Chapter 523: The Immortal's Path and the Heavenly Tribulations (7K) (Part 1)

Chapter 523: The Immortal's Path and the Heavenly Tribulations (7K) (Part 1)





As Li Yuan stepped through the city gates, an invisible wave swept over him, seemingly conducting a scan. But who was Li Yuan now? Just in terms of his understanding of the laws, he was likely far superior to the 'True Immortals' of this world, and his specialty was in the spatial laws.

Moreover, with the aid of the Dreamstone, a rare and peculiar object, how could the city's formation array, designed for a mere Marquisate, hope to see through his disguise?

The inspection was easily passed.

"Please wait, Demi-Immortal," several powerful bronze automatons guarding the gate blocked Li Yuan's path, their invisible auras pressing forward.

On their chest armor, two ancient characters were engraved: 'Dao' and 'An'.

The lead bronze automaton spoke in a deep voice, "This Demi-Immortal seems to be visiting Anshun City for the first time, as your aura is not recorded in the city's Immortal Register. May I ask which sect you belong to?"

"I'm a wandering cultivator from the Chong He Shan region, where I recently opened my Purple Mansion and condensed my Nascent Soul," Li Yuan smiled. "I came here because I heard that Anshun City is a place of abundant immortal opportunities."

Having gathered information about numerous Nascent Soul Cultivators, Li Yuan knew exactly how to fabricate his identity.

This was different from his previous arrival in Jue Xing Continent, where Li Yuan had been weak, possessing only Demigod strength.

But now? Li Yuan's strength had grown immensely, and he was unafraid even when facing True Gods.

"Chong He Shan? A wandering cultivator?" The bronze automatons exchanged glances, not overly suspicious.

The vast land was filled with wandering cultivators who often achieved Nascent Soul and Demi-Immortal stages through solitary cultivation.

"Please leave your name in the Immortal Register for future convenience," the bronze automaton continued. "Also, the Duke's Army is currently recruiting soldiers. If you're interested, you can inquire about it, and perhaps you'll find your immortal opportunity there."

"Thank you," Li Yuan replied.

He was already aware of the various power divisions in this world.

The strongest was the lofty Radiant Dao Temple, claiming to 'act on behalf of Heaven's Dao', but there were very few Dao Temple cultivators in the Changyun World, and only Earth Immortals could be listed in the Dao Temple.

It was said that the Dao Temple governed numerous worlds, and Changyun World was just one of them. Even Nascent Soul Demigods knew very little about this.

Next in power was the Changyun Dynasty, which commanded the Border Guard Army, an invincible force.

Then came the various Dukes, sacred sites, and sects, like the Duke of Anshun.

Following this were the upper-tier sects, such as the Snow Green Sect.

The hierarchy was stable, and many of these Dukes, sacred sites, and sects had legacies spanning millions of years or even longer.

For a wandering cultivator, joining the Duke's Army, affiliated with the Duke's estate, was considered a fortunate opportunity to obtain high-level cultivation methods and immortal techniques.

"Such kindness? Is the Duke's Army short on manpower?" Li Yuan's mind raced with various thoughts.

His stay in this world had been brief.

But from the information he had gathered through scanning, Li Yuan knew that the governance of this world was rather harsh.

Most importantly, according to the trial mission, he must slay a cultivator from the Dao Temple to gradually perfect the Carnage Crystal.

In a sense, the Dao Temple was his enemy.

Strong cultivators? What level was considered strong? Earth Immortal stage? True Immortal stage? Everything was unknown, so Li Yuan remained cautious.

"Also, since this is your first time in Anshun City, do you know about the 'Immortal Register'?" the bronze automaton continued, as if it were a routine inquiry.

"I've heard of it, but I'm not too clear on the specifics," Li Yuan replied, shaking his head.

In truth, Li Yuan did have some knowledge about it.

But since he was presenting himself as a wandering cultivator, he didn't want to reveal too much unless absolutely necessary.

Unless it was absolutely essential, Li Yuan didn't want to expose himself to the true ruling power of this world.

After all, the Duke of Anshun and the Changyun Dynasty, with their long-standing legacies, were forces to be feared.

It would be extremely dangerous to act recklessly in an unfamiliar world.

"Okay."

"Then let me explain it to you," the bronze automaton said. "Cultivators at the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment stages are essentially mortals, not bound by the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, and their lifespans are limited. But once you reach the Nascent Soul and Demi-Immortal stages, you've grasped the true meaning of heaven and earth, and you have the potential to become an immortal..."

Li Yuan listened intently. Below the Earth Immortal stage, there was a clear limit to one's lifespan, similar to the Star Deity System.

Only upon reaching the Earth Immortal stage could one surpass this limit in the Immortal Spirit System.

"The so-called 'Immortal Register' is the Dao Temple's register, recording the names of immortals from all worlds," the bronze automaton explained with a smile. "In the future, if you comprehend the heavenly Dao and reach the Dao Enlightenment stage (seven-segment law), it's best to visit any Dao Temple branch before becoming an Earth Immortal. There, you can receive the Immortal Script and consume the Immortal Pill, and upon crossing into the Earth Immortal stage, you'll be listed as a Dao Temple immortal. Only then can you establish your own sect, receiving worship and offerings from the mortal world."

"If you're lucky, you might be summoned by the Dao Temple and granted a Dao Temple fruit position, reducing the influence of karma. You'll be free from the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations, and becoming a long-lived and blessed immortal is not impossible."

Li Yuan listened attentively.

"What if one becomes an immortal without being listed in the register?" Li Yuan asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Haha, then you'd be considered a 'Vagrant Immortal', and you'd need to seclude yourself for quiet cultivation, avoiding worldly affairs," the bronze automaton explained. "Of course, you can't receive worship or consume human blood, flesh, or souls."

"If you break these rules, you'll be burdened with sin and karma. At best, the power of the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations will increase, and at worst, the Dynasty's Border Guard Army and the Dao Temple's heavenly soldiers and generals will descend to capture you and take you to the Immortal Execution Platform, preventing you from even being reborn."

"I understand, thank you for the information, General," Li Yuan said.

This was the key difference Li Yuan had observed between this world and the Divine Realm.

In the Divine Realm, cultivators advanced purely based on their own abilities.

But in this world, if a Nascent Soul Demi-Immortal didn't become a Dao Temple immortal, they would face significant restrictions.

These restrictions weren't just in the form of rules but also came from the heavens themselves!!

"The Dao Temple seems to truly act on behalf of Heaven's Dao, representing the rules of the Heavenly Dao," Li Yuan thought. "Not becoming a Dao Temple immortal will make it harder to comprehend the laws of the Dao, and the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations will become even more terrifying... It seems that Vagrant Immortals at the Earth Immortal stage rarely live beyond a million years..."

Dao Temple immortals and Vagrant Immortals referred to their status rather than their cultivation level.

"The former, it's as if they are blessed by the heavens, making longevity and cultivation much easier..."

"As for the latter, someone like 'Zhi Yun, the Vagrant Immortal', is a free-roaming Immortal."

"The various Divine Courts in the Divine Realm have influence over countless powerful beings in their territories, but none have such constraints derived from the rules of the universe itself," Li Yuan thought to himself, "This realm is quite bizarre."

In any case, Li Yuan was filled with apprehension.

"Alright, please come over here and leave your name on the 'Immortal Register'," the Bronze Puppet politely requested.

Li Yuan was led to a nearby location.

"Okay." Li Yuan nodded.

He had already sensed that the so-called Immortal Register was essentially an array that could sense and record his soul's aura, without the need to leave a soul imprint.

Immediately, Li Yuan left his Dao name, 'Seven Star', on the Immortal Register.

"From today onwards, I am Seven Star, the Demi-Immortal," Li Yuan entered the city.

...

Time passed.

With the identity of a 'Nascent Soul Demi-Immortal', Li Yuan rented a cave abode in Anshun City and then cautiously conducted his investigations.

Taverns, Dao Collection Halls, Treasure Markets, and the residences of various sects all bore traces of his presence.

In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.

Inside the Drunk Brilliance Dao Abode, Cave Abode Number 29, the internal space was approximately several square kilometers, and Li Yuan sat cross-legged in the center.

"According to the intelligence I've gathered..."

"The Star Deity cultivation system is likely this world's ancient era 'Star God System', which flourished in the primeval times," Li Yuan pondered, "According to the Dao Collection books, after the primeval times, the universe underwent great changes, the Star God System was severed, the Dao Court was established, ruling over the eight directions of the universe, and the Immortal Path rose to prominence, evolving over the long years until now. The so-called Star God physical body lineage has only left behind a small number of body cultivators."

The primeval era?

It was too distant in the past, and in the Dao Collection books Li Yuan had read, there were only a few records.

As for body cultivators, after such a long time, Li Yuan had indeed encountered many in Anshun City, and upon careful observation, they did have traces of the Star Deity System, and the star techniques they cultivated also shared similarities with the star techniques of the Divine Realm.

However, in Li Yuan's opinion, these body cultivators were too weak.

"These body cultivators have weak foundations."

"Their foundations are generally Three-star and Four-star Meridians... It's difficult enough to reach the fourth level of Demigod, let alone becoming a Void Deity." Li Yuan frowned, "It seems they don't have the conscious awakening of the Life Star."

Even so, the strength of body cultivators was already extremely powerful among cultivators of the same level in this realm.

After all, body cultivators had robust vitality and a higher comprehension of the laws of the realm.

Like fourth-level body cultivators (Demigods), their strength often surpassed Nascent Soul Completion, nearly reaching the level of fifth-level Earth Immortals.

However, body cultivators had an extremely difficult cultivation path, required a high comprehension of the laws, and due to not cultivating the Nascent Soul, their lifespans were even shorter... Therefore, the higher the level, the fewer body cultivators there were.

"According to the intelligence I purchased in the South Wind Pavilion, in the entire Anshun Marquisate territory, there are still many fourth-level body cultivators, but not a single fifth-level cultivator," Li Yuan thought to himself, "Fifth-level cultivators are basically all cultivators."

This left Li Yuan feeling a bit confused.

"The various sacred sects and factions in this realm have all been passed down from the primeval era."

"It's normal to have few body cultivators, but logically, the lineage shouldn't have been severed."

"It's as if an invisible giant hand has wiped away everything related to the ancient Star God System, even the cultivation methods of the Star God System are so scarce." Li Yuan could sense this.

Except for the few major sects in the Marquisate's residence, Li Yuan could easily infiltrate other areas... Ordinary array seals couldn't stop him.

However, Li Yuan still had his reservations, so he hadn't searched for more valuable information for the time being.

"But..."

"Previously, I had thought too highly of this Immortal Path Dynasty," Li Yuan recalled some of what he had seen and heard over the past month.

In many markets, countless mortal souls were being sold publicly, numbering in the millions.

There was also the sale of demon essence and human soul essences.

That's not all.

There were 'Blood Refining Artifacts' that specifically absorbed the souls and blood of countless lives, and they were openly sold without any hesitation, even in the official shops of the dynasty.

Even Li Yuan couldn't help but feel a hint of murderous intent rising within him, "Where is the great flourishing of the Immortal Path? Clearly, demonic traces are everywhere, not only in Anshun City and the royal family, but probably throughout the world."

"However, with such blatant actions, why haven't the sins of the world descended?" Li Yuan had many questions in his mind.

According to the information he had gathered from the Nascent Soul cultivators, Zhi Yun, the Vagrant Immortal's frenzied slaughter and consumption of countless mortals had already burdened him with heavy sins, reaching the level of 'Blood Shadow Sins'. The recent Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations had become extremely terrifying.

The Changyun Dynasty, while sending the Border Guard Army to hunt down major sinners, was also selling sinful artifacts, a rather contradictory act.

"Could it be related to the Radiant Dao Temple?" Li Yuan had to take on more responsibilities.

...

Inside the cave abode, with a thought, Li Yuan's consciousness entered the Ancient Divine Palace, and he sat cross-legged in the main hall, his mind conjuring a relevant Immortal Dao method, 'Thick Earth Divine Yuan True Manual'.

"After such a long time, I've gathered a lot of information..."

"But I still don't know the most crucial 'Ten Thousand Springs Void'," Li Yuan shook his head, "I'm afraid I'll have to join a higher-level faction to have any hope of understanding."

If he wanted to join a major faction, it would be easy to make mistakes if he solely relied on disguise.

Therefore, Li Yuan decided to try this Immortal Dao method and attempt dual cultivation.

'Thick Earth Divine Yuan True Manual' was the best cultivation method Li Yuan had purchased so far.

Even for some small families on the mainland, it was considered extremely high-level.

At its highest level, one could cultivate to the Earth Immortal stage.

"According to the information I've gathered now, it's not possible to dual cultivate both systems."

"I must give it a try!"

"Let's see if these two systems can be cultivated together.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end