.

No, to be precise, it should be the ninth year of Di Xin.

In history, "Zhou" was a derogatory posthumous title given to him by King Wu of Zhou after Di Xin's death.

But this was not history; this was a world where Gods and Devils walked the earth.

Di Xin was still alive and well, yet the evil name "Zhou" had already emerged because he was too cruel and inhumane—it was just that no one dared to call him that to his face.

It was the ninth year of King Zhou.

He had heard that last year, the West Earl Ji Chang had been imprisoned by King Zhou in a place called Youli, and Lu Chuan remembered that the West Earl would be imprisoned for seven years.

After seven years, his disaster would end, and he would return to his fief of Xiqi like a tiger returning to the forest or a dragon returning to the sea.

Upon returning to Xiqi, Ji Chang would eventually visit Jiang Ziya, appoint him as prime minister, reorganize the troops, and govern diligently, preparing for the future campaign of Xiqi against Zhou.

"So, there are only six years left before the world falls into chaos?"

Lu Chuan's gaze flickered, and a sharp light flashed through his eyes. "That is enough time. Even if I cannot reach Great Accomplishment in my cultivation, reaching Medium Accomplishment should be enough for self-preservation."

In fact, the world was already in chaos, just not yet total upheaval.

Because King Zhou had harmed Queen Jiang and her father, the East Earl Jiang Huanchu, his brother-in-law Jiang Wenhuan had led the two hundred lords of the East in rebellion after inheriting the title of East Earl, and was currently attacking Youhun Pass day and night.

Around the same time, King Zhou had also killed the South Earl. After his son E Shun inherited the title, he too led the two hundred lords of the South in rebellion to avenge his father, and was currently attacking the Southern Sanshan Pass day and night.

However, the commander guarding the Southern Sanshan Pass was Deng Jiugong, a famous general of Yin Shang, and later it would be held by the likes of Kong Xuan and Hong Jin. One had to ask: with such a lineup, how could E Shun possibly break through?

Back to Lu Chuan.

As long as he cultivated his Daoist arts to Medium Accomplishment and then learned a few techniques and acquired a few treasures, he believed surviving this Investiture of the Gods Catastrophe would not be a major problem.

"Disciple, what are you thinking about?" Seeing Lu Chuan lost in thought for a long time, Shen Gongbao asked.

Lu Chuan came back to his senses and smiled. "Oh, Master, I was just thinking that since I have now entered the gate and cultivated true Qi, what Daoist arts will you teach me next? That way, I can assist you in supporting a wise ruler and conquering the world in the future."

"Daoist arts? Hahaha, you greedy little rascal!"

Shen Gongbao laughed, raised his hand, and pointed at Lu Chuan. "You are like a newborn infant who hasn't even learned to walk, yet you want to start running?"

"Master, how can you say that? Daoist arts are so profound and miraculous; once learned, one can fly through the heavens, tunnel through the earth, and summon wind and rain just like an immortal. Who wouldn't want to learn them?" Lu Chuan pouted.

In this world, Daoist arts and magical treasures were so dazzling that one's actual cultivation and power seemed less impressive by comparison.

Even the dignified Twelve Golden Immortals, Guangchengzi and Chi Jingzi, were like tigers without claws once they lost their treasures. It went without saying for everyone else.

When those two were invited down from the mountains to subdue the disciples they had taught who were now aiding the tyrant, they were defeated by their own students because of their reliance on treasures, eventually having to flee in disgrace, losing all face.

If Lu Chuan were to describe these two masters, the first word that came to mind would be "honest."

They taught their disciples with all their hearts, holding nothing back, and even gave away their most precious treasures without blinking. There were no such honest men left in the world.

If one were to seek a master to learn from, such a master would be the absolute best choice.

When Lu Chuan had first realized he wanted to run away from home to seek a master, these two were his primary targets. But as things stood now...

He could only say that he and those two were not fated to be together!

Later facts proved that, indeed, one should not be too honest.

Look at another martial uncle, Juliusun.

It was almost the same situation—both had disciples descend the mountain to aid Zhou of Shang—yet the final outcomes were vastly different.

This martial uncle knew how to hold back a trick or two when teaching his disciple.

Later, the dwarf Tu Xingsun stole his Immortal Binding Rope and went down the mountain to aid Zhou of Shang, his masterful Earth Travel Technique causing Jiang Ziya, Nezha, Yang Jian, and the others endless misery.

Yet, after Juliusun descended the mountain, he used a simple "Point Ground to Steel" technique to effortlessly break Tu Xingsun's Earth Travel Technique and discipline his disciple.

However, it is still not recommended to take such a master, one who holds back against his own disciple, as a teacher.

"You have only just succeeded in Foundation Establishment; it is better not to aim too high for now."

Shen Gongbao said, "Next, you must circulate this true qi through your Small Heavenly Circuit for two months to solidify your foundation before I pass on some martial arts to you. Besides, even if I were to teach you Daoist arts, do you think you could learn to use them without any foundation of power?"

"This disciple knows his mistake."

Lu Chuan hurriedly admitted his fault. In truth, he had no intention of learning Daoist arts; he had only said it off the cuff to brush off Shen Gongbao when asked what he was thinking.

He also knew that learning Daoist arts was just like reading an essay.

Although the two things he used as examples were completely unrelated, the principle remained the same.

If you do not first learn some characters and accumulate a foundation of literacy, even if you were given a marvelous method for attaining immortality, you would not be able to read it, would you?

"Hmm!"

Shen Gongbao nodded and smiled, "Then you must work hard and apply yourself. When your master holds the List of Conferred Gods in the future, if you wish to enter the Divine Path, I will certainly reserve an excellent divine position for you."

"Master..."

Lu Chuan's face darkened upon hearing this. "Master, are you cursing me?"

"What curse? You brat, don't mistake a good heart for malice. A position as an Orthodox God is not like those monsters in ruined temples; once a position as an Orthodox God is set, the incense and offerings of the world will never cease."

Shen Gongbao pulled a long face and said, "Being on the List of Conferred Gods is not a good thing for an enlightened immortal, but for a mortal, it is a matter of supreme importance. And yet you are ungrateful..."

"Then... thank you, Master."

Lu Chuan's expression shifted for a moment before he bowed. "If this disciple is truly fated to have no connection with the Immortal Path... then I shall trouble you, Master."

If he truly could not attain the Immortal Path, then the only way to avoid entering the cycle of reincarnation was to join the Divine Path.

Lu Chuan understood in his heart that Shen Gongbao was indeed acting out of concern for him.

But, as long as there was even a glimmer of hope, he would absolutely never give up the path of immortality to join the Divine Path.

Furthermore...

Looking at Shen Gongbao's figure, Lu Chuan heaved a long sigh in his heart.

Holding the List of Conferred Gods?

But Master, how could you know that you, too, are a person named upon that List of Conferred Gods!