The Master's Realm is Immeasurable

"Ping'ai?"

Li Xinyi repeated the name, completely unable to fathom its meaning.

Li Chu didn't want to explain further. He looked at Li Xinyi and gave a profound smile.

He had learned this from Yu Qi'an. When faced with a questioner, all he had to do was smile like this, and even if they understood nothing, they would feel impressed and give up asking.

Usually, when he asked his Master questions, his Master would often show such a smile.

The difference, perhaps, was that his Master was genuinely powerful, while he was just too lazy to explain.

As expected, although Li Xinyi was confused, seeing Li Chu's enigmatic smile, she suddenly felt that this might involve unspeakable secrets.

So, she stopped asking.

Brushing the dust off her clothes, Li Xinyi let out a breath and said, "Consider the mission successfully completed. Let's go back."

"Mhm." Li Chu started moving.

As they walked out of the courtyard gate, Li Xinyi suddenly stopped.

After the Resentful Qi disappeared, a gentle breeze began to blow on the Summer Night.

She looked at the empty courtyard, reached up, and untied the Red Ribbon that bound her hair. Shaking her head, a cascade of dark hair fell loose, incredibly smooth.

Li Chu turned back to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she shook her head.

Then, she raised the Red Ribbon, let go, and let it drift away with the wind.

Li Chu watched her actions without a word.

After gazing in the direction the Red Ribbon drifted for a moment, she turned back with a smile and skipped to catch up.

With her long hair now cascading over her shoulders, she seemed less heroic than before and more gentle, appearing much more approachable.

Walking alongside Li Chu, she asked with a grin, "Young Daoist, do you prefer me with my hair tied up or down?"

Li Chu's intuition told him this question was a trap, so he refused to answer.

Li Xinyi asked again, "Young Daoist, why are you so powerful?"

Li Chu said seriously, "I'm not powerful."

"Hmph, you can unleash such strong sword energy and still say you're not powerful," Li Xinyi huffed, then asked, "Were you deliberately hiding your true qi fluctuations?"

"No."

"So—" Li Xinyi drew out the sound: "Do you prefer me with my hair tied up or my hair down?"

"..."

On the clear moonlit night, frog croaks, cicada chirps, birdsong, dog barks, and Li Xinyi's voice mingled together. Amidst the noise, there was a hint of worldly charm, dispelling the gloom from earlier.

Li Chu's heart suddenly felt a sense of peace.

There are many bad things in this world, and many unfortunate people. But no matter what, as long as we are fortunate enough to live a peaceful life, we should strive to cherish it.

Soon, they arrived at Yuhang Town. Li Xinyi went to the county government office, where someone would arrange accommodation for her. Li Chu, on the other hand, had to walk back to Ten Li Slope.

As they parted, Li Xinyi reluctantly tugged at the little Daoist priest, asking him to take her to explore Yuhang Town properly if he had the chance.

Li Chu replied, "Next time, for sure."

On the way back, he reflected on what he had witnessed today.

Although dealing with the vengeful spirit was simple, it had also taught him a vivid lesson.

The Jianghu is slippery, and human hearts are complicated.

Li Xinyi's strength was clearly superior to that of the vengeful spirit, yet she was almost killed by it simply because of a moment of soft-heartedness.

If he hadn't been there, she would have surely died in vain.

But then he thought, if Li Xinyi hadn't appeared today, and he had gone to exorcise the spirit alone, seeing such a little girl kneeling before him begging for mercy, could he have refrained from feeling pity?

Perhaps not.

If there had been no one else around, wouldn't he have been the one to die?

Thinking this, he couldn't help but feel a chill of fear.

When he reached the entrance of Virtuous Cloud Temple, he had already summarized his insights from the day.

The Daoist Scripture says, if one is not ruthless, one cannot stand firm.

The next morning.

The Master, with his immortal bone structure, still sat under the tree in a posture of returning to simplicity. Without a word, his gaze flowed from the tips of his hair to the soles of his feet, exuding the aura of a true master.

Li Chu walked up and respectfully said, "Master, this disciple has something to ask."

"Oh?" Yu Qi'an smiled faintly. "Speak freely."

Li Chu sat opposite him and asked, "Disciple wishes to ask, what are the Seven Realms of Celestial Being?"

"Seven Realms of Celestial Being?" Yu Qi'an paused. "Why do you suddenly want to ask this?"

"Yesterday someone asked this disciple which realm of the Seven Realms of Celestial Being he had reached, and this disciple didn't know at all. So I was a bit curious and wanted to ask Master." Li Chu replied truthfully.

Although Li Xinyi said yesterday it was unimportant, he wasn't stupid. Why would she ask about something unimportant?

So he had been harboring a doubt.

"This, it's actually just common knowledge for some cultivators," Yu Qi'an said slowly.

"The Seven Realms of Celestial Being are the seven major realms that cultivators usually go through. The so-called Celestial Being, is from human to celestial. These seven realms are the path to the heavens."

"They are Body Tempering, Qi Sea, Spirit Fusion, Dragon Transformation, Myriad Forms, Severing Decay, and Ascending Heaven."

"Among them, the Body Tempering realm cultivates steel muscles and iron bones, the Qi Sea realm cultivates the Dantian into a sea, the Spirit Fusion realm cultivates an indestructible primordial spirit, the Dragon Transformation realm cultivates the physical body into a dragon, the Myriad Forms realm cultivates the unity of heaven and man, the Severing Decay realm cultivates transcendence, and the Ascending Heaven realm cultivates an Earthly Immortal."

So that's how it is.

Li Chu nodded in understanding. Is this the cultivation realm division of this world?

Then how should he be counted? It seemed he didn't have the characteristics of any of these realms.

However, his cultivation method was different from theirs, so it was normal for the realm division to be different.

Yu Qi'an saw his thoughtful expression and added:

"Actually, not all cultivators have to follow this path. It's just that the mainstream cultivators today, anciently called Qi Refiners, advance according to the Seven Realms of Celestial Being."

"Other inheritances like Martial Artists, Gu Users, Witchers, and so on, are numerous. They all have their own realm divisions. Demons, devils, ghosts, monsters... also have their own Great Dao to follow, so you don't need to be too fixated on this. Just take it as a general reference."

Li Chu nodded and accepted the teaching. "Disciple also wants to ask, at which realm can one be considered a master in the Jianghu?"

This was a question he had always wanted to know.

Ultimately, he wanted to understand how far his cultivation had progressed so that he could leave Novice Village and venture into the Jianghu.

Yu Qi'an stroked his beard and smiled again. "Heh heh, that depends on your understanding of a master."

"Under the heavens, those born with spiritual roots who can embark on the path of cultivation are already one in ten thousand. And of those with spiritual roots, ninety percent will remain in the introductory Body Tempering realm for their entire lives. Compared to ordinary people, they are already absolute masters."

"Entering the Qi Sea realm is considered outstanding. Traveling the Jianghu, one can be called a master."

"If one has Spirit Fusion cultivation, they are blessed by heaven. In Jianghu sects, they can be the backbone. In the Imperial Court, they can also govern a region."

"Once one steps into the Dragon Transformation realm, they can be called a renowned figure in the Jianghu, capable of making a name for themselves anywhere!"

"After Dragon Transformation, it's a different scene. The first three realms before Dragon Transformation are closer to humans, and the three realms after Dragon Transformation are closer to heaven! Stepping into the Myriad Forms realm, one can achieve Words Manifest, summon celestial phenomena, enough to establish a sect and become a sect ancestor."

"If one enters the Severing Decay Realm, they can be called a mighty being of heaven and earth, rarely seen in the world."

"As for the highest Heaven-Connecting Realm, once one steps into it, they become an Earthly Immortal, someone to be met by chance and sought by desire. This realm can be called the Human Peak, and besides the legendary Feather Ascension, there is no other pursuit."

"The Seven Realms of Celestial Being, each realm is a chasm, and each realm has blocked countless prodigies. It's like climbing a mountain; each peak is higher than the last. Anyone can claim to be a master, but there will always be someone higher than you."

Li Chu listened, deeply shocked.

So the world of cultivators was this vast.

Another question immediately arose in his heart.

"Master, your disciple dares to ask." he tentatively inquired, "May I ask what realm Master is currently in?"

"My realm?" Yu Qi'an smiled mysteriously, "Guess?"

"Master had so many earth-shattering deeds in his early years, at least... you must be in the Dragon Transformation Realm?"

Li Chu didn't dare to guess too high, fearing he would embarrass Yu Qi'an, so he started guessing from a realm he considered relatively low for his Master.

Yu Qi'an smiled and shook his head.

"Could it be the Myriad Manifestations Realm?" Li Chu asked again.

Yu Qi'an maintained his smile and shook his head again.

"Could it be that Master is already a mighty being in the Severing Decay Realm?" Li Chu's eyes sparkled.

Yu Qi'an smiled again, and shook his head again.

"Ah..." Li Chu was greatly excited internally, "Master, could you already be... in the Heaven-Connecting Realm, an Earthly Immortal?!"

"Heh heh." Yu Qi'an chuckled. Just as Li Chu thought he had guessed correctly, he shook his head again.

"Huh?"

Li Chu was greatly puzzled. If these weren't it, how could his Master possess such demeanor if he were only a cultivator in the first three realms?

Yu Qi'an looked noncommittal, his eyes fixed on Li Chu, revealing that familiar, unfathomable smile.

This smile left Li Chu somewhat bewildered, but he didn't dare to ask further.

The air quieted for a moment before Yu Qi'an slowly said, "Our cultivation is of the Heart Realm, not the Body Realm. If one is fixated on cultivation, what use is it to move mountains and overturn seas? Disciple, do not cling to form."

Li Chu quickly nodded, "Your disciple understands."

In truth, he didn't understand at all.

He only understood one thing: that his Master's realm was absolutely beyond his estimation!

Thanks to Silent Sword Dancer for the hundred rewards.

Thanks everyone for your collections and recommendations.