The cold within his Nascent Soul grew ever more intense, and Xiao Hua could barely hold on. Gritting his teeth, he draped the Pearl Shirt over himself. Strange enough, though the Pearl Shirt was not large, the instant it touched Xiao Hua's skin, it rapidly expanded into something dozens of zhang across. Moreover, the originally crystalline pearls took on the color of ice crystals. That icy hue flowed among all the pearls, and within moments formed a layer of crystallization like ice. As soon as it formed, the cold within Xiao Hua's body vanished instantly.
"Many thanks, Fellow Immortal Chu!" Xiao Hua cupped his hands in thanks.
"You truly need not be so polite!" Immortal Chu hurriedly returned the salute. "We can be considered birds of a feather, suffering the same fate."
"Hehe..." Xiao Hua nodded. "I shall repay this kindness another day. I hope Brother Chu can explain these three moons to me."
"Mhm, mhm..." Immortal Chu nodded repeatedly. "The three moons rise into the sky one after another. Like in the mortal world, each moon lasts six hours, so an immortal night lasts eighteen hours. As for daytime in the Immortal World, that is even more interesting. There are a full six suns! They are the crimson Crimson Sun, the fiery yellow Jiaotu Sun, the golden Guijing Sun, the flame-colored Yanxi Sun, the silver-white Tengshe Sun, and the glazed-gold Shuquè Sun. Each sun governs six hours, so the six suns make thirty-six hours. Thus, one day and night in the Immortal World lasts fifty-four hours, equivalent to four and a half days in our mortal world..."
Xiao Hua understood. "So one Shi Nian in the Immortal World is equivalent to one thousand six hundred and twenty years in the mortal world? Brother Chu has already been in the Immortal World for nearly a hundred thousand years?"
"That's right!" Immortal Chu nodded, then waved his hand. "However, in the Immortal World, almost no one speaks of mortal-world years. The hundred or so Shi Nian I mentioned actually meant a little over a hundred years. I put it that way to Fellow Immortal Zhang because I meant to test you."
Xiao Hua looked again at the ice crystals formed from the Pearl Shirt around him. "I truly must thank you. If not for—"
"I already said there is no need to mention thanks again!" Before Xiao Hua could finish, Immortal Chu waved a hand to stop him. "Since we share the same origins, we should support one another from now on. There is no need to speak further of such a trifling matter."
"Hehe, very well!"
"Which immortal domain's mortal world did Brother Zhang ascend from?" Immortal Chu glanced at the Crystallized Earth Jade Bear on the ground and asked, "As far as I know, this Crystallized Earth Jade Bear possesses strength comparable to a tribulation-transcending cultivator. Ordinary cultivators who sneak into the Immortal World would not likely possess such strength."
"This..." Xiao Hua hesitated.
"Chu came from a mortal world beneath the Purple Profound Immortal Domain!" As though trying to draw closer to him, Immortal Chu took the initiative to explain. "As for the mortal world's name, I do not know either. However, our mortal world was a place where disciples of West Venerable Mountain underwent trials. Every so often, there would be selections like 'the sole cultivator of a planet,' and every victor would qualify to be chosen as an outer sect disciple of West Venerable Mountain. Back then, Chu won with Great Vehicle cultivation, but another cultivator bribed the immortal sent to conduct the selection. That immortal actually did not choose Chu, instead taking away the cultivator ranked behind Chu. In a fit of rage, Chu went through every hardship to find the Feathered Immortal..."
At that point, Immortal Chu intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Xiao Hua.
Xiao Hua did not understand and asked curiously, "Is the Feathered Immortal an immortal with vast divine abilities?"
"Haha..." Immortal Chu burst out laughing. "It seems Fellow Immortal Zhang did not come to the upper realm through the Feathered Immortal! That makes Chu even more interested."
Xiao Hua stammered, "No, no..."
"Has Fellow Immortal Zhang ever seen an iceberg in the polar regions?" Immortal Chu abruptly asked.
Xiao Hua was even more puzzled. He nodded. "I have. Why do you ask, Fellow Immortal Chu?"
"Then does Fellow Immortal Zhang know?" Immortal Chu asked again. "The part of an iceberg floating above the water accounts for less than half a tenth of the entire iceberg. The other nine and a half tenths lie beneath the surface!"
"You mean..." Xiao Hua's expression changed slightly. "The immortals who truly ascend account for less than half a tenth?"
"Oh, that is not what I mean!" Immortal Chu hurriedly waved his hand and smiled. "What I mean is that less than half a tenth of the truth is visible on the surface, while nine and a half tenths of the truth remain hidden in the dark. Of course, there is another meaning as well. The Reception Hall welcoming Ascended Immortals is the truth displayed openly, but behind that surface, there are many other channels through which mortal-world cultivators can enter the Immortal World. Feathered Immortal means feathered transformation and immortal ascension. It is an organization, an organization with vast divine abilities. I do not know how many fellow immortals came to the Immortal World through the Feathered Immortal, but Chu is one of them!"
Xiao Hua narrowed his eyes and looked at the night outside, saying nothing. Naturally, he knew nothing of the organization called Feathered Immortal. He only knew that on Xiaoyu Continent, he had participated in a Feathered Immortal Convention.
"However, Fellow Immortal Zhang was not wrong about the number of Ascended Immortals!" Immortal Chu added. "It is said that immortals who can truly ascend by relying on their own abilities account for only half a tenth, perhaps not even that much."
"Ah?" Xiao Hua was even more shocked. "Then what about the other nine and a half tenths? Could they all be..."
"To be honest with Fellow Immortal Zhang, Chu had the same suspicions back then. Only later did I learn that there are countless native immortals in the Immortal World, and their descendants... hehe, are numerous as well!"
"Immortals have lust and desire too?" Though Xiao Hua spoke with emotion, the image of Star Moon Fairy and Xu Zhi in love naturally surfaced in his mind.
"Why would immortals not have lust and desire?" Immortal Chu curled his lip. "Fellow Immortal Zhang has had his mind ruined by the elders of the lower realm too. What nonsense about severing desire to attain the Great Dao, what nonsense about immortals being without desires or demands. Bullshit. Immortals have extremely long lifespans, and cultivation is extraordinarily difficult. They have far too much to think about; lust and desire are likely only one aspect..."
"Cough, cough..." Xiao Hua coughed lightly a few times. Immortal Chu waved his hand disdainfully. "Fellow Immortal Zhang need not be afraid. This is Yunmeng Marsh, located in the far west of Enlightenment Continent, one of the eight continents of the Mingdao Immortal Domain. No high-level immortals will come here. In mortal-world terms, this is a place where even birds do not shit."
"Then Fellow Immortal Chu..." Xiao Hua probed, "what cultivation do you possess now? Why are you still here?"
"Alas!" Immortal Chu sighed. "Fellow Immortal Zhang does not know! Back then, Chu set foot in the Immortal World with heroic spirit soaring to the heavens, believing I could do better than that man! I would surely inscribe Immortal Marks early and leave my name upon the Immortal Roster. Yet only after truly arriving in the Immortal World did Chu realize that circumstances are stronger than people! Chu had no sect to rely upon, nor did any faction think highly of me. Over these hundreds of thousands of years, although my strength has grown far greater than before, I am still an insignificant Mortal Immortal in the Immortal World. I have no opportunity at all to inscribe Immortal Marks. Just now, Chu received word that the Feathered Immortal has spread news that it can send certain destined people to Tai Ming Yu Wan Heaven. Chu wishes to try my luck..."
"Hold it, hold it..." Xiao Hua was utterly bewildered and hurriedly said, "Fellow Immortal Chu, what are Immortal Marks? What is Tai Ming Yu Wan Heaven? Why can't I understand any of this?"
"Hehe, that is exactly right!" Immortal Chu laughed. "That proves even more that Fellow Immortal Zhang's origins are the same as Chu's. Only people like us, whose origins are unknown, would not know this common knowledge of the Immortal World."
"I ask Fellow Immortal Chu to explain..."
"In the lower realm, we either cultivated golden bodies, cultivated Primordial Spirits, cultivated Nascent Souls, or cultivated Dharma bodies..." Immortal Chu did not conceal anything as he explained. "Once one's Mana surpasses the limits of the lower realm, one can ascend. But in the Immortal World, one cultivates Immortal Marks. Immortals who have not inscribed Immortal Marks are collectively called Mortal Immortals. Only those who have inscribed Immortal Marks are considered to have entered the ranks. Generally speaking, there are three Immortal Marks: Heaven Mark, Earth Mark, and Human Mark. It is said that there are also Yellow Marks and the highest-grade Mysterious Marks. Immortal Marks also differ in quality, with Virtual Marks, Illusionary Marks, Shadow Marks, Bright Marks, and Solid Marks."
"So that was it..." Xiao Hua nodded and thought, This is somewhat simpler than the classifications of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core in the mortal world.
"Hehe, Fellow Immortal Zhang is mistaken." Immortal Chu shook his head. "What Chu just mentioned were only Immortal Marks. As for immortal ranks, they do not rely entirely on Immortal Marks. Oh, immortals of the Immortal World can be divided into two types: Qi Immortals and Light Immortals. From high to low, Qi Immortals are Spirit Transformation Immortals, Essence Gathering Immortals, Two Qi Immortals, Five Elements Immortals, Evolving Immortals, and Leaking Immortals. From high to low, Light Immortals are Primordial Immortals, Taiyi Immortals, Daluo Immortals, Nine Palaces Immortals, Golden Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, and True Immortals."
"So many levels?" Xiao Hua was dumbstruck.
"Otherwise, why would one say immortals are bored? Their lifespans are extremely long, and the passing years are dull, so they make up things specifically to amuse themselves."
"Alas, in the mortal world, we sought longevity with all our hearts and desperately cultivated our way into the Immortal World. But once we arrive in the Immortal World, how can we indulge ourselves?"
"The realms are different!" Immortal Chu sighed as well. "It is said that many immortals became dispirited because of this, abandoning themselves to landscapes and pleasures, even doing many utterly inconceivable things."
Xiao Hua pondered for a moment, then asked tentatively, "When we cultivated in the mortal world, our goal was to enter the Immortal World. Then what is the cultivation goal of Immortal World immortals? Is it not becoming divine beings?"
"Fellow Immortal Zhang jests..." Immortal Chu smiled bitterly. "Chu does not even possess an Immortal Mark. How could I possibly know the goal of immortal cultivation? But to be honest with Fellow Immortal Zhang, I have truly never heard anyone mention divine beings!"
At this point, Immortal Chu raised his brows again and said meaningfully, "Still, I have heard of Tai Ming Yu Wan Heaven. I heard that if immortals of our Tai Huang Huang Zeng Heaven possess sufficient strength, they can enter Tai Ming Yu Wan Heaven. That is where true immortals ought to reside!"
"Tai Huang Huang Zeng Heaven?" Xiao Hua asked. "Here?"
"What Tai Huang Huang Zeng Heaven? It is merely embellishment by some immortals. In my view, it is simply the bottom level where immortals and mortals are mixed together..." Immortal Chu nodded. "Given time, Fellow Immortal Zhang will understand."
"What lies above Tai Ming Yu Wan Heaven?" Xiao Hua pressed on. "Oh, and where did Brother Chu obtain this information?"
"Fellow Immortal Zhang is quite impatient..." Immortal Chu smiled as he continued chatting with Xiao Hua for a while, then looked toward the depths of the cave. "If Fellow Immortal Zhang does not mind, why not come sit in Chu's humble dwelling..."
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