Chapter 148: Chapter 147: I Will Open the Path to Immortality
Translator: 549690339
In this world, there are no immortals, only a group of longevity-keepers who possess superior powers.
Despite their powerful abilities, these longevity-keepers are not immortal; they merely enjoy a prolonged lifespan.
The last owner of the Netherworld Book was a man with the last name ‘Cui’. A minor official during the early Tang Dynasty, he stumbled upon the Netherworld Book by chance. This allowed him a certain control over life and death, endowing him with the authority of the Underworld Judge.
With the power of the Netherworld Book, he was in charge of adding lifespan to the good and sending the evil to the Netherworld. Due to his position as Underworld Judge, many referred to him as Judge Cui.
In Judge Cui’s memory, the early Tang Dynasty was almost a golden age for cultivators, with numerous robust and ancient cultivators co-existing in the world.
Because Judge Cui controlled the Netherworld Book, even just a part of it, his power of life and death made him prominent among these powerful figures.
They had divine abilities to move mountains and fill seas, to ride on clouds and fog. They could visit the distant seas in the morning and return by dawn. Their capabilities ranged from the azure sky to the yellow springs.
However, for these mighty and ancient cultivators, the inevitable decline in health and limited lifespan was like a sharp sword hanging over their heads, constantly unsettling them.
Perhaps, for newly powerful figures like Judge Cui, they still have a long life ahead, and the end of life appears to be far into the unknown future.
But for those who have lived for countless years and who have already reached the peak of cultivation, they still face the threat of death, despite their immense powers and limitless authority. Their death is not like an ordinary person’s death; perhaps it can be referred to as the ‘Tao becoming.’
Those with limitless power return to the world upon death and become a part of it, with no chance of rebirth.
Therefore, some powerful entities, unwilling to give in, began to devise plans. They wished to pioneer a new path, seeking true longevity, striving to become immortal ‘Fairy Gods’ , free of the worries brought on by the limits of lifespan.
These ancient longevity-keepers tried various methods, but they gained nothing.
They could only watch as they aged day by day, drawing ever closer to the Tao becoming.
During this period, within the Taoist School, two powerful figures, summarizing all the attempts of the ancient longevity-keepers, refined a theory: the Theory of The Five Immortals.
The theory held that there were technically five types of immortals – Celestial Immortal, Earth Immortal, Human Immortal, Divine Immortal, Ghost Immortal.
Reaching any one of these five Immortal states promises eternal life, immortality, and continued existence in the world.
However, it remained only a theory, with no one ever reaching such success.
Moreover, among the Five Immortals, becoming a Celestial Immortal is the most challenging. It’s difficult to enter the Human Immortal state, and Ghost Immortals are the weakest. Most longevity-keepers pursued the path of Divine Immortals and Earth Immortals.
However, the path of the Divine Immortal emphasizes mastering the Heavenly Authority and acting in line with the Heaven’s will. The Earth Immortal’s path requires integration with a Blessed Land, a Cave Heaven.
No matter whether it’s the Heavenly Authority or a Blessed Land, Cave Heaven, there’s only a limited number of these.
The myriad powerful ones all wish to become immortal and are unwilling to yield the opportunity for everlasting life and sight to another.
Thus, conflicts gradually occurred among these strong entities and escalated progressively.
Eventually, a war engulfing the cultivation world broke out, pulling countless cultivators into it.
The battle caused Heaven and Earth to collapse and mountains and rivers to shatter. Numerous cultivators lost their lives amid the chaos.
Judge Cui was one of those who died in this war.
“So the cultivation of this world harbors such secrets, ” Pei Xuanjing thought.
No wonder many records only trace back to the Tang Dynasty, and anything earlier is just bits and pieces – so much is missing.
It’S a shame that Judge Cui died too early. It’S unknown whether any powerful entities emerged from that calamitous war to join the league of Immortals and truly achieve immortality and eternal sight.
“But where did the remaining longevity-keepers go after the war?” Pei Xuanjing was curious.
He knew that even after such a catastrophic war, it was impossible for all powerful entities to perish. There would surely be survivors.
If there were survivors, why then is there no record of them?
According to what Judge Cui conveyed, their original system of cultivation had three significant realms – Mortal Realm, Spirit Realm, Immortal Realm.
The Mortal Realm is where people like Pei Xuanjing and others cultivate the Ninth-grade of Martial Arts, which corresponds to the upper, middle, and lower divisions.
The Spirit Realm is the realm where Judge Cui and other ancient and mighty longevity-keepers dwelled. At this level, they wielded vast power, mysterious divine skills, and had lengthy lives.
The Immortal Realm is a realm that ancient and robust beings like Judge Cui had never touched but which they longed to reach. Once they attained this realm, they could become immortal and enjoy eternal sight.
In other words, Pei Xuanjing is now standing at the pinnacle of the Mortal Realm and has yet to step into the Spirit Realm.
However, it should be noted that the current methods and martial studies of the various factions in the world can only lead to the Mortal Realm. There are no methods to breakthrough to the Spirit Realm.
According to the information Pei Xuanjing received from the life stimulator, even after the seal atop the Tianshan Mountains was broken and Heaven and Earth started to rejuvenate, people were still trying to find a way forward. They didn’t know how to make a breakthrough.
If a true inheritance existed, it wouldn’t have taken so long for someone to make a breakthrough. The breakthrough made by the elder from the Demonic Cult atop the Tianshan Mountains was indeed unsuccessful.
Therefore, this matter is something Pei Xuanjing could be practically certain of.
“It seems that many things have happened after that war, which Judge Cui didn’t know about.” Pei Xuanjing speculated.
Reflecting on the seal at the summit of the Tianshan Mountains, only after it was broken did Heaven and Earth start to revive, enabling a breakthrough.
“Could it be that the people disappeared or died due to the dissipation of the world’s spiritual energy?” Pei Xuanjing wondered.
However, this doesn’t explain why the information failed to be passed down.
“Sigh,” he exhaled a deep sigh and shook his head. It seems that the reason behind this can only be found slowly.
Celestial Immortal, Earth Immortal, Human Immortal, Divine Immortal, Ghost Immortal.
So that’s the realm of Immortals?
Pei Xuanjing, gazing up at the heavens, thought to himself.
Since this realm indeed exists, I must aim for it.
Even if there is no inheritance, no records, no skills, and the road ahead is blocked, so what?
I, Pei Xuanjing, can simply be the one to pave the way to immortality, relying on myself and the aid of the simulator. Would it be impossible then to tread a path towards immortality?
“Let me pioneer a path towards immortality for myself and all beings under Heaven! ” A surge of ambition suddenly emanated from Pei Xuanjing..
