The five great realms—Mortal-Shedding, Spirit-Treasury, Sky-Mastery, Nirvana, and Deathless Longevity—clearly delineated the power of the world's strong. Only those who entered these five realms could truly be called experts. Mortal-Shedding was a watershed, a heavenly moat that barred the vast majority from entry.
Yet, were not Spirit-Treasury, Sky-Mastery, Nirvana, and Deathless Longevity themselves insurmountable chasms? Even if one crossed into the Mortal-Shedding realm and comprehended the true essence of cultivation, four more heavenly moats lay ahead.
Thus, the disparity in strength between the five realms was immense. Few could overcome an expert from a higher realm. Moreover, even within the same realm, the gap between a novice and a peak practitioner was vast.
Consequently, people further subdivided each realm into nine tiers—the Nine Heavenly Tiers. Mortal-Shedding, Spirit-Treasury, Sky-Mastery, Nirvana, and Deathless Longevity each had nine levels.
Five realms! Nine tiers per realm! The summit of the Nine-Five Supremacy, ascending to the peak of Deathless Longevity—this was the ultimate state every cultivator dreamed of. But through the ages, how many had truly achieved it?
By this classification, Xiao Chen had already stepped into the Mortal-Shedding realm. After learning the details of the five realms, he was filled with emotion.
Among these five realms, those who had attained Deathless Longevity rarely appeared in the world. For most, they were mere legends. Cultivators at the Nirvana realm struggled through the deadly pass; they were even rarer in the eyes of common folk, their traces almost impossible to find. Practitioners of these two realms scarcely set foot in the mortal world.
In a sense, experts at the Sky-Mastery realm were the truly fearsome figures. They could command the void, fly through the air, control the forces of heaven and earth, and wield myriad divine powers. They could sweep away nearly any obstacle, and thus were called semi-gods.
Xiao Chen had witnessed the battle between the fallen angel and the holy light dragon. They were existences of this level! Of course, though such beings were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns, the strongest among them surpassed even this realm. As the old legends said, these ancient races were the close branches of the gods.
However, while semi-gods could be seen in the World of Immortality, they rarely acted. Their power was too great, capable of crushing almost any resistance. When they did fight, it was a continent-shaking, fierce battle. The presence of a semi-god often intimidated an entire region, their deterrent effect greater than actual combat.
In comparison, Spirit-Treasury realm experts were closer to the world, and people had opportunities to witness their battles. Thus, to mortals, Spirit-Treasury cultivators were the warriors of combat.
Among the five realms, if one spoke of activity, undeniably it was the Mortal-Shedding practitioners. For many young prodigies had stepped into this domain, and with a younger generation active within it, it was naturally the most vibrant. They were the closest to the mortal world.
Yan Qingcheng and Rand had reached the third or fourth tier of Mortal-Shedding, having leaped across the first heavenly moat. They were rare young experts and had every right to be proud.
“Deathless Longevity… how every cultivator dreams of it!” Xiao Chen sighed.
“In our eyes, Deathless Longevity is an unconquerable peak,” Yizhen the monk said, seeming lost in thought. “But perhaps in the eyes of those who have transcended death, it is merely a new starting point. Perhaps they pursue the vast, lost, ancient mythological world.”
Xiao Chen knew little of the World of Immortality’s past and did not concern himself with it. What he truly wanted to know was the fate of those who had shattered the void from the Mortal World and ascended here.
Dugu Qiubai—a sword in hand, he dominated the world, sweeping across the six directions—where was he now and what realm had he reached? Shi Feixuan, the celestial maiden with autumn-water spirit and jade bones—where was she now? Wan Wan, the bewitching enchantress who embodied the world’s spiritual wisdom, with a spirit as nimble as an elf—where had she gone?
And so many more…
Yizhen had already left. The three skeletons were no longer dazed; they lazily moved their joints. The King of Hell even performed a complete three-sixty-degree flip on a whim, showing no trace of their earlier foolishness.
Xiao Chen had intended to leave this area, but his keen senses told him that several cultivators were approaching. Killing intent crept toward him—someone seemed to be stalking him!
It was all because of the companion dragon. There were claw prints of a young dragon nearby, and every expert who entered this region wanted to claim the legendary dragon king. Thus, they slaughtered each other.
Xiao Chen sneered. This kind of business was not worth his personal involvement. With the three skeletons, he quickly retreated, drawing the pursuers toward the waterfall, letting Yan Qingcheng and Rand engage them.
The primeval forest was thick and verdant, and it was easy to shake off trackers. Nearing the destination, he and the three skeletons flashed a few times and vanished into the jungle.
The young dragon’s claw prints were denser in this area. Soon, five cultivators encountered Yan Qingcheng and Rand. Xiao Chen stood atop a tall ancient tree in the distance, catching glimpses of a light blade formed from energy sweeping through every obstacle in the forest. Then, a massive primal dragon formed of energy leaped up, roaring and writhing as it clashed with the blade.
This seemed to be a battle between spellmasters!
Xiao Chen did not really believe that a spellmaster’s power came from gods. He was more inclined to think that these ancient incantations were wondrous sonic techniques that resonated with the qi of heaven and earth, summoning power for the caster’s use. Of course, this was merely his own conjecture.
The fight was fierce. With a thunderous roar, several bolts of violet lightning danced wildly through the woodland, shattering a wide swath of trees! Then, countless light blades rained down like a meteor shower through the forest near the waterfall, tearing apart fallen leaves and snapping timber.
Lightning flashed; an entire section of forest was half destroyed. Several figures flickered in and out of view—four or five cultivators were jointly battling Rand while Yan Qingcheng stood by, yet to make a move.
The sounds of battle drew more cultivators, who watched from the sidelines with greedy eyes.
"Roooar..."
A tremendous dragon roar erupted not far away, the ear-splitting sound waves shaking the mountain forest, sending leaves cascading down. The terrifying sonic booms frightened forest birds into frantic flight, and countless beasts fled in panic, throwing the area into chaos.
A primal dragon had been disturbed. It was very close—less than a li away, inside a certain valley.
Fighting near the waterfall ceased at once. The three factions withdrew in three directions, vanishing swiftly into the forest. The primal dragon did not charge over; it roared a few times and then fell silent. The expected catastrophe did not come.
But Xiao Chen’s mind turned. If he left this place, he would have to pass by that valley. Perhaps he should go see the primal dragon’s situation. There might be a pleasant surprise.
The valley was not very wide—less than a square kilometer. Inside, trees were sparse, with only a dozen or so ancient giants standing. The rest of the ground had been trampled hard and bare by the dragon, not a blade of grass growing.
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