dhibooks Chapter 1103 The Mortal World
Chapter 1103 The Mortal World
"Respectfully bidding farewell to Senior Chen!"
A hazy morning mist shrouded the mountain peak where Muyue Palace was located, and the clear chirping of birds echoed from the forest, adding to the tranquility.
Chen Yuan slowly walked to the outside of the hall. Behind him, Liu Tingfeng and Liu Mo clasped their hands and bowed, their faces full of respect and gratitude.
Chen Yuan gazed at Chi Shuicheng, who was slowly waking up, then turned around and said calmly, "There's no need to see him off. Kaiyang will return to the Liu family sooner or later. How the Shang family will handle things will be up to him then. You all must not act on your own."
Liu Tingfeng solemnly replied, "Senior, rest assured, I will keep a close eye on the merchants and make further plans after Kaiyang returns."
Liu Mo said respectfully, "This junior will level my elder brother's cenotaph today."
Chen Yuan nodded slightly, and the next moment, his figure disappeared into the morning mist, soaring into the distance.
Liu Tingfeng and Liu Mo bowed again and remained standing for a long time, their clothes fluttering gently in the cold wind.
After a long while, the two straightened up, looked at each other, and their eyes were still filled with shock and disbelief.
The night was short, but it felt long to Liu Tingfeng and Liu Mo.
……
Above the sky, Chen Yuan's figure appeared. He glanced at Chishui City below, then his escape light flashed, and he flew away into the distance.
He had achieved his goal with the Liu family.
Liu Kaiyang was not lying; he was indeed a cultivator from the Spirit Realm who had transmigrated and been reborn. The Liu Kaiyang described by Liu Mo was exactly the same as his own account.
Chen Yuan was now completely certain that the mysterious scroll in his mind was a celestial treasure like the Jade Pendant. Although he couldn't open it yet, it was able to allow Liu Kaiyang to live a second life, so it must contain a great secret and be a treasure on par with the Jade Pendant.
Judging from his and Liu Kaiyang's experiences, the immortal treasures seem to have the ability to allow people to travel through time and be reborn, but they may also have the unique abilities of jade pendants and scrolls.
Chen Yuan didn't think too much about this matter. Immortal treasures are extremely rare. It was already an incredible stroke of luck for Chen Yuan to obtain two of them. The possibility of obtaining a third immortal treasure was extremely slim.
He was considering something else entirely: Liu Kaiyang was reborn from the Spirit Realm to the Myriad Demon Continent, and the Spirit Realm and the Myriad Demon Continent coexisted.
Chen Yuan was reborn from Earth to the human world. Could it be that Earth and the human world coexist?
However, the universe where Earth is located is completely different from the many realms that Chen Yuan has experienced. All the heavens and myriad worlds are flat and round, and there is more or less spiritual energy in them.
Earth, however, possesses no spiritual energy; it exists as a planet in a vacuum, akin to the chaotic void between different realms.
Is it that the universe Earth inhabits is exceptionally special, or is the entire universe a single realm where the laws of heaven and earth are so unique that even spiritual energy is absent...?
Chen Yuan had no answer. Although he possessed almost all of the memories of the Great Sage Xuanli, the myriad worlds were too vast, and even Mahayana cultivators dared not claim to fully understand them.
He shook his head, burying this question deep in his heart.
No matter how special Earth is, now is not the time to explore this matter. The only thing he can do is improve his cultivation and leave the answer for the future.
In any case, the trip to the Liu family made Chen Yuan realize that his time travel was not an isolated case. He no longer worried that his experience on Earth in his previous life was an illusion created by some powerful being, just like the dream of the Great Sage Xuanli.
That was a true story. He was able to travel through time and be reborn entirely because of good luck; he bought the jade pendant at an auction.
Liu Kaiyang was also very lucky, but unfortunately the scroll was not a jade pendant, so it was useless to him when his cultivation level was low. Otherwise, he would never have offered it to Chen Yuan.
For this reason, Chen Yuan bestowed many treasures upon Liu Tingfeng and Liu Mo. These were purchased with a special immortal spirit stone after he arrived on the Mingze Continent, enough for the two of them to cultivate until they reached the Nascent Soul stage without lacking cultivation resources.
This is what Chen Yuan owes Liu Kaiyang. Although he took Liu Kaiyang as his disciple and bestowed upon him the inheritance of the "Ten Thousand Spirits Returning to Origin Scripture" and many cultivation resources, it is far from comparable to the treasures of immortals.
After his rebirth, Liu Kaiyang never forgot the Liu family. Since Chen Yuan had come to the Spirit Realm, he naturally had to visit the Liu family. If the Liu family was in danger, he would help them; if the Liu family was safe and sound, he would bestow treasures upon them.
Chen Yuan is a man of honor, repaying both kindness and vengeance. If it were any other cultivator, they might have killed Liu Kaiyang long ago, just to keep the scroll's secret.
But Chen Yuan wouldn't do that, nor would he feel that he owed Liu Kaiyang nothing because Liu Kaiyang offered the scroll, nor would he feel at ease taking Liu Kaiyang as his disciple.
Liu Kaiyang relinquished an opportunity that would make even Mahayana cultivators drool. He owed Liu Kaiyang a great debt, and bestowing treasures upon the Liu family was merely a small compensation.
When he ascended to the Demon Realm, he noted down the Dao markers of the Myriad Demon Continent, intending to ask Master Fu to open an ascension passage to the Myriad Demon Continent.
However, Master Fu had not even opened the ascension passage in the human realm, claiming that the time was not yet ripe, so Chen Yuan had no choice but to put the idea aside for the time being.
But when Chen Yuan saw the scroll floating in his mind, he would think of Liu Kaiyang, who was still in the Myriad Demon Continent, and he always remembered this matter.
When the time is right, he will ask Master Fu to open a spatial passage to the Myriad Demon Continent.
If the time is not right, he will wait until he advances to the Mahayana stage before taking action himself.
Perhaps thousands or tens of thousands of years later, Liu Kaiyang will have turned into a pile of bones.
Perhaps Liu Kaiyang had already advanced to the Nascent Soul stage before this, and used the method he left behind to enter the Demon Burning Realm.
But no matter what, Chen Yuan's promise to his disciples will never fade.
Perhaps it was for this reason that Liu Kaiyang dared to offer such a precious treasure to Chen Yuan without fear of dying a violent death.
……
A cold wind blew across the desolate snowfield, and gloomy clouds and fog shrouded the land. A heavy snowfall had just stopped, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow, without a trace of other colors.
Shaped like a crouching tiger, Youbai Mountain stands tall on the earth, with large patches of dark green moss stubbornly surviving on its exposed cliffs.
They have lived on this snowfield for countless years, multiplying and thriving for generations. They are no longer ordinary plants; they possess the ability to resist the erosion of the icy power and are the most important food source for the snowfield's creatures.
The heavy snow had just stopped when several low-level monsters, such as snow rabbits and snow sheep, appeared, carefully nibbling on the moss, their ears perked up and their eyes filled with vigilance.
They were not originally demonic beasts. They only mastered one or two rudimentary supernatural abilities related to ice after absorbing the power of ice over many years. However, they did not master the cultivation method. Their strength was at most that of a first-level low-grade demonic beast, and they could only become food for real demonic beasts.
A streak of light streaked across the sky, so faint as to be almost transparent, a sign that it had almost completely merged into this world.
The light was incredibly fast, stopping abruptly before Youbai Mountain, going from extreme motion to extreme stillness in an instant.
Looking at You Baishan, who seemed to be teeming with life, Chen Yuan clasped his hands in a respectful bow and proclaimed in a clear voice, "Junior Chen Yuan, on the orders of Master Fu of the Tai Xuan Sect, has come to pay my respects to Senior Zhu Mingzi!" His clear voice rang out, startling the demonic beasts that were foraging in the mountain valley. They scattered in panic and quickly disappeared into the snowdrifts and caves.
Chen Yuan maintained his bowing posture, his expression respectful, and waited quietly.
Suddenly, a crack appeared in the sky above Youbai Mountain, and a pair of rough, large hands reached out from the crack and tore fiercely, causing the spatial fluctuations to become extremely violent.
Ripples spread across the void like water, and the spatial rift transformed into a vortex, filled with the power of space.
The giant hand tore open the spatial vortex, causing spatial turbulence that transformed into streaks of gray-white lightning, cleaving spatial rifts in the sky.
The already gloomy sky became even more somber, with dark clouds rapidly gathering from all directions above Youbai Mountain, seemingly impatient to descend. Lightning flashed in the clouds, as if eager to come down.
The burly man in hemp clothing stepped out of the spatial vortex, glanced disdainfully at the sky, and with a wave of his hand, the spatial vortex behind him dissipated.
Lei Yun had no choice but to give up, but he managed to dispel some of the gloom and make the world a little brighter.
The burly man in hemp clothing lowered his head and looked at Chen Yuan impatiently: "Boy, you came here not long ago. I already told you that the master is traveling and not at home. Only a year has passed, why are you here again?"
Chen Yuan straightened up and smiled, "I bear a heavy responsibility and must present Master Fu's letter to Senior Zhumingzi. I dare not neglect it and can only come to inquire frequently. I hope you will forgive any inconvenience caused."
Upon hearing the words "Master Fu," the burly man in hemp clothing revealed a hint of fear in his eyes.
He forced down his frustration and patiently explained, "I'll say it again, Master is traveling and his whereabouts are uncertain. We don't know when he will return. You should go back and wait patiently."
Without waiting for Chen Yuan's reply, he turned around, tore open a spatial rift, and stepped inside.
The dark clouds that had just gathered in the sky dispersed helplessly, and a sudden gust of wind swept across the snowfield, as if venting its anger.
Chen Yuan smiled slightly, not annoyed, and turned to leave. He traveled all the way to Ping Shuang City, which was tens of thousands of miles away, before finally disembarking.
This mortal town is surrounded by no spiritual veins, but it is not far from the snowfield. It is home to dozens of Qi Refining cultivators who specialize in hunting low-level demonic beasts, as well as a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Twin Deer Sect, who guards it against a possible beast tide.
However, Foundation Establishment cultivators would not come to Ping Shuang City. The vast snowfield is surrounded by a series of cities, many of which are markets with spiritual veins, which are more attractive to Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Those Qi Refining rogue cultivators were attracted by the fact that Ping Shuang City was located on the edge of the snowfield. Although the nearby monsters were not of high rank, it was just right for Qi Refining cultivators. As long as they worked hard, they could earn just as many spirit stones as the Qi Refining cultivators in the market.
Chen Yuan, of course, didn't care about these meager spiritual energies and chose to settle down in this ordinary little town closest to Youbai Mountain.
Chen Yuan landed in the courtyard of a small house and pushed open the door to enter the house.
The houses in Pingshuang City have extremely thick walls and small windows to keep out the cold. The houses are very dark inside because no candles are lit.
Chen Yuanhun didn't care. He took out a dark brown fur coat from his mustard seed ring, put it on, and wore a snow-white bearskin hat. With a circulation of his true essence, his appearance changed slightly, becoming much more ordinary. He then pushed open the door and went out.
Ping Shuang City, though not particularly bustling, was quite peaceful in the cold wind. The people in the city were all dressed in thick cotton-padded coats and fur coats to ward off the biting cold wind, greeting each other and creating a sense of warmth in the midst of winter.
"Brother Chen, are you going to Yingxuan Restaurant for a drink?" a man greeted Chen Yuan warmly.
Chen Yuan smiled and nodded, chatting with passersby along the way. He arrived at a three-story restaurant, went inside, and, at the beckoning of a waiter, went straight to the third floor and sat down at a window seat.
Before long, the servant brought over a table of dishes and a pot of wine. Chen Yuan poured himself a drink and watched the passionate storyteller downstairs clapping and cheering like the other diners. He showed no signs of being a cultivator.
At the same time, Chen Yuan's primordial spirit in his dantian raised his hand and formed a hand seal. Strands of mysterious and invisible energy emanated from the diners in the restaurant, gathered in the palm of his primordial spirit, and exuded a strong worldly aura. It was as if thousands of people were whispering from within.
A year ago, Chen Yuan left the Liu family and did not return to Tongtian Island. Instead, he spent a spirit stone to teleport from Mingze Continent back to the Barbarian Spirit Domain of Daoyun Continent, and then traveled to Pingshuang City.
The teleportation array that crosses continents is extremely expensive, requiring a Celestial Stone.
Chen Yuan originally had seven Immortal Spirit Stones. After three cross-continental teleportations, and the use of another Immortal Spirit Stone to buy a lot of cultivation resources for the Liu family, he only had three Immortal Spirit Stones left. It would be too wasteful to travel back and forth to Tongtian Island again.
Since his cultivation level had already reached its limit, he didn't need to meditate and cultivate anymore, so he simply came directly to the Savage Spirit Domain to wait for Zhumingzi's return.
This ferocious tiger demon core is crucial for refining the fifth true spirit bloodline and breaking through to the Integration Realm. It is the most important matter at hand and absolutely cannot be lost.
Chen Yuan didn't know when Zhu Mingzi would return, but he didn't want to miss the opportunity to enter Ba Gui Island with his perfected Void Refinement cultivation. So he could only visit You Baishan every now and then.
This time, however, Chen Yuan did not open up a cave in the desolate mountains as he had done in the past. Instead, he rented a small courtyard in Pingshuang City, concealed his aura, and disguised himself as an ordinary person.
He was certainly not acting on a whim, wanting to play around in the world, but rather using this opportunity to comprehend the primordial elixir in his dantian.
Master Fu said he was currently unable to refine the Origin Pill, but the Great Sage Xuanli possessed an unnamed secret technique in his memories that could refine the Origin Pill ahead of time.
However, this secret technique requires the support of worldly energy, which is extremely mysterious and can only be obtained from mortals who experience birth, aging, sickness, and death.
Cultivators do not eat grains, but live on wind and dew. They have entered the path of immortality and are no longer in the mortal world. No matter how many cultivators there are, they cannot generate even a trace of worldly energy.
This secret technique is not used to refine Origin Pills, but is specifically used to comprehend the origin of the interface. When used on Origin Pills refined from fragments of the Green Mantis Realm's origin, it yields twice the result with half the effort.
While waiting for Zhumingzi to return, Chen Yuan was collecting worldly energy in Pingshuang City.
If all goes well, he can refine the Origin Pill in fifty years, and his understanding of the four laws will be further deepened, especially the law of withering and flourishing contained in the Azure Dragon bloodline.
……
A year passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, Chen Yuan came to Youbai Mountain again, clasped his hands in a bow, and said loudly, "Junior Chen Yuan, on the orders of Master Fu of the Tai Xuan Sect, has come to pay a special visit to Senior Zhu Mingzi!"
Not long after he finished speaking, a spatial rift appeared in the sky above Youbai Mountain, and a pair of large hands reached out.
Dark clouds began to gather in the sky. With a sudden burst of strength, the burly man in hemp clothing tore open a passage and leaped out, angrily shouting, "Boy! Haven't I made myself clear enough? My master is away traveling and hasn't returned yet. Why do you keep disturbing my peaceful sleep!"
Chen Yuan looked apologetic and bowed, saying, "Please forgive me, Your Excellency. I am entrusted with a great responsibility by Master Fu and have important matters to attend to. I also do not know when Senior Zhumingzi will return, so I have no choice but to come and bother you. I have no intention of disturbing your peaceful sleep. I hope you will forgive me."
He had no idea when Zhumingzi would return or how long he would stay, so he naturally had to visit frequently to avoid leaving empty-handed and then having to wait an unknown amount of time.
If he hadn't been unaware of the man in hemp clothing's background and worried about offending Zhumingzi, he would have loved to open a cave on Youbai Mountain so he could visit Zhumingzi the moment he returned and exchange his demon core for it.
The burly man in hemp clothing roared, "Fine! Boy, for Master Fu's sake, I won't kill you, but I'll teach you a lesson so you'll never dare to be so rude to me again!" (End of Chapter)