CHAPTER 410: CHAPTER 405 DO NOT ERECT A DANGEROUS WALL! THE CHOICE AND THE TREASURE LIGHT!_1

Cultivators all have their unique preferences; Ancestor Ji Kong favored disciples who were brave and aggressive, who cultivated through battle and strived to break through their own limits. Jia Ren was timid and even had a liking for corpses, so Ancestor Ji Kong had no plans to take him as a disciple.

Sigh, I will think of another way for Junior Brother... Having his suggestion rejected by his master, Zhuo Chengdao felt too ashamed to face Jia Ren. This matter hadn’t been settled, but he could only think of compensation later on.

Why had Ancestor Ji Kong, who previously had no desire to take disciples, changed his mind? Jia Ren thought about Ancestor Ji Kong’s questioning. It was because he was going to become Ma Tianbao’s foster father, creating a new connection for the future. Taking him as a nominal disciple was a way to place a bet in advance, to confirm the truth of the matter. By taking him as a nominal disciple first, other Void Refinement Cultivators who might have similar thoughts would be too late to act. They could vie for the Heavenly Treasure Body, but they surely wouldn’t fight over a mere Inner Sect Disciple. Ancestor Ji Kong was farsighted and profoundly strategic.

This served as a wakeup call for Jia Ren, reminding him of the astonishing Heavenly Treasure Body and the various schemes of the Sect Disciples.

It was unclear if the Lingbao Sect had any traitors, or if they held high positions. Should anyone harbor ill intentions toward Ma Tianbao, and fail to find a suitable opportunity, they might target me, his foster father, as the breakthrough point. With just a few words, they could send me out on a mission under the guise of Sect duties. Facing tasks designated by the Sect’s higher-ups, I wouldn’t be able to find a reason to refuse. Staying in the Lingbao Sect was safe; no one could act against another, thus ensuring safety without worry. If I left the Sect, there was no telling if a Void Refinement Cultivator might make a move against me. Being Ma Tianbao’s foster father offered benefits in the future. I possess the Personal Treasured Demon-Sealing Pagoda and the Heavenly Treasure Primordial Spirit Technique, promising a bright future. There’s no need to take risks for the sake of elusive benefits. A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. There was no need for me to place myself in jeopardy for the empty title of foster father. Ma Tianbao knew the source of his talent and understood gratitude and repayment; he would naturally not mistreat me.

Having thought this through, Jia Ren made up his mind. It was alright not to be the foster father.

"Cough, I am Ancestor Ji Kong’s nominal disciple, so we are essentially from the same lineage.

"I have urgent matters to attend to; I will converse with Senior Brother another day."

Hearing this, Zhuo Chengdao was surprised and delighted, "Junior Brother Jia, are these words true? You really have great skills."

Since he had other matters, it was not good to continue idle chatter.

After sending Zhuo Chengdao off, Jia Ren contacted Ma Zhongyuan, saying, "As a foster father, it is my duty to instruct, but with my low cultivation level, it is more appropriate for the Refining Void Ancestor to take on this role.

"I personally recommend Ancestor Ji Kong. Whether you wish to have him as Tianbao’s foster father, you can consider it for yourself."

The message hadn’t spread; there was still a chance for remedy.

Ma Zhongyuan didn’t reply by voice transmission; a short while later, he hurried to Xiao Mang Mountain. The two had just parted not long ago and unexpectedly met again so soon.

"Is someone threatening you?" Ma Zhongyuan asked, his voice laced with anger and annoyance. "I just wanted to repay you for your help; I didn’t want you to face danger...

"The Chief of Lingbao Sect gave me a command token that allows me to directly reach the Heavenly Ear.

"Your affairs are my affairs. I will ask the Sect Master to take action for you."

Ma Zhongyuan thought Jia Ren had been threatened after leaving his dwelling, and his heart filled with rage. Ancestor Ji Kong was very likely a Void Refining Level Ancestor. Such a personage, before Ma Tianbao had grown up, could not be provoked. Ma Zhongyuan was an Inner Sect Disciple of the Lingbao Sect; facing such a situation, he also felt powerless. The only solution was to report to the Chief of Lingbao Sect and earnestly request the Sect Master to seek justice for Jia Ren.

"Cough, you’re overthinking it!" Jia Ren said, exasperated. "This is the master I have just acknowledged.

"Are you trying to have me accused of the crime of betraying my master and destroying my lineage?

"If Tianbao acknowledges Ancestor Ji Kong as a foster father, his future prospects will be better, and it will benefit me as well."

If Ma Tianbao acknowledged Ancestor Ji Kong as his foster father, then once Ancestor Ji Kong learned the truth, he would naturally be willing to accept me as a direct disciple. I could detach myself from this storm and smoothly obtain the Spirit Devouring Treasure Art. A situation that was once dangerous had turned into a new opportunity. Ma Tianbao would not forget my kindness. Being of the same lineage, he would surely look after me in the future. No matter how I looked at it, this was the best course of action. By relinquishing the title of foster father, Ma Tianbao would gain a Refining Void Ancestor as a backer. Our relationship wouldn’t grow distant, and I would gain even more benefits. For me, this was indeed the best choice.

"This..." Ma Zhongyuan saw that Jia Ren sincerely wished to do this and found no reason to refuse.

This was Jia Ren’s chance; if he discarded the empty title of foster father, he could become a True Disciple and swiftly ascend to high status. Being able to help Jia Ren was also a good thing for me.

Ma Zhongyuan smiled broadly and then said, "Let’s do as Brother Jia wishes."

The two talked for a while longer, and then Ma Zhongyuan hurriedly departed.

With this matter settled, I believe it won’t be long before Ancestor Ji Kong officially takes me as a True Disciple. Besides, there’s also the reward for the trial rankings – the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique I desire. Once everything is over, I plan to enter seclusion for cultivation as soon as possible, advancing my Realm to the Divinity Transformation Stage. Upon reaching the Divinity Transformation Stage, the Demon-Sealing Tower will cultivate on my behalf, while I take the opportunity to refine Spiritual Treasures. This is the way to maximize benefits. It won’t delay my cultivation time, nor will it affect my own progress in cultivation.

Jia Ren returned to his Cave and entered the Mountain and Sea Pearl to cultivate in silence.

Half a day had passed when Senior Brother Ye Yuan came to visit, bringing along the Internal Affairs Manager.

"Are you both sure about exchanging rewards?"

The Internal Affairs Manager gave Jia Ren a meaningful look and transmitted a message secretly, "If you are being coerced by someone, I will uphold justice for you."

Exchanging the first-place reward for the second? No matter how one looked at it, there seemed to be something fishy. I have a good relationship with the External Affairs Manager, who specifically instructed me to take care of Jia Ren. Since I’ve encountered this situation, I can’t ignore it.

Jia Ren did not hesitate and nodded, "I’m certain I want to exchange."

Ye Yuan looked at Jia Ren with a face full of gratitude and quickly said, "Thank you, Junior Brother Jia. If you ever need anything, just say the word, and I will do my utmost to help."

Seeing that Jia Ren did not deny it, the Internal Affairs Manager no longer meddled.

He took out the prepared Jade Slip and handed it to Jia Ren, "This is the second-place reward: the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique."

"This Body Refining Technique has not received Elder Jin Guang’s permission to be shared with outsiders," the Internal Affairs Manager briefly instructed on the key points to be mindful of.

Jia Ren had long been looking forward to this item and quickly reached out to take it, "Thank you, Manager."

The two did not linger for long and hurriedly left.

With the newly acquired Body Refining Technique in hand, Jia Ren’s face broke into a smile.

I’ve finally obtained the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique! Next, I can switch to cultivating a brand-new Body Refining Technique.

Eager to proceed, Jia Ren hurried back to his Cave and took out the newly obtained Jade Slip, carefully reading it from beginning to end.

After perusing the Cultivation Technique Jade Slip once, he heard a crack, and the Jade Slip crumbled into dust.

The text of the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique flowed in his mind as if bound by invisible shackles. It would not affect Jia Ren’s cultivation, but should he wish to teach this technique to others, the shackles would take effect. This was a measure left by Elder Jin Guang to prevent the technique from leaking out.

The Treasure Light Body Refining Technique was divided into eight levels, corresponding to the eight major Realms of Qi Refinement. The first two levels allow one to absorb the treasure light of Magic Artifacts, reaching the level of a Magic Artifact; from the third level onwards, one can absorb the treasure light from Magical Treasures and Ancient Treasures. At the fifth level, one absorbs the treasure light of Spiritual Treasures and Magical Treasures of Divine Transformation grade and above. With each advancement in the Treasure Light Body Refining Realm, one absorbs the treasure light from a different type of Magic Artifact or Magical Treasure. The treasure light absorbed from Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures cannot be changed; the choice of treasures must be made with caution. Once the choice is made, there is no turning back.

The power of the treasure light formed by the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique is not static; as the strength of the treasure body increases, it drives the enhancement of the other treasure lights. Elder Jin Guang had annotations on this. One can only choose one treasure light effect for a Magic Artifact, two for a Magical Treasure, and three for a Spiritual Treasure. The higher the level of cultivation in the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique, the more treasure light one has, and the more powerful it becomes. The physical body is not inferior to Magic Artifacts and Spiritual Treasures of the same level, and with carefully chosen treasure light effects, once cultivated to profound levels, it’s akin to a human-shaped Spiritual Treasure.

One must be careful when choosing Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures for the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique. After absorbing the treasure light from Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures, their Spiritual Nature gradually withers, and their quality deteriorates. To reach higher levels of the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique, one must use the same Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures to replenish the spiritual light and enhance the previous treasure light’s intensity. In the early stages, it is best to choose numerous Magic Artifacts, preferably of the supportive type, to increase the chances of survival. To compensate for the weakness in close combat, after reaching the fifth level of the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique, one can resolve the issue using Divine Transformation-grade Magical Treasures and Spiritual Treasures.

After going over the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique from beginning to end, Jia Ren pondered how to make his selection.

There’s no need to worry about the power of the treasure light from Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures; I can specifically refine suitable Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures to be included in the system of the Demon-Sealing Tower. With the Sacrificial Fire supply from the Demon-Sealing Tower, there’s no worry about lacking replenishment for the treasure light. What I need to consider is how to match the treasure light effects to maximize their value. Should I enhance combat power and explosive strength? Even if my body refined by the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique is strong, I have no intention of engaging in close combat with enemies. As long as I don’t engage in close combat, I can avoid being capsized in a ditch to the greatest extent. I don’t like close combat; what I seek in Body Refinement is to enhance my ability to stay alive. With the Demon-Sealing Tower boosting the power of Magical Treasures, which are bound to far exceed my own Realm and level, it’s best to rely on the Magical Treasures in times of need. Then, the question becomes simple. Offensive Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures are excluded from the list. There are many types of Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures: defensive, damage absorption, breath concealment, increased escape speed... All these types can significantly enhance my survival capability. Besides, there are those that gather Qi to increase the speed of cultivation. If I choose diversifying types of Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures, will I possess a treasure light avatar? Should I consider dealing with Bizarre Demons? Warding Off Evil, Press Bizarre, Exorcising Evil, Sealing... I could go all-in on one type of treasure light, which would also maximize its power.

Various ideas flashed through his mind in an instant, making it difficult for Jia Ren to make a quick decision.

Once the choices for the Treasure Light Body Refining Technique are made, there’s no chance to start over, so caution is necessary. Specializing in one aspect can bring the treasure light’s power to its peak. Being a jack-of-all-trades is not as good as being a master of one; if the treasure lights are not unified, it’s easy to slip up. If I want the treasure light to possess power far beyond its level, it’s best to specialize. Which type of Magic Artifacts and Magical Treasures should I choose?