Chapter 144: Luoxia Sect’s past is full of bitterness and pain
It was evident that the Creation Five Elements Art was of an incredibly high grade—far
surpassing the Crimson Flame Dao Scripture in terms of cultivation technique hierarchy.
With this realization, Arius immediately took out a low-grade spirit stone and attempted to
enhance the Creation Five Elements Art once more.
As the spirit stone was consumed, the Mirror of Celestial Appraisal emitted a soft glow. In that
instant, the previously incomplete Creation Five Elements Art underwent a visible
transformation.
When the glow from the mirror fully dissipated, what was once a single incomplete page had
turned into a thick tome—five inches thick and a foot long and wide.
On its cover, eight bold characters were inscribed:
“Creation Five Elements Art – Basics”
“Just an enhancement to the Basics?”
Arius gazed at the tome, but he was not disappointed.
The more resources a fragmented object required for enhancement, the more terrifying its true
value.
Flipping through the now-upgraded Creation Five Elements Art, a series of profound and
esoteric texts flooded Arius’s mind.
Even just the Basics of the Creation Five Elements Art could refine his physical body to the level
of a Level 4-grade artifact!
Beyond the Basics, there were… many more sections.
After a rough estimation, Arius realized that even if he were to exhaust the entire resources of
Aragon Country, it might still not be enough to fully restore this cultivation technique.
When the Mirror of Celestial Appraisal successfully enhanced an item for the first time, the
resources consumed were minimal. However, with the second, third, and fourth enhancements,
the required resources would increase exponentially.
For the Creation Five Elements Art, if he were to upgrade it step by step, he would need at least
fifty enhancements before it could be fully restored.
If he wanted to complete it in one go, he would have to provide at least half the total resources
required for a step-by-step enhancement.
After skimming through the Basics of the Creation Five Elements Art, Arius carefully put away
both the Mirror of Celestial Appraisal and the tome.
“It’s time to pay a visit to Albigensians Sect.”
Cultivating the Creation Five Elements Art was not something that could be done overnight.
Arius decided to first head to Albigensians Sect, retrieve his clan members, and then use the
token given to him by the dwarf man to establish his clan’s prestige.
Once this was accomplished, the De Molinos Clan would hold an unparalleled status within Mist
Aragon Country for years to come.
Leaving his secluded cultivation chamber, Arius stepped onto a flying sword, slicing through the
sky at high speed, heading straight for Albigensians Sect.
It had been many years since he last returned from Albigensians Sect.
When he left, Arius was nothing more than an unknown outer disciple, someone entirely
insignificant.
But this time… he was going to turn Albigensians Sect upside down!
Although his Level 1 Realm (Peak Stage) cultivation was not considered top-tier in the sect, it
was enough for an Elder’s position.
Besides, Arius didn’t need overwhelming strength for this visit.
With the status of a Ninth-Rank Alchemist and the token given by the dwarf man, even if his
cultivation were still at the Body Tempering Realm, he could still force Albigensians Sect to
submit!
Still, to be cautious, Arius allocated some resources to further enhance two of his Five Thunder
Talisman Treasures.
Now, his Five Thunder Talisman Treasures had fully reached the rank of a Level 2 artifact!
Both talismans could unleash an attack comparable to a full-powered strike from a Peak Level 2
cultivator.
With these top-tier Level 2 talismans in hand, causing turmoil in Albigensians Sect would be
even easier.
This time, Arius was deliberately stirring up trouble.
Within Aragon Country, Albigensians Sect was not among the absolute peak forces, but it was
undoubtedly one of the strongest first-rate sects.
In terms of foundation, the number of Level 3 and Level 2 cultivators in Albigensians Sect
rivaled that of some Level 4-level sects.
As for inheritance, many Level 4 cultivators had left behind their legacies within the sect.
Moreover, the Albigensians Sect was affiliated with the Velmorian Sect. Stirring up trouble there
would not only draw the attention of the demonic factions but also the royal families of Aragon
Country—even the righteous sects would take notice.
The Albigensians Sect was not far from the De Molinos Clan.
After his breakthrough, even while flying at a leisurely pace, it only took Arius two to three hours
before he arrived at the sect’s grand entrance.
Staring at the sect, enveloped in formations and shrouded in celestial mist, Arius couldn’t help
but feel a surge of emotion.
For a hundred years, he had been just another nameless outer disciple in this very sect.
In those hundred years, he had known the lofty ambitions of youth, the bitterness of fate, the
despair of a bottleneck, and endured thirty thousand days and nights of closed-door cultivation.
Within the sect, there were endless schemes, battles for fame and fortune, and countless
unspoken rules…
The so-called immortal sects of this world had never truly transcended the desires of the
mundane. In fact, their struggles were even more ruthless than those of ordinary mortals!
At their core, cultivators were nothing more than individuals who wielded tremendous power,
seeking nothing but eternal life.
The notion that cultivators were free of desires was merely an illusion. They had simply
discarded mortal cravings in favor of greater ambitions.
For cultivators, there was only immortality—only power.
At times, Arius even wondered: even if one truly ascended to immortality, would the fundamental
desires of human nature really disappear?
Even as immortals, they would still be human.
Staring at the grand entrance of Albigensians Sect, Arius did not rush in recklessly.
He was here to claim benefits, not to throw his life away.
The sect’s defensive formations were formidable—anyone below the Level 4 Realm who
attempted to break in would likely die without even knowing how.
Outside the sect’s protective formations, two outer disciples stood guard as they always did.
These gatekeepers were only at the Blood Tempering Stage of Body Tempering, their talent and
potential mediocre at best.
However, securing this position was not something ordinary outer disciples could easily achieve.
In the Albigensians Sect, an outer disciple who failed to advance to the inner sect five times
within a century would be permanently expelled.
The inner sect promotion exam took place once every twenty years. If one was lucky, they
would have a full hundred years to prepare—just like Arius once had.
If unlucky, they would be forced to face the five trials in just a few decades.
Regardless of whether they were fortunate or unfortunate, outer disciples in Albigensians Sect
were little more than slaves to the sect.
Neither outer disciples nor servant disciples were allowed to freely leave the sect. Outside of
cultivation, they were assigned various tasks by the elders.
Moreover, both outer disciples and servant disciples only received a monthly stipend for the first
ten years after joining.
If they failed to advance within that time, the sect deemed them worthless, and their stipend was
permanently revoked.
Back then, after losing his sect stipend, Arius couldn’t even gather a single spirit stone fragment
in an entire year.
Even now, thinking back on his days in Albigensians Sect, Arius couldn’t suppress the bitter
memories rising in his heart.
Unlike ordinary outer disciples, the gatekeepers stationed at the sect’s entrance would never be
expelled, even if they failed their inner sect promotions.
On top of that, they still received a generous monthly stipend.
Because every gatekeeper disciple… had family ties to the sect’s higher-ups!