Chapter 48: Limit

The Eight Stages of the Martial Dao—everyone present knew the names of the realms. But when it came to the subtle differences between them, knowledge varied widely depending on one’s family background and access to rare teachings.

“The first four realms each have ten levels,” Su Yehua explained calmly, her voice carrying the weight of experience. “Depending on the Combat Scripture one cultivates, the gap between a top-tier genius and an ordinary Martial Practitioner within the same realm can be as vast as heaven and earth.”

She paused, then continued:

“After the Circulation Realm comes the Soul Inheritance Realm. The Continuation of Soul Realm cultivates the Soul Condensation Art!”

Her gaze swept over the audience.

“Different tiers of the Soul Condensation Art allow for varying numbers of soul condensations. The highest-level versions can condense the soul over fifty times.”

“But more critical than the Art itself,” she added, “is the Soul Memory Level of the inherited soul.”

“That determines the absolute upper limit of how many times the soul can be refined!”

Her eyes lingered for a brief moment on two youths in rich brocade robes, their sleeves adorned with dragon patterns.

“If the soul inherited is that of a Four Foundations Realm master, up to eighty soul condensations are possible.”

“If it’s a Demon Soul, between thirty and sixty—depending on the demon’s race.”

“And if it’s merely a Mountain Spirit or Ghost soul, the maximum is only twenty times. Even a mid-tier Condensation Combat Scripture would suffice.”

She paused again, her voice dropping slightly.

“But if one inherits a soul beyond the Four Foundations Realm… according to my knowledge, the peak reaches one hundred and eighty soul condensations. This is likely nearing the true Limit of the Continuation of Soul Realm.”

Her words struck like a thunderclap.

A wave of shock rippled through the elite disciples.

The difference between a top-tier Continuation of Soul Realm cultivator and an average one—was nearly tenfold!

The two youths she had glanced at reacted differently. One looked slightly uneasy. The other, however, wore a smug expression, his eyes flicking dismissively around the hall as the murmurs grew louder. A hint of contempt flickered deep in his pupils.

One hundred and eighty isn’t even close to the Limit… Li Hao watched the beautiful instructor, silently shaking his head.

The true ceiling? Three hundred and sixty soul condensations.

…Or so he believed.

He added the two words silently in his mind. After all, just because he couldn’t surpass it didn’t mean no one else couldn’t.

He had achieved this limit through the Heavenly Soul Inheritance, mastering four supreme-tier Soul Condensation Arts and five high-tier ones. Even if he studied more, he could not break the three hundred and sixty barrier. This—was his Limit.

And when he reached that threshold, he had unlocked another form of Soul Power.

He called it the…

Cosmic and Earthly Soul Form.

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Meanwhile, Su Yehua resumed her lecture.

“Those who qualify for Soul Inheritance within our Tan Palace Academy may enter the Black and White Hall to cultivate. After the Four Foundations Realm, this is the highest-tier soul inheritance available—second only to the Imperial Family.”

She glanced around, her tone deliberate.

“Of course, some of you come from noble houses with ancestral spirits from the Four Foundations Realm. But for the rest… this is an opportunity worth considering.”

A ripple of excitement passed through the crowd. Many of these disciples weren’t from highborn families like Li Hao or the two dragon-sleeved youths.

A Four Foundations Realm Heroic Soul was a rare treasure—even in the Martial Temples. Unless one had extraordinary potential or caught the right eye, such an inheritance was nearly impossible to obtain.

Yet the Tan Palace Academy—renowned as the foremost academy across the Nineteen Provinces—offered this privilege openly.

“After the Continuation of Soul Realm comes the Divine Travel Realm,” Su Yehua said softly.

“This is the level of a Military Captain, a famed Martial Hero. In our academy, even the Class B Courtyards employ cultivators at this stage as instructors.”

Many nodded in understanding.

For some, the Divine Travel Realm was already the level of their family patriarchs. In many cities, such a figure could dominate an entire region.

“The Divine Travel cultivator can achieve Spirit Soul Separation, perceiving all movements within a radius of several li. They can detect any disturbance within a three- or four-li range.”

She continued:

“They can pierce through the illusions and demonic magic of Spirit Beasts. The core cultivation art of this realm is the Soul Refinement Art.”

Her eyes swept the hall.

“The quality of the Soul Refinement Art varies greatly. A common version, even when perfected, allows one to separate the soul only three li from the body.”

“A high-tier Soul Refinement Art can double that, reaching over seven li.”

“And the ultimate version… can extend the soul’s reach up to eighteen li.”

She paused, observing the mixed expressions—awe, disbelief, and hunger.

“Eighteen li is not the absolute limit. But the Ultimate Soul Refinement Art is so rare that only the most powerful sects possess it.”

Her gaze settled on the audience.

“Here at the Tan Palace Academy… we have one.”

A spark ignited in the eyes of many noble disciples.

Su Yehua smiled.

“Just remain in the Class A Academy, study diligently, and you will have every opportunity to access such treasures in time.”

“Really?”

“Would they really teach such a secret?”

“My family’s Soul Refinement Art is only mid-tier…”

Fists clenched in quiet excitement.

To train in the Tan Palace Academy—then return home and surpass one’s own patriarch? The thought alone was intoxicating.

“Hmph.”

From the front row, the dragon-sleeved youth let out a soft, scornful laugh. Disdain poured from his eyes.

Ultimate Soul Refinement Art only reaches eighteen li?

Compared to the Royal Family’s Great Yu’s First Soul Refinement Art, it’s laughable. That supreme art, when perfected, allows a soul to travel twenty-five li—the distance of half a city!

A cultivator at this level could effortlessly crush any ordinary Divine Travel Realm expert.

The farther the soul could travel, the stronger the spirit, the more powerful the magic it could shatter—even allowing escape from the clutches of a Great Demon.

Su Yehua noticed the royal youth’s contempt, but her expression remained serene. She knew of the Imperial Family’s Great Yu’s First Soul Refinement Art, of course. But she said nothing. To speak of the Royal lineage was to tread on dangerous ground.

Any mention of the Imperial Family required the utmost caution.

“Teacher,” a student asked, “is the limit of the Divine Travel Realm twenty li?”

Su Yehua glanced at him, seeing curiosity reflected in many eyes.

She shook her head.

“Twenty li is not the limit. The true ceiling… could be twenty-five li. Or even thirty.”

“Thirty li?!”

The gasps were immediate.

That was ten times the reach of a common Soul Refinement Art!

The gap between the peak and the average in each realm seemed to consistently approach a tenfold difference.

How terrifying, then, would it be if one reached the limit in every realm?

The royal youth’s eyes narrowed with disdain.

Thirty li?

Our First Soul Refinement Art only reaches twenty-five li—this instructor is guessing wildly, misleading the fools. She’ll only bring shame upon herself.

He nearly opened his mouth to expose her ignorance, but then remembered his mother’s urgent warning before departure: Be discreet. Be humble. Do not draw attention.

He let it go.

Let her keep fooling these ignorant children.

He leaned back, his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.

Thirty li…

Li Hao shook his head again, silently.

This teacher’s knowledge was far from his own truth.

Just by cultivating the three ultimate-tier Soul Refinement Arts hidden within the Pavilion of Listening to Rain, his soul travel had already reached thirty-five li.

Later, Old Feng had secretly smuggled him into the Royal Secret Vault, where he obtained a copy of the Great Yu’s First Soul Refinement Art. After cultivating it, his soul’s range expanded to fifty li—enough to span an entire city, his spirit arriving at any location in an instant.

But even that wasn’t the end.

Li Hao sensed he could go further. If he found more Ultimate Soul Refinement Arts, and cross-verified them, his soul could be refined even stronger.

“Those who reach the Divine Travel Realm before the age of twenty are considered true geniuses,” Su Yehua said with a warm smile.

“But I’ve heard of someone who achieved it at sixteen.”

A noble youth spoke up:

“My father said Yanbei Sword Saint reached perfection in the Divine Travel Realm by fifteen.”

Others chimed in, murmuring tales of prodigies.

Once, such stories had seemed like myths. Now, with deeper understanding, they realized just how terrifyingly rare and powerful such feats truly were.

“Only the absolute top prodigies among Ninth-Rank Combat Body cultivators can achieve such a feat,” Su Yehua said.

“But don’t lose heart. While reaching the Divine Travel Realm early is advantageous, in the final four realms, raw talent based on bone quantification becomes less important.”

She paused, her tone turning earnest.

“Even in the Fifteen-Li Stage, talent still gives a slight edge. But by the Heavenly Human Master Stage, it’s heart, insight, and fortune—afterbirth factors—that decide the path.”

“Thus, if you can touch the threshold of the Heavenly Human, anyone has the chance to step through the Heavenly Gate and become a Master.”

A student raised their hand.

“Teacher… what about the final four realms?”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end