Chapter 543: Difficult Decision

"Although you cannot sense the breakthrough, it is important that you keep gathering energy."

Lan was looking at the frustrated expression on Xue Wei's face as he once again had spent a whole day cultivating with no signs of breaking through to the next realm.

Xue Wei, who had been feeling listless, looked at Lan, waiting for him to explain what he meant.

"As I said before, the King rank is not one where you can enter just due to you amassing Qi to no ends. When you go from having a mortal body to having a spirit body, you will be reborn. While it is a higher realm, it is also considered a reset. Everything you have gained prior to this rank will be washed out, and you will have to start all over, in a way.

"This does not mean that the energy you are gathering now is useless, quite the opposite. There are even some who wait with breaking into the King rank for the sake of gathering as much Qi as possible before the breakthrough.

"The spirit body depends on the heaven and earth energy to be created. The more energy your body contains during the process of the recreation, the more powerful your spirit body will become. While it is somewhat annoying to continue gathering Qi, and not feel an advance in strength, you have to look at it as an investment.

"Many skip the process of gathering Qi before the breakthrough, as they feel that it is a wasted step, but it is extremely important. Also, you should have noticed this already, but it is impossible to have a normal breakthrough.

"The most suited way to break into the King rank is by stimulating your body, and triggering the soul to recreate your body.

"Most will try and find someone to battle, in an attempt at experiencing some threat to their lives, and then burst out with their potential, making them break through to the next realm.

"You are in a different situation. I would consider you both lucky and unlucky. Fortunately, you are in a position to continue absorbing Qi to solidify your foundation, but you are also not able to break through anytime soon due to the lack of beasts in the Ghost Realm.

"If you wish to break through, you will have to fight against ghosts, and with our current high-profile display, that would be extremely risky."

Lan shook his head as he finished his explanation. He glanced at Xue Wei, who was deep in thought, but he said no more. He knew that he had already explained the situation clearly, now it was up to this young man whether he wanted to risk his life and find a ghost to stimulate him so that he could break through swiftly, or if he wished to keep cultivating, and wait with his advance.

Xue Wei did not rush to reach a decision, it was clear that he was thinking through the pros and cons for each solution, and in the end, a sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back.

"I guess that the King realm will have to wait a bit longer." As he spoke, the expression in his eyes turned firm, and it was clear that he would not change his mind.

"Why did you choose this decision?" Lan was curious for what had been the reason for him to decide upon continuing to gather Qi, so he naturally asked him about it.

"Although I wish to advance as soon as possible, it really does not matter while I am in the Ghost Realm." Xue Wei did not hide his reasons, as he began explaining himself to Lan.

"The Ghost Realm is full of heaven and earth essence. The amount of Qi that I can refine here is many times more than the outside world. You told me that the more energy that my body contains, the better foundations my spirit body would have, so I feel that it is better to spend the time here to consolidate my foundations and then advance, either just before we leave, or when we have returned to the world of the living.

"Although there is danger in the Ghost Realm, and I do need to become stronger, the experts we will be encountering around are already so much stronger than me that even if I do reach the King rank, it won't make any difference."

Lan nodded his head in approval. He understood Xue Wei's position, and knew that he would want to get as strong as possible in the shortest possible time. He wanted to reunite with Wang Xiaoyun, but he also wanted to find his uncle.

Even with these two things in mind, he chose to prioritize his future, and wait for the right time to advance. This was a decision that caused Lan to look at him as an equal, and not only as a member of the younger generation.

It was indeed this worry that had made Xue Wei hesitate before deciding. He instantly knew that advancing would help him on a short term basis, but he also knew that he could not only look at his current problems. Even when they were solved, how was he supposed to continue to advance if he did not build the strongest foundation for his journey towards the apex of the universe?

After meeting Hui Yue, and truly understanding the horror that was his and Lan's strength, he knew that he was merely an ant compared to them.

What he was aiming for was not only to bring an end to all the problems he was encountering now, but also to reach a new world. A place where he, Wang Xiaoyun, and all his friends could start anew.