Immortality from Taming Elephant

Hanshang naturally knew what a cultivator was, paused, and then replied.

"Six years ago, two people riding the wind passed by and did not stay. By the time I noticed their tracks, they had already left, but..."

"Those two should have seen your statue."

Xu Guang, upon hearing this, thought of another side of Murong that he had seen before, recalled the image at that time, and asked, "Did they have a strange bronze mask hanging at their waists?"

Hanshang fell into recollection for a long time, "They really did."

Xu Guang nodded and said no more.

He was now basically certain that this dark world should be the domain of the God of Pain.

The cultivators who could practice in this world all believed in the God of Pain, relying on the presence of the God to perceive the existence of the void realm.

He didn’t say much, just smiled and looked at Hanshang.

"Now that your martial arts have reached the first grade, you can’t perceive the void realm, and your path is cut off. Do you have any thoughts?"

In the general world, if martial arts cultivation reaches the fourth grade but still cannot perceive the void realm, progress becomes impossible.

But in this dark world, because of special reasons, there are many demons, and these demons can be considered as alternative resources. The residual items obtained from slaying them can allow martial artists to continue to grow through means like alchemy.

Unfortunately, the demons in this world are not endless, and first-grade demons are already scarce.

Being able to cultivate to the first grade is already considered astonishing fortune and extraordinary aptitude.

Xu Guang had some thoughts about Hanshang’s future.

Hanshang shook her head slightly.

"I don’t know. Although my cultivation hasn’t improved over these years, it hasn’t been entirely useless either."

Xu Guang did not say more.

The ideas in his heart grew more resolute.

When he reached the realm of the saints, able to roam the great void, by relying on the power of the celestial register, he should be able to find this dark world in the void and take Hanshang away.

But how many years must pass, he did not know.

In the days that followed, Xu Guang did not leave but instead helped Hanshang sort out her martial arts and paid attention to the state of the land of Taoyuan.

He originally had more important matters, such as returning to cultivate to prepare for a future confrontation with Ni Heng.

But for some reason, he always felt that this time, being here, he would encounter extraordinary fortune.

This intuition came unprovoked, but he trusted his instincts.

As for future matters with Ni Heng, they could be addressed later.

With his current strength, even if he couldn’t defeat Ni Heng, he could at least hold out for some time.

Day by day passed.

He wasn’t sure whether it was because Xu Guang stayed long enough in the land of Taoyuan or because of his many years of accumulated knowledge.

Following a session of guiding Hanshang’s cultivation,

He suddenly felt a sensation.

He seemed to have found a unique Dharma appearance belonging to himself.

But this feeling came quickly and left just as fast.

Though he did not grasp the opportunity, Xu Guang was not disheartened, instead, he was excited.

Years of arduous cultivation had finally led to some insight, and he couldn’t help but show joy on his face.

His expression was one of excitement.

The days spent in the land of Taoyuan became increasingly fulfilling.

Several days later.

Xu Guang stood in front of the divine temple, looking at his own statue, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart.

The divine statue, carved by artisans from black jade from the lake bottom, stood about ten feet high, bearing a likeness to Xu Guang’s divine presence, but more so reflected the "True Monarch" image imagined and beautified by the believers, exuding majesty, compassion, and dominance over all beings. Underneath the statue rode the nine-headed ancient elephant, the majestic form of General Wei, with its trunk raised as if to sweep through demons.

Xu Guang’s gaze, however, did not rest on the features or posture of the divine statue.

What he focused on were the minute lines unintentionally carved around the statue by the craftsmen.

These dark lines were the result of long years of incense burning, the faint marks left by the devotees’ fingertips during prostrations, and the natural weathering etched by time onto the jade surface.

Though these marks seemed chaotic and irregular, they appeared to resonate with a certain rhythm.

In Xu Guang’s mind, the shadow of the Five Emperors’ body floated, demonic thoughts swayed like coral, the realm of the refining pattern master hummed, blood light flickered in the Killing Tower... various powers, like a revolving lantern, flowed through his heart.

From the struggling youth in Li Taizhou, to the night patrolman who slew demons in Yunzhou City, then to embarking on the path of cultivation, encountering his mentor, entering the Northern Polar Six Institutes, venturing into the Fallen Star Valley, battling in the Fire Domain... each scene was vividly clear.

His path was never solely about martial arts, nor purely about Qi Refining, nor falling into demonic thoughts.

But rather... struggling in the mortal world, gaining insight between life and death, gathering the strengths of a hundred schools, and forging his own way.

Protect those he wants to protect, slay the enemies that need slaying, seek great freedom, obtain great transcendence.

"My Dao, is neither heaven-given nor man-given, but comes from the mortal world, established in my heart."

"My Dharma appearance should not be a shadow of any predecessor, nor a manifestation of any rule."

"It should be the embodiment of my own will, the sum of the path I walk, the thoughts I hold, and the people I protect."

Xu Guang murmured softly, each word seemingly carrying immense weight, landing on his heart and stirring a resounding echo.

Buzz——

In his Dantian, the ever-unblended Five Emperors’ body, demonic thoughts coral, and the realm of the refining pattern master, now appeared to be drawn by some invisible force, beginning to slowly converge.

It was not a rough compression or devouring, but a wondrous resonance and intertwining.

The five-colored chaotic light symbolized the martial arts foundation, encompassing all things.

The dark purple demonic thought patterns represented the power of heaven’s rejection, mysterious and unpredictable.

The realm of the refining pattern master symbolized mastery over rules, forming its own world.

The power of the extreme soul also became active at this moment, like the most dexterous craftsman, beginning to guide and stitch together...