While everyone on the Douluo Continent was in shock, at this moment, in the Shrouding the Heavens World...
"Immortal Master..."
Ye Fan finally came to his senses again, and spoke once more, his mind churning with countless questions.
But what he wanted to understand first was the rules of this world.
"We truly know nothing about this place. Could you perhaps enlighten us? For instance, what is cultivation? And... can we, like you venerable immortals, cultivate?"
The middle-aged cultivator who had answered earlier, surnamed Liu, smiled slightly upon hearing this, his attitude quite amiable.
He noticed that although Ye Fan looked young, his eyes were calm and his demeanor was measured, making him stand out among the anxious crowd. He also thought that since they were personally brought out by Ji Ziyue, they might really be destined to meet that Heavenly Emperor, so he had some intention of befriending him.
"This is not the place to talk. Although we have left the forbidden area, we are still within the influence range of the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land. It is not advisable to stay any longer."
The cultivator surnamed Liu looked around; the dark red earth still sent shivers down his spine.
"We'll leave first, and explain everything to you all on the way."
"As for you... those of you who managed to survive and leave the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land must possess extraordinary constitutions. It's only a matter of time before you embark on the path of cultivation; it all depends on your individual fate and choices."
Having said that, he waved his sleeve, and a soft blue light swept over Ye Fan and the others.
Ye Fan felt his body lighten, as if he were being lifted up by an invisible cushion. Clouds rose beneath his feet, and he involuntarily followed the cultivator surnamed Liu into the air.
The other cultivators also used their own methods to help the remaining students up.
"Ah--!"
The unprecedented experience of being suspended in the air caused many people to gasp in surprise, close their eyes tightly, and grip the arms of the people next to them tightly.
Only Ye Fan and Pang Bo, enduring their discomfort, stared wide-eyed as the ground beneath their feet receded rapidly, the crimson Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land gradually shrinking into a chilling dark red spot in the distance.
Ahead, the outlines of mountains and rivers became increasingly clear, and a vibrant sense of life filled the air.
They were riding on what appeared to be a magical artifact conjured by a cultivator surnamed Liu. It was shaped like a small boat, but magnified dozens of times. The entire vessel was carved from jade, shimmering with light and color. It flew smoothly and swiftly, far more comfortable than any airplane.
On the Douluo Continent, everyone witnessed this "riding the clouds and mist" scene once again.
This time, however, there was less of the initial pure shock and more of a complex exploration and comparison.
"Is this one of their methods of 'flying'? No need for Martial Soul Avatar, no need to consume a large amount of Soul Power to maintain it, just a single artifact..."
Ning Fengzhi his attention on observing; as the sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he was extremely sensitive to all kinds of aids and artifacts.
The jade flying boat was clearly not a living thing, but it contained powerful energy. Its driving method was similar to, yet different from, the Soul Tool he knew, and even more natural.
"The speed of that flying boat... probably far exceeds the full speed of Titled Douluo of the Agility-type."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin said in a deep voice. He was skilled in speed and could better appreciate the seemingly stable but actually terrifying speed of the flying boat.
On the flying boat, the group, whose shock had subsided somewhat, finally had a chance to take a closer look at these "immortals".
Some of them wore flowing Daoist robes, some wore martial arts uniforms, and some even wore simple coarse linen clothes, but without exception, they all had a long, deep breath, bright eyes, and an otherworldly aura, which was completely different from the sharp or heavy aura of the Soul Master in the Douluo Continent.
"How should I address you, young brother?" The cultivator surnamed Liu took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Ye Fan.
"This is Ye Fan, a junior. This is Pang Bo, and these are my classmates," Ye Fan replied with a respectful bow.
"Young friend Ye, young friend Pang."
The cultivator surnamed Liu nodded. "Just now you asked what cultivation is."
"In short, cultivation is about seizing the Fortune of heaven and earth, exploring the mysteries of the Sun Moon, tempering oneself, transcending the mundane, and pursuing the realm of longevity and great supernatural powers."
He paused slightly, as if organizing his thoughts so that these "ordinary people" with no background knowledge could understand.
"In my Big Dipper Star Domain, and even in all the myriad realms, although there are countless methods of cultivation, their foundations are largely the same."
"The first step is to sense one's own Wheel of Life and open up the Bitter Sea."
" The Bitter Sea?" Ye Fan listened intently.
"Good."
"The human body has Wheel of Life,' which is the root of vital energy."
"Yet in this mundane world, the physical body is like a boat, and the Wheel of Life is like a spring, both are covered and imprisoned by a turbid, lifeless ' Bitter Sea.'"
"This Bitter Sea obstructs life, imprisons divine power, and shortens lifespan, leaving one weak and powerless."
"The first step in cultivation is to find the location of the Wheel of Life in that Bitter Sea, and use one's own will to guide the vital energy, to impact and open it up, creating a crack in the Bitter Sea to release the vital energy."
This process is known as "opening up the Bitter Sea."
The cultivator surnamed Liu's voice was calm, yet it carried a strange Daoist charm. Not only were Ye Fan and the others captivated by it, but countless people on the Douluo Continent held their breath, afraid of missing a single word.
"When the Bitter Sea is opened, the essence of life surges forth, nourishing the physical body. This is the starting point of cultivation, and the first step in transcending the mortal realm."
"As one's cultivation deepens and the Bitter Sea expands, one's vital energy grows increasingly abundant, and eventually, at the center of the Bitter Sea, above the Wheel of Life, one can condense a ' Life Spring '."
"With the life- Life Spring flowing endlessly, one can be considered to have truly entered the inner sanctum of cultivation, and has the foundation to unleash many magical arts and supernatural powers."
"After the Life Spring, one must use the Bitter Sea as a foundation and the essence of life as material to build a ' Divine Bridge ' leading to the Other Shore."
" The Divine Bridge spans the Bitter Sea, connecting the Wheel of Life with the deeper mysteries of the physical body and soul. Only when the Divine Bridge is stable can one attempt to reach the ' Other Shore '."
"The four realms of the Bitter Sea, Life Spring, Divine Bridge, Other Shore are collectively known as the first great secret realm of cultivation— the Sea of Bitterness Secret Realm."
"This secret realm focuses on cultivating the essence of life, which is the foundation for transcending the mortal realm."
"Only by reaching the Other Shore can one be completely freed from the shackles of mortals, greatly increase their lifespan, and possess all sorts of incredible abilities. The ability to fly, as you have seen, is merely one of the basic abilities of cultivators on the Other Shore."
The words of the cultivator surnamed Liu resounded like Jinglei in the minds of everyone on the Douluo Continent.
" The Wheel of Life... The Bitter Sea... The Life Spring..."
Yu Xiaogang swayed, almost unable to stand, his face pale, and he kept repeating these unfamiliar and mysterious words.
"So that's how it is... So that's how it is! Their cultivation starts directly from the source of life, tapping into their own potential and communicating with the Fortune heaven and earth!"
"No external Martial Soul is needed, and there's no need to hunt Soul Beast to obtain Soul Ring!"
"This is... this is a completely different road to heaven!"
His lifelong research, the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul, appear so one-sided and so narrow in the face of this systematic and progressive cultivation system that directly addresses the essence of life!
Soul Master need to awaken their Martial Soul, and the Martial Soul is innate, with its quality determining its potential.
To obtain Soul Ring, one must hunt Soul Beast; the process is perilous and subject to external constraints.
The other party's cultivation seems to be accessible to everyone, allowing them to explore infinite possibilities from within themselves!
"And... what happens after the Sea of Bitterness Secret Realm?"
Oscar couldn't help but murmur aloud, as if asking on behalf of Ye Fan.