BXBX NOVEL Chapter 172
As the radiance dispersed, the onlookers could discern the figures within.
Two individuals were within it. One appeared to be a middle-aged person in their forties, while the other seemed to be an elder, around sixty years old.
Both of these individuals exuded a powerful aura.
“Father!”
Bi Luo flew towards the middle-aged man.
This middle-aged man was none other than her father, Bixia Sect’s sect leader, Bihai.
The old man by his side was presumably an ally he had enlisted.
“Bi Luo, how’s the situation, and what about the Sea Clan?”
Bihai looked around and inquired. Upon receiving news of the Bixia Sect being attacked, he quickly rushed back with the help of an ally. Throughout his journey back, he had been worried about whether the Sea Clan would break through the grand formation.
However, upon his return, he found no longer any Sea Clan members in the vicinity. The disciples of the Bixia Sect had already cleaned up the area.
Bi Luo, along with many North Region Nascent Soul cultivators, were safe outside.
This puzzled him.
“Senior Li Su has repelled Father, the Sea Clan!”
Bi Luo said.
“Senior Li? Who is that?”
Bihai’s gaze shifted, and he sensed the distinct aura emanating from Li Su. It was undoubtedly the aura of someone of the same caliber or, he could say, someone of the same level of strength.
The other person was also a Nascent Soul cultivator!
This caught the attention of both Bihai and the old man, and their gazes focused on Li Su.
“Fellow Taoist, are you Li Su?” Bihai inquired.
Since they were both Nascent Soul cultivators, they naturally addressed each other as Fellow Taoists.
“Yes, that’s me,” Li Su confirmed.
Li Su replied, “Thank you, Fellow Taoist, for your timely assistance. You’ve rendered a great favor to my Bixia Sect. Please allow me to express my gratitude,” Bihai said and bowed to Li Su.
“There’s no need for formalities, Elder Bi.”
Li Su said, “I wonder where you came from. Thanks to your presence in the Northern Region, my Bixia Sect was saved from a great danger.”
Bihai responded, seemingly considering Li Su as a Nascent Soul cultivator who happened to pass through the Northern Region. He had only left the Northern Region for a few decades, and he was no longer familiar with it.
He knew how many Nascent Soul cultivators there were in the Northern Region and their respective levels. It was highly unlikely for a Nascent Soul cultivator to suddenly appear in the Northern Region within just a few decades.
Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator were to appear, he should be a Jin cultivator from the Bixia Sect. He couldn’t be anyone else.
Before the emergence of Nascent Soul cultivators, the strongest in the Northern Region was the Purple Extremes Sect’s sect leader, who was at the eighth layer of the Nascent Soul stage.
However, the distance between the eighth layer of Nascent Soul and the Nascent Soul transformation was not something that could be bridged within a few decades.
Therefore, for Bihai to consider Li Su a passing cultivator was entirely reasonable.
“Father, Senior Li is a cultivator from my Northern Region.”
After Bihai’s words, Bi Luo explained from the side.
“A cultivator from the Northern Region?”
Bihai, upon hearing Bi Luo’s words, appeared somewhat puzzled.
Then, he realized, “Fellow Taoist, were you also born in the Northern Region?”
Bihai assumed Li Su was born in the Northern Region but left at a certain stage of his cultivation.
In the Northern Region, there were still many such cultivators, especially those with exceptional spiritual roots.
If someone left before reaching maturity, some might have left at the Foundation Establishment stage, while others might have advanced to the Golden Core stage.
Naturally, they wouldn’t have come to the attention of Bihai, who had already reached the Nascent Soul stage. It was understandable that he didn’t recognize Li Su.
Bi Luo also understood the meaning behind her father’s words and quickly added, “Father, it’s not like that. Senior Li has always been in the Northern Region and has never left.”
Always in the Northern Region, never left?
Bihai once again grasped the situation, “So you mean, Fellow Taoist has been quietly cultivating in the Northern Region? Most of the resources in the Northern Region are controlled by the Immortal Sects, and compared to other regions, resources are relatively scarce. For Fellow Taoists to achieve Nascent Soul cultivation without attracting attention is truly remarkable. I am impressed.”
He wasn’t offering empty compliments. He was speaking the truth. He had spent many years in the Northern Region and had never heard of someone like Li Su. He knew better than anyone how challenging it was to cultivate the Nascent Soul stage.
Even with the extensive resources available through the Bixia Sect, the journey was quite challenging. For someone like Li Su, who had been quietly cultivating, avoiding contact with any Immortal Sects, and not revealing any hints about his progress, the difficulty was significantly greater. Thus, his expression of being “impressed” was indeed sincere.
“Father, it’s not quite like that. Senior Li has been secluded in the Wishing Immortal Pavilion all this time, and he only arrived in the Northern Region a little over forty years ago. Back then, he had already reached the Nascent Soul stage,” Bi Luo noticed her father’s growing confusion and attempts to comprehend the situation, so she quickly offered more clarification.
“Senior Li’s talent is truly remarkable. In the desolate lands of the Wishing Immortal Pavilion, he attained Nascent Soul cultivation at the age of 209. And now, at the age of just 251, he has advanced to the Nascent Soul transformation stage,” Bi Luo was concerned that her father might still misunderstand, so she explained everything comprehensively. As she spoke, her father’s expression gradually shifted. In his gaze, there was a hint of surprise.
“Senior Li, is this… is it true?” Bihai looked at Li Su, seeking confirmation. He found it hard to believe. Achieving Nascent Soul at the age of 209 and reaching Nascent Soul transformation at 251 didn’t quite add up. Even for a genius, the time spent on cultivation usually increased as they advanced to higher stages.
For instance, in the rumored cultivation hierarchy of 100 years for the Foundation Establishment and Nascent Soul stages and 200 years for the Core Formation stage, one devoted the initial 100 years to Qi refining, Foundation Establishment, and Pill cultivation to reach the Nascent Soul stage, making breakthroughs in four realms.
It was only in the subsequent 100+ years that they progressed to the Core Formation stage. This signified a pyramid of time in cultivation, with the higher stages requiring more time and the time needed getting longer as one ascended. This formed an inverted pyramid, underlining the significance of a strong foundation. Consider how many layers there were at the top of this inverted pyramid, and if the foundation was weak, it might crumble instantly.
Li Su’s timeline here was incorrect. It wasn’t until the year 209 that he reached the Nascent Soul stage. The outcome was astonishing, as it took over forty years to move from the Nascent Soul stage to the Nascent Divinity stage. This made Bihai unconsciously skeptical, but he knew his daughter never lied.