Attribute [Third Update—Please Follow]

The Comprehension Fruit was a rare spirit fruit. Consuming it could enhance one's innate comprehension, and it was worth only slightly less than a lower-grade third-tier precious material.

"Would a Rogue Cultivator really take out something like this to trade downward? Were they genuinely running some kind of benefit event?"

Even He Sheng found it hard to believe. It was not merely because the item was precious; more importantly, to him, a heavenly treasure capable of enhancing innate comprehension was even more valuable than Core Formation resources.

This was precisely the spirit item he had dreamed of!

"The Comprehension Fruit can be called an upgraded version of Spirit Rhinoceros Grass. After consuming it, not only can one immediately squeeze out more general cultivation time, there will also be long-term benefits afterward.

"If a Comprehension Fruit truly appears at the exchange gathering, I must get my hands on it no matter what!"

The Comprehension Fruit was simply too important to He Sheng, and a trace of longing unconsciously surfaced on his face. Wind Spirit struck while the iron was hot.

"Fellow Daoist Xiang, have you found something that moves you? Then what is there to consider?

"Hurry and join our Southern Mountain Society. At the gathering three days from now, you will have priority in making exchanges!"

He Sheng was determined to obtain the Comprehension Fruit and had naturally already decided to join the Southern Mountain Society. Yet he did not immediately agree. Instead, he lifted his tea bowl, took a sip, and said blandly,

"Fellow Daoist Wind, when we met previously, you raised three questions, yet only told me the difference between ancient cultivators and modern cultivators.

"The other two questions—what is a Divine Ability, and what is an Attribute?

"You still have not told me, and I have kept them on my mind."

Wind Spirit was first taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter.

"I had forgotten about that."

Wind Spirit cupped his hands, adopting an apologetic posture.

"This was indeed my fault.

"Since Fellow Daoist Xiang has been so concerned about it, I shall now clear up your doubts."

As he spoke, Wind Spirit straightened up, his smile fading as a hint of solemnity appeared on his face.

"You already know the difference between ancient cultivation and modern cultivation, and you know that the great immortal sects of this age all cultivate the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way.

"Then what is a Divine Ability?"

Wind Spirit paused, his gaze burning as he looked at He Sheng.

"The great cultivators of the immortal sects naturally have their own settled views. Wind is merely a Rogue Cultivator, but what I have heard is... a Divine Ability is the Path to Ascension!"

"The Path to Ascension?" He Sheng raised his brows slightly and hurriedly asked, "What does that mean? How does one ascend to heaven?"

"According to legend, a Divine Ability is a path leading directly to the Dao Fruit.

"As for transformations at higher levels, Wind does not know. But as for how the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way achieves Core Formation during the Foundation Establishment stage, Wind shall reveal everything he knows for Fellow Daoist Xiang's reference."

Wind Spirit lifted his teacup and took a light sip, moistening his throat before continuing.

"Fellow Daoist Xiang has also heard me mention before that the methods of the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way use breath absorption to enter the Dao. One then consumes qi to nourish life; once the Dao Foundation is forged, one may obtain a Nascent Life Divine Ability.

"The key to the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way lies in the two words, 'Divine Ability.'"

Wind Spirit lowered his voice further, once more assuming an air of mystery.

"Achieving the Dao Foundation and obtaining a Nascent Life Divine Ability is only the beginning.

"If one wishes to break through a realm—for example, from Foundation Establishment Early Stage to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage—one must refine another Divine Ability Embryo that accords with the Nascent Life Divine Ability of one's Dao Foundation.

"The same is true for Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

"Once one possesses three compatible Divine Ability Embryos, one may use them as the foundation to charge into the Core Formation realm."

At this point, a trace of reverence flashed through Wind Spirit's eyes.

"If successful, one can borrow the power of Dragon-Tiger Baleful Intent during Core Formation to refine the three Divine Ability Embryos into a single Divine Ability Seed, planting it within one's own Golden Core and evolving supreme mysteries.

"If unsuccessful, one will naturally perish, body and Dao alike."

He looked at He Sheng and summarized,

"The Breath-Absorbing Divine Way is utterly different from the Qi Refining and Void-Unifying Path cultivated by people like us. Every step of cultivation is extraordinarily difficult, and breakthroughs are exceptionally dangerous.

"Yet once one successfully advances into a higher realm, the power one commands far surpasses that of our Qi Refining and Void-Unifying Path."

He Sheng more or less understood. The Breath-Absorbing Divine Way cultivated the Dao Fruit, while Divine Abilities were the boats or bridges that crossed over to the Dao Fruit on the other shore.

"No wonder that when I previously used the Time-Reversing Water Clock to cultivate the Clear Ripple Water Control Art to its deepest reaches, it mentioned some kind of high-order power.

"Now that I think about it, if the Subtle Ripple Intent Realm advanced one step further, it would touch upon a Divine Ability Embryo. This kind of power should be some descended form of Dao Fruit power?"

He Sheng faintly grasped something, then pressed on.

"Then what does 'Attribute' mean?"

He still remembered that when Wind Spirit had previously mentioned the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way, he had said that this method used one's own fate to determine one's "Attribute" from the very beginning.

But as for how exactly to understand it, He Sheng naturally still needed Wind Spirit to resolve his doubts.

"This Attribute is the foundation of the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way."

Wind Spirit did not beat around the bush and explained in detail.

"The Breath-Absorbing Divine Way achieves Divine Abilities through one's own fate.

"As for fate, spirit roots are merely one manifestation. The root lies in Attributes.

"Put simply, the word 'Attribute' refers to the affiliations of yin, yang, and the five elements, as well as the nature of heavenly fate."

Using himself as an example, Wind Spirit explained further.

"Take me, for example.

"I possess metal, wood, and water spirit roots, and thus possess the three attributes of metal, wood, and water.

"But that is merely the view of the Qi Refining and Void-Unifying Path.

"From the perspective of the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way, the heavenly fates of metal, wood, and water are each different.

"For instance, water has six natures. It may be the True Water nature that transforms and harmonizes all things, the Chill Water nature of utmost yin and cold, or the Netherflow Water nature that passes through the underworld, among others.

"The methods of the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way require one, at the beginning of cultivation, to determine one's fate and choose a strand of heaven-and-earth spiritual qi that accords with one's own Attribute to consume,

"Using it as a guide to link one's fate and enter the Dao in a single stroke."

He Sheng pondered carefully before saying,

"In other words, every person is born with different innate Attributes?"

"That is correct!

"Take me. Though I possess metal, wood, and water spirit roots, and seem to bear three Attributes, my primary fate is [Aligned Metal], while my secondary fate is [Netherflow Water]."

As Wind Spirit spoke, he saw that He Sheng was listening with rapt attention and great interest, so he added,

"If Fellow Daoist wishes to test his own fate, I can obtain a second-tier Fate-Reading Talisman for you. That is an exclusive talisman of the Southern Mountain Society's leader."

He Sheng thanked him along with the flow of the conversation. Wind Spirit waved a hand.

"It is nothing. In any case, for ancient Foundation Establishment cultivators like us, testing one's fate is of little use. After all, the Dao Foundation has already been forged, and at our present realm, it is simply impossible to consider recultivating."

Wind Spirit appeared entirely candid.

Outwardly, He Sheng nodded along as well, looking as though he deeply agreed. Yet within, turbulent waves had already surged, raising monstrous billows!

Ordinary cultivators could not consider recultivating after Foundation Establishment because the cost was too great. Whether dispersing one's cultivation or destroying one's own Dao Foundation, either would directly cost one's life.

But He Sheng was different!

He had the Time-Reversing Water Clock!

"When I previously rolled my cultivation back to Foundation Establishment Early Stage, I suffered no harm whatsoever. Judging from the effects of the Time-Reversing Water Clock, even if I rolled back all my cultivation, I probably would not suffer any damage!"

"Fellow Daoist Wind speaks most reasonably."

He Sheng took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the excitement that was nearly bursting from his chest. He kept his face as calm as possible, revealing not the slightest abnormality.

After a pause, he asked his next question as if casually.

"It seems that Fellow Daoist Wind's ability to judge that I was a Rogue Cultivator before was most likely related to Divine Abilities or Attributes?"

"Fellow Daoist Xiang is indeed a person of keen intelligence. You guessed the key point at once."

Wind Spirit did not conceal it and revealed the crux of the matter.

"Those who have cultivated a Divine Ability Embryo possess a unique spiritual charm.

"As long as one uses divine sense to perceive them in a particular manner, one will see light shining outside their body."

He Sheng suddenly understood.

Since a secret technique could detect the existence of Divine Ability Embryos, then someone like him, who had cultivated to Foundation Establishment Late Stage without yet possessing a Divine Ability Embryo, was naturally a Rogue Cultivator following the Qi Refining and Void-Unifying Path.

After all, cultivators of the Breath-Absorbing Divine Way needed one Divine Ability for each realm within the Foundation Establishment Realm.

"I must learn this method for observing the spiritual light of Divine Abilities."

A thought stirred in He Sheng's mind. He did not want to repeat Brother Piao's mistake.

He immediately swallowed his pride and asked Wind Spirit about this method. Wind Spirit looked at him and said,

"Has Fellow Daoist considered this carefully?"

This time, He Sheng did not hesitate. He nodded decisively, and the two exchanged glances and smiled.