"As a result, those in the Martial Continent have martial cultivators with a stronger cultivation realm. The realms that are achievable in the Martial Continent ranges from the lowest stage, the spiritual cleansing stage, all the way to the highest stage in the Divided Continent, the Soul Emergence Stage. Subsequently, there is the Soul Evolution Stage and finally, the Domain God Stage. Each realm is harder to transcend than the next." Seeing that there was a frown on Wang Li Tian's face, the Elder immediately stopped his lecture.
"Do you need me to help you write the stages out?" Wang Li Tian nodded innocently. The Elder Phoenix had a calm look on his face as he wrote it down for Li TIan. Everything was becoming clear for why Senior brother Dragon had requested him to help Li Tian out.
The first thing that Elder Phoenix could tell was that Li Tian was very different from a typical human cultivator.
From the time before the Heavenly Calamity, the Human race and the Demonic Beast race were already in conflict with each other. The primary reason for that is because of the food chain system in the Great World. Both races were able to consume normal animal meat as a source of nutrients. The human cultivators were even able to assimilate with the World's Spiritual Energy from the time they were in the Spiritual Cleansing Stage. In the case of the Demonic Beast, Grade one and two Demonic Beasts were not able to assimilate with the Spiritual Energy and cultivate with it.
In that regards, there is already a shrinking number of animals due to consumption by both races. As a result, the maddened and starved lower grade Demonic Beasts are unable to control themselves. They would start attacking Human Cultivators in hopes of attaining the Spiritual Energy that was present in the human body. Due to this factor, there were many Beast raids that struck Human cities till this day. Those higher grade Demonic Beasts would typically control those lower grade Beasts and lead these attacks as they too, want to improve their cultivation faster through devouring human cultivators. Only a small number of Demonic Beasts stray away from such practices, like the five origin beasts, as they have already reached an unfathomable realm in the Great World.
The Elder Phoenix could tell that Wang Li Tian was not raised as a human cultivator that hates on Demonic Beasts. As he was in a higher cultivation stage than Li Tian, he could easily peer into the young one's soul. The only word that could describe Li Tian's soul was 'pure'. There was not a single bit of corruption inside the youth's soul. This was rare in any parts of the world as it was hard to not stray off the righteous and morally good path. Knowing that, Elder Phoenix was as reciprocative as Mr. Dragon was to Wang Li Tian.
After explaining to Li Tian the way of cultivation, Elder Phoenix gave the boy homework to remember these different cultivation realms. It was important that he understood there were different tiers of Martial Cultivators. If not, Li Tian may encounter unforeseen troubles in the future. The elder finished the lecture before asking some of his burning questions.
"When was the last time you saw Senior Brother Dragon?"
"It has been four months since Mr. Dragon left this world." There was a strand of sadness that hung in Li Tian's mouth whenever he brought up Mr. Dragon.
"Mmm. Senior brother thought that you must've reached the Soul Emergence Stage before being able to find me."
"That is…" Wang Li Tian looked down at the paper and continued speaking, "two stages from where I am at."
"Yes. He thought that because he assumed I was still living on the Martial Continent. You can only traverse across the Ocean with a chance of living after you make it to the Soul Emergence Stage. Also, here is the Dragon Scale, there was a message left for my brothers and I."
"Ah?" Fiddling around his robes he realised that the Elder Phoenix had truly taken it off his body. He took it back from him. From that, Li Tian asked a question in regards to Mr. Dragon's request.
"Elder Phoenix, by any chance would you know where Mr. Dragon's other sworn brothers are?"
"Mmm." Thinking through the question, he recalled the information. "I do know where the Divine Terra Turtle and Three Horned Sea Serpent are. However, in regards to my junior brother, Storm Tempest Qilin, I do not know where he is now."
Wang Li Tian's face lit up happily as he swiftly proposed. "Then, is it possible you take me to them? I would like to deliver the messages to them."
Elder Phoenix shook his head reluctantly in this aspect as he explained himself. "I would like to bring you to find my Sworn brothers, but I am unable to leave Southern Wind Academy at the moment."
"Why is that?"
"A thousand years ago when Brother Dragon had disappeared from the Martial Continent. I had regretted my fight with Brother Dragon and so, I proceeded to scour the World looking for him. Arriving at the Divided Continent, there was no sight of him and I had encountered a formidable martial cultivator. Although I had no intentions to attack the human race, the cultivator did not trust my words and started to exchange blows with me. In the end, I had to protect myself regardless of the misunderstanding, but eventually, I lost the fight to him." The elder shook his head in disappointment.
"I thought that was it for me at that point in time. However, the strong martial cultivator realised by the end of the fight that I wasn't actually hostile. As a result, he simply asked me to make a Soul-binding contract to stand guard for his alma mater for a total of 2000 years. I was not allowed to leave the premises because of this…"
A Soul-binding contract, as the name suggests, is a contract made between two martial cultivators that makes use of the laws of the heaven and the human soul. When the person makes a soul-binding contract, they will have to fulfil whatever request that they had made at the start. If not, their soul will perish and as a result, death.
"A thousand years has passed and I am only half way through the contract. Ah…" Elder Phoenix blew out a breeze of cold air. Regret ran through his veins. If he had not flown by the Human Cities so daringly, this would never have happened. Though it wasn't really fault, since who would have thought that a cultivator of such caliber would be present in the Divided Continent.
"How strong was this martial cultivator?" Wang Li Tian asked curiously. To be able to force one of the five Origin Beasts in the Great World to submit, required great strength.
"Mmm.." The Elder pondered deeply for a short while before answering honestly, "Us Five Origin Beasts are Demonic Beasts that had reached the Apex heights in Martial cultivation. That is to say, in the human race, we are at the Peak Domain God Realm. Someone that could completely suppress me…"
The Elder paused in his words. There was apprehension for what the Phoenix wanted to say. 'He must be in a whole another cultivation realm…"
"Another realm? Isn't the Domain God Stage the highest in the Great World?" Wang Li Tian was confused.
"Yes, it is indeed the highest realm in the world. However, that does not mean that it is the highest cultivation realm under the firmament." Elder Phoenix spoke carefully. The Phoenix could tell that Li Tian was becoming more confused by what he was saying. It wasn't something that many in the Great World would know about. Maybe only those Apex Cultivators would have an inkling on Heaven's Secrets.
"Anyways, that is something that does not concern you at this stage." The Elder gave a warm smile as he rubbed Li TIan's head. He had a favourable impression of this boy. "If you want to be able to find my other brothers, you will have to become stronger. And when I say that, I mean the strongest martial cultivator in the Divided Continent! Understood?"
"Yes. I understand." Li TIan agreed.
"Also, do not talk about the interaction between us with anyone in the academy. Understood? Only the Inner Court Headmaster knows about my identity. It has been that way since the beginning of my contract."
"Okay."
"It has been a long night for you and I. So, come find me tomorrow night. We shall check out the Cultivation Manual that you are cultivating with. I need to get a better understanding of you."
Leaving the cave dwelling of Elder Phoenix, Wang Li Tian made his way back down Treasury mountain. The pressure that he once felt climbing up was gone entirely. As he reached the crossroads that leads to the different school disciplines and managed to get to the School of Sword Arts and Sabre Arts, he was stumped.
"How do I get back to the dormitory…"