Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 312 Immortal Path and Martial Path

The immortal was distracted for a moment, but Yan Yimei's knife did not stop for a moment. In the immortal's vision, he could only catch a few afterimages flashing in the void!
In an instant, the immortal who had clashed with Yan Yimei tens of thousands of times in the void suddenly unleashed a rain of blood, with severed limbs and broken arms falling like raindrops, and his entire body completely exploded.

Following Master Ziyang and Immortal Luoyue.

Another immortal has perished?
After confirming that the other person was dead, Yan Yimei, holding her knife, turned to look at the other immortals who were being surrounded and killed.

It was as if a tiger was choosing its prey.

"Ok?"

Zhu Jinzhen seemed to sense something, his sharp gaze piercing through a certain void, forcing out a transparent figure that had vanished into the void.

"That's really a bizarre method."

"Feigning death to escape, like a cicada shedding its shell?"

With a thought, the immortal who only possessed a primordial spirit uncontrollably floated to Zhu Jinzhen's front, allowing him to examine it at will: "The primordial spirit is the unity of the three souls and seven spirits, essence, energy and spirit. It can gather and disperse to form a shape, and disperse without a trace, unrestrained and free. Compared to the martial arts we cultivate, it is indeed full of wonders."

With just one glance, Zhu Jinzhen saw through the essence of the immortal's primordial spirit.

The so-called primordial spirit of immortals is actually the sublimation of the three souls and seven spirits, but it does not transcend the realm of the souls and spirits. It is just that if a person loses the three souls and seven spirits, or if the souls and spirits leave the body, death is inevitable.

The immortal's primordial spirit, or yang spirit, remains unharmed even when exposed to the scorching sun.

It even possesses the ability to become invisible, to travel a thousand miles in an instant, to take shape when it arises and to become invisible when it disperses, and can even transform into a gentle breeze like a rootless duckweed, freely roaming between heaven and earth.

Of course, its weaknesses are also obvious.

The immortal sensed a fleeting murderous intent emanating from Zhu Jinzhen and was so terrified he nearly lost his soul. He hurriedly cried out, "Senior, spare my life! Senior, spare my life!"

"What is your purpose, and what is your value?"

"Is it worth it for me to spare your life?"

Zhu Jinzhen asked in return with a playful expression.

These immortals posed no threat to him, but in this great mortal world, apart from him, Changsun Wangqing, Yan Yimei, Yang Ning, and other high-ranking members of Tian Ce and Cang Yun, even the two terrestrial celestial beings lurking outside the capital were like lambs to the slaughter in the face of these immortals, utterly powerless to resist.

Zhu Jinzhen had no idea what was happening in the heavens.

However, judging from the behavior of the many immortals who emerged from the Immortal Gate today, and from the glance he cast across the void, it is clear that compared to the Upper Realm, the mortal world is just a small pond.

Resources are scarce, and there is no path to immortality.

If the other party is valuable and can be used by me, Zhu Jinzhen is not unwilling to make an exception.

"Senior, I'm useful, I'm useful."

"This junior, Du Zi, cultivates the Azure Wood Immortal Technique, which is most skilled in stimulating the growth of spiritual herbs, nurturing spiritual herbs, and refining elixirs. It also has the ability to control clouds and rain, and to regulate the energy of rivers, lakes, seas, mountains, and so on."

"I also possess all sorts of immortal techniques. Now that I've reached the Ascension Realm, once I recover my physical body, I can kill all the remaining mortal warriors, except for you and your subordinates."

"If you are willing to spare my life, I will gladly serve you and die a thousand deaths."

After sensing that the binding force had weakened slightly, the immortal Du Zi's primordial spirit began to kowtow to Zhu Jinzhen repeatedly, his face full of fawning smiles, describing his role in a servile manner.

"Oh? You're skilled at cultivating growth-promoting medicinal herbs?" Zhu Jinzhen's eyes lit up, and his gaze towards Du Zi changed completely, even concealing the murderous intent he had previously revealed.

One of his greatest assets is the gourmet tablecloth that can infinitely visualize food, including 'fruit'.

If Du Zi wasn't lying, and could even cultivate some spiritual herbs that could directly enhance one's strength, then his value in living was indeed greater than his value in dying. "Yes, yes."

Du Zi saw that Zhu Jinzhen was about to agree, and his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly said, "Before I broke through the void and ascended to the upper realm, I was a physician in the mortal world. Later, I was valued by the immortals and taken into the Jianmu Pavilion. My job was to cultivate and accelerate the growth of spiritual herbs."

Therefore, he could almost be considered the weakest in combat among the immortals who descended to the mortal realm this time.

Zhu Jinzhen nodded slightly and asked again, "Is there a way to achieve immortality in heaven?"

"Is there any spiritual herb or fruit that can give birth to a terrestrial immortal or greatly enhance one's strength?"

Du Zi paused for a moment, then shook his head: "I am not of high status in Jianmu Pavilion, and I do not know if there is a way to live forever. I only know that Heavenly Emperors like Ancestor Qingyun are said to be living as long as heaven and earth and as old as the sun and moon. They have lived for tens of thousands of years and have never perished except for the great calamity of that year."

"As for immortals on land..."

Du Zi scratched his head, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "This junior is not clear about what realm the so-called 'Land Immortal' is. Could you please enlighten me, senior?"

"That's the level they've reached."

Zhu Jinzhen glanced at the other secret guards around him, who were poised to take over at any time.

"This, Qi Refining Realm?" Du Zi glanced at it and nodded decisively: "Yes, senior, there are quite a few."

"Wait, did you just say Qi Refining Realm?"

Zhu Jinzhen suddenly interrupted, asking with a curious look, "You mentioned the Ascension Realm before, and compared terrestrial immortals to the Qi Refining Realm. How are the realms in the heavens divided?"

Without hesitation, Du Zi replied decisively, "Senior, the realms in the heavens are divided into four major realms and numerous minor realms. The four major realms are: Refining Essence into Qi, Refining Qi into Spirit, Refining Spirit into Emptiness, and Refining Emptiness into Dao."

"As the senior said, the terrestrial immortal is the Qi Refining Realm of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation."

"The many martial artists who are currently besieging Fairy Biluo were previously at the Nascent Soul stage."

"Refining the spirit and returning to the void is also known as the fairyland in the upper realm."

"Upon reaching this stage, one's lifespan is a thousand years, and one will not die upon death. Therefore, the Refining Spirit is called Immortal. The Returning to the Void Realm allows one to travel through the vast void, see clearly and understand everything, and be able to see the ten directions while sitting, thus becoming a Flying Immortal. Beyond that is the Refining Void and Merging with the Dao."

"Those in the Refining Void Realm can create their own grotto-heavens and exist forever, just like heaven and earth, hence they are called Celestial Immortals."

"The final step, the Dao Integration Realm, is to unite with the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Every move one makes carries the power to create the world and destroy it, making it even more unshakable than the eternal blue sky. Therefore, immortals respectfully call it the Emperor of Heaven."

"And the limit that this mortal realm can accommodate should be the void." Du Zi said, then cautiously glanced at Zhu Jinzhen, unable to understand how the other party could be comparable to the Heavenly Emperor, yet still remain in this small pond in the mortal realm.

Refine essence into qi, refine qi into spirit, refine spirit to return to emptiness, refine emptiness to unite with the Dao.

The four major realms of immortality.

This caused a slight look of surprise to appear on Zhu Jinzhen's face.

"Land Immortals are at the Qi Refining Realm, so from the Ninth Rank of Martial Artists to Vajra, Finger Profound, and Celestial Phenomena, they are all within the same major realm of Refining Essence into Qi? Land Immortals correspond to Qi Refining, and Land Celestials correspond to Deity Transformation..." Zhu Jinzhen thought of this and didn't feel there was a problem. Gods are immortal, and Deity Transformation allows one to roam the world.

This aligns with the idea that celestial beings on land can travel thousands of miles in a single thought.

Above the terrestrial celestial beings, where Zhu Jinzhen, Changsun Wangqing, Yan Yimei, Tong Chi, and others reside, corresponds to the Refining Spirit Realm. One step further, the extreme killing power that the many secret guards briefly achieved by burning everything and relying on the Ziwei Doutian Formation corresponds to the Reversal of Void Realm.

Above that is the Refinement of Emptiness and Integration with the Dao.

The Qingyun Ancestor, who was forced to kneel in mid-air and retreat helplessly after being struck down by Zhu Jinzhen's sword from across the void, was a supreme expert from the Upper Realm at the Dao Integration Realm.

(End of this chapter)