Reincarnation Girl Becomes Immortal

Could it be... that this is a time of peace and prosperity?

Xi Heng pulled a veiled hat from his inventory to partially cover his face and stepped closer to the city gate.

Then, on the vast white snowfield, came a woman dressed in simple light red clothes, with a veil covering her face.

A string of rare footprints was thus added to the front of the city gate.

As she approached the city gate built of white stone, Xi Heng waited for the guards to come and question her about her identity.

Unexpectedly, the other party only sent one person, who held one hand in front of him and said in a calm manner:

"May the Pure Fire Venerable protect you. Where do you come from, young lady, and what brings you to the city?"

The language here is the same as that of the Great Zhao, only with slight differences in intonation.

What surprised Xi Heng even more was that the other party, despite being a guard of a major city, was neither arrogant nor perfunctory, and spoke to her, a stranger from who-knows-where, in a calm tone.

Even in the present day, the quality of guards or other service personnel is not this high.

Furthermore, when the other party speaks, they will habitually address him as "Pure Fire Bright Venerable".

Clearly, the belief in the purification of fire has taken root in people's hearts—at least in this place.

"May the Pure Fire Bright Lord protect you." Xi Heng, as the leader of the Dark Heavenly Sect who had annexed the Great Zhao Pure Fire Sect, was also familiar with some of the Pure Fire Bright Sect's rituals. After casually raising his hand and repeating the phrase, he inquired:

"I came from afar, lost my way, and have come here. I do not know where I am?"

"Are you a pilgrim from another country?" the religious guard asked tentatively. "This is Rongcheng in the Northern Region of Dasheng. Welcome."

“Dasheng…” Xi Heng noted down the name of the country, and following the other party’s mention of pilgrimage, continued to ask, “If I wish to make a pilgrimage, where should I go afterward?”

She deliberately made her voice sound slightly hoarse, as if she had experienced many hardships.

"Pilgrimages can enter the city first, collect their daily meals and lodgings from the city's religious altar, and then the altar will organize a large group to go together to the capital to worship the Venerable One." The other person's tone carried a hint of respect.

It seems that so-called pilgrims are respected by ordinary people.

"Can I enter the city directly?" the girl asked.

“Of course.” The guard had no doubts.

It seemed there was no danger to be wary of here at all; these sentry guards were just for show.

Having said that, he opened a path for her.

Xi Heng thus realized that the mortal world was quite stable and that people were generally less wary of each other.

Lost in thought, she had already arrived at the wide road in the city, her feet sinking into the snow.

The walls of the houses in this city are almost all painted white, and the eaves are mostly covered with bright yellow tiles. Some of the larger rooms are even made of white stone, just like the city walls.

The entire city was reflective, making it appear exceptionally bright.

Ordinary people who are new to the area might find their eyes stinging if they stay there for too long...

She looked around and felt only silence.

Perhaps because this is a frontier city with a sparse population, and it is also in the cold, melting snow season, there are few pedestrians on the road—this city is exceptionally spacious, yet also desolate.

Xi Heng originally intended to ask someone about the location of the so-called altar after entering, but after walking for a short while, he realized that there was no need to ask anymore.

Because the numerous symbols of the Fire Purification Cult displayed along the road almost all pointed to the approximate location of the altar—which was in the center of the city.

"Let's familiarize ourselves with this world for a few days first, and then go find the Spirit Locking Array to try cultivating immortality..." she whispered as she stepped through the thick snow, turning several times before reaching the inner city.

She encountered several pedestrians along the way. When she greeted them and asked for directions to the church, they all acted normally and were quite enthusiastic in helping her find the way.

Simply saying "May the Pure Fire Venerable protect you" at the beginning will immediately lower the other person's guard against strangers.

Before long, Xi Heng arrived at the Pure Fire Altar, a spacious place with many sculptures and murals depicting the miracles of the Pure Fire Venerable on its outer walls.

A woman dressed in white, with an ordinary appearance, was sweeping the snow off the ground in front of the altar.

Upon seeing Xi Heng approach, the other person put the broom aside, clasped his hands together, and bowed, saying:

"Homage to the Pure Fire Father, the Great Bright Immortal Venerable."

"Praise be to the Immortal Venerable." The girl repeated simply.

"The girl doesn't look like someone from this country; she seems to be a foreigner on a pilgrimage?"

"Ah."

"When did the messenger learn of the Venerable Pure Fire? When did he hear his sermon?" This true believer began to investigate.

Xi Heng thought for a moment and replied, "It's been more than ten years."

"I knew about it more than ten years ago, but I only came to Dasheng today..." The other person seemed to understand something: "You must have heard about the manifestation of the Pure Fire Bright Venerable, right?"

Before she could reply, the woman in white continued:

"The messenger has arrived at just the right time. The branch altar master is organizing a team to make a pilgrimage to the capital in the next few days... You may accompany him. When the time is right, you may be granted permission by the immortals to purify your soul, ascend to the Great Bright Realm, and throw yourself into the holy fire to gain eternal life."

Xi Heng tilted his head slightly, and asked, "So-called pilgrimage involves throwing oneself into fire?"

Isn't this just rushing to commit suicide?

"This is what we believers hope for."

"Won't I die?"

The other person then calmly recited a passage of scripture: "Burning the tattered body, blazing the sacred fire, what joy is there in life, what sorrow in death? To dwell in that land, where only happiness and light will endure forever—"

And said:

"The Holy Lord of Pure Fire has already bestowed His holy will, and in the future, all sentient beings in the mortal realm will have the opportunity to go to the Great Realm of Light, step into the Pure Fire, and obtain eternal life!"

……

Volume 1: Chapter 170 (Chapter 163), The Long Road of Human Sacrifice

The Pure Fire Realm, the northern border of the Great Sheng Dynasty.

After arriving in the Pure Fire Realm, Xi Heng stayed in the first city he encountered for three days.

Since she was new to the place, she wasn't in a hurry to find the Spirit Locking Array and enter it to cultivate immortality and refine her Qi.

Arriving in a new world, she wanted to take her time to familiarize herself with it.

The familiar way is to settle down in the mortal world and live a normal life.

When she first traveled back in time, she spent a long time in a small village at the foot of Yaowang Mountain in the Great Zhao Dynasty.

This time, arriving in the Pure Fire Realm is infinitely better than when I was in a panic and haste at the beginning of my transmigration.

Therefore, they can adapt to the lives of ordinary people here in a short period of time.

"Although pilgrims in the church are somewhat special compared to ordinary people..."

At noon, after finishing his light and simple meal, Xi Heng returned to the main hall and began to meditate.

This world is quite different from the Great Zhao.

For example, although there is an emperor in the Dasheng Kingdom, the highest power is firmly held by the head of the Pure Fire Faith, the 'Divine Capital Altar'.

Historical records indicate that this was not the case hundreds of years ago.

The Pure Fire Sect was originally just a folk belief, but it suddenly expanded under the leadership of a prophet and saint, and then spread to the whole world over a long period of time.

Although some small, peripheral countries and tribes still have their own beliefs that have not been infiltrated by the Jingming Sect, it is no longer of great importance.

The supreme power in the entire mortal world today belongs to the Pope and the Holy Maiden of the Divine Capital.

Above the mortal realm, there exists the so-called 'Great Realm of Light'.

The Pure Fire Venerable resides there, accompanied by many holy messengers, and is connected to the 'World of Ultimate Bliss' as spoken of by mortals.

Stepping into it is said that one can purify one's soul and attain eternal joy and light—this has become common knowledge in the minds of ordinary people and is firmly imprinted in the hearts of every believer.

The doubts that Xi Heng had raised when he met the sweeping cultivator outside the door had long since disappeared throughout the entire Dasheng Kingdom.

After the meeting, the female believer took her to see the head of the branch altar and assigned her a small room to live in.

In the church, he would sit cross-legged, meditate, and pray every day, doing a little routine work. At fixed times, he would have two simple meals... His life was relatively peaceful.

Furthermore, this world is very peaceful—there is almost no war, people live together in harmony based on the same religious belief, resources are abundant, and although technology is not as advanced as that of the Great Zhao, there are still some advanced tools to help agricultural production.

Furthermore, there are many kinds of 'grain seeds descended by immortals' in the world, which can yield a certain harvest even when planted in places with poor soil fertility.

Even in the event of a prolonged drought, the vast majority of people can be guaranteed not to go hungry.

Compared to the Great Zhao, there are far more and wider rumors of immortals in this world. Almost whenever mortals encounter natural disasters and chaos, the so-called immortals will arrive at the first moment and use their magic to help people recover.

Legend has it that these immortals are messengers sent by the Pure Fire Immortal to the mortal realm to save the people.

Because of the constant protection of the immortals, this world is peaceful and prosperous.

Based on his recent knowledge, Xi Heng silently pondered while sitting cross-legged:

Historical records state that hundreds or even thousands of years ago, so-called 'immortals' did not frequently appear in the mortal world to save people from suffering.

The Pure Fire Cult has only developed in the last few hundred years; there was no indication of it before.

The Pure Fire Cult was founded by divine decree, with the goal of leading people to worship the Pure Fire Venerable and creating a peaceful and stable world.

“Unlike the cultivation world of Chonghai, the cultivation world here pays great attention to taking care of the mortal world,” the girl murmured to herself.

"But why... could it be that the cultivators of the Pure Fire Realm are all benevolent people, willing to use their spiritual energy in the mortal world to help the world?"

"But someone with such a kind heart shouldn't be capable of brewing up this so-called 'Heaven-Resentful Demonic Fire'..."

Now, the vengeful demonic fire has already devoured the entire spirit-locking array.

"Perhaps it is because the cultivation world needs mortals, so it tries its best to maintain the faith and number of mortals."

According to the historical records that Xi Heng recently read, every few years, the Pure Fire Bright Lord would send down divine decrees to the mortal world, allowing mortals to make pilgrimages and reach the 'Great Bright Realm' to obtain eternal life.

Each time, it takes away a large number of believers and ordinary people from the mortal world.

The number ranges from at least 100,000 to an unknown amount.

Once mortals leave, they never return.

Xi Heng, judging others by his own standards, believed that the Pure Fire Immortal Cultivation Realm must have used some kind of magic to devour mortals and turn them into spiritual energy to maintain the entire Spirit Locking Array and ensure the safety of its cultivators.

Just like in those legendary stories—river demons and mountain demons demand young boys and girls from ordinary people in mountain villages, and then use a little magic to maintain the safety of the mountain villages as payment.

That's why so much resentment arose, until even the pure fire transformed into terrifying demonic fire, ultimately leading to the complete annihilation of the cultivation world.

"This divine decree is also meant to sacrifice mortals to transform them into spirits..."

Xi Heng made a rough guess at an uncertain answer.

Since it was just a guess, she didn't express any opinion.

Even if that were true, it would be a matter of this world, and the advantages and disadvantages involved would be irrelevant to her, an outsider.

She had no intention of overturning this sacrificial process that resembled a transaction between immortals and mortals; she only wanted to go to the world of cultivation to practice Qi cultivation and immortality.

As I was meditating, the soft sound of two silver bells rang out from the back door of the simple meditation room.

The meditation time was over. Xi Heng slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the majestic statue of the seated Pure Fire Venerable, stood up with the others around him, bowed slightly, and turned around.

At the entrance stood the female believer who had led her in earlier.

“The pilgrims leaving the city have been selected, and you are among them,” she said, pressing her palms together and bowing slightly.

"I've only been a member of this branch for three days, and I'm already going to the capital for a pilgrimage?" Xi Heng felt as if he had been given some special treatment.

"The messenger has naturally white hair, a sign of the Pure Fire's favor. Your beautiful face is also enough to represent our altar's pilgrimage. Your sudden arrival the other day may also be a divine decree, instructing us to take you to the capital." The other party said with a gentle smile.

The girl lowered her head slightly, picked up a strand of white hair that had fallen from her shoulder, and hadn't expected it to be for this reason.

She recalled that a few days ago, she could always see a hint of respect in the eyes of the people she met. It turned out that it was because of her white hair.

Returning to the present, simply put:

"Then take me there."

She also wanted to go on a pilgrimage; whatever the other party said, that was fine with her.

“Please follow me.” The female believer turned around.

The two walked slowly along the long path paved with white flagstones toward the central Prayer Fire Hall, which was not far away.

Along the way, the snow piled up on both sides was dazzlingly bright under the sunlight.

Several anchor-shaped crosses stand on both sides of the road, resembling colonnades.