98: Chapter 98: Preparing for Nascent Soul Formation!

"No matter how much trouble it causes, this Junior is willing to bear it. However, I truly do not understand why the Star Palace values me so highly? I consider my talent to be decent, but not to the extent that the Star Palace would go to such lengths, insisting on helping me condense my Nascent Soul. This truly makes it difficult for me to find peace of mind. I feel that I do not possess such value, and besides, whether I can successfully condense a Nascent Soul is still an unknown factor."

"Even if I can successfully condense a Nascent Soul in the future, whether I can take a step further is also unpredictable."

"Let alone reaching the Realm of a Late Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, even the Middle Nascent Soul Stage is a task as difficult as ascending to the heavens. In today's Cultivation World, most Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators remain at the Nascent Soul Early-stage, some even finding it difficult to touch upon the Middle Nascent Soul Stage in their entire lives. As for Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, there are only four in the entire Chaotic Star Sea, so one can imagine the difficulty."

"Although I am no longer considered a Loose Cultivator, I do not believe I have such profound Opportunity and luck, so I have never been able to understand the Star Palace's intentions."

As he finished speaking, Zhao Changsheng shook his head with a bitter smile, his words unconsciously carrying a hint of questioning.

Facing his question, the Star Palace Grand Elder did not respond directly, but instead asked, "Do you know how many years it took the Holy Lord to advance to the Late Nascent Soul Stage?"

"This Junior has no way of knowing." Zhao Changsheng shook his head.

"The Holy Lord took only five hundred years to successfully advance to a Late Nascent Soul Great Cultivator. And I believe that you also have the hope of reaching this step within five or six hundred years. I wonder if this reason is sufficient?"

Hearing the Star Palace Grand Elder's words, Zhao Changsheng was stunned once again. He never expected the other party to place such high expectations on him.

"Thank you for your high regard, Grand Elder, but I truly do not have such confidence in myself. If I can advance to the Nascent Soul Stage in this life, I will have no regrets. As for the Late Nascent Soul Stage, I wouldn't even dare to think about it. I hope the Grand Elder can forgive me. I have been used to a free and easy life and do not wish to be subject to any constraints. Of course, I will certainly keep my promise regarding what I agreed to with the Grand Elder last time—as long as I successfully advance to the Nascent Soul Stage, if the Star Palace has any Cultivators it needs me to kill, as long as it is within my power, I will never refuse."

Zhao Changsheng felt a slight chill down his spine and quickly changed his tone, making a solemn promise.

After he finished speaking, the chill on his back gradually dissipated, no longer as bone-chilling as before.

"To put it bluntly, you are still unwilling to trust my Star Palace, correct?"

Although the icy chill had dissipated, this sentence from the Star Palace Grand Elder instantly made Zhao Changsheng's nerves tense up.

"This Junior absolutely has no such intention! I simply do not wish to be constrained." Zhao Changsheng hurriedly shook his head in denial.

"Forget it, since your mind is made up, I will no longer force you. Just remember your promise—otherwise, even if you advance to the Nascent Soul Stage, if I want to kill you, it would be a matter of a single word."

The Star Palace Grand Elder's words were filled with blatant threats. Zhao Changsheng could only brace himself and nod in response, "Grand Elder, please rest assured, I understand. I will certainly do my utmost to repay the kindness of the Grand Elder and the Star Palace."

After saying this, Zhao Changsheng bowed to the Star Palace Grand Elder once more before turning to leave.

It wasn't until he walked out of the Star Palace's range that he exhaled a long breath of turbid air as if relieved of a heavy burden, though a lingering worry still remained on his face.

This time, he did not return to the Wonderful Sound Sect but headed straight for the Outer Star Sea.

For Zhao Changsheng at this moment, only hunting Yao Beasts could vent the accumulated dissatisfaction and anger in his heart.

Being threatened like this by the Star Palace, the resentment in his heart could well be imagined. However, due to the disparity in strength, he could not contend with the Star Palace and could only pour all his agitation onto the Yao Beasts.

Before setting off, however, he still sent a sound transmission talisman to Zhou Yuan, informing her of his departure for the Outer Star Sea to avoid her worrying.

He had some affection for Zhou Yuan, but between the two of them, it was more of a transactional relationship... Just like that, Zhao Changsheng stayed in the Outer Star Sea for three years.

During these three years, he hunted more than a hundred Yao Beasts—it might not seem like many, but in fact, most of these hundred Yao Beasts were at the fifth rank or above.

This also led to serious consequences: the Yao Race was furious and launched beast tides in many sea areas to retaliate against the Human Race.

Human Race Cultivators suffered heavy losses, and many directly gave up their plans to go to the Outer Star Sea. Not only because the Teleportation Arrays were blocked, but also because the current Outer Star Sea was fraught with danger, far from its former tranquility.

As the instigator of all this, Zhao Changsheng directly returned to the Star Palace Sacred Mountain in the Inner Star Sea.

As a Star Palace Elder and a direct subordinate of the Star Palace Grand Elder, he was able to reside in an Immortal Cave on the Star Palace Sacred Mountain that only Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators were permitted to use for Cultivation.

This was a special treatment approved by the Star Palace Grand Elder. Although other Star Palace Elders had some complaints, no one dared to say much.

Zhao Changsheng's purpose for this trip was clear: preparing to condense his Nascent Soul.

Although neither the nine-bend spirit pill nor the spirit stabilizing pill was ready yet, having reached the Great Perfection of the Late Core Formation Stage, he decided to give it a try.

Even if he failed, it would not be a great loss for him. Moreover, he vaguely felt that he might not necessarily fail.

Before going into seclusion to condense his Nascent Soul, however, he still informed the Star Palace Grand Elder and Zhou Yuan respectively. The Star Palace Grand Elder seemed to have expected this, but Zhou Yuan was shocked.

The age at which Zhao Changsheng was condensing his Nascent Soul was truly too young. Zhou Yuan was certain that he was definitely not over two hundred years old.

To attempt the Nascent Soul Stage at such a young age was both a huge blow and a source of profound shock for Zhou Yuan, who was also a Core Formation Cultivator.

Now, thanks to her relationship with Zhao Changsheng, Zhou Yuan's strength had significantly improved. Even so, she still held little hope of condensing a Nascent Soul.

She never expected that Zhao Changsheng would be ready so soon; it was truly an incredible thing.

Meanwhile, the Star Palace Grand Elder urged Zhao Changsheng to be extremely careful, as the Evil Qi on his body was too dense—even among Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, very few could compare, and it could even be said that there were almost none.

Condensing a Nascent Soul in such a state would surely result in exceptionally violent Heart Demons. This was precisely the most troublesome and critical hurdle in the process of condensing a Nascent Soul.

Throughout history, countless Cultivators have been stuck at this stage, unable to advance an inch, and Zhao Changsheng's Heart Demon would certainly be more difficult to deal with than those of other Cultivators.

Because of this, even the Star Palace Grand Elder did not have high expectations for Zhao Changsheng and had already prepared for his failure.

Therefore, before Zhao Changsheng went into seclusion, the Grand Elder specifically taught him a method.

It had only one purpose: even if the Breakthrough failed, it could preserve his life, resulting in nothing more than a severe loss of Origin Qi.

Although Zhao Changsheng did not fully trust this method, he wouldn't mind trying it if it came to the absolute worst, as he was also unwilling to just die like that.