Chapter 37 - 37: The Conditions for the Birth of a New Soul
Qin Luan unexpectedly overcame his Heart Demon directly, astonishing the bystanders.
Very few people in all of Jiuzhou could break through their Heart Demons at the Foundation Stage. How could the gap be so substantial among those at the same cultivation stage?
Song Ying blinks his eyes, thoroughly delighted.
Having been put in their place by Jiang Li and had their dreams turned into nightmares, they didn’t dare to act oddly anymore. Creatures transformed when needed to, the Dharma appearance of the world was condensed when required, and the descendants of the Zhuritian tribe returned to humanity when necessary.
Before entering the Secret Realm, Qin Luan had approached the lone Jiang Li. Jiang found him kind-hearted. Now that Qin Luan has overcome his Heart Demon, Jiang Li firmly believes his temperament to be excellent.
To Jiang Li, Qin Luan indeed possesses the qualifications to become a candidate for the Human Emperor, excelling in both talent and character.
Whether he can become an actual candidate for the Human Emperor, or even the Human Emperor, depends on his future fortune.
Jiang Li asks, “What was your Heart Demon?”
“As a child, my master often left me alone in the observatory, which was pitch-black and seemed haunted. It scared me.”
“So your Heart Demon was a ghost?”
“No. My Heart Demon was my master, Yuan Wuxing. The Heart Demon took his form, and I fought it.”
Jiang Li thought to himself, ‘Well done, you. Your master stopped me at
Qingcheng’s gate and you stopped me at the entrance to the Secret Realm. Both of you seem to have a knack for finding me.’
“I wouldn’t call it advice for you, rather, a suggestion. It’s good to be steady, but at your age, some vitality wouldn’t hurt.” Jiang Li felt he was too mature, only steadily deducing the next realm within the Dream Path in his dream state.
However, that’s merely a suggestion. Maturity and steadiness aren’t bad qualities, and being more lively doesn’t necessarily mean smoother cultivation.
“With the end of this test, I will reward the top thirty based on their
performance in these two tests.” Dream Pure’s voice sounded, indicating the Secret Realm was about to close.”
Everyone swiftly bowed to Jiang Li, chorusing, “Thank you for your guidance,
Human Emperor, we will cherish it in our hearts!”
They did not desire the Secret Realm’s rewards greatly. Obtaining guidance from the Human Emperor was much more valuable than the Secret Realm’s prize tenfold.
During the reward settlement, everyone would be separated to prevent them from seeing each other’s rewards and fight once they left the Secret Realm.
“Did Senior Dream enjoy the view?”
Jiang Li met Dream Pure again and asked with a smile.
Dream Pure unhappily responded, “Not really. I thought I would witness the legendary Mahayana Realm, but you didn’t display your true power!”
“Haha, I didn’t have any choice. Besides that little fellow who transformed into a real dragon, with a body comparable to the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, the rest of them were at most at the Body Integration Realm. I couldn’t unleash my full power on them. It’d traumatize them. What if I become their Heart
Demon, their cultivation would be affected.”
Jiang Li burst into laughter as he provided his explanation.
The Transcendence Tribulation Stage holds many mysteries, far beyond the imagination of the newcomers to cultivation. They could barely conjure an adequate image of the Body Integration Realm, which was their utmost limit. Even Li Litong, who was once at the Divinity Transformation stage, struggled to comprehend the true Transcendence Tribulation Stage, and in the end, could only envision himself at the peak of Body Integration.
Only the person who transformed into the true dragon — thanks to his physical strength — barely reached the edge of the Transcendence Tribulation Stage.
Dream Pure also laughed and said, “That being the case, why don’t you let me experience the grandeur of the Mahayana Realm?”
Being just short of attaining the Transcendence Tribulation Stage, Dream Pure had watched many high-ranking Cultivators of the Transcendence Tribulation Stage in action and naturally had an idea of their true strength.
Jiang Li, laughing, replied, “Senior Dream, do as you wish.”
In the dream state, Dream Pure practiced the Dream Path and the Illusion Technique together. The fusion of both could reverse yin and yang, turn the unreal into reality, transforming it into something both real and illusory. Despite her various marvelous spells, they couldn’t escape from being solved by a single hand of Jiang Li.
Jiang Li still easily defeated Dream Pure.
“As expected of the Mahayana Realm that is even rarer than ascending to Immortality. Truly formidable.”
Above the Transcendence Tribulation Stage stands the Mahayana Realm. This is common knowledge.
During the days when the Immortal Ascension Steps existed, one only needed to cultivate to the Transcendence Tribulation Stage to ascend. There was no need to stay in Jiuzhou to reach the Mahayana Realm. Would it not be better to ascend to the Immortal Realm to cultivate Immortal power? After the Immortal Ascension Steps disappeared, people were forced to reconsider how to cultivate the Mahayana Realm.
They found cultivating to the Mahayana Realm was far more challenging than ascending, leading to only Jiang Li achieving the Mahayana Realm after the disappearance of the Immortal Ascension Steps!
“Jiang, the Human Emperor came in first. According to the reward rules, you can make a request to me. What do you want? My cultivation technique ‘the Great Dream of Millenniums’? Do you want me to talk about the past? Or, do you… desire me?”
[Congratulations, host, for completing the task]
Ignoring Dream Pure’s playful remarks, Jiang Li laughed, “Senior Dream, what are you saying? I broke the rules of the Secret Realm by coming uninvited. It’s not fair for the Human EmDeror to snatch 0DDortunities from the cultivators at the Foundation Stage. How about removing me from the ranking list, making the second first, and the third second?”
“As a repayment for Senior Dream not pursuing my entry in the Secret Realm, why not make a request that I can help with?”
Seeing Jiang Li ignore her teasing, Dream Pure felt a bit disappointed. However, his subsequent words cheered her up again.
She asked with anticipation, “Can I leave the Secret Realm and return to
Jiuzhou?”
Jiang Li pondered for a moment and shook his head, “Not yet.”
“I see.” Dream Pure felt disappointed again. “Hmm? Not yet?”
Jiang Li sincerely explained, “Senior Dream, you are well aware of your situation. You are currently just a strand of remnant thoughts that linger on in the Mysterious Secret Realm. You must gather all of your spirit and soul to leave the Secret Realm.’
“Human Emperor Jiang, you don’t have to comfort me. My physical body failed the Tribulation and has entered the cycle of reincarnation. Where could I gather my soul and spirit from?”
Without hope, Jiang Li would not speak more. And when he does make a declaration, there is a sense of certainty.
“Senior Dream’s remnant thought is the most clear-headed I’ve seen. Based on my speculation, if Senior Dream can maintain this state for another two hundred years, she will birth a soul from nothing, becoming a new life form independent of the Great Dream Scholar!”
Jiang Li spoke with conviction, offering Dream Pure new hope.
The birth of most life forms results from the continuous cycle of reincarnation, but there are exceptions. When an object receives an ample amount of substances containing spiritual energy, such as the essence of sun and moon, for a long period, it will give birth to spiritual wisdom, thereby bringing about a new soul.
Normally, this process takes tens of thousands of years. But for Dream Pure, as a strand of remnant thought containing spiritual wisdom, the time required to birth a soul can be significantly shortened!
This was the conclusion Jiang Li reached while doing research about the direction of the Underworld’s gate opening. He also formulated a series of theories about the soul.
Those who cultivate following the Path of Soul Nurturing cried tears of joy after receiving this news. They almost worshipped Jiang Li as the Chongxing Ancestor.
“Two hundred years later, I will protect your Path.”
“Thank you, Human Emperor..”