A journey of survival starting from Zhetian

Chapter 614 The Opportunity Has Ended
The Taiyin Emperor slightly focused his mind, looked at the mountain stele in front of him, and murmured softly, "I remember that Mount Funiu is a relatively famous sacred mountain in the ancient primordial star."

He slowly raised his head, gazing at the stars arrayed in the sky, and probed his consciousness into the [Spirit Realm]. He used the Taiyin Immortal Dao Law to connect with the laws of heaven and earth, while simultaneously operating various methods of celestial divination to calculate and probe for information from the past.

“I am indeed currently located on the Primordial Ancient Star in the Primordial Starfield. As I expected, the ley lines of this divine mountain are connected to the ley lines of Kunlun Mountain to a certain extent. The Emperor forged the Immortal Cauldron on the main peak of Kunlun. The cauldron I entered may be a projection of the Immortal Cauldron left on the Primordial Ancient Star?”

"Wait, something seems off about the celestial arrangement of the stars." The Taiyin Emperor's expression changed, gradually revealing a hint of disbelief. "According to the celestial phenomena, only about a hundred years have passed since I survived the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation?!"

In order to solidify his cultivation foundation as much as possible, and also to comprehend the Taiyin Immortal Dao Law hidden deep within heaven and earth, and to make up for the deficiencies in the Immortal Dao Law of his own Taiyin Immortal Body, it took him nearly ten thousand years to advance from the third level of Quasi-Emperor to the ninth level of Quasi-Emperor.

He attempted to probe the Great Dragon of the Spine into the Immortal Platform, attaining a different kind of enlightenment. Then, he gradually and perfectly integrated the five secret realms, allowing the Taiyin Immortal Dao Law to permeate the human body and the universe. He stood at the pinnacle of humanity while possessing the combat power of a true immortal. He also spent nearly ten thousand years slowly refining himself.

He adjusted the "Longevity Essence Transformation Method," a technique that had spread throughout the universe, to make it compatible with his own Taiyin Immortal Dao Law. He stayed in that cauldron for 25,000 years, nearing the end of his 30,000-year lifespan.

After living out his second life, he spent 60,000 years completely in that place where his future cultivation and spiritual attainment could be reflected, focusing intently on deducing the method to live out his third life, and finally entering a 20,000-year-long transformation of life and death.

It took him over a hundred thousand years to live through three lifetimes on his own, gaining combat power close to that of a mid-stage True Immortal. But once he escaped and returned to the starry sky, all the methods of divination told him that only about a hundred years had passed.
A sense of disillusionment instantly arose in the mind of the Taiyin Emperor. Looking back on the years he had spent in arduous cultivation, it seemed like a dream, a bubble, devoid of reality.

"The flow of time within that cauldron is completely different from that of the universe and the starry sky, almost a hundred times faster. The laws of heaven and earth presented are also extremely clear, and it even reflects the path I may take in the future. How did they manage to do that?"

"Looking back now, it feels like I was in a separate universe, detached from all things in the world."

"An emperor, with only a wisp of projection remaining on an ancient star, can accomplish such an incredible feat?"

After a few moments of distraction, he gradually regained his composure and realized that he seemed to have gained some subtle insights that existed between existence and non-existence. He slightly raised his hand, and a talisman flowing with silvery moonlight and carrying his true spiritual aura materialized from nothingness and was held in his palm.

[Divine Talisman: Rank 7 - Earth Deity - Star]

Wisps of information light flickered deep within consciousness, and countless forces of faith born and roaming in the universe, along with various powers carrying traces of faith, continuously came into view with its assistance. Even the Heavenly Heart Imprint, which was still in the origin of the universe and slowly dissipating the laws of the Imperial Way, became visible to the naked eye because of the faith power that lingered within it.

"Based on the information I have so far, as long as I use this talisman to enter this cultivation system, although I will not have an endless lifespan like a true immortal who has attained the Dao Fruit, as long as my faith has not been extinguished, the heavens and earth have not brought down calamities, and I have not encountered the catastrophe of the destruction of the universe, my lifespan will be nearly a hundred million years, which is extremely long."

"This is the Dao Register belonging to the human realm within the 'Ordination Method'?" The Taiyin Emperor's eyes revealed a look of surprise. "The method of the Probability Era is so uniquely advantageous in terms of lifespan, allowing human beings to live for such a long time?"

He was not moved in the slightest by his lifespan of nearly 100 million years.

Although the universe is currently shrouded in the end of Dharma, and ordinary human beings have a lifespan of only ten thousand years before attaining the ultimate Dao, there are still many and abundant ways to extend one's lifespan.

The simplest way is to accumulate merit and virtue.

When one's accumulated Xuanhuang merit reaches a certain level and one possesses the cultivation level of Immortal II, one can ascend to the Nine Heavens on the spot. With the abundant immortal substances and longevity essence within, ordinary Immortal II cultivators can also enjoy a lifespan of millions of years.

Of course, if one comes from a certain major immortal sect, as long as one possesses the corresponding talisman, one can stay in the Nine Heavens for a long time, or even forever, regardless of one's cultivation level.

For example, the Dongxuan Sect, which possesses the inheritance of emperors, allows one to become a disciple simply by picking up the token representing oneself. This allows one to open the immortal gate to Yuyu Heaven at any point in the Dongxuan Starfield and stay there permanently.

Those who are destined to become immortals in the mortal world can use their own profound merits to exchange for elixirs that extend their lifespan on certain platforms in the [Spirit Realm].

Just like the Taiyin Emperor, during the period when he was refining himself as one of the Six Great Sages of Immortality, he consumed dozens of different types and levels of longevity pills, forcibly breaking the ten-thousand-year lifespan limit. Before even undergoing the Quasi-Emperor Tribulation, he already possessed a lifespan of sixteen thousand years.

When his cultivation reached the third level of Quasi-Emperor and he possessed the incomplete Taiyin Immortal Body with the Taiyin Immortal Dao Laws, he could live for 20,000 years at the Quasi-Emperor level. As long as he took good care of himself and did not suffer any incurable Dao injuries, he would have no problem at all.

By completing the incomplete Taiyin Immortal Dao Laws within the Taiyin Immortal's body, he will stand at the pinnacle of humanity and become the successor of the current emperor. His lifespan will naturally be extended to 30,000 years. If he has the opportunity to consume some immortal pills at the True Immortal level that can extend lifespan, adding another 5,000 years to his lifespan would not be a problem.

Moreover, various methods for living out a second, third, and even fourth life are passed down throughout the world. Almost every sacred land that has been passed down from the mythical era to the present day has a complete set of transformation methods that offer a chance to live to the fourth life. If needed, one can also consume Xuanhuang Merit to obtain the corresponding method in the [Spirit Realm].

Therefore, what touched the Taiyin Emperor was certain system rules and logic within this talisman, that "law" and "principle" that extended the lifespan of human beings.

After a brief inquiry, he hesitated slightly, "It's still about self-awareness. They believe they should live, and therefore, anchored by the power of faith and the laws of heaven and earth, they will surely continue to exist. In the beginning was the Word, and God was one with the Word?"

"After being ordained, deities are essentially able to coexist with heaven and earth. Human beings can only live for nearly a hundred million years because of the problem of maintaining their own divine hearts. When the power of faith in the gods dries up and the divine heart collapses, the understanding of oneself can no longer be maintained, and it will be inevitable that the gods in the world will cease to exist."

The Taiyin Emperor, sensing the information presented to him within the talisman, froze slightly. "In other words," he thought, "if the divine heart is shaken, even a god who has only lived a thousand years after being ordained may immediately 'end their lifespan' and disappear from the world. This 'divine heart' seems to be regarded as the 'Dao heart,' but shouldn't the 'Dao heart' be reborn from annihilation, re-enacting its glory in ruins?"

"Seizing the Heavenly Heart Mark to lay the foundation for becoming an Immortal King is another matter. After the saying 'only two or three people can become immortals in one lifetime' came out, it involved too many aspects of the game. But if one's own 'Dao Heart' is not broken two or three times, and an invincible will is not born in endless trials, how can one ascend to immortality in the mortal world under the suppression of the Dharma-ending Age?"

"The 'divine heart' of the Probability Era seems a bit too fragile. I wonder if it was right or wrong to cultivate the 'Ordination Method' as well."

The Taiyin Emperor recalled the corresponding insights gained from transforming into the light of a Quasi-Immortal Emperor, hoping to find the answer within. However, it was like trying to see flowers through fog, difficult to clearly reveal, as if he had once understood it, but the corresponding insights had been personally sealed and severed. He could sense certain correct directions to move forward in the darkness, but he still needed to deduce the specific methods step by step.

The Taiyin Emperor gripped the divine talisman in his hand, his brow furrowed, and he muttered to himself, "I must have forgotten the corresponding insights. My current cultivation is too weak. Possessing the insights of the Emperor's Light that arises from the body might create certain cognitive barriers for me, and those insights may not necessarily be correct?"

She sighed softly, no longer dwelling on the confusion and hesitation in her heart that were like a tangled ball of yarn, impossible to unravel or cut.

The Taiyin Emperor gazed into the distance from Mount Funiu, where a vast human city stood. The streets were ablaze with lights at night, and fireworks bloomed in the sky. Children, the elderly, women, and young adults alike cheered and celebrated with abandon.

A gentle spring breeze swept by, carrying snowflakes that were glowing red from the lights of countless homes, scattering them from the sky to accompany the fireworks.

The Taiyin Emperor was slightly taken aback, then revealed his understanding, "All things are renewed. Another year has passed."

"Perhaps I should travel to ancient planets and other ancient life-bearing planets to experience the hustle and bustle of the mortal world. After all, what I want to achieve in the future is to become a mortal immortal. Not only do I need to live nine lifetimes, but the 'Dao Heart' of a 'mortal immortal' also needs to be found in the mortal world."

He put away the divine talisman he was clutching tightly in his hand and strolled step by step toward the great city filled with the aroma of smoke and fire.

On the summit of Mount Funiu behind him, an old man and a young Taoist priest watched the emperor's figure gradually disappear into the distance, each with a different expression.

After the Taiyin Emperor entered the city, the Star Pattern Daoist looked at the old man in front of him and asked softly, "Master, why erase his understanding of the King Realm? Even if there are problems with this understanding, with the corresponding reference, he should be able to ascend to immortality in the mortal world more quickly, overcome the tribulations of the rules of the heavens, attain the Dao Fruit of the Immortal King, and even open up his own cultivation system."

Lao Jun calmly said, "Because of this cause and effect from the Probability Era, and the entanglements spanning countless years, he cannot bear it. More importantly, the rules and logic based on the 'Ordination Method' are more harmful than beneficial to beings who have not yet attained the Dao Fruit of Quasi-Immortal Emperor."

"If you don't want to disappear without a trace, if you don't want to leave only a fleeting shadow on the river of time after a certain moment, when practicing the 'Ordination Method' in this era, you must ensure that your 'existence' and 'awareness of order' are stronger than the 'chaos' and 'uncertainty' that arise from them."

The young Daoist with star patterns replied respectfully, "Thank you for your explanation, Master. I understand."

Then, the Star-Patterned Daoist looked at the Taiyin Emperor's figure in the city, and then at the kings fighting in the [Spirit Realm], and said with a hint of envy, "The wind leaves patterns, the water leaves traces. Having experienced the birth of imperial light, even if the corresponding insights are erased, the chance of cultivating the birth of imperial light in the future will be much greater than that of other immortal kings."

"Master, it seems you have a high opinion of this emperor who walks the path of Taiyin. However, he was able to forge a King-level Dao Fruit that is close to the Quasi-Immortal Emperor realm with just a fragment and those illusory future Dao Fruits. That is worthy of your high regard."

As Laozi's alchemy attendant, Xingwen naturally understood the targets of the kings' conquests in the Spirit Realm, and the insights that could be gained beyond the king realm after a successful conquest. Similarly, he knew that these insights beyond the king realm were significantly and drastically reduced due to the nature of king-level beings.

Even the most fragmented, subtle, and insignificant insights of a Celestial Emperor cannot be absorbed by a being at the King Realm without special treatment.

The difference in their levels of life experience is so vast that it's impossible to even make a comparison.

Once abridged, it will inevitably no longer be the "original" thing. These fragments of insight will be "incomplete," making it impossible to trace back to the end of the road, or even fully touch the realm of the supreme beings' imperial path.

If one possesses the corresponding talent, it is possible to open one's own path and reach the King Realm, where one's body radiates imperial light, through endless trials. These "insights at the end of the path" are valuable resources that can save one's cultivation time, fill gaps in one's foundation, and even increase one's probability of attaining the supreme Dao Ancestor.

However, without the corresponding talent, no matter how much "insights" they absorb, they cannot develop their own cultivation system. At most, they can only follow the path and become "gatekeepers" of the Quasi-Immortal Emperor realm. They are in the same league as those Dark Quasi-Immortal Emperors who absorb dark matter to prove their supreme realm and can be swept away by supreme Dao Ancestors of the same realm.

The Star-Patterned Child was very self-aware and knew that he was not one of those geniuses who could forge their own path.

Therefore, he chose the "Spiritual Root Method" branch pioneered by Ancestor Yunding, hoping to accumulate boundless origins and possess the combat power of an unparalleled Dao Ancestor in the distant future.

Lao Jun shook his head slightly, "The Dao Ancestor's fortune in this era is divided into three parts. The Heavenly Emperor occupies one part, and the future two parts of the Dao Ancestor's fortune are uncertain, but the probability that this Taiyin Emperor will be able to attain the Dao is extremely low."

"Whether he lives up to my expectations depends on the future. We'll see if he can still open up his own sixth secret realm and become a Dao Ancestor who has created his own path even without the great fortune of the era."

"He has exhausted all the opportunities he could have gained from me."

(End of this chapter)