Lin Shou lowered his head slightly as he repeated the words to himself.
"Golden Body..."
He frowned thoughtfully before looking toward the Grand Elder.
"It sounds... very similar to Golden Core."
Beside him, Lin Sheng's thoughts traveled in a different direction. After everything he had learned from the formation spirit inside the secret realm, the answer seemed to be hiding somewhere in front of him.
He raised his head and asked directly,
"Senior... does the Golden Body Realm have anything to do with the Body Refining path of the Immortal Dao?"
The Grand Elder looked between the two youths and laughed softly.
"You two really do think differently."
"One compares names, while the other searches for the origin."
He nodded approvingly.
"You're correct. The Golden Body Realm is, in essence, the Rank Four realm of Immortal Dao body refinement."
Seeing that both of them were listening attentively, he slowly began explaining.
"An immortal cultivator begins by cleansing the mortal impurities from the body before nurturing a single breath of spiritual qi during the Fetal Breath Realm. That breath gradually transforms into wisps during Qi Refining before becoming flowing streams upon reaching Foundation Establishment."
"As cultivation deepens, one's Dao Foundation is established. The stronger that foundation is, the greater the cultivator's future potential."
"When they reach the Purple Palace Realm, they condense Divine Sense and open the Niwan Palace. From then onward, they spend years tempering and strengthening the Purple Palace because it will eventually become both the birthplace and the protector of their Golden Core."
The Grand Elder paused briefly before continuing.
"Only after the Purple Palace reaches perfection can the cultivator compress the vast river of spiritual qi within the dantian, allowing Essence, Qi and Spirit to unite into one. That union produces the Condensation of Gold, giving birth to the Golden Core."
"And even then..."
"They must still survive Heaven's Lightning Tribulation."
His voice remained calm, but neither Lin Sheng nor Lin Shou missed the seriousness behind those words.
"The moment the Golden Core is successfully formed, the Condensation of Gold released from it begins nourishing both body and soul, increasing one's lifespan while strengthening every aspect of the cultivator."
He then shifted the topic naturally.
"Body refinement follows a similar road, although its focus is entirely different."
"From Rank One until the peak of Rank Three, body refiners temper flesh, blood and bone continuously. Once they attempt to cross into Rank Four, Heaven likewise sends down a Lightning Tribulation."
"The difference is that an immortal body refiner cannot simply survive it."
"They must use the heavenly lightning itself to temper their body."
"If their body cannot endure that final tempering, they perish."
"That single difference is why Golden Body experts have always been rarer than Golden Core cultivators."
He looked toward the sky outside the cave, as though recalling distant memories.
"However, those who succeed receive the same Condensation of Gold."
"It heals their injuries, nourishes their body and spirit, strengthens their vitality and grants them a greatly extended lifespan."
Silence filled the cave.
Only now did the two truly understand why the Golden Body Realm could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Golden Core Realm.
It wasn't merely because their strength was similar.
Their transformations were fundamentally alike.
The Grand Elder smiled faintly before speaking about himself.
"As for me..."
"I reached the peak of the Astral Gang Realm many years ago."
"At that time, I traveled throughout the Eastern Region searching for an opportunity to advance. Along the way, I challenged numerous experts, hoping battle itself would show me the path forward."
He chuckled softly.
"Instead, fate led me somewhere unexpected."
"I stumbled upon an ancient secret realm where I obtained a complete Rank Four Body Refining manual."
"My constitution happened to be perfectly compatible with that technique."
"So rather than abandoning the Martial Dao..."
"I stepped onto another road."
"I refined my body according to that ancient inheritance, crossed the heavenly tribulation, and entered the Golden Body Realm."
The cave fell silent once again.
Lin Sheng's eyes gradually brightened.
The path...
Really did continue beyond the Astral Gang Realm.
It simply wasn't the path he had originally imagined.
The Grand Elder's explanation lingered in Lin Sheng's mind long after their conversation ended.
A body refinement method...
That alone is enough.
He had never intended to abandon the Martial Dao for the Immortal Dao. If there truly was a way to continue walking the martial path by borrowing the body refinement system, then that was all he needed.
For the next few days, Lin Sheng remained within the cave abode, refining his Martial Intent while digesting everything he had learned. Whenever he encountered something he couldn't understand, he would ask the Grand Elder, whose answers were always concise yet illuminating.
Finally, after several days of cultivation, a question that had been bothering him could no longer be held back.
"Grand Elder," Lin Sheng asked respectfully, "does a Rank Four body refinement method necessarily have to be compatible with the person cultivating it?"
The Grand Elder put down the teacup in his hand and looked at him.
"Of course."
Seeing the confusion on Lin Sheng's face, he continued.
"Martial artists don't possess spiritual roots like immortal cultivators do. However, once a martial artist reaches the Astral Gang Realm, they've already established a connection with Heaven and Earth through their Gang Essence."
"In a sense, that connection replaces the role spiritual roots play for body refinement."
Lin Sheng listened quietly.
"But even then," the Grand Elder said, "compatibility still matters."
"Every body refinement method has its own requirements. Some require an innate Yang physique, others demand an exceptionally strong life force, while certain techniques are only suitable for people born with unusual constitutions."
"If someone forces themselves to cultivate an incompatible technique..."
He shook his head.
"The consequences are usually disastrous."
"The lighter cases end with crippled cultivation."
"The heavier ones lose control during body refinement and die."
The cave fell silent.
After a moment, the Grand Elder looked directly at Lin Sheng.
"A few days ago, while you were cultivating, I examined your physique."
Lin Sheng's heart skipped a beat.
"I wanted to see whether my own body refinement method would suit you."
He sighed faintly.
"Unfortunately..."
"...it doesn't."
"Your physique isn't compatible with the technique I cultivate."
For a brief moment, Lin Sheng's mood visibly dropped.
He had thought he had finally found the road beyond Astral Gang.
Instead...
The road before him had closed once again.
The Grand Elder naturally noticed the disappointment in his eyes and smiled.
"You don't need to look so discouraged."
"There isn't only one body refinement method beneath the heavens."
He leaned back comfortably.
"If one isn't suitable..."
"...then find another."
"There will always be a technique somewhere that's compatible with you."
"The Martial Dao has existed for countless years. You're hardly the first person to face this problem."
Lin Sheng slowly nodded.
His disappointment gradually faded.
That was true.
As long as such methods existed, there would always be hope.
The Grand Elder suddenly recalled something.
"I heard from Little Liang that you're planning to leave Dragon Yuan Mountain and travel throughout the Eastern Region."
"Yes," Lin Sheng replied.
The Grand Elder smiled.
"Perhaps that's exactly what you need."
"Some opportunities can't be found by remaining in one place."
"If fate is on your side..."
"...you might find the method meant for you while tempering yourself in the outside world."
Lin Sheng looked toward the entrance of the cave abode, where the distant mountains stretched endlessly into the horizon.
His eyes gradually became firm once more.
If the technique wasn't here...
Then he would simply go out and find it himself.