Infiltrating the righteous path? Just another place to be a sycophant.

Hao Jian laughed heartily, looking at Lu An with the kind of look one might give someone with intellectual disabilities, clearly neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his statement.

"The sun, moon, and stars are not large. They surround our world, and their size is like a disc with two small dots, one large and one small."

This is definitely flat-Earth theory.

"They spin around and around like tops, and can only illuminate about half of our world, so this place is daytime, and the other side of the world is darkness."

Lu An thought of a rotating light bulb.

Wow, this seems to explain why the sun can separate day and night according to the flat-Earth theory.

"If that's the case, then how are spring, summer, autumn, and winter distinguished?"

"The sun and moon do not always revolve in a circle. Their orbits sometimes expand and sometimes shrink. The temperature varies from place to place, and the energy released by the sun and moon at different times of the day also varies, which is why the seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter are formed."

After thinking about it, it seems to make some sense, but it doesn't seem quite logical either.

"Ascension means breaking through this barrier and going to a higher world. In the description of the patriarch, the Immortal Realm is another world similar to ours, only with stronger energy and a higher cultivation limit."

"If that's the case, then compared to other places, does this place also belong to the Upper Realm...?" Lu An thought of a possibility.

So, is Earth the upper or lower realm of this world?

Earth, lacking and devoid of spiritual energy, must belong to the lower realm, right?

However, the mastery of technology seems to belong to a higher realm.

“That’s right, it’s possible. Our place might also be considered a higher realm by other worlds,” Hao Jian nodded and said.

So Lu An asked curiously, "Do people from the lower realms come up and then ascend to higher realms?"

"I don't know, but it seems like no one has ever encountered such a person, and no one has ever noticed this situation."

"Moreover, such people usually hide themselves. However, there have indeed been some exceptionally talented individuals in history who possessed martial arts techniques that no other school or sect had ever had before."

"They cultivate using a strange and unique method, which is neither righteous nor demonic, yet it conforms to the Way of Heaven. They are exceptionally talented individuals, and their origins are unknown. Some believe they are reincarnations of powerful beings from the upper realm, while others believe they are strong individuals from the lower realm who have undergone tribulation to ascend."

"They just came up from their tribulation, could they be at the Qi Refining stage?"

"Not necessarily. According to some predecessors, the upper limit of cultivation is different in each world. Some people may start at the Qi Refining stage, but they may also be at the Golden Core stage, Nascent Soul stage, or Spirit Division stage."

"Just like if we were to ascend to the upper realm, it would be different. We wouldn't immediately rise from the bottom of that world. We might be at the lower-middle level, or at the middle level, or if we were lucky, at the upper level."

"But everyone says that after passing the tribulation, one ascends to the immortal realm."

"What celestial realm or not? That's just a nice way of putting it. Besides, I've also heard that everyone's ascension to a completely different world."

"What does it mean that everyone ascends to a completely different world?"

Lu An was stunned. How could there be such a saying?

Isn't the world that everyone ascends to the same?

"It means that there are many passages in this world that lead to many other worlds, and the upper realm that each person ascends to, also known as the Immortal Realm, is completely different."

Hao Jian said slowly.

"Some people ascend to a higher realm that is a world where killing reigns supreme, where one proves one's path through strength, and there is no chance given to anyone. Once you enter, it's all about killing, killing, killing."

"But in some people's world, there is perfect peace, where everyone is friendly and helps each other in order to break through the next barrier, just like a real fairyland."

"Even more strange is the world that some ascend to, which is full of bizarre things, with all sorts of strange things, such as octopuses with many eyes, a world full of living dead, and a sun that is black and as cold as ice."

"Even more bizarrely, in one world, a fragment of a soul escaped and told the younger generation never to ascend, and also talked about performance appraisals, 996 work schedules, working overtime, meetings, and all sorts of other strange things."

When Lu An heard Hao Jian say this, he was momentarily stunned.

Could this strange speech come from somewhere on Earth?

"After some of our experts studied it, we concluded that the senior must have escaped to a place where spiritual energy was depleted, and was tortured terribly. So he cultivated a split spirit to return and warn everyone."

"It sounds familiar. Could the world that the great senior was talking about be called Earth?" Lu An asked tentatively.

"What Earth? I've never heard of it. Is it some kind of toy? Or some kind of magical artifact?"

"That's a place, maybe...maybe that world."

"Junior Brother Lu Ping, are you alright? Why are you talking so strangely?"

"It's okay, I'm okay..."

Lu An didn't miss that world at all.

But the thought that this world and that world are connected makes him a little scared.

What if you work hard to cultivate and end up back in that world?

Wouldn't that mean all that repairs would have been for nothing?

If you diligently cultivate but end up back where you started, then it's no different from not cultivating at all.

Why is the world that everyone ascends to different?

Lu An needed to find out clearly about the differences between the ascended world and the real world, lest he have to go through all the hard work of cultivation only to go back to being a corporate slave.

After all, this is so much more freedom, so much so that I don't want to go to work anymore.

"It is related to people's desires. Some people cultivate the Tao by killing to prove it, so they naturally go to places where there is killing. Some people cultivate the Tao by virtue, so they naturally go to places where everyone's morality is at the level of gods and Buddhas."

"Some people are incredibly cunning in their actions, which is naturally extraordinary. The world they go to is extremely brutal and abnormal."

"It all comes down to a single thought."

"So, who's that guy shouting about 996 or something, he is...?"

"That fellow Daoist is said to be a very diligent and hardworking senior who proved his Dao through diligence. He cultivated the Ox and Horse Divine Skill, which was originally a very trashy skill, but he cultivated it to its peak and even transcended tribulation to ascend to immortality." Hao Jian said, "How could he have achieved this with the Ox and Horse Divine Skill, which he cultivated to prove his Dao through strength? It's really strange."

The carriage was still moving, but the falling petals beside it were already mesmerizing.

Lu An understood now; so that's how it is.

So he's a jerk! No wonder he ascended back to Earth and didn't go to Northern Europe yet!

"It's said there's another world where everyone can control the wind and rain, and they're easily possessed by gods and demons—it's terrifying! But in reality, they're so weak they can't even kill a chicken..."

Lu An felt a sudden, inexplicable pain in his heart.

That's a bit... insinuating.

Chapter 195 Nobody Wants to Go On

The carriage traveled through the sky, surrounded by howling winds, with the bright moon shining in the distance, radiating a sacred and pure white light.

Inside the carriage, several people seemed lost in thought, their minds unreadable.

Hao Jian, on the other hand, was clicking on something on an open scroll.

Although they belong to the same category, the privacy screen settings on these scrolls are still quite good.

At least it really prevented him from finding out what he was doing.

"Junior Brother Lu Ping, I reckon we're going to be very busy."

"what happened?"

"It is said that the invasion of demons from the north is getting more and more serious, so it seems that the sect's grand celebration will have to be postponed."

"The demons have invaded so much that even our sect's grand celebration has to be postponed? What about Zhao Dong?"

"This is probably a very bad situation, but we can't worry about him right now. Let's just send a message and be done with it."

Hao Jian picked up the communication stone and said into it, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, the demons from the north have moved south. Be careful."

"Gone?"

"No more."

"Shouldn't you give me more reminders?"

"Life and death are preordained, wealth and honor are determined by fate, what's the point of reminding us?"

Hao Jian waved his hand, completely different from his previous warm-hearted demeanor.

Is this completely indifferent Hao Jian really the same kind-hearted guy who dragged Zhao Dong to blind dates before?

The carriage moved smoothly through the sky. Although he had received orders, the coachman was in no hurry, because he was not carrying any important people. Even if the demons from the north attacked the sect, they would not be needed.

Who would send two Nascent Soul stage cultivators to fight demons in the north? Isn't that just suicide?

The coachman had heard that the demons in the north were difficult even for those in the Void Refinement stage to defeat, and that those in charge were all in the Tribulation Transcending stage.

If a Nascent Soul level expert could be considered a powerful figure in other places, then in the North they would be nothing more than easy prey.

Yuan Tian Sheng Zong.

A group of elders rushed towards the Yuantian Palace, as they had all received the message that they needed to get there as soon as possible.

Yu Wanqing also rushed back from outside the Yuantian Sacred Sect, her hurried pace suggesting that demons were about to arrive.

The elders arrived one after another. The inner sect elders sat in chairs at the table, while the outer sect elders sat in chairs behind them. The difference in rank and order was obvious at a glance.

Although some outer sect elders were dissatisfied, there was nothing they could do, and the important matter at hand was the priority.

"Is everyone here?"

"Everyone's here, except for one."

An empty bench stands out conspicuously in the Yuantian Hall.

Shen Xuzi glanced at him, then said to the vice sect leader beside him, "Who is this person? Bring him here!"

"Who is this person? Let me check the list..."

"Elder Yanran has arrived, Elder Liu has arrived, Elder Zhang has arrived... they've all arrived, Elder Zhu has arrived too..."

The deputy sect leader was checking the roster when he finally called on the absent person.

"Sect Master, Elder Lu An has not arrived!"

"Who hasn't arrived?"

"Elder Lu An has not arrived!"

"Oh, whatever, let's have the meeting first."

Shen Xuzi waved his hand, indicating that he did not intend to pursue the matter.

The other elders were all dumbfounded.

I thought Elder Lu would get a severe scolding, but he was let off the hook.

What's happening here?

"Sect Master, isn't this inappropriate? All the other elders followed the rules, but he..."

"He has no apprentices, so calling them wouldn't make much difference."

Shen Xuzi's words silenced the vice sect leader and caused the other elders to roll their eyes repeatedly.

That's shameless.

However, Shen Xuzi ignored them and went straight to the point:

"I have gathered you all here because of one thing. Our leaders of the Tian Sheng Martial Dynasty have asked us for a favor. They say that the northern front is in dire straits, the demons are becoming increasingly active, and we urgently need reinforcements."

"Therefore, the purpose of this meeting is twofold: first, to ask if anyone has any good strategies, and second, to inquire whether any of you have any disciples who are capable of fighting and can go to the northern front."

The other elders exchanged glances but remained silent.

The Yuan Tian Holy Sect has consistently sent many people to the front lines, especially in recent decades, and these people are naturally their disciples.

Some elders, who were concerned about the country and its people, and worried about the world, even personally went into battle to capture those demons.

Demons are different from monsters. These demons come from the north. Their aura is like that of monsters, but their form is humanoid, which is very strange.

Even demonic beasts and spirits can be judged by good and evil. Even demonic cultivators can abandon darkness for light, or be people who do not concern themselves with worldly affairs and do not meddle in other people's business.

But demons seem to be pure monsters; all their gestures of goodwill, all their human-like behavior, and all their actions are for one purpose only.

That is to hunt humans, seize their cultivation, and strengthen themselves.

Therefore, many people are reluctant to go to the northern front. If it weren't for the ancient natural barrier that keeps these demons at bay, they would probably be even more rampant.

“My Heavenly Sword Peak has always produced the most people. Now, apart from my several chief disciples’ beloved disciples, they have all gone to the northern front. I also sent a lot of people to the western front where the demon beasts are causing chaos. So I have no one left to send.”

Dressed in a simple blue robe, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and a sword scar on his face, this is Li Zhenchun of Tianjian Peak, Hao Jian's master, and also one of the people known as the Sword Immortal in this world.