Chapter 500

Chapter 500: The Immortal Ones

If all the worlds are destined to come to an end, just like Qiao Mu is destined to live forever.

Then he also wants to return to Earth to see the final ending of this world, Jiu Province, before everything is completely destroyed.

Before entering the Return Ruins, the backup plan he left behind can only be seen as a prelude. Even if a thousand or ten thousand years pass when he returns to Earth, he wishes to see the outcome of the world.

This is one of the obsessions that Qiao Mu planted.

To be precise, this is the sun he planted fifty thousand years ago.

"Their path to immortality is in the heavenly realm; my martial way, however, is in the human world."

When he spoke these words, he did not actually feel any emotional turmoil in his heart.

Qiao Mu’s memory had not changed at all; he had not forgotten anything.

The memories of life from fifty thousand, even sixty-eight thousand years ago, remained clear and vivid.

But just like the moonlight he admired in his youth, even if he saw it again after ten years, he could no longer find the same feelings of excitement.

Today, Qiao Mu clearly remembers everything from his past life; it’s just that fifty thousand years is ultimately too long, enough for the sea to turn to dust and rocks to crumble.

Now, when he looks at the obsessions from fifty thousand years ago and his life experiences from fifty thousand years ago, it’s like an elder gazing at a toy he loved as a child.

There may be reflections in the heart, but this feeling is different from that of childhood.

"Return Ruins is the place where all worlds meet, yet you insist on asking about the way back…" Di Ting laughed loudly, his mouth still bleeding from the wound in the corner.

"Even Di Ting does not see and know everything about all the worlds."

"This question is too difficult. Instead of asking me, you might as well ask the Sky Piercing River that connects the human world and Return Ruins. Ask a different question."

"That’s not impossible. My second question is…." Qiao Mu said calmly.

"In all these worlds, is there an immortal being that exists?"

Just moments ago, Di Ting was laughing widely, but his smile suddenly froze.

"Immortal? Ha." The Ancestor of the Sword Sect, with a hollow chest, was now covered in cracks; his body had almost fully perished, yet he still held onto a breath of life.

After reaching the Tao Achieving Stage, the vitality of a celestial cultivator is very strong, and they have many ways to survive. Despite being on the brink of death, he still mocked.

"After seeing the body of the Heavenly Emperor, you still ask such a question?"

Di Ting heard this and turned to look at the body of the Heavenly Emperor on the Heavenly Emperor’s Throne, softly saying:

"The so-called fairy way has two parts: cultivating the method of longevity and practicing protective techniques. The first is fundamental, the second is a means to an end."

"The ultimate goal of the fairy way is to achieve eternal life and longevity."

"Techniques, Taoist warriors, weapon forging, alchemy, formations… all methods are ultimately protective techniques."

"Do you know what the fundamental difference is between each realm from Qi Refinement, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Changing… until becoming a True Immortal?"

"Of course, it’s the difference in strength." Qiao Mu calmly replied.

"Superficial." The Ancestor of the Sword Sect only chuckled.

He was almost dead, his physical body destroyed by Qiao Mu, and the Nascent Soul naturally could not be preserved from the terrifying power of a punch.

At this moment, he was about to die, but he would not let go of the chance to mock the Qiao family member.

Di Ting and Qiao Mu did not pay attention to the Ancestor of the Sword Sect’s last words, and continued:

"For a cultivator, the so-called protective techniques are actually means to protect oneself; their hearts naturally seek immortality."

"Therefore, the biggest difference between cultivators of different levels is actually…"

"Lifespan."

Lifespan? Qiao Mu was taken aback.

Immortal as he was, he had never thought about this issue.

Qi Refinement, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul… the higher the level, the longer the life.

At the Soul Changing Stage, one can live for thousands of years; at the Mahayana Stage, one can live for tens of thousands of years. The path of cultivation is indeed a path to longevity.

But martial arts are different.

In Jiu Province, martial arts are born under the heavy pressure of immortality, a way for the weak to become strong.

For martial arts, the size of the fist is very important; as for how long one can live… that’s another story.

"The change in lifespan is a sign; its essence is a breakthrough in the nature of life," said the Ancestor of the Sword Sect with a cold smile.

"All beings in the human world have a set lifespan, but we practitioners can, through our training, gradually become extraordinary and far exceed the lifespan of ordinary humans."

"Do you understand? We seek longevity, not just the size of our fists."

The Ancestor of the Sword Sect’s awareness was slowly fading, but at the last moment of life, he still tried to mock the Qiao family’s martial arts, overflowing with a strong sense of superiority.

The true purpose of a martial artist is to strengthen themselves, while the pursuit of an immortal cultivator indeed sounds more profound.

"A True Immortal has a lifespan equal to the heavens, living as long as the earth, with an endless life," added Di Ting.

"But to say immortality…" Di Ting glanced at the Heavenly Emperor’s body on the throne:

"Even the Heavenly Emperor cannot achieve that."

The realms of heaven and earth came to an end, and the Heavenly Emperor and the heavenly court turned to nothingness.

Living as long as heaven and earth sounds wonderful, but what happens if heaven and earth no longer exist?

"The Heavenly Emperor, the lord of the immortal realm, is the most powerful immortal since the beginning of time, having reached the realm of ‘All Laws are Inviolable.’"

"But even the Heavenly Emperor, having achieved ‘All Laws are Inviolable,’ does not advance further on the path of immortality than other True Immortals in the immortal realm."

"In terms of protective techniques, the Heavenly Emperor is the best in the immortal world."

"He has cultivated his techniques to the level of ‘All Laws are Inviolable,’ unmatched by anyone in the immortal realm."

"Yet when it comes to the law of longevity, even the Heavenly Emperor is no different from other immortals, all falling under the category of ‘living as long as heaven and earth.’"

"So, even the Heavenly Emperor has not reached the state of ‘when the world perishes, I do not perish; when the sun and moon decay, I do not decay.’ This does not mean true immortality."

Qiao Mu had little reaction after hearing this.

However, the Ancestor of the Sword Sect, whose consciousness was fading, suddenly widened his eyes, showing signs of clarity.

"Are you saying that even the Heavenly Emperor is no different from the other True Immortals in the Immortal Realm in terms of life, with only differences in their magical powers?"

"Even the Heavenly Emperor and the ascended True Immortals exist in the same grand realm?"

Di Ting did not give a clear answer, just smiled in disdain.

"Why are you asking me? Did I tell you to ask? Why should I satisfy your curiosity?"

The Ancestor of the Sword Sect was momentarily speechless.

Even though he was about to die and lose his soul, knowledge about the Immortal Realm was still something he wanted to know.

It was clear that Di Ting and he were not on good terms; not a hint of friendliness was shown.

"Don’t change the subject," Qiao Mu said.

"What I am asking is if there are any beings in this world that are immortal. You said the Heavenly Emperor has not reached the state of immortality; are you just trying to confuse me?"

"Let me repeat myself," Qiao Mu looked directly into Di Ting’s eyes and continued.

"In all the vast worlds, are there indeed any immortal beings?"

Upon hearing this, Di Ting fell silent for a long time.

He seemed to hesitate and did not answer immediately. After a long while, he finally spoke.

"Yes. There are two."

"Who are they?" This answer truly surprised Qiao Mu, and he pressed for more information.

"One of them is the ancestor of the Way of the Immortals." Di Ting said hesitantly.

"There are legends of the ancestor in all realms and worlds. It is said that he was the first immortal cultivator from ancient times, teaching others the ways of the immortals…"

"But the ancestor actually achieved enlightenment in ancient times, and for the ancient human cultivators, the ancestor is also a senior master from an even older era."

"If the Heavenly Emperor has proven ‘All Laws are Inviolable,’ reaching the peak of the Immortal Path in protective techniques…"

"Then the ancestor has proven ‘Unbreakable through Endless Trials.’ He stands at the end of the Immortal Path, ahead of all True Immortals, including the Heavenly Emperor, in the ways of eternal life."

"When the heavens and earth perish, I do not perish; when the sun and moon decay, I do not decay. This is what is meant by ‘Unbreakable through Endless Trials.’"

The ancestor… this is not surprising… The Ancestor of the Sword Sect showed a hint of satisfaction.

The Jiu Province also has legends of the ancestor passed down through the ages.

When he entered the Return Ruins and realized that all realms had come to an end, and even the Heavenly Emperor had died, he felt completely hopeless.

But at this moment, he couldn’t help but wonder: if the Dao Ancestor cannot be harmed even after countless ages, can he safely pass through this disaster that sweeps across all worlds?

However, Qiao Mu remained unmoved.

He was not concerned about the secrets between the Heavenly Emperor and the Dao Ancestor; he was focused on the Long Life Lock and his own essence of immortality.

"Then, who is the second immortal? Who is he?" Qiao Mu slowly asked again.

At that moment, Di Ting stopped again, frozen in place, silently staring at Qiao Mu for a long time.

Then, he suddenly transformed into the beast form of Di Ting and headbutted the Heavenly Emperor’s Throne.

With a loud thud, blood spilled from his head, and he fainted on the ground.

"He’s pretending to be dead again," Qiao Mu shook his head.

Di Ting was the owner of the Tide Listening Building, Nian Chao Sheng, and he naturally knew this.

Nian Chao Sheng had little connection with him, only asking about him right before Qiao Mu was about to enter the Return Ruins.

Although Nian Chao Sheng was forced by the powerful Qiao family, he could still be considered someone who had helped him before.

Even using the pathetic trick of playing dead twice, Qiao Mu was not going to make things difficult for him.

After walking to the Heavenly Emperor’s Throne and briefly checking Di Ting’s injuries, Qiao Mu was about to stand up and leave.

At that moment, the body of the Heavenly Emperor on the throne trembled slightly.

From the top of the Heavenly Emperor’s head, strands of white mist began to appear and gathered above like a cap.

"The second strand of the Heavenly Emperor’s original celestial energy has appeared; is it that even the Heavenly Emperor’s body cannot last in the Return Ruins?" The Ancestor of the Sword Sect had been lingering on the edge of death, but upon seeing this sight, he still felt great pain.

It was one thing that he could not reach enlightenment and become an immortal.

Before dying, he had to watch his greatest enemy achieve a great opportunity; even if he couldn’t ascend immediately, he could still be reborn. This was even more painful than being killed.

But once again, something unexpected happened.

Qiao Mu did not even look at the two wisps of celestial energy on the Heavenly Emperor’s Throne; he turned and walked out of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

"You… don’t want it?" The Ancestor of the Sword Sect was taken aback.

"What use is it to me?" Qiao Mu shook his head.

There was no need to continue improving his martial skills. What was the point of absorbing the Heavenly Emperor’s original celestial energy?

Moreover, the Heavenly Emperor’s corpse had remained still until he appeared. It was only when he used the Heavenly Emperor as a sword that the stalemate was broken, showing signs that the corpse could release its original celestial energy.

This felt like destiny, making Qiao Mu grow cautious and unwilling to get involved.

The Ancestor of the Sword Sect stared blankly as Qiao Mu’s figure grew smaller and smaller until he left the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, his footsteps fading away into the cloudy sea.

He felt mixed emotions in his heart… something he longed for, the Qiao family member treated as if it were worthless, unwilling even to get involved, which made him feel a deep, unspoken sorrow.

At last, the lingering obsession faded away at this moment, and his consciousness completely vanished.

"Now, all the ancestors of the Immortal Gate have been wiped out."

After Qiao Mu left, Di Ting, who had been unconscious under the throne, slowly opened his eyes.

He looked at the chaos in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and the bodies of the immortal masters, a smile spreading across his face until the corners cracked and began to bleed again, showing a hint of pleasure.

"Listening to the tides all day long, I was finally overwhelmed by the waves… Today, I have witnessed your retreat."

……………….

"Qiao Qiao, Qiao Qiao, let me have a lick and a sip…."

As Qiao Mu walked out of the South Heavenly Gate, a chubby gray cat had unexpectedly jumped out from the shadows, its paws resting on Qiao Mu’s shoulders, and its fluffy tail draped around Qiao Mu’s neck like a gray scarf.

The fat pig last awakened after swallowing the Grey Frost Divine Blade of Great Dao Sect Patriarch Lingyuan, and since then, it has fallen into a deep sleep until now.

Today, while it was sleeping, it sensed a stronger smell of death and started to lick wildly.

"It’s been fifty thousand years, yet everything is still the same as before."

Qiao Mu petted the chubby cat a couple of times and felt a little comforted.

After leaving Jiu Province and entering the Return Ruins, he first heard about the end of all worlds, and then experienced the Long Life Dream for fifty thousand years.

And this fat cat was still the same little pig that ate and slept, perhaps it wouldn’t change even if the sky fell one day.

Standing above the crumbling South Heavenly Gate, Qiao Mu quickly saw the Sky Piercing Water Spirit wandering below the heavenly ladder.

Di Ting told him to find the way back to Jiu Province, which probably meant to look for the Sky Piercing River, and he thought this might refer to the confused water spirit.

"Qiao Chonggui Senior has returned safely?" The Sky Piercing Water Spirit felt a strong sense of safety upon seeing Qiao Mu.

Leaving it alone in the ruins of the South Heavenly Gate truly made it feel like a frightened bird.

This time when Qiao Mu returned, he naturally…

"Hmm? Which senior from the Qiao family are you talking about?"

As Qiao Mu approached, the Sky Piercing Water Spirit suddenly felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity.

It was not a change in appearance, but an invisible change in demeanor and presence.

"You can call me… Qiao Huo," Qiao Mu said slowly.

"Qiao Huo, the elder of the fire generation from the Qiao family…" The Sky Piercing Water Spirit carefully examined Qiao Mu.

In the large world of Jiu Province, there are many martial arts from the Qiao family, named according to the five elements: wood, water, metal, fire, and earth.

Generations of wood, water, metal, and earth have appeared among humans.

The earth generation members, like Qiao Shuangtu, are already invincible among humans and are leaders in martial arts.

This fire character (Translator: Huo (火) means fire) has never appeared before.

According to reason, a name should reflect the person, and each generation of the Qiao family should have meaningful names, but this Qiao Huo does not give him the least sense of fierce flames.