One's Self Was the Key . . .
Cha Eun Xiao leaned forward, deep in thought, as he began to explain the complexities of dan beads to Han Bingxue. "Take, for instance, the scenario where you offer two dan beads, each capable of granting a Human Origin Stage cultivator a hundred years of cultivation. If, for some reason, you kill that person in a self-explosion, it's crucial to understand that the spiritual energy within the dan bead has a finite quantity. The dan bead won't absorb more energy or diminish the energy stored within it. It's advantageous if your body can tolerate it, but if it can't, you'll die. This not only results in a waste of time but also the loss of a valuable dan bead."
He continued, "Those exceptionally talented individuals who have been consuming dan beads since childhood, with the support of superior cultivators in their clans, might appear powerful on the surface. However, lurking within them are hidden dangers. If these troubles were to surface, they would face immediate peril."
He added, "Furthermore, taking dan beads doesn't guarantee you will always improve. There are limitations to their effectiveness."
Cha Eun Xiao elucidated, "The world is never perfect, and dan beads are no exception. If there were no limitations on dan beads, anyone could become invincible as long as they obtained enough of them, don't you think?"
Han Bingxue nodded and admitted, "I know that. I'm just a bit confused."
Cha Eun Xiao smiled and replied, "I understand your confusion. The optimal time to use dan beads depends on your personal circumstances. It's about choosing the right dan bead at the right time, when you're in the right state of cultivation. That's when they work most harmoniously."
He offered an example, "For instance, when you've just reached the first level of Dao Origin Stage, Heaven Climbing Dan can significantly boost your cultivation capabilities, and you'll experience great improvement. It won't be challenging to handle the energy from the dan bead. All you need to do is wait until your body fully digests the efficacy."
However, ChaEun Xiao cautioned, "If you're already at the pinnacle of the first level of Dao Origin Stage, Heaven Climbing Dan will have minimal effect on you because you're essentially at a bottleneck. Your cultivation capabilities are already limited to a certain level, so the dan bead's efficacy will go to waste. Occasionally, these dan beads can help you break through to a new level, but such an opportunity is exceedingly rare. It's usually reserved for the protagonists of legendary tales, not ordinary individuals."
Cha Eun Xiao continued to explain, "From a dan-maker's perspective, a person at the peak of the first level requires a Mai Connecting Dan. This type of dan specializes in breaking through levels, offering a greater chance to overcome the limitation. The increased likelihood of a breakthrough is the most valuable aspect of dan beads designed to break through levels. However, the success of the breakthrough primarily depends on the cultivator. They need to have a higher level of mindset and comprehension to make it happen."
He cautioned, "If not, it becomes meaningless to advance a level solely by taking special dan beads. The imbalance between a cultivator's cultivation level and their mindset can lead to disastrous consequences, even resulting in severe injuries or self-explosion. It's not something to be taken lightly."
Cha Eun Xiao continued, "Dan beads serve various purposes for cultivators. Some enhance cultivation power, others restore spiritual qi, and a few provide a better chance for cultivators to break through. However, there is always a risk involved."
He emphasized, "Don't doubt this. The improvement of your cultivation level can be achieved by consuming dan beads, but the enhancement of your mindset cannot. This leads to a significant imbalance. This imbalance can only be rectified through numerous practical battles, trials, survival situations, and experiences of life and death. These experiences enrich your mindset and bring it in line with your cultivation level."
With a touch of sadness in his voice, Cha Eun Xiao continued, "During such improvements, most cultivators meet their end. What usually takes decades to accomplish in cultivation is compressed into a single year because dan beads propel them to a new level. If they fail to adapt to this rapid advancement, they might die. Think about it – experiencing life and death situations that would normally span decades within a single year. The odds of survival under such circumstances are slim."
Cha Eun Xiao concluded, "Improving one's cultivation level is undoubtedly a shortcut, but it must be used wisely."
He looked at Han Bingxue and stated, "A young man can never possess the same level of experience as an eighty-year-old, no matter how mature he appears to be."
As his gaze bore into Han Bingxue's, Cha Eun Xiao added, "An eighty-year-old has genuinely lived through a multitude of experiences, including betrayals, ups and downs. It's these experiences that have made him so wise. Time is the only true teacher, and it imparts wisdom that cannot be acquired easily."
With a pensive expression, Han Bingxue took a deep breath, reflecting on the profound wisdom that had just been shared with him.
Cha Eun Xiao contemplated his beliefs and philosophy as he shared his thoughts with those around him. "For me, I firmly believe in the power I've earned through relentless hard work. The dan beads, for me, serve primarily as tools to aid me in the heat of battle. When my strength wanes, I turn to them. They mend my wounds, grant me renewed vitality, and extend my life. The past, I shall leave largely unspoken," Cha Eun Xiao declared.
"Moreover, it's crucial to understand that no matter the type of dan bead, even those of supreme quality, they all carry potential hazards. However, the higher-grade dan beads come with lesser risks," he continued.
Cha Eun Xiao delved into the intricacies of dan beads, cautioning, "In any level of dan beads, including the supreme grade, there resides dan poison. Medication, as they say, can be a double-edged sword. The poison concealed within these tiny spheres is notoriously challenging to detoxify. Even a bone ablution couldn't rid the body of it entirely. When one consumes a dan bead, they unwittingly ingest the poison as well, and it becomes a permanent part of their being."
He went on to explain, "The more dan beads one consumes, the more poison accumulates within. As far as I'm concerned, only the thunder trials that accompany one's ascension to the upper realm have the power to cleanse this poison from deep within."
Cha Eun Xiao emphasized the urgency of expelling this internal poison, warning, "If we neglect this duty, allowing the poison to accumulate to a substantial degree, it will inevitably unleash a catastrophic impact on us one day. When it does, we'll be powerless to prevent it."
"Dans are a form of medicine, but they come with a treacherous side," he reiterated. "The dan poison lurking within these beads is truly formidable."
He continued, "This is precisely why, throughout history, none of the truly influential figures managed to achieve remarkable power solely by relying on dan beads. Despite the widespread popularity of dan-making techniques and the reverence bestowed upon dan-makers by powerful forces, real growth and strength can only be achieved by personally experiencing life's trials and tribulations."
Cha Eun Xiao asserted, "One must strengthen their mindset, utilize that heightened mindset to comprehend the world, and employ that understanding to elevate their cultivation level gradually. This is the only path to establishing a solid foundation for lasting strength."
He concluded with a keen observation, "The most formidable individuals possess a smaller limitation when it comes to consuming dan beads. In your case, you've already reached level nine of the Dao Origin Stage, and your mindset surpasses the typical standards. In other words, your cultivation level doesn't align with your remarkably elevated mindset."