Chapter 1622: Chapter 67: This World and Beyond
Inside the cottage.
"Have you, by now, found your own path?" The elderly man glanced at Jiang Ning, speaking aloud.
"I have!" Jiang Ning nodded.
"Not surprising!" The elder replied, "For you to reach the First Grade Unity Realm now, your fortunes and opportunities are beyond measure, but your comprehension must be extraordinary. If you hadn’t found your own path, that would be the surprising part."
The elder looked at Jiang Ning and continued, "Initially, my expectations of you weren’t high. To reach my level, for thousands of years, no one has achieved it, not even those from the Upper Immortal. But now, in you, I see substantial hope. I hope that if you manage to reach my level in the future, you can bring peace to this world."
Jiang Ning replied, "Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I would still strive for that."
"I truly believe you," the elder smiled, taking a sip of tea, "I have reviewed the accounts of your past deeds and understand a bit about your character, so I hope you don’t mind my interest in this matter."
"Elder, you are jesting," Jiang Ning responded.
After a brief pause, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but seize the opportunity to ask.
"Elder, what lies beyond the Martial Saint, above the First Grade?"
"Above the First Grade, huh!" The elder’s eyes revealed a trace of reminiscence before he shook his head, "This step, I cannot tell you now! I hope you experience it for yourself. You need only know, the limitless body, unbound spirit, infinitely grand and elevated; one day, you will stand upon a peak, witnessing the mysteries of the human body, seeing a more expansive world."
"Reach that point, see certain things, then you will realize it is the realm beyond the First Grade, revered by the world as the Martial Saint."
"If you reach this stage someday, you can come here to find me!"
"At that level, you’ll see the world I am in now, and you can step into it."
"At that time, if I am still alive, I will tell you the path beyond the Martial Saint."
"If I have passed, I will leave something here, something useful for you."
Upon hearing this.
Jiang Ning looked solemn.
Then he stood up.
"Thank you, elder, for your kindness."
The elder waved his hand, "There’s no need to be so courteous. I’m merely forming a fortuitous bond. If you truly reach this level, the world will be swayed by your will, and I also wish that the Great Xia, which I helped establish with my disciples, can continue to exist in this world."
"Of course, if at that time you consider becoming this world’s master, I have no objections."
At these words, Jiang Ning shook his head.
"Elder, since embarking on the martial arts journey, the scenery along the way has made fame and fortune fleeting to me."
"What I seek now is the health of my loved ones, to see the views from higher peaks, to witness more expansive worlds."
"From what I understand, there are worlds beyond this world."
"During the Ancient Times, the world was divided into ten realms under the leadership of the Ancient Heavenly Court, and the realm we are in now is just one of them."
"I yearn to explore broader realms, to understand the colossal shifts brought by the Ancient Era, to discover what truly transpired."
Upon hearing these words, the elder’s gaze revealed a trace of approving smile.
He placed the tea cup down, his gaze traversing the cottage as if looking towards the infinitely distant sky.
"What you seek, I too once pursued. I traversed to another realm through an Ancient relic."
He gazed at Jiang Ning again, "Would you like to hear about it?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning was moved.
His words were intended to draw out some secrets regarding the Ancient Era from this elder who had lived for centuries.
During the Ancient Era, the world shifted dramatically, immortal Dao champions ceased to exist, the environment changed, no longer supporting the immortal path.
Even the current immortal Dao champions rely solely on Cave Heaven Blessed Lands.
If in the outside world, even with boundless capabilities, it is hard to tread the immortal path.
About these matters, he had heard many times.
But what exactly happened during the Ancient Era, what caused the drastic change in the world’s environment, and the transition of eras.
As a result, the decline of the immortal Dao and the rise of martial arts, he still does not understand.
Even though he reviewed numerous ancient texts within the Daoist School, there was not much detailed record on this.
At most, just brief mentions and a few of the authors’ reflections.
He also recognizes that only a few might know about these secrets.
From those he has encountered, Xia Xuanyan might be one.
In the entire Great Xia, the elder before him is likely the most knowledgeable.
After all, this elder had, single-handedly, suppressed the world for over eight hundred years, granting the world an era of peace for over eight hundred years.
Having lived for so long, walked so many paths, gone through so much, saw so much, if this elder doesn’t know, then no one else possibly does.
Now, as the elder actively wishes to speak, there’s an opportunity to hear firsthand experiences of cross-realm journeys, and he surely wouldn’t want to miss it.
"Please, teach me, elder!" Jiang Ning said earnestly.
The elder nodded slightly, tapping his fingers gently on the table, then taking a shallow sip of tea, as if organizing distant memories.
"It was over five hundred years ago!" The elder’s eyes sank into reminiscence, "At that time, seeking further progress on the martial path, I ventured into the land of Northern barbarian tribes, went to the thirty-six islands beyond the Eastern Sea, set foot in the mountains where the Southern Ridge Great Demon slept, traversed the boundless deadly desert of the Northwest."
Upon hearing these words, Jiang Ning was about to speak but hesitated, feeling a bit puzzled, yet knowing this wasn’t the time to interrupt the elder’s recollection.
