I've never felt happy to become an immortal.

Chapter 243 When you're traveling, you have to give yourself your own identity.

That night.

Bai Xuan sat by the stream, closing his eyes to rest.

Now that his realm has broken through to the External Realm, his perception of this realm and his feelings about the outside world are completely different.

It is said that there are three major hurdles to overcome when ascending to the Heavenly Tower, and the most difficult one is the view from the outside.

Building a strong body and solid foundation is essential for physical fitness.
The essence of finger-pointing lies in mastering techniques and comprehending their underlying principles.

The exterior shots truly connect heaven and earth, like a mayfly seeing the vastness of the blue sky, or a frog at the bottom of a well leaping into a river.

Upon reaching the realm of external realms, one can mobilize a certain amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth to resonate with the world. For example, one can easily condense water vapor to create clean drinking water, or sense changes in the weather, such as whether it should rain or the temperature should drop.

This is merely the most superficial application.

Outdoor locations are also divided into different grades.

In ordinary landscapes, being able to ascend to the third heaven is already considered a qualification to enter the Star-Picking Realm.

However, when it comes to reaching for the stars, the higher you stand, the brighter and more dazzling the stars you pluck will be.

The differences in strength between the Star-Picking Realm achieved through breakthroughs in the Third Heaven, Sixth Heaven, and Ninth Heaven are quite obvious.

The term "half-master" roughly refers to those who, having only built a nine-story tower, rush to pluck stars and laurels; they were, in essence, awkward half-masters in their previous lives.

With each additional floor, the foundation becomes more solid, and the building grows taller.

Rumor has it that those at the fifth level of the Outer Realm are no weaker than those at the Half Sect level.

Nowadays, almost all the Grandmasters on the Earth Ranking have at least reached the sixth level of the Outer Realm; and those who can reach the ninth level of the Outer Realm are extremely rare.

Iron-Blooded Yama is already very strong, ranking among the top ten on the Human Ranking, but her cultivation level is only at the seventh level of the Outer Realm, which shows how difficult it is to reach the ninth level.

Bai Xuan calmed his internal energy slightly.

As they entered the outdoor area, the Frosty Heaven True Qi within their bodies underwent another qualitative change.

In less than ten days, he will be able to completely integrate his Frost Heaven True Qi with sword intent, transforming it all into Frost Heaven Sword Qi.

Bai Xuan currently possesses many types of sword intent, but in reality, only 'Moonlight' is compatible with Frosty Heaven True Qi. The Fu Guang sword intent, on the other hand, is an extreme Yang sword intent and cannot be well matched with Frosty Heaven True Qi.

The difference between the True Martial Way and the True Cultivation Way has also become apparent. It emphasizes a degree of compatibility, unlike Bai Xuan who used to be able to wield three thousand sword techniques with ease.

Fortunately, after entering the Outer Realm, it became easier to borrow the power of heaven and earth. When Bai Xuan was sunbathing, he would store more energy in the Fu Guang Sword Intent, so that he could release it directly as the Sun Fist or One-Finger Divine Skill.

In addition, he also faces a small problem.

That means the "Bright Moon Divine Skill" has reached its peak.

The outdoor scenes contain all the secrets of the Bright Moon Divine Skill that Bai Xuan obtained; Jiang Lianxing did not give him the parts beyond that.

Or perhaps she herself doesn't even know it.

The Bright Moon Divine Skill is a closely guarded secret of the Southern Tang royal family, but Jiang Lianxing's cultivation is stuck at the Finger Profound Realm and has not reached the Outer Realm, so she naturally cannot learn it. If she wants to obtain the Outer Realm version of the Bright Moon Divine Skill, she can only improve her cultivation as soon as possible or go directly to ask the Southern Chu Empress for it.

Who could have imagined that Bai Xuan would break through to the next realm so quickly, breaking through six realms in just a few months, leaping from Body Forging to Outer Realm.

Therefore, Bai Xuan's current cultivation technique has reached its peak.

But it doesn't matter.

He can deduce it himself.

That was the original plan.

Once Bai Xuan reached the Outer Realm and was able to connect with Heaven and Earth, he no longer needed anyone else to guide his cultivation path. After all, the true path of cultivation is broken in the first half, not the second half, much like a smartphone and a computer.

Smartphones are products that anyone can use right after buying them; they are completely assembled products. Computers are different. From computer parts to assembly, and then to installing the system and software, the whole process is very complicated. After all of this is done, you still need to run a network cable, plug in the computer keyboard, mouse, connect speakers and monitor, and only then can you start going online.

Zhenwu is like a smartphone, anyone can access the internet; computers have higher requirements, and without guidance or tutorials, one person simply cannot handle it, and may not even be able to buy computer parts, so what's the point of assembling a computer?
In the realm of outdoor photography, smartphones have undergone a complete transformation, becoming all-in-one devices. At this point, the computer is the phone, and the phone is the computer.

Although an all-in-one PC isn't a perfect match for a custom-built computer, it's still more than enough for Bai Xuan to operate with ease.

Too familiar.

As a result, Bai Xuan felt that his improvement speed would be even faster when he went to outdoor locations.

Yeah, how could it not be fast? They've already picked up their old accounts again.

If it weren't for the need to deduce the cultivation method and revise the Bright Moon Divine Skill, he could have directly advanced all the way to the third level of the Outer Realm.

As for why it's not the Fourth Heaven?

He is still exploring this area.

During the deduction process, I sensed some subtle bottlenecks and felt that certain key factors were missing. Simply relying on improving cultivation and empathizing with heaven and earth was not enough to cross the threshold from the third to the fourth heaven.

Don't be fooled by Bai Xuan's seemingly easy appearance; in reality, the three levels of the outdoor realm represent an exponential increase in strength with each advancement.

The reason why the difference in strength between realms is so obvious is that the level of realm directly determines the scope of the world that can be shared, and also means the extent to which the power of the world can be mobilized.

This is closely related to 'mental strength'.

Isn't this a coincidence?
It just so happens to be Bai Xuan's major.

Therefore, the reason he was able to reach the third level of the Exterior Realm in one leap was simply because he did not want to make too much of a fuss, and at the same time, he planned to solidify his foundation.

People drift in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, their fate beyond their control.

Footsteps sounded.

Bai Xuan turned around and saw that the mute woman had come over and indicated that it was time to eat.

Today's side dish is a very simple grilled fish. Bai Xuan only brought some rice and canned goods this time. He didn't bring any vegetables because they have a short shelf life. Dehydrated vegetables don't taste good, and he's not used to them. He originally thought he wouldn't be able to eat fresh meat, but it's like the mute girl has a cheat code. As long as there's a river nearby, she can catch fish every day.

You don't even need to open a can to eat it.

All you need to do is gather some firewood, take out the pressure cooker, and start a fire to cook rice.

It has been seven days since we left the small village.

The two had completely left the territory of Youzhou and were heading towards Chang'an.

Along the way, we encountered all sorts of people and got a glimpse of the scenery of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

To be honest, not very good.

Unlike the Southern Chu, the Northern Zhou Dynasty faced extremely difficult living conditions and a huge gap between the rich and poor.

The poor were poorly clothed, starving, emaciated, and had lifeless eyes.

In Southern Chu, at least one could study, and at the very least, there was a place to farm and support oneself; but in Northern Zhou, one needed land to farm, and the only way for the lower classes to rise was to join the army or a gang—and these two paths were actually the same.

The five major factions loomed over Northern Zhou like behemoths, monopolizing almost every industry and extending their reach to every corner of the land. It should be noted that all kinds of Jianghu gangs were originally rooted in the bottom of society, and they were shrouded in darkness from the moment they appeared.

The entire Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) of the Northern Zhou Dynasty was essentially a food chain.

Smaller gangs pay tribute to second- or third-rate martial arts sects, while first-rate martial arts forces protect the second- and third-rate sects below them. Members of the top five sects are rarely seen in the martial arts world and mostly remain completely hidden.

Bai Xuan was initially curious, but he only realized it after overhearing some people from the martial arts world chatting in a teahouse.

The members of these five major factions did not disappear, but rather held important positions in different government offices.

The Northern Zhou court appeared very authoritative, but its authority did not come from the court itself, but from the background of the officials.

Southern Chu was at least a normal feudal state, with everything it needed from top to bottom; Northern Zhou, on the other hand, was a martial arts alliance disguised as a state, or to put it more bluntly, a group of military-industrial complexes that held the entire north hostage.

It's no wonder that Gongsun Sheng of Youzhou refused to submit to the Northern Zhou court. He preferred to put the governor under house arrest in order to keep the military and political power of Youzhou in his own hands. He knew what kind of background the governor had.

Erzhu Tinglei of Huangji Mountain secretly lured the Youzhou garrison to massacre villages and plunder grain in order to open a breach in Youzhou and allow the forces of the five major sects to infiltrate.

Just walking on the street, looking and listening...

Bai Xuan was able to roughly judge the overall decadent situation of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

For over a decade, the Empress of Southern Chu diligently governed the country, paying particular attention to the people's livelihood. She connected the Xuanhu Sect and the Shenji Sect, promoted medical reforms and the dissemination of agricultural machinery. Although she slowed down her control over the martial arts world, she simultaneously established the Embroidered Uniform Guard to deter villains from the martial arts world, and the people benefited to varying degrees. The cost was that the court's control was insufficient, a considerable portion of the national strength was used for internal stability maintenance, and the imperial power could not suppress the thousand-year-old aristocratic families.

The Northern Zhou Dynasty was powerful because over 90% of the people's wealth was divided up by the court and the five major factions, maintaining a sustainable practice of exploiting the people to the point of exhaustion. This fostered the five major factions, which were gluttonous monsters with extremely strong war potential, at the cost of widespread suffering among the people.

Everyone was strapped to the war chariot.

This is very Prussian.

There's also one more thing.

The martial arts world in the Northern Zhou Dynasty was extremely competitive and rife with bloodshed.

Besides the five major sects and first-class forces, the lower-level martial arts sects often experience bloody conflicts.

Why do we say that the five major sects, the imperial court, and the top local martial arts forces don't care? Because no matter how these martial arts factions end up, they will all end up serving as their lackeys. The best outcome would be to join them and become a part of them.

Therefore, there's no need to worry about it; on the contrary, it can become a very good selection channel.

Even the disciples sent out by the five major sects for training are the same. Apart from the hereditary nobles who are born with special bloodlines, as long as they are not included in the Human Ranking, they are dead and no one cares or feels sorry for them.

"As we get closer to Chang'an, the surrounding area is becoming more and more prosperous."

After finishing dinner, Bai Xuan sighed slightly, "The danger is getting higher and higher."

Bai Xuan is gradually venturing into the heart of Northern Zhou, an act so audacious that it seems almost suicidal.

Although the headquarters of the five major sects are not in Luoyang or Chang'an, these two major cities are the heartland of Northern Zhou, the economic and political centers. There must be a large number of experts and spies from the five major sects gathered here, making it a place where all sorts of people gather.

Also due to the complex political structure of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the five major factions could not advance or retreat together, nor could they share intelligence.

Therefore, Bai Xuan was able to take advantage of the chaos and travel smoothly.

Ten days after leaving Youzhou.

Bai Xuan and the mute girl arrived in Chang'an.

Looking at the various wanted posters plastered on the city wall, several of them bore the names 'Bai Xuan', 'Xu Tingfeng', and 'Vermilion Bird Sword', and were accompanied by pictures.

The drawing accurately depicted Bai Xuan's features, which made Lao Deng regret that he shouldn't have taught him facial sketching in the first place.

Once they arrived at the gates of Chang'an, they would need to explain their identity and origin in order to enter the city.

"Who are you?" The guards at the city gate sized up the two men.

Bai Xuan raised his hand and showed a waist token. The next moment, the city gate guards immediately became respectful, quickly stepped aside, and whispered to the people around them, "Let them pass."

And so, he easily stepped into the heart of Northern Zhou territory.

When you go out, your identity is given by yourself...

In Southern Chu, the identity of a disciple of the Six Paths and Seven Sects is the most useful.
In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the identities of the five major factions were more useful.

and so……

Before leaving the small village, Bai Xuan took a waist tag belonging to Ouyang Qingfeng, which had a small green snake coiled around it.

Snake King Valley has arrived, get out of the way!

If Wan Huagu of the Great Poison Sect knew that Bai Xuan was swaggering into Chang'an using the identity of a disciple of Snake King Valley, one wonders what his reaction would be.

(End of this chapter)