"Primordial Race?" Max's eyes widened in shock. His thoughts immediately flew to the Tower of Truth, to the being he had met there. The owner of the tower was from the Primordial Race as well. He had never expected to hear their name echo within the Heavenly Lord Secret Domain, much less spoken with such weight. According to Chief Igris, the Primordial Race was the strongest race not only in the ancient times but also in the present.

"Hm." Chief Igris nodded gravely. "The Primordial Race is still the strongest race in the Divine Realm. Yet even they cannot reach what their ancestors once attained. The final stage of body cultivation was lost long ago, and not even the modern Primordial Race can reclaim it. It remains beyond their grasp."

Max frowned deeply, his mind restless. "Then what does this have to do with humans? Are you saying humans can achieve something that even the Primordial Race of this era cannot?"

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Chief Igris's mouth. "That is not exactly what I mean. The Primordial Race and the human race share more in common than most would ever realize. Their appearance, their adaptability, their essence—there are countless similarities. In fact, there are times when a primordial is mistaken for a human, and a human mistaken for a primordial, even within the Divine Realm itself. I cannot say why this resemblance exists, but I know this. The potential of the human race has never been fully understood. It has never been fully explored."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing as though peering into Max's very soul. "Especially someone like you. You are not ordinary. You carry the bloodline of a true dragon, a foundation that strengthens your body beyond the limits of mortals. If there is a human alive who can walk the path of body cultivation to its furthest depths, who can push it to stand equal with the might of the Primordials of the ancient era, it would be you. Only you have that chance. Only you can do it."

Max felt his breath catch in his throat. The words of the old dwarf carried no exaggeration, only conviction, and the weight of them pressed down on him heavier than the violet wasteland itself.

Max's brows furrowed deeply. His voice came out low, almost doubtful. "You mean I can walk the path of body cultivation and reach the ultimate stage of it?" It felt absurd to even say the words out loud. Even the Primordial Race of today could not achieve that stage. What chance could he, a mere human, possibly have?

Chief Igris's sharp gaze fixed on him, reading the hesitation across his face with ease. "It will be difficult," he said slowly, each word heavy with certainty. "In fact, it will be the hardest thing you will ever attempt in your life. But before I guide you any further, I must ask—do you truly want to walk this path? It is filled with dangers. It will not be smooth. You may reach depths so dark that you will not know if you can rise again. And even if you endure, it may come at the cost of slowing down your path of energy cultivation when you enter the Divine Realm."

"What do you mean?" Max asked, his frown deepening. His heart told him he wanted this. He had always relied on his physical strength since the day he awakened. His body had been one of his strongest trump cards, a pillar of his survival. If there was truly a structured path for body cultivation, he wanted to walk it. Yet Chief Igris's warning about slowing his energy cultivation gave him pause.

Chief Igris folded his hands behind his back as he explained. "Understand this clearly. Physique, Energy, and Soul. These three are the foundation of all life. They are the three pillars upon which every being is built. Most races are specialized in one of these. Demons, for example, are born with powerful physiques. Elves are born with unmatched purity and control of energy. Certain races are blessed with natural affinity toward the soul. They grow on one pillar, and the others simply follow at their own pace."

His expression turned serious. "But when a being tries to walk all three paths together, balance becomes the greatest challenge. There will come a point where one pillar outpaces the others. If your body grows stronger than your energy and soul, then eventually your body cultivation will slow until your soul and energy catch up. If your soul becomes too refined while your body lags, your soul will be unable to progress further until the other two catches up. The same applies to energy. This balance is a law of existence itself."

He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words settle. "In the mortal worlds, this law is vague. It can be bent, even ignored to an extent. But in the Divine Realm, the law becomes strict and unyielding. There, no one escapes it."

Max felt his heart sink at the explanation. The clarity with which Chief Igris spoke left no room for doubt. Walking all three paths was possible, but it demanded balance, a balance harder to maintain the further one advanced.

Chief Igris's sharp eyes locked on him again. "Now that you know this truth, I will ask you once more. Are you willing to walk the path of body cultivation, knowing the burden it will place on your journey?"

Max fell into deep silence. Chief Igris's words echoed in his mind again and again. The balance of physique, energy, and soul. The danger of slowing down his progress if he walked too far ahead in one path. The truth that the Divine Realm would not forgive imbalance the way the mortal worlds did. All of it pressed down on him heavily, yet he forced himself to weigh it calmly.

He remembered every battle where his raw physical strength had saved him. He recalled the crushing jaws of beasts that he had pried open with sheer force, the blades of enemies that had failed to pierce his body, the countless times he had stood his ground against foes much stronger than himself because his body could endure what their energy and skills could not. His physical strength was more than a weapon; it was a foundation, a shield, and a pillar that had allowed him to keep moving forward.

Slowly, Max exhaled. His gaze steadied and his eyes grew firm. "I want to walk the path of body cultivation," he said clearly. His voice did not tremble. It carried conviction that could not be shaken.

He knew all the risks after Chief Igris had explained them. He understood that by choosing this path he was taking on an even greater burden. But even with all of that, he could not let go of it. Physical strength had always been one of his greatest trump cards, and he would not abandon it. He could not afford to. The battles he had faced until now had shown him that sometimes brute force was the only answer. If this path could raise his body to levels beyond imagination, then no matter the price, he wanted it.

Chief Igris studied him carefully. The old dwarf's eyes gleamed as if measuring Max's resolve. When he saw that there was no hesitation left, he gave a small nod. His beard shifted as he let out a low hum of approval, but his expression remained unreadable.

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