Chapter 168: Realm Divisions
After the monk departed, Chen Chang'an leisurely strolled to the tofu stall.
"Auntie Wang, a piece of tender tofu." He tapped the wooden board with a smile, "Freshly made, please."
"Well now, Master Chen!" Wang Sanniang's face lit up when she saw him. She skillfully sliced a large piece of snow-white tofu, "Finally come to grace my stall! Where've you been making your fortune all these days?"
Chen Chang'an accepted the tofu, handing over a few copper coins: "Just traveled a bit, saw the world."
"I say, your fortune-telling skills should take you to the capital!" Wang Sanniang chattered while making change, "Just yesterday, some young lady came asking about you, said she was..."
She paused abruptly, letting out a puzzled "Hm?" as she rubbed her arm: "Strange, I felt chilled all over just now, but now..."
Chen Chang'an pretended not to hear, sniffing the tofu: "Auntie Wang's craftsmanship keeps improving."
"Of course!" Wang Sanniang proudly flipped her hair, then suddenly lowered her voice, "Master Chen, didn't that monk seem... sinister?"
"Buddhist practitioners can be rather mysterious." Chen Chang'an laughed it off, turning to leave, "I'll come back another day for your gossip."
Back at his divination stall, Chen Chang'an glanced around. Seeing no one watching, he suddenly opened his palm toward Ah Li's direction—
A dark golden Buddhist imprint materialized, still faintly warm.
"Indeed connected to Monk Miaohua." He narrowed his eyes, "Identical technique."
Without looking up, Ah Li hooked her finger. The Buddhist imprint floated to her stall. She studied it for a moment before scoffing: "Salvation Rebirth Seal. Useful for exorcising ghosts and demons, but if used on ordinary mortals..."
Her fingertip flicked. The imprint twisted, transforming into a wisp of golden light that dissipated.
"Mortals struck by this seal suffer severe illness for three months at best, or..." She paused, "sudden death within days."
Chen Chang'an's brow twitched: "So vicious?"
He clenched his fists, knuckles turning white.
These bald donkeys dare cause trouble in Immortal Spirit City—they must be tired of living...
"Going to meddle?" Ah Li suddenly looked up, watching him with a half-smile.
Chen Chang'an composed himself, cupping his hands with a smile: "Last time, you mentioned them. You seem quite knowledgeable? Perhaps share some insights?"
Ah Li snorted softly. After a moment of silence, as if gathering her thoughts, she suddenly asked: "Have you heard of the Supreme Salvation Profound Chapter?"
Chen Chang'an shook his head. Beyond the few techniques obtained through check-ins, he knew nothing of this.
Fortunately, Ah Li didn't expect him to know. She continued: "Even if you don't know the Supreme Salvation Profound Chapter, Master Chen is a cultivator. You must know the major cultivation realms, yes?"
Chen Chang'an nodded. This he certainly knew—the system always explained techniques in detail from start to finish.
Chen Chang'an said: "Object Control, Profound Comprehension, Return to Origin, Longevity, Heavenly Human, Saint Realm—six realms."
Ah Li nodded again: "Then does Master Chen know why these six realms?"
Chen Chang'an shook his head once more. This entered his blind spot.
Seeing Chen Chang'an's ignorance, Ah Li showed no surprise. She simply toyed with a bronze bell on her stall. Though soundless, faint spiritual light flowed within it.
Then she spoke slowly:
"The six cultivation realms, though considered common knowledge among cultivators today, secretly align with the ancient Daoist path: 'Refining Essence into Qi, Qi into Spirit, Spirit into Void, Void into Dao.'"
---
Object Control Realm—Cultivators here initially connect with heaven and earth's spiritual energy, able to control objects telekinetically, retrieve items from afar, and strike enemies with flying swords. Though seemingly ordinary, this corresponds to the initial stage of 'Refining Essence into Qi.'
Cultivators must condense their body's essence into true yuan before manipulating external objects. If this foundation is unstable, future cultivation becomes like building a tower on sand—destined to collapse.
---
Profound Connection Realm—With abundant true yuan, cultivators begin comprehending heaven and earth's mysteries. They can cast talismans, formations, and even briefly borrow heaven and earth's power. This aligns with 'Qi into Spirit.'
Cultivators must fuse true yuan with their divine soul, allowing spiritual energy to flow like an extension of their limbs. Many spend their lives stuck here because they never truly 'establish profound connection'—merely borrowing spiritual power without understanding its principles.
---
Ah Li paused before continuing: "Return to Origin Realm—Cultivators here can return to their fundamental nature, with true yuan flowing endlessly. Their every gesture can trigger heaven and earth phenomena. This corresponds to the initial stage of 'Spirit into Void.'"
Cultivators must refine their divine soul to 'unbending in emptiness, increasingly active in motion,' allowing their true yuan to resonate with heaven and earth. Only at this stage do cultivators truly step onto the path of cultivation.
---
Chen Chang'an pondered thoughtfully.
No wonder the system always emphasized that Return to Origin Realm was the first major threshold on the cultivation path.
---
Longevity Realm—Cultivators' lifespans increase dramatically, living thousands of years with indestructible bodies and undying souls. This corresponds to the perfected stage of 'Spirit into Void.'
Cultivators must refine their divine soul to 'ultimate emptiness and profound stillness,' bringing both body and soul to a near-eternal state. But longevity isn't immortality—merely a drastic slowing of aging.
---
Ah Li's eyes flickered with mockery: "Many cultivators believe reaching Longevity Realm means living as long as heaven and earth, yet they don't realize... this is merely the starting point of true longevity."
She abruptly changed direction: "Heavenly Human Realm—Cultivators here touch the edges of laws, able to briefly alter local heaven and earth rules. This corresponds to the initial stage of 'Void into Dao.'"
Cultivators must grasp a trace of heavenly dao's true meaning, becoming part of heaven and earth's laws. At this stage, their every gesture carries immense power, but they also begin suffering heavenly dao's backlash.
---
"As for the Saint Realm..." Ah Li considered, then said softly, "Cultivators here nearly achieve 'union with dao,' capable of reshaping mountains and rivers with a single thought at full power. But strictly speaking, the Saint Realm remains the pinnacle of the 'refining void' stage, not true 'union with dao.'"
---
She suddenly locked eyes with Chen Chang'an: "Do you know why breaking through the Saint Realm has been nearly impossible since ancient times?"
Chen Chang'an's heart skipped a beat.
"Because above the Saint Realm lies the Immortal Venerable Realm." Ah Li's voice suddenly turned ethereal, "This is the true 'Void into Dao' realm. Cultivators must completely merge themselves into the heavenly dao while preserving their individual consciousness. Only then do they truly live as long as heaven and earth."
---
Chen Chang'an contemplated briefly before asking: "Thank you for clarifying, Miss Ah Li. But how does this knowledge relate to the Supreme Salvation Profound Chapter?"
Ah Li smiled lightly: "The difficulty of achieving 'union with dao' blocks nearly all cultivators at this chasm. But you—there's actually a shortcut to breaking through to the Immortal Venerable Realm beyond the Saint Realm."
"A shortcut?"
"Indeed... and that is—Merit!"
...
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 8 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 64 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/Alex_Cruise