Chapter 161: Land of Rebirth: Undead Realm (2)

The so-called Undead Realm gate consists of only a lone stone gate tower; although strange flowers and exotic grasses cover the surroundings and ten-thousand-year-old trees tower high, it ultimately lacks a hint of vitality.

"Land of Rebirth? Undead Realm?"

Wang Ping muttered to himself, he had climbed a hundred mountain peaks, and many stone tablets recorded the term Land of Rebirth; according to those tablets, the Demon Realm's demon clan discovered the Land of Rebirth, but they did not choose to conceal it.

Instead, after passing through the hands of some small clans of the Spirit Realm, this information was spread to the Human Race.

The specific process in between is unknown; only known that the final great battle took place here. Afterwards, the Human Emperor ordered the establishment of a Clothes and Hat Tomb here, to establish a place for transmitting the Dharma for the Lower Realm.

The true spirit, flesh and blood, and corpses of true cultivators are buried deep in the Land of Rebirth, in a place called the Soul Awakening Valley; it is said that place is rather miraculous, indeed a Place of Profound Mystery, where everything from past lives is buried, affecting the probability of cultivation awakening in this life.

Now another Undead Realm has appeared here; I do not know what profound marvels this Undead Realm possesses.

Could it possibly allow cultivators to become immortal?

Wang Ping shook his head, feeling it should be impossible; now before Wang Ping lie two choices: retreat or advance.

To be honest, for these places that at first glance appear extraordinary, Wang Ping feels somewhat wary; he does not want to enter this so-called Undead Realm, but when he looked back, he discovered that the stone steps behind him had already vanished.

Wang Ping gave a wry smile; this is forcing himself to enter the Undead Realm. Since that's the case, I, Wang Ping, will go in and see just how marvelous this so-called Undead Realm is!

Having passed the stone tablet, within a few steps he arrived at the Undead Realm gate; hardly pausing, Wang Ping took a step and crossed the gate, entering the so-called Undead Realm.

Nothing particular happened; Wang Ping, with a calm expression, walked up the stone steps; his figure quickly disappeared at the top of the steps, and behind him, the stone steps that had been stepped on were rapidly vanishing.

This time, Wang Ping walked upward for a full five days and still had not reached the top, prompting him to mutter, just how high is this Undead Realm? From when he began climbing until now, six days have passed, and he has ascended at least a height of one hundred thousand zhang.

If this were the world of his previous life, he would probably have already walked into the cosmos?

This monotonous way of climbing is indeed exhausting, especially not knowing how much higher lies above; it is indeed easy to feel fatigue, and even though Wang Ping is a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivator, he now feels a hint of fatigue, but thinking of the stone steps continually disappearing behind him, he gritted his teeth and continued climbing upward.

Thus, another four days passed, and finally a palace silhouette appeared in Wang Ping's view, which refreshed his spirit and quickened his ascent.

After a quarter hour, Wang Ping's footsteps steadied upon a broad plaza paved with unknown white jade; ahead of him lay an endless expanse of connected palace complexes.

The nearest palace was a hundred zhang away; Wang Ping was about to step forward when suddenly a speck of green light appeared before him.

Under his gaze, those green light points condensed into a human silhouette.

"Welcome to the Undead Realm!"

After that light-shadow condensed and emerged, a somewhat hoarse voice sounded.

Only then did Wang Ping see that the silhouette was a white-haired old man with an ethereal demeanor.

"Junior Wang Ping greets Senior!"

"I am the gatekeeper of the first level of this Undead Realm; if junior can pass the trial, they will receive the reward bestowed by the Undead Realm."

A faint divine light flickered in the depths of Wang Ping's eyes; trial? Reward? Is this not a place of testing?

This differs somewhat from his understanding of the Undead Realm.

Only hearing the old man continue: "You have the time of half an incense stick to prepare; after half an incense stick, we shall open the first trial of the Ancient-Modern Debate."

Wang Ping stared, Ancient-Modern Debate? Debate what?

It seemed the old man also knew Wang Ping did not understand, and he continued: "Ancient Method Foundation Establishment builds the Dao Platform, Modern Method Foundation Establishment builds the Spirit Root; which is stronger, which weaker—let us settle it with a battle!"

Does Foundation Establishment still have the Ancient Method vs Modern Method distinction? Ancient Method Foundation Establishment builds the Dao Platform—what is that?

Why must they be ranked superior or inferior?

The old man's simple two sentences carried an enormous amount of information, leaving Wang Ping somewhat bewildered.

Finally he could not hold back and asked the elder: "Senior, please forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is this Ancient Method versus Modern Method distinction, and what is the Dao Platform?"

The old man gave a hehe laugh, and patiently explained to clear up the confusion:

"Before the Primeval Era, cultivators had no concept of Spirit Roots; thus at that time, Foundation Establishment cultivators would have a Dao Platform appear within their bodies; a successful Foundation Establishment cultivator could inscribe their techniques upon it; once inscribed successfully, False Dao Techniques could be cast instantly, and True Dao Techniques could be completed in the blink of an eye; a Dao Platform, depending on its quality, can inscribe one to three Dao Techniques."

Wang Ping exclaimed, "One to three Dao Techniques?"

He has so far only learned three False Dao Techniques, and has not yet learned even a single True Dao Technique.

The old man gave a slight smile and said, "Those who can reach that step are also the heavenly pride who leave their names through the ages! Is it not so that not all cultivators are like that?"

Only then did Wang Ping relax his breath, and afterwards he asked doubtfully: "Senior, why must we definitely conduct the Ancient-Modern Debate? Frankly, I think it has no meaning at all; even if we defeat those cultivators who use Ancient Method Foundation Establishment, what use is it?"

The old man gave a light laugh and then said, "The Great Dao Contention! Cultivators who practice the Modern Method, in the Foundation Establishment realm and also the Golden Core realm, within the same realm always lose more than they win!"

Wang Ping curiously asked, "Why is that? Is the Modern Method inferior to the Ancient Method?"

The old man said with a faint smile, "No, quite the opposite: the Modern Method has enormous potential; the Spirit Root is a heaven-sent gift, its contained potential boundless, but up to now, cultivators who practice the Modern Method have not yet fully developed the potential of the Spirit Root in the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core realms; therefore, the path of the Modern Method, even after experiencing the ages of antiquity, remains incomplete even to this day."

Wang Ping cautiously asked, "May I ask how long the Ancient Era you mentioned lasts?"

The old man tirelessly explained to Wang Ping: "The Primeval Era lasted twelve billion nine hundred sixty million years; the Ancient Era lasted thirty million years; and now we are in the Present-Ancient Era, which is only a mere million years."

Wang Ping thought it over, weighed his words, and asked:

"Perhaps it is because the time is too short."

The old man stroked his beard, smiling as he said, "It is possible; the Undead Realm has undergone the Primeval, the Ancient, and up to the present Present-Ancient era; establishing this trial is to let cultivators who practice the Modern Method, in colliding with those who practice the Ancient Method, bring forth unparalleled inspiration; having endured thirty million years, the extent to which today's cultivators develop during Foundation Establishment seems to have reached its limit—there are those who cultivate Dao methods at Foundation Establishment, those who fuse their Foundation Establishment bodies with a Ten-Pattern Natal Magic Treasure, and those who temper their Spirit Root with spiritual power, blood essence, and divine sense, allowing it to undergo transformation; all have achieved notable results, yet after the long ages, the Modern Method versus the Ancient Method still results in more losses than victories."

Wang Ping closed his eyes tightly, striving to digest the information the old man had poured into him.

"Time is up, junior friend; please enter the palace cluster and select a palace for challenge; the challenges go from easy to difficult! The further back, the greater the peril to life! Death in the trial is true death! The trial now begins! Three breaths' time to select a palace."

The palaces at the front are nearly identical; Wang Ping casually chose one; after they pushed open the gate, the old man's hoarse voice sounded in his ears:

"Ancient-Modern Debate 3,200,000th time begins!"