408: Chapter 408 The Path to Immortality

"Can you understand it?"

Meng Zhang still wore that cold expression as he moved a bit closer to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan became wary once more and took another step back.

Seeing this, Meng Zhang seemed to understand something. He placed his hands behind his back and stayed in place, simply asking again.

Feeling that while Meng Zhang was colder than before, he now had a better sense of boundaries, Zhou Yan took the opportunity to speak about what he saw.

"I can't quite understand the content here. The writing is very strange; although I recognize the characters, I can only make sense of the first small part."

Meng Zhang nodded.

"It seems your Foundation is very good."

"I wonder if you have already reached Soul Transformation Perfection, or if you are already at Void Refining?"

When Meng Zhang said this, Zhou Yan was completely stunned.

"No, isn't this Secret Realm restricted so only those at the Nascent Soul level can enter? If I were at Soul Transformation, would I even be able to get in?"

After Zhou Yan finished speaking, Meng Zhang was also dazed.

"Are you joking? The minimum level I set for entry was Soul Transformation."

"You only have a Nascent Soul cultivation; how did you get here?"

"And with a Nascent Soul cultivation, how could you possibly understand the beginning of the Azure Chapter? You probably don't even know what Laws are, do you?"

Meng Zhang's brow furrowed, his face full of confusion.

He had originally thought he could pass down the Legacy, but now it seemed the person before him was either a peerless Genius or there was definitely a problem.

He had to get to the bottom of this.

"What is the current state of the Secret Realm and the world outside?"

Hearing Meng Zhang's inquiry, Zhou Yan temporarily put down the Azure Chapter and gave him a brief explanation.

After hearing Zhou Yan's words, Meng Zhang's furrowed brow finally relaxed.

"So it was that person's doing. I suppose it's thanks to him; otherwise, my little arrangement might have long since ceased to exist."

"Alright, since the outside situation is so different from now, I need to tell you some other bits and pieces."

"Originally, this part of my energy was meant to explain the beginning of the Azure Chapter to you, but you've already found the knack, and the cultivation paths of the current world are so complete, you probably don't need me anymore."

"Then I will use this energy to tell you about something you don't know—the system of the Immortal Realm."

At this point, the originally serious Meng Zhang suddenly put on a look of grievance, as if he had been wrongfully imprisoned for over a decade.

Zhou Yan knew the other party had shifted emotions again and felt a bit sigh-worthy.

The methods of great experts were truly abstract; even complex emotions could be used as filler, turning into the code of a Legacy grandpa, though it was spaghetti code.

Meng Zhang ignored him, seemingly lost in memory.

"I don't know much about the new method, so I'll use what you called the Old Method as a Foundation for my description."

"In the future, you can find patterns by comparing the two."

"The start of cultivation is regarded as Foundation Establishment."

"A cultivator must complete a hundred days of Foundation Establishment, shedding their mortal frame and washing away the mundane, before they can begin the path of cultivation."

"For those with minor achievements, the Qi inside the body condenses into a core; when the cultivation of life reaches its limit, it is called Core Formation."

"And for those who see through illusions and reach the limit of the cultivation of nature, those who achieve both can shatter the core to form a soul, which is the Nascent Soul."

"Later, the Nascent Soul gradually grows and can form an Incarnation to leave the body, connecting with heaven and earth to receive feedback. Those who catch a glimpse of the Laws are at Soul Transformation."

Here, Meng Zhang paused, looking at Zhou Yan with tired eyes, and continued.

"When cultivation reaches its peak, understanding the truth and the Laws of heaven and earth, touching upon a thread of the Great Dao—that is the limit of the mortal world, called Void Refining."

"After Void Refining comes the path of the Immortal that I want to tell you about."

"Before I tell you, can I ask first, does your era still have an understanding of Immortals?"

Zhou Yan shook his head.

"Forget Immortals; even the Old Method you just mentioned are considered ancient relics."

"If you hadn't told me this, I probably wouldn't have bothered looking through those old books to learn about these things that aren't very useful."

Meng Zhang's eyes grew moist upon hearing this.

"Things truly have changed."

"If there were a chance, I'd really like to see what your era is like."

"Never mind, I'll explain in more detail then."

He sighed in the dream, and then a vast system slowly unfolded before Zhou Yan.

"The path of the Immortal is divided into five categories: Ghost Immortal, Human Immortal, Earth Immortal, Spirit Immortal, and Heavenly Immortal."

"And the cultivation Realms are divided into nine levels of True Immortal and nine levels of Golden Immortal, with every three levels forming a stage."

"Among the five Immortals, the Ghost Immortal is achieved by leaving the Physical Body and ascending as a Yin Spirit."

"Though they are neither born nor destroyed, they still belong to the Yin Spirits."

"As the saying goes, 'A Yin Spirit of ten thousand tribulations finds it hard to enter sainthood,' so the Ghost Immortal is the lowest grade, often stopping at the second stage of the True Immortal Realm I described, unable to cross the final step to become an eternal Golden Immortal."

"The Human Immortal only Cultivates for a place to settle and for longevity."

"They use alternative ways, such as the Dao of Alchemy or being a Body Cultivator, to change their life state and directly reach the Immortal Realm, but they themselves still belong to the mundane."

"This type is certainly not inherently flawed like the Ghost Immortal, but most will also stop at the third stage of the True Immortal Realm."

"Only a few who can refine the Elixir of Immortality can attain the Golden Immortal rank, but they stop there as well."

"And the third type, the Earth Immortal."

"They only Cultivate themselves, seeking to reach the limit of power, eventually breaking through the Realm with strength to sublimate into an Immortal and attain freedom; the world also calls them Land Immortals."

"However, although this type can escape the world and exist outside the Five Elements, they are still trapped by various tribulations."

"Nevertheless, many on the path of the Earth Immortal can enter the Golden Immortal rank, and there are even outstanding individuals who can reach beyond the Golden Immortal."

"Many of my old friends followed this path."

Having said that, a tear rolled down Meng Zhang's face, but it didn't fall, instead turning into bits of starlight.

At that moment, the originally resentful Meng Zhang's aura changed; though he looked like a scruffy old man, he now displayed the high-spirited air of a successful youth.

"And next are the two highest grades in the system of the five Immortals."

"One is the Spirit Immortal, and the other is the Heavenly Immortal."

His voice was full of confidence, but the contrast with his previous appearance was too jarring, making it hard to adjust.

However, Zhou Yan was somewhat used to it and didn't bother to complain, fully immersing himself in the world-view described by the other.

Meng Zhang pointed one finger to the sky and one to the ground.

"Spirit Immortals are divided into two types."

"One type is those with Karma Perfection who have benefited their region; they are directly conferred by the Heavenly Court, holding local authority with the status of a Spirit Immortal."

"The other type is those whose cultivation has reached Perfection and who also have Karma; they either ascend through Karma or are guided by an Immortal, and can also be granted a Heavenly Registry, holding authority in the human world or staying directly in the Immortal Realm."

"If they are the latter, after their own Ascension, if they choose not to enter the Heavenly Registry and bind themselves to the Heavenly Dao, they will gradually become Loose Immortals."

"They are no different from Earth Immortals, except they have Karma on their side, so the suffering they endure is far less than that of an Earth Immortal."

"Because of the addition of two special powers—Karma and Incense—Spirit Immortals often have a high ceiling but also a low floor."

"Some are inferior to ordinary Ghost Immortals or even mundane people, while others can reach beyond the Golden Immortal and transcend to sainthood."

"And the last type," at this point, Meng Zhang's chest puffed out further, his expression even more confident.

"This last type is the Legacy I have left behind, which points directly to—the path of the Heavenly Immortal!"

"The Heavenly Immortal is the highest of the five Immortals, a supreme existence that harmonizes with the Dao and governs the Laws of heaven and earth."

"All who achieve this are the cream of the crop in the world, the finest of the elegant."

"It is achieved by reaching the peak of one's own cultivation, using a mundane body to resist the Three Disasters, and finally shedding the mortal frame to ascend as a transcendent Immortal."

"Heavenly Immortals, once achieved, are noble and extraordinary, closest to the Dao."

"As long as one is not naturally lazy or a schemer, entering the rank of an eternal Golden Immortal is as easy as drinking water."

Meng Zhang paused here, waiting for Zhou Yan to finish absorbing this information.