Chapter 4112 — Take Care of Yourself

"The way I am now, I can still cultivate, and my strength far surpasses that of ordinary men. But every breakthrough is perilous in the extreme—one careless misstep and every meridian in my body snaps. The last time I broke through to the Nascent Soul, I very nearly shattered them all..." Di Xingdao said, still sick with the memory.

Wei Zhao was taken aback at this. He too cultivated the Creation Battle Art, yet he had never once run into such a problem. Could it be because of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art?

The Creation Battle Art had always been flawed, but the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art was an all-purpose mental cultivation method. So the two, once combined and remade by his own hand, had caused that flaw to vanish?

The more he thought, the more plausible it seemed. Yet judging by Di Xingdao's words, Wei Zhao roughly understood that this was merely a stopgap, a last resort. The true method of cultivating the Creation Battle Art was probably nothing like what he was doing now; the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art had only made it cultivable, serving in some measure as a substitute—nothing more.

Still, having worked this much out, Wei Zhao was not overly troubled, nor did he feel any urge to rush off and discover the Creation Battle Art's true cultivation method. However fine the Creation Battle Art might be, it was still an auxiliary method; the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art was where his true foundation lay. And since he could cultivate it now, he would take things one step at a time—why rack his brains over so much?

As for Di Xingdao, Wei Zhao had no intention, for the moment, of handing over the method as he had remade it through the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art. After all, they had known each other barely a day; even with Tianchan as a connection between them, they had not reached the point of entrusting their lives to one another. Better to wait and see.

"Wei Zhao, when you broke through from the great perfection of the Heaven Rank to the Foundation Establishment realm, did you run into the same danger I did?" Di Xingdao asked with concern.

Wei Zhao shook his head. "No, it was fairly smooth, as I recall. Nothing like the shattering of every meridian you just described."

"That is strange. Back then, mine was perilous beyond words." Di Xingdao gave Wei Zhao a startled look, then fell into thought. "Then again, even with the same method, cultivation differs from person to person. Or perhaps the Heaven Rank's great perfection is simply too low a stage—when you break through from Foundation Establishment to the Golden Core, you may well feel a measure of agony."

"Perhaps." Wei Zhao answered noncommittally. The Creation Battle Art he cultivated and Di Xingdao's original version were by now two entirely different things; Di Xingdao's experiences need not befall him. What would actually happen, only time would tell.

"The pain is not the worst of it—grit your teeth and it passes. The real problem is that you may well shatter your meridians every time you break through, as I did, when they cannot withstand the tremendous impact of true qi. That is what truly kills. You must take my example as a warning and steel yourself in advance," Di Xingdao cautioned.

Wei Zhao nodded and said nothing more.

Seeing him like this, Di Xingdao knew his words had not dissuaded him. So he pressed no further. To a cultivator, strength was the very root of being—more vital than life itself. Even knowing the danger, precious few would ever stop halfway.

Di Xingdao himself had been just so in his day: when others urged him to stop, he insisted on cultivating all the harder. Now his injuries had healed; his strength was not yet fully restored, but at least there was hope. And now that hope had returned, his first thought was still to cultivate. If even he, who had suffered such a crushing setback, felt this way, how much more so Wei Zhao?

Since he could not dissuade Wei Zhao, Di Xingdao simply turned to recounting, drop by drop, the insights he had gathered over his years of cultivation, so that the younger man might have something to refer to in his future practice—so that even if danger came, he would know what he faced.

Cultivation insights—and above all those of a legendary master like Di Xingdao—were, wherever they might be found, genuine treasures beyond price, goods no amount of spirit jade could buy. Di Xingdao's generosity in sharing them with Wei Zhao was, in its own way, a form of repayment, for Wei Zhao was nothing less than the benefactor who had given him a second life.

Of course, Wei Zhao's connection with Tianchan was another important reason. Otherwise Di Xingdao would at most have done Wei Zhao a few services in return, and would never have taught him with such wholehearted devotion.

The two talked on by candlelight until the sky grew bright, showing not the slightest weariness—rather, they grew ever more animated.

Glancing at the light outside, Di Xingdao proposed, "Come walk with me. Shall we carry on our talk as we go? Now that I think of it, it has been many years since I last stepped out of this room. I hardly know whether the world outside has changed..."

Wei Zhao smiled. "How could I refuse?"

The two went out side by side, strolling through the courtyards of the Elixir Hall, chatting and laughing with great relish—and at once drew a crowd of Elixir Hall disciples, who gathered round to stare.

Di Xingdao was a legendary figure in the truest sense, a being they would ordinarily never lay eyes on. What was more, they had always known him for a broken man. That he should step out and walk about today—and by the look of him, was he fully recovered?

Word that Di Xingdao, once vice-island master of Middle Island and a figure of legend, had recovered from his injuries spread like wildfire; within moments it had raced through every corner of the Elixir Hall.

Soon the two came upon Tianchan, who had hurried over at the news. But when Wei Zhao saw Zheng Tianshuo appear behind her, his expression turned cold at once. This pest, this clinging fool!

Looking at Di Xingdao, who seemed reborn, Zheng Tianshuo could not help blurting in disbelief, "You... Lord Tian, have you recovered?"

Even as he spoke, a stir ran through the crowd. This time the newcomer was none other than the man who now wielded the highest authority in the Elixir Hall—the hall's vice master, Zheng Dongjue.

Di Xingdao shot Zheng Tianshuo a glance, then deliberately raised his voice for all around to hear: "Tianchan is a sister of my Tian family from the mortal world. From now on, she is kin to me, Di Xingdao. Let those who harbor ill designs against her take heed. Should anyone truly provoke my sister, I will show no mercy—and I trust you have all heard tales of how decisively I deal death. Take care of yourselves."

The crowd gazed at Tianchan with open envy, exchanging glances among themselves. Di Xingdao's words were plainly aimed at someone. Given his status and standing, even though he was no member of the Elixir Hall, the deterrent force of his words was unmatched; no one would dare provoke the sister he had acknowledged with his own lips. (To be continued...)