C6 Brother

If we liken the body to a container, then the soul is like a liquid within it. If the container is too small, it can't hold the liquid, leading to waste, and sometimes it might even burst.

Ao Xingyun was currently facing a dilemma: Chu Tianyu's physical body was exceedingly weak, so frail that it couldn't withstand even one billionth of his soul's strength. If he attempted to possess it by force, the body would be destroyed, and his soul would suffer immense damage!

His soul had already sustained severe damage once. If it were to be injured again, he couldn't be sure he'd be able to cultivate back to the level of a top-tier Saint. Therefore, he had no choice but to find a way to enhance the strength of Chu Tianyu's body.

"Kid, you're in luck. Your body is far too weak. I need to strengthen it first. You'd better cooperate willingly, or else..." Ao Xingyun warned.

"Please rest assured, Senior. I will do my best to cooperate. When the time comes, could you possibly help me find a suitable body?" Despite Chu Tianyu's psychological resistance to the idea of possession, he was willing to do whatever it took to stay alive.

One must bow to the inevitable when circumstances are beyond control. This wasn't a society governed by law; death here meant oblivion. He hoped the senior would show some mercy.

Upon hearing Chu Tianyu's commitment, Ao Xingyun was pleased, feeling somewhat indebted to him. He promptly responded, "Once I succeed, assisting you will be a trivial matter!"

Chu Tianyu was elated and expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Senior!"

"No thanks necessary. We're simply fulfilling each other's needs. Now, focus on strengthening your body!"

"Yes, Senior. But to what extent must my body be improved?"

Ao Xingyun was quite pleased with Chu Tianyu's attitude, and his tone softened considerably: "Don't call me Senior. My name is Ao Xingyun. However, you must never speak of me to others. My adversaries are formidable and could endanger your life."

Touched by Ao Xingyun's concern for his well-being, Chu Tianyu responded, "Understood, Elder Ao!"

Ao Xingyun was taken aback. Though he was significantly older than Chu Tianyu, in the realm of cultivators, he was still considered a youth. He was accustomed to being addressed as a peer by other cultivators, so being called 'Elder' caught him off guard.

"From now on, just call me big brother, okay? You..." Ao Xingyun trailed off, his enthusiasm fading as he seemed to recall something. Struggling to find the right words, he added, "I hope I won't be mistaken about you again!"

"Brother Ao, what level must one's body reach?" Chu Tianyu was elated. Despite losing his physical body, he had befriended a powerful ally. In his view, it was a clear gain. Furthermore, Ao Xingyun's conduct revealed him to be a man of deep loyalty and strong bonds. Befriending him was sure to be advantageous!

After pondering for a moment, Ao Xingyun explained, "Given the unique qualities of the Air Spirit Body, reaching Level Three strength is sufficient. I can then use my blood essence to fortify it, elevating it to Level Nine. With the addition of my blood essence, it should just manage to house my soul."

The essence-rich Void Spirit Body was an ideal vessel for him. Strengthened with dragon blood, it would rival the former five-clawed Divine Dragon Body, and reaching the pinnacle of cultivation again wouldn't take long.

Chu Tianyu was dumbfounded by Ao Xingyun's revelation. His father, Chu Nan, a Level Eight warrior, was the strongest person he had ever known. Yet, his newfound big brother required at least a Level Nine body to house part of his soul. How advanced must his cultivation be? It was beyond Tianyu's wildest imaginations.

Overcoming his astonishment, Tianyu was ecstatic. He had struck it rich, far beyond his expectations. He had assumed Ao Xingyun was on par with his father, but it turned out that Ao Xingyun was exponentially more formidable!

"Brother Ao, what level of cultivation have you achieved?" Tianyu's knowledge extended only up to Level Nine, and anything beyond that was beyond his comprehension. But he was certain that Ao Xingyun was a powerhouse well beyond Level Nine.

"Above Level Nine is the Saint Level," Ao Xingyun clarified. "As for what lies beyond that, it's not something you need to concern yourself with at this stage. Knowing too much too soon could be detrimental rather than helpful." Ao Xingyun had witnessed many talented youths whose potential was capped by their overreaching ambition. He didn't want his new brother to follow in their footsteps.

"Saint Level, Brother Ao is a Saint Level powerhouse, and from what he's implied, there are even stronger experts beyond the Saint Level. Since fate has granted me a second chance at life, my aim shouldn't just be Level Nine, but to reach and even surpass the Saint Level, just like Brother Ao!" Chu Tianyu's gaze was filled with determination, as a grand ambition firmly took root in his heart.

Ao Xingyun seemed to intuit Chu Tianyu's thoughts and, far from mocking him for his audacity, he actually showed a look of admiration. Cultivation is, after all, an act of defying the natural order, and there's no room for timidity!

Others would likely scoff if they heard someone like Chu Tianyu, who they considered worthless, aspired to exceed the Saint Level. This is where Ao Xingyun stood apart from the rest. He was unorthodox, guided by his own convictions. Which other saint would deign to treat someone who hadn't even reached Level One as a brother? Only Ao Xingyun would do such a thing.

"Brother, I haven't even achieved Level One yet. Reaching Level Three seems like it will take a long time. Will it hold you back?" Now that he had set such an ambitious goal, Chu Tianyu, though still somewhat awkward in the presence of a formidable figure like Ao Xingyun, was beginning to interact with him more naturally.

Chu Tianyu knew that an average adult man could lift an object weighing around three hundred kilograms. To attain Level One, one would need to lift at least one thousand kilograms. Level Two would require three thousand kilograms, and a Level Three warrior would need to lift ten thousand kilograms!

Reaching a physical strength of Level Three means being able to exert a force of ten thousand kilograms using just one's bodily strength, which is significantly different from what is typically known as Level Three. Normally, Level Three warriors combine their physical strength with the power of Genuine Qi to reach ten thousand kilograms, but their actual physical strength might only be a thousand kilograms or even less!

Thus, achieving Level Three purely through physical strength is many times more difficult than becoming a Level Three warrior! While it might take a prodigy a minimum of three years to reach Level Three through cultivation alone, reaching Level Three in physical strength would require at least twice as long – that's a staggering twelve years!

"Don't worry, it won't take long," Ao Xingyun said with a strong sense of confidence in his voice.

As a prodigious talent of the Dragon Clan, he possessed countless body-refining techniques, each far more powerful than anything Chu Tianyu had ever encountered. Moreover, his current Ethereal Body couldn't store spiritual energy, so all the energy he absorbed was used to fortify his physique, effectively doubling his strengthening speed. However, he kept these details from Chu Tianyu, aiming to forge his resilience.

Trusting Ao Xingyun's judgment, Chu Tianyu chose to believe him.

"Start with the simplest technique. Your physical body is far too weak. Remember, never stop circulating the cultivation technique!" With that brief instruction, Ao Xingyun fell silent.

"Big brother, what should I do if my Ethereal Body can't store spirit energy?" Chu Tianyu asked urgently, but Ao Xingyun offered no reply.

Chu Tianyu felt frustrated. Was it not irresponsible to leave him in the lurch while training his body?

What he didn't realize was that Ao Xingyun's trial for him had already begun. Being the brother of a golden dragon was no small feat.

After several unanswered calls, Chu Tianyu resigned himself to sit cross-legged on a clean patch of ground and ponder.

In the quiet, Chu Tianyu's thoughts raced with unprecedented clarity: "Big brother must have sound reasons for his actions." Having spent considerable time with Ao Xingyun, Chu Tianyu had come to one steadfast belief: his big brother was always right, and his methods were undoubtedly logical and practical. Following this line of reasoning, Chu Tianyu mulled over Ao Xingyun's words and arrived at several conclusions:

Big brother's high regard for the Ethereal Body suggested it had unique benefits, a view completely at odds with Chu Tianyu's prior beliefs—but big brother was always right.

Big brother claimed that with the Ethereal Body, he could swiftly regain his strength, indicating that it was highly conducive to cultivation.

Big brother believed I could soon reach Level Three. If all the above is true, it shows his confidence in the Ethereal Body. If I lack confidence in myself, it's unthinkable for big brother.

My elder brother advised me to start with the basics and emphasized the constant practice of my cultivation technique. But I wonder, why is that so important?

"Practice is the sole measure of truth," is the principle that Chu Tianyu lives by.

Chu Tianyu settled into a meditative posture and started to circulate the Vajra Esotery, a metal attribute body-forging technique. Although he had been unable to cultivate in the past, his mind was filled with various techniques. They might not have been of a high level, but they were more than sufficient to handle the situation at hand.