Chapter 499

Chapter 499: Fifty Thousand Years

"Actually, I have plenty of time; I can do whatever I want."

In the solitary city in the desert, Qiao Mu practiced Long Life Fist, again and again, without stopping.

The sun rose and set, the night fell, and the morning light appeared again.

At this moment, the Long Life Dream had become even closer to the real world, with twelve hours just like in the real human world, where the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

In the lonely city of the great desert, in Peach Blossom Villa, in the small building of the Wuji Association in Zhong Province.

Over a long time, Qiao Mu carefully read every book stored in his memory’s vast library.

Fist techniques, finger techniques, leg techniques, lightness skills, eighteen kinds of weapons, and internal martial arts…

In these armories, there are countless treasures of martial arts from Jiu Province, including many top-tier skills.

But in the past, Qiao Mu was quite impatient; his gaze always fell upon ultimate skills like "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" and "Buddha’s Palm."

Every time he experienced the long-lasting Long Life Dream, he often met his end at the hands of stronger enemies. To defeat powerful foes, he needed to practice the best martial arts and master them completely.

Although there were many skills in the armory, he could not practice or read each one individually; most of the time, he just skimmed through them to accumulate knowledge of martial arts.

But this time was different; Qiao Mu was in no hurry at all.

First, this Long Life Dream lasted for fifty thousand years. Second, there were no strong enemies blocking his path, so there was no need to practice any ultimate skills.

Therefore, he thoroughly read through the countless martial arts manuals in the armory from beginning to end.

"I remember that the fourth of the seventy-two wise men in the Wuji Association, Wushu Shushan, once vowed to complete the unfinished business of Martial Saint by reading through the armory of the Wuji Association."

"Without reading all the books in the armory, one cannot leave the mountain of books."

"Now, I can also say that I have achieved a goal that he could never accomplish in his lifetime."

Two thousand years later, Qiao Mu closed the last martial arts manual in the Wuji Association’s armory and looked back.

He saw Wushu Shushan eagerly flipping through a book titled "Asshole Pointing Hand" at the long table in front of the armory, surrounded by a messy stack of books that was half his height.

"When I eat a big meal, I always start with my favorite dishes," Wushu Shushan said confidently and passionately.

Qiao Mu glanced at him, and Wushu Shushan froze in his original position.

"The people and things I remember can certainly be perfectly recreated in dreams, but they are ultimately just illusions, like playing rock-paper-scissors with myself, already knowing the result before I throw my hand."

Wushu Shushan’s image vanished in the dream, leaving an endless mountain of books in all directions.

By this point, two thousand years had passed.

Qiao Mu spent two thousand years reading every martial arts manual in the arsenal.

Whether it was a high-level skill like the Vajra Immortal Skill or a low-level technique like the Iron Crotch Skill, he accepted them all and practiced tirelessly.

His knowledge of martial arts was already very deep, and even reading a lowly skill like the Iron Crotch Skill sometimes gave him new ideas.

After two thousand years, Qiao Mu’s martial arts skills did not advance swiftly, but his foundation became much more solid than before.

The Human Path Sutra, originally called the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, is a method of gathering strength over time; given enough time, Qiao Mu could eventually develop this skill to a higher level step by step.

As for the top-tier Pure Yang Wuji Skill, as long as his body could withstand it and his dantian could hold it, he could continuously accumulate internal strength and True strength.

Two thousand years of practice meant two thousand years of increased power and rising vitality.

"I spent a full two thousand years reading through the martial arts arsenal of Jiu Province; no one in the world could achieve such a great feat, what a long journey it has been."

"Let me think, how much time has passed since this Long Life Dream began, two thousand years, fifty thousand years…"

"Great! Long Life Dream has passed 4% of its length, and after the remaining 96%, I will be fully revived!"

Qiao Mu looked around as the endless mountain of books suddenly collapsed, and the surroundings turned into a grassy field.

He let out a small sigh.

"In this life, I have seen no one stronger than myself."

"So after passing this remaining small 96%, it will all be good days ahead."

He tried to motivate himself, but this form of self-deception was not working.

Because when he destroyed the Great Dao Sect and died at the hands of Patriarch Lingyuan, Qiao Mu had already deceived himself once.

At that time, he told himself in a dream that as long as he defeated Patriarch Lingyuan before him, the road ahead would be smooth, and the end would be within reach.

But what happened after that?

Later, in the Return Ruins, he saw the body of the Heavenly Emperor, realized his nature of immortality, and understood the unreachable end.

Deceiving oneself is enough for one time, but after that…

"Next, I need to find a way to save myself."

It took two thousand years to practice martial arts, and there are still forty-eight thousand years left.

Clearly, whether pretending that nothing happened or deceiving oneself is completely useless.

Looking back once more.

From over five thousand years old to twelve thousand years old, he lived his Long Life Dream by following the Sun Chasing Cultivation Method of the Kuafu tribe.

From twelve thousand years old to over eighteen thousand years old, he relied on self-deception, convincing himself that the end was near.

After careful consideration, the breakthrough must focus on the Kuafu cultivation method.

First, he should, like before, plant a new sun and new dreams in his heart, which can support him on his journey of fifty thousand years.

Nowadays, Qiao Mu is literally unable to seek death; he is destined for eternal life.

From the Long Life Lock to the Heavenly Emperor’s corpse in the ruins of the heavenly realm, he indeed has great doubts in his heart.

Secondly…

…………..

"From the age of over five thousand to more than ten thousand, his strength relied on the training methods of the ancient Kuafu tribe."

"According to legend, the Ancient Gods and Demons were born as the universe began, and they have a naturally long lifespan."

"But in my hands, there are actually methods for training another type of long-lived beings besides the gods and demons."

As Qiao Mu focused his thoughts, mountains of books appeared once more beside him.

At a glance, the books inside include "Bean Breaks Through the Sky" and "Beastly Blood Boiling"…

Upon closer examination, one can also see titles like "Great Tao Sutra" and "Qingxuan Road Classic."

These are… books of the immortal path.

The mortal Immortal Gates destroyed by Qiao Mu are more than one, including the Xuantian Sect, Blood Lotus Sect, Great Dao Sect, and Qingxuan Road…

Destroying one Immortal Gate does not necessarily yield the ancient scriptures within, but after the destruction of four Immortal Gates at Qiao Mu’s hands, he can naturally piece together a set of cultivation methods from simple to complex.

Of course, Qiao Mu now has little desire to practice martial arts, let alone pursue the immortal path.

At this moment, switching to the immortal path has little significance; what he needs to do is not to pursue the immortal path, but to learn from the masters, just as he has done many times before.

Standing on the shoulders of those who came before, using their experiences and texts as references to seek enlightenment.

Just like the Divine and Demon Cultivation Method of the Kuafu tribe, which an ordinary person like Qiao Mu cannot directly practice. He merely references it, treating it as a trick for spiritual refining, to maintain his awareness in the Long Life Dream over thousands of years.

This time, Qiao Mu’s focus of study was no longer the ancient gods and demons, but… the cultivators of the Immortal Way.

He did not want to accept everything completely; he was just trying to learn from the cultivators of the Immortal Way to find his own way to liberation.

They were both ancient beings who had lived for over ten thousand years.

Qiao Mu, who practiced martial arts, found each Long Life Dream challenging, often teetering on the edge of internal struggle and madness.

However, cultivators of the Immortal Way routinely meditate for tens or even hundreds of years.

Some, like Patriarch Lingxu, masters of the Mahayana stage, have secluded themselves in a small world for tens of thousands of years and only reappear when an opportunity for immortality arises.

Of course, even though the small world is not vast, it is a real world, and if the master of the small world wishes to, they can easily accommodate countless living beings, which cannot be compared to Qiao Mu’s dream world.

Like Nian Chao Sheng, who in the small world of Fangcun Mountain, raised a group of weak half-demon storytellers, who spent their days boasting, drinking, and discussing politics in the Tide Listening Building, living quite happily.

Qiao Mu reached out and took the book "Great Tao Sutra" into his hands.

The "Great Tao Sutra" is naturally the root technique of the Great Dao Sect; all sect leaders and ancestors in the small world have practiced this technique throughout the ages.

This technique is said to be passed down by the first ancestor who became a True Immortal, and by following the steps to practice, one can go directly from the Qi Refining Stage to True Immortal… of course, Qiao Mu does not have the second half of it.

He is not concerned with the method of breathing in spiritual energy from the "Great Tao Sutra"; his focus lies on what these techniques all mention…

Letting go of attachments and desires.

………………………………..

Cultivators of the immortal path can achieve longevity, living long but with an end.

Soul Changing cultivators can already live for thousands of years, those at the Tao Achieving Stage can live over ten thousand years, and Mahayana cultivators can even exist in the world for tens of thousands of years.

The immortal path has been passed down since ancient times; countless long-lived cultivators have been born throughout history.

The problems Qiao Mu faces are naturally ones that cultivators throughout history have also encountered.

The key to solving this problem, allowing them to pass through countless years without their hearts collapsing, is actually the four words often mentioned by cultivators, "let go of attachments and desires."

Letting go of attachments and desires brings about a clear heart.

Based on letting go of attachments and desires, different Immortal Gates have different methods, such as cutting off the three corpses or eliminating the six thieves.

The toys that we loved so much as children are often left on the shelf when we grow up.

The first love that made our hearts race in youth often loses its spark when we meet again in middle or old age.

As we gain more life experience and grow older, the things we once cherished will gradually become less important to us.

To cultivators, worldly desires are like toys we liked when we were young; they understand what they are.

At the ages of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands, we naturally won’t be moved by them anymore.

By cutting off all worldly desires and keeping only a sincere heart for immortality, one’s heart will be clear, helping to endure the long passage of time.

Therefore, from the perspective of a cultivator on the path of immortality.

People like members of the Qiao family, Martial Saint, and Founding Emperor Yan are martial artists who cultivate in a wild way, putting shackles on themselves without realizing it.

At the entrance of the Great Dao Sect, Qiao Mu once had a debate with Patriarch Lingyuan about mortals and immortals.

Patriarch Lingyuan said that cultivating immortality is like climbing a mountain; the higher you climb, the further you leave the mortal world, and thus, you come closer to the heavens.

A far heart from people, but close to the heart of the Dao.

A far path from people, but close to the path of the heavens.

If the heavens had feelings, they would grow old too; only when there are no feelings and no human hearts can one withstand the long passage of time.

This is the answer given by cultivators of the path of immortality, passed down since ancient times.

"To break attachments and discard desires? This method of cultivating the heart is not the way of cultivating immortality, but it is indeed something worth referencing."

Qiao Mu held a book of teachings in his hands, murmuring to himself among the messy piles of books taller than a person.

The powerful magic of the Nine Heavenly Immortal Gates was useless to him; he only wanted to practice the methods of meditation from this Immortal Gate text.

"But this is how it is; what should I actually do to learn and understand it?"

Qiao Mu pondered.

Time quietly passed, day after day, year after year.

He was not a genius with extraordinary understanding, so it was naturally very difficult to walk a path that no one had taken before.

He did not even know how many years had passed, and he still had not found a clear idea.

When he came back to his senses, he discovered that his body had started to move without him realizing it, and he began to practice the Long Life Fist as the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon.

Practicing martial arts had become instinctive to him; even while deep in thought, his body did not stop.

It’s like, it’s like…

"Hmm?" Qiao Mu suddenly had a thought and recalled events from a very long time ago.

Before he reached the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, his spirit was not strong enough to notice the existence of the Long Life Dream. All his martial arts skills were slowly mastered in dreams over a long period of time…

He thought the Long Life Lock was just a system for reviving points at the cost of life, using lifespan as a price to skillfully learn various martial arts.

Before that, the Long Life Dream actually always existed. After each death, he practiced martial arts repeatedly in his dreams; he just didn’t realize it.

Just like earlier…

"Practicing martial arts has already become my body’s instinct. Even if I don’t think about it, my body will naturally start to practice various martial arts."

"The heart of the way can withstand the long passage of time, but the human heart inevitably ages."

"If the human heart is sealed away, it’s like putting childhood toys on a high shelf, locked in a drawer; giving this 50,000 years of Long Life Dream to the body’s instincts is like before reaching the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period…"

As long as Qiao Mu has a general idea, he can use his deep knowledge of martial arts to try to turn that idea into a real skill.

"The path of the immortal cultivator speaks of letting go of attachments and desires, but what I want to do is not to break or give up, but to seal it in the Long Life Dream."

"Only the strongest obsession remains in my heart, just like the immortal cultivator who only has the desire for eternal life."

"In the Long Life Dream, I will let everything be guided by my body’s instincts."

"Logically, this should work…. If I can really accomplish it, I will call it the ‘No Move No Thinking Skill.’"

Qiao Mu’s mind sank into the Long Life Lock, realizing that he had spent five thousand years in the Long Life Dream.

Five thousand years is an extremely long time, equivalent to 10% of fifty thousand years of the Long Life Dream, leaving only 90%!

"As the saying goes, after walking a hundred miles, I have reached halfway at ninety. I have walked ten miles, leaving ninety, meaning I am halfway there."

After five thousand years, Qiao Mu finally thought of a seemingly workable solution that could help him survive fifty thousand years without losing his sanity.

However, this so-called "No Move No Thinking Skill" actually has some hidden risks.

If he only keeps his body’s instinct for martial arts, he will merely be a pure martial artist, almost like a personification of martial arts.

At most, he will have a few obsessions to guide himself, keeping his heart locked away and entering a dreamlike state.

So… how should he wake up?

A drawer that is sealed tightly inside and out will naturally not gather dust easily.

So, after fifty thousand years, will he still remember where the key is?

What essential difference is there between "sealing away" and a cultivator’s "breaking attachments and abandoning desires"?

The so-called "human heart," "emotions," "obsessions," and so on are ultimately just abstract concepts, not concrete things. It’s not just imagining a locked drawer and thinking that’s enough.

Qiao Mu is also unsure if the so-called "No Move No Thinking Skill" he is practicing will succeed.

Perhaps, after fifty thousand years, he will wake up from the Long Life Dream and become a martial artist; or maybe he will remain forever lost in this state of "No Move No Thinking Skill."

"Now that things have come to this, there is no other way. Whether I succeed or fail, I will train and see."

………………………..

In the ruins of Heaven’s Court, Di Ting’s silly laughter still echoes.

The Ancestor of the Sword Sect stood dazed, just a dozen steps away from the Heavenly Emperor’s Throne, staring intently, calculating without end.

Reason told him that the essence of this Heavenly Emperor was truly something he could not attain.

But at this moment, who still cares about reason?

He stood still, thinking of various ways to seize a chance at immortality.

And suddenly.

Hmph!

A fierce howling sound suddenly erupted.

The white mist in Lingxiao Treasure Hall was abruptly blown away by a strong wind, like waves crashing against rocks.

A figure rushed forward quickly, the violent wind that came with him blew away the rubble in front of the hall and charged straight at the Ancestor of the Sword Sect.

"How can there still be powerful masters? So many sneaky old thieves hiding in the dark, eyeing the chance to become immortal…"

The Ancestor of the Sword Sect gave a cold snort, and with a flick of his mind, the sword pellet instantly transformed into a torrential rain of swords, coming down like a storm.

His robe swelled up even more, emitting a faint golden light that protected his entire body.

The newcomer maintained their fierce momentum, as if they did not see the torrential rain of swords, crashing straight ahead.

There was a loud boom.

The storm of swords that shrouded Lingxiao Treasure Hall shattered in an instant.

The Ancestor of the Sword Sect stumbled back a few steps.

He looked down and saw clear fist marks appearing on the chest of his robe. Amid the shattered golden light, his robe and flesh were pierced together, revealing the distant Heavenly Emperor’s Throne behind him.

"You…" The Ancestor of the Sword Sect stared wide-eyed at the newcomer, only to see that the newcomer was yet another member of the Qiao family who looked similar.

"What kind of monster is the Qiao family that they haven’t been wiped out yet?" He widened his eyes.

However, Qiao Mu paid him no mind and merely lifted his gaze to Nian Chao Sheng beside the Heavenly Emperor’s Throne.

It didn’t matter why the Ancestor of the Sword Sect was here, and it was no concern that Di Ting took the form of Nian Chao Sheng in the Heavenly Court.

What he cared about were two other things.

"Di Ting, I have two questions for you," Qiao Mu asked.

"How can I return to Jiu Province?"

Di Ting heard this and couldn’t help but smile, chuckling:

"Those Immortal Gate masters only want to ascend to the fairy realm, yet you, seeing my true form, just want to ask how to find the way back?"

Qiao Mu fell silent for a moment, then spoke:

"Their path to immortality is in the fairy realm; while my martial path is here on Earth."