He Was the Grandmaster, Yet I'd Once Put on an Act in Front of Him
"Oh, Mo Chen, you've arrived."
Bai Qiuran greeted him, saying, "It seems this is indeed the Central Immortal Realm."
"Yes."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder glanced behind Bai Qiuran and the others, then saw the pile of coffins. His expression changed, and he hurriedly apologized, "Please forgive Immortal Venerable Mo's rudeness. He actually dared to make you ride in coffins. I will definitely teach him a lesson later."
"It's alright, it's alright. This experience is quite novel."
Bai Qiuran smiled and waved her hand.
"That old man's words are quite interesting; don't do anything unnecessary."
"Yes."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder raised his head, allowing Qingmingzi and Liu Shi, who were standing beside him, to see his face.
Although he was Immortal Emperor, he had long stayed in the Human Realm, and few Immortals in the Immortal Realm knew of his existence. Therefore, Liu Shi could only marvel at the old man's profound cultivation. However, Qingmingzi was different. When he saw the Red Dust Immortal Elder, he seemed to have awakened memories from a long time ago and began to frown and ponder deeply.
"Strange, why do you look so familiar, old man?"
Unable to figure it out, he asked in confusion, "Have we met somewhere before?"
"Hehe, we have indeed met."
Upon hearing this, the Red Dust Immortal Elder turned and smiled at him.
"Three thousand three hundred years ago, on the Demon-Human Battlefield in Yongzhou, we had the chance to meet once."
Qingmingzi thought for a moment, then his expression changed.
"It's you? Senior!"
He bowed to the Red Dust Immortal Elder.
"Three thousand three hundred years ago, I thanked you for saving my life."
But the Red Dust Immortal Elder avoided his bow, shaking his head and saying, "I dare not accept your courtesy, and besides, it was my duty to protect your safety at that time."
Why?
Qingmingzi was greatly puzzled.
Let's put it this way.
The Red Dust Immortal Elder thought for a moment, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Bai Qiuran.
This is my grandmaster.
Qingmingzi was stunned for two or three seconds before he reacted.
"What did you say, senior?"
He picked at his ear.
"Oh no, I think I'm hallucinating."
"This is my grandmaster."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder repeated it again.
"You weren't hallucinating, and I wasn't joking; this is absolutely true. There are very complicated reasons behind this, which I can't explain to you in a short time... In short, we are all very grateful to you for taking in our grandmaster and raising him to adulthood. You deserve our respect. Speaking of which, do you need me to address you as Grandmaster and treat you with the respect due to a grandmaster?"
"No, no, I wouldn't dare."
Qingmingzi quickly waved his hand and said, "That's too strange. Let's just discuss our own points."
After saying that, he glanced at Bai Qiuran.
That would be best.
The Red Dust Immortal Elder also sighed.
"Otherwise, it would be too embarrassing for me to have put on such a big show in front of you back then and then have to call you my grandmaster."
Bai Qiuran was quite curious about how the Red Dust Immortal Elder had put on such a show of divine power in front of his master Qingmingzi, back then, but neither of them would say, so he didn't feel comfortable asking.
"There's no time to lose, let's get out of here quickly."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder gestured for us to come in.
"Grandmaster, I'll take you to the Clear Subtle Heaven of the Jade Purity Realm. Senior Brother has already prepared accommodations for you there. Our Master... is also there."
He led Bai Qiuran and her group out of the desolate graveyard. Outside, a huge platform hovered in mid-air, with countless stone steps suspended in the air, forming a staircase connecting the platform to the ground.
A huge Tai Chi symbol was engraved on the platform. The Red Dust Immortal Elder invited the group to go up, and then manipulated the platform to fly into the sky.
As he flew, he gave a presentation about the Central Immortal Realm to everyone, especially Bai Qiuran.
"The Central Immortal Realm is the largest of the Fivefold Immortal Realm, and it was the earliest prototype of the Immortal Realm created by Master, which developed into the world it is today. Therefore, unlike the other Fivefold Immortal Realm, the Central Immortal Realm has Thirty-Six Heavens, which is exactly the sum of the Nine Heavens of the other Fivefold Immortal Realm."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder carried the platform high into the sky, allowing everyone on the platform to see the ethereal land beneath their feet.
"This is the first heaven, the Great Emperor Huangzeng Heaven, which also has the largest number of Cultivators below the Immortals level and ordinary people in the Central Immortal Realm."
Indeed, as the platform rose higher, everyone saw that many villages and towns were hidden in the Cloudmist formed by Spirit Qi, and in the distance, there seemed to be vast City, only a few fragments of which were visible in the Cloudmist.
"This place is indeed much better than the Eastern Immortal Realm."
Qingmingzi and Liu Shi exchanged a glance, then Qingmingzi said, "No wonder so many Immortals want to pass the inspector's test and come to the Central Immortal Realm. Compared to the other Four Directions Immortal Realm, this is the true Immortal Realm, carefree and without worries."
The two had almost guessed the identity of the "master" mentioned by the Red Dust Immortal Elder. After all, the Red Dust Immortal Elder's words were too obvious. However, the fact was too bizarre and strange. To Qingmingzi, it felt as if he had picked up an orphan from the battlefield and raised him freely until he became an immortal.
No, it's even more bizarre and outlandish than that.
It is often said that art originates from life but transcends it, but in reality, life is often the most unexpected thing.
This fact was too terrifying for Qingmingzi and Liu Shi, so the two of them tacitly pretended to be ignorant, acting as if they knew nothing.
"Carefree?"
Hearing Qingmingzi's lament, the Red Dust Immortal Elder chuckled and said, "You're mistaken. The Central Immortal Realm is indeed a true immortal Immortal Realm, but it's far from carefree. However, if you two wish, you can stay here as you please. I'll arrange a respectable job for you, definitely better than what you'd have in the Eastern Immortal Realm."
"Thank you very much, senior."
Qingmingzi and Liu Shi thanked the Red Dust Immortal Elder.
"Don't call me senior anymore."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder glanced at Bai Qiuran.
"Now that you know my identity, please just call me by my name, Mo Chen. Calling me 'senior' is far too presumptuous."
"OK."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder manipulated the platform to continue rising, quickly traversing the sea of clouds and arriving at the even higher Great Bright Jade Perfection Heaven. He ascended layer by layer, introducing each level to Bai Qiuran. After this journey, Bai Qiuran had a fairly good understanding of the basic situation of the Central Immortal Realm.
In the Central Immortal Realm, most ordinary Cultivators are concentrated in the Six Heavens of the Desire Realm at the lowest level. The Eighteen Heavens of the Form Realm above are where the selected Immortals cultivate, exchange ideas, and transmit the Dharma. The Demon Ancestor, the disciple that Bai Qiuran took in along the way, is currently leading a group of Demon Immortals to live in these Eighteen Heavens.
The next level up, the Four Heavens of the Formless Heaven, is the area where the departments of the Central Immortal Realm that manage the natural operation of all realms are concentrated. For example, the Star Bureau, which manages the operation of Stars, is also located here. Many remnants of the Heavenly Gods Race who have surrendered or supported the Human Race from the beginning are also here, responsible for managing some of the world's operations.
The Four Brahma Heavens above are where monks reside after they transform into rainbows. These four heavens are pure and free from desires, with the sound of chanting sutras all day long. They are the monks' favorite place to live. Some Cultivators and Immortals who are troubled by inner demons can also come here to resolve their inner demons and resentments with the power of the formless chanting sutras.
Above the Four Brahma Heavens lies the Three Pure Heavens, which is where the current Central Immortal Emperor and his Imperial Court reside.
Only Immortal Official are allowed to enter and exit that place, and it is heavily guarded. The higher you go, the more troops there are, and the stronger the army's combat capabilities become. The Central Immortal Emperor himself is in the Clear Subtle Heaven of the Jade Purity Realm, which the Red Dust Immortal Elder is taking Bai Qiuran to this time.
What about Li?
After listening to the introduction by the Red Dust Immortal Elder, Bai Qiuran asked, "In which realm is my unfortunate disciple?"
"Reporting to Grandmaster, above the Clear Subtle Heaven of the Jade Purity Realm, there is another heaven called the Great Luo Heaven, which contains only the Imperial Palace Platform."
The Red Dust Immortal Elder replied, "Master's words can be found within the Imperial Palace Platform."