Under One Person, your rebellious life has reached the heavens?

Having discovered the truth, Nathan remained silent. He repeatedly pounded the ground with his hands, causing the rock and soil to crack, but even after a long time, he still did not have the courage to destroy the sacred tree.

He staggered to his feet, as if he had lost his soul, turned and walked out of the sacred forest, his voice hoarse: "Gentlemen, please wait for me here..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a transparent vortex appeared and swallowed his figure.

A moment later, Nassen returned, holding a parchment scroll, and handed it to Jiang Mo.

"The cultivation methods of the Heavenly Kingdom are on this. It has been passed down for a long time, and there are not many people who know it now. You may use it as you see fit."

"Your goods have also been moved by the islanders to the harbor on the north side of the island... Finally, we urge you to leave as soon as possible after this is over."

"it is good."

Jiang Mo took the sheepskin scroll.

Then, when asked about the whereabouts of the guard surnamed Xu from the Lu family, Lu Jin described his face, but the answer he received was that the guard had escaped and his fate was still unknown.

At night, Jiang Mo and Lu Jin did not stay in the royal city. Instead, they returned to the beach and went to the surrounding forest to cut down trees and build a simple wooden house.

Like ants carrying loads, the islanders worked day and night, carrying medical supplies to the harbor.

The third day, at dusk.

Jiang Mo, who was meditating, slightly opened his eyes. After several days, he had almost figured out the cultivation method of the Heavenly Kingdom and could now barely start it.

"Uncle-Master, you've succeeded?!"

Lu Jin, who was guarding the Dharma, was grilling seafood when he saw Jiang Mo wake up and couldn't help but ask him about it out of curiosity.

"Um....."

Jiang Mo responded calmly. For him, although the Heavenly Kingdom could allow his physical body and consciousness to enter a special dimension, its effect on tempering his spirit and character was mediocre. In actual combat, it was not as useful as the Ancient Crossing Spirit-Breaking Curse, making it like a chicken rib.

He looked up at the distant horizon, where the golden sea shimmered, but the Lu family's merchant ships had not yet arrived.

"Jin'er, how many days has it been?"

"On the third day... all the supplies were brought back and piled up in the shelter in front."

Lu Jin told him the truth, and then said, "Nasenwei, who led us to the Holy Forest yesterday, came to find you, but seeing that you were meditating, he left without disturbing you."

"However, he left you a letter."

Jiang Mo took the letter from Lu Jin, opened it, glanced at it briefly, and then used his Qi to shatter it into countless fragments.

"Uncle-Master? What did he say?"

"It's nothing, they just asked me to do them a favor and keep the matter of the Divine Tree a secret."

Jiang Mo understood Nathan's choice and tacitly agreed to the request.

Chapter 95 There are no immortals in this world

As night fell, a gentle sea breeze blew, the sound of waves crashed, and the campfire flickered, illuminating Jiang Mo and Lu Jin.

"Zizzizi!!"

Huge lobsters and conches were grilled over charcoal, dripping rich juices. Lu Jin fiddled with the red-hot charcoal, moving it towards the center and gently blowing on it to slowly raise the temperature.

"Uncle-Master, is something on your mind?"

Noticing that Jiang Mo seemed to be silent, gazing absently at the campfire, Lu Jin asked softly, her bright eyes revealing a hint of worry.

Since descending the mountain, my uncle has been on a killing spree, including demons, thieves, assassins, and islanders—the number of whom he has killed may exceed five hundred.

Lu Jin couldn't remember which ancient book he had read about this strange tale, but it said that after killing many people, the spirits of the dead would be affected by the evil energy and undergo a transformation, causing a change in a person's temperament from the inside out.

Of course, Lu Jin wouldn't take the words of an ancient person as gospel, but he could vaguely sense his uncle's emotions. They were very calm, so calm that they were like a deep pool without any ripples.

"Yes, I'm thinking about how to be a good head of a discipline."

Jiang Mo made no attempt to hide it; a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"In this great age, things are changing rapidly. We should strive to do our best. The world is so vast. I really hope that you disciples can open your eyes to the world, come into contact with new things, and then nourish your souls and improve your minds."

"This disciple has failed to plan ahead, and has troubled my senior uncle with his efforts. I am ashamed," Lu Jin sighed, lowering his head.

"Jin'er, didn't you ask me before if I could reach the heavens?"

Jiang Mo brought up the old story of the kitchen again, giving his more certain answer: "Actually... there is no such thing as a way to heaven. The road is made by people walking. Our ancestors mastered the method of cultivating qi and passed it on to us, their descendants. It is indeed remarkable."

"But the older something is, the better it is not necessarily true. Because you have to admit that as time goes by, the various Qi cultivation methods that were once inadequate or lacking have been inherited, repaired, and evolved into something more perfect by those who came later with a higher starting point."

"The old sayings may not be true. Does the so-called 'reaching the heavens' mean ascending to heaven and becoming an official in the mythical celestial court?"

Lu Jin listened intently, gradually putting down the firewood in his hand. He had never seen his uncle so serious. The understanding of the world he was about to talk about was more important than the previous teachings on the true methods and the way of circulating qi.

"The Heavenly Court, the Immortal Realm... these places house the beautiful aspirations of cultivators and the beliefs that urge them on to progress. But Jin'er, you must know that such places may not actually exist."

"If such a place truly exists, what makes us, the later arrivals, think we can stand on equal footing with those who came before us? What makes us think it's a wonderful place?"

"Just like the survival of the fittest in nature, the strong get stronger, and the weak cannot escape the fate of being dominated..."

"So many things have happened throughout history, but they are all just stories told with a smile. In the distant, ancient times, our ancestors were nothing more than Homo sapiens living in dark, gloomy caves."

"Do you think they would have practiced Qi back then? Would they have thought about how to reach the heavens? Obviously not."

"Further back to five thousand years ago, and three thousand years ago, our ancestors learned to smelt bronze, hunt large beasts, and establish their own kingdom, taking root on this ancient land."

"Two thousand years ago, a thousand years ago, a stable and unified civilization gave rise to a brilliant culture. Qi cultivation gradually became popular and was passed down through the long river of time. The further it was passed down, the more blurred its original appearance became. But the number of people who believed that the ancients could communicate with the heavens and ascend to immortality also increased."

"People have different interpretations of the definition of immortals and gods. Some believe they are immortal, some believe they roam freely in the world, and some believe they are omnipotent. In essence, they are merely synonyms for human desires. From beginning to end, they are simply more powerful humans, humans who are further along the path of evolution. Later generations look up to their backs to encourage themselves, to overcome setbacks and difficulties, and to keep moving closer..."

At this point, Jiang Mo paused briefly and then made an analogy: "If I were to go back a thousand or two thousand years, I wouldn't age, and I could do things that others couldn't. Why wouldn't they worship me as a god?"

"But in their eyes, I am a fairy, I am a god, I am the embodiment of all their beautiful yet unattainable desires;"

"From my perspective, I am merely a Qi cultivator who has mastered more methods. From the perspective of this world, I am just one of the countless beings it has nurtured."

Lu Jin was deeply shocked, as if he had gained a new understanding of the world. In his heart, he was willing to believe that in ancient times, there were predecessors from various schools who ascended to heaven and became immortals.

But Jiang Mo's sharing now tells him that there are no immortals in the world. From beginning to end, we are all human. It is only because of differences in cognition that immortals and gods exist.

"Uncle-Master... what is it that you seek in your cultivation of Tao and practice of Qi?" Lu Jin asked cautiously.

“Cultivating the Tao... and seeking the Dharma, practicing Qi, and studying techniques are all the same kind of terms. Humans are so insignificant between heaven and earth. We always have to rely on external things to realize our desires and ensure our safety. However, due to differences in understanding, disagreements are inevitable.”

Jiang Mo first offered some insights, and then replied: "For me, it's nothing more than observing the world, discovering the objective laws of existing things, combining them with my own experience, and then transforming them into means to achieve a certain intention."

"As for what my uncle seeks, it is nothing more than to go further, learn more skills, take more solid steps, make the sect prosperous, and not be bound by natural disasters or man-made calamities. That's all."

"..."

After listening to the explanation, Lu Jin felt that the world had become much clearer.

He was lucky. When he first started practicing, he followed his master and had a clear goal to pursue. He could clearly see and reach the first, second, and third levels, one step at a time.

After the master's passing, the existence of the Triple Realm was proven. But what comes after the Triple Realm? Ascension? Immortality?

Lu Jin had thought about these issues, but they were too far away to consider. Now, what Jiang Mo shared with him was enough to shatter those nascent confusions about the future.

"Jin'er, you must understand that cultivation techniques, weapons, and knowledge are all external things, but they are just the foundation stones under our feet. The higher they are built, the more solid the foundation will be, and the more beautiful the scenery you will see."

"All things are for me, and I learn from all things because of desire. If there is no 'I', everything is nothing but a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water."

Jiang Mo smiled as he looked at Lu Jin's somewhat dazed expression:

"Hmm? Were you daydreaming? Or was your uncle talking too ramblingly? Don't take it to heart, just treat it as casual conversation, it's unimportant."

"No...this disciple can probably understand some of it."

Lu Jin scratched his head, a shy smile on his face. He was gradually getting used to being with his martial uncle and was gaining a lot from it.

Seeing that the lobster was about to burn, Jiang Mo took it off and began to eat it.

"Jin'er, what do you think of your character?"

"Lack of experience."

Lu Jin spoke with a lack of confidence. His memories of fighting the succubus were exceptionally vivid. Back then, in order to stay conscious, he dared not move at all, and even used his Qi to injure his flesh and blood, using pain to cover up the allure.

“The tempering of one’s character… the Transformation of the Heavenly Demon Mantra is quite suitable, but my uncle does not have this method.”

Jiang Mo pondered for a moment: "The Ancient Ferry Spirit-Breaking Curse has a similar effect, but the conditions are more demanding. However, it can also temper one's character. I'll pass on a small part to you?"

"Uncle-Master, isn't this a spell used against enemies? Or do you mean I should recite the spell myself to temper my character through pain?"

"Yes, those who practice incantations must undergo a great deal of pain training in order to master them. However, if you cannot bear it halfway through, you can stop chanting, and the pain will dissipate on its own."

Lu Jin thought it was feasible and said excitedly, "Okay, if you're willing to teach, I'll definitely learn."

"Oh, by the way, Uncle-Master, how long did it take you to learn that back then?"

Jiang Mo chuckled: "What? You want to surpass me? It took me two months to crack this tough nut. In terms of cultivation difficulty, it ranks among the top three of all my cultivation techniques."

"The more you practice, the more extreme the pain you can endure, and the greater the power you can unleash."

"You should practice a short section first. Once you get past that hurdle, I'll personally teach you the rest."

"Alright, then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle-Master."

"come over."

Lu Jin stepped forward, and Jiang Mo reached out with one hand, stroking his brow, and transferred one-sixth of the secret mantra to him.

Chapter 96 Successful Return

On the evening of the fourth day of their stay in Nathan, five ships appeared from where the water met the sky, approaching from afar.

"Uncle-Master, the fleet has arrived! We can return now!!"

Lu Jin stood on the beach, waving excitedly into the distance and shouting loudly.

"It's good that we've arrived."

Jiang Mo stood up, his movements light and graceful, and walked towards the safe haven where medical resources were stored. For the past few days, he had been manipulating the surrounding clouds to make rain impossible and prevent the goods from getting wet.

About half an hour later, the ship docked on the beach. Lu You waved from above, and Qiao Yue and his guards were also there, along with a large number of armed bodyguards, more than a hundred people in total.

The handover process was not complicated. The hired boatmen were quick and efficient, all of them strong and powerful. They were all recruited from the docks and were very familiar with handling cargo.

In less than four hours, the mountain of medical resources was carried onto five ships.

Nighttime, the hour of Chou (1-3 AM).

"Set sail! Return journey!"

At Lu You's command, the crew and helmsman began their work. The anchor was pulled up, the ship roared with mechanical noise, and billowing black smoke filled the sky. The ship began to move and headed into the depths of the ocean.

In the distance, on a cliff strewn with strange rocks, two slender figures gazed at the receding fleet and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go back."

"Ah."

A transparent vortex appeared, drawing the two Nathan Guards into it.

......

Inside the cabin, in a bright study, Lu You was enthusiastically brewing coffee and handing it to Jiang Mo and Lu Jin.

"Third Uncle, why are you so late?"

Lu Jin took the warm coffee, sipped it, and sat down on the sofa, feeling relaxed and at ease.

"We're delayed. We encountered a storm at sea. This weather... sigh, we dare not go out recklessly."

Lu You sighed deeply. This trip had been incredibly unlucky, especially the experience on the island, which felt like a nightmare.

"By the way, did you see Uncle Xu on the island?"

"No, according to the islanders, Uncle Xu escaped many days ago."

Although that elder was also an extraordinary person with considerable strength, Lu Jin still couldn't put his mind at ease.

"...I hope he's alright, maybe he's already home by now."

Lu You sat wearily on a wooden chair, rubbing his temples, and said with a troubled expression, "These are turbulent times..."

"Master Jiang, do you have any plans for the near future?"

"Have."

Jiang Mo responded with a faint smile. As soon as Lu You opened her mouth, he guessed her intention and immediately refused. He did not want to interfere in matters on the other side of the ocean for the time being.