Arthur was still confused despite the apology and it showed on his face. So the boy explained further.
He said, "I wouldn't have laughed if someone else with a perfect foundation had claimed that they would reach the fifth mortal coil. That claim would be reasonable and expected. What made your claim amusing to me was that I don't see how you will ever advance to the fifth mortal coil."
This time, Arthur frowned and asked with a serious tone, "What do you mean?"
The boy looked at him strangely and said, "Do you really not know your situation? Do I really have to say it?"
When Arthur didn't say anything and was still waiting for a reply to his question, the boy sighed like a human and said, "It is unlikely for you to advance to the fifth mortal coil because you have two elements within you."
"Your situation is unprecedented in the sect, so the sect doesn't have any method to help you advance to the fifth mortal coil. Even if we did, we certainly don't have the resources to support you."
"So you are on your own without resources and lack a direction. How then do you think you will advance?"
He didn't wait for Arthur to reply to his question before shaking his head and saying, "Even the people with resources and techniques to advance fail all the time with a 10% chance of success. I don't see how someone without any of those things will have any chance of success."
Despite hearing bad news, Arthur didn't panic. He didn't panic because, according to history, he isn't the first to be in this situation. Patriarch Sword Flash had also been in this situation and even overcame it to become a nascent soul cultivator.
If Patriarch Sword Flash could do it, he is sure that he can at least attempt it too. Patriarch Sword Flash's success also means that there is a high chance of success for him.
So he didn't panic or despair. Instead he remained calm as he asked, "How do other people advance to the fifth mortal coil? I mean, what technique do they use?"
The small boy replied, "The best techniques used to advance to the fifth mortal coil are the two-vessel sigil techniques. They provide a pure and powerful version of one's element that can be used to nurture the nascent soul and advance to the fifth mortal coil."
When Arthur heard this, he relaxed immediately. It was a reaction that surprised him.
It surprised him because he didn't even know that he was tense. He thought that he was cool, calm, and collected despite hearing that his path to cultivation might have to end at the fourth mortal coil. Apparently, he wasn't as calm as he thought.
Apparently, he was wound up physically and mentally. So when he relaxed, he felt the difference immediately.
The small boy also noticed his reaction, so he said, "I admire that you can remain calm under these conditions. But I don't understand why you would relax. Do you know something that I don't know? Or do you think you can use the vessel sigil techniques that others use?"
After asking these questions, he shook his head and said, "I tell you now not to count on the two sigil techniques. They won't work for you. Your only hope is to use them to create a new technique that can assist you in reaching the fifth mortal coil."
"I don't mean to underestimate you, but I don't think that is possible. It is already very difficult for a cultivator to create a cultivation technique of their realm. But it is nearly impossible for a cultivator to create a cultivation technique of a realm that is stronger than theirs and that they have never experienced."
Arthur agreed completely with what the small boy said. He has already seen just how difficult it can be to create a cultivation technique to help one advance to the next stage when Daoist Blood Pill tried for more than a hundred years and failed.
So he knows that it is nearly impossible for normal people to create cultivation techniques to help them advance. Only geniuses like Patriarch Sword Flash can manage something like that.
But he is still confident of advancing to the fifth mortal coil because he was given a technique that required him to learn and master the two sigil techniques.
He still doesn't know what the mystery technique is for, but he strongly believes that it can help him advance to the fifth mortal coil since it is a vessel sigil technique itself.
So he smiled at the boy and said, "We shall see."
The boy was surprised by his reaction. He lolled at Arthur in confusion and said, "You seem confident. It seems you know something that I don't know about. Maybe I've miscalculated somewhere."
Of course, the boy lacked some crucial knowledge. He didn't know that Arthur had received a technique from somewhere beneath the sect. But Arthur wasn't going to correct him.
Arthur asked, "What's the next thing I need to get?"
This question snapped the boy back to attention. He looked at Arthur and smiled before saying, "I wish you success. New events excite me. It would be exciting to see someone such as you advance to the fifth mortal coil."
Then he said, "The last item in the agenda is a gift from the patriarchs themselves. They will give you a sliver of their energy containing their will. This sliver of spiritual energy will protect you when you're in danger."
After speaking, the boy led the way to the two avatars of the patriarchs sitting on the pedestal overlooking the entire council hall.
As they went over, the boy explained, "Usually, every patriarch will give you a sliver of their energy, so new golden core elders usually get three. But Patriach Sword Flash is currently not present, so you will have to settle for two portions of spiritual energy."