Mortal Tribulation, crossing the mortal world.
Miaotan said that to overcome the Mortal Tribulation, one had to distinguish oneself from mortals from the bottom of one's heart.
Only by understanding that "immortals and mortals are different," and placing oneself outside the matter, could one transcend the mortal world.
Otherwise, one would sink deep into the mortal world, unable to break through.
According to this theory...
If Chen Sanshi turned around and left now, perhaps he could attain enlightenment into the mortal world.
Yet he felt that it should not be so.
It was not because he sympathized with the Zhang brothers, but because he felt something was wrong.
Mortal Tribulation.
In truth, it was aimed more at Tianshui cultivators.
The vast majority of Tianshui cultivators had entered sects in childhood or cultivated alongside their clansmen. They had basically never lived in the mortal world.
Without that experience, they naturally could not attain enlightenment without going through it once.
But Chen Sanshi...
Ever since he had arrived in this world, he had been a genuine commoner. At first, how could he have heard of cultivating immortality and pursuing longevity? He only knew there might be no rice for the pot tomorrow.
Whether he had rebelled and ascended the throne or entered the cultivation world, he had never severed his ties with those around him.
He had even taken responsibility for protecting Great Han, and that was one of the major forces driving Chen Sanshi to cultivate diligently.
Yet this Mortal Tribulation now demanded that he sever everything. Was that not contrary to his true heart? What enlightenment could he possibly attain that way?!
Could it be that, because Chen Sanshi had become emperor, he was destined to be unable to cultivate immortality? Absurd!
At its core, was the Mortal Tribulation not