"Although I have erased the spirit intelligence of this evil deity, it is, after all, a condensation of the Force of Faith Incense and countless divine powers, nurtured by the Heavenly Earthly Force. If left to its own devices, it will eventually give birth to a new spirit intelligence," Pei Xuanjing cautioned Qingxu Taoist after obliterating the original evil deity's spirit intelligence.
Innate Gods are difficult to erase, and although Pei Xuanjing wiped out their spirit intelligence, he did not destroy their divine body. Therefore, with the nurturing of time, this divine body will rebirth its own new spirit intelligence. Of course, this newly born deity would be like a newborn, not the same as its past self.
Even so, for the True Martial Sect, such an outcome was intolerable. After all, to have paid such a price, to have given their all, only to end up with nothing would truly be a great embarrassment.
Therefore, with the assistance of Pei Xuanjing, the divine body was suppressed under the Zhenwu Array, and Qingxu Taoist merged with the divine body, continuing the plan of using a human to replace a god.
"Brother…" Qingyang Zi sighed deeply, with a complex expression, he called out.
He knew that his Sect Leader Brother had always been wholeheartedly seeking the Immortal Path, longing for the ultimate freedom and easiness, but now, for the sake of the True Martial Sect, he resolutely became a deity, embarking on the Divine Tao. For others, this might be a rare opportunity, but for the Sect Leader Brother, it was not what he had hoped for.
…
"Why be so sentimental, Brother?" Monarch Qingxu understood Qingyang Zi's sigh and spoke with a comforting smile, "Immortality is rare, and I am already immensely fortunate to have the chance to transform into a deity and walk so far on the Longevity Road. As for whether it's the Immortal Dao or the Divine Tao, is there really a difference?"
Indeed, Monarch Qingxu initially pursued the Immortal Path, and he too dreamed of one day achieving immortality and absolute freedom. But apart from being a Taoist seeking the Immortal Path, he was also the Sect Leader of the True Martial Sect, responsible for countless disciples. He is not a person without pity or feelings.
The initial push of the Zhenwu Plan by Monarch Qingxu was to create a guardian for the True Martial Sect, to ensure all disciples, including himself, had a support and could survive in the forthcoming Great World, to have more time and better conditions for unbound cultivation.
Unfortunately, sometimes things don't go as hoped, and a critical slip-up happened at the final moment. Faced with unknown possibilities and great risks, Monarch Qingxu, as the Sect Leader, naturally shouldered the responsibility he ought to bear, sacrificing himself to merge with the divine body.
For this, he gave up the path he pursued, the Immortal Path, and stepped into the Divine Tao. Although there was some regret, there was absolutely no remorse.
Of course, another reason for Monarch Qingxu's current mindset was the words left by Pei Xuanjing after suppressing the evil god. According to the long-lived Shexiao Head Teacher, the Immortal Path should include five categories: Heaven, Earth, Human, God, and Ghost. The Divine Tao corresponds to the Dao of Spirit Immortals, but upon entering the Dao of Spirit Immortals, it is not impossible to pursue other Immortal Paths and achieve ultimate freedom and independence.
Therefore, despite some regrets, the hope for the future, however faint, keeps Monarch Qingxu from despair.
These matters are not yet to be disclosed to Qingyang Zi, or even the other disciples within the True Martial Sect. It's not that Monarch Qingxu is unwilling, but rather that it is not appropriate for them to know about these matters at this time.
Cultivation is difficult, and Divine Tao Cultivation is much easier compared to Immortal Dao Cultivation. If it were known that it's possible to switch from Divine Tao to Immortal Dao in the future, it's inevitable that some would harbor the idea of taking shortcuts.
Only Monarch Qingxu, who is now truly embarking on the Divine Tao, knows that it is not as easy as it seems on the surface. The freedom and independence from transitioning from Divine Tao to Immortal Dao in the future may seem enticing, but how many people can actually achieve it in the end?
Moreover, as the orthodox Taoist School of the True Martial Sect, if the majority of the disciples convert to Divine Tao and Divine Tao becomes the mainstream, can the True Martial Sect still claim to be a Taoist sect?
"I may not have the extra energy to manage the sect's affairs, so Brother, in the upcoming days, I will have to trouble you," Monarch Qingxu tasked Qingyang Zi.
Replacing a god with a human is an enormous risk, and as the process of Refining the divine body and its spirit intelligence is not easy, any disturbance becomes less and less tolerable as the process advances. Had he not been waiting for Qingyang Zi to return to entrust these matters, he would have already retreated into seclusion.
However, the current situation prevents him from completely letting go and entering seclusion. At the time of Heaven and Earth Ascension, when the two worlds merge, the myriad of cultivators and forces from the Sky Wasteland will return in full, and with the current state of the True Martial Sect, they are likely insignificant in the grand scheme. Therefore, he needed to wait for Qingyang Zi to return and make all the necessary arrangements before he could truly retreat without worries.
No matter what, apart from himself, the only person suitable to take on this responsibility for the True Martial Sect right now is this disciple.
Over the years of Cultivation at the Taoist Academy, his disciple had ascended to the Spirit Realm Sixth Level, and what's more important is his relationship with Pei Xuanjing. Relying on his connection with Pei Xuanjing, the Sect could be ensured protection during Monarch Qingxu's period of seclusion.
"Brother, rest assured, I understand. I have already sent a message to the Academy Head before returning, and at the moment there are no issues in the Taoist Academy, so I can stay in the sect during this period," Qingyang Zi did not say much, promptly accepting the task.
Although the reason he went to the Taoist Academy to become the Deputy Head was because the elders within the sect were unwilling to delegate power and essentially exiled him, at the end of the day, he is a True Martial Sect man, born, raised, and now with the sect facing such a situation, he can put aside any quarrels.
Moreover, at the time when the Zhenwu Plan was about to succeed, he had already discussed with the Academy Head Pei Xuanjing about the possibility of leaving the Taoist Academy to return to the True Martial Sect. Although he did not leave immediately, he had made some preparations.
Qingyang Zi had been prepared ever since he was summoned back to the True Martial Sect by his Sect Leader Brother. He had arranged everything at the Taoist Academy, especially now that the disciples were abiding by the Shenxiao Decree and in seclusion, which allowed him to stay in the True Martial Sect at this time.
"With that, I'll entrust this to you, Brother…" Monarch Qingxu nodded, his mind relieved of many worries.
During the time of Heaven and Earth Ascension, even though all forces are seizing the time to cultivate, it doesn't mean they aren't prepared. All sides are actively readying their troops, waiting for the moment of Heaven and Earth Ascension when serendipity descends.
The moment serendipity descends is when all forces will make their move and fight fiercely. Apart from the initial benevolence bestowed by Heaven and Earth equally upon every being, the rest of the serendipity must be won through one's own power, and only the true powerhouses deserve to possess the corresponding fortune.
Since ancient times, who was the first to transmit the Dao? I, the Taoist Priest of Long Life, now emulate the sages and establish the True Immortal Realm's Five Immortal Paths: the first is Heavenly Immortals; the second, Earth Immortals; the third, Human Immortals; the fourth, Divine Immortals; and the fifth, Ghost Immortals.
…
On Shenxiao Mountain, Pei Xuanjing was carving on a piece of Divine Gold with Talisman Inscriptions. This incredibly durable Divine Gold turned to dust and fell away wherever Pei Xuanjing's fingertips touched.
The text engraved upon this piece of Divine Gold represented Pei Xuanjing's fundamental understanding of cultivation. As Heaven and Earth ascended and the Heavenly Dao manifested, Pei Xuanjing sorted through his achievements and methodically etched these insights into the metal.
At the moment, however, Pei Xuanjing was just a powerhouse at the Ninth Level of the Spirit Realm. Although he had many deductions and assumptions about the True Immortal Realm, he had yet to personally attempt and verify them; thus, everything inscribed was conjectural.
…
"The Mortal Realm's Ninth-grade and the Spirit Realm's Nine Realms can be compressed and combined into two realms with six levels. The next major realm should be the Seventh Level of the Immortal Realm, which would mark the starting point of the Immortal Path. If it resembles the structure of the Mortal and Spirit Realms, the Immortal Path should also have three levels with nine sub-levels each, and the ninth level would signify the ultimate transformation of the Immortal Path…" Pei Xuanjing's thoughts were unfettered as he boldly transcribed, relying fully on his own experience and understanding.
Though Pei Xuanjing freely wrote these ideas, which seemed untethered by any preconceived notions, were his writings to be disseminated, even the strongest entities at the Ninth Level of the Spirit Realm would not take them lightly but would instead study them with utmost seriousness and care.
Currently, Pei Xuanjing's cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the Spirit Realm, the limit of Heaven and Earth. His path ahead was one without trails; thus far, he had arrived at the same realm as those ancient sages who had taught the ways of the world at the dawn of time. Each step Pei Xuanjing took from here on would represent the forging of a new Dao, transforming him from a follower of trodden paths into a pioneer.
As a pioneer on the path of becoming an Immortal, Pei Xuanjing naturally held the right to name the journey ahead. If his path was verified as correct, then countless followers would adhere to the standards and rules he had established, using them as the golden guidelines and jade decrees of the cultivation path.
It was akin to the person who first built a house: without any reference, he had to figure out how many bricks and how much cement he needed, estimating a reasonable amount based on his own ideas.
The current rules of cultivation state: Mortal Realm Ninth-grade, Spirit Realm Nine Realms, Immortal Realm unknown. Yet, the path of cultivation that Pei Xuanjing now practiced had changed, with the Golden Core Dao at its core.
As the first in countless years within this world to condense a Golden Core and pioneer the Golden Core Dao, Pei Xuanjing, drawing on his own cultivation process and future extrapolation, had naturally overturned the previous naming conventions of cultivation realms.
"It is said that the Supreme Taoist who established the Golden Core Dao also created a path of Nine Turns towards enlightenment through inner alchemy. My Nine Revolutions Divine Sky Skill is modeled after this concept. However, the difference is that the Nine Turns of the Golden Core by the Supreme Taoist and my Nine Turns are not quite the same," Pei Xuanjing pondered.
Based on the descriptions of the Nine Turns Golden Core Skill from his previous life's memories, nine turns mark the end. But what precisely these Nine Turns attest to—whether it's the Immortal Dao, the Heavenly Dao, or the Great Dao—no one can say for certain.
"There are too many legends about the Supreme, and it's impossible to pinpoint which world they belong to. The significance of the Supreme in different worlds varies greatly, and so does the Dao certified by their Nine Turns Golden Core method," Pei Xuanjing reflected, considering the differing divisions and interpretations of the Supreme from legends of a previous life.
For instance, in a lesser primordial world with Nuclear Explosion Saints and star-destroying powers, the Nine Turns Golden Core method created by the Supreme Daoist might enable one to achieve Immortality and seek Longevity.
In a world of intermediate primordial chaos, where saints equaled Immortal Emperors, the Supreme Daoist's Nine Turns Golden Core method could lead to becoming a traditional Daluo Golden Immortal, attesting to the Heavenly Dao for immortal and indestructible existence.
But in a world with the ultimate primordial chaos where the status of saints equals Mythical Daluo and Daluo embodies heaven's will, where one's enlightenment is eternal, spanning past, present, and future, and where conflicts arise over the stream of time, the status of the Supreme Daoist could be that of a sovereign who opened the Heavens and split the Earth. In such a world, if the Nine Turns method led to enlightenment, it might even be possible to attain the Dao of Mythical Daluo.
As someone with a touch of obsessive-compulsive inclination, Pei Xuanjing saw the need to adapt the Nine Turns Golden Core method he referenced in line with the current cultivation system when practicing his own Golden Core Dao. Thus, he compressed and redefined the divisions of the Mortal Realm's Ninth-grade and the Spirit Realm's Nine Realms to conform to his present cultivation method.
Simply put, the reason why Pei Xuanjing redefined the divisions of the Mortal Realm's Ninth-grade and the Spirit Realm's Nine Realms into two realms with six levels was straightforward. However, once he truly attained True Immortality through the Golden Core Dao, such classification would be recognized by Heaven and Earth—such was the privilege of a pathfinder.
"My Nine Turns Golden Core method should be that the Golden Core First Turn is on par with the lower Third-grade of the Mortal Realm, refining muscles, bones, and skin; the Golden Core Second Turn is comparable to the Middle Third-grade of the Mortal Realm, cultivating internal organs and marrow; the Golden Core Third Turn is akin to the Upper Third-grade of the Mortal Realm, changing blood and rebirth; the Golden Core Fourth Turn enters the Spirit Realm, equivalent to the first three levels of the Spirit Realm; the Golden Core Fifth Turn transforms into heavenly beings, on par with the middle three levels of the Spirit Realm; the Golden Core Sixth Turn solidifies the Taoist Foundation, analogous to the last three levels of the Spirit Realm; the Golden Core Seventh Turn becomes a True Immortal… Golden Core Eighth Turn… Golden Core Ninth Turn…"
Pei Xuanjing's speculation only went this far, whether it was regarding the future cultivation realms or the Immortal Dao cultivation; his pondering had reached its limit at this step.
Next, Pei Xuanjing was not in a rush to name anything and, regardless, he would classify the subsequent Immortal Dao cultivation into nine levels and three grades as he had anticipated.
Thus, the Mortal Realm, Spirit Realm, and Immortal Realm would be divided into three major realms with nine levels, perfectly corresponding to his Nine Turns Golden Core cultivation method.
However, Pei Xuanjing was somewhat unclear about what Dao would ultimately be certified when his Golden Core cultivation reached its apex. After all, he was not even certain about the extent of Divine Abilities and power held by a True Immortal, let alone that far-off enlightenment.
Nevertheless, for Pei Xuanjing, it was a goal that provided a defined direction for his future cultivation, a clear path to advance upon.
"Next, I need to consider which path to choose as my first step in the transformation into a True Immortal," Pei Xuanjing said with a solemn expression.
Amidst the Five Immortal Paths of Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost, he had to determine which Immortal Path to attain first—an issue that demanded serious contemplation and left no room for error.
"The Human Immortal Path has yet to figure out the Divine Hidden, and the notion of the Earthly Immortal Path's civilization transformation seems even more out of reach; thus, it seems the Dao of Spirit Immortals is the most assured path," Pei Xuanjing concluded the pros and cons analysis, and his heart immediately arrived at the best answer.
The Dao of Spirit Immortals, which controls the Authority of Heaven and Earth and represents the Heavenly Dao, complies with the will of Heaven and Earth, and establishes one's own Divine Kingdom and Divine Domain. For the current Pei Xuanjing, this is the most assured path.
Over the years, Pei Xuanjing's position as the Jade Purity True Monarch has been continuously perfected. The Authority of Heaven and Earth he wielded has gradually increased. Now, in fact, what lies in front of Pei Xuanjing is the task of only having to establish his Divine Kingdom and Divine Domain, gather the Force of Faith Incense, ignite the Divine Fire, and ascend to the Divine Domain. This will allow him to become a Seventh Level True Immortal of the Dao of Spirit Immortals.
With the experience of having established the Longevity World in the past, and the life simulation experiences within the Immortal Dao world, creating his own Divine Kingdom and Divine Domain again would not be difficult for Pei Xuanjing; it would merely be repeating what he has already done.
"Ascension to True Immortal on the Dao of Spirit Immortals, as long as Heaven and Earth impose no constraints, then acting as an Immortal who wields authority and represents the Heavenly Dao, after bearing the will of Heaven and Earth, one naturally can ascend without any obstacles or bottlenecks. The only concern is whether there will be a calamity descending from Heaven and Earth at the moment of breakthrough," Pei Xuanjing murmured in contemplation.
Among the five Dao paths of Ascension to True Immortal, which are Heaven, Earth, Human, God, Ghost, Pei Xuanjing sees the Dao of Spirit Immortals as both the most difficult and the easiest. As long as one can obtain Divine Position and gain the recognition of the Will of Heaven and Earth and continuously expand to complete one's Authority, then in the subsequent cultivation, one needs only to follow the established process, wait for the right timing, establish the Divine Kingdom and Divine Domain, ignite the Divine Fire, and become a God—in the simplest manner.
…
However, the difficulty also arises from this, as the cultivation of the Dao of Spirit Immortals has a threshold. The initial threshold is obtaining Divine Position and the recognition of the Will of Heaven and Earth. Moreover, the process of expanding and perfecting one's authority is not as easy as imagined.
The Divine Position can be said to be a top-down, closely-knit system. Different Divine Positions, when initially refined, offer only a few possible routes to choose during the Ascension process. The higher the position at the apex, the rarer it gets. This means that conflicts with others are inevitable and irreconcilable in the process of expanding and perfecting Divine Authority, leading to a relentless Dao Contest.
The struggle for Divine Authority pertains to the life and death of one's Dao. Pei Xuanjing views the Dao Contest of Divine Authority as even greater than the Dao struggles of other cultivation paths, an unavoidable conflict.
Because the upper echelon positions of Divine Authority are limited, to say 'one radish, one hole' is no exaggeration. If one fails in the struggle against others for a position and the opponent manages to ascend first, even if one is lucky enough to survive, as long as the opponent does not lose their authority, it means that path is completely blocked with no possibility of gaining that position again.
Unlike other forms of cultivation, which resemble law-based paths that may lead to Dao Contests, these do not necessarily prohibit newcomers from ascending unless the Dao ahead is completely controlled. However, this is not the case with Divine Authority.
"Divine Authority only contests, while Immortal Dao is carefree; this is the fundamental difference," Pei Xuanjing mused to himself.
The competition of the Divine Dao is much greater than the competition of the Immortal Dao, which is why cultivators of the Immortal Dao can be carefree while practitioners of the Divine Dao face significant constraints. However, cultivation of the Divine Dao is faster than that of the Immortal Dao, which can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage.
"However, once a divine being of the Divine Dao truly steps into the Seventh Level Immortal Realm, establishes a Divine Kingdom and Divine Domain, and ignites a Divine Fire, one can incarnate as thousands, and as long as the Divine Kingdom is unperished, oneself is immortal. As long as faith continues, the divine being is everlasting. In terms of preserving one's life, this ranks as top tier compared to the other classes," Pei Xuanjing calculated in his heart.
Moreover, at this moment, Pei Xuanjing views the cultivation method of the Divine Dao as just the most orthodox method. If he continues to research, the cultivation approach of the Divine Dao can be continuously extrapolated and developed further. For example, one can study the Human Immortal Path, constantly polish and temper one's body to form a mighty God-Devil Physique, and perhaps in the future, achieve a state where the post-born is reversed to pre-born, becoming a God-Devil born with Authority. As long as the Authority does not vanish, one can exist eternally.
Of course, these are too far-off speculations, merely a current hypothesis of Pei Xuanjing, and he is not clear whether they will become reality or not, with zero certainty.
"Regardless, among the Five Dao paths of Heaven, Earth, Human, God, Ghost, I originally thought that I would first break through either the Human Immortal Path or the Earthly Immortal Path. Yet surprisingly, the Dao of Spirit Immortals now appears to be the most guaranteed," this thought flickered through Pei Xuanjing's mind.
In the following days, Pei Xuanjing began his true retreat to meditate, deducing the details of the Ascension process from the Sixth to the Seventh Level of the Dao of Spirit Immortals, continuously practicing in his mind, in hopes of seizing the opportunity to break through directly when the time comes for Heaven and Earth to ascend.
As Pei Xuanjing secluded himself to practice the Dao of Spirit Immortals, many of the Supreme Strong throughout Heaven and Earth, who are qualified to compete for Dao-Certifying True Immortals in this ascension of Heaven and Earth, are almost all doing the same—secluding themselves, consolidating their foundations, and deducing their paths to Enlightenment.
Mysterious Heavenly Sacred Land.
This is the seat of the Xuantian Sect in the Daming World, as well as its future seat. At this moment, the Master of Mystiq Sky is sitting on the meditation cushion, while several of the Sect's Powerhouses surround him, including one named Mo Li Daoren.
"Master, during this time of merging between two worlds, that Immortal Lord Longevity, Pei Xuanjing, has indeed displayed a strength that qualifies him to certify as a True Immortal. In the Chaos Void, he can delve millions of miles deep, and if I'm not mistaken, while waiting to be guided to the origin of Sky Wasteland, he actually used Chaos Qi to temper his body," Mo Li Daoren told Daoist Xuantian about his discoveries in the Chaos Void, regarding everything displayed by Pei Xuanjing.
As Daoist Xuantian expressed his findings, that Pei Xuanjing used Chaos Qi to temper his body, his tone couldn't help but change a bit. To him, the fearsome Chaos Qi, which Pei Xuanjing used to temper his body, was truly terrifying. Even among the Body Refining Cultivators from the Sky Wasteland World, only some crazed individuals from the Demonic Way would do such a thing.
"Our Sect has not guessed wrong. He must be the one who bears the Qi Luck of this era, following the revival of the Ancestral Land, the one in this Great World. Otherwise, he would never have shown such a terrifying progression," Daoist Xuantian thought to himself, with a feeling of realization.
Whenever a Great World emerges, there must be a group of people who rise to power backed by Qi Luck, achieving in a short time what many cultivators may not accomplish in their entire lives. Pei Xuanjing seems to be like those cultivators blessed with Qi Luck from past Great Worlds.