[[Heavenly Secret Creation Jade Butterfly], Chen Qingyan Comes Calling, Fruit Position Tiers]

[You quietly returned to the [Chen Family]. With the perfect control over your internal energy afforded by [heaven-grade Qi Refining], the lineage's ordinary detection methods could not possibly discern your true cultivation realm.]

[With a clear goal in mind, you went straight to the old scholar tree spoken of in the rumors.]

[This scholar tree was ancient, wreathed in spiritual energy. Its very body was sufficient to serve as a vessel for breaking through to [human-grade Qi Refining].]

[It was said that a direct-line descendant had once coveted it, but had ultimately given up for unknown reasons, allowing it to remain here all this time.]

["Was that Jade Butterfly really here?" Some uncertainty lingered in your heart; after all, Lin Feng's words had been far too elusive.]

[Yet as you approached the old scholar tree, you suddenly sensed a faint but incomparably familiar fluctuation of spacetime.]

["Was this... a fluctuation from the [Spacetime Token]?" Startled, you immediately rejected the idea,]

["No, that wasn't right. Someone had once used a similar power here, and the lingering imprint had stirred your connection to the [Spacetime Token]!"]

[You slowly stepped forward and reached out to touch the rough bark.]

[The instant your fingertips made contact—]

["Hum!"]

[A soft hum rang out, and a gentle radiance seeped through the soil around the roots,]

[Then a palm-sized disc, ancient and enigmatic in design, broke through the earth and landed lightly in your palm.]

[The entire process took place in broad daylight. Strangely, not a single member of the Chen Family noticed anything unusual here, as though an invisible force had sealed off the area.]

[You examined the disc closely. Its entire surface had the hue of chaos, neither metal nor jade,]

[An indescribable Dao resonance flowed across its surface, somewhat resembling the [Heaven and Earth Wonder] you had previously used to break through, yet far more restrained and profound.]

[Specks of spiritual light flickered across it like stars.]

["The [Heavenly Secret Creation Jade Butterfly]..." you murmured its name.]

[Since Lin Feng, the representative of [Beyond Heaven], had personally arranged to deliver this item into your hands, your greatest current crisis]

[—having your Fortune spied upon by a [Nascent Soul True Lord]—should have been resolved.]

[Your heart eased somewhat. You felt that you could finally catch your breath for a while and cultivate in peace.]

[However, things did not go as you wished.]

[On the very evening you obtained the [Heavenly Secret Creation Jade Butterfly], a figure both unexpected and understandable came to your residence.]

[Looking at Chen Qingyan, who had appeared soundlessly before you with an aura as deep as the sea, you were momentarily speechless.]

["May I ask... what brings you here?" you asked, suppressing the turmoil in your heart.]

[Chen Qingyan did not slight you because of your outwardly meager Cultivation. Instead, he solemnly cupped his hands and bowed, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry and respect:]

["May I ask, Senior, are you the one... my Master so often speaks of?"]

[You: "..." The last shred of your hope that you might get away with hiding the truth vanished like smoke and clouds.]

[At this point, further denial was futile. You simply asked him in return, "How did you know?"]

[You knew very well that before someone like Chen Qingyan, any concealment was meaningless.]

[Moreover, his coming to your door meant that you had very likely once again entered the sight of certain beings. Hiding no longer served much purpose.]

[Viewed this way, before the [Heavenly Secret Creation Jade Butterfly] could even exercise its greatest function of Obstruction of heavenly secrets, it probably had only]

[—the basic function of "making it difficult for a Nascent Soul True Lord to directly control you" left.]

[Hearing this, Chen Qingyan became even more respectful and explained:]

["Please allow me to explain, Senior. Long ago, it was my Master who ordered someone to bury this [Heavenly Secret Creation Jade Butterfly] here in the Chen Family grounds.]

[By a stroke of chance, I ultimately handled the matter myself, so I paid particular attention to this place and this item.]

[Furthermore, one of the reasons I reincarnated into the [Chen Family] this time was precisely to guard this item and quietly await the destined person... or rather, await your arrival."]

[You were surprised once again:]

["There was actually this reason behind Chen Qingyan's reincarnation into the [Chen Family] as well?" The unseen cycle of Karma was truly mysterious and unfathomable.]

[He continued, "This [Heavenly Secret Creation Jade Butterfly] is extraordinarily mysterious. Even standing right before it, ordinary cultivators can neither see nor sense it.]

[But I buried it with my own hands and have a deep connection of [Karma] to this opportunity. Naturally, I could sense its changes and follow the trail to you, Senior."]

["So that's how it was." You understood, though you also felt somewhat helpless. It seemed that all of Everything had long been within Lin Feng's calculations.]

["Then what did you come to me for?" you asked directly. After his explanation, you felt that his arrival might not necessarily be a bad thing.]

[He clearly knew your true circumstances—your meager strength—yet remained so respectful. He must have had a purpose.]

[Sure enough, Chen Qingyan said sincerely, "My Master has mentioned you many times, Senior, and his words showed how deeply he missed you."]

[In terms of seniority, you are my Master's old friend, so I ought to respectfully address you as Martial Uncle."]

[You cared little for such empty titles and pressed him. "So?"]

[Seeing how direct you were, Chen Qingyan came straight to the point as well:]

["Thus, now that I know you are here, Martial Uncle, I shall naturally do everything in my power to safeguard your journey!"]

[Age 22]:[Ever since Chen Qingyan came calling that day and declared his intention to "safeguard your journey," the two of you had effectively become traveling companions.]

[Faced with the willing protection of a reincarnated True Lord backed by an existence such as [Beyond Heaven], you truly could find no reason to refuse.]

[With him at your side, your safety had at least increased dramatically. Many dangers you had previously needed to avoid with utmost caution could now be faced calmly.]

[During this year of travel and conversation, you naturally did not pass up the opportunity to seek his guidance.]

[Especially concerning [Beyond Heaven] and the secrets of higher-level cultivation, Chen Qingyan did not conceal much, revealing a corner of this world's true structure to you.]

[First came the number of [Nascent Soul True Lords]. He casually mentioned that in the Era he had lived in, there had been over a hundred [Nascent Soul True Lords] whose existence was confirmed!]

[That number made you draw in a sharp breath. It far exceeded your previous imaginings.]

[Afterward, he explained in detail the distinctions between primary and secondary [Fruit Positions], and their divisions in strength,]

[These directly determined a [Nascent Soul True Lord]'s Future potential and upper limit of strength, and fell into three clearly defined tiers:]

[First tier: [Void-Proof-type Fruit Positions]]

[This was the most transcendent category, with the greatest potential.]

[Rather than relying on existing fragments of the Laws of heaven and earth, those who attained the Dao condensed a [Nascent Fruit Position] unique to themselves while still a [Golden Core Powerhouse], drawing upon their own distinctive understanding of the Great Dao and their accumulated foundation.]

[Then, on the foundation of [Golden Core Limit-Breaking], they needed to accomplish some extraordinarily difficult feat,]

[After undergoing nine rounds of constructing and perfecting the nascent form, they would finally fulfill all the conditions and directly attain the Dao in [Beyond Heaven and Earth].]

[This process was incomparably difficult. Even without any outside interference, an ordinary cultivator's chances of successfully attaining the Dao were infinitesimal. It could truly be called defying heaven.]

[But once attained, such fruit positions possessed immeasurable potential and mighty power, and could even nurture third-tier Derivative Fruit Positions on their own.]

[Most importantly, only those who attained a [void-proven fruit position] were qualified to glimpse the legendary [opportunity for Spirit Transformation]!]

[Second tier: [Fruit Positions spontaneously nurtured by heaven and earth]]

[These fruit positions ranked just below [Void-Proof]. They were the condensed essence of the Laws of heaven and earth themselves. Often, a single fruit position represented a complete law, or even a portion of the Partial Authority of heaven and earth.]

[The most famous among them were:]

[[Heavenly Dao Supreme Venerable Fruit Position]—[Primordial Unity], commonly called the "Heaven Position."]

[This was the strongest existence in this category. Its might was even sufficient to rival some [void-proven fruit positions].]

[[Earthly Dao Supreme Venerable Fruit Position]—[Reincarnation], commonly called the "earth position," its might second only to the "Heaven Position."]

[There was also the legendary Supreme Venerable Fruit Position of the Humanity Dao, but no one had ever attained it. Its conditions were said to be stringent to the extreme.]

[Yet once attained, under certain conditions, the power it displayed could even surpass that of a [void-proven fruit position]!]

[Third tier: Derivative Fruit Positions and ordinary extrarealm Fruit Positions]

[This was the most numerous tier, and also the least valuable.]

[Derivative Fruit Positions: these primarily arose from the main Fruit Positions of the first and second tiers.]

[For example, Dao Fruits such as the Asura Path, Hungry Ghost Path, Hell Path, and Animal Path derived from the Reincarnation Fruit Position;]

[Or the Five Elements, Four Symbols, and others derived from the Elemental Fruit Position.]

[Those who attained these Fruit Positions had Everything about themselves entirely under the control of the one who had attained the main Fruit Position.]

[There was also a fatal rule: if the main fruit position had not been attained, then none of the fruit positions derived from it could possibly be attained;]

[If the one who had attained the main Fruit Position perished, all True Lords of derivative Fruit Positions attached to it would perish as well. That entire series of Fruit Positions would fade from existence together, awaiting its next condensation.]

[Ordinary extrarealm Fruit Positions: within this expanse of chaos existed the Myriad Worlds.]

[The “Supreme Chaos True Realm” you inhabited was merely the one closest to the center of chaos, with the most complete Laws.]

[Some other Great Worlds might also possess their own Fruit Position systems. Their names might differ, but in Essence, different roads led to the same destination.]

[As for smaller worlds, they might also have one or two existences comparable to derivative Fruit Positions,]

[But in a true comparison, derivative Fruit Positions backed by the “Supreme Chaos True Realm” were generally stronger, because the world origin supporting them was more powerful.]

[After hearing Chen Qingyan's account, waves rose and fell in your heart.]

[So even within the [Nascent Soul] realm, there existed such a vast and rigid hierarchy.]