Testing the Immortal Gate Level

A cultivator who transcends the constraints of the world is True Immortal.

They no longer depend on the world for energy and can cross the Boundary Sea with their physical bodies.

Their range of activities naturally increased significantly. They were no longer limited to a single world, but instead used the Boundary Sea as a blueprint to travel to many worlds and seek out a fairyland suitable for their cultivation.

Of course, they utterly despise the energy of the Boundary Sea.

Generally speaking, they will not appear in lower-level worlds, much less roam freely in the Boundary Sea without any barriers.

Ning Qi and his two companions discussed immortals and the Dao, they gradually unveiled the mystery of the immortals and gained a glimpse into their realm.

"The ninth rank of True Immortal merges with the power of rules to achieve the initial fruition of the Great Dao. What exactly is this fruition of the Great Dao?"

Ning Qi inquired.

While continuing to peruse the Supreme Heavenly Immortal Scripture in his mind, Hai Zu explained:

"Attaining immortality through the Dao, the so-called Dao is the Dao Fruit. The initial fruit of the Great Dao can be understood as a manifestation of the power of rules cultivated to its extreme, completely under one's own control."

"All the worlds we inhabit are born from rules, but those rules are always the rules within those worlds, not those that transcend them. Those who aspire to immortality must cultivate the power of rules to its ultimate limit, thereby condensing it into the initial fruition of the Great Dao, and thus transcending the world."

"Therefore, it is not easy for even one person among billions of cultivators to surpass the power of the rules."

Ning Qi and the Holy Ancestor listened to the Sea Ancestor's explanation and exchanged a glance.

The Holy Ancestor asked, "Why did I not see the Great Dao Fruit you spoke of within the Mountain Ancestor's Immortal Body?"

Hai Zu smiled and said, "If Hao Shan truly cultivates to the point of attaining the Great Dao, I'm afraid we won't be able to win either."

What does this mean?

"The Fruit of the Great Dao cannot be condensed upon becoming an immortal. At most, a newly immortal cultivator's physical body and Divine Soul have undergone the baptism of the immortal sect, exhausting the energy of their Inner Realm, thus generating the foundation of perfect power, which is the foundation of Immortal Power."

"And condensing the fruit of the Great Dao is what True Immortal needs to do. There are nine ranks of True Immortal; the first three ranks are about condensing the fruit of the Great Dao, while the middle three ranks are about consolidating their own Great Dao."

"What about the last three ranks?" Ning Qi asked again.

"The latter three ranks are based on the methods cultivated by True Immortal and their own cultivation insights, preparing them for the future path to Heavenly Immortal. The latter three ranks are hard to predict; some True Immortal can condense multiple Great Dao Fruits, some specialize in one, and some even use Great Dao Fruits to create a world unique to themselves..."

Upon hearing this, Ning Qi was taken aback.

Who would have thought that True Immortal, after cultivating to such a high level, would possess such terrifying abilities, capable of single-handedly creating a world? Wouldn't that make them a creator of the world?

Perhaps noticing Ning Qi's expression, Hai Zu added:

"The world they created Non-Self speak of. It is inhabited by many mortal cultivators, and the space they created for cultivating the fruits of the Great Dao contains many mysteries. Of course, if one cultivates to the level of Heavenly Immortal or even a Golden Immortal, then we don't know what kind of world theirs can transform into."

Ning Qi nodded slightly, indicating that he understood the difference between the two.

A look of longing appeared on the Holy Ancestor's old face.

"Just hearing his words fills this old man with longing. No wonder becoming an immortal is the greatest pursuit of all cultivators throughout history; the more talented one is, the more irresistible the temptation of immortality becomes."

Ning Qi interjected, "This shouldn't be called temptation, but rather a pursuit of the evolution of life."

The Holy Ancestor nodded, his gaze falling upon the Mountain Ancestor's immortal body within the spirit jade coffin.

"Unfortunately, some people achieve immortality by causing suffering to all living beings; this is not the right path."

The three of them fell silent for a moment.

Should the path to immortality be divided into good and evil?

Or rather, what should a true immortal be like?

The Mountain Ancestor's methods were extremely ruthless, but no matter what, he eventually became an immortal, even though he was still defeated by Ning Qi.

"At least this reminds us that even paradise is not a benevolent place, and that there are creatures like the Mountain Ancestor within it."

Ning Qi spoke up.

Upon hearing this, the Holy Ancestor Haizu felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.

Their hearts were filled with an endless longing to become immortals, a longing that was often accompanied by extremely beautiful imaginations.

However, Ning Qi's words immediately brought the two of them back to reality.

Wonderland isn't all that wonderful!

If they rashly become immortals, everything they do will be out of their control.

This doesn't mean they have control over themselves, but rather that they are leaving the world and heading to a strange fairyland. What kind of people they will encounter in that fairyland, and what kind of environment they will arrive in, is beyond their control.

If one were to encounter an opponent like the Mountain Ancestor, it would be worse than death.

The Holy Ancestor sighed.

"My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens"—this saying seems to remain empty rhetoric. As long as a higher world and more powerful adversaries exist, we will always face situations where we are not in control of our own destiny.

Ning Qi's eyes flickered. "Only when we reach the summit will we be qualified to say such a thing."

The Holy Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor looked at Ning Qi and saw that his face was extremely firm, seemingly shining with an extraordinary light that was dazzling.

A thought stirred within them, and they felt a pang of humility.

Young people are so bold and daring. They all have high hopes for becoming immortals and are worried because of the conversation just now. But Ning Qi is determined to reach the pinnacle.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the same thought in each other's eyes.

Becoming an immortal naturally brings endless benefits, and they had even entertained the idea for a moment before.

If they become immortals, will they have to leave Ning Qi's True Martial Spirit World?

It's natural to have such thoughts. It's not that they want to abandon their supporters after they've served their purpose. Even if Ning Qi were to become an immortal, he would still have to consider how he should handle matters concerning the True Martial Spirit World.

At this moment, the Holy Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor reached a clear conclusion.

Faced with the unknown of becoming an immortal, all three of them undoubtedly have the potential to achieve immortality. It would be better for the three of them to stick together and face the unknown together!

In any case, this is far better than achieving immortality alone and facing the unknown; it is a much wiser choice.

Moreover, neither of them had any clear indication of how far they could go on the path to immortality. Whether they would stop at True Immortal or be fortunate enough to become Heavenly Immortal, they had absolutely no idea.

Even if Hai Zu obtained this Supreme Heavenly Immortal Scripture and could cultivate to the Heavenly Immortal realm, he wouldn't dare to be truly certain that he could reach that level.

They were very clear about Ning Qi's potential; Ning Qi was definitely going to go much further than the two of them!

This assessment is not only based on Ning Qi's talent, but also on all the methods Ning Qi demonstrated during their previous experience in the Spirit Realm War.

So what else is there to say? Just follow Ning Qi and that's it. Why think about anything else?

Ning Qi's gaze swept over the many murals on the cliff face.

"Since becoming an immortal is so desirable, let the three of us help the Holy Ancestor take that step first."

Upon hearing this, the two reacted differently.

Hai Zu smiled secretly, her stunningly beautiful face blooming like a hundred flowers, vibrant and colorful.

The Holy Ancestor wore a wry smile and said:

"In the past, I would have been eternally grateful to anyone who offered to help me achieve immortality, but now I feel like I've fallen for your trick."

Ning Qi smiled faintly and said, "Are you willing or not?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll risk it all!" the Holy Ancestor said, blowing his beard.

"Alright, then we'll respect the elderly. Next, let's try to help you condense a celestial gate, and the higher the level, the better."

"Kid, whatever you say goes."

Haizu watched the two from the side, his State of Mind filled with peace.

She loved the atmosphere here; it felt like it had instantly transported her away from her previous life.

Over the years, her heart had long been replaced by madness. Her goal in life was no longer to become an immortal, but to defeat the Mountain Ancestor and truly understand the truth of everything.

Now, having arrived in Ning Qi's True Martial Spirit World, sitting in the plaza under the branches of the Enlightenment Realm tree, she has rediscovered herself and found a new direction in life.

All of this is thanks to Ning Qi.

"Kid, it shouldn't be too difficult for me to condense a celestial gate now. The real challenge is determining what kind of celestial gate I can summon. And then, how will you investigate whether there are actually people behind that celestial gate?"

The Holy Ancestor said he was going all out, but worry was still evident on his old face.

"As you all saw before, after the Mountain Ancestor condensed the Immortal Gate, that gate could not only separate immortals from mortals, but also block space and time, making it impossible for others to approach."

When this matter was brought up, Ning Qi and Hai Zu began to think about it.

"With so many Cultivation Method here, including the Zhou Heavenly Immortal Guidance True Scripture cultivated by the Mountain Ancestor, and the Sea Venerable obtaining an immortal scripture that allows one to cultivate directly to the Heavenly Immortal, I refuse to believe we can't find a solution."

After speaking, Ning Qi held the Jade Slip that Hai Zu had just given him and began to read it carefully.

There was silence for a moment as the three of them perused the immortal scriptures, while also paying attention to the various Cultivation Method left on the cliff face.

These Cultivation Method corresponded one-to-one with the Cultivation Method they practiced, and gradually, all three of them vaguely discovered something.

The Immortal Method bestowed upon her by Haizu were imprinted in her mind, making them easier to find than those of Ning Qi and the Holy Ancestor. She spoke first:

"I found a record in the Supreme Heavenly Immortal Scripture that says that when forming an immortal gate, one can first test it with one's own power."

Ning Qi became interested. "How do we test it?"

Haizu's expression turned serious.

She pushed the power within her body to its limit, and her Movement Method.

A hazy moon shadow enveloped her, flowing like ripples on water, making her appear quite extraordinary.

Judging from his appearance alone, Ning Qi felt that if Hai Zu could condense a celestial gate, he could at least obtain a silver celestial gate. The Full Moon Celestial Body would be especially suitable for Hai Zu.

The only difficulty is that the Sea Ancestor has too much energy in his Inner Realm, which may not be recognized by the immortal sects.

Ning Qi could extract all the Boundary Sea energy from her body, but right now, the Sea Ancestor is unwilling to do so.

Hai Movement Method, and she primarily cultivated the power of water and moon, which is the gentlest power in the world.

If she could enter the immortal realm, she might be able to condense a Water Moon Dao Fruit using this method.

Suddenly, a hazy power flew out from Hai Zu's fingertip. It was a trace of immortal aura condensed from the power of the rules within her body pushed to its limit.

In an instant, the aura of immortality left her fingertips and flowed in a specific manner before everyone's eyes.

It's like drawing talismans in the air, or forming an array in mid-air.

Several more strands of immortal energy flew out from Hai Zu's body and joined him.

Finally, after she released nine strands of immortal energy, the nine strands of immortal energy intertwined in the void, forming a hazy rune array.

The rune array had just formed when it transformed into a ring, with something faintly coalescing at its center.

Amidst the intertwining of Immortal Power, a small doorway appeared and disappeared, as if an ancient passage had been opened here.

"The Immortal Sect has appeared!" the Holy Ancestor exclaimed in surprise.

Haizu's forehead was slightly sweaty.

"This isn't a true immortal sect; it's just a minor spell to test the level of an immortal sect."

Ning Qi and the Holy Ancestor continued to gaze at the shadowy door within the circle.

The shadow of the door gradually solidified, its colors shifting, first shimmering with earthy tones, then transforming into bronze, and finally transitioning to silver.

The Holy Ancestor frowned and said, "Does this represent the Bronze and Silver Immortal Sects? But what does that earthy color represent? Why is this the first time I've seen it?"

Hai Zu was completely focused on condensing the immortal gate and did not reply.

Gradually, the gate's shadow turned completely silver, but at that moment, the immortal gate seemed to detect something and flickered incessantly.

Its surface alternates between silver, bronze, and earth tones.

Snap!

With a soft sound, the entire ring of Immortal Power and the small immortal gate within it vanished into the void.

Hai Zu's body trembled slightly, and his fair face seemed to turn even paler.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her delicate hand before addressing the two of them:

"No, even though the Supreme Heavenly Immortal Scripture has a minor technique to detect the level of condensed immortal sects, I have the energy of the Boundary Sea within me. The immortal sect detected it and could no longer push it to a higher level. Instead, it regressed and dissipated out of control."

Ning Qi stroked his chin, squinting as he stared at the spot where the ring had just disappeared.

"This technique is quite magical. It uses Immortal Power to construct a rune array that I can't even understand, and then it can summon a small immortal gate to test the level of the immortal gate formed when one becomes an immortal."

"What's even more amazing is that Immortal Gate. Sea Venerable, you clearly condensed your Immortal Gate using immortal energy, without actively pushing it like Mountain Ancestor did, yet it can still detect the Boundary Sea energy within you. It's truly bizarre."

The Holy Ancestor nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, it seems we underestimated the power of the Immortal Sect. I'm quite curious to know, who exactly created the mechanism that one must go through the Immortal Sect to become an immortal?"

Ning Qi pointed to the sky.

"Don't forget the existence of Mount Buzhou. It was the only path to the heavens, and it seems that the High Antiquity always restricted mortals from becoming immortals. Later, Mount Buzhou collapsed, it seems reasonable that they established another mechanism for passing through the gates to immortality."

Upon hearing this, both the Holy Ancestor and the Sea Ancestor were taken aback.

Ning Qi didn't say anything more; everything was just his guess based on what he had, and there was no point in saying more.

He looked at the Holy Ancestor and said, "Can you test me now, old man?"

The Holy Ancestor stroked his beard and said:

"No, Hai Zun was able to use her Immortal Power to condense a rune array, thereby summoning a small immortal gate, because she possesses the Supreme Heavenly Immortal Scripture. She gained the Holy Shadow's approval and was destined to use this method because of her affinity with this immortal scripture. However, the method I cultivate is different from hers, and I cannot condense the rune array of the Taiyin Gate."

The Taiyin Sect he mentioned was the sect from which Hai Zu obtained the immortal manual.

Hai Zu agreed with the words of the Holy Ancestor.

"That's true. The Divine Ability of this immortal scripture must indeed match its power."

Ning Qi laughed and said, "Then why don't we just break that rune array and modify it into a version that everyone can use?"

The two looked at him, their pupils involuntarily contracting slightly.