Transcending two realms to become an earth immortal

Amidst the pool of blood in the dojo, Fang Chen slowly unfurled the scroll in his hand.

The scroll appears to be stained with ink, with a solitary mountain in the center. Its shape is precipitous, and its color is deep and dark, as if it has been stagnant for a thousand years, devoid of vegetation, with only boundless darkness, as if it has swallowed up all the light of the sky.

The mountain was shrouded in a thick, gray-black mist, swirling like living things, with the faint, mournful cries of night ghosts echoing through the air, chilling and piercing to the soul, sending shivers down one's spine.

At the foot of the painting, a strange tree is depicted. Its branches are twisted like a dragon, and its color is as pale as old, withered bones, while its leaves are dark red, like congealed, decaying blood. Scattered beneath the tree are mounds of white bones, in a chaotic mess.

Even more horrifying, hanging from the pale branches were human heads, men, women, young and old, their faces contorted in pain, moving slightly without wind, as if sinister laughter were emanating from the painting...

Deep within the fog, countless twisted ghostly figures could be vaguely seen swaying. There was not a single living creature among them; instead, the ghostly figures lurked in the dark corners, watching the passing creatures... Let alone mortals, even ordinary cultivators who strayed into this place would probably be devoured in an instant, leaving no trace of their bodies!

Fang Chen focused his gaze and the Black Mountain scene became clearer and clearer, as if he were actually there.

She could even faintly hear whispers, and the head on the white bone tree in her eyes seemed to come alive, emitting a silvery, charming laugh that was soft and seductive, captivating and mesmerizing.

My mind became distracted, and my gaze seemed to be gradually drawn away...

Om-!

At this very moment, deep within the spiritual platform, the three ancient seal characters representing Heaven, Earth, and Man suddenly shone brightly, piercing straight through the spiritual platform and awakening the soul!

Fang Chen shuddered violently, instantly regaining his senses, a cold sweat breaking out on his back.

Without hesitation, he clenched his five fingers and slammed the scroll shut!

Just gazing at it for a moment almost made him lose his composure and his soul be captured by it... The strangeness and eeriness of this painting far exceeded Fang Chen's imagination!

"Using blood as ink, resentment as scenery, connecting the netherworld, drawing souls... this object is likely a medium used to guide and locate the [Shadows of the Past]!" Fang Chen's expression was solemn. Combining his past knowledge, a guess suddenly arose: "The Black Mountain Prefecture depicted in this scroll is itself very likely a... [Shadows of the Past]!"

The Light and Shadow of the Old World are the underworld and ghost realm formed from the fragments of heaven and earth after the collapse of the Central Plains. Sealed within are the obsessions of all the immortals, demons, gods, ghosts, and countless sentient beings of the old world, as well as that indescribable terror.

Although it contains many opportunities such as ancient Taoist methods and spiritual secrets, it is also fraught with danger and unpredictable dangers at every turn.

Just like the drought-stricken ghost village we visited before, it was just an ordinary village that had become a ghost realm during a severe drought. Although it didn't have much spiritual energy, it was at least not very dangerous.

The Black Mountain depicted in the painting before us, with its eerie appearance just moments before, proves that this place is no ordinary earthly realm. It might even be a shadow of an ancient divine realm or a netherworld abode.

The level of danger there is incomparable to any remote, ghostly village!

"Although the dangers are considerable, the opportunities they contain are equally significant. In particular, the path of the Earth Immortals that I cultivate emphasizes seeking out sacred mountains, opening up grottoes, cultivating blessed lands, and ultimately ascending to the celestial realm. This path does have some similarities with the path of the Earth Deities, which governs mountains and rivers and regulates yin and yang."

Fang Chen's mind stirred, and his eyes gradually brightened:

"If one could step into this ancient realm of light and shadow, cleanse the eight hundred miles of demonic aura of Black Mountain, resolve the resentment of the demons and ghosts within, restore yin and yang, and completely transform this netherworld into a pure and orderly [Cave Heaven Realm]..."

"That lays an unparalleled foundation for the path of the Earthly Immortal, enabling one to create a transcendent and pure paradise even in this turbid and evil world!"

If one can truly achieve this, it is a supreme opportunity that leads directly to the fundamental path of the Earth Immortal, and one must not miss it!

"But this matter is also extremely dangerous." Fang Chen frowned. "To transform a dark and desolate place into a blessed land, one must possess great supernatural powers and magical abilities to move mountains and overturn seas."

"Not to mention that we are now living in this degenerate age, where spiritual energy is corrupted and calamities are frequent. There are countless demons and monsters, and even more calamities befall heaven and earth. To do this would not only bring natural disasters, but also demonic calamities and human calamities..."

Reflecting on his situation, Fang Chen felt even more frustrated.

If the divine power of the Kunlun Mirror that accompanied him through his transmigration had been fully restored, and it could carry his physical body across the two realms, he would have long since escaped this filthy, degenerate world, seeking a peaceful place to devote himself to the pursuit of enlightenment.

However, he has only developed the path of transforming himself into another self. Although he can travel to other realms, he can only transmit the spiritual origin, divine thoughts, true spirit, and even the intangible Daoist essence. He cannot take away this physical body at all.

Thus, his true form was trapped in this turbid and evil world, unable to move.

Fang Chen had originally envisioned that his true spirit would first travel to another realm, and after reaching the highest position, he would return to the turbid world to carry his physical body to transcend and ascend.

However, this turbid world is destined to be filled with tribulations, and every time a cultivator breaks through a realm, they will face a crazy backlash.

If Fang Chen were to break through to new heights in another realm, causing his physical body to develop profound mysteries, then this turbid world would unleash an immeasurable calamity, corrupting his physical body into an indescribable terror, forcibly drawing his true spirit back, and perhaps even using this to compete with him for the right to possess the divine object, the Kunlun Mirror!

Therefore, Fang Chen had to turn back after each breakthrough.

Now, not only must they compete for opportunities and resources in the Pure Spirit World, but they must also find a way to create and cultivate a Pure Land in this filthy and evil world, a place sufficient to protect their true form and withstand calamities...

"Sigh!" Fang Chen sighed softly, "Having lived two lives, I truly have never had a moment of peace."

With a slight sigh, Fang Chen turned back to the Zhengyang Dojo without further hesitation.

At this very moment, the Three Immortals are using their magic to move stones, clear the ground, and repair the cracks in the temple.

Upon seeing Fang Chen return, he nodded slightly, took the heavy bags of spirit coins and legal tender stained with the stench of blood, and scanned them with his divine sense to know the quantity inside.

"The harvest is considerable, but most of it must be used to pay the blood tax, and the remainder may not be enough." The Three-Headed Immortal put away the spirit money, his tone low. "Also, the temple suffered heavy losses this time, and rebuilding it is a complicated matter. We will need your assistance, Chen'er."

"I am aware of that." Fang Chen nodded slightly.

"Thank you for waiting. There's more..." The Three Immortals paused, then continued, "Mingjun's Dao foundation was severely damaged, and his soul was on the verge of collapse. He had no choice but to take the only remaining [Rejuvenation Pill] in his Dao and go into seclusion to forcibly cultivate the [Yin-Yang Rebirth Nirvana Secret Technique]."

Upon hearing this, Fang Chen's heart sank.

He also had some understanding of this technique, which was extremely dangerous. It involved attempting to break through the Yin-Yang barrier in a near-death state. If it failed, the soul and spirit would be destroyed. If it succeeded, the Yin would give rise to Yang, allowing one to break into the Yin God realm in one fell swoop and potentially undergo a complete transformation. It was a life-or-death struggle with a nine-out-of-ten chance of survival.

"Then what about those three from before..." Fang Chen asked, recalling the events involving Wuchang, the White Lotus Cult Leader, and the Witchcraft Clan Chief, "What brings them here this time?"

The three masters remained silent for a moment, and the surrounding yin energy seemed to freeze.

He slowly raised his head, gazing at the hazy sky outside the temple, his voice low and deep:

"Their journey is both a warning and a plea for help. For our Dao City will soon face... the [Dao Realm Demonic Tribulation]!"