While it might be true that it is nigh impossible for anyone to even dare to cultivate through the method Argus had created, the Augmented Circulation, there is a great reason as to why he just refuses to just go and completely scratch this idea.
After all, if there's enough benefit that one can acquire after the end of something, then perhaps even braving death itself won't be too high of a task, what could possibly be the greatest example of this being the situation that the once greatest Grand Dao Sage in existence is facing right now.
'Nine Stellar Palace Scripture…'
Recalling the entirety of one of the Augmented Circulation Manuals he once created, Argus couldn't help but take a good, large gulp of nothing to calm himself down from the mixture of both terror and excitement, terror at the realization that he is truly about to undergo this process that is nothing but absurd, no, nothing but suicidal.
And the excitement? Well, it also stems from that fact, but it turns into excitement, not terror, as soon as he thought of the benefits that succeeding will bring him, the great boost in strength that he will receive as he enters a new stage of cultivation step by step, a growth will make his previous cultivation not only mediocre, but perhaps even far beyond comparison.
On one side, he can retreat, just continue with his cultivation as his cultivation speed is way above average, even with just the Three Purities Origin Meridian's passive effects, this, while a bit tedious and slow, is a certain path that will eventually bring him to greater heights once more.
And on the other side, he can choose to push forward, forcing himself to forge a path of his own by his own through practicing a concept that was never seen nor even thought of before him, what lies beyond that path is nothing but a great, dark uncertainty, and no one, not even the heavens have an inkling of idea what is waiting for him at the end of that path.
It might seem foolish, but it is exactly this absolute uncertainty that made the risk all the more worth it to take, as just as much as he might end up in the worst situation possible, the chances of him being the carp that leaps beyond the dragon's gate are just as probable as well.
Hence why standing at the forked road that will decide the entirety of his cultivation in the future, he decided to only look forward, a smile creeping upon his face as he starts making sure he perfectly remembers the manual down to the most minute details, perhaps it is due to his nature being one a bit too attentive to details in his cultivation, or perhaps it is due to him just being a nervous wreck right now, no one will ever know.
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During this time of the year, if the question about what could possibly be the greatest point of attraction within the entire capital is asked by an outsider to a resident of the place, there is one thing, one thing that almost, if not everyone, will immediately think of and answer.
"Isn't it the entrance trials of the Lumencia Academy?"
"Ah, that would be the trials for the young'uns entering the academy, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, there won't be anything that will top the attention the entrance trials get during this time of the year."
Not only common folks, but even the nobles, no matter how high of a position they occupy within the empire's society, will also point out to this event should they be asked the same question, but different from the common people who is only aware that one must pass the trials in order to be a full-pledged student of the great Lumencia Academy, the nobles of the empire is well aware of the 'pre-trial' that happens even before the academy's own trial starts.
It is, after all, what is possibly the greatest event during this time of the year, one that will literally define the future of a young person who is qualified to even take the trials, as passing will mean at minimum, access to grounds with the highest mana density within the entire empire, and at maximum, access to treasure-like resources way beyond grasp of the less talented populace.
As for failure, well, failure will just mean a long, long time of regret, especially once one comes to realize how far ahead those who passed these trials will be compared to them a few years later, a gap that more often than not, will be impossible to close, not to mention overcome.
Hence, the reason why even before the actual trial starts, talents from all over the empire, no matter if they are nobles or commoners, start banding among themselves all in order to gather greater strength, to increase their chance of overwhelming challenging opponents, and perhaps, increase their chance to pass the trials as well.
If it is any other academy in the continent, then more likely than not, they won't stop at anything to make sure that no sort of banding like this will happen as such things will risk the compromise of the entrance trial's integrity, and yet here in this place, such behavior and methods is not only overlooked, but also secretly approved by the academy itself, thinking that it is such a great opportunity for students to improve not only their talents, but their social and leadership skills as well.
After all, there are not only geniuses in the field of cultivation, but also all sorts of geniuses from all other fields of living as well.
This teaming up, or rather, alliances might also be the very reason as to why, within the third level of the capital, two groups of young people are clashing right now, the surging fighting intent coming from both sides more than enough for the air to feel palpably heavy, as if something is about to happen at the drop of a hat.
As if further making this encounter all the more intense, wind blows and brought one of the leading figure's long, lustrous crimson hair dancing on the air, those eyes, and to be exact, those pupils, glowing a rich blood red stares at the one leading the group in front of her, a faint smile cracking her fair, adorable lips open as the calm yet authoritative, feminine voice starts reaching everyone's ears.
"Fancy meeting you here, Young Duchess."
Leading in front of one of the groups, this crimson-haired young lady, standing at a relatively taller height compared to her female contemporaries, said, the sharpness of her tone something that made not only the people in front of her, but also behind her, feel like they were standing on the floor of shattered glass and knives that would stab them anytime.
Hearing the seemingly provoking tone of the crimson-haired leader, the one addressed by the previous lady as Young Duchess, reveals a faint smile on her charming face as well, her small mouth about to open and reply, but was stopped by a sudden change that made everyone shocked.
Several dozen meters, no, perhaps hundreds of meters away from them, they felt, heard, and finally, saw a great explosion, all of them thinking that wherever it is that said explosion came from, that place will definitely be reduced to nothing but ground and dust.