Chapter 74
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Chapter 74
When Gong Wu leaped into Tu Xuixin’s embrace, tears of laughter streamed down her face, feeling as if she was still dreaming.
She had ascended to immortality; truly, she had formed her immortal body and transcended the Three Realms.
Tu Xuixin, so tense that he hardly dared to breathe, at that moment forgot to be gentle with her hair, desperately touching her head.
“It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t easy. You finally made it to this step, good child!”
After hugging her master, Gong Wu rushed to give Master Ancestor a tight embrace, the three generations smiling at each other.
An immortal maiden and several immortal attendants came forward to congratulate her, holding a Decree Scroll, instructing her to kneel for her accolade.
Since Gong Wu did not have a title in the mortal world, the heavenly court granted her the name Pure Luo. After performing various ceremonies following her reception, they finally asked whether she wished to stay in the heavenly court to seek a divine role or continue as a carefree dispersing immortal in the lower realms.
Gong Wu sincerely thanked them one by one, hesitating for a moment before making her choice.
“If I hold a divine role, what rules will there be?”
The heavenly boy replied, “Of course, there will be your own duties and rewards, and you would receive worship in the mortal realm, but you cannot recklessly interfere with other people’s fates and must act according to heavenly law.”
“If I become a dispersing immortal, can I still return to the heavenly realm?”
“Of course,” the heavenly boy smiled. “Some important places have guards, so as long as you don’t go barging in, it will be fine.”
Gong Wu looked at her master and Master Ancestor, saying, “I choose to be a dispersing immortal; I thank the heavenly court for its grace.”
Before the Thousand Layer Cloud Stairs, Yan Fangji felt drowsy but forced himself to stay awake, worried for Gong Wu.
Kan Jixuan, who had been resting in a side room, suddenly pushed the door open at midnight.
“She made it!”
“She did?!” Yan Fangji quickly stood up, glancing around. “Has she come back?!”
From the high heavens above, three immortals descended through the clouds.
The one in the center smiled gently, her posture elegant; it was Gong Wu.
She seemed to have transformed overnight into a woman in her twenties, her attire and appearance now fit for an immortal, completely shedding her past troubles and timidness, with a small red spot between her eyebrows and clear, bright eyes.
“Good, good, good!”
Yan Fangji bowed deeply, his joy evident. “Do you now possess an immortal title?”
“Pure Luo,” Tu Xuixin replied with a smile. “With her level of cultivation, she could have long since established her own sect and taken on numerous disciples.”
“Master!”
Gong Wu hurriedly greeted and thanked them, her eagerness to find someone unmistakable to any observant eye.
Kan Jixuan was ready to whisk her back to the Demon Realm to rescue Ji Yang, but Hao Chengzi called her back.
“Little Wu, you’ve achieved great success in your cultivation, but this is not the end,” the elder said. “Do you recall what the nine levels of immortality are?”
Gong Wu looked at Master Ancestor and answered without hesitation, “They are derived from the nine stars of the Big Dipper.”
“Hidden Element, Insight, Glorious Light, Opening Sun, Jade Balance, Heavenly Authority…”
Her voice trailed off as she finished the last three levels.
“There’s also Heavenly Design, Heavenly Pivot, and Heavenly Wheel.”
Tu Xuixin seemed to realize something, his gaze fixed on his master.
Hao Chengzi nodded. “Indeed. Even after attaining an immortal body, there are still three higher levels to reach.”
“You have cast aside your mortal form and purified your heart to walk the path, but the vengeful demon is perilous and not easily subdued by cultivation alone.”
Yan Fangji asked, “Master, what distinguishes these three levels?”
Ordinary cultivators who reach the Jade Balance level are rare, and few understand the intricacies of ascending to immortality.
“Those who ascend the Thousand Layer Celestial Stairs and receive an immortal title from the heavenly decree have reached the Heavenly Design level. They can gather spiritual energy to craft various magical artifacts and spiritual treasures.”
“Heavenly Design practitioners can develop unique cultivation techniques. Any food touched by their spiritual body can extend the lifespan of mortals who consume it.”
“If they ascend further to become Heavenly Pivot Daoists, most will be granted a heavenly title and entrusted with significant responsibilities.”
“Most immortals remain at the Heavenly Design level, with only a select few advancing further through innate talent.”
“As for the Heavenly Wheel level,” the elder sighed, “it is an exceedingly rare state. Heavenly texts speak of it with reverence, yet they dare not elaborate.”
Though Kan Jixuan was a demon, she listened intently and remarked, “Even other deities require centuries of crossing tribulations and reincarnating to achieve enlightenment.”
“But Little Wu, her cultivation follows the unparalleled Path of Reincarnation.”
The more she dies, the stronger she becomes; her ability to break down and rebuild surpasses all understanding.
“An immortal body is not easily destroyed,” Hao Chengzi sighed. “Do you think entering the Spirit Severing Platform is a simple matter?”
“No rush,” Gong Wu said, her resolve firm. “I will face the vengeful demon.”
She and Kan Jixuan flew deep into the Abyss once more. Before they had descended halfway, the black phoenix and Flower Orange soared up to greet them.
They had guarded Ji Yang in the dark cave for so long that dozens of days felt like mere moments.
Gong Hua Ji sniffed the immortal aura emanating from Gong Wu and playfully nipped at her skirt.
“Don’t eat that,” Gong Wu chided, patting its head. “I still need to see my senior brother.”
She landed at the cave entrance, and in the stillness, her eyes immediately met Ji Yang’s.
“You’ve come,” Ji Yang said with a calm smile. “Congratulations.”
Gong Wu’s eyes welled up with tears as she hurried toward him.
“Senior brother, you have accepted the seals.”
Ji Yang obediently released his hands and stood aside, watching her.
Gong Wu pressed her palms onto the heavy Magical Formation shaped like a spiky sphere and slowly closed her eyes.
The Sword Immortal’s formation was wrapped inside it.
Her spiritual energy sought to touch the essence of the vengeful demon, so she had to delve deep into the different sect masters’ seals without breaking the binding, swirling and changing like mist as she explored deeper.
As Gong Wu closed her eyes, her spiritual aura became even purer.
The seals of the Magical Formation, fierce and violent from different angles, profoundly suppressed the ancient vengeful demon.
Her spiritual energy gracefully maneuvered around every danger until it tapped into the sharp spiritual sword of the Sword Immortal, allowing the pale spiritual mist to seep into the black smoke.
In that instant, a sharp roar filled her spiritual realm, revealing terrifying scenes of despair and madness within.
The pale mist remained unfazed, even allowing the black mist to swirl and roll as it recognized and understood all the constructs within.
The vengeful demon was merely a name given to it by mortals.
In this world, only hatred is endless and boundless, growing fiercer with every act of killing.
As Gong Wu probed with her spiritual awareness, she could clearly see the countless hatreds gathered from three thousand lifetimes.
Intense, unwilling, and frenzied, each one tried desperately to consume her.
But similarly, she could absorb them.
At the same time, Kan Jixuan kept a close watch on the changes between the black and white mist deep within the formation, ready to cut off the connection and rescue Gong Wu at any moment.
After a long time of adjusting her energy, Gong Wu withdrew her spiritual awareness.
“I need to die twice more,” she stated clearly. “Once I ascend to the Heavenly Pivot level, I can absorb everything in this formation.”
“And then?” Kan Jixuan, still on guard, asked, “The resentment of the Three Realms is endless. Even if you absorb the vengeful demon formed today, won’t it return stronger?”
“It will,” Gong Wu replied calmly. “I just need to absorb it again.”
“If it dares to come, I will dare to consume it; it won’t be a problem.”
Not far away, Ji Yang looked down and smiled softly.
Gong Wu glanced over, her heart racing.
Even after ascending to immortality, she still felt shy when she saw him, biting her lip, unable to speak further.
Kan Jixuan noticed the spiritual energy surrounding Ji Yang and said, “There is another way. You can stay here while your senior brother finds a way to achieve Immortal Ascension. Together, you might easily deal with it.”
“No need for a plan,” Ji Yang said gently. “I can ascend the Celestial Stairs now.”
Over the past ten years, he had practiced alone, severed all emotions, and his cultivation had reached its peak, waiting for a chance to cross tribulations.
“If I can help Little Wu, I will ascend to immortality right away.”
Gong Wu paused for a few seconds and suddenly said, “Senior brother, stay here for a few more days.”
“When I engage with it, I can feel its energy channels clearly; I just need my techniques to be a level higher to fully absorb it.”
Her selfish thoughts surged; although every word she spoke was true, a sense of unavoidable shame mingled within.
“Senior brother, if you ascend to immortality using the Path of Emotionless, our bond will completely sever, right?”
After a few more days, just a few days.
Kan Jixuan frowned in silence, feeling somewhat anxious as she ran her fingers through her hair.
“I can’t compete with you anymore; it’s troublesome.”
She couldn’t even stand too close to Gong Wu, or she would be hurt by the piercing immortal aura.
That once cute little girl had become so strong after dying several times; it was infuriating!
Ji Yang neither agreed nor refused but simply watched her current expression.
“What do you want to do?”
“Go to the Spirit Severing Platform.”
“The Spirit Severing Platform is a place where one offends the heavenly laws,” Ji Yang sighed. “You just ascended to immortality, and you want to break taboos already?”
Gong Wu stamped her foot. “I will first ask the gate guards for permission. If that doesn’t work, I’ll just take the lightest death sentence!”
Kan Jixuan covered her head with her hand. “Do you hear what you’re saying…?”
Not long after, she flew into the heavenly realm again, heading to the heavenly court from the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Tu Xuixin, following Kan Jixuan’s instructions, stayed close behind, fearing that his foolish disciple would inadvertently get herself banished and ruin all her achievements.
To their surprise, as soon as they reached the Southern Heavenly Gate, the two gate guards greeted Gong Wu with a bow.
“Pure Luo and Ji Qing, the Immortal, we have been waiting for you.”
Gong Wu had planned to charge in boldly, but upon seeing the long spear in the heavenly guard’s hand, she temporarily hesitated, her assertive demeanor softening instantly. “Let’s talk; I-I didn’t mean that…”
Tu Xuixin quickly said, “It was all my idea; please don’t punish her!”
“Master, you can’t speak like that!”
The right heavenly guard clasped his hands together and said, “Pure Luo came today to go to the Spirit Severing Platform, am I correct?”
“Please head to the northwest; there’s no need for any documents. The higher-ups have already given orders. This matter has been destined for the immortal; just proceed freely today.”
Gong Wu pulled on her master’s sleeve hard.
“I didn’t hear that wrong, did I?”
Tu Xuixin exclaimed, “I thought… you might not even get through the Southern Heavenly Gate today. You could have risked losing your title and dying here.”
Gong Wu shook her head vigorously, her big smile shining brightly.
“Master! I am the Path of Reincarnation! The heavenly court has known about it for a long time!”
“Let’s go to the Spirit Severing Platform!”