Chapter 66: Splitting the Essence into Three
The essence of a cultivator can transform into three distinct parts: essence, energy, and spirit. If even one of these parts encounters mishap, the path to ultimate achievement is severed, and the dream of reaching the pinnacle fades.
The dangers of this method are so vast that one can only balk at the thought, yet Wang Heng has no other choice.
The dark curse eroding his body's essence is a force so malevolent that not even Immortal Kings can eradicate it. Presently, his body essence is contaminated, and should his spirit rashly return, the path to becoming an Immortal King would end, leaving him as nothing more than a mere True Immortal.
The sole means of salvation lies in what Wang Geng described as the "three forms of one self" method.
This involves isolating the polluted part of the body, letting it drift into darkness, and embarking on an evolutionary path distinct from the traditional way of cultivating Dao.
Meanwhile, the other "energy" form and "spirit" form will journey to witness different landscapes.
Once all three forms have each climbed to the summit, they will reunite, shattering any shackles.
"One last time, I must ask,” Wang Geng advised gravely, “are you certain you wish to learn this method? That ancient being was undeniably brilliant, yet he ultimately failed, leaving nothing but lament.
To this day, no one has succeeded. Everything ahead remains unknown, and once you step onto this path, there is no turning back." With these cautionary words, Wang Geng sought to make Wang Heng reconsider.
Unexpectedly, Wang Heng replied without hesitation, “No one has succeeded? That suits me perfectly.
If I can tread this path to completion, it will truly become my own path, and indeed, it is the path best suited for me."
At this moment, faced with the pollution of his bodily essence, he had reached an impasse. The "three forms of one self" was indeed the most suitable method for Wang Heng now.
Wang Geng was quite satisfied with this response and nodded approvingly, not speaking further.
He then began to recount the experiences of a past prodigy, analyzing the reasons behind their failure.
“Splitting oneself into three, yet having all three parts cultivate within the same realm—it is like the saying, ‘One mountain cannot contain two tigers, let alone three.’
That being committed a grave mistake; even without any unexpected events, it’s unlikely they would have gone far.
It would be better to have the three parts dwell across three different realms, giving them enough space and a stage to fully showcase their abilities.
Once each part inherits the fortune of its respective realm and becomes an outstanding figure of their era, you can consider merging them back into one. By then, becoming a Celestial King is possible.
Of course, if you are strong enough, it is also feasible for each part to individually become a king. All three parts becoming kings might perhaps break through to that elusive level.”
As he spoke, a trace of longing appeared in Wang Geng’s eyes, but it vanished quickly, leaving his expression unchanged.
Wang Heng felt a slight tremor in his heart, naturally aware of what Wang Geng meant by the ‘elusive level’—the realm all Celestial Kings dream of and go mad for: ‘Emperor.’
In the eyes of unaware Celestial Kings, the level they chase is the Celestial Emperor, but in truth, above Celestial King lies a great gap that even approaches Celestial Emperor status, which can only be referred to as a quasi-Celestial Emperor.
Yet, throughout the ages, very few beings have ever come close, or have been able to set foot upon that path.
Is splitting into three really a viable opportunity?
“Father, do you mean one part goes to the alien realm, another remains in the primordial ancient realm, and the last one seeks a major realm? Could it really be the Celestial Domain?”
“Indeed, the essence is divided into three parts across three realms, each becoming a leader in its respective realm. Without the grandest of visions, one cannot achieve this.” Wang Geng nodded.
“I understand; I won't let my father down.”
...
In the outside world, the uproar and chaos from the frontier battle still hadn't subsided. Across the Thirty-Three Days, every tribe and every corner was discussing how the Wang Family Immortal King used the Pacifying Chaos Art to quell the disorder.
Ever since the Pacifying Chaos Art was revealed by a quasi-Immortal King, the Primordial Spirit Sword Art had been forgotten, and all talk centered on the three words, Pacifying Chaos Art. This was a situation even Wang Geng, its creator, hadn’t anticipated.
Behind the excitement and frenzy lurked a growing pride and complacency, as the enemy realm seemed to have been brought to its knees in the eyes of the people, leading them to believe that this realm was no longer a threat.
Alarmingly, no one had stepped forward to expose the gap in strength between the two realms, and the beings within the ancient realm, from top to bottom, believed that the opposing realm had suffered a defeat and wouldn’t dare attack. They expected a long period of peace and tranquility to follow.
This was as history had shown—in every friction with the enemy realm, they would retreat and remain quiet for a long time.
But what could a few people change? Even before speaking out, their voices were drowned in the crowd.
History’s wheel continued to turn, moving along its predetermined track. The world was silent, as if waiting for a change.
“Breaking news!
The Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King has emerged! And there’s news from the vast, uninhabited region of the Immortal Domain about Master Wuzhong. According to the message from Fairy Huayun in the Purple Bamboo Forest of the South Sea, Master Wuzhong has set off, preparing to return to the ancient realm.”
“Are these two titans returning because of the enemy realm crossing the border? But hadn’t our realm already achieved a great victory?” someone questioned, puzzled.
"In truth, it's hardly a victory. That esteemed gentleman from the Wang family is also gravely injured. Recently, it seems some drastic changes have occurred internally within the Wang family. Indications suggest that the gentleman's injuries are severe, even life-threatening.
Perhaps because of this, the Wang family might collapse, becoming a part of history."
"What? If that is indeed the case, then it truly is not a great victory. The esteemed gentleman of the Wang family, the wielder of the Chaos Suppression Technique, is among the greatest guardians in our realm. Any issue with him would significantly weaken the ancient realm's strength."
"That's why there's a high possibility the return of the two Immortal King behemoths is related to the injuries of the Wang family's Immortal King."
As news of Wang Geng's injuries spread, creatures of the ancient realm inevitably felt some concern. Nonetheless, they still believed the ancient realm to be the victor, considering that an Immortal King from the alien realm perished in the battle.
However, another piece of news erupted, causing an uproar within the entire ancient realm.
"In this battle, the frontier tribes suffered heavy losses; their city was slaughtered by the alien realm, and many powerful figures perished, including beings of the quasi-Immortal King level.
Due to the lack of support from other world tribes and factions, the frontier tribes expressed great dissatisfaction, issuing an ultimatum demanding accountability, unwilling to have their clansmen sacrifice in vain."
"This is a war between two worlds. In principle, other tribes should have dispatched reinforcements to assist, not leaving the frontier tribes to fight alone. Indeed, this was handled poorly."
"Yes, for several eras, the alien realm frequently harassed the borders, and the frontier tribes have repeatedly fought bloodily to repel the enemies, paying a great price. The other world tribes and factions should have taken a stand by now."
...
While most beings in the primordial ancient realm understand the grievances of the frontier tribes, putting themselves in the same position, they would feel similarly. However, the major powers have remained silent, not expressing any stance. It's unclear whether they feel guilty or have other reasons.
This attitude left many beings feeling dissatisfied, especially those with ties to the frontier tribes. Various factions quickly stepped forward, expressing their grievances and criticizing some major powers for their indifferent and inactive stance.
The situation soon escalated, turning into a heated and tangled affair.
When it seemed matters were spiraling out of control, a quasi-Immortal King from one of the major powers could no longer remain silent. He spoke up, effectively silencing the critics.
"No need to worry about the frontier affairs," he announced. "According to the Immortal King of our clan, Master Wuzhong and the Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King will take the lead in resolving this issue. The frontier tribes will undoubtedly receive a satisfactory response."
Upon hearing that Master Wuzhong and the Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King would handle the situation, the public's anger finally subsided.
Little did Wang Heng know about the uproar in the ancient realm, nor did he care. His mind was completely occupied with the supreme technique, 'A Triple Division of the Self.'
Attempting to separate one's vital essence, energy, and spirit into three independent forms was no simple task. It was unclear how the genius who invented this method had managed to do so.
After teaching Wang Heng the content of this profound technique, Wang Geng left him to comprehend it on his own while he pursued more pressing matters.
Wang Geng needed to immerse his physical body in a foreign realm, bathed in dark matter, so that a new primordial spirit could be born within his head. This was a crucial consideration for him.
His current task was to acquire primordial dark matter, facilitating the birth of the dark primordial spirit, and integrate it into Wang Heng’s 'Triple Division' technique.
Although the dark curses accumulating in his leg possessed dark properties, they were ultimately curses lethal to life and couldn’t be used as dark matter.
Moreover, the dark matter within the Immortal Kings he fought against had already been nearly depleted through evolution. It was unfortunate he couldn’t procure it during the great battle.
However, Wang Geng knew where he could acquire more.