Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2461 - 223: Reforging

"Once a divine beast attains the Eighth Tier, advancing further turns out to be incredibly challenging, particularly when moving from the late Eighth Tier into the Ninth Tier. This hurdle proves even tougher than progressing from Class I up to the Eighth Tier, for although cultivators can assist in completely unlocking the rules embedded in its bloodline, a fundamental restriction persists."

"And that restriction sits right at the late-stage Eighth Tier."

The twisting Chaos Origin Substance rushed past them in a blur, while Heavenly Monarch Chao and Wang Ba dashed forward swiftly, exchanging hushed words:

"Apart from a handful of divine beasts endowed with exceptional bloodlines, the others need to go beyond merely drawing on their bloodline rules—they must shatter the very chains of those rules to achieve a breakthrough."

"Yet just how arduous is that feat? The bloodline rules form the core of a divine beast’s power. Attempting to escape their bindings is akin to ripping out one’s own skeleton and forging a mightier one... That’s precisely why, despite the Canlong Realm enduring for countless ages, the divine beasts who have truly ascended to the Ninth Tier are so few they could be tallied on a single hand—this scarcity has been a key driver behind the rise of the Beast’s Wild Path."

Listening to this, Wang Ba gave a nod and found himself furrowing his brow, before remarking:

"Does this imply that scarcely any divine beasts in the Realm Sea manage to surpass this barrier? That they hold no chance of advancing by their own efforts?"

Heavenly Monarch Chao shook his head subtly:

"By ordinary standards, a divine beast achieving the Ninth Tier independently is almost unattainable. Still, in the Realm Sea, a faint possibility of perseverance always lingers. A few fortunate divine beasts do succeed in reaching the Ninth Tier through their own merits, but most get trapped at the late Eighth Tier, bereft of any path to go further. As a result, no matter their prowess, divine beasts can’t claim significant roles in the Realm Sea. They’ve even ended up incorporated into a cultivator’s Hundred Arts, pursued and domesticated by cultivators."

After a brief hesitation, he pressed on:

"That said, I’ve come across tales of a Domain founded by divine beasts near the boundary separating the Third Realm Sea from the Second Realm Sea, in a spot known as Jicang Abyss. There, divine beasts hold esteemed status, and unlike cultivator customs, a Ninth-Tier divine beast dwells among them. However, close to Jicang Abyss, the Second Realm Sea’s influence warps the rules, rendering them beyond typical reasoning. If you journey across the Realm Sea later on, take care not to rashly enter Jicang Abyss, lest you invite unforeseen disasters."

Wang Ba nodded pensively in response to these words.

Heavenly Monarch Chao then grinned and added:

"On the other hand, should you master the Beast’s Wild Path completely, commanding numerous divine beasts simultaneously, they could acquire precious insights from the brief merging of their bloodlines. Such insights prove immensely valuable for them, offering a potential way to surpass their bloodline constraints. This explains why demonic beasts choose to yield to me—they sense on an instinctual level that it brings endless advantages without drawbacks. Regrettably, these demonic beasts possess no Spiritual Wisdom, so despite the chances, they fail to seize the bloodline rules, squandering the prospects entirely."

At these words, Wang Ba experienced a twinge of disappointment.

The key requirement for divine beasts to integrate into the Beast’s Wild Path lineup is the absence of Spiritual Wisdom, allowing seamless unity for smoother control in cultivation.

For creatures like Fu and its peers, combining five divine beasts into a single entity works well, given his sufficient Mental Strength to manage them. But envision assembling tens of thousands of divine beasts, all bearing Spiritual Wisdom, in one place—it would be utterly chaotic. Ironically, it’s the lack of Spiritual Wisdom that prevents these demonic beasts from reaping the rewards of bloodline integration, causing such openings to slip away unused, and the Ninth Tier to stay forever out of reach.

In that moment, an inspiration struck Wang Ba:

"What if one served as the central figure, supported by the others, enabling it to deeply grasp the bloodline rules from fellow divine beasts—perhaps then success could emerge."

To assemble the Beast’s Wild Path, demonic beasts devoid of Spiritual Wisdom are essential. Nonetheless, the lead divine beast could retain its Spiritual Wisdom, permitting focused nurturing that might propel this chosen one toward a breakthrough. Naturally, success in rearing a Ninth-Tier divine beast isn’t assured, since the creature’s innate aptitude, intellect, and fortunes play decisive roles.

He was certain the forebears of the Canlong Realm weren’t short on cleverness, yet even they produced only a sparse handful of Ninth-Tier divine beasts, underscoring the immense challenge involved.

While conversing, the pair had drawn close to the Cloud Sky Realm.

Gazing at the pristine white Domain stretching before them, Wang Ba asked with a trace of bewilderment:

"Master Chao, shouldn’t we be restoring the Canlong Realm? Why head to the Cloud Sky Realm ahead of everything?"

Heavenly Monarch Chao chuckled in reply:

"The secret to restoring the Canlong Realm is hidden inside the Cloud Sky Realm."

Just then, True Man Gai’s voice rang out from within:

"Do come inside, the pair of you. I’ve awaited your arrival for quite some time."

A fissure promptly appeared on the Realm Membrane’s surface.

Sharing a quick look, the two plunged through without delay.

Entering, they encountered True Man Gai, exchanged courteous greetings, and soon delved into talk of Buddha Tianyin’s demise, drawing a quiet sigh from True Man Gai.

Yet they didn’t dwell on emotions, shifting promptly to the core matter:

"As per your earlier guidance, Friend Chao, I’ve lost no moment; kindly follow along."

Saying so, True Man Gai guided Heavenly Monarch Chao and Wang Ba further into the depths. In short order, Wang Ba spotted a colossal tree erupting from the earth, thrusting upward to breach the Sky Dome.

This tree bore an unusual form, appearing from afar like delicate threads at its tips, while its central trunk swelled as vast as a continent, teeming with vibrant greenery, its exact rank elusive yet undoubtedly lofty.