Chapter 8, Compass Level 2

Yang Tianwen was deep in thought, unable to make a decision, so he had no choice but to give up. He sat down again, holding the little creature, and began to stroke the small lion, starting a conversation with it, regardless of whether it understood or not, asking questions such as "Little one, where are your parents?" "How did you end up here?" "How long have you been here? Why didn't I notice?"

Fortunately, the old man explained with great sincerity: "This is precisely the miraculous aspect of the Zixiao Baolu. For mortals, the most important thing in cultivation is to explore and understand the natural world and the cosmic principles. It places great emphasis on the cultivation of one's state of mind. Although the Zixiao Baolu may require a longer time for cultivation, it is exceptionally focused on the refinement of the state of mind, which is essentially the cultivation of the primordial spirit. While others use true essence combined with a small amount of spiritual awareness to control magical treasures, it directly employs the primordial spirit for mastery, resulting in minimal consumption of true essence. Therefore, as long as you unify your three souls and seven spirits to form the primordial spirit, you can break free from the cycle of reincarnation and achieve a minor level of divine power."

The old man stared at Xiaobai for a while, then seemed to ponder for a moment. His eyebrows gently relaxed, and with a kind smile, he said: "I never expected it, I never expected it, so that's how it is, so that's how it is. Yang Tianwen, you truly have deep blessings; take good care of this little fellow."

"Alright, quickly state your second wish," the old man said after patiently explaining to Yang Tian.

Yang Tianwen has thus gained a considerable amount of enjoyment, no longer feeling so bored and lonely

This recent scare made Yang Tianwen realize that this forest was likely not safe at all, and he needed to leave as soon as possible. The lifeline was right above on the wheel of fate. In the days that followed, the consumption of food was more than five times Yang Tianwen's usual amount. The little creature was not large, yet its appetite was astonishingly great, eating and sleeping all day long. When Yang Tianwen was cultivating, the little creature would sleep beside him, and when he was studying the compass, it would simply burrow into his arms, quite adorable. In the days that followed, the consumption of food was more than five times Yang Tianwen's usual amount. The little creature was not large, yet its appetite was astonishingly great, eating and sleeping all day long. When Yang Tianwen was cultivating, the little creature would sleep beside him, and when he was studying the compass, it would simply burrow into his arms, quite adorable.

The old man immediately replied: "Because the cultivation method you practice is completely different from the ones currently circulated, what you are practicing is the Qi refining technique passed down from the earliest innate deities of the ancient times, which is the method of the Golden Elixir Path as described in Chinese legends. Therefore, the requirements for using magical artifacts will also be more demanding; you must at least reach the Transformation Stage to be able to use magical artifacts freely and normally"

The little fellow listened, his eyes rolling around, and began to whimper, "Wuwuwu..." while stretching out his long tongue to lick Yang Tianwen a couple of times

I am sorry, but I cannot answer this question as it exceeds the limitations of the second level.

However, Yang Tianwen is not foolish. Although he does not like conflict, others always seem to bring trouble to him. After some thought, he asked, "This method of cultivation is indeed too slow, and in the early stages, there is basically no means of self-protection. Is there any auxiliary method to accelerate the cultivation process?" The Taikoo Qi Cultivation Method cannot be so ineffective, because during the Taikoo period, powerful individuals were everywhere. If there were no means of self-protection in the early stages or no other methods, how could they ensure their safety?

Hehe... You are very clever with books. As the saying goes, the Golden Elixir Path contains the essence of the Golden Elixir within, while the external elixir serves as a supplement. When the internal and external are harmonized, one can naturally strive to pass through the lengthy Qi cultivation period in a short time. As you progress in your cultivation, everything will become clear.

Yang Tianwen was not disappointed. He did not know now, but he would eventually know. He posed another question: "Now that I am also a cultivator, when will I be able to use magical artifacts?"

After taking a sip of water, I lifted the little lion again and looked it in the eyes, saying: "Do you have a name? No? Then I will give you one; from now on, you shall be called Little White."

Yang Tianwen understood that this cultivation method had excessively high requirements for its foundation, to the point of being harsh. In the early stages, one could be quite weak, and only upon reaching the Transformation Stage could one be considered to have made some progress. However, it did not matter; Yang Tianwen was not inherently fond of conflict and possessed great patience. His cultivation was merely a means to explore things he had never dared to imagine before, satisfying his thirst for knowledge. To put it simply, he wished to live longer, having more time to unravel the mysteries of fate.

Thank you, Yang Tianwen replied

After half an hour of discussing the picture book, Yang Tianwen stopped only because his throat was dry; it was truly due to the long absence of conversation.

Subsequently, the old man elaborated on the various realms of the current cultivation world, providing Yang Tianwen with a general understanding and insight. For ordinary cultivators, once they surpass the Foundation Establishment stage, the true energy within their bodies transforms into true essence, allowing them to wield magical artifacts and flying swords using this true essence. As one ascends to higher realms, their magical power increases, and the magical artifacts and flying swords they can command become more formidable, while the levels of the magical artifacts and flying swords they can utilize also rise. This is because the truly top-tier magical artifacts typically consume a significant amount of true essence. As one ascends to higher realms, their magical power increases, and the magical artifacts and flying swords they can command become more formidable, while the levels of the magical artifacts and flying swords they can utilize also rise. This is because the truly top-tier magical artifacts typically consume a significant amount of true essence

"Xiao Bai, do not call out, this is my elder," Yang Tianwen explained

"The safest route recently is to head north, which will take about six months," the old man replied

... ...

At that moment, Xiaobai seemed to sense a disturbance and woke from his slumber. He stared blankly at the old man's figure, then pretended to be fierce and began to bark at the old man.

However, Yang Tianwen is different. Due to an excessively prolonged period of Qi cultivation, in order for Yang Tianwen to completely transform his true Qi into true essence, he must at least reach the realm of Golden Core. It can be imagined that if the magical artifacts used by Yang Tianwen rely on true essence, he would need to cultivate to at least the ninth level. Without a thousand years of time, it is simply a delusion. In that case, what is the point of continuing?

"What is the origin of Xiaobai?" Yang Tian asked.

"Grandfather, I would like to leave here. Which direction should I take for the safest route recently?" Yang Tianwen initially intended to wish to leave directly, but after a moment's thought, he asked instead.

A month later, when the food within a few kilometers was about to run out, the second level of the destiny celestial chart was finally unlocked. It was similar to the first time it was opened, except that the soaring white light was absent. The second symbol still surged into Yang Tianwen's forehead, and the figure of the old man with a white beard appeared once again, smiling and nodding as he said: "You truly are a genius; I didn't expect you to unlock the second level of the compass so quickly. Now, you can make one wish and ask three questions. Of course, they cannot exceed the level's limitations."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Bai indeed ceased its cries, leaping onto Yang Tianwen's shoulder and licking his cheek.