Rebirth of a Quasi-Immortal Spirit

"What? Father isn't dead?" Gao Zhun couldn't sit still any longer upon hearing Elder Lei's words. She stood up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief. She hurriedly asked, "Wasn't Father poisoned by the Soul-Devouring Incense and his soul scattered? How could he not be dead?"

Gao Zhun's mind was in turmoil. She had never met Gao Zhilin, and in the memories of this body, her father was just a vague figure. Although she often heard Gao Zhilin's name mentioned by various people in her daily life, and her mother always thought of him, none of this mattered to her. What she cared about now was why Gao Zhilin had appeared. Wasn't being poisoned by the Soul-Devouring Incense a death sentence?

What terrified Gao Zhun even more was that this body had indeed been poisoned by the Soul-Devouring Incense. Although she didn't know why Madam Zhu and Doctor Gao had forgotten about it, their memories were definitely accurate. Originally, she wasn't afraid of anyone knowing that she had been poisoned by the Soul-Devouring Incense and was still alive and kicking, but now she was extremely frightened because Gao Zhilin was a living example right in front of her.

Elder Lei had anticipated Gao Zhun's reaction, but he hadn't expected her true thoughts. He simply pressed Gao Zhun back into her seat, rubbed her temples, and then said, "Gao Zhilin's death is beyond doubt, but now another one has appeared. The reasons for this still need to be investigated by our Elder Council."

At this point, Elder Lei gave Gao Zhun a deep look: "Zhun'er, whether that Gao Zhilin is the real Gao Zhilin or just someone who has been possessed, you cannot appear by his side. Do you understand?"

Gao Zhun was stunned upon hearing this, and her panic intensified. Possession? Yes, Gao Zhilin must have been possessed by someone. And wasn't she also possessed this body by possession? Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shudder. Even with her strong will, she still couldn't imagine what it would be like when everyone discovered that she was also a possession imposter.

However, Gao Zhun quickly regained her composure. Now she was facing an old monster in the Tribulation Transcending stage, and even the slightest abnormality could expose her. Therefore, she said solemnly, "Master, I lost my composure just now. I just couldn't contain myself when I heard the news about my father. Master, rest assured, I will never go to Gao Zhilin's side on my own initiative."

Elder Lei nodded upon seeing this, then asked with interest, "May I ask why your master forbids you from contacting Gao Zhilin?"

"This..." Gao Zhun looked up at Elder Lei's expression, frowned and pondered for a while before saying, "I believe that if that person is truly my father, then there must be some hidden story behind what happened back then. It's possible that my father deliberately faked his death, or it's possible that someone forced him to do so. Either way, it proves that my father's surroundings are not safe. Master is worried about my safety and naturally doesn't want me to take any risks. As for if my father was possessed, then I should be even less likely to walk into the lion's den."

Elder Lei nodded upon hearing this. What he feared most was that Gao Zhun would rush over to investigate immediately upon hearing news of Gao Zhilin, regardless of the consequences. He was pleased with the current situation, but he wondered about Madam Zhu's situation...

"Zhun'er, what about Madam Zhu..." Elder Lei said with some difficulty.

Seeing this, Gao Zhun quickly interjected, "I will speak to Mother myself, Master, you need not trouble yourself."

At this point, Elder Lei was extremely satisfied. He then said to Gao Zhun, "Zhun'er, after you've been out training for a while, do you have any questions about cultivation?"

Only then did Gao Zhun's spirits lift, realizing that Elder Lei was about to enlighten her on her cultivation. She immediately confided her questions about her cultivation path, including her doubts about the Purple Lightning Spirit Body. Elder Lei patiently answered all her questions. For a cultivator whose cultivation had already reached the Tribulation Transcending stage and was almost ready to ascend at any moment, giving Gao Zhun a few pointers was incredibly easy. Moreover, the Great Dao is simple; given Elder Lei's level of cultivation, he could find the simplest explanations for any profound Dao, so often a single sentence was enough to enlighten Gao Zhun.

However, Elder Lei still offered a word of advice, since those were merely the results of his own years of mutual verification with a few close friends, and not a truly perfect interpretation of the Great Dao. Therefore, Gao Zhun would inevitably need to gain his own understanding of it based on his own experiences and observations.

After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, advancement depends almost entirely on a cultivator's understanding of the Heavenly Dao. The greater the understanding, the greater the cultivation level. Only with such improvement can a cultivator safely cross the barrier between the Nascent Soul and Spirit Division stages and successfully advance. Otherwise, nine out of ten cultivators who merely accumulate strength through pills, possessing only true essence but lacking enlightenment, will die under the tribulation lightning during their advancement to Spirit Division, while the remaining one out of ten will fail to advance.

This is why the advancement speed of disciples in any slightly larger power slows down after reaching the Nascent Soul stage. Above the Nascent Soul stage, unless one has no hope of advancement, no one will continue to use elixirs to boost their cultivation. Of course, there are other ways to increase understanding of the Heavenly Dao besides comprehension. The forbidden area behind the Gao family's mountain has a place where cultivators can increase their understanding of the Heavenly Dao, as it contains rare Enlightenment Fruits.

The so-called Enlightenment Fruit has an 80% chance of increasing a cultivator's understanding of the Heavenly Dao by 20% after consumption, and a remaining 20% ​​chance of increasing it by 30%. Moreover, as long as the cultivator's understanding of the Heavenly Dao is below the Nascent Soul stage, the Enlightenment Fruit can be consumed in multiple doses. The Enlightenment Fruit will only lose its effect once the cultivator's understanding of the Heavenly Dao breaks through to the Nascent Soul stage.

However, not everyone can enjoy the Enlightenment Fruit. Every ten years, the Gao family opens the forbidden area in the back mountain, inviting disciples from the most prestigious forces across the entire Immortal Spirit Continent to enter and compete for the Enlightenment Fruit. How many they obtain depends entirely on their luck, while whether they emerge alive depends on their strength. Therefore, for the disciples of these forces, competing for the Enlightenment Fruit is both an opportunity and a trial.

There are still two years until the next competition for the Enlightenment Fruit. Elder Lei hopes that Gao Zhun's cultivation can at least reach the mid-Nascent Soul stage within these two years. Otherwise, entering the forbidden area of ​​the back mountain with only the early Nascent Soul stage cultivation would be tantamount to suicide. Of course, even so, in the forbidden area, if Gao Zhun encounters a Nascent Soul stage peak expert like Gao Qi, he would still have to behave himself.

Gao Zhun had little interest in the Enlightenment Fruit. Since cultivation achieved through elixirs was ineffective, what good could a mere fruit possibly do? When she heard from Elder Lei about the Enlightenment Fruit competition two years later, Gao Zhun was unimpressed. She would comprehend the Great Dao step by step, and accumulate knowledge of the Heavenly Dao little by little. For her now, improving her combat power was the most urgent matter. The grand competition six years later hung over her like the Sword of Damocles. The thought that she might not be able to solve Gao Ling's future cultivation problems made her feel suffocated. She wished she could comprehend a world-shaking ultimate move right now, but it was all just wishful thinking.

Emerging from the Elders' Council, Gao Zhun, a girl at the early Nascent Soul stage, naturally attracted a lot of attention. Many passersby recognized her as a newly promoted disciple of the Phoenix Cry Courtyard within the Inner Sect. She possessed the strongest bloodline talent of the Xuanyuan family—the Eye of Truth-Seeing. Furthermore, she had recently awakened the Gao family's soul talent. Although the specific level was unknown, the fact that the Elders' Council members had personally visited Gao Zhun at the Phoenix Cry Courtyard suggested that her soul talent must be quite high. Moreover, Gao Zhun also had an elder at the Tribulation Transcending stage as her master, who was said to possess the same Purple Night Thunder Spirit Body as her.

A series of messages surrounding Gao Zhun highlighted her extraordinary abilities. Those who had already advanced to the Nascent Soul stage began to look forward to the grand competition six years later, while those who had not yet advanced to the Nascent Soul stage worried about the small competition that was just around the corner. However, the person in question did not have time to listen to these people's observations and fears of her. With a light tap of her toes, she teleported back to her own courtyard in Fengming Villa several times in a row. The people who had been eagerly waiting at the gate made Gao Zhun's eyes well up with tears.

“Mother, and little Ling’er.” Gao Zhun walked up to Madam Zhu, looking at his mother whom he hadn’t seen for months and the pink baby in her arms. He didn’t know what to say for a moment, so he stood there blankly in front of the door, speechless.

"Sister, sister~" A childish voice woke Gao Zhun from her daze, and she looked around. Although she knew the voice came from Gao Ling's little mouth, she was still not prepared for Gao Ling to be able to speak. She was just wondering if someone was hiding somewhere and playing a prank on her.

"Hehe, you silly boy, look where you are! Little Ling'er is calling you that, why aren't you responding?" Madam Zhu's words were clearly tinged with sourness: "Little Ling'er was able to speak a month ago, but she could only say 'sister.' I taught her for a month, and she just kept calling me 'sister.' I don't know where this little devil who hasn't been home for months got such a charm."

Hearing Madam Zhu say this, Gao Zhun had no doubt whatsoever. He grinned foolishly and took Gao Ling from Madam Zhu's arms. The moment her hand touched Gao Ling's ribs, the little one giggled and called out in a soft, sweet voice, "Sister~"

"Oh, my little Ling'er is so good." Gao Zhun glanced at Madam Zhu's jealous expression, secretly amused, but still pointed to Madam Zhu and introduced her to Gao Ling, "That's Mother. Little Ling'er, will you call her Mother like your sister?" (166 Reading Network)