Are There Immortals in This World?

Mu Zhuo had thick, dark hair and appeared to be in the prime of his life. His eyes were deep and spirited. Decades ago, he had already been an exceptional divine seed of the esoteric sect. After reaching the fifth realm, his status rose even further; who would dare meet him without respectfully addressing him as Grandmaster Mu? Yet upon arriving at Black-White Mountain, someone had charged straight up wanting to slap him twice across the face—such "courtesy" was something he had never experienced in his life! Qin Ming was usually very easygoing, but right now he had turned into a short-tempered brute, primarily because his mental resonance had sensed that this man had come specifically for him, seemingly intending to dig up his roots and expose him. He showed no courtesy. The supreme-grade purple golden core in his belly blazed with radiant crimson twilight, and the textures of heaven and earth intertwined. Even his palm was enveloped in shimmering core light, as solid and thick as a wall. Beyond Qin Ming's right hand, the radiant glow of his golden core surged with majestic force. With a casual swing, his palm seemed to blot out the sky, compressing the void until it let out explosive cracks and completely dispersing the night mist. Mu Zhuo was infuriated. He had already spoken up to call it a misunderstanding, yet the other had no intention of stopping and was still swinging a slap right toward him. Moreover, he felt as though trapped in a quagmire, suppressed simultaneously by four great experts, making every movement exceedingly difficult. He barked sharply, "Hold your hand!" Yet it was utterly useless. The grandmaster clad in a coir raincoat and bamboo hat slapped down heedlessly, the oppressive pressure twisting his entire face out of shape. Divine light erupted within Mu Zhuo's body as lines intertwined across his face, manifesting an anomalous vision. Miniature mountains and rivers clung to his skin like tattoos, shielding him thoroughly. That was the godhood site he had chosen for himself, materialized into form. Indeed, even within the grandmaster domain, strength varied greatly. He was notably stronger than Zhou Zhengran of the Blood Immortal organization; his dao arts were profound and unfathomable, allowing him to cast techniques even while locked down by four grandmasters. Though rushed, he avoided the humiliating fate of a caved-in face and blood spurting from his nose and mouth, left only with ringing ears and a stinging cheek from the shock. Crack! Crackle! Mu Zhuo felt his face go numb. The tattoo on his face—the miniature godhood site—seemed to be undergoing a heavenly tribulation as bursts of lightning bloomed across it. Qin Ming's two slaps were wrapped in sparks and entwined with lightning, packed with immense follow-through force that detonated abruptly. Listening to thunder and admiring lightning within a square inch of miniature mountains and rivers lent an air of elegance to the violent clash. Mu Zhuo let out a low growl. A divine talisman inside him incinerated and flared brightly, instantly breaking the constraints of the four and shaking off the confinement. Touching his bruised, dark skin, his face sank like still water. Yu Gensheng cut off his escape route, while Meng Zhiyan and Li Qingyun glided like specters to surround him once again. On one side of the road, in the desert, numerous figures emerged, holding torches aloft to banish the dark. Mu Zhuo was stunned. It was actually a herd of pigs, all standing upright on two legs, silently craning their necks to look over. Evidently, this was Palm-Sized Pig. He had not shown himself in person, merely casting magic to spectate from afar. He had chosen the desert as the foundation of his godhood, and by now, he had achieved notable progress in the Nether-Traversing Realm. The fine wine the four grandmasters had drunk while sitting upon the cliff had been sent over by Old Pig. In the past, Qin Ming had been completely in the dark about the desert. Now, as his cultivation deepened and he touched upon higher realms, he had learned much of the truth. The indelible scenes and incomprehensible phenomena in the desert could not be eradicated or wiped out, primarily because all those miraculous wonders were rooted in the Night Ruins. To achieve godhood and subdue special terrains and phenomena inherently involved the Night Ruins. This was why Qin Ming held the Night Ruins in awe and caution, not daring to step foot there lightly again. The Night Ruins had thirty-six heavens in all, shrouded in boundless mist. The Old Itinerant Merchant, unknown entities, the headless Heavenly Immortal, ancient powerhouses... all had found their resting place there, truly unfathomable. After a brief lapse into thought, Qin Ming's gaze instantly cleared. Finding himself surrounded and watched by a herd of torch-bearing pigs, Mu Zhuo's expression turned exceedingly ugly. Scanning the four grandmasters clad in coir raincoats and bamboo hats, he demanded, "Is this how Black-White Mountain treats guests?" Qin Ming retorted, "What kind of guest are you? Harboring ill intent and trespassing onto Black-White Mountain, yet expecting our respect? Besides, who do you think you are to act presumptuously near the Beast God's sanctuary?" "My master is Xi Tian," Mu Zhuo stated, not only declaring his lineage but emphasizing once more that he harbored no malice. Yu Gensheng felt a surge of unease. The name Xi Tian was simply too illustrious; it had resonated across Yezhou for centuries, second in status within the esoteric sect only to Chu Canglan. In recent years, some had even referred to the two of them as the peerless twin champions of the esoteric sect. Meng Zhiyan and Li Qingyun's hearts grew heavy as well. Xi Tian had been exceptionally active in his youth and prime, keeping a low profile only in his old age; he had once borne the moniker of "Heavenly God." Qin Ming scrutinized Mu Zhuo. Divine light brimmed and overflowed from within the man—truly a fine disciple of a famous master. Without Yu Gensheng holding him down, Meng Zhiyan and Li Qingyun alone probably could not have locked him in place. Once this supreme divine seed of the past broke through to become a grandmaster, his accumulated foundation was terrifyingly profound. Qin Ming spoke: "Xi Tian is powerful and may awaken past-life wisdom in the future, but as he has not yet stepped into the seventh realm, does he dare offend Black-White Mountain? As his disciple, have you come to stick your neck out for Cui Chongxiao and harm the youth of Twin Trees Village?" Mu Zhuo's pupils constricted. How did this mysterious person seem to hear fragments of his inner thoughts? Remembering an ancient legend his master had once mentioned, he immediately stilled his mind like water, letting no emotion ripple across his thoughts. "What audacity, daring to come here to harm someone!" Yu Gensheng roared like a clap of thunder. The cliff face beyond the desert rumbled and shook, sending boulders tumbling down. He viewed Qin Ming as a nephew or son and longed to see him pioneer a path for the Newborn Path; how could he tolerate someone trying to harm him? Without holding back, he unleashed a punch on the spot. Though fueled by fury, Yu Gensheng did not lose his composure. Using terrifying heavenly light condensed to the absolute limit, he mimicked the power of Pure Yang, rising like a great sun into the sky. Mu Zhuo felt wronged. Though he harbored no good intentions, he had not intended to kill either—he had only come to probe the youth of Black-White Mountain and test the waters, never expecting to be ambushed halfway. His heart sank. The Beast God's followers gave his master no face whatsoever, dispatching four grandmaster-level experts specifically against him. If that Dog Sword Immortal were to emerge in person, would he go straight to hacking down his master? The beings of Black-White Mountain were far too aggressive. At the same time, Qin Ming formed an incantation seal. The supreme-grade purple golden core in his body steamed with celestial light; as he cast his spell, core haze surged like a rolling river along his arms, condensing into a tangible talismanic seal and blasting forward. Meng Zhiyan and Li Qingyun did not hesitate either, striking at the very first moment. Mu Zhuo had never imagined that right after crossing into this territory, still on its outskirts, he would fall into a mortal peril. Without extraordinary measures, he might truly die. He was immobilized once more, struggling to move his body and dodging only part of the onslaught. Having no other choice, he activated a void teleportation talisman. This was an object personally refined by his master, Xi Tian, capable of breaking through a crisis to escape far away in an instant. When the otherworld forbidden zone had turned into a bloody purgatory last time, several influential figures had escaped using precisely this kind of divine talisman. Yet Yu Gensheng's fist radiance still struck him. "A Great Grandmaster?" Mu Zhuo was shocked. Otherwise, how could the man be so fast, fierce, and domineering—far exceeding an ordinary grandmaster? With a sharp crack, his spine snapped. Fist radiance tore through his chest and abdomen, piercing clean through him and leaving his whole body spiderwebbed with cracks. Going all out, Yu Gensheng was truly terrifying. Nevertheless, Mu Zhuo secretly felt fortunate. This man likely had not truly reached the pinnacle of the fifth realm; otherwise, Mu Zhuo would have blown apart on the spot, with little hope of survival. Simultaneously, a thunder seal struck his shoulder. Blood splattered everywhere as his scapula shattered, two bone fragments blasting outward, while his arm bone snapped. This was only because he had struggled to shift his body at the crucial instant; otherwise, those lightning seals would have struck his head directly. With two wet thuds, two more blooms of blood erupted from his body, pierced by the sword light of Meng Zhiyan and Li Qingyun. Divine light rippled, and Mu Zhuo vanished from the spot, shooting away like a streak of flowing light. Agonizing pain wracked his body. He never expected them to show no mercy whatsoever, striking to kill the moment they met; his master's face had been worth nothing more than two tight slaps. Qin Ming's consciousness projected out of his body wrapped in heavenly light, streaking across the sky like a blazing sun in pursuit. Unfortunately, the teleportation talisman refined by a grand patriarch was too potent, impossible to catch. "Go!" Passing Chixia City, Mu Zhuo dropped all concealment. His spiritual consciousness surged as he transmitted a message to Cui Chongxiao, telling him to flee immediately or face death. Cui Chongxiao was horrified. That was his fifth-realm senior brother, yet in the blink of an eye, the man was covered in blood, his body deformed, his back unnaturally crooked as though snapped in two. Wasn't that what his senior brother had intended to do to Qin Ming? How had Mu Zhuo ended up with his own spine broken instead? Cui Chongxiao activated a void teleportation talisman and fled for his life as well. The two fellow disciples fled Black-White Mountain in utter defeat, escaping in panic. "This man is no ordinary figure," Li Qingyun said in a deep voice. Qin Ming had returned, his consciousness settling back into his physical body. He, too, was pondering Mu Zhuo's true strength; the man was quite dangerous and could not be lumped together with the likes of Zhou Zhengran. Yu Gensheng gave a solemn warning: "Unless you break through, you had better not fight him." Qin Ming nodded without objection. The elder grandmasters were primarily concerned for his safety; without certainty of victory, one should not lightly provoke battle. Xi Tian of the esoteric sect had cowed the realm for centuries. His overbearing power and terror had long been etched into everyone's hearts, and his grandmaster-level disciples were indeed worthy of respect and caution. Several days later, Yu Gensheng, Meng Zhiyan, and Li Qingyun departed Black-White Mountain. As for the blood grape vine, Qin Ming had divided it among the several grandmasters. He was still young enough and did not need to extend his lifespan, and he still carried the longevity leaves seized from the Black Tower civilization. Qin Ming returned to Twin Trees Village and spent a few days guiding Wenrui's cultivation. During this period, he extracted the spirituality from Zhou Zhengran's Six Phoenix Treasure Lamp and cautiously stored it away in the ragged cloth. "Paired with thunder medicine, I should be able to break through smoothly." He decided to rest briefly, observe the external shifts and currents, and then set off on his long journey. Yezhou was far from peaceful. With Blood Immortal, the Pure World Convent, and the Longevity Abode suffering disasters in succession, how could it not draw widespread attention? When Mu Zhuo fled, his shout in Chixia City had startled many people. There were even rumors that Meng Xinghai had nearly been killed over a rumor. To this end, Yu Gensheng notified several grandmasters of the Newborn Path to issue warnings to dark organizations, while Meng Zhiyan spoke out on behalf of the millennial clan. For a time, undercurrents raged through Yezhou, surging turbulently beneath the surface. It was said that an extraordinarily terrifying consciousness had once swept past Chixia City, approaching the borders of Black-White Mountain, before silently retreating. Meng Xinghai wore a solemn expression. He had faintly seen a blazing sun streak past, though it seemed to be dripping spiritual blood. That halo of light was grand and intimidating, yet also wounded. He immediately sent word to Qin Ming not to leave the mountain, suspecting that it might have been the will of a Great Grandmaster of unknown origin. Two days later, Yu Gensheng invited out an exceptionally aged Great Grandmaster of the Newborn Path, who issued the sternest warning: whoever dared act recklessly would be repaid tenfold! Patriarchs of the sixth realm were rarely seen, many having already ascended above the nine skies; for now, Great Grandmasters represented the supreme ceiling. ... Beneath the black and white trees, Wenrui said, "Uncle, am I too stupid? I haven't mastered most of the scriptures you taught me." Qin Ming shook his head. "Why would you think that? Your comprehension is very high; you've already done quite well." He knew where the root of the problem lay: Wenrui's comprehension was impressive, but his skeletal aptitudes were merely above average. That was indeed an issue. He encouraged him, "You have fine comprehension, and skeletal aptitudes can be altered through acquired cultivation. Never underestimate yourself at any time; you should always remain confident. "Come, I'll teach you the Destiny-Altering Scripture." This scripture was extraordinarily unique, something many past sages had failed to master. Qin Ming decided to briefly possess him and personally adjust the circulation pathways of the scripture for him. In the days that followed, Qin Ming ventured out frequently, sending his spirit wandering near the ancient mist portals. Up until now, a total of two portals had opened in Yezhou. The bloody catastrophe in the otherworld forbidden zone last time had severely dampened everyone's enthusiasm. The number of people wanting to pioneer new lands had plummeted, nowhere near as many as before. Moreover, the world behind the second ancient mist portal, while not necessarily barren, had not yielded any special lands of fortune so far. "Over there, spring has not yet passed. It seems I still have plenty of time." It was precisely because he heard that the rainy season had not yet arrived there that Qin Ming had not rushed to make the long journey. Even so, he could scout the path in advance, and even forge a miniature Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace ahead of time. At present, he certainly could not face heavenly thunder directly. "According to the records in ancient texts, in the distant past, grandmasters could face thunder and fire alone to temper their bodies. Are the moderns inferior to the ancients?" Qin Ming frowned and asked Old Huang for the truth. The Yellow Silk Canopy replied, "Apart from those special monsters who adapted to the times and lived for a very long time, later generations are certainly stronger from one generation to the next. After all, all kinds of cultivation methods, medicinal recipes, and the like are constantly being refined." It told Qin Ming that aside from the severance of civilizations, the main reason was the change in the greater environment: present-day thunder and fire were many times more powerful than in the past. Nowadays, it was simply unsuitable to take heavenly thunder head-on. One needed to guide and diffuse the thunder and fire step by step, cautiously baptizing oneself. The Yellow Silk Canopy continued: "In the distant past, people in the second realm could fly. Yet now, not even grandmasters can take flight with their physical bodies. Patriarchs of the sixth realm appear capable of traveling through the air, but that is actually the manifestation of special arts; they still cannot truly charge beyond the heavens in the flesh." Qin Ming asked, "Is heaven and earth becoming increasingly unsuited for cultivation?" The Yellow Silk Canopy disagreed: "No. It is simply that the various gods and immortals failed to keep pace with the changes in the greater environment, so they perished generation after generation. In truth, dao charm has always been present; stronger beings ought to emerge instead." Qin Ming asked, "When did the second realm stop being able to fly in the flesh?" "On that day, the sun set and never rose again," the Yellow Silk Canopy said in a leisurely tone, carrying an inexplicable, elusive flavor. "What?" Qin Ming's heart shook. The Yellow Silk Canopy added: "It was also when fire springs began welling up from the ground." Qin Ming inquired, "These fire springs... what is their source?" The Yellow Silk Canopy responded, "Unknown. One cannot dig to the end." Qin Ming fell into thought. After a moment, he asked, "Does anyone in this world truly live forever?" The Yellow Silk Canopy answered, "Likely not. All things have an allotted lifespan." Looking at the current state of affairs, a cultivator's lifespan was pitifully short compared to their displayed power. Patriarchs of the sixth realm theoretically had only six hundred-odd years to live. If they consumed precious medicines or encountered other fortuitous opportunities, they might live to over nine hundred. An Earth Immortal could normally live for a thousand years; with life-prolonging methods, they might reach over fifteen hundred years. Even if Heavenly Gods and Heavenly Immortals exhausted every method to prolong life, they could live for only two thousand-odd years. Of course, a very select few beings with extraordinary encounters might differ somewhat. Qin Ming sighed. "Even for peerless powerhouses, life is so brief. Relative to the vast, heavy expanse of history, all are merely fleeting shooting stars." The Yellow Silk Canopy remarked, "It is as though an invisible embankment, an invisible net, stands ahead to obstruct and filter, maintaining a balance." It elaborated further: "According to the words spoken during the lifetime of a certain deceased sovereign of a supreme civilization, the experts of every path feel lonely and helpless when they reach the very end. Before them lies an insurmountable hurdle, like a Great Filter. All the supreme experts will be stopped, ultimately decaying away naturally." Qin Ming asked, "On your side, do the Dao Masters of the cultivation civilization also die of old age, unable to abide in the world forever?" The Yellow Silk Canopy solemnly informed him: "All of them die. Just as the Lord of Yujing has already changed hands for countless generations, the same is true for the Great Thunder Sound Temple, the Black Tower civilization, and other places. There are no immortals; one generation replaces another. There is nothing new under the sun." "What lies at the deepest depths of the night mist world?" Qin Ming's questions came one after another. The Yellow Silk Canopy replied, "Unknown. Relatively speaking, you and I are still in the outer regions of the night mist world. Each supreme orthodox tradition is like an isolated island scattered across an ocean of night mist." "If you have never reached the deepest depths of the night mist world, how do you know there are no beings who can abide permanently in the world? How do you know no one has broken through that net filtering out the strong?" "According to deductions..." ... High above in the heavens, a gathering of modest scale yet immense buzz was about to take place. It concerned the future of the younger generation and involved the supreme legacy of Yujing. Five-colored orchid grass exuded a delicate fragrance, wrapped in faint luminous mist. Its medicinal properties were potent enough to nourish the consciousness of Great Grandmaster-level experts, yet here it served merely as potted landscape decor. Ahead, beside the Dragon Transformation Pool, a massive yellow dragon stood guard. Its scales were as large as millstones, its body coiled like a mountain, and its dragon head was held high, exuding a terrifying majesty. At this moment, four figures stepped out of the pool one after another. One of them was none other than Yun Jianyue, while the other three were all young men. One man spoke calmly, "Fairy Yun, now that your two wondrous bodies of Heavenly Immortal and Heavenly God have fused into one, if you have the chance to fight on the New Board again, you should be able to take the top spot, wouldn't you?" There was a sentence he left unsaid: if the three of them were to compete as well, they would only know after a fight. Yun Jianyue did not reply, instead asking, "Is no one from the surface coming to compete for the supreme legacy?" One of the men among them replied, "I heard that several special beings have encountered trouble to varying degrees. They likely won't make it above the nine skies." Another youth spoke up: "The invitations that ought to be sent should still be delivered." "As far as I know, one person from the surface has already responded and should appear." In the distance, many people watched the four, their eyes filled with respect. Even the haughty Zhou Tiandao remained silent, quietly observing the four figures before the Dragon Transformation Pool. A fair, delicate-looking woman murmured, "Jingli, people from the surface can also qualify. Is that Qin Ming whom your family's Tianzun wanted to meet among them? By the way, some time ago, I heard your family elder might have taken a preliminary liking to him and wanted to choose him for you..." Lu Jingli shook her head slightly and interrupted her. "He shouldn't be able to participate in the competition." The delicate woman nodded. "True. Even if his natural endowment is extraordinary and he is extremely well-suited to cultivate Tianzun's Extreme Dao Golden Body Scripture, he started relatively late after all. His current realm is low, having not yet reached the fourth realm. One step behind means falling behind at every step; he has no qualifications to contest that supreme legacy." Many present gazed intently at the Dragon Transformation Pool. Some sighed softly with a hint of unwillingness; some could not hide the envy in their eyes; some wore wistful expressions, lost in thought; and some youths displayed a mixture of adoration and awe. In Chixia City, Meng Xinghai received an invitation from the heavens, asking him to forward it to Qin Ming. Meanwhile, Qin Ming was already preparing to set out for the world behind the ancient mist portal to meet the brand-new rainy season, consume thunder medicine, and break through to the next realm.