Chapter 400: The Immortal Realm and the Original Unity

“As far as I know, apart from our sect’s foundational technique, the *Scripture of World Salvation and Longevity*, several of my fellow disciples practiced other cultivation methods back then. If we awaken them early, it shouldn’t be a major issue. Once I gather enough cultivation methods…”

Linghu Chang spoke to himself, but then noticed Xiao Heng and the others staring at him with strange expressions. He paused, unable to help but ask, “What is it, Daoist Xiao? Is there something wrong with my plan?”

Xiao Heng gave a wry smile. “Daoist Linghu, I’m afraid the current situation in the cultivation world isn’t as simple as you imagine.” Xiao Heng then proceeded to explain the general circumstances of the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Council of Five Elders, two colossal entities that monopolize almost all cultivation methods in the world.

Linghu Chang’s face instantly turned ashen. “How can this be?” If these people weren’t lying, then the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Council of Five Elders were clearly even more terrifying than the Ten Immortal Sects of old.

Su Xiaomei quickly added, “The Myriad Immortals Alliance isn’t a benevolent organization. If they knew about the current state of your Medicine King Sect, they definitely wouldn’t let you off, considering all your treasures and cultivation methods.”

Zhang Haobo also nodded. “The Myriad Immortals Alliance’s control over cultivation methods is truly terrifying. Especially the ancient methods you, Daoist Linghu, practice—they must be extraordinary. Reaching the Dao Integration realm should certainly be no problem. With such genuine techniques and the Myriad Immortals Alliance’s modus operandi, they would never allow them to remain outside their grasp. Once they get wind of it, they’ll undoubtedly dispatch cultivators from their Protector Hall to retrieve them.”

The three of them, guided by their own perceptions of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, embellished their accounts as they described its horrors to Linghu Chang. Although Linghu Chang didn’t fully believe them, he understood the principle that an innocent man with a treasure is guilty. For him to join the Myriad Immortals Alliance and entrust the lives of hundreds of his slumbering fellow disciples to others’ control was something Linghu Chang, who had received Liu Ruchen’s dying wish, could not do.

After some thought, he bowed solemnly to Xiao Heng and the others. “I have been away from the Xuanhuang World for thousands of years, and the affairs of this world have changed drastically; many things are utterly foreign to me. For the sake of the Medicine King Sect’s future survival, I must trouble you all for your assistance.”

Xiao Heng quickly replied that it was no trouble at all.

After handling the matters within the cauldron, Linghu Chang and the trio flew out of the Medicine King Cauldron. Linghu Chang put away the Medicine King Cauldron. They then planned to return to Shilin Prefecture along their original route. Along the way, everyone flew discreetly. After seeing the majestic celestial cities along the way and the numerous Myriad Immortals Alliance cultivators within them, Linghu Chang’s conviction in his judgment grew even stronger, making him increasingly cautious.

Myriad Immortals Alliance Headquarters.

Museum of Divine Repository.

Guided by his escort, Li Fan had now arrived inside this magnificent building. His steps, as he was touring, paused slightly. The guide ahead looked at him with some surprise.

“Is there anywhere to rest here?” Li Fan said apologetically.

The guide, dressed in black, looked at the white-haired, visibly aged Li Fan and showed an expression of understanding. He then led Li Fan to an enclosed space. The decor was simple, yet it was fully furnished with tables and chairs.

“You can rest here,” the guide said. “Whenever you wish to resume your tour, just contact me using this jade token.”

Handing Li Fan a jade token inscribed with the characters ‘Bingyin,’ the guide quietly departed.

Li Fan took a deep breath, processing the information relayed from Xiao Heng and the others.

“Immortal Ruins?” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Extremely strong gravitational pull, devouring everything. It can even distort space and time. A thousand years can pass in an instant upon approaching it. Is this… a black hole? Or perhaps, a force extremely similar to a black hole. And is that inexplicable entity above Daoyuan Prefecture related to the Immortal Ruins?”

Li Fan, who was in the midst of sifting through the information, suddenly paused in surprise. “Wait a moment, the Immortal Ruins, and the Xuanhuang World below, which could be drawn in and swallowed at any time. And the unusual movements of the Xuanhuang World after cultivators die.”

In an instant, combining this with what he had learned in Tianling Prefecture, all the clues connected, forming a coherent line. A logically consistent conclusion formed in Li Fan’s mind. It was enough to reasonably and completely resolve Li Fan’s previous doubts.

“To prevent the Xuanhuang World from being entirely swallowed by the Immortal Ruins above, it needs to maintain a certain weight. And cultivators are an extremely crucial part of that weight. When cultivators die on a large scale, the Xuanhuang World becomes lighter. Consequently, it is slightly drawn by the Immortal Ruins, moving a little closer. If the number of cultivators in the Xuanhuang World drops to a certain level, then the entire Xuanhuang World will irreversibly plummet completely into the Immortal Ruins. At that point, even a Celestial Venerable of Longevity would likely be unable to escape annihilation. This is why Ji Hongdao’s deterrent works: mutual destruction. And this is also why the number of cultivators cannot be too low.”

Li Fan’s thoughts raced. Connecting this to Senior Sister Zhao’s words and actions, he had a faint feeling that this assessment was extremely close to the truth.

But then, a question immediately arose: “Why would cultivators possess weight?”

It was understandable for the world itself to have weight. But how could a cultivator’s physical body…?

In that instant, it was as if a flash of lightning pierced through the fog. Li Fan understood instantly.

“For cultivators of ancient methods, naturally, weight isn’t a factor. But cultivators of new methods plunder heaven and earth. They absorb the spirit of heaven and earth, borrow its wonders, glimpse its laws, seize its essence, and extract its marrow. They absorb a part of the world and make it their own. Thus, they naturally acquire the attribute of the world’s weight.”

This wasn’t obvious for cultivators at the Golden Core stage and below. However, after reaching the Nascent Soul cultivation stage, they swallow the grotto-heavens that originally belonged to the world, transforming them into their own domains. This made it perfectly clear.

“Grotto-heavens… the world’s weight…”

Li Fan then thought of even more. According to what Linghu Chang of the Medicine King Sect had seen and heard, the Immortal Ruins above the Xuanhuang World must have existed long before the new cultivation methods became widespread. Back then, the Ten Immortal Sects had joined forces to prevent the Xuanhuang World from being swallowed. What exactly did those powerhouses who stood at the peak of the cultivation world do back then?

Considering the current state of the Xuanhuang World, a bold conjecture couldn’t help but form in Li Fan’s mind.

“When I first learned about the new cultivation method from the *Five Spirits Qi Sensing Art*, I had doubts. It’s quite incredible that this world has managed to endure for so long, despite cultivators plundering heaven and earth in such a manner. After delving deeper into the various secrets of the Xuanhuang World, I also had my suspicions. The Xuanhuang World contains various grotto-heavens and small worlds. There seem to be a bit too many of them. Grand Profound, Departing Realm, and countless other subsidiary worlds, as well as numerous grotto-heavens of various shapes. Now it seems these places might not have originally belonged to the Xuanhuang World. Instead, they were captured from the void by the cultivators of the Ten Immortal Sects back then, to prevent the Xuanhuang World from being swallowed by the Immortal Ruins.”