Ascension Path

"Is this your story? It was pretty unlucky, but you turned your fortunes around in the end."

Lan Yi studied Xiao Hongzhuan, who was wolfing down his food, with great interest.

At that moment, Xiao Hongzhuan was practically a genuine hungry ghost from the Hungry Ghost Scene. He stuffed himself with the meat and fish spread across the table without the slightest fear of eating himself to death. If he had not had a little fat on his bones to begin with, starving for several days before suddenly gorging himself like this really would have killed him.

Even after washing up,

Xiao Hongzhuan still looked like a refugee.

Whether it was his height, bearing, manner of speech, appearance, or abilities, Xiao Hongzhuan looked nothing like the insignificant nobody from the roadside who could possibly have anything to do with Immortal Master Lan Yi.

If Lan Yi had not admitted it himself,

none of the martial artists would ever have acknowledged that someone of this caliber was a fellow townsman of Immortal Master Lan Yi. It was simply too humiliating. To put it bluntly, dealing with someone like Xiao Hongzhuan would not require a Heavenly General-level expert. Any Qi Cultivation Practitioner could tidy him up with one hand.

The strong were revered.

Strength here did not refer only to physical power. If someone possessed great learning, could bring prosperity to the people under their rule, or was useful in cultivating Refining Destiny Clusters, then they would also receive respect within the martial artists' collective.

Clearly, Xiao Hongzhuan had some ability, but the little bit of skill he possessed was not enough to suppress this group of fierce tigers and dragons.

There were many martial artists standing around the dining table.

Zhao Jian, Zhao Sikong, Liu Baiyuan, and Guo Decheng were among the familiar faces. Besides them, several martial artists had arrived in Jinling over the past two days to join the martial artists' collective, hoping to receive Bestowing Martial Arts and weapons. Those qualified to enter the inner circle included Spear King Kuang Yimin, Divine Gunner Li Shuwen, Sword Immortal Li Jinglin, and Tiger Head Young Protector Sun Lutang.

These were humans who had already reached the pinnacle of martial arts before spiritual energy was revived.

Once they entered the Jinling region, they began stepping into qi cultivation at a pace almost beyond that of ordinary people. Even without Lan Yi imparting the true teachings of martial arts, they would still have been able to slowly explore an extraordinary path belonging to Innate Qi.

At present, these martial arts experts stood quietly to one side, listening.

The more they listened, the more astonished they became.

The secrets of the Immortal Realm, the path of conquest, martial arts refining the void, the starry river of Daoist arts—every one of these revelations was a massive secret capable of shattering the worldview of anyone living in this era.

Lan Yi did not stop them from listening.

First of all, the War Zone was unlike certain heartless and gutless transmigration freaks who guarded the origins of arcane energy cultivators with their lives. Once the path of conquest was opened, it would be equivalent to opening the path from the Artificial Divine Realm's group of barriers to the main world. If the main world's arcane energy cultivators lacked the courage to conquer the myriad heavens, then sooner or later they would suffer the backlash.

If they possessed the strength and courage, then all the resources of the myriad heavens would be theirs to use. They could suppress the many factions of the Artificial Divine Realm and become a genuine top-tier faction.

The facts had proven this as well.

Later, the arcane energy cultivators of the River Civilization and Dayang Civilization joined forces to build Two Realms Mountain. It was a heaven-shaking feat of controlling the stars, akin to a stabilizing pillar, and truly established the main world's unshakable position in a single stroke.

It was not limited to the main world.

From the very beginning, Lan Yi had never concealed information regarding arcane energy, Innate Qi, Refining Destiny Clusters, Daoist arts, and the like.

This was one of the spontaneous principles of the first-generation arcane energy cultivators.

The Dao could be transmitted. Among the human civilizations in the Artificial Divine Realm, Lan Yi would teach the River Civilization first, the Dayang Civilization second, Human Civilization third, and the human race after that. He would pass the Dao to them, but how much they learned would depend on their own abilities. If they truly managed to catch up, they could devote themselves to their civilization and conquer the Artificial Divine Realm.

This was likewise one of the principles of the first-generation cultivators.

For arcane energy cultivators from the main world who had fallen into the Artificial Divine Realm, as long as there was no grudge or hatred and no conflict of interests, one would help if it was within one's power. If one did not want to help, no one would force them.

There was another principle besides that.

The River Civilization and Dayang Civilization's opposition and competition were the normal state of the Artificial Divine Realm.

No matter which side they belonged to, when transforming the Artificial Divine Realm, arcane energy cultivators would favor the civilization they came from. However, they would not exterminate the humans of the other civilization. Of course, "not exterminating them" left plenty of room for maneuver. The specifics depended on the arcane energy cultivator's ability and moral character.

However, in an Artificial Divine Realm where Human Civilization was in grave danger, this principle would automatically become one of setting differences aside: help Human Civilization survive the crisis first, and worry about the rest later.

The River Civilization and Dayang Civilization were always locked in a love-hate struggle.

Let alone leaving Earth.

Even after leaving the Artificial Divine Realm and entering the strange and unpredictable borderlands, then advancing into the even stranger and shattered Far Frontier, the struggle carved into the souls of these two great civilizations would not disappear.

There was simply too much information.

Not to mention Zhao Jian and the other martial artists—even Xiao Hongzhuan, the unlucky man from the main world, was left dumbfounded.

"Boss Lan, I'm genuinely convinced."

Comparisons were odious.

Xiao Hongzhuan had still been inwardly sour before. They had both been among the first batch to enter the Artificial Divine Realm, so how had Lan Yi become so outrageously strong? But after their conversation, he no longer felt the slightest trace of jealousy toward Lan Yi. There was only deep admiration.

This was a golden thigh.

Why not hug a bigshot's thigh and lie back to win? Could he possibly have lost his mind and thought he could defy heaven just like Lan Yi?

After being schooled by cruel reality, Xiao Hongzhuan was practically on the verge of openly begging Lan Yi to take him in.

Lan Yi did indeed intend to take him in.

But not for free. Xiao Hongzhuan possessed a Baleful Intent Refining Destiny Cluster that Lan Yi happened to need.

"The Immortal Realm is truly..." Guo Decheng, whose worldview had just been overturned, muttered with difficulty from the side.

"The Immortal Realm certainly lives up to its name. As for Immortal Master Lan Yi, I fear he must also be incomparably noble in the Immortal Realm."

Spear King Kuang Yimin had a razor-sharp eye.

Merely by listening to the conversation, he had roughly pieced together the story of Lan Yi and Xiao Hongzhuan, who had been sent over by the War Zone, using the concepts of descending to the mortal world to undergo tribulation, the difference in immortal rank, and factional struggles in the Immortal Realm.

It had to be said.

Although Lan Yi was accustomed to Kuang Yimin's explanation, it was indeed much easier for the martial artists, who were digesting this massive amount of information, to accept.

The way they looked at Lan Yi grew increasingly reverent and respectful.

In the martial artists' eyes, Lan Yi's immortal rank had to be that of a Daluo Golden Immortal in the Immortal Realm!

As for Xiao Hongzhuan,

he was probably just an insignificant little immortal.

He had descended to the mortal world to undergo a tribulation and could barely protect himself. How could he compare with Immortal Master Lan Yi's divine might?

"So, in that case, we martial men can not only restore China, exterminate the barbarians, and kill the foreigners—we might even have hope of embarking on the Ascension Path!" Sword Immortal Li Jinglin's face flushed as his words set the blood of the vigorous martial men surging!

If Lan Yi had not been there,

they probably would not have been merely excited.

They would have been itching to demonstrate their martial arts on the spot and vent their excitement properly.

They could go to the Immortal Realm too! Not only could they go, they would become the direct disciples of a true immortal with an extremely high immortal rank. This opportunity was so great that the smoke from their ancestors' graves had surely already shot into the heavens, while their ancestors' coffins were even belching flames!

"Whether we ascend or not is another matter. But right now, I'm getting a little itchy for a fight."

When Li Shuwen saw the encouragement in Lan Yi's eyes, he bared his teeth in a grin. His gaze fixed straight on Guo Decheng.

"In front of the immortal masters, how about we exchange a few moves?"

"Just Fist Without a Second Strike and Fierce Tiger Climbs the Mountain. I would certainly have been no match for you in the past, but now..." Guo Decheng glanced at his silent master, Kuang Yimin, and smiled as he accepted Li Shuwen's provocation. "...Senior Divine Gunner, even if you and Master came at me together, it would be no problem."