Teng Kun's predicament

Teng Kun's situation

Realm Breakthrough becomes increasingly difficult, with a higher probability of failure as you progress.

Some can Realm Breakthrough in an instant, while others need several months.

Some who fail to Realm Breakthrough only suffer severe injuries, while others are instantly annihilated, their souls scattered and their bodies and spirits destroyed.

Teng Kun is the former, Gu Jianzhou is the latter.

During his journey through the Marsh Forest, Zhao Changfeng only encountered danger inside the War Beast; the rest of the time, everything went smoothly, and he ultimately made a fortune.

However, he did not expect to hear such terrible news as soon as he returned to the sect, and he was stunned for a moment.

"Chen Jian and I are in the same situation."

He sighed inwardly.

Master Chen Jian failed to advance to the next realm and became a marginal figure in the Ghost-Controlling Sect. Disheartened, he secluded himself for many years, and none of his disciples paid him any attention.

He felt that he would probably have to do the same.

Old Devil Teng treated him very well, sparing no effort in his cultivation and bringing out all the treasures he had kept.

He also ordered Teng Ling to temporarily suspend the refining of the Black Flood Dragon and go to the Dim Swamp Forest to protect his life.

Most people in the Demonic Dao are selfish and self-serving, and even Righteous Dao like Song Zejun and his wife are insidious and ruthless. He felt incredibly lucky to have met Master like Old Devil Teng who treated him so sincerely.

He cherished this teacher-student relationship, but unexpectedly...

"Grandfather!"

The Brain-Devouring Snake flew through the void, heading straight for the five-story "Spirit Tower," wanting to know Teng Kun's specific situation.

"Changfeng, come here. The rest of you, return to your respective Spirit Tower to cultivate."

"Including you Lin'er!"

Teng Kun's voice rang out leisurely.

His tone was stern when he spoke of Teng Ling, clearly not wanting his granddaughter to be present as a witness to his conversation with Zhao Changfeng.

The Brain-Devouring Snake stopped its charge, its emerald green vertical pupils filled with grievance, and asked softly, "Grandpa, how are you?"

Teng Kun said calmly, "He won't die. You wait outside; I need to speak with Changfeng alone."

Although Teng Ling was extremely worried, she had no choice but to comply.

Zhao Changfeng stepped into the five-story "Spirit Tower" for the second time.

Teng Kun sat quietly beside the Blood Pool.

He looked exactly the same as when Zhao Changfeng left the sect: his skin and flesh were refined, his body was thin, and the demonic light in his single eye was dazzling.

"Master."

Zhao Changfeng bowed respectfully.

Teng Kun nodded.

Looking at the Demon Token in his hand that symbolized his status as an elder, he said sadly, "Gu Jianzhou and I actually share the same Master. We both became Registered Disciple of Elder Lin Yin at the same time."

"My Master and Shi Wangsheng were of the same generation, but his seniority was higher; he was the Grand Elder at the time."

That batch of Registered Disciple numbered nearly five hundred.

"Some died from the backlash of Devil Cultivation Method, some died in battles among their own sect members, and some perished outside the sect."

"Only Gu Jianzhou and I survived to the end and broke through to the Six Tribulations Realm."

"Now that he's dead, and I've failed to Realm Breakthrough and injured myself, I'm afraid—"

After saying this, Teng Kun no longer concealed himself. His withered and thin body was radiating a dark, deathly aura, and a faint sense of death lingered in his single eye.

"The Insect and Grass Demonic Cultivation Art allows one to collect the life essence of Worms and Insects and plants to refine oneself and enhance one's cultivation level."

"When the severe backlash occurs, both life forces are severed, leaving one shrouded in an inescapable aura of death year-round."

"Without finding the treasure containing the life force, the will to die will never be dispelled, and it will be difficult to rekindle life."

Teng Kun shook his head and gave a bitter smile.

"Our Crippled Demon Sect does not possess any of these kinds of rare treasures containing life-generating energy."

"Throughout the entire Beichen Demon Kingdom, only the Primal Demon Temple possesses a small amount of Life Source Crystal." Even the elders of the Primal Demon Temple would need to exchange them for an astronomical amount of merit points to obtain them.

"I----"

Teng Kun was clearly disheartened.

He glanced at the Red Crystal Skeleton in the Blood Pool and said reluctantly, "I'm going to vacate this Spirit Tower. I'll move into Demon Mountain and become a nominal elder of the sect."

Zhao Changfeng frowned and asked, "Why is that?"

Teng Kun Realm Breakthrough in order to quickly possess the sixth "Blood Tower," but now he has failed. Not only will he not be able to obtain the sixth "Blood Tower," but he will also have to give up the five-story "Spirit Tower."

"These are the sect's rules, and no one can change them."

Teng Kun sighed and explained the reason, "If my foundation of the Great Dao had not been destroyed, there would still be a possibility of breaking through to the next realm, and I could continue to hold onto this Spirit Tower." But the Sect Master has personally examined my condition and knows that I have no chance of advancing any further, so I cannot waste the sect's resources.

He wore a wry smile and sighed, "You finally managed to gather seven formal disciple slots for me, and all the resources had just been restored, but they've all vanished overnight."

"Changfeng, I don't blame the Sect Master, nor do I blame the sect. That's just how the rules are."

"In the future, I hope you will take good care of Lin'er and let her go to your Spirit Tower to 'temper her bones'."

Teng Kun's single eye gleamed slightly as he said, "I have decided to inform the Sect Master of your Dragon-Phoenix Rank talent, so that the Sect Master can accept you as his Personal Disciple!"

"Changfeng, I apologize for my incompetence; I can no longer shield you from the wind and rain."

"Our master-disciple relationship was something I, Teng Kun, failed to secure; it was my own failure to Realm Breakthrough, so I don't blame anyone!"

Zhao Changfeng was startled and shouted, "Master, no! Even if you fail to Realm Breakthrough, I will only acknowledge you as my Master, and I will not acknowledge anyone else!"

"Changfeng, don't act impulsively."

Old Man Teng Kun was relieved, but still gently advised, "All of the Sect Master's disciples died in an accident, and he has no disciples left. He was once disheartened and refused to take on any more disciples."

"You possess Soul Refining Talent of the Dragon-Phoenix Rank; he will surely be willing to take you as his personal disciple and regard you as the future pillar of the Crippled Demon Sect."

"At that time, all the sect's resources will be directed towards you. I only hope that you will remember this past relationship and allow Lin'er to continue to temper this body in your future Spirit Tower or Blood Tower."

He is about to move out of this five-story Spirit Tower.

In the future, Teng Ling will no longer be able to use the Blood Pool Soul Pillar in the Spirit Tower, and the current condition of Teng Ling's remains, even when immersed in the four-story Spirit Tower, can only be barely maintained.

Even a five-story Spirit Tower would struggle to grow internal organs from skeletons; only Blood Tower could lend a helping hand.

In Teng Kun's eyes, Zhao Changfeng, who possesses Dragon-Phoenix Rank talent, would surely be able to possess a five-story Spirit Tower, or even a Blood Tower, if carefully trained by Jiang Xuanqi, given time.

"Master, even without Sect Master Jiang's resource allocation, I can quickly acquire a four-story Spirit Tower."

"A five-story Spirit Tower, at most three to five years."

"Blood Tower, within ten years!"

Zhao Changfeng no longer concealed his abilities, declaring confidently, "I have already reached the Middle Stage the Primordial Spirit Realm, and my divine bones are almost fully formed! With the three-tiered Spirit Tower in hand, I only need one or two months to advance to the Late Stage the Primordial Spirit Realm."

"Within a year, I will definitely break through to the Three Calamities Realm. At that time, I will first have Senior Sister Teng place my remains in my four-story Spirit Tower."

"Master, I do not wish to switch allegiance and become a disciple of the Sect Master. Please allow Master."

Zhao Changfeng kowtowed respectfully.

"Mid- Middle Stage Primordial Spirit Realm? His divine bones are about to be fully formed?!" Teng Kun's single eye was filled with astonishment as he murmured, "Truly worthy of Dragon-Phoenix Rank talent."

He frowned, pondered for a long, long time, and said, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't force you for now. At any time, if you change your mind, I can send you before the Sect Master!"

Zhao Changfeng smiled brightly, "Never."

Central Continent.

Scripture Treasury.

Zhao Changfeng presented the Fiend Crystal, keeping six Third Rank evil crystals and one Fourth Rank Fiend Crystal for himself, intending to see if it was possible to refine them into the Small Cauldron within his body.

"You originally had nine hundred merits; with these added, you now have a total of sixteen thousand nine hundred merits."

Hu Yongren, a nominal elder who shared a similar fate with Teng Kun, had also failed to Realm Breakthrough and damaged his foundation in the Great Dao. He squinted his small eyes as he recorded Zhao Changfeng's merits, and suddenly asked, "Whom do you plan to switch allegiance to?"

Zhao Changfeng was taken aback, then immediately understood his meaning, and said with little enthusiasm, "I still recognize my Master and don't plan to find another famous teacher."

According to seniority, Hu Yongren is of a higher generation than Teng Kun, having failed to Realm Breakthrough a hundred years ago.

He also lost a five-story "Spirit Tower".

Now, he oversees the sect's Scripture Treasury and receives a certain amount of Spirit Jade and merit points annually.

This is done simply to leave some foundation for future generations in the mortal world, hoping that some descendants will be able to make us proud.

"Back then, after I failed to break through to the next realm, all eight of my disciples switched to other sects."

Hu Yongren smiled calmly, seemingly unconcerned, and said, "With your Exceptional Level talent, there are plenty of elders willing to take you in and nurture you."

"Zhao Changfeng, the sect doesn't forbid this, are you really not going to consider it?"

"Little Teng Kun, with his foundation in the Great Dao broken, has no future."

The fact that Zhao Changfeng obtained so many Fiend Crystal from the Dim Swamp Forest, regardless of how he did it, proves his outstanding personal ability.

With his superior performance in the Yuanqi Stage Realm and his dazzling display in the Primordial Spirit Realm, Zhao Changfeng, for the sake of the sect, hoped that he would find another worthy master.

Zhao Changfeng shook his head, then, a thought struck him, and he asked, "Senior, how do I obtain the Life Source Crystal from the Primal Demon Temple?"

"I know my current merits are far from enough. If I accumulate enough merits, could the Sect Master exchange them for a piece from the Primal Demon Temple for me?"

Hu Yongren gazed intently at him, already understanding why he craved the "Life Source Crystal," and immediately exclaimed, "Little Teng Kun is quite lucky; he's actually managed to take on such a fine disciple."

After a moment's thought, the elder from the sect, who had been there earlier, said, "Even if you have accumulated enough merit points, you still cannot exchange them for 'Life Source Crystal' from the Primal Demon Temple. Unless you are a member of the Primal Demon Temple and can accumulate a massive amount of merit points, you will have no hope of exchanging them."

"This thing did not originate in our Human Race realm, but rather from the secret Unordered Zone of other races."

The "Life Source Crystal of the Primal Demon Temple" are also hard-won, and are prioritized for distribution to disciples with Genius Rank Soul Refining Talent, rather than being exchanged for by elders using their merit points.

"Xu Lang and Qin Hui are the only two people in the Primal Demon Temple at the moment, and each of them has been rewarded with a Life Source Crystal."

"They used the Life Source Crystal to transform their Flesh, Bones, and Sinews. Only after they break through the Six Tribulations Realm can they completely refine this substance."

"If you want a Life Source Crystal," you'll have to find an opportunity to kill these two and extract the unequaled Life Source Crystal from their bodies."

Hu Yongren pointed out the only way out.

Zhao Changfeng was secretly astonished, not expecting Qin Hui to possess Genius Rank Soul Refining Talent, already becoming a key figure being cultivated by the Primal Demon Temple.

"Xu Lang, what is your current cultivation level?"

Zhao Changfeng inquired.

"The Late Stage of the Three Calamities Realm, or perhaps the Great Perfection, but the exact level is unknown."

Hu Yongren squinted and said softly, "Xiao Teng Kun didn't tell you these things because killing Xu Lang and Qin Hui is extremely difficult."

"For the time being, Qin Hui should not be able to leave the Primal Demon Temple. Even if he does, he will be secretly protected by the elders."

"Even Long Chen is no match for Xu Lang."

"None of the elders of the Beichen Demon Kingdom Demon Sects to bully Xu Lang, who was weaker than him. No one could kill him at the Three Calamities Realm, and he seemed to be close to breaking through to the Six Tribulations Realm."

"Zhao Changfeng, do you really think you can kill Xu Lang?"