Chapter 131: The Mystery of the Starry Sea

"Yes, I am also a body cultivator, but not one reduced to cannon fodder, nor one despised and led astray. I am someone who seeks to revive the true path of body cultivation..."

Before Xu Xuan’s words had even faded, a wave of astonishment swept through the entire martial arena.

All this time, they had assumed Xu Xuan was most likely a martial cultivator, but to find he was also a body cultivator was unexpected.

"No wonder his physical strength was so formidable—he could go head-to-head with Fang Gang."

"So this is truly a battle between body cultivators."

Many gasped in awe, still reeling from the excitement and tension of the moment.

"Truly unexpected, Xu Xuan is also a body cultivator," even Zhang Yuhan, who usually wore a calm smile, now showed a look of surprise, her brows furrowed slightly. "But the rumors say body cultivators are never this powerful. Could it be that he cultivates both body and martial paths?"

From the battle, it seemed Xu Xuan had indeed combined the strengths of both body and martial cultivation. If that were so, who among their peers could match him?

"Body cultivation... have I been on the wrong path?"

Fang Gang trembled all over, sorrow etched deeply on his face. "I have trained my body for over twenty years, and you tell me I was wrong?"

He stood, shaking as he pointed at Xu Xuan, speaking bitterly, "Do you think I chose this path willingly? If I wasn’t born with a ruined spiritual root, I wouldn’t have practiced that broken body cultivation method. During my training, countless people scorned me, and other cultivators looked down on me. Just as I was starting to achieve some success, you tell me I’m wrong? Then what am I?"

A ruined spiritual root!

Hearing this, others were shocked and shaken to their core.

A ruined spiritual root is nearly incapable of cultivation—the worst possible innate condition.

Even Xu Xuan had only mediocre aptitude, but at least an ordinary spiritual root. Compared to that, Fang Gang’s situation was truly tragic.

Xu Xuan felt pity but also sadness. Fang Gang had been forced into body cultivation by circumstances beyond his control, enduring endless contempt along the way.

Body cultivation had fallen so low, and this only deepened Xu Xuan’s resolve to revive it.

After a pause, Xu Xuan spoke slowly, "If your only goal is strength, then you are not wrong. Any cultivation path can make you strong. When body cultivation reaches its peak—as with the Unyielding Body level—no one in this world will dare to look down on you."

Hearing this, hope rekindled in Fang Gang’s eyes. He stammered, "So, I wasn’t completely wrong, right? Tell me!"

"If your goal is simply to gain enough power, to push body cultivation to its pinnacle, then you are not wrong. But in terms of body cultivation itself, your approach is flawed. The power of body cultivation does not rely on external spiritual forces; it depends most importantly on the body itself. Otherwise, can it truly be called body cultivation?" Xu Xuan said indifferently.

In later eras, body cultivators merged spiritual energy with flesh, constantly strengthening and refining their bodies. This specialized self-cultivation almost became a branch of immortal cultivation. But in ancient times, body cultivators stood alongside heaven and earth—the body itself was an inexhaustible microcosm. They cultivated only their true self, without any magical power, yet could influence the world itself, surpassing even the might of immortal arts and divine powers.

Hearing this, Fang Gang felt somewhat comforted. If he could acquire strength through a method suited to him, even if it deviated from the true essence of body cultivation, what did it matter?

As Xu Xuan leisurely left the arena, the eyes of countless clan disciples were filled with reverence.

After today’s battle, no one would dare to say this second-tier guest official was undeserving of his name.

Xu Xuan toured the clan grounds with Zhang Feng. Zhang Yuhan approached with a bright smile, handing him an invitation card. "In six days, it will be my sixteenth birthday. You must come on time—no excuses."

Her tone was playful but carried a hint of gentle insistence. As the most beautiful woman in Huanglong, the eldest daughter of the Zhang family, receiving her invitation was a great honor to any young talent.

"Rest assured, eldest miss. I will definitely arrive on time."

Xu Xuan accepted the delicately crafted pale red invitation, which emitted a faint lingering fragrance.

The others accompanying him felt either envy or jealousy.

After all, Xu Xuan had personally received the invitation from Zhang Yuhan herself—a rare privilege in all of Huanglong City.

Meanwhile, Lin Hui’s eyes flickered with resentment. He had hoped to use this challenge to publicly humiliate Xu Xuan, damaging his reputation in the eyes of the young master and eldest miss. Even Zhang Yuhan’s appearance before the duel had been part of his secret scheme. But his plan had backfired, only boosting Xu Xuan’s prestige.

After some time, the group’s attention centered on Zhang Feng and Xu Xuan, and Lin Hui slipped away in defeat.

Xu Xuan spent half the day exploring the clan, gaining much insight. Zhang Feng was enthusiastic throughout and even suggested going out to explore more.

But as night approached, Xu Xuan was reluctant to venture outside.

Zhang Feng didn’t press, smiling, "Brother Xu, Rain’s birthday is coming up. Shouldn’t we prepare a proper gift?"

Xu Xuan nodded. The Zhang siblings had shown him great kindness and even owed him a debt; he could not neglect this gift.

Before leaving, Xu Xuan mentioned his family’s situation.

That night, he had arranged for Song Heng to escort his family safely to Qingmu Town.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng laughed heartily, "Qingmu Town is our Zhang family’s territory—safer even than a mansion in Huanglong City. I’ll send someone to make arrangements. You can rest easy."

That evening, he and Yu Qin returned to the Green Mountain Residence. The youngest miss smiled brightly, "Master Xu, you’re amazing."

Having learned of Yu Qin’s talent, Zhang Feng agreed to report it to the clan. For now, she was exempt from clan duties and could stay by Xu Xuan’s side to focus on cultivation.

"Miss Yu, your talent is exceptional. Don’t worry about finding a renowned master. Soon, a clan elder or higher will surely take you as a disciple," Xu Xuan said with a gentle smile.

Yu Qin lowered her head, tears glistening in her eyes. She simply wanted to stay close to her master, where she felt safest.

Upon returning to Green Mountain Residence, Xu Xuan noticed a sturdy man waiting at the gate.

"Fang Gang?"

He was surprised to see the large figure.

Thud!

Fang Gang knelt, earnestness written on his face. "Fang Gang wishes to become your disciple. I beg you, Master Xu, to guide me on the true path of body cultivation."

Xu Xuan understood his intentions immediately but did not reply at once.

"You want to revive body cultivation. That idea isn’t wrong and can be pursued. But ancient body cultivation is destined to be lonely. How many can reach the tenth level of body refinement without relying on spiritual energy? That requires not only immense perseverance but extraordinary comprehension. Otherwise, how could one grasp the tenth transformation?"

Xu Xuan soon communicated with the remnant soul of his previous life.

Without the insights from his past life, even with the "Dragon-Snake Nine Transformations," Xu Xuan would have struggled to embark on the ancient body cultivation path.

Great comprehension and fortitude are scarce in this world. Even those who possess them quickly follow the immortal or martial paths.

"Even if you pass on some body cultivation legacy, that’s fine. But the core that was left behind cannot be given to anyone..."

The remnant soul said.

"The core?"

Xu Xuan was startled. He suddenly recalled that the satellite-level memory star had only been partially unlocked.

"Yes, the true core is yet to be revealed. Ancient body cultivation was merely one way of cultivation, not the only one. At its peak in my previous life, I was nearly invincible in the world. At one point, I encountered a true body cultivator."

The remnant soul’s tone grew grave.

"What was the outcome?" Xu Xuan asked eagerly. His previous life had mastered both immortal and martial paths—the strongest combination—surely such a fight would be decisive.

"Though that body cultivator’s attainments were less than my previous life, during the battle, no matter what means I used, I could not wound him. That cultivator had refined his body nearly to the extreme, immune to all immortal arts and divine powers, even unaffected by worldly laws—almost as if nothing in heaven or earth could harm him. He was close to becoming an entity standing alongside heaven and earth. That battle was the hardest I ever fought."

Xu Xuan’s spirits lifted slightly. "And the final result?"

"Of course, that body cultivator was defeated. First, because he was at a lower level; second, because my previous life found his fatal weakness and used mutually destructive means to kill him, then extracted and integrated his memories. Otherwise, where do you think these ancient body cultivation memories come from?"

Xu Xuan was shaken. He hadn’t expected it to be so. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "So even if my previous life mastered both immortal and martial paths, without being at a higher level and finding the other’s fatal flaw, it would have been impossible to kill him?"

"Exactly. After extracting that body cultivator’s memories, my previous life finally understood that this simplest path is actually the closest to the true essence. If the other had been slightly stronger, I might have lost. But it was too late, as my foundation was already set. Moreover, body cultivation’s methods almost contradict all later cultivation paths. Before his fall, he devoted his life’s wisdom to comprehend and improve, creating a more terrifying and perfect body cultivation method—one surpassing my previous life’s peak. That is the ‘core’ you seek. Unfortunately, he was about to perish, with no chance to start over, so he entrusted all hope to the next life—hence the mystery of the memory star sea."

The remnant soul’s face showed lingering fear. "I only know this vaguely. When you unlock enough memories, you may even personally experience that battle."

Xu Xuan nodded, curious about the fatal weakness his previous life had found and the more perfect core that followed.

Of course, how his previous life fell remained the greatest mystery.

"I can only speculate it’s related to the ‘Celestial River,’ but whenever I think of it, my soul aches as though torn apart..." the remnant soul said.

The Celestial River was the ultimate sacred land yearned for by countless cultivators and clans—also the greatest enigma in the cultivation world.

The conversation with the remnant soul lasted only moments.

When Xu Xuan’s mind returned, Fang Gang remained kneeling, anxiously awaiting a reply.

(Additional update from yesterday’s second post...)