Mirror Lake Meng Manor.
Meng Chuan cultivated the Falling Leaf Saber on the training grounds. His entire body was like a gust of wind amidst flashing saber beams. He completed an entire set in the blink of an eye. He walked to the stone bench and sat down, lost in thought.
He recalled his conversation with Dean Ge Yu yesterday.
"Dean, after I figured out the secret technique, my Falling Leaf Saber reached a perfected state. There's no more room for improvement. How should I continue my cultivation to figure out Saber Force?"
"Meng Chuan, the more you cultivate saber arts, the more you will have to rely on yourself. What I can teach you is limited," Ge Yu said with a smile as he drank his alcohol. "I can only tell you how I figured out Force. Back when I was on the battlefield in Qinyang Pass, I faced demons in life-and-death battles. I began to find my saber arts rather burdensome, so I gradually modified my saber arts."
"I used whatever killed demons the easiest. After my military service, I requested to remain at Qinyang Pass and spent twelve years there. One day, my self-created saber arts reached perfection, and I figured out Saber Force," said Ge Yu.
"A self-created saber art?" Meng Chuan was astonished.
"That's right." Ge Yu smiled as he drank his alcohol. "Once you cultivate a top-notch saber art to perfection, you will be able to comprehend the secret technique and reach the Unity realm. You will be able to figure out Saber Force if you create a top-notch technique you can call your own."
"Dean, what kind of saber art did you create? Can I have a look?" Meng Chuan asked curiously.
"Haha, feast your eyes." At the time, the half-drunk Ge Yu grew excited as he began to showcase his saber art.
His saber arts were more sinister, more bizarre, and even more ferocious.
Ge Yu was thin, but he had a long saber. He was like a mandrel brandishing its saber. Saber flashes surrounded him as if every part of his body could produce saber flashes. The courtyard became much colder; countless leaves tore apart and fluttered under the saber beam. Meng Chuan felt his heart chill when seeing the sinister and bizarre saber art.
This was just a demonstration—one that didn't involve killing enemies with all his might. It was probably ten times more powerful when it came to killing enemies.
This was Eastcalm Prefecture's swiftest saber.
"This saber art isn't suitable for you." Ge Yu swung his saber and stabbed it into the scabbard hanging by his side. He smiled and said, "This is the most suitable saber art for me. I'm small-sized and skinny, but my arms are quite long. This saber art is suitable for my build. For ordinary people like you, it's best to cultivate the Falling Leaf Saber. The Falling Leaf Saber was created by a Godfiend from Archean Mountain, so it's the most suitable to build a foundation with."
"The Mirror Lake Dao Academy doesn't have much left to teach you since you've perfected the Falling Leaf Saber. You'll need to rely on yourself," said Ge Yu with a smile. "As a dean, I don't have any other extravagant wishes. I just want to produce a Archean Mountain Godfiend in my life. Haha, then I—Ge Yu—will be able to brag for the rest of my life."
…
Meng Chuan contemplated as he recalled the conversation.
"Chuan'er." Meng Dajiang came to the training grounds.
"Dad." Meng Chuan stood up.
"Come, follow me to the ancestral mansion to meet your grandaunt," Meng Dajiang said.
Meng Chuan jolted. "Grandaunt… Dad, are you referring to…?"
"Yes, the Fairy," said Meng Dajiang softly.
Meng Chuan's eyes lit up. This was the Meng family's pride and joy—a pillar of support for the Meng family! The second Godfiend in the Meng family's history!
"Dad, let's go!" Meng Chuan was extremely excited and couldn't wait to see his grandaunt.
…
In the ancestral mansion, Fairy Meng's residence looked ordinary. All it did was take up an area that was slightly larger than other ordinary yards in the ancestral mansion.
"Follow me in." Meng Dajiang led Meng Chuan into the courtyard carefully, not daring to make any loud noises.
In the courtyard, an old woman with her walking stick was watching a peach tree blossom. She carefully looked at the flowers that had just bloomed.
Meng Chuan carefully observed.
The old woman was very quiet when she observed the peach blossoms, as though she had become one with the world. If one closed their eyes, one wouldn't be able to sense the old lady's existence. Meng Chuan understood that this old lady was likely Fairy Meng—his grandaunt.
"You're here?" Fairy Meng turned her head and smiled at the father and son duo.
"Quick, greet your grandaunt." Meng Dajiang urged softly.
Only then did Meng Chuan rush forward. He knelt and kowtowed. "Greetings, Grandaunt."
"Quickly get up." Fairy Meng sat down. "Both of you can sit down."
Only then did Meng Dajiang and Meng Chuan sit to the side.
Meng Chuan was very curious about his grandaunt. He carefully observed her appearance. She had to be very beautiful when she was young. Unbeknownst to him, Fairy Meng looked like a mortal in her thirties or forties before her injury.
"Meng Chuan, come here. Come closer to me," said Fairy Meng gently.
Meng Chuan immediately sat on a nearby chair.
Fairy Meng held Meng Chuan's hand and looked at him. The more she looked at him, the more fond she became of him. This was the Meng family's hope!
"Meng Chuan, you should be at the perfected Marrow Cleansing realm in another two or three months, right?" asked Fairy Meng.
"Yes." Meng Chuan nodded.
"Foundation Establishment, Body Tempering, Marrow Cleansing. All of them only forge your foundation. It allows one to cultivate their bodies to perfection," said Fairy Meng. "When one is at the Mortal Shedding realm, they will begin to shed their mortal coils, cultivate Godfiend bodies, and gradually possess the power of Godfiends. This is a change in life's natural order. It's akin to ants transforming into tigers or leopards. We will slowly transform from mortals to Godfiends."
"The first step in the transformation is the Mortal Shedding realm."
"This step is especially important. At this stage, one can create an extremely robust Godfiend foundation as long as sufficient valuable treasures are provided.."
"A Godfiend foundation?" Meng Chuan was stunned.
"The growth of a fetus in their mother's womb is very important," said Fairy Meng. "Some ancient Godfiend family clans would have pregnant women consume all kinds of valuable treasures. Once born, their children will far exceed their peers."
"The Mortal Shedding realm is akin to a Godfiend fetus' growth," said Fairy Meng. "It can change one's talent at the most critical moment. I've already used up all the treasures our family saved up over the years to exchange for a drop of Godfiend Jade Marrow Liquid. When you begin cultivating a Godfiend body, you can immediately consume it. That will allow you to set up a strong foundation. The strength of your body and the purity of your Quintessential Energy will far exceed your peers."
"Godfiend Jade Marrow Liquid?" Meng Dajiang was shocked. "This… Aunt, by doing this…" Perhaps more than half the Meng family's savings had been spent.
This matter hadn't been discussed with the clan leader and Elders. After all, Meng Dajiang hadn't known.
"This is my decision, and I've already done it," said Fairy Meng. "A Godfiend's foundation is very important. If you miss the earliest period during the Mortal Shedding realm, no amount of treasures in the future can change the foundation. It's worth expending all our family's resources for this drop of Godfiend Jade Marrow Liquid!"
Meng Chuan suddenly felt immense pressure.
Why is Grandaunt putting all her effort into this? To exchange all the family clan's treasures for a single drop of a Godfiend Jade Marrow Liquid, and it's for me? The family clan has always maintained fair rules. I have only figured out the secret technique. Whether I become a Godfiend is still unknown. Why is the family grooming me to such an extent?
"Meng Chuan." Fairy Meng smiled as she looked at this child that shared her blood. She could tell that he was feeling uneasy. "I'm severely injured and can only live another seven to eight years. Therefore, I can't afford to wait any longer. I have to do my best to groom you."
Meng Chuan was stunned.
The pillar of the family clan can only live for another seven to eight years?
Fairy Meng continued, "Not only did I exchange a drop of the Godfiend Jade Marrow Liquid for you, all the credit I accumulated with Archean Mountain by battling with demons for 80 years will be transferred to you as long as you achieve Saber Force before twenty years of age."
"Aunt, this credit was accumulated by you over so many years," said Meng Dajiang.
"It's worth it as long as the family clan can produce another Godfiend." Fairy Meng looked at Meng Chuan. "Meng Chuan, you are our family's only hope. I have a feeling that you can shoulder all of this."
When Meng Chuan was six, he experienced a calamity. His temperament was extraordinary, so he quickly accepted it. He nodded and said, "Grandaunt, I don't know if I can become a Godfiend, but I will do everything I can!"
"To still be calm at this moment." Fairy Meng smiled and nodded. "Very good. You didn't disappoint me."
Meng Dajiang felt a little nervous.
"Dajiang." Fairy Meng said, "Perhaps you might not agree with how I'm telling Meng Chuan everything and betting everything on him. But to become a Godfiend, how can one not have a strong fortitude? You have to believe in your son. Meng Chuan is stronger than you think."