Eternal Life from the Golden Needle Technique

Chapter 373: Chapter 370: The Situation

High above in the sky, the air currents rushed past him, but Shen Changchuan wore a gloomy expression.

Six months of painstaking Cultivation, and his Cultivation hadn’t budged an inch.

This was the first time he had ever encountered such a situation since starting on the Path of Immortal Cultivation!

Even when he broke through from the Qi Introduction Realm to the Soul Emergence Realm, it hadn’t been this difficult!

This was the first time Shen Changchuan had faced an obstacle he found difficult to overcome!

Moreover, it would have been better if there was a problem with his Cultivation method.

Once he knew the root of the problem, he could find the right solution.

At least there would be a direction to follow!

But the problem was, there was nothing wrong with him at all!

This was simply a hurdle that every Cultivator in the Soul Emergence Realm was bound to face!

There was no clear path forward!

This wasn’t just Shen Changchuan’s own arrogant assumption.

It wasn’t a case of ’if I think there’s no problem, then there’s no problem’.

Others thought so as well!

Five months ago, just after Shen Changchuan had raised his Cultivation to the Soul Emergence Third Layer Peak, he sensed a distinct bottleneck ahead.

After a month of Cultivation, it hadn’t budged in the slightest.

So, he went to ask Senior Sister Wei for advice.

Senior Sister Wei was astounded by his Cultivation speed and the depth of his solid foundation, exclaiming that it was incredible.

After expressing her admiration, she also frankly admitted that when she was at the Soul Emergence Third Layer Realm, her foundation might not have been as strong as his.

She also shared her perspective.

”Your inability to sense an opportunity for a breakthrough isn’t your fault. At least, I can’t see anything wrong with your Cultivation.”

”Breaking through in the Soul Emergence Realm is just that difficult. Bottlenecks are not so easily overcome.”

”In fact, the very idea that you only encountered a bottleneck after reaching the Soul Emergence Third Layer Peak is already incredible to me.”

”Countless Cultivators in the Soul Emergence Realm get stuck at the First and Second Realms for years, even decades, without any progress. The bottleneck at the Third Layer Peak is an obstacle that many can never overcome in their entire lifetime.”

”Just let nature take its course. Perhaps one day, when fate decrees, you’ll naturally break through.”

”Besides, with your foundation, if you just polish it for a few years, a breakthrough will be a natural result...”

At the time, Shen Changchuan had only been at the Third Layer Peak for a month, so he didn’t think much of it.

He thanked his Senior Sister and put the matter out of his mind.

Now, five months had passed, and his Cultivation Realm was still completely stagnant.

The bottleneck of the Third Layer Peak lay before him, showing no signs of loosening.

Naturally, Shen Changchuan was starting to get anxious.

He couldn’t see any hope of a breakthrough.

He examined himself thoroughly, but still couldn’t find the slightest problem.

How could Shen Changchuan not be frustrated by this?

’Do I really have to be like Senior Sister said and grind away at this Realm for two or three years, slowly trying to break through?’

’But with the current situation... where am I going to find another three years to improve?’

He recalled the news he had heard recently.

Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but sigh.

Currently, the major powers of the Tian Nan Domain and the Nanyue Kingdom had already entered a phase of large-scale, chaotic warfare.

It was a back-and-forth struggle, a brutal and lively slaughter.

Even the Dragon Cloud Sect had already lost many Outer Disciples in the battles on the front lines.

The developing situation forced Shen Changchuan to improve his strength as much as possible.

A mere Soul Emergence Third Layer Realm Peak was ultimately not enough.

’To break through quickly, I need either an Elixir or a Secret Technique...’

’An Elixir is probably out of the question in the short term.’

’I only saw an Elixir capable of helping someone break through a major hurdle in the Soul Emergence Realm once, at an auction in Fangxian City three years ago, and it sold for an astronomical price!’

’That’s something difficult to buy even if you have the Spirit Stones, not to mention this kind of Elixir is said to have come from an Alchemist of the Yuqing Immortal Sect, making it incredibly precious.’

’Then I can only rely on a Secret Technique.’

’Perhaps I should try to get my hands on that Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu as soon as possible?’

’The Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu can more than double one’s Cultivation speed, so it should also provide a boost in this regard...’

’But over the past three years of searching, although I’ve gathered almost all the materials, I’m still missing the most crucial ingredient, the Gold-Devouring Spirit Butterfly, and there’s no news of it whatsoever. I’m afraid refining the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu won’t be that easy!’

Shen Changchuan’s brows furrowed tightly.

’It seems I can only ask my master for help...’

’No, wait!’

Suddenly, Shen Changchuan remembered something, and his eyes lit up.

’When Senior Brother Wu Tianhao broke through to the Soul Emergence Fourth Layer Realm, didn’t he say he used some kind of Secret Technique?’

’Perhaps I can follow his path?’

’Even if I don’t use his Secret Technique, I could still learn from his breakthrough method!’

Shen Changchuan couldn’t help but recall what the other man had said when he had visited three years ago to congratulate him on his promotion to the Soul Emergence Fourth Layer.

At the time, Wu Tianhao had stated frankly that in order to face the coming war, he had no choice but to force a breakthrough using a Secret Technique.

As for the repercussions of the Secret Technique, he could only worry about fixing them later, assuming he survived.

Shen Changchuan hadn’t paid much attention back then, but looking back now, didn’t that mean the man possessed a Secret Technique that could aid in a breakthrough?!

If he could obtain this Secret Technique, could he also use it to break through to the Soul Emergence Fourth Layer?!

Once he advanced to the Soul Emergence Fourth Layer, Shen Changchuan was confident that he would dare to face even a Cultivator at the Soul Emergence Seventh Layer!

In that case, if he really had to go to the battlefield, he would have at least some confidence!

An existence at the Soul Emergence Seventh Layer was definitely considered high-level.

He wouldn’t encounter one easily.

The thoughts flashed rapidly through Shen Changchuan’s mind.

He pondered for a good while.

He soon made a decision.

’Excellent! I’ll do the same as before and pursue both paths at once!’

’On one hand, I’ll ask my master for help finding the Gold-Devouring Spirit Butterfly to prepare for refining the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu.’

’On the other hand, I’ll try to see if I can obtain that breakthrough Secret Technique from Senior Brother Wu and decide whether to cultivate it based on the situation!’

Having solved a major immediate problem, Shen Changchuan let out a long sigh of relief.

However, right now, both his master, Master Wandering Dragon, and Senior Brother Wu Tianhao were still fighting in the Nanyue Kingdom.

’Should I make a trip over there, or just write a letter to ask?’

....

「Five days later.」

Shen Changchuan returned to the Sect.

He went straight to the Outer Bath to turn in his mission and, while he was there, ask for news about Master Wandering Dragon and Wu Tianhao.

Afterward, he planned to go to Dawan Village to see if his maternal grandfather, Han Qinhu, could deal with the spoils from those two Demon Cultivators, and exchange them for some Immortal Cultivation Resources.

Over the past few years, as the Tian Nan Domain and the Nanyue Kingdom clashed violently, a lot of spoils of war had flowed back from the front lines.

Demon Artifacts were no longer so universally condemned.

The Demon Artifacts held by Shi Miaoying and the other three after the auction three years ago had been sold by Shen Changchuan for a decent price.

However, compared to those Demon Artifacts with a low degree of evil, this Soul Refining Banner... was truly too vicious and wicked.

He was afraid it would be difficult to handle.

For a moment, Shen Changchuan felt it was quite troublesome.

But soon, he stopped worrying about it, because, after he had finished turning in his mission, Senior Sister Wei Yuting urgently assigned him another mission to the front lines...