55: Chapter 55 The Ultimate Path

"What is it?" Gu Qibai asked, looking at Chen Zhiwen with suspicion.

Chen Zhiwen thought for a moment and said, "Senior Gu, there are quite a few experts in the Grandmaster Realm in this Huangzhou, but why are there so few who can break through to the Great Grandmaster Realm?"

"What kind of Bottleneck do they actually encounter?"

The reason Chen Zhiwen asked this was because he found that no matter how much he cultivated, he could not break through to the Mid-stage Great Grandmaster.

This feeling was very subtle; Chen Zhiwen could clearly feel that he was only one step away, yet he could not take that step no matter what.

In the dark, Chen Zhiwen always felt like he was missing something vital, but he couldn't find a single clue no matter how much he racked his brains.

That was exactly why Chen Zhiwen came to consult Gu Qibai.

Of course, he couldn't state his doubts directly, or it would certainly arouse Gu Qibai's suspicion.

Thus, he could only choose this indirect way of questioning.

Hearing Chen Zhiwen's question, Gu Qibai looked stunned. "Why do you ask this? With your current cultivation, it's still too early for you to come into contact with this."

Chen Zhiwen smiled faintly. "Just curious, asking since I have nothing else to do."

Gu Qibai didn't think much of it. After pondering for a long time with his head down, he spoke, "How should this old man explain it to you..."

"The Grandmaster and Great Grandmaster Realms seem to be only one Realm apart, but the gap between them can be described as the difference between heaven and earth."

"A Great Grandmaster is an immortal on earth, invincible; this saying is not a fallacy."

"Before a Great Grandmaster, whether it's a Ninth Grade Realm Cultivator or a Grandmaster Peak Realm Cultivator, they are all the same—mere ants."

Chen Zhiwen nodded; as a Great Grandmaster himself, he naturally knew this.

Gu Qibai continued, "As for what you said about why there are only a few Great Grandmasters in this world..."

"That's because most of the Grandmaster Realm experts in the world today have yet to comprehend the Ultimate Path."

"Only by comprehending one's own Ultimate Path can one step into the Great Grandmaster Realm."

"Ultimate Path? What is that?" Chen Zhiwen looked astonished. It was his first time hearing of it; after all, his Great Grandmaster cultivation was a reward from the System, not something he had cultivated himself.

Gu Qibai looked up at Chen Zhiwen and replied, "According to my Sect Master Senior Brother, the Ultimate Path is a type of Concept."

"Take that Great Grandmaster of your Great Xuan Imperial Family, for example. In the records of my Zetian Sect..."

"That Great Grandmaster of your Great Xuan Imperial Family is named Chen Heng. Originally, he was just the Prince Xiaoyao of your Great Xuan Dynasty."

"His cultivation was far behind the other disciples of the Great Xuan Imperial Family at that time, and he had no talent for the Dao of Qi Refining."

"However, this person was very keen on studying Formations. Relying on his attainments in Formations, he embarked on the Dao of Soul Refining."

"By the age of fifty, he had reached the Soul Refining Grandmaster Peak Realm, and then he wasted a hundred years in that Realm."

"It wasn't until later, when the Great Xuan Dynasty encountered a major crisis, that he came out of seclusion to support the front lines."

"On the front lines, he used Formations to achieve an Epiphany of his own Ultimate Path and became a Great Grandmaster."

"In my understanding, this Ultimate Path is a brand new transformation."

"For a Sword Cultivator in the Grandmaster Realm, there is Sword Qi, Sword Intent, Sword Domain, and then the Ultimate Path."

"In general, it's about continuously deepening the Dao one Cultivates until a transformation occurs."

Having said this, Gu Qibai picked up his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, sighing, "It sounds simple, but doing it is fraught with difficulties."

"After all, there isn't a single Secret Manual in Huangzhou that tells the world how to comprehend the Ultimate Path."

"To comprehend the Ultimate Path, one must rely entirely on their own continuous realization."

After hearing this, a look of realization appeared on Chen Zhiwen's face. "So that's how it is."

After listening to Gu Qibai's words, Chen Zhiwen finally understood what he was lacking.

Although he was currently in the Great Grandmaster Realm, he was precisely missing the most important thing for a Great Grandmaster: the Ultimate Path.

According to Chen Zhiwen's guess, after breaking through to the Great Grandmaster Realm, every subsequent Breakthrough in cultivation Realm is inextricably linked to this Ultimate Path.

From this perspective, if Chen Zhiwen wanted to break through to the Mid-stage Great Grandmaster now...

He must first comprehend his own Ultimate Path.

It seems it's time to find a few sword techniques to practice.

Chen Zhiwen had already planned his cultivation direction; in the Dao of Qi Refining, he would focus on the Dao of the Sword.

Having obtained the answer he wanted, Chen Zhiwen asked curiously.

"Senior Gu, do you have the confidence to comprehend your own Ultimate Path?"

Judging from the negotiation in the Ancient City of Huangcang, the other Grandmaster Realm experts seemed to fear Gu Qibai greatly.

Presumably, Gu Qibai had reached the Grandmaster Peak Realm many years ago and was among the top existences in this Realm.

Hearing this, Gu Qibai's face turned bitter. "You know my situation, kid."

"I haven't even found a way to cure this hidden injury of mine, so how could I possibly comprehend the Ultimate Path?"

At the mention of this, Gu Qibai's brow was filled with dejection, and he drank his wine in silence.

To say he didn't care would be a lie; Gu Qibai was once one of the most outstanding Cultivators of the Zetian Sect.

The Seniors in his sect used to have high hopes for Gu Qibai.

They believed he could break through to the Great Grandmaster Realm and become a pillar of support for the Zetian Sect.

Unfortunately, during a battle, Gu Qibai was ambushed by an enemy and left with this hidden injury.

Because of this hidden injury, Gu Qibai was never able to comprehend the Ultimate Path.

Chen Zhiwen glanced at Gu Qibai and said no more, picking up his wine cup to drink with him.

The night had deepened, and the city was quiet and peaceful.

After a night passed, it was the next morning.

Chen Zhiwen's group left the city and headed straight towards the Capital.

Today, Chen Zhiwen did not continue cultivating. He wore a dark purple robe embroidered with gold thread depicting a majestic four-clawed flood dragon.

Only a jade hairpin held his hair in place, with his long black tresses cascading over his shoulders.

At a glance, Chen Zhiwen exuded an aura of supreme nobility.

From the moment she entered the carriage, Xiaoqing's dark, lively eyes never left Chen Zhiwen.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was noon.

"Master, we've arrived at the Capital," Leng Feng's voice came from outside.

Chen Zhiwen pulled back the carriage curtain and looked out, seeing a towering and grand city appearing ahead of the carriage.

The ancient city walls were like a dragon coiled upon the earth, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Above the city gate, a hundred-meter-long Vermilion Bird with spreading wings, carved from an unknown material, stood atop the wall.

This Vermilion Bird was lifelike, as if it were a living creature; looking into its eyes, one couldn't help but feel a sense of palpitation.

This was the north gate of the Capital, the Vermilion Bird Gate.

When he was banished that day, Chen Zhiwen had also left through this gate.

Now, in less than two months, Chen Zhiwen had returned to the Capital once again.

Unlike his departure last time, which no one knew about, this time, before he even entered the city, various forces within the city had long been waiting for Chen Zhiwen's return!

Chen Zhiwen gazed at the distant city, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Enter the city!"