CHAPTER 59: NOT ALL BREAKTHROUGHS ARE EQUAL

Xiao Ning came to a slow halt at the center of the hall. His eyes passed over each of them, indifferent as still water.

He raised a hand casually. "There’s no need for such formality. You’ve all stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm now. You are no longer ordinary elders—you stand among the pillars of this sect."

Though they responded with humble gratitude, none of the five truly believed those words.

Titles meant little in the face of true power.

All cultivators knew that even within the Nascent Soul Realm, the difference between early, middle, and late stages was a chasm few could cross.

It was often said that the difference between stages within the Nascent Soul Realm was like the gulf between heaven and earth—vast, insurmountable, and not to be taken lightly.

A mid-stage Nascent Soul could barely stand before a late-stage one.

Let alone someone like the Sect Master, whose cultivation had long since reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. If he so willed it, slaying a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would be no harder than swatting a fly.

Some even claimed he could face a Heavenly Tribulation expert and escape with his life.

Compared to such strength, their newly formed nascent souls felt no more stable than flickering lanterns in a storm.

Xiao Ning said nothing further for a moment, his gaze swept over them, nodding faintly in approval.

"How does the Nascent Soul Realm feel to you?"

"How does it feels to step into a realm few ever reach?"

One of them—Elder Ji Lan—took a breath and stepped forward, clasping his hands.

"Sect Master... it is far more vast than we imagined. The gap between Core Formation and Nascent Soul—it feels like the difference between a Spirit Awakening novice and a Core Formation master. Perhaps even greater."

Xiao Ning chuckled lightly. "That’s a fair comparison. Each realm is a new world. From here onward, the true meaning of cultivation will begin to reveal itself to you."

He turned, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked up toward the sealed dome of the hall, where ancient diagrams of the Five Phases and Eight Trigrams flickered faintly.

"Any questions?"

The five exchanged glances. Their divine sense rippled gently, the unspoken language of cultivators. After a pause, one of them—Elder Sun Feiyan—stepped forward with visible hesitation.

"Sect Master... if I may be so bold..."

Xiao Ning gave him a sideways glance. "Speak. We are of the same sect. There’s no need to be coy."

The elder cupped his fist. "Forgive my boldness, but... is it not said that stepping into the Nascent Soul Realm grants an additional five hundred years of life?"

Xiao Ning’s gaze remained calm, but he did not interrupt.

Sun Feiyan pressed on. "After forming my nascent soul, I examined my vital essence... and found that my lifespan had only increased by roughly three hundred years."

He glanced at the others. "Am I mistaken?"

The other four exchanged uneasy glances, then nodded slightly.

They too had sensed it. And though they had planned to consult the Sect Master privately, this moment had brought it into the open.

Xiao Ning’s expression did not change. He nodded calmly. "You are not mistaken. Your lifespans have indeed increased by only three hundred years."

The words struck like a hammer.

A ripple of surprise passed through the five. They had feared it might be true—yet to hear it confirmed still struck a heavy chord in their hearts.

Disappointment flickered across their hearts, however faintly. Even as Nascent Soul cultivators, the loss of two hundred years of expected life was no small matter.

Xiao Ning, of course, noticed.

Ungrateful!

He sneered inwardly, though his face remained placid.

Each of them was a half-step away from death. I gave them a second life. Yet now they grumble over what they didn’t gain, rather than what they did.

Human nature never changes. Even cultivators are bound to it.

The poor man who loses a single coin mourns louder than the rich man who loses half his fortune.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Ning looked at them indifferently.

"You must understand—there is no gain without cost."

Xiao Ning’s gaze deepened slightly. "The Yin-Yang Soul Ascension Pill... while capable of helping one reach the Nascent Soul Realm safely, is not without flaw. Its greatest drawback is precisely this—your longevity."

He paused briefly before continuing. "Its effect falls short of the natural breakthrough. What you’ve gained is not false, but it is incomplete."

Hearing this, the five elders bowed their heads in acknowledgment. So it wasn’t mere illusion or individual anomaly... it was inherent in the pill itself.

Though disappointment remained in their eyes, a measure of understanding returned.

Xiao Ning’s voice grew heavier this time.

"You may have lost two hundred years of longevity—but you have gained what would have otherwise been impossible. Do not forget—had you not taken the pill, you would not have lived another five."

"Now? You are Nascent Soul experts. You wield divine sense. You command nascent soul power. You have three hundred years ahead—enough time to seek fourth-grade longevity pills, life-prolonging treasures, or rare inheritances."

"Who knows? Perhaps, with enough effort, one of you may even reach the Heavenly Tribulation Realm and regain what was lost."

His words were like thunder in a storm—shaking them from their daze.

Indeed...

They had been staring at the loss, forgetting the miracle.

They looked at one another, exchanging divine sense again.

Three hundred years was still a long time.

Long enough to change one’s fate.

They had already gained more than they ever dared hope for.

Xiao Ning merely smiled faintly, watching without interference.

After a short while, one of the five stepped forward again.

"Sect Master, we... are eternally grateful for your grace. If we may be so bold... we have one small request."

Xiao Ning raised an eyebrow, a faint trace of displeasure flashing across his face.

"What is it?"

The elder bowed low. "Only you are aware of the matter regarding our lifespan. We... humbly request that this matter remain confidential."

"We do not wish for the younger disciples—or other sects—to know of this limitation."

Xiao Ning stared at him for a long moment, then gave a faint nod.

"That is reasonable."