On The Path Of Cultivation To Become God

"Wait, perhaps!"

Chen Tian's thoughts swirled like a tempest in his mind.

Could he reduce the side effects of this technique?

Chen Tian wondered if he could truly achieve that; he could prolong the use of this technique and might be able to withstand its power for longer periods.

If he could do that, the power he could harness from the crystal would be precious.

"I still have some beast corpses inside my ring. I will check if my theory is right or not," Chen Tian thought to himself. With determination in his eyes, Chen Tian took the preserved corpses from his ring. He meticulously began the process of testing his theory, using the Heaven-Devouring Chaos Technique to absorb all the corpses inside his storage ring.

After 10 minutes of intense absorption, Chen Tian felt that his condition was better as the headache slowly subsided.

"It worked!" An excited smile spread across Chen Tian's face as he realized that his theory was indeed correct.

The pain in his head slowly faded away, and he could feel a newfound clarity and strength coursing through his body.

Chen Tian's theory had proven correct: by absorbing the essence of the preserved corpse using the Heaven-Devouring Chaos Technique, he was able to replenish his own energy and remove the effects of the Fire Crystal.

"So, absorbing corpses also helps reduce the side effects; I should probably keep some beasts inside my ring for future use," Chen Tian thought to himself.

He realized that the Heaven-Devouring Chaos Technique was really out of the ordinary and held immense potential. Not only could it help him cultivate faster, but it could also help him regain his energy.

However, Chen Tian was sure that for the Heaven-Devouring Chaos Technique to work, he would need to have the Chaos God Body, or all the energy Chen Tian absorbed would cripple him or, worse, kill him.

Chen Tian started searching for other beasts to hunt as he moved in the direction of Whispering Pine Woods.

Unexpectedly, Chen Tian found one drinking water source next to a small river. The beast resembled a deer, its body covered in sleek, midnight-blue fur that shimmered in the sun and its antlers adorned with glowing thorns that pulsed with mystical energy. It was unlike anything Chen Tian had ever seen before.

Intrigued by its unusual appearance, Chen Tian used Chaos Insight on the beast.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Thornheart Stagbeast

Cultivation: 6th Stage Meridian Opening Realm

Law: Nature

~~~~~~~~~~~

'Nature, that is the law this beast has,' Chen Tian mused to himself, slightly taken aback.

The law of nature was different from the basic laws like the fire law, water law, wind law, etc. It represented the raw, untamed energy of the natural world.

'Cultivators or beasts that have control over the Law of Nature are known for being hard opponents to defeat,' Chen Tian thought, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the Thornheart Stagbeast.

This law allowed the beast to tap into the primal forces of the earth, harnessing the power of plants and animals. Not to mention that the beast had a higher cultivation than him.

"I will need to end it quickly and not allow it to react," Chen Tian muttered under his breath. He activated the second stage of Heavenly Lightning Steps.

The distance between the beast and Chen Tian was around 30 meters.

With lightning speed, Chen Tian closed the gap between them in a matter of seconds.

"Kehh!" The Thornheart Stagbeast was startled and unable to react in time. Chen Tian unsheathed his sword, and his muscles tensed. With one swift strike, he aimed for the beast's weak spot—the head.

Applying sword aura to the sword, Chen Tian's strike sliced through the air, leaving a trail of energy in its wake.

Chen Tian was sure that the beast wouldn't stand a chance against his powerful attack. As his sword made contact with the Stagbeast's head, a resounding crack echoed through the place.

Chen Tian was taken aback, as he could feel his sword being blocked by something.

"Motherfucker!"

Chen Tian was surprised, as the beast was able to form a protective barrier around its weak spot. A green plant formed around its neck and hardened into an impenetrable shield, deflecting Chen Tian's strike.

Chen Tian quickly realized that the plant around the beast's neck was what protected the beast, as it was made of the Law of Nature, which blocked Chen Tian's Sword Aura.

Chen Tian instantly knew that his plan to quickly end things had failed; he quickly retreated to reassess his strategy.

"It's been a long time since I had to fight seriously," Chen Tian thought to himself as he observed the beast's impenetrable shield. He knew he had to come up with a new plan to defeat it.

"KEHHHH!" The Thornheart Stagbeast's sharp eyes locked onto Chen Tian, its nostrils flaring with anger. It charged towards him with incredible speed, its hooves pounding against the ground.

Chen Tian dodged its initial attack, narrowly avoiding being trampled. As he regained his footing, he noticed the beast had its back to him—a perfect opportunity to strike.

'No, it wouldn't work since it can protect its body; if that is the case, I just need to increase my attack power,' Chen Tian thought to himself as a smile formed on his lips.

The Thornheart Stagbeast's grunt of frustration echoed through the forest as it realized its failed attempt to trample Chen Tian.

"KRRRHHHH!" Sensing his opportunity, Chen Tian swiftly drew his sword and attacked the beast.

The Thornheart Stagbeast's horns started to glow with a menacing green light, making Chen Tian realize that it was preparing a powerful counterattack.

However, undeterred, Chen Tian didn't back down.

'Let's use this,' Chen Tian thought as he quickly assessed the situation. His blue eyes started glowing a galactic blue as he activated Chaos Insight.

Chaos Insight wasn't just a technique that allowed Chen Tian to analyze his opponent or other objects; it could also see the change that Qi in the air caused and predict the flow of battle. As the Thornheart Stagbeast charged towards him, Chen Tian could see the energy gathering in its horns.

Some parts of the ground were also amazing, with a great amount of Qi that Chen Tian noticed.

'Natural Energy?'

|SHIIII||SHIIII||SHIIII|

A vine suddenly came to life beside Chen Tian; it was covered in vibrant green leaves, and its roots dug deep into the ground. The vine swayed back and forth, mimicking the movements of a spear.

If this vine hit his body, Chen Tian was sure that it would be a devastating blow.

With a swift movement, Chen Tian swiftly dodged the Stagbeast's vines, using his chaos insight to anticipate its movements. He could see the energy shifting within the ground, indicating a new attack was coming from this way.

|SHIIII|

As he evaded the attack, Chen Tian noticed a vine beside his right foot begin to rapidly grow and stretch towards him.

"Tskk."

Chen Tian clicked his tongue in annoyance as he swiftly jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the vine's grasp.

The Stagbeast was relentless in its pursuit, but Chen Tian refused to let himself be caught off guard. With each dodge, his anticipation grew sharper, and his movements became more calculated.

Unbeknownst to the beast, Chen Tian was approaching it with a carefully crafted plan.

As he closed in, Chen Tian could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. A sword aura formed on his sword as a golden aura surged around him.

His Sword Aura surged as its power shot from the first level to the fifth level, which was considered in the Mid-Levels of Sword Aura; no Meridian Opening Realm could reach that stage.

Three more vines shot from the ground, attempting to entangle Chen Tian. But with his heightened eyes and the first step of Heavenly Lightning Steps, Chen Tian swiftly dodged the vines, effortlessly weaving through the air as if he were dancing. He anticipated every move and counterattacked with his sword, slicing through the vines with precision.

The golden aura around him intensified, radiating strength and power.

"Kree!" Sensing danger, the beast let out a deafening groan, its eyes narrowing in on Chen Tian. With a swift motion, it lunged towards him as its horns glinted with a deadly gleam.

Seeing the beast's action, Chen Tian smirked in his mind.

"Good, come."

The beast charged at Chen Tian with immense speed, but before the beast could even get close to him, Chen Tian used the second step of "Heavenly Lightning Steps," appearing behind the beast.

The beast instantly formed a protection shield around itself, anticipating an attack from behind. However, for Chen Tian, it was of no use.

"Eternal Celestial Sword Art: First Move!"

A golden light emerged from Chen Tian's sword, illuminating the surrounding area. With a swift and precise motion, he slashed through the beast's vine shield, cutting through it effortlessly. The beast let out a deafening roar of pain as Chen Tian's sword sliced through its flesh, leaving a deep gash.

Blood spurted out, staining the ground crimson.

The body of the beast fell to the ground, lifeless, as its head was separated from its body.

"It's over," Chen Tian whispered, his heart pounding with a mix of exhilaration and relief.

After killing the beast, which took more than 15 minutes to kill, Chen Tian absorbed the beast's body as pure energy entered his Dantian.

His Qi was replenished, and his strength increased from the early 3rd stage to the late 3rd stage of the Meridian Opening Realm.

Chen Tian knew that he needed one more powerful beast, like the one he had just defeated, to enter the 4th stage of the Meridian Opening Realm.

His eyes scanned the area; it was already getting late in the afternoon.

"Let's continue walking and look for another powerful beast," Chen Tian said to himself.

Entering the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening realm before arriving at Whispering Pine Woods would help him greatly.