Cultivation Online

’This bitch really thinks I’m stupid...’ Zi Xuan narrowed her eyes at Shiva’s back.

Even though Shiva had withdrawn her killing intent and claimed it was merely a misunderstanding, Zi Xuan did not believe her in the slightest.

However, Zi Xuan ultimately decided against attacking Shiva and instead continued observing her carefully.

After all, even if she did make a move, she had no real confidence in her ability to defeat Shiva, especially since they were not in the Nine Heavens.

Meanwhile, as Yuan’s affinity gradually became more pronounced, his understanding of the cultivation technique also deepened accordingly.

Suddenly, after an entire day had passed, the Eternal Essence surrounding Yuan violently expanded outward like a bursting bubble, transforming everything it touched into essence.

Zi Xuan and Shiva hastily retreated the moment it happened, nearly getting caught within the expanding wave of Eternal Essence themselves.

The Eternal Essence continued expanding outward for countless miles, completely erasing everything in its path.

Fortunately, Yuan had deliberately moved far enough away beforehand, preventing the main island from being entirely consumed. Even so, by the time the expanding wave finally stopped, a sizeable portion of the island had vanished.

Yuan slowly opened his eyes shortly afterward.

He then released a small amount of Eternal Essence from his palm and quietly examined it.

”Shiva was right...” he muttered. ”I can naturally sense my affinity now.”

[Progress: 30%]

However, there was still one slight issue remaining.

Yuan returned to the main island, where Shiva and Zi Xuan had retreated earlier, before looking at Shiva and asking,

”What kind of affinity is this?”

He revealed his Eternal Essence to her, and unlike before, it now radiated with a myriad of colors resembling a miniature galaxy, as though he were holding the entire universe within the palm of his hand.

Shiva subconsciously swallowed nervously and did her utmost to maintain a calm exterior.

Then, with a deliberately nonchalant expression, she answered, ”I... don’t know.”

”What?” Yuan frowned.

”There are countless different affinities in existence and only so many Eternals,” Shiva explained in a calm voice. ”Do you really think I would recognize every single affinity out there?”

Of course, she was lying.

”With that being said, I believe it would be best if you refrain from using that affinity too openly, especially in the presence of other Eternals...” Shiva continued.

”Unless, of course, you wish to become the subject of their experiments.”

”Furthermore, an unknown affinity is far more dangerous than you realize,” Shiva warned him.

Yuan glanced around at the destruction surrounding them before releasing a helpless sigh.

”You don’t need to tell me that.”

Some time later, after restoring the damaged portion of the island, Yuan returned to the chamber to test his newly awakened Eternal Essence.

He plucked off a tiny piece of the Void Fragment and began crafting another treasure with it.

However, the moment he attempted to refine the Void Fragment using his newly awakened Eternal Essence, his eyes widened in shock.

The Void Fragment was completely destroyed upon contact with it.

”What the...?” Yuan muttered before looking at Shiva with a puzzled face.

”What exactly do you expect me to say?” Shiva shrugged.

”What am I doing wrong?” Yuan asked.

”What you’re doing isn’t inherently wrong,” Shiva replied. ”If anything, the issue lies with your affinity itself. You’ve only just awakened it, so naturally, you’re still unable to properly control it.”

”So I am using too much of it?”

Yuan tried again, but this time, he carefully controlled his Eternal Essence and used as little of it as possible.

Yet, the result remained exactly the same. The instant his Eternal Essence fused with the Void Fragment, the material completely vaporized into thin air.

Shiva subconsciously clenched her fists as she watched Yuan use his newly awakened Eternal Essence.

’I’m almost certain that his affinity is...’ She sighed inwardly, uncertain about how she should handle the situation moving forward.

As an Eternal, Shiva understood that it would be in her best interest to kill Yuan herself, because even if she chose not to act, the other Eternals would undoubtedly try to eliminate him the moment they discovered the nature of his affinity.

’A mortal capable of threatening gods—threatening our very existence... Such a thing would have once been utterly unthinkable. But now... it may truly become reality,’ Shiva sighed inwardly.

”Hey.” Yuan suddenly called out to Shiva, snapping her out of her daze.

”My Eternal Essence still destroyed it even when I used the smallest amount possible. Could this not be an issue of quantity?” He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before continuing, ”Perhaps my affinity has something to do with destruction?”

Shiva trembled the moment she heard his words, her eyes widening slightly. And despite her efforts to suppress it, a trace of killing intent once again surfaced within her gaze.

Yuan raised an eyebrow the moment he sensed the killing intent radiating from her, though he could not understand the reason behind it.

”That’s quite a dangerous look you have there, Shiva. Are you feeling alright?” he asked cautiously.

Upon realizing that her killing intent had leaked out once again, Shiva immediately relinquished control of the body back to Mu Xuelian.

Rather than answering Yuan’s question, she chose to avoid the situation altogether and retreated into silence.

”Umm... Lord Shiva said that she isn’t feeling well and needs to rest...” Mu Xuelian spoke a moment later, her voice sounding unusually stiff and awkward.

Yuan wanted to press further, but he could tell that Mu Xuelian herself was just as confused by the situation as he was.

After witnessing Shiva’s strange behavior for a second time, Zi Xuan decided to tell Yuan about what had happened during his cultivation through voice transmission, including the moment Shiva had revealed killing intent toward him earlier.

In the end, Yuan chose to remain silent about the matter for the time being while secretly raising his guard around Shiva.

Yuan soon returned to crafting treasures once again. However, because his supply of Void Fragments was limited, he decided not to use them until he figured out a way to refine materials without destroying them.

Thus, he began testing his Eternal Essence on ordinary materials. Though these ”ordinary” materials would still be considered priceless treasures within the Nine Heavens.