Chapter 6285
The sudden realization sent a shiver down Balin’s spine. Even though he hadn’t yet managed to penetrate the formation to uncover its secrets, the power exhibited by the monks at the end of the Dharma Era was enough to instill fear in him.
He started contemplating his options. After all, he was out of alternatives, so he decided to remain here and contend with this ancient formation. The timeline he had in mind was aligned with the arrival of the Antarctic summer when the Devil’s Westerly Belt would again be navigable. If he could discover a breakthrough point before the summer arrived, it would bring joy to everyone involved. But if he didn’t succeed by then, he would honestly return to the Warriors Den meeting and proactively report his findings to Morgana. At that time, he would divulge everything about Antarctica to Morgana. Even if she chastised him for withholding information regarding the legend of the Ascension Gate, he could play the part of someone who was merely oblivious and claim it was all just a coincidence, all while presenting this ancient formation to her to take credit.
This formation was so formidable that Morgana would never be able to dismantle it. By the time that came, he would have said everything necessary. Besides, his purpose for venturing out was to seek opportunities for Morgana. Even if she was displeased, she wouldn’t take action against him. On a practical note, if Morgana could break this formation, she wouldn’t incur any losses. Should she gain significant benefits, she would certainly appreciate it. After all, who would be willing to work for her if she didn’t treat them fairly? Although Morgan had her ruthless side, she understood this principle. In that vein, even though he had not procured treasure from this formation, he wouldn’t face any further losses, and Morgana could still have her justification.
Resolving his thoughts, Balin sat cross-legged on the rock and endeavored to enter a meditative state. Though he lacked the techniques to cultivate reiki, entering seclusion allowed him to continuously refine the reiki within his body, repeatedly cleansing his meridians, which could help him gradually elevate his cultivation level.
This predicament exemplified the unfortunate reality of the Ending Dharma Age. Monks now depended entirely on elixirs and spiritual stones as their sources of reiki. Without these, they essentially lost their access to reiki, relegated to tending their own small corners of the world to cultivate with care. Like him, he had been in seclusion for centuries without making progress.
Before the Ending Dharma Age, monks could tap into the reiki of heaven and earth by practicing their skills. Their seclusion would progress nearly as if aided by the divine, and those with natural talent could open the Soul Palace just a few years after their enlightenment.
For modern monks, managing to open the Soul Palace was a rarity. However, prior to the Age of Ending Dharma, opening the Soul Palace was merely considered kindergarten-level for monks—akin to a child of three or four years old. A monk needed to reach the foundation-building stage to truly enter the realm of practice. The challenges of reaching the foundation-building stage were so immense that even Morgana could not achieve it despite her four centuries of practice.
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