Chapter 153: Body Refining Cultivation, Giving All Clan
Members Hope of Cultivation
As the Grand Ancestor of Mountain-Moving Sect plotted to pledge allegiance to De Molinos
Clan, many small and mid-sized factions across Aragon Kingdom were considering the same
course of action.
While not all of them could fully relocate their entire clans into De Molinos Clan’s territory, they
at least sought to transfer their core wealth and younger elite members into De Molinos Clan’s
sphere of influence.
As for those factions led by Level 3 cultivators or even Level 4 grand cultivators, they made no
such moves.
These factions had the strength to compete for dominance in the upcoming chaos.
Their relationships with the princely lords of Aragon Kingdom were not purely that of
subordinates—rather, they functioned more like allies.
They had thrown their support behind specific warlords, expecting that when one of them
successfully conquered Aragon Kingdom, they would receive substantial rewards and titles in
return.
By the time Arius returned to De Molinos Clan, Simon had already convened a family meeting.
Even before Arius’s arrival, the clan had already received news, Albigensians Sect had ceded
half of Pyrenees Mountain County to De Molinos Clan, and more importantly Arius was backed
by a powerful figure from the Alchemy Alliance.
As for De Molinos Clan’s next steps, Arius chose not to interfere too much.
He allowed his clan members to deliberate and decide their own course of action.
Instead, the first thing Arius did upon returning was to commission a courtyard to be built near
his secluded cultivation chamber, specifically for Noah.
By keeping Noah close, he could personally guide his cultivation.
Once everything was arranged, Arius began teaching Noah various cultivation techniques.
These included—
● His own primary technique, the “Crimson Flame Dao Sutra.”
● And four additional techniques, each aligned with one of the fundamental
elements—Metal, Wood, Water, and Earth.
When Noah was in Albigensians Sect, he had already practiced five different elemental
techniques simultaneously.
At the Skin Tempering stage, it was common for cultivators to train in multiple elemental
techniques.
This allowed them to discover which element they resonated with most.
Typically, before reaching the Peak of Skin Tempering, a cultivator would have determined their
primary path.
Once their primary technique was chosen, they would devote themselves to cultivating that
element for the foreseeable future.
Of course, there were rare geniuses who could cultivate multiple elemental techniques from the
very start—
But such individuals were extremely rare.
For the vast majority, attempting to cultivate multiple elemental techniques led to either slower
progress at best, or deviation and life-threatening consequences at worst.
“From now on, these will be the techniques you cultivate.”
“Once you reach the Peak of Skin Tempering, I will personally determine the next steps for you.”
Arius’s voice carried warmth as he gently patted Noah’s head.
The techniques Noah had previously learned were far too basic—
They were low-grade techniques, suitable only for Level 1 cultivators and early-stage Body
Tempering disciples.
In contrast—
The techniques Arius provided were of an entirely different caliber—
At minimum, they were at the Level 4 grade!
Noah, with innocent determination, accepted the scrolls with both hands, then bowed deeply to
Arius.
“Thank you, Ancestor…”
After imparting the techniques, Arius retrieved a small, pitch-black pill and handed it to Noah.
“Here, consume this.”
“Once ingested, it will enhance your talent.”
Of course—
This pill wasn’t actually for improving talent.
It was a special elixir laced with a mild sedative.
To conceal the existence of the Celestial Appraisal Mirror, Arius had to ensure that Noah was
completely unconscious before enhancing his spiritual root.
“Yes, Ancestor.”
Without hesitation, Noah swallowed the black pill.
As the medicinal effects spread through his body, he quickly fell unconscious.
Seeing this, Arius smiled faintly.
Then, he summoned the Celestial Appraisal Mirror from within his spiritual sea.
With Noah completely unconscious, Arius retrieved several dozen lower-grade spirit stones and
began refining his spiritual root.
As the Celestial Appraisal Mirror absorbed the energy from the spirit stones—
Its surface shimmered with a faint immortal glow.
Under the mirror’s divine radiance, Noah’s spiritual root began its transformation.
His True Spiritual Root…
Profound-Grade Spiritual Root…
Earth-Grade Spiritual Root!
As Noah’s spiritual root advanced to the Earth-Grade level, the radiance of the Celestial
Appraisal Mirror quickly dimmed.
With an Earth-Grade Spiritual Root and the high-level techniques granted by Arius, as long as
Noah remained diligent in his cultivation, reaching the Level 4 realm in the future would be
within his grasp.
If, in the future, Noah demonstrated extraordinary talent, Arius would further enhance his
aptitude.
However—If Noah became complacent, unable to endure the hardships of cultivation, then
Arius would abandon any further investment in him.
Destiny, fortune—everything depended on Noah’s own choices.
After completing Noah’s spiritual root enhancement, Arius silently left the courtyard.
Now, it was his turn to enhance his own talent.
Then he would devote himself entirely to breaking through to the Level 2 realm!
Arius was well aware that, although De Molinos Clan currently seemed to be in a state of
unprecedented stability, their situation remained precarious, like walking on a tightrope.
A single misstep could plunge the entire De Molinos Clan into irreversible ruin.
Time was not on his side.
He had to ensure that within the next ten years, either—
1. His own cultivation advanced by at least two or three major realms, or
2. De Molinos Clan acquired Level 4 combat strength.
De Molinos Clan’s current status and influence had been borrowed, it all came from the small
hunchbacked man, the powerful figure behind the Alchemy Alliance token.
If one day, that man demanded the token back, De Molinos Clan’s current status would collapse
instantly.
A family could grow temporarily by relying on external power but for long-term prosperity, it had
to become strong on its own.
And the foundation of a strong family was its people!
Unfortunately, in De Molinos Clan, the number of descendants born with spiritual roots was far
too low.
To date, only Noah and Isabella had shown any cultivation potential.
Without innate spiritual roots, even if Arius wanted to enhance the talents of his kin, there was
nothing he could do.
After all, even the Celestial Appraisal Mirror could not create spiritual roots out of thin air.
Or perhaps, it wasn’t that the Celestial Appraisal Mirror was incapable of bestowing spiritual
roots.
Rather, the resources Arius had invested so far were simply insufficient to trigger such an ability.
Still, a lack of spiritual roots did not mean one had no hope of stepping onto the path of
cultivation.
There was another way—
The Path of Body Cultivation!
A path of tempering the mortal body, of forging oneself into a warrior who could rival cultivators!
Of course, not everyone was suited for this path.
Even among De Molinos Clan’s own people, nearly half took twenty to thirty years just to barely
master basic martial arts.
Some spent their entire lives training, only to never achieve mastery.
Body Cultivation was far more difficult than ordinary martial arts—
And the further one progressed, the harder it became to break through.
Even those born with talent—even with immense resources poured into them—
Most would never progress beyond the Early Stage of Skin Tempering in their entire lifetimes.
Arius intended to let his kin attempt it.
It would at least offer those without spiritual roots a chance at pursuing the path of cultivation.
Whether they succeeded or failed, that would depend entirely on their own fortune.