Swallowed Star
chapter-880

2,000 years, 2,100, 2,200…

The fusion level of the crystal and his soul got higher and higher. It made the intense pain grow even more. This wasn’t just any ordinary pain, but a tearing of the soul. At the final threshold, the soul would be completely torn apart! However as it got closer to the limit, Luo Feng focused his mind, it helped hone his mental state even more and he improved faster.

2,300 years, 2,400, 2,500, 2,600…

“It’s been 2,600 years.”

Within the shrine amidst the sealed stars, Luo Feng sat crossed legged there covered in perspiration and blood. Under such pain, blood drops would drip out as his entire body shivered. However, there was a strong sense of sturdiness from his expression, and he wasn’t shaken by such pain.

“The two candidates from the past, the first one lasted 2,600 years, and the other for 3,300 years.”

“Both were absolute geniuses of their time, and were incredibly exceptional elites and beings of the earth race. In terms of encounters, the first one was the strongest, and he was at the level of Innocence, yet he only lasted 2,600 years. The second one however was slightly weaker, even weaker than Luo Feng. However, his mental state reached the level of Encompassing all. At the end, he too fell.”

“There have been many with strong mental states in the history of earth. There are countless in the first level, many in the second and quite a few in the third.”

Pu Ti sighed within.

His teacher, the great being that nurtured the earth race had said before…

The three states weren’t higher or lower than each other, they simply represented three different paths.

Knowing oneself and staying true to it, knowing one’s strength and absolute confidence! No matter what happens, one would always believe in oneself and not be shaken. However the growth of this path was the hardest, with no external factors, relying solely on willpower.

Put crudely, it simply meant being extremely obstinate. Such a person would suffer easily.

However such a warrior wouldn’t follow the crowds, he would be sturdy from within. Even when many others criticize and scold him, he wouldn’t change. This was the most tiring paths of all…

Innocence, Man and nature as one.

Such a person could gain the respect of many others, it was hard to hold grudges against such a person, as they saw through the souls of trillions of lives. In history, many of them were considered saints.

Encompassing all, one believed in the vastness of the universe, and that they were unable to exceed everything. They weren’t satisfied with just going with the flow, they wanted to encompass everything.

Such warriors had huge hearts.

With endless ambition, and one’s belief was terrifying too.

…

Three paths.

The reason why the earth people regarded each level as higher than the other was because they hadn’t produced a true great being.

There were many in history that had reached the peak of Knowing oneself, and after encountering countless setbacks, there were huge changes in history itself. They had seen through themselves and realized eventually that getting along was the path, and completely enforcing their way was too extreme.

Hence there was Man and nature as one, the so called perfect level.

Then, they no longer suffered, no longer butted heads, rather they were worshipped by many.

…

After walking that second path for a long time, they would have deeper visions.

They weren’t satisfied with just man and nature as one, they wanted to encompass it all, this was the third level.

In the history of earth, anyone who reached the third level, built countries or sects. All in all they were all the pinnacle beings of earth. This heart that encompass all allowed them to take any setbacks and improve through any situation.

While their qualifications may not match others, however with resolve and steady improvement, it allowed them to reach the top!

…

Three paths, different levels.

The third was the strongest, the second one followed and the first one was the hardest.

Hence it became known this way through the many generations of earth…and ignorance was as such. Any great being…or absolute warrior would however mock this, as they knew that the path was simply different. What was the point of comparing these?

…

“To persevere for over 2,600 years, his heart is indeed sturdy.” Pu Ti said, “Against such tearing pain, he must have a completely sturdy heart and willpower to push through. Only then could he last long…it’ll just depend on how strong his heart is.”

There were many courageous warriors in chinese history that crumbled under torture.

Despite their loyalty, it could only be said that their pain threshold hadn’t been honed. That their methods to train weren’t strong enough. As for such pain that permeated the soul, that lasted for thousands of years…who could take it? As for the normal heroes from the past, just a few thousand years of solitude would make them go crazy, much less what Luo Feng was going through now…

******

While he was bearing with the torture, he forced himself to not be affected by anything, immersing himself in studying the Beast god path.

In the 2,800th year…

The high level of pain finally reached his true limit, affecting his study.

“Don’t disturb me.”

“Howl!”

Within his internal world, the golden horned beast looked down at the statue and copied it.

Just like some scientist from earth, even in sickness and pain, they continue to research. Even though they were affected and distracted, they would continue their work. Luo Feng who had been immersed within for over 2,000 years had already gotten so deep in that even though he was affected, he would simply push it aside!

Pain? Force it away, continue his study!

Distraction? Push it aside!

A pure heart, against the danger, it created a mysterious energy and strength, allowing him to push aside the pain. And everytime he did so, it allowed his heart to stabilize. It would gradually strengthen him…and this speed of growth was faster than before.

Just like that…Luo Feng held on.

2,900 years, 3,000, 3,100 years, 3,200…

His ability to push aside the pain grew better as time passed. The strength his soul had for pushing aside this eternally rising pain, this pain that he could never quell, only continue to meld with it. However, the pain continued to grow. Almost like after stabilizing himself from the distractions for so long, one would still eventually get tired and unable to move. No matter how strong his beliefs were, one would reach a limit, and the result was…to die!

“Is this the end?” Pu Ti sat crossed legged there and looked at the shivering Luo Feng covered in sweat and blood. His body twitched in pain, sometimes madly, sometimes a little…

His entire body was shivering madly.

“He’s tired.”

“Child, just give up.”

“Even if you fall, and your teacher doesn’t revive you, just because of your strong will, I will reverse time and space to revive you. While you may lose much, however…the process for the star tower to recognize an owner is simply too hard. Back then when the tower melded with that colorful light, even teacher didn’t have a guarantee, maybe…then even if the earth race produced incredibly exceptional beings, it still wouldn’t work. If the first three all failed, even the fourth, fifth and so on might keep failing. Who knows when teacher will change his mind and not force this star tower to recognize an owner.”

Pu Ti sighed,

He was a universe master, a pinnacle being of the vast universe. He could easily see through Luo Feng’s soul, and he knew that Luo Feng was already at his limit.

“Don’t disturb me!”

“Don’t bother me!!!” Luo Feng was still completely immersed in studying the Beast god path. Against the powerful pain that constantly interrupted him, he howled within and raged, “Don’t disturb me, no one can disturb me, no one will!”

Rumble!

A sudden change!

If his willpower and consciousness before was said to be honed into a diamond, incredibly sturdy and piercing, over the 3,200 years of training, it reached another level and it became an even denser diamond than before. Just like it was placed in a location with extreme pressure, like a star becoming a neutron star.

Consciousness and willpower, it had an unbelievable evolution!

The diamond was forced into an atomic nucleus.

“Continue.” Luo Feng had a feeling like he never had before. Almost like when he reached his final limit of fatigue, passing it now gave him even more strength than before! The pain had disrupted his study before, knocking him hard until he reached his limit. Now however, it was completely suppressed and gave no resistance whatsoever.

…

“What!”

In the shrine, Pu Ti who had been observing the entire process glanced at Luo Feng’ s soul and naturally discovered the evolution.

“How did it change?”

“How did this happen, this never happened to the two of them before him. Especially the second, he lasted for 3,300 years before falling and nothing like this ever happened.” Pu Ti was shocked. “Right, the two candidates, one was at Innocence and the other at Encompassing all. They had different ways of dealing with the pain. Innocence would make him get used to the pain and meld with it. Encompassing all…would encompass even the pain. However the two of them were both wrong. Wrong in the sense that this isn’t a pain from anything, but rather the crystal melding with the soul. This isn’t an illusion, but something real!”

“While their methods could push their souls to the limit to not feel the pain.”

“However without withstanding it, they cannot suppress it. Their strength to suppress it naturally won’t be enough. Because they melded with it, they encompassed it.”

“And Luo Feng chose to withstand it! Completely withstand and suppressing the pain, not ever melding or encompassing it.”

“While he may feel more pain.”

“But isn’t this a way to train the first level of Knowing oneself? Pushing his willpower to the limit finally resulted in evolution, resulting in a huge jump.” Pu Ti gasped.

A huge leap forward gave Luo Feng a huge leeway.

3,300 years…3,900…

4,000…

4,300…4.900…

The crystal continued to meld with him, and the pain gradually rose. Even though the evolution before gave Luo Feng a huge leeway, over the past 2,000 years, it finally got close to his limit again.

“Is there no way for this star tower to recognize an owner?”

“The past 3,200 years was only the first half?” Pu Ti was shocked as well, because the longest a candidate lasted before was only 3,300 years. No one truly knew how long this process would take.

No one had done it.

No one knew the limit…whether it was Pu Ti or that great being before.

“If Luo Feng fails, how many more candidates would it take to actually succeed?” His face was filled with worry.