Chapter 350: The Essence Path
Chapter 350: The Essence Path
"Alright, let's head further into the forest."
"You don't seem like the type to leave, so we won't waste any more time here."
After confirming Lindsey's attitude, Qinggan took the lead and ventured into the woods.
Qinggan had a no-nonsense approach to her actions and decisions.
However, during their journey, she didn't set any conditions but instead, like an elder, began to elaborate on the detailed advancement of Life Essence.
Unlike An Rui's rough cultivation method, Qinggan had an in-depth understanding of the Life Essence, from the initial awakening to the state of Essence after completing the five ascensions.
If one were a powerful Life Scholar, during the once-a-decade Essence Surge, they could even extract the life force of a newly awakened individual and fuse it with their Essence, forcibly granting them the traits of Life Essence.
Once the seed of Life Essence is formed, the power of Essence is unlocked, enhancing one's physique, self-healing abilities, and extending their lifespan.
Then comes the first advancement, from the 'Seed of Life' to Lindsey's current 'Sproutling' stage, which grants immense burst power.
The next growth stage is from 'Sproutling' to 'Growth'.
At this stage, the Life Essence holder gains an incredible boost in endurance, even rivaling some Awakened individuals with their occupational skills.
The following stage is from 'Growth' to 'Maturity'.
Here, the Awakened individual's Essence quality surges rapidly, and their previously extended lifespan increases once more.
As long as they don't meet an untimely death in battle, living for four to five hundred years is a breeze, and their bodies rarely show signs of aging.
Beyond 'Maturity' is a special level called 'Life Sowing', which is Qinggan's current capability level.
At this rank, the Essence gives birth to wondrous traits.
Just as Righteously Aligned individuals often possess Will Essence, allowing them to move people's hearts, Life Essence at this stage also manifests abilities related to life.
Beyond Life Sowing
In the Volcano City, Awakened individuals have a unique term for those who transcend this stage—Ancient Life.
At this level, the Awakened individual's life becomes thoroughly integrated with their Essence.
Their lifespan experiences an extraordinary increase.
According to the records in Volcano City, every Awakened individual who achieves Ancient Life is at least a thousand years old.
"A lifespan of a thousand years..."
In that instant, Lindsey understood Qinggan's attitude towards his choice of Essence.
This was about longevity!
Ordinary Awakened individuals, after reaching the fifth stage, can indeed extend their lifespan beyond normal limits through their skills and the blessing of Essence.
But compared to a thousand years, there was no competition.
Weighing the pros and cons in his mind, Lindsey soon had more questions.
Could the advantage of a long lifespan alone allow Life Essence to surpass other paths? What about the Will's Heaven's Ladder, the Life Lineage, the Merchant's ability to place power outside of themselves, or the most versatile and common Fundamental Essence?
When these abilities are developed to their peak, while they may not match the longevity of Life Essence, they should have their strengths and weaknesses in other aspects.
With this in mind, Lindsey asked, "Is there any further advancement for Essence beyond Ancient Life?"
"I've heard of it, but never seen it."
Qinggan shook her head slightly, using herself as an example to explain, "I've already completed the activation of my Essence and am in the process of complete fusion. At the sixth stage, one's life and Essence become one, and the subsequent path is to deeply analyze and understand it."
Lindsey shared his thoughts, "What about other Essences besides Life Essence? If cultivated deeply, shouldn't they have different abilities as well?"
Qinggan nodded in agreement, "Of course, and their effects vary greatly."
"Take your other Will Essence, for example. It identifies a trait, a virtue, or a vice early on. By continuing to cultivate this Will Power, it can influence various behaviors."
Lindsey inquired further.
"What if Will Essence is cultivated to a level like yours?"
Qinggan immediately provided an explanation, "Will Essence at my level—it causes a change in the Awakened's very concept. The established traits can be elevated to something else, but as for the specifics..."
Qinggan wasn't omniscient, and couldn't cover every detail.
As the conversation ventured into her knowledge blind spot, she switched to a more familiar example:
"I've never seen it personally, but I do know about the Artist's Habit."
"They merge emotions with Essence, and at my level, the body manifests the traits of the soul, even briefly transcending the constraints of the life concept and physical form..."
Lindsey followed Qinggan deeper into the forest.
It was undeniable that this professional scholar from Volcano City possessed an overwhelming wealth of knowledge, surpassing most people he had encountered in the past.
Qinggan effortlessly answered Lindsey's questions, no matter how random they were.
Even when asked about rare topics, she could make educated guesses based on her extensive knowledge reservoir.
The only regret was that Qinggan lacked historical knowledge.
When Lindsey inquired about Nature Spirits and ancient cities, she couldn't provide any answers.
Amid their conversation, Qinggan took the opportunity to encourage Lindsey, "Lindsey, if you study in Volcano City, with your heritage, your future achievements will surely be no less than mine."
Lindsey looked at Qinggan's youthful appearance, unable to guess her exact age, but he could sense her good intentions, "If I get the chance, I'll definitely pay a visit."
"After all, it's a place my teacher often talked about."
"..."
The two continued their journey, delving deeper into the forest.
Following the forest's ley lines, they discovered more bodies along the way, each with a different identity but sharing the same fate—death at the hands of the forest's hostile attacks.
The constant discovery of corpses dampened the conversation between Lindsey and Qinggan, casting a somber atmosphere.
As evening approached and darkness enveloped the forest, they found a clearing to rest for the night.
Lindsey, accustomed to his routine, opened the map in his camp to conduct reconnaissance.
A peculiar phenomenon immediately caught his attention.
Within the forest, the map was usually covered in a thick green layer due to the trees' influence.
However, near their intended resting spot, a yellow area on the map was unexpectedly tinted green as well.
At first glance, it seemed as if someone had applied a filter over it!
"..."
"My skills can't possibly have a bug like in a game, can they?" Lindsey furrowed his brows.
He switched the map to 3D mode and expanded the reconnaissance range, his expression turning peculiar the next moment.
"..."
Lindsey turned his stiff neck towards the Life Scholar beside him, "Ms. Qinggan."
"It seems like we're not standing on a mountain peak right now, are we?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
