One more catty, one more attribute point

The Wuji Sword Sect was located on the border between Qimu State and the state of E.

From afar, clouds and mists veiled the view, but upon closer inspection, this mountain range hid a unique paradise.

Towering stone peaks, thousands of meters high, stood straight like swords driven into the ground. Vegetation blanketed them, lush and green. Cascading white waterfalls, like flowing ribbons, thundered down in a resonant crash. Within the clouds, cranes glided by, and atop the peaks ancient and distinctive halls could be found.

Just from the environment alone,

the Wuji Sword Sect was somewhat similar to the "Celestial Cloud" secret realm that Su Heng had previously visited.

Both were formed by many straight, towering stone peaks.

However, there were fewer mountains in the Wuji Sword Sect compared to the "Celestial Cloud" secret realm, but the aura here was much more majestic. Each peak was like a strangely shaped long sword, magnified countless times, all naturally formed with rough exteriors and no signs of human polishing.

As Su Heng approached,

he even felt an overwhelming sword intent coming from these stone peaks, facing him head-on.

Whoosh!

The mountains rapidly enlarged in his field of vision.

Meng Huan arrived at the very center of the Wuji Sword Sect, atop the largest grey-white peak.

He quietly landed on a protruding Yin-Yang Taiji platform, with a sweep of his hand, his green-glowing longsword "shing" returned to its sheath, and Meng Huan held it in hand upside down.

Whoosh!

Su Heng flapped his wings,

following closely behind, kicking up a ring of dust on the ground as he followed Meng Huan.

"This place really has a nice view," Su Heng remarked as he looked down at the dark, unfathomable abyss beneath his feet, feeling the cold gusts that clung to the mountain walls and the mist of water from the waterfalls mingled within.

His physique was so robust that standing here, he didn't feel dizzy at all; instead, he felt relaxed and exhilarated, even harboring the idea of trying a free-fall from this spot.

"My Sword Peak cannot withstand such treatment from a young friend like you," said Meng Huan, seeing him looking around at the edge of the cliff and seeming to guess Su Heng's thoughts, and chided him jokingly.

"Senior flatters me," Su Heng withdrew his gaze from the abyss.

On the platform, there was a stone table, tea utensils, and a twisted pine tree. Beneath the pine, there was a pool of clear water, with several peculiarly shaped rocks placed around; the setting was simple yet very pleasant to look at. With just a few decorations, there was an indistinct sense of Daoism emanating outward.

The stone table was of regular size, suitable for Meng Huan, but a bit small for Su Heng's stature.

Meng Huan spread his five fingers and made a sweeping gesture.

Sword Qi crisscrossed.

He carved out a massive piece of rock directly from the cliff and quickly fashioned it into a stone table and stools.

Then with a flick of his sleeve, the dust dispersed.

"Please forgive the inadequacies," Meng Huan said with a slight smile.

"There's no issue at all," Su Heng pulled out a stone stool and sat down at the massive stone table.

Gurgle!

Meng Huan took tea utensils from another smaller stone table, poured out the tea, and then pushed forward a cup brimming with curling tea fragrance, steadying it right in front of Su Heng.

"Since you've called me 'Senior,' I will brazenly accept this address," Meng Huan said solemnly. "You may ask me about anything related to Heavenly Deceit and beyond, or any other questions. I will have no reservations and will share all I know."

"Thank you, Senior!" Upon hearing these words, Su Heng's heart leapt with joy.

Although he already had powers that were on par with the Heavenly Deceit realm, even barely comparable to a Heavenly King in battle prowess, his understanding of this realm was truly scant. He knew only that those like Solban, who had just stepped into the realm beyond Heavenly Deceit, had an exceptionally vigorous life force, making it difficult to eliminate them with ordinary means.

However, he was unaware of where this immortality came from.

As for the specific weaknesses, Su Heng didn't know.

Having a senior like Meng Huan to answer his questions was naturally of great benefit to him.

"I want to know exactly what the realm beyond Heavenly Deceit is and how it differs specifically from the Heavenly Deceit experts," Su Heng bowed to Meng Huan, asking for guidance humbly.

The mountain breeze blew gently, dispersing the aroma of tea.

On the other side of the stone table, Meng Huan put down his teacup and smiled, "Since ancient times, seeking immortality has been the ultimate pursuit for cultivators, and people refer to beings of this realm as 'Immortals.' In a sense, transcendence of Heavenly Deceit already touches the threshold of immortality, and one may be called 'Immortal.'"

"Breaking through Heavenly Deceit grants immortality!?" Su Heng's eyes widened in shock.

"Theoretically, if one stays in the Eternal Heaven realm, they're not bound by lifespan," Meng Huan answered. "However, if they stay in the mortal world, even with immortality, they will still age. Thus, this realm isn't considered true longevity, nor is it the complete 'Immortal' state."

"To distinguish it, in most cases, people generally refer to it as 'Earth Immortal Realm.' Over in Skull Plain, this realm is also known as 'Buddha Master.'"

"I see," Su Heng put down his tea cup, his face carrying a sense of reflection, "Although the Eternal Heaven is dangerous, it truly is full of mysteries."

"Just like the realms of Demon Shape, Demon Seed, and Heavenly Deceit, the Earth Immortal Realm can be divided into three different stages as well, namely Transcendence, Manifestation, and Sealing Heaven," Meng Huan paused briefly before continuing to explain. "The cultivation of the Earth Immortal Realm still focuses on the Spiritual Domain."

"The immortality of the Transcendence Realm, you should have seen before. A Martial Artist at this stage, even if decapitated or their body smashed to pieces, can still avoid death. The reason for this is the integration of the Martial Artist's powerful spirit into the eighty trillion 'micro elements' within the body."

"The so-called 'micro elements' are what ancient sages believed to be the smallest units that make up the human body."

"Even if decapitated or the body is smashed to pieces, these 'micro elements' still exist. Under the pull of spiritual power, they can reassemble. With the consumption of some energy, they can be restored to their original state."

Meng Huan took a sip of his tea, his face wearing a smile, and spoke leisurely.

Su Heng listened attentively on the other side.

In his heart, many insights were emerging.

The "micro elements" that Meng Huan just mentioned, aren't they the cells in the field of modern biology from my previous life?

As long as the spiritual power is strong enough to precisely control every cell in the human body, and even guide highly specialized cells to revert to their original state and redifferentiate, one can indeed achieve a certain degree of "immortality."

"So that's how it is..." Su Heng's eyes brightened, "Then, to kill a cultivator in the Transcendence Realm, there are only two methods. One is to attack the Spiritual Domain directly, eradicating the spirit's will. The other, is to eliminate the Martial Artist's life force at an extremely minute level."

"Exactly," Meng Huan nodded, his gaze towards Su Heng carrying a hint of admiration, "Young friend, your understanding is truly astonishing."

"It's all thanks to the senior's clear explanation, which enlightened me," Su Heng complimented with a smile.

"As for the second stage, Manifestation, it involves a high degree of integration of spirit, energy, and body, displaying a range of the strongest states. A Martial Artist's experiences, cultivation techniques, personality, and thinking will all affect their Manifestation. The final form of their Manifestation is both wondrous and varied, each with their own Divine Skills."

Meng Huan's face bore a reminiscent expression as he continued, "To speak the truth, I haven't truly entered this domain, so my understanding isn't extensive."

"However, I've been traveling outside for many years and have indeed seen some Manifestations that left a deep impression."

"Some are born cautious, lacking in a sense of security, focusing all their cultivation techniques on defense. Thus, their final Manifestation is a huge turtle. Even when attacked by seven or eight peers of the same realm, they could leave the battlefield unscathed, renowned throughout the world."

"Then there are those who have deep yearnings for their deceased loved ones. The Manifestation they finally condense is human-shaped, becoming a beautiful story." Continue your saga on empire

"As for the final stage, Sealing Heaven, I've only heard about it in rumors and ancient texts. Legends say that at this stage, one can call upon the power of Eternal Heaven to descend into the mortal world, to create a realm of one's own, twist laws, and become incredibly powerful."

Meng Huan said, "Sealing Heaven has two types. The first is the ordinary Sealing Heaven, and the second is the kind that can control a realm within the Eternal Heaven, the Sealing Heaven that rules a realm."

"What's the difference between these two kinds of Sealing Heaven?" Su Heng asked.

"The so-called Sealing Heaven that rules a realm is when one's spirit is imprinted on a small world within the Eternal Heaven. With every movement, the power of a world is bestowed upon oneself, almighty, making even Immortals and Buddha Masters yield."

Meng Huan's face bore a trace of emotion, "I have only heard of such beings and never seen one in action."

"In the Great Zhou Empire, only some ancient, hereditary families and Immortal Sects, or the mighty Celestial Kings who have made great contributions to the empire on the Mythical Battlefield, are qualified to receive the gift of a complete world.

Even among the myriad powerful beings of the Earth Immortal Realm, such existences are considered legendary."

"When I encountered the Corruption Demon God Marpa, he once told me that my power was approaching the pinnacle of this Wilderness. Now it seems, he was merely ignorant," Su Heng exclaimed, but inside, excitement was welling up even more.

The more he understood about Eternal Heaven, the more he saw it as an ocean of infinite treasures and possibilities, waiting for him to delve deeper and explore.

"That's not surprising," Meng Huan replied. "I've heard of the Corruption Demon God's name. When it was sealed, not even a unified empire existed on this land. People lived in a dark, ignorant era, treated as mere livestock."

"But now, more than two thousand years have passed, times have changed."

"A time when a demon god could descend and wreak havoc at will has passed. We can even strike back at Eternal Heaven through the Mythical Battlefield, seizing land and resources from them, and continuously cultivating powerful warriors."

"However..." Meng Huan paused slightly, his face unexpectedly revealing a touch of melancholy and fear.

"However, what?" Su Heng couldn't help but ask.

"Ripples have been stirred deep within the Eternal Heaven, echoes deepening, with many changes unfolding.

Moreover, with Emperor Wu of Zhou gravely injured from his efforts to suppress everything, and the Third Prince, ambitious but lacking his father's fearsome power of unmatched dominance in both heaven and earth.

Great families are restless, storms brew, and several strong figures return from the Eternal Heaven."

Meng Huan sighed and said, "I fear that one day, the world will descend into chaos. Endless disasters and declines, countless wars and destruction. If our traditions are severed and the sparks of enlightenment dim, we may return to the days of savagery, to a time of darkness and ignorance.

In that case, the blood of many ancient sages will have been shed in vain."