The Stars Beyond

Chapter 182: The Realms Of Ancient Cultivation

Chapter 182: The Realms Of Ancient Cultivation

Wang Xuan faced a dilemma. He was unwilling to force Old Zhong to enter this place. Old Zhong, well past a century in age, was in the twilight of his years. Entering the Departed Lands could spell immediate death for him. Wang Xuan shared a good rapport with Zhong Cheng, having previously received scriptures and Zhong Qing’s portraits from that young man. How could he, in good conscience, harm the elder of a friend's family?

Furthermore, after objectively assessing the situation, Wang Xuan realized that Old Zhong's strength was a mystery, perhaps even more formidable than Old Chen's. Old Zhong's persona was that of a cunning strategist, his apparent fear of death merely a front to hide his shrewd and somber nature.

Wang Xuan pondered the possibility that his attempt to capture Old Zhong might backfire, leading to his own capture instead. "Elder, I have no quarrel with Old Zhong, and to do this would go against my principles. He is an elderly man, and such torment in the Departed Lands could lead to his end, which would be a pitiable fate. You mentioned a leg bone that only Old Zhong might know of; it would be prudent not to bind him for this reason."

Upon hearing this, the Ferryman hesitated. Not everyone could reach this point safely like Wang Xuan; most would perish at the fringes of the Departed Lands, while the rest would die en route. "Let me think about this," the Ferryman said, considering the significance of the bone with great care.

Through various encounters tied to the Immortals, Wang Xuan had started to believe that their remnants were more than mere locators in the mortal world. He strongly suspected that the bones of the Immortals might be connected to some form of their rebirth.

He had come across the bone of a female sword immortal, brimming with life force. Part of her spiritual consciousness resided within it, and she had requested Wang Xuan to bury the bone at her place of tribulation, a request of considerable significance.

The idea of the female sword immortal's return to the world was appealing to Wang Xuan, but he remained cautious. The mortal realm was not to be dominated by the Immortals alone.

Under the night moon, with the rolling waves of the azure sea breaking the moon's reflection into a sparkling dance, Old Chen inquired, "Wang Xuan, is this spear yours?"

In a low voice, he continued, "I accidentally touched it earlier, and a misty light entered my body, as if the divine weapon had accepted me as its master. No worries, I will find a way to return it to you."

Old Chen wore an apologetic expression, tinged with embarrassment. Wang Xuan, however, felt a chill run down his spine. He glanced at the Ferryman. Is this a trap set by the old man wearing a raincoat?

Since boarding the boat, Wang Xuan had noticed the long spear but had dared not touch it. Now, it seemed that there was indeed a problem with it, and it was prematurely triggered by Old Chen.

The Ferryman, coming to his senses upon hearing Old Chen's apology, seemed at a loss for words. Finally, he looked towards Old Chen and said, "That burst of light is a mark. It is the sign that you will be summoned into an inter-planer war . You must be mentally prepared."

Old Chen stiffened. After being beaten, he was now inexplicably bound to participate in an alien war of unknown nature? You cruel old man! He thought at the Ferryman.

"Don't glare at me; we're both in the same boat," said the Ferryman, his straw coat faintly glowing. A vague mark flickered within, dimmer than before, yet it seemed impossible to eradicate. "If you’re summoned, I might not be able to escape either," he sighed.

"Senior, I still don't understand what's going on," Old Chen said, his heart filled with worry.

"You tell him," the Ferryman said grimly, pointing at Wang Xuan. He had never seen someone take such a secretive path, while he, the keeper of promises, had to bear the consequences. He felt like punching Wang Xuan to death but sensed something special about the young man, which was worth his investment despite his frustrations.

Wang Xuan looked at Old Chen, genuinely feeling that the number one in the Old World was in a pitiable state. It was not his intention to trap Old Chen, and yet the man had unwittingly fallen into the situation.

After a quick explanation from Wang Xuan, Old Chen's face turned green with fury and disbelief. He felt like vomiting blood. What kind of divine assembly had he stumbled into? This was an undeserved disaster, completely unrelated to him. And to think he had just apologized to the one who had caused the trouble.

Old Chen, his face etched with a mix of regret and bitterness, felt the weight of an unjust burden. "So, both of you are destined to fight together in the war? That's quite an awkward predicament," Wang Xuan commented, his voice tinged with genuine remorse as he fidgeted with his hands.

The Ferryman, his eyes narrowing, shot a look that could kill. Old Chen, at a loss for words, could only stand in silent bewilderment.

Wang Xuan lifted the long spear, feeling its heft and resilience. As he shook it, a formidable aura of death emanated from it. Activating his secret powers, the spear's tip gleamed with a daunting brilliance, a display of its fearsome might. "I'll do whatever I can to come to your aid!" he promised earnestly.

The Ferryman, casting a skeptical glance at Wang Xuan, doubted the feasibility of freely entering such a perilous battlefield. It wasn't a realm for the uninvited.

"Additionally, senior, I noticed a significant rise in my ranking on the Golden List," Wang Xuan said, seizing the moment to seek clarification. "There's a note accusing me of desecrating the Angler. What does this mean?"

"You've probably made it to the Black List, gaining a notorious reputation. This infamy has likely catapulted you onto the Golden List!" replied the Ferryman, his tone laced with annoyance.

Was the Golden List, then, more than a mere testament to one's combat abilities, perhaps a reflection of one's notoriety as well?

Wang Xuan stood there, dumbfounded. Who would have taken the trouble to cast such a dark shadow over his name?

Old Chen interjected, "My physical vitality has surged. I might need to breakthrough right here."

"Old Chen, are you still in the Mist phase?" inquired Wang Xuan, concern evident in his voice.

If so, Old Chen’s venture into this realm seemed a costly affair. In the Old World, he had been on the verge of advancing to the Enlightenment stage, given his formidable spiritual domain.

"Enlightenment!"

"Have you achieved the Enlightenment stage already?" Wang Xuan asked, his voice filled with astonishment.

"Yes, I broke through a few days ago in the Hidden Land," confirmed Old Chen with a nod.

The stages of Mist, Enlightenment, Life Soil, and Herb Picking were, as Old Chen had once explained, universal milestones of profound significance.

Without a doubt, if Old Chen were to breakthrough here, he would enter the realm of Life Soil. "Soon you'll be at the third major realm," Wang Xuan remarked, impressed by Old Chen's rapid progression.

The Ferryman scoffed but said nothing.

Old Chen shook his head, clarifying, "The stages I mentioned are just minor levels within the first major realm."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan was momentarily stunned.

Old Chen continued, "I believe the cultivation methods of the ancients had their flaws, to some extent. I didn't mention the subsequent major realms to avoid misleading you."

"I won't be misled. I'm just curious to know how many major realms did the ancient cultivators have?" Wang Xuan asked earnestly.

"There were only four major realms from the time of the Pre-Qin alchemists to the Taoists," the Ferryman spoke leisurely, the authority in his voice underscored by his experience as a witness to those times.

Wang Xuan, eager to learn, inquired about the strength levels of the ancients.

The Ferryman informed him that the four major realms of ancient times were: Mortal World, Free Wanderer, Life Preserver, and Transcendent Immortal.

Still filled with doubts, Wang Xuan questioned, "Only these four realms? What about Earth Immortals?"

"The disparity in strength between each major realm is vast, nearly insurmountable. Thus, each major realm encompasses several minor realms," explained the Ferryman.

According to him, Earth Immortal was just a minor realm within the Free Wanderer.

Wang Xuan was lost in thought. The Earth Immortal, so revered in some scriptures and ancient documents, was merely a minor realm within the second major stage. It's noteworthy that in this era, Earth Immortals had already become extinct!

As for the third and fourth major realms, they were even more elusive, with no such beings in existence anymore.

Unperturbed, Old Chen boldly stated, "The path of the ancients had its faults. Their classification was not very standardized and requires refinement by later generations."

The Ferryman, ancient and renowned as the great alchemist Xu Fu, glanced at Old Chen without much concern.

Wang Xuan continued to seek knowledge, inquiring about the intricacies of the various realms. "The Mortal World is based on the present world, just stepping into the transcendent domain. Free Wanderer involves exploring the spiritual world. As you have heard, realms like the Jade Pond, Pure Land of Bliss, Mount Buzhou, and Lunar Palace are part of very advanced spiritual worlds. As for Life Preserver, well, discussing it might indeed mislead you, as there are certain problems," even the Ferryman himself admitted.

Wang Xuan was deeply moved. The Mortal World was one thing, but the Free Wanderer was astonishingly profound. Just hearing about it sent his mind racing with endless thoughts.

Old Chen added, "According to ancient records, cultivators in the Free Wanderer realm who explore the highest levels of the spiritual world and acquire terrifying spiritual powers can even kill those in the Life Preserver realm. How chaotic is that?"

Xu Fu, with his unique insights, spoke, "The initial layers of the spiritual world are already filled with mysteries, never to be underestimated, let alone the higher layers, where endless power awaits discovery."

"Is the elusive spiritual realm that terrifying?" Wang Xuan asked, slightly dazed.

"How do you know that the higher levels of the spiritual world are necessarily illusory?" the Ferryman challenged in return.

Old Chen remarked, "See, even the ancients didn't fully understand it. All these are waiting for later generations to redefine. The brilliance belongs to us, this generation."

"What about other transcendent planets? Do they also follow this classification?" Wang Xuan inquired.

Xu Fu pondered, realizing this probably didn't involve the Old Covenant. Shaking his head, he replied, "Certainly not. There are cultivators who ignite divine flames and elevate their godly nations, beings who advance through radiation contamination, and even Taoism later developed the Golden Elixir Path. As for the demonic races, it's even more diverse. Transcendent civilizations are varied; they can't all follow the same path. What I've described is just the early path of the Old World. Listen, but take it as a reference. The true, correct path for the future is for you to explore."

"How do the people of the transcendent planets Eura, Yu Hua, and He Luo classify their realms?" Wang Xuan asked.

Old Chen, having recently interacted with beings from these three planets, had some understanding. "Their paths are similar to those of the Old World, but they rely on a strange stone to aid their cultivation, called 'Departure Stone,' which emits strong radiation."

Old Chen, having delved into the knowledge of those three planets, understood that their realm divisions were: Transcendent Radiation, Spirit Radiation, True Path Radiation, and Transcendent Radiation. Indeed, this bore a close resemblance to the ancient paths of the Old World. The key difference was their reliance on the radiative energy of Departure Stones during cultivation, to stimulate and unleash their latent potential.

"It seems their path of cultivation originated from the Departed Lands," Xu Fu mused, but he refrained from elaborating further, wary of violating the Old Covenant.

"Have the Westerners from the New World not seen in the Hidden Land? Do they have another destination?" Wang Xuan suddenly pondered, his question spurred by Xu Fu's mention of other transcendent civilizations and the inevitable associations that followed.

Old Chen nodded. Since his deep collaboration with the relevant departments, he had uncovered many secrets. "They explore other transcendent realms, seemingly linked to their own mythological lore," he shared.

Wang Xuan's subsequent inquiries ventured into sensitive territory, prompting Xu Fu to withhold further answers in adherence to the Old Covenant.

At this moment, Old Chen began his breakthrough, leveraging the secret paths of the Departed Lands for his advancement.

Soon, Wang Xuan felt a surge in both his physical and spiritual vitality, stimulated by the radiation of the Departed Lands. He, too, was on the brink of a breakthrough. He understood that becoming a transcendent being today was not difficult, but the real challenge lay in mastering the second true form diagram.

For now, he did not need to focus on it, as the first true form diagram, a scripture for the transition from mortal to transcendent, was still effective.

Boom!

An astonishing secret power erupted from Wang Xuan's body, his spirit resonating in unison. Within him, various scenes manifested – from the distant Lunar Palace to the awe-inspiring Mount Buzhou. Was this a glimpse into the formidable spiritual world he had just caught sight of?

He knew he was on the verge of transcending, his body and spirit resonating together, about to enter a whole new realm of existence.