Chapter 476 - 391: The Origin of This World
Leaving the bamboo forest dwelling of Steward Huang Yu, Chen Sheng walked slowly along the cobblestone path.
The tall green bamboos beside the path swayed in the wind, making a gentle "rustling" sound. Occasionally, a few withered leaves would drift down, swirl around on his shoulder, and then leisurely fall to the ground.
He raised his hand to brush off the leaves from his shoulder, his eyes glancing over the spirit sparrows frolicking between the trees, but his thoughts had already drifted towards the core mysteries of this world.
Compared to the minor drama of emotions at Steward Huang’s residence, it was the pervasive strangeness of this world that truly captivated his attention.
Over the span of three years, he had rooted himself in the outer court of the Pan Sword Sect under the identity of Zhang Ling, and the contours of this world were becoming increasingly clear.
"The lifespan is harsh, truly heaven-defying."
Chen Sheng continued on, pondering the peculiarities he first noticed after thoroughly understanding the cultivation system of this world.
In the outer court, an elderly steward had reached Foundation Establishment, yet was just over eighty years old, already with graying hair and unsteady steps.
According to Spirit Realm rules, a Foundation Establishment cultivator should have at least two hundred years of lifespan. Yet in this world, regardless of cultivation level below Golden Core, one’s lifespan was no different from an ordinary person’s, unable to exceed the century mark.
He counted the lifespan data recorded in the tomes:
"Golden Core Realm has three cycles of sixty years, Spirit Void Realm has four, Nascent Soul Realm has five cycles (three hundred years), and Yin Spirit Realm has six cycles (three hundred sixty years)..."
The cultivators of this world might be accustomed to it, but for Chen Sheng, it was incredibly harsh.
Thinking of those true immortals who ascended from this world, and their ’rapid’ cultivation speed, he realized it was understandable.
"If cultivators in this world don’t break through quickly, they’d run out of life!"
As his thoughts meandered, he turned his attention to the cultivation system itself.
The realm divisions in this world—Illumination, Enlightenment, Foundation Establishment, Heart Movement, Golden Core, Spirit Void, Nascent Soul, Yin Spirit, Primordial Spirit—clearly bore the shadow of the Spirit Realm system, yet in detail were altered beyond recognition.
Most notable was the extreme emphasis on ’mental state’ and the considerable de-emphasis on ’mana accumulation.’
He had secretly observed the mana fluctuations of Steward Huang Yu.
This mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator seemed to have condensed liquid spiritual power circulating around him, but in terms of total energy level, it was only slightly better than a Qi Refining Perfection cultivator of the Spirit Realm.
One must know that Qi Refining Cultivators in the Spirit Realm were still in the ’Qi Condensation’ stage, while Foundation Establishment was already ’Qi Transformation.’
What should have been a qualitative and quantitative leap remained only a qualitative transformation, with the quantity being compressed to the extreme.
Regarding Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms, he deduced from recorded magical combat cases that their total mana quantity was also far inferior to their Spirit Realm counterparts at the same level.
"Without spending vast amounts of time storing mana, the importance of the Spiritual Root is greatly reduced, so these cultivators can outrun the lifespan limitations of this realm."
"Moreover..."
Chen Sheng paused; in his view, more exquisite was that these cultivators, with such sparse energy and under the blessing of mental state, could actually achieve a transformation equivalent to Spirit Realm cultivators of the same stage.
Establishing the Dao Foundation, condensing the Golden Core, birthing the Nascent Soul, attaining the Primordial Spirit; each step accurately touched the core of cultivation.
"The means of a Tribulation Crossing Daoist Monarch are indeed not in vain."
He was confident that with the emergence of clues over these three years, he had largely unraveled the bizarre reasons of this world.
"This is not an ordinary Small Thousand World attached to the Spirit Realm but an independently forming branch of a Medium Thousand World!."
"If nothing unexpected occurs, the so-called ’Immortal Realm’ must be the core territory of the Medium Thousand World!"
He had once seen recorded in Yunlu Daoist Palace the fundamental differences between a Medium Thousand World and a Small Thousand World.
The former derives the Heaven and Earth Dao Principle through Dharma Seeds, while the latter evolves exclusive laws based on innate Dao Seeds, already initially freed from the constraints of Spirit Realm laws, capable of birthing endless creations.
The anomalies of this realm precisely confirmed this point.
"A Medium Thousand World based on innate Dao Seeds has already gradually transcended the suppression of Spirit Realm rules, which is why disasters such as the All-Encompassing Heart Seeking Tribulation, Spirit Void Thunder Tribulation, and Void Wind Tribulation, which are not part of Spirit Realm’s rule operation, can emerge."
"Including the strict lifespan rules of this realm, all were set by that Tribulation Crossing Daoist Monarch who pioneered the world. In the Taiyi Realm, this realm of world-creation and rule-setting is aptly called the ’Creation Realm.’"
...
Chen Sheng initially descended into this world intending only to verify the method of descending realms with a manifestation. Once he had figured out the fundamental veins of a Small Thousand World, he planned to harvest the origin as supplementary material for late-stage Void Refining cultivation.
But who would have thought he could enter a Medium Thousand World!
"Medium Thousand World... the land of creation."
Images of the Three Extremes Dao Assembly from several thousand years ago involuntarily emerged in Chen Sheng’s mind. At that time, although he had made a name for himself at the assembly, he ultimately missed the opportunity to step into the Creation Treasure Realm.
"Back at the Three Extremes Dao Assembly, I was not strong enough to enter the Creation Treasure Realm and behold its true nature. Now, I am making up for that regret here."
Since he deduced the truth of this world, he had his Yang Soul in the Spirit Realm fully engaged in gathering tomes about the Medium Thousand World.
At this moment, the characteristics described in the endless tomes flowed through his mind like a tide, with every word confirming the preciousness of this world.
The "Examination of Domains Across All Heavens" once stated:
"A Medium Thousand World, inheriting innate Dao Seeds, deriving creation rules, can accommodate the secluded cultivation of a Refining Void Great Power and admit the Enlightenment for an Integration Dharma Master. It is unmatched by Small Thousand Worlds."
"Moreover, this world..."
Chen Sheng’s mind outlined the rule framework of this world—the severe lifespan restrictions like a death knell, urging cultivators to abandon distractions.
The extreme demand for mental state acts as a touchstone, selecting the purest Dao Seeds, a unique cultivation system leveraging the least energy to induce the most essential transformation.
"The meticulous refinement of the Tribulation Crossing Daoist Monarch must have a reason; perhaps this Medium Thousand World is the key to my ascension to Integration."