Chapter 889: The Secret Of Immortal Dao (2)

Li Xiaofei began asking a few more questions, but Prefect Kou Zhengyang’s responses left him rather disappointed. They knew nothing about what lay beyond the skies. They had absolutely no knowledge of the dense network of surveillance satellites orbiting the continent.

As for the Outer World, not only the Song Dynasty but every nation and power on this continent was completely in the dark.

“To this day, no one has ever reached the world beyond. There are rumors that people in ancient times once ascended. But no one knows where they ascended to. Even those from the immortal sects are clueless.”

The three of them spoke one after another, voicing what they knew. At the same time, each of them couldn’t help but feel a rising curiosity.

This Immortal Li doesn’t even seem to know these basic facts, could he really be a reclusive rogue cultivator, hidden from the world for years? Could it be that he has mastered some secret method of ascension, which is why he’s so interested in the Outer World?

Li Xiaofei, upon hearing all this, began forming a few theories in his mind. But he would need to ask within the immortal sects themselves to confirm them. Only there could he hope to uncover the truth.

“As for the tribute issue,” Li Xiaofei said at last, “you don’t need to worry about it. I’ll handle it myself. Do any of you know where the Myriad Saints Immortal Sect’s mountain gate is located?”

“This...” The three men exchanged glances and offered bitter smiles.

Kou Zhengyang replied, “The immortals and their envoys come and go by flying through the skies, traveling thousands of li in a single breath. People like us have no way of knowing their paths. All we can say is that the Immortal Sect’s mountain gate must lie in a place of great fortune and spiritual abundance. But where exactly that is, we mortals cannot even guess.”

With a wave of his hand, Li Xiaofei grabbed the young Daoist Xue Qing, who had been lying motionless in the courtyard, feigning death. He was pulled into the air, suspended helplessly before them.

“You’re not seriously going to tell me you don’t know, are you?” Li Xiaofei asked with a calm, almost casual tone.

Xue Qing’s eyes burned with hatred, but he remained silent.

Li Xiaofei continued, “Your Soul-Seeking Immortal Needle might be impressive, but my interrogation methods surpass that child’s trickery by tens of thousands of times. If you’d like to experience it, I’d be more than happy to demonstrate.”

Xue Qing snorted coldly. “We of the Immortal Sect do not fear pain or death. Whatever methods you possess, use them as you please. But you’re already finished. My senior brothers and sisters are on their way. When they arrive, they’ll make sure you can’t live, but also can’t die.”

Li Xiaofei said nothing in return. A single strand of sword qi shot from his finger and pierced into Xue Qing’s body. Xue Qing immediately convulsed like a maggot on a hook, screaming and writhing in agony. The sword qi coursed through his meridians, its torment worse than execution by a thousand cuts.

And yet, he endured it. Though he howled in pain, he didn’t yield. Li Xiaofei raised an eyebrow in surprise.

So the brat has a spine after all.

Moments passed as Xue Qing’s screams had turned into broken, inhuman wails. Then, with a flick of his finger, Li Xiaofei recalled the sword qi back into himself.

It was clear now that any further torture would be pointless. Moreover, Li Xiaofei had used the opportunity when the sword qi had pierced Xue Qing’s meridians to thoroughly examine the young man’s physical structure. He could now confirm with certainty that Xue Qing was a genuine human being, not a high-level Reaper in disguise.

Since he was human, he might still prove useful. So Li Xiaofei chose to hold back. He would wait until those so-called senior brothers and sisters of his arrived. Then he would capture them all. Maybe then he could get some real answers.

As they continued chatting, Li Xiaofei gradually understood the continent more. According to Kou Zhengyang and the others, the true nature of the land was unknown. As far as recorded history went, the world had always been this way. Humans had thrived as the sole intelligent race, developing various civilizations across its surface.

At present, besides the central Divine Continent, which housed dozens of nations such as Song, Liao, and Jin, it was said that remote and barbaric lands lay across the great seas. So-called barbarian nations had formed, but due to vast distances and treacherous travel routes, contact remained scarce, and mutual understanding minimal.

Each major nation had its own guardian Immortal Sect. Occasionally, these sects would even go to war. Such wars were absolute catastrophes for ordinary people.

Historical records spoke of ancient immortal wars from thousands of years ago that had shattered mountains and sundered rivers. Tidal waves swallowed entire cities. Countless mortals were caught in the crossfire, suffering such death and devastation that whole clans were wiped from existence.

Eventually, the immortal sects ceased direct combat among themselves. Instead, they began to determine victory through the battles waged by the mortal nations under their protection. As a result, even mortal nations that shared no borders or prior grievances were sometimes forced into war, merely because their patron sects had chosen to clash.

This kind of war still caused great suffering, but compared to the wholesale destruction wrought by direct immortal conflict, where cities leveled, and countries erased, the losses were considered relatively minimal.

So, the mortals had come to accept it.

A single term surfaced in Li Xiaofei’s mind,

Proxy war.

So these so-called immortals were, in truth, the very source of war, death, suffering, and ruin in this world. Li Xiaofei now strongly suspected that the immortal sects were under the control of the Reapers. Even if they weren’t outright subjugated, there had to be countless hidden connections between them.

Later, Kou Zhengyang led Li Xiaofei to a hidden mine outside Fengyin City. In a hollowed-out pit deep underground, he finally laid eyes on a Jade Mother tree.

The stone-like tree stood twenty meters tall. Its bark was light brown, resembling layers of shale curled and spiraled around its trunk. Since it was the height of summer, the tree was lush and thriving, though less than one-third of its leaves remained.

Li Xiaofei studied it closely. The leaves looked nearly identical to natural foliage. Each one was complete with clear veins and stems. It also glistened with vivid green luster and gave off a faint herbal fragrance. Yet the leaves were also smooth and warm to the touch, like finely polished jade. Each one contained a trace of condensed energy essence.

When Li Xiaofei placed his hand upon the trunk, he could sense a subtle flow of energy circulating within the core of the wood. This energy was continuously drawn up through the roots and trunk from the ground below, ultimately concentrating within the leaves themselves.

This particular Jade Mother tree was in its fifth year of growth, so it had yet to bloom. By the tenth year, it would suddenly flower, and in that same season, bear fruit.

The fruit was known as the Jade Dao Fruit. It was considered an invaluable treasure for immortals. If any mortal dared to touch a Jade Dao Fruit without the consent of the immortal sects, they would be hunted to the ends of the earth by multiple sects working in unison. They were guaranteed to die with no burial.

It was said that only the royal families of major nations were occasionally gifted thin slices of the Jade Dao Fruit. Consuming even a sliver of it was said to cure all ailments, heal all wounds, and even restore youth to the aged. But those claims were mostly legend.

“It really does seem like a naturally formed marvel,” Li Xiaofei remarked, visibly impressed.

With his level of expertise, he found no evidence that the Jade Mother tree had been artificially planted or genetically engineered. It truly seemed like a naturally occurring treasure.

“Can these Jade Mother trees be cultivated?” Li Xiaofei asked.

Kou Zhengyang quickly answered, “They can. If one acquires a seed and finds a place with abundant spiritual energy, the tree can be planted. But the cultivation process is extremely complex, with harsh requirements and a low survival rate. It must be tended by a specialized spirit cultivator, and those with that knowledge are almost exclusively employed within the immortal sects. These people hold very high positions. Growing a Jade Mother tree is nearly impossible for ordinary people. And even if someone did succeed, the tree would still belong to the sect. Harvesting jade leaves or the Jade Dao Fruit without permission is considered a grave crime against the heavens.”

This was more or less what Li Xiaofei had expected. He recalled seeing news stories back on Earth of where people planted trees in their own yards, only to be fined or imprisoned when they cut them down years later.

This wasn’t all that different in principle. After examining the tree thoroughly, the group returned to Fengyin City.

Just as they had taken their seats in the Prefect's residence, Li Yiyun could no longer hold back. He dropped to his knees with a heavy thud and cried out loudly, “Immortal Li, please take me in!”

“Hm? Take you in how?” Li Xiaofei raised his hand gently and said, “Get up. I’ve already said we are to treat each other as equals, Hero Li. There’s no need for this.”

“No, I mean, please take me as your disciple.” Still kneeling with both knees pressed to the ground, Li Yiyun’s expression was stubborn as he declared loudly, “I want to cultivate immortal arts. I want to grow stronger. Please, Immortal Li, grant me this chance.”

Li Xiaofei responded, “I can teach you the ways of cultivation, but there is no need to call me master. Come, stand up.”

As he spoke, he personally reached out and helped Li Yiyun to his feet.

“What you call immortal arts are nothing more than high-level martial techniques. Hero Li, with your outstanding talent, you will progress quickly once you’ve learned the proper methods,” Li Xiaofei said with a calm smile.

“I have a talent for immortal cultivation?” Li Yiyun thought he had misheard. His voice trembled with both shock and excitement as he exclaimed, “When I was a child, I encountered immortals before. I begged them to take me as a disciple, but I was rejected every time. They said I had stubborn mortal roots and that I had no affinity with the Dao at all... Immortal Li, do I truly, truly have the talent for cultivation?”

Li Xiaofei replied, “As I said, martial and immortal arts are one and the same. The so-called immortals you speak of merely possess some secret martial techniques of a higher stage. All that talk of 'mortal bodies with no destiny for the Dao' is nonsense.”

His words left Li Yiyun, Kou Zhengyang, and the others looking at one another in stunned silence.

Martial and immortal arts are one? Immortal arts are just advanced martial skills?

This claim was shocking and almost heretical. It shattered the ironclad belief in this world that martial and immortal paths were fundamentally different.

With a faint smile, Li Xiaofei began to explain the secret art known as the Six Meridian Divine Sword to the three of them. In this world, warriors also cultivated a variety of martial techniques. However, most of these techniques were rather crude.

Take, for instance, the Cloudlight Sword Shadows technique that Li Yiyun had used earlier, his most powerful sword skill. It seemed quite unimpressive when compared to a secret art like the Six Meridian Divine Sword. The gap was immense in both power and underlying principle.

These three were all martial arts prodigies. To have cultivated to the Five Spirits Realm in their thirties was no small feat. It was proof that they were far from ordinary. Their comprehension of martial arts far surpassed that of the average practitioner.

Li Xiaofei only explained the technique once, yet the three of them immediately entered a state of enlightenment. Moments later—

Golden Blade Invincible Yang Zhao was the first to awaken. Next came Li Yiyun. And finally, Kou Zhengyang. All three wore expressions of astonishment. They looked at each other, their hearts still in chaos. They were unable to calm down for a long while.

Kou Zhengyang stood up tall, adjusted his robes, and then bowed deeply and respectfully to Li Xiaofei. The other two followed suit. Such a gift of instruction was something they would remember forever.

Li Xiaofei accepted their bows, then added, “But technique alone isn’t enough. The true power of a technique always lies in its force. What you cultivate now is inner qi. Above inner qi is starforce, and above starforce is Immortal Force. Of course, these are merely labels. In essence, they are all forms of power. The only difference is their levels.”

The three of them listened with utmost seriousness.

Li Xiaofei continued, “In this world, the ceiling of the spiritual energy tide is capped at inner qi. If you cultivate naturally, reaching the peak of inner qi would be your limit. To break past that ceiling, you must travel beyond this world, into the cosmic starry seas, and draw upon starforce.”

“But we can’t reach the Outer World,” Kou Zhengyang interjected, unable to hold back. “Even immortals, it seems, are unable to leave this realm.”

Li Xiaofei chuckled lightly and said, “There’s a reason for that.”

“What reason?” the three of them asked in unison, holding their breath.

This answer, without a doubt, was the greatest mystery that the entire world longed to uncover.

Li Xiaofei said calmly, “Even if I told you now, you wouldn’t be able to comprehend it. It would only bring you needless worry. Once your strength is sufficient, you’ll come to understand it naturally.”

To reveal the truth that the Reapers existed, and that the entire world was merely a testing ground, would not only be beyond their comprehension, but would also serve no benefit to their cultivation. They simply were not ready to accept or understand such a revelation. It was better left unsaid.

When Li Xiaofei spoke so cryptically, Kou Zhengyang and the others grew even more curious. Yet none of them dared to press further.

Li Xiaofei went on, “The reason immortals wield more powerful forms of force than you lies in the Jade Mother tree and its jade leaves. They draw starforce from the jade leaves, and immortal force from the Jade Dao Fruit. The inner qi you cultivate is far inferior to those. Thus, you are fundamentally outclassed in terms of sheer power. That’s why no martial art, no matter how refined, can ever triumph over an immortal.”

His words struck directly at the heart of the matter. In an instant, Kou Zhengyang, Yang Zhao, and Li Yiyun fully understood the true reason why mortals could never defeat immortals. No one had ever explained it with such clarity.

Li Yiyun asked, “Master, is it really possible for the human body to absorb the energy within the jade leaves? Some martial arts experts tried in the past, but they all failed. A few who managed to absorb even a trace of that energy died horribly, as if they’d been poisoned...”

The celestial sects collected jade leaves as tributes every year. It wasn’t difficult for the observant to see that these leaves were of great importance to immortals. Thus, some martial arts saints had studied and experimented with them.

They discovered that the jade leaves did contain potent energy. However, mortals couldn’t absorb it through conventional martial arts methods. Even those who tried using special techniques found the energy to be as deadly as arsenic. Just a tiny bit was enough to kill a martial cultivator outright. Eventually, no one dared to try anymore.

“Of course it can be absorbed,” Li Xiaofei replied. “But only with a specific cultivation method. Otherwise, with your bodies still operating on inner qi, trying to absorb starforce energy would be a path to certain death. Higher-tier energies aren’t something you can handle recklessly.”

Li Yiyun was overjoyed and said, “Then please teach us!”

Li Xiaofei nodded and began to teach them the foundational breathing and energy-guiding technique he had obtained in Chongque City. The three immediately closed their eyes and began to meditate, each one immersing himself in cultivation.

One day later.

“Master, I’ve got it! I’ve made it through!” Li Yiyun came running over excitedly.

After a full day and night of cultivation, he had finally mastered the breathing and energy-guiding technique. He could now use it effectively in his training. It truly was a divine technique.

Li Yiyun could clearly feel that the speed at which he absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and refined it into inner qi, had increased severalfold. Perhaps it had even increased by dozens of times.

Moments later, Yang Zhao and Kou Zhengyang arrived, one after the other. Both had also successfully grasped the breathing technique.

“Master, does this mean we can start absorbing the energy from the jade leaves now?” Li Yiyun asked eagerly, rubbing his hands together.

Though Li Xiaofei had repeatedly told them not to call him Master, Li Yiyun stubbornly refused to drop the title, addressing him so with every word.

Li Xiaofei could only sigh helplessly and let him be. The other two were equally full of anticipation. But Li Xiaofei shook his head and said, “Not yet.”

“Ah?” Three disappointed voices rang out in unison.

Li Xiaofei said, “You still need to purge the impurities from your bodies and refine your physique.”

“Master, how do we do that?” Li Yiyun, ever impatient, looked like a child at a candy store. He was eager and unable to wait another second.

Li Xiaofei beckoned him over with a hand. “Come here.”