Chapter 474: Chapter 268: Nascent Soul of Three Inches Tall... Early Stage?

When the Nascent Soul is between three inches and above, yet below six inches, it belongs to the realm of the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.

When the Nascent Soul reaches six inches or above, but below nine inches and ninety-nine, it is then considered as the Nascent Soul Late Stage Realm.

Theoretically, Qi Chuan’s current Nascent Soul height of two inches and ninety-nine is already at the very limit of the Nascent Soul Early Stage, with no further room for elevation, which means Qi Chuan has now reached the Peak of Nascent Soul Early Stage Realm.

To progress further would be to step into the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm.

In fact, even disregarding Qi Chuan’s current Nascent Soul height of two inches and ninety-nine, for other Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivators, once surpassing a Nascent Soul height of two inches, attempts to ascend to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm can begin.

Of course, the success rate of such a breakthrough is another matter, as is the strength of the Nascent Soul’s foundation after the breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.

Therefore, Qi Chuan feels that in his current state, it’s time to start accumulating Inspiration Opportunities, then, once these are perfected, to directly ascend to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm.

Qi Chuan thought this in his heart.

However...

At this moment, Qi Chuan closed his eyes, activated the Profound Celestial Spirit Devouring Sword Technique to absorb a thread of Spiritual Qi from the Tier Four Lower Grade Cave Mansion. He began circulating it through his body’s meridians and refining it, transmuting it into mana, which then entered his Dantian and approached his Nascent Soul—which remained at a height of two inches and ninety-nine. The Nascent Soul absorbed the Spiritual Qi, converting it to Nascent Soul Power.

Instantaneously, in that moment, Qi Chuan seemed to feel his Nascent Soul’s foundation slightly enhance!

!!!

"How can this be?"

At this moment, Qi Chuan was astounded.

Yet, observing his Nascent Soul’s height, it remained unchanged at two inches and ninety-nine, with no sign of growing taller.

But the enhancement in his Nascent Soul’s foundation was indeed real, not an illusion.

After watching for some time, Qi Chuan withdrew his focus from his Dantian, opening his eyes.

Before his eyes, a line of text immediately appeared.

[You’ve activated the Profound Celestial Spirit Devouring Sword Technique, absorbed the Spiritual Qi from the Tier Four Lower Grade Cave Mansion, refining it into your own Nascent Soul, triggering a twentyfold critical strike, earning twentyfold gains, your Nascent Soul’s foundation has been slightly enhanced.]

"No Inspiration Opportunity was gained; instead, the Nascent Soul’s foundation increased..."

Seeing this scene, Qi Chuan became contemplative.

In other words.

The current two inches and ninety-nine of the Nascent Soul, for other Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivators, might be the limit, but for himself, not quite so.

It could still be improved!

Thus, the Hundredfold Critical Strike’s prompt appeared as such. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

However, Qi Chuan still held a slight confusion in his heart.

"Currently, my Nascent Soul’s height is two inches and ninety-nine. Continuing to cultivate, is it only the Nascent Soul’s foundation that will improve, unrelated to its height, or... will my Nascent Soul’s height eventually reach three inches?"

If only the Nascent Soul’s foundation were to improve, that would be fine.

Qi Chuan would just continue cultivating until the Nascent Soul’s foundation reached its utmost limit, then accumulate Inspiration Opportunities to break through to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.

But if it were the latter...

When the Nascent Soul height reaches three inches, wouldn’t that mean I’ve stepped into the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm?

"Just that I don’t want..."

Qi Chuan silently prayed.

Though this would save him a lot of trouble, sparing the need to accumulate Inspiration Opportunities and undergo the subsequent breakthrough process, directly reaching the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm.

Yet it would not benefit him.

Because doing so, the starting point of entering the Nascent Soul Middle Stage would be too low, merely three inches. How would it differ from other cultivators who began attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage once they surpassed a Nascent Soul height of two inches? What purpose did the efforts spent over the past twenty years raising the Nascent Soul height to two inches and ninety-nine serve!

Despite his inner conflict, a helpless Qi Chuan still set aside those thoughts, calmed down, and took out the Mysterious Stone Talisman. He ingested another elixir and diligently continued cultivating, steadily enhancing his Nascent Soul’s foundation.

No choice, necessary actions must still be taken; don’t forego them due to trivial concerns.

Quickly raising the Nascent Soul’s foundation to its utmost limit and then charging to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm is the most pressing matter.

As for what situations might be encountered once the Nascent Soul’s foundation reaches its limit, that is beyond Qi Chuan’s control, he can only let nature take its course.

Qi Chuan initially thought that his Nascent Soul at two inches and ninety-nine was not far from reaching his own true Nascent Soul Early Stage extremity, needing only a little more effort to achieve it.

However, the outcome was completely unexpected for him.

He strove for five full years.

During these five years, even the Eleventh Layer Profound Celestial Spirit Devouring Sword Technique was completely deduced.

Yet the Hundredfold Critical Strike prompt in front of him remained as that sentence: "The foundation of the Nascent Soul was slightly enhanced."

Indeed, under Qi Chuan’s perception, his Nascent Soul’s foundation was indeed much stronger than when it first reached the height of two inches and ninety-nine.

However... the height of the Nascent Soul was still two inches and ninety-nine, showing no sign of change or even a minute breakthrough.

This situation was strange enough to make one doubt life itself.

Nevertheless, Qi Chuan’s determination remained strong, and he continued diligently cultivating.

Finally, the time arrived at the end of the sixth year.

On this day, when Qi Chuan finished his usual cultivation routine and opened his eyes, an extraordinary change appeared in the line of text in front of him.

[You activated the Profound Celestial Spirit Devouring Sword Technique, absorbed Spiritual Qi, refined medicinal power, transformed it into your own Nascent Soul, triggering a hundredfold critical strike, obtaining hundredfold gains, your Nascent Soul’s foundation received a dramatic increase, and your Nascent Soul height grew to three inches.]

Seeing the words "three inches" before his eyes, Qi Chuan was startled.

Immediately, he quickly introspected his Dantian to observe his Nascent Soul within.

The result, upon viewing, was astonishing... his Nascent Soul had indeed grown to a height of three inches...

"Good heavens... I’ve actually ascended to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm..."

Seeing this scene, Qi Chuan couldn’t help but become teary-eyed.

The reason was not for having achieved what many Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivators dreamed of yet couldn’t reach—the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm.

Instead, it was because... his many years of effort were suddenly rendered futile...

"Had I known, I should have prepared for the breakthrough once the Nascent Soul exceeded two inches, without the pursuit of Inspiration Opportunities, perhaps the breakthrough might have occurred quicker..."

Qi Chuan thought helplessly within.

Despite the helplessness, the current situation had become a factual reality, unchangeable. After the sadness passed, Qi Chuan could only continue to activate the Profound Celestial Spirit Devouring Sword Technique to consolidate his Middle Stage Nascent Soul.

Unexpectedly, after running a Grand Circulation, the Nascent Soul within his Dantian showed no sign of further enhancement in its foundation.

Seeing this scene, Qi Chuan couldn’t help but feel a bit suspicious.

Immediately, he tried a few more times.

However, after several continuous Grand Circulations, not only was there no substantial improvement in the Nascent Soul’s foundation, but also before Qi Chuan appeared a line of text.

[You ran the Profound Celestial Spirit Devouring Sword Technique for a Grand Circulation, attempted to capture an Inspiration Opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm, triggering thirty-ninefold critical strike, receiving thirty-ninefold gains, you successfully captured a fine Inspiration Opportunity for a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm.]

With the appearance of the text, a subtle and profound mystical feeling surged in Qi Chuan’s heart.

This sensation was incredibly familiar to Qi Chuan.

"An Inspiration Opportunity appeared? And it’s not for the nascent soul late stage but for the breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage?"

Feeling these changes, Qi Chuan was astounded, his eyes momentarily filled with confusion.

Yet in the very next moment, he immediately reacted, understanding the current situation.

"The Hundredfold Critical Strike Golden Finger will never deceive."

"This implies that although I now have a Nascent Soul height of three inches, ostensibly having reached the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Realm, in the judgment of the Golden Finger, I am not Nascent Soul Middle Stage, but rather, a Nascent Soul Early Stage True Monarch with a three-inch height?"