While the five Godfiend Temple Elders were reeling in excitement, the crowd of Connate Godfiend descendants broke into an uproar. The fourteen-year-old Wing had really defeated General Yuchang! With him so strong now, he was likely to become a Godfiend in the future.
"He will definitely enter the Godfiend realm if he cultivates for another century or so. That will mean eternal life. All of us will only live for five hundred years."
"Ambition, you actually managed to train up such a powerful son. Is beating your son’s ass really so effective? Looks like I will have to give it a try."
"Ambition was just pulling your leg. You actually believed him?"
Amid the din, the hunchbacked elder said, "Ambition, bring Wing and your wife along."
"Yes." Highwarrior Ambition answered immediately. The beautiful woman beamed, and her eyes narrowed into curved slits.
The couple brought Qin Yun into a room. They sat cross-legged and faced a cauldron. The cauldron had a fire burning beneath it and there was copious amounts of meat in it. A female servant was roasting the meat and pouring condiments on it. Shortly after they arrived, she placed the cooked meat on a plate, sliced it with a sharp knife, and began serving them reverentially.
"Let's talk as we eat." The hunchbacked elder grabbed a pair of bronze chopsticks and began eating the roasted meat.
Qin Yun also took a bite.
In this era, meat was the staple!
"How fragrant." Qin Yun could feel the rich spiritual energy within the meat that gave it its fragrance. It was supreme enjoyment all in one bite! It had been slightly more than ten thousand years since the world came into existence, so the vegetation and animals were still filled with spiritual energy. They made for especially delicious food.
The Highwarrior couple also ate happily.
"Wing," said the hunchbacked elder with a smile. "I noticed that your sword skills possess the intent of Heaven. How did you train?"
"Elder," said Qin Yun after he immediately swallowed the meat he was chewing. "During my Coming of Age ceremony, I was severely injured and nearly died. Back then, the demon's claws tore apart my chest and I was rescued by Dawn and the others. As I lay there resting and healing, I kept thinking about the instant the claw shredded my chest. I gradually began to think of measures to parry the attack and felt that using a sword would be most suitable. My sword art is extremely fast, making it possible for me to resist fiendish demons. It is unfathomable, like moonlight."
"He gained insights into the Heavenly Dao's intent while bordering life and death?" thought the elder secretly. "As I expected."
Qin Yun did not speak further.
He was a Paramount realm sword immortal. His homeworld had a long history and there were countless people who had achieved the intent realm during that history. At the very least least, all Connate Golden Core cultivators were capable of doing so! Therefore, Qin Yun could naturally fabricate a perfect explanation. For example, Yi Xiao was once struck by divine lightning. On one hand, she came into close contact with divine lightning, and on the other, her potential arose while she bordered life and death, allowing her to gain insights into the Lightning intent.
These Connate Godfiend descendants had powerful souls and were capable of Heaven Man Unity. They could easily control the Heaven and Earth powers. Those that could attain Heaven Man Unity could naturally perceive the movements of the Heavenly Dao. However, gaining insight was a different story altogether. It was possible to gain insights while hanging between life and death because of their great potential.
"Elder," said an alarmed Highwarrior Ambition. "Are you implying that Wing has grasped the Heaven's intent realm?"
His beautiful wife beside him was also reeling in disbelief.
"That's right." The elder smiled.
"Then, then… Wing… will become a Godfiend?" Highwarrior Ambition found it unbelievable.
"It shouldn't take long." The elder smiled with a nod. "Those that grasp the Heaven's intent realm will definitely enter the Godfiend realm with the aid of a Connate Godfiend patriarch."
Qin Yun sighed wistfully when he heard that.
"Connate Godfiend descendants truly enjoy exceptional advantages. It's so much easier for them to cultivate than ordinary humans. According to the Highwarrior Three Volumes, once one can produce the fourth runic pattern out of the six, they have basically reached the first Firmament of the Godfiend realm. Daoists and Buddhists must first step into the Dao before they can become immortals or arhats."
"With the insights from my Paramount realm, I believe it will take half a month to reach the fourth runic pattern if I study it carefully."
"If it's only at the intent domain realm… it will probably take me decades to grasp the fourth runic pattern."
"If it is the intent realm, there's probably no hope at all without outside help," thought Qin Yun. "In this present era, Connate Godfiends are all alive. With the patriarchs' help, one can naturally break through more easily."
"That's good. I can use this opportunity to break through to the Godfiend realm."
"I entered this world by invoking a hundred-year dream. Because this dream is so realistic, I can still sense the Heavenly Dao in this world. Although there are some differences with the Heavenly Dao from my homeworld, they’re only superficial. The core is still the same," thought Qin Yun. "Since the Heavenly Dao is real, I believe my soul will become stronger if I can step into the Godfiend realm. It will also make my cultivation faster."
He could only spend fifty years in this world. After that the dream would shatter.
He needed to make good use of that time to increase his strength.
Fire Phoenix City, deep in the Godfiend Temple.
Beside a black lake.
A Godfiend Temple Elder dressed in black robes stood beside the lake. A mist gradually rose above the lake as a phantom appeared. It was a stocky figure dressed in a simple beast hide. A gigantic snake coiled around his left arm and his pupils were golden in color as they locked onto the elder. The figure was none other than the Connate Godfiend Highwarrior.
A Connate Godfiend's bloodline was too powerful. It was difficult for them to bear children as they typically took human wives. After ten thousand years of procreation, the Highwarrior family's offspring was spread out among the nine human cities. Of course, the majority, nearly half of them, lived in High Warrior City.
"Firephoenix Youxu, you were looking for me?" the man in beast hide said with a repressive voice.
"Godfiend Highwarrior." Firephoenix Youxu bowed slightly. He was at the second Firmament of the Godfiend realm. He was not much lower in standing than Connate Godfiend Highwarrior. "I have a good news for you. Your Highwarrior family has a child named Wing in Fire Phoenix City. He's only fourteen but he has grasped the Heavenly Dao's intent realm during the Coming of Age ceremony."
"What? Fourteen? He just finished the Coming of Age ceremony and he has already grasped the Heavenly Dao's intent realm? Haha. To grasp it at such a young age, he would probably reach the second Firmament of the Godfiend realm if he cultivates for a few centuries or millennia." Highwarrior looked delighted. "Great, I'll send Juyong to Fire Phoenix City."
"Alright." Firephoenix Youxu nodded.
Highwarrior Juyong was a Godfiend whose standing was only second to the patriarch of the Highwarrior family. He had similarly reached the second Firmament of the Godfiend realm. By sending him, Highwarrior was showing the importance he placed on Wing. As for the Connate Godfiend himself? He would typically preside over the city and not leave without good reason.
Qin Yun ate the roasted meat with his parents while chatting with the hunchbacked elder.
The Elder seemed to be very interested in Qin Yun and they talked about Qin Yun's fourteen years. The Highwarrior couple felt honored that an Elder would warmly chat with them.
Unknowingly, more than two hours passed.
"Swoosh."
A stream of light descended from the sky and landed outside the house. It transformed to reveal an elder with black disheveled hair.
When the elder entered, the Highwarrior couple immediately stood up, thrilled. They politely bowed, "Elder Juyong."
"Juyong?" Qin Yun bowed. He immediately knew who the person was. Highwarrior Juyong was the most powerful Godfiend among the Connate Godfiend Highwarrior's descendants. He would usually stay in High Warrior City to receive the teachings of the patriarch.
"Good."
The elder's gaze landed on Qin Yun. "Are you Wing?"
"Yes," said Qin Yun politely.
The elder replied, "I can sense the Highwarrior bloodline in you. However, it doesn’t seem to be particularly strong. Did you really grasp the Heavenly Dao's intent realm?"
"I guess so." Qin Yun looked nervous.
"Then, release your Godfiend powers and slash at this cauldron with a sword beam. Remember, the sword beam has to contain the Heavenly Dao's intent." The elder pointed to a cauldron nearby and instructed.
"Yes."
Qin Yun immediately waved his hand and cleaved at the cauldron more than a hundred feet away.
Swoosh.
He cleaved with his palm, condensing a sword beam with his Godfiend powers. When the sword beam flew out, it struck the distant cauldron like a thin beam of moonlight. However, the beam experienced an invisible obstruction when it hit the cauldron. It was completely blocked.
"Your sword beam already has this much power. You truly have grasped the Heavenly Dao's intent realm." The black-haired elder's eyes lit up as he laughed out loudly. "My Highwarrior family will prosper! For you to grasp the Heavenly Dao's intent realm at fourteen, you even have a chance of catching up to me in the future."
"The both of you can return first." The black-haired elder looked at the Highwarrior couple and instructed. "Wing will have to enter seclusive cultivation. He will return after his cultivation."
"Yes."
"Wing, listen to the Elder." The Highwarrior couple was extremely excited. They knew that their son would enjoy a meteoric rise.
"Yes, Father." Qin Yun answered obediently.
After the Highwarrior couple left, the female servants left too. There was only Qin Yun and the two Elders left in the room.
"In other occasions, clansmen who attain the intent realm would be sent to your family's city. This time, you have come personally to us. Your family sure thinks highly of this child," said the hunchbacked elder with a smile.
"Patriarch personally gave me the instructions so I naturally had to come." The black-haired elder flipped his hand and produced a black palm-sized stone before handing it to Qin Yun. "Wing, our Highwarrior family's patriarch is a Connate Godfiend. When the world came into existence, this stone was Patriarch's Spiritual Companion Item, Stone of the Earth! This Spiritual Companion Item is the most important treasure of the Highwarrior family. Patriarch has directed me to loan you this stone for a hundred years of cultivation. Remember, the Stone of the Earth has to be left in Godfiend Temple's Fire Phoenix Nest. If you want to cultivate, come to the Godfiend Temple. The Stone of the Earth is not to leave the vicinity. Our Highwarrior family cannot afford to lose it."
"Yes, I understand," replied Qin Yun immediately.
"Your Highwarrior family is lending the Stone of the Earth to this young kid for a hundred years?" The hunchbacked elder was astonished.
A Spiritual Companion Item would be consumed gradually with every use.
It was destined to dissipate one day.
To let a descendant use it for a hundred years was an astonishing investment. The clansmen that cultivated for centuries before grasping the Heavenly Dao's intent realm would typically use a Spiritual Companion Item for about four years. That amount of time was sufficient for them to break through to the Godfiend realm.
"It's Patriarch's decision," said the black-haired elder. "Alright, quickly open the Fire Phoenix Nest. Let Wing cultivate in there."
"Alright, follow me," said the hunchbacked elder.