Chapter 243: Dao Seed Avatar
The sword core returned, and the avatar's cultivation recovered, but the loss of one sword core still had its impact. For example, the Heavenly Twelve Sword Fiend Formation could no longer be set up.
Still, that was no big issue—it could be cultivated back.
In theory, a Golden Core cultivator who loses their core can re-form it. Of course, that's only in theory; in practice, the difficulty is immense.
Even without the core, the cultivator's essence remains at the Golden Core level, so the difficulty of rebuilding is directly at that tier.
What does "Golden Core level difficulty" mean? It means that cultivating from Qi Refining first layer to second layer is just as hard as cultivating from Golden Core first revolution to second revolution.
The same applies through the Foundation Establishment stage, until the core is condensed again—only then does difficulty return to normal.
Faced with that kind of difficulty without a core, re-cultivating is virtually impossible. That's why the so-called "reforming the core" only exists in theory.
Unless, of course, one encounters a great fortune—for example, if a Nascent Soul venerable intervenes. Previously, Azure Venerable had promised he could help Gu Mo's avatar re-form a sword core.
But Gu Mo had lost only one of his twelve sword cores. The impact was limited, and for his avatar, re-cultivating that single lost core was not actually difficult. He could even use Sun Essence to accelerate the process.
"Mm… the Sun Essence should still be saved for the true body." The avatar slowly closed his eyes. With eleven sword cores as a foundation, re-forging the last was only a matter of time.
At present, the avatar was considered a cripple in everyone's eyes, no longer attracting attention. Even the demonic sect had drastically lowered the bounty on him.
Still, they hadn't fully revoked it—after all, this avatar of Gu Mo had slain three of their true disciples. That wasn't something the sect could easily forgive.
The avatar went into seclusion, while Gu Mo pulled most of his focus back.
Now, Gu Mo was pondering his next path of cultivation. After the secret realm expedition, having seen the other true disciples of Shennong Valley, he had been reflecting on his own direction.
Before him lay two roads: one was to follow the Shennong herbal sutra, whose inheritance stretched directly to the Great Ascension stage—a broad, golden avenue.
The other was to pursue the Golden Core Dao Seed method created by his master Qi Chunde—a path of immense potential, but with an unclear future.
"Disciple, what is it you seek?" Qi Chunde stepped out of his meditation chamber and asked.
"Master, there is something I do not understand, and I wish to consult you." Gu Mo bowed.
"If you have a question, speak!" Qi Chunde's eyes lit up. At last, after all this time, he could truly fulfill his role as a teacher.
Gu Mo explained his dilemma about his cultivation path.
"What is there to hesitate over?"
Qi Chunde smiled faintly. "Nurturing a Golden Core Dao Seed does not conflict with cultivating the Shennong herbal sutra. In fact, it can even hasten its progress. Likewise, the Shennong herbal sutra can speed the formation of the Dao Seed."
"Moreover, the method I created comes with a remedy if you regret it later." Qi Chunde gestured for Gu Mo to sit, then began explaining his insights after becoming the Myriad Laws True Monarch.
After his Dao Seed grew into the Myriad Laws Tree, Qi Chunde fully realized how arduous the path ahead was. To create a method that could reach the Nascent Soul realm was exceedingly difficult.
Thus, he began searching for an exit—a way to give Gu Mo a fallback if he took up this method.
Qi Chunde had already seen his disciple's talent. In the future, Gu Mo might go farther than he himself could. If Qi Chunde failed to develop the higher stages, Gu Mo would be trapped.
As for having Gu Mo join him in developing the method, Qi Chunde thought it unnecessary. Better for Gu Mo to advance along another path first. With his higher cultivation, he could later provide stronger insight and help.
He could also have sought out other high-level cultivators to assist, but this was his core method. He could not transmit it freely—only a direct disciple like Gu Mo could be entrusted with it.
After long consideration, Qi Chunde conceived of a fallback: refining the Dao Seed or the Myriad Laws Tree into an avatar, separate from the true body. Since the Dao Seed was a living entity, refining it into an avatar was entirely feasible.
That avatar could then aid the true body in rebuilding. Though it would cost time, cultivation in the Shennong herbal sutra granted far greater lifespan than peers of the same realm.
With a Dao Seed Avatar or a Myriad Laws Tree Avatar placed somewhere safe, even if the true body perished, one could be reborn through the avatar.
In other words, it was an extra life. Spending time to nurture a Dao Seed into an avatar as a safeguard was well worth it.
"An avatar technique!"
At this, Gu Mo's eyes shone. He knew full well the value of avatars—an extra life, an extra fighting force.
"Master, after refining a Dao Seed Avatar, can I continue nurturing other seeds, refining more avatars?" Gu Mo suddenly thought of something, and asked eagerly.
The Body Outside the Body divine ability he practiced was incomplete and could only create a single avatar. But if this Dao Seed method could produce multiple, its value would skyrocket.
If he refined many Dao Seed Avatars and planted them across the land, then if one was destroyed, he could immediately revive from another.
With enough avatars, he would be virtually immortal.
"Ah!"
Qi Chunde was briefly stunned. He hadn't thought along those lines. After all, nurturing a Dao Seed was no easy feat. Even producing one was extraordinary—who would think of cultivating several?
"This… should be possible." After careful thought, Qi Chunde answered.
Hearing that, Gu Mo immediately resolved to cultivate this method. No matter what, the Dao Seed Avatar was simply too enticing.
As for the difficulty of nurturing Dao Seeds—for Gu Mo, that was not much of an obstacle. He could simply pile Sun Essence into it.
With enough Sun Essence, the idea of refining multiple avatars was completely feasible.
"Then let me explain the method to you in detail."
Seeing his disciple determined to practice his creation, Qi Chunde grew solemn and prepared to transmit it.
"This is a section of Heaven and Earth's spiritual root that I obtained. Take it and use it as the foundation for your Dao Seed." When the teaching was finished, Qi Chunde produced a jade box. Inside was a verdant branch, long severed from its mother tree, yet still radiating vitality.
But it still radiated astonishing vitality, giving the impression that if planted, it could spring to life again—yet this branch was long dead, impossible to revive.
It was only because this Heaven-and-Earth spiritual root was too powerful that its strength had not fully dissipated, even after endless ages.
"Thank you, Master!"
Gu Mo received it with both hands.
"No need for such formality between us, disciple." Qi Chunde waved it off. He knew full well that his own achievements were owed largely to this student.
"Go back and cultivate well. If you run into any doubts, come find me anytime." Passing on the method had also given Qi Chunde new insights, which he intended to meditate upon.
"Yes!"
With the jade slip recording Qi Chunde's cultivation insights and the segment of Heaven-and-Earth spiritual root in hand, Gu Mo returned to his cave dwelling to begin nurturing his Golden Core Dao Seed.
Both his true body and avatar went into closed-door cultivation, while in the outside world, the storm raised by the Heavenly Chosen Battle continued to spread. As news reached farther, the storm only grew more violent.
Naturally, the righteous sects fanned the flames. After all, the righteous had won this Heavenly Chosen Battle—how could they not trumpet it far and wide?
For the demonic sects, this period was one of bitter frustration. They, too, needed to recruit disciples to grow, and the struggle between righteous and demonic was ultimately a struggle of lineages and people.
The demonic sects largely relied on fast-track training and brutal strength to attract mortals with spiritual roots. But when this advantage failed to shine in the Heavenly Chosen Battle, it became far harder to draw in fresh blood.
Though they had their own mortal territories from which to recruit, the brightest talents were still born in the great mortal kingdoms. Only among those billions of people could truly dazzling geniuses appear.
Attracting such top talents was of the utmost importance.
Now, across the immortal cities—
Cultivators gathered in teahouses and taverns, discussing the battle that had just ended.
"In terms of battle strength, it seems sword cultivators are still the strongest! I've decided, I want to become a sword cultivator!"
"I feel plant masters are actually quite good—not as weak as I thought."
"Oh? You also think plant masters are promising? Why not try your luck at Shennong Valley? They'll open their gates for recruitment next year." With such talk, many quickly found like-minded companions.
The Heavenly Chosen Battle had ended, but the righteous sects naturally seized the momentum to recruit talents on a large scale.
Thanks to Gu Mo's outstanding performance, plant masters—usually overlooked—suddenly became the new trend. As for sword cultivators, they had always been popular.
In the corner of an immortal city tavern, a young girl with a veil listened quietly to the chatter around her, her eyes shining with longing.
"As long as I can enter Shennong Valley, my family and mother's crisis should be resolved." Determination flashed in her gaze.
The clamor of the outside world did not touch Gu Mo, immersed in seclusion. Time in cultivation always flowed swiftly.
A year later—
Gu Mo slowly opened his eyes, sensing the change in his Golden Core. He nodded in satisfaction. His core had successfully transformed into a Dao Seed—an especially large one.
The larger the Dao Seed, the more plant genes it could contain. This meant the Dao Seed Gu Mo would eventually nurture would surpass Qi Chunde's.
Yet the choice of plant genes was a profound study. How to pair and fuse different types to maximize their potential was no simple matter.
Qi Chunde himself had no fixed answer; it all depended on individual circumstances. Thus, though Gu Mo had collected many plant genes from the sect's secret realm, he had yet to merge them into his Dao Seed.
At present, his Dao Seed contained only one—the Heaven-and-Earth spiritual root his master had given him. In other words, it was still a blank slate, waiting for him to add more genes to lay the foundation of a Myriad Laws Tree.
"Would it work if I didn't shape it into a Myriad Laws Tree?"
A major reason Gu Mo was cultivating the Dao Seed was to refine it into an avatar.
And for an avatar, comprehensiveness wasn't necessary—it could specialize in a single path.
But looking at his immense Golden Core, condensed from all his essence, he felt reluctant. To use such a core, containing his full foundation, just to refine a specialized avatar—it seemed wasteful.
"Perhaps I should re-condense an ordinary Golden Core." Gu Mo mused.
This thought came naturally after his avatar's smooth re-forging of a sword core. Without outside help, his avatar had restored the burned-away core, supported by the other eleven. With Sun Essence, the process would be even faster.
Both his true body and avatar had poor innate roots, progressing slowly without Sun Essence. Yet for re-cultivation, this wasn't a hindrance at all.
On the contrary, the vast qi drawn in by the eleven sword cores accelerated the entire process.
"At most, it will waste a few months. Better to try it."
Since re-condensing a Golden Core wasn't too difficult, Gu Mo decided to attempt it.
If successful, not only would he gain another Dao Seed Avatar, but he could also practice on a normal core first—gaining experience before working on the one that held his entire foundation.
Of course, a body already holding a core couldn't condense another. Gu Mo had a solution: deposit his great Golden Core into his avatar. Then, with his true body empty, he could re-condense freely.
"Xiaohua!"
Gu Mo produced a petal and summoned Xiaohua, asking her to transfer his great Golden Core into the avatar.
Great Yan Sword Sect.
Gu Mo's avatar gazed at the twelve sword cores in his dantian, now pushed aside by the great Golden Core that had arrived. It gave him a headache. Though all were his power, the true body's core was clearly stronger than any single sword core. As soon as it entered, it seized the central position.
Fortunately, this didn't hinder his strength. In fact, with the great Golden Core of the true body, his avatar's combat power had risen another step.
At this point, if his avatar again faced a demonic sect Nascent Soul devil, he likely wouldn't even need to burn sword cores—just by channeling the great Golden Core's power, he could slay the foe outright.
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