Shrouding the Heavens - Chapter 47

 Challenging

A cultivators sea of bitterness was as the name suggested, deathly silent and filled with a lifeless atmosphere without any form of life fluctuations. Contrary to this, at the centre of Ye Fan’s sea of bitterness, the dot of golden light was dazzling and resplendent, like the rising morning sun filled with vigor and life.

It was as Pang Bo described, the dot of gold that was the sea of bitterness did indeed have fluctuations of divine energy. Although it was very weak, it clearly was extraordinary as compared to other people’s sea of bitterness, it could be considered miraculous and splendid like the quintessence of nature, simply exceptional.

“Could it be that you’ve already connected with your wheel of life?” Based on Pang Bo’s speculations, it could be that Ye Fan had already established a path linking to the wheel of life within the depths of his sea of bitterness resulting in the divine spring to gurgle forth creating such a miraculous result.

“I haven’t establish any channels and the divine spring of life has not gurgled forth.” Ye Fan shook his head refuting his speculation. He was sure that this was his sea of bitterness and not the result of the divine spring from the wheel of life.

Pang Bo sighed: “This is simply too mystifying, an ancient divine physique certainly is far from ordinary, totally different from that of a normal person. Could it be that a golden sea of bitterness is something exclusive to people with such unique physiques?”

“I’ve only established the sea of bitterness, it’s unknown if I can continue cultivating.” Ye Fan did not let his joy overcome his rationality.

Thereafter he began to inspect himself internally to see the situation of his sea of bitterness. The sea of bitterness was the size of a sesame seed, the surroundings were like an area void of life, shrouded in darkness and absolutely silent. The glow from the sea of bitterness was resplendent in the darkness and the dot of light was like a moon in the sky. This made Ye Fan feel endless hope that one day he might actually be able to establish a vast golden sea of bitterness, thoroughly ridding the area of darkness and the aura of death, leaving the deathly silence behind and filling it with life and vigor.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo probed for a long time and came to the conclusion that Ye Fan’s physique was simply too unique and was like a bottomless pit that required large quantities of hundred plants extract to establish the sea of bitterness. Different from normal people, he was not afraid that the excessive medicine might be too strong that his sea of bitterness would overflow, rather, his sea of bitterness was like an abyss that had no way to be completely filled.

Reaching this conclusion, the two people felt stiff. Other disciples that just entered would only use one bottle of hundred plants extract every three months, four in a year. In order to establish a sea of bitterness the size of a sesame seed, Ye Fan had used fifty nine bottles of hundred plants extract, this was an amount that others could use for well over ten years. This was simply terrifying!

Based on what elder Wu Qing Feng said, the road of cultivation got harder as one progressed. In the later stages every step forward would be ten times the difficulty as compared to the early stages.

Ye Fan was in a daze as he considered this problem, this reasoning certainly would apply to the usage of hundred plants extract as well. It was just the beginning and he already required tens of bottles, it was difficult to imagine the insane amount of extract he would require when he actually managed to obtain a small success.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure that there will be a solution.” Having said this, Pang Bo seemed to recall something as both his eyes seemed to light up: “You can let elder Wu Qing Feng know that you can actually cultivate and if the divine physique from ancient times can even cultivate a small success, this would certainly cause a huge uproar within Yan state and shock all of eastern badlands. That would simply be amazing! I think that the Ling Xu sanctuary elders would be astonished upon hearing this news and use all their resources to nurture you.”

Ye Fan earnestly and carefully pondered before finally shaking his head and said: “We can’t let them know.”

“Why?” Pang Bo was confused.

“The first reason is that Ling Xu sanctuary has no power within the eastern badlands. Once the news leaks out, I’ll surely be a dead man. The second reason is that I suspect that although the golden sea of bitterness is miraculous, it is quite likely that I won’t be able to continue cultivating and it is quite likely that my body is still considered a crippled one.”

Pang Bo carefully thought through and also felt that the first reason was certainly a valid one. They certainly could not afford for this information to be leaked otherwise it would certainly be disastrous.

“With regards to the second reason, I think you’re just thinking too much.”

Ye Fan shook his head and said: “I now know why the divine physique from ancient times would occasionally appear but it would be difficult for the person to achieve any success in cultivation. Just the expense alone would not be something that a normal sect could endure. The early stages are still alright but the path of immortals is long and every step forward would require ten times the expense. Walking down the path and continually increasing ten times per level, let’s not even talk about cultivating to the late stages, even if I were to barely reach the middle stages, the amount required to continue cultivating would be an astronomical number. I’m afraid that even those sacred grounds that have existed since ancient times or those ancient aristocratic families would feel the strain. It could be said that the gains of such an expense would not make up for the losses, the amount of resources used could have resulted in the nurturing of many talented disciples.”

“Could this be the real reason why there is no way to cultivate with the divine physique from ancient times, resulting in it being considered a crippled body?” Pang Bo had an expression of astonishment.

Ye Fan contemplated for a while and said: “This reasoning is only based on the findings during the early stages of cultivation. I’m sure that there are certainly a myriad of other reasons. Otherwise, those sacred grounds and ancient aristocratic families would not have given up easily. It’s very likely that there is an even more stringent requirement or certain difficulties involved.”

“How could it be like this……” Pang Bo was in a stupor as he felt that Ye Fan’s future seemed bleak, his path of cultivation seemed to be wrought with difficulty.

However, Ye Fan did not have any expression of dismay as he said: “The divine physique from ancient times, if it was that easy to cultivate then it would lose all meaning. The more difficult the road ahead the more exceptional it is. Going against the waves, scaling a tall cliff, forcefully overcoming an abyss, regardless I’ll continue walking forward and who knows one day I may actually reach the pinnacle.”

In the next new days, Ye fan and Pang Bo continued to bitterly cultivate as they toiled to raise their cultivation levels.

During this period, elder Wu Qing Feng had summoned Pang Bo to a back mountain within the Ling Xu sanctuary and officially declared him as a celestial sprout. He then encouraged him to persevere in his cultivation to allow the divine spring within the sea of bitterness within him to gurgle forth. At that point, they would take him as an inner disciple.

Upon being officially recognised as a celestial sprout, Pang Bo could receive eight bottles of hundred plants extract every month. Compared to previously where he could only obtain four a year, there was a big shift in treatment. As his cultivation continued to improve, the quantities would increase as well, fulfilling any requirements he faced. He would never need to fret that there would be a lack of hundred plants extract.

At the back mountain of the Ling Xu sanctuary, Pang Bo earnestly sought help from elder Wu Qing Feng regarding many questions and his aim was actually to understand some doubts with regards to Ye Fan’s golden sea of bitterness.

Elder Wu Qing Feng talking about many secrets regarding the sea of bitterness. Within the world, there were actually many frightful talents that established their sea of bitterness with unique characteristics.

“What peculiarities did each of their sea of bitterness have?”

Elder Wu Qing Feng spoke of over ten different types of peculiarities but none of them had a golden sea of bitterness.

Finally, Pang Bo could bear it no longer as he straightforwardly asked: “When establishing the sea of bitterness, is it possible for the howling sounds of the sea to reach the heavens, with thousands of divine rays shining forth and the sea of bitterness to be a vast gold body of water?”

“Impossible!” Elder Wu Qing Feng shook his head but hesitated before admitting: “Maybe the divine body from ancient times could cause such an astonishing scene but even then there shouldn’t be such a ruckus created.”
There had been rumours that recently a certain rare divine body has appeared within the eastern badlands and this was not an isolated incident. It is rumoured that they are currently in their growth phase and have been hidden by a sacred ground or ancient aristocratic family. Even elder Wu Qing Feng had heard this rumour several times.

“Those rare peerless talents have almost all been taken by those sacred grounds and ancient aristocratic families……” Elder Wu Qing Feng said with bitterness.

Pang Bo returned and shared all that he had learnt with Ye Fan before finally saying: “It seems that the golden sea of bitterness is indeed extraordinary, even those divine bodies that appeared within the eastern badlands when establishing their sea of bitterness would not have such a mystifying scene. I really hope that you are able to successfully cultivate and by that time you would be able to compete with those peerless talents nurtured by the sacred grounds or ancient aristocratic families.

Having listened, Ye Fan pondered for a long time before looking over at Pang Bo: “I think it’s time that I leave the Ling Xu sanctuary.”

“Why?” Pang Bo was shocked, he did not understand why Ye Fan suddenly made such a decision.

“The reason why I came to the Ling Xu sanctuary was to understand the ways of cultivating. This place is no longer suitable for me to continue cultivating and I need to go to other places to encounter some new opportunities.”

“No way, If you’re going I’m going as well.” Pang Bo vehemently rejected.

“You have already been declared as a celestial sprout, Ling Xu sanctuary will use all their resources to nurture you. There is simply no need for you to leave. As for me, with my current physique, continuing here in the Ling Xu sanctuary I would hardly make any progress.”