Chapter 9

But they didn't expect that there were so many crises in it.

Every step taken seemed to be walking on a steel wire at high altitude, and if one was not careful, they would be smashed to pieces.

After a long while, Zhongli sighed leisurely.

"Going against heaven naturally has desperate crises; this is true in any world."

"But perhaps because of this, the strength of you immortal cultivators is so powerful."

Jiang Yan did not refute this. If one could not get the corresponding reward after such difficult cultivation, what was the use of cultivating this immortality?

Pausing, a complex color flashed in Zhongli's eyes.

Seeming to organize his language, Zhongli still said:

"Let me ask one more question, immortal cultivation..."

Jiang Yan saw the question Zhongli wanted to know at a glance, and nodded with a smile.

"That's right, immortal cultivation will not have erosion."

Zhongli was a bit melancholy, and Cloud Retainer and the others also looked like they didn't know what to say.

"Is that so..."

Zhongli sighed bitterly.

"From this point of view, it really makes me envious."

Jiang Yan explained slowly:

"What immortal cultivators pursue is to obtain power from heaven and earth, and longevity is naturally obtained from heaven and earth."

"Since that is the case, the lifespan of immortal cultivators must be in their own hands."

"In other words, as long as one survives the Heavenly Tribulation, within the date when the lifespan has not been cut off, the fate of the immortal cultivator is controlled by oneself."

"What you call erosion is, frankly speaking, the shackles imposed by heaven and earth on you long-lived species, just to constrain you."

"Since that is the case, it naturally cannot affect us who pursue breaking the rules of heaven and earth."

"Using words you can accept, we immortal cultivators are a group of people who don't follow the rules, especially the rules of heaven and earth; we like them the least."

"And, if I didn't guess wrong, your erosion should also act on the soul and Dao heart, right?"

"When it breaks out, it should be becoming unrecognizable to relatives, acting like a madman."

Zhongli nodded solemnly, pursed his lips, and said with some entanglement:

"From the perspective of you immortal cultivators, is it similar to the so-called Heart Tribulation of the True Self?"

Jiang Yan was silent for a moment and nodded slightly.

"Somewhat similar, but the essence is different. The Heart Tribulation of the True Self is a tribulation imposed by the Dao, a debt that immortal cultivators have to pay."

"Your erosion is actually more man-made..."

Jiang Yan didn't say it very clearly, but his gaze looking at the sky with a smile made Zhongli understand a lot.

Zhongli had some nameless fire in his heart and clenched his fists, but he didn't say anything in the end.

"Do you know how many years an immortal cultivator who has reached the step of the Heart Tribulation of the True Self has lived?"

Jiang Yan suddenly mentioned it softly.

Suddenly, Zhongli and the others looked over curiously.

Jiang Yan gently raised four fingers.

"Four thousand years?"

Cloud Retainer muttered, feeling that it was quite reasonable in her heart.

After all, the time when Azhdaha's erosion broke out was also about four thousand years, and Zhongli had also started to accumulate erosion three thousand years ago.

However, Jiang Yan shook his head.

"At the very least, four Great Cycles."

"Great Cycle? What is this?"

Ganyu looked at Jiang Yan blankly, always feeling that this way of recording years was a bit strange.

Jiang Yan gently spread his hands.

"The years of immortal cultivators are long, long enough to watch many worlds perish."

"So, time, in the eyes of immortal cultivators, slowly becomes worthless."

"Immortal cultivators call the cycle from the beginning to the extinction of the world a Great Cycle. One Era has twelve Periods, one Period has thirty Stages, one Stage has twelve two-hour periods, one two-hour period..."

Jiang Yan paused, swept across everyone's faces quietly, and said slowly:

"Thirty years."

Zhongli's palms clenched suddenly, and strands of cracks appeared on the teacup.

"One Great Cycle is 129,600 years, so, your Heart Tribulation of the True Self..."

Jiang Yan shook his head and said casually:

"Those who can cultivate to the step of the Heart Tribulation of the True Self are all great figures in the Immortal World, each living as long as the heavens and shining with the sun and moon."

"Between flipping their palms, worlds are born and destroyed, and time has no meaning to them."

"Only when they reach this step can they truly feel the terror of the Heart Tribulation of the True Self after being washed by time."

"What immortal cultivators fear most is not fighting, but asking about the Dao and the heart."

"However, these are still too far away from me; I am just an inconspicuous, and even not yet immortal, little cultivator."

Zhongli looked Jiang Yan up and down, and the aura of the higher-level life existence that was revealed in the dark.

Not yet an immortal?

Well, they are not cultivating the same kind of immortality.

He gave a bitter smile in his heart, but he still had many doubts that he wanted to solve urgently. Zhongli felt that if they continued to talk, they would gain incredible things.

Fortunately, Zhongli asked again:

"You have repeatedly mentioned the Dao; what is the so-called Dao?"

Everyone noticed that after asking this question, Jiang Yan's expression became extremely solemn.

No longer the gentle and slightly free-spirited appearance just now.

"Dao... is just the Dao."

"The Dao can be anything, and it can be nothing."

"The Dao can be unique, and it can also be infinite."

"I can't introduce it to you; I can only say that everyone's Dao is different. There are ten thousand great Daos, and they are not divided into high or low."

"But only by finding one's own Dao can one truly achieve a broader future."

"Immortal cultivation is cultivating the Dao."

Zhongli seemed to understand a little, but in Cloud Retainer's ears, what Jiang Yan said was just mysterious and useless nonsense.

She curled her lips with some boredom, but didn't refute anything.

If it weren't for the fact that the situation was still a bit chaotic, and she hadn't sorted out the current situation, her "Adeptus Who Loves to Chat" skill would have been activated.

"There is one more question..."

Zhongli pursed his lips and said with some apology again:

"Would it be a bit rash? You just underwent the Tribulation today, and you should also need to rest."

"If you feel tired today, we can talk about the remaining questions another day."

Jiang Yan shook his head, gently reached out and pointed at the stone table, and the wide black cloud sleeves seemed to stir up a breeze inadvertently.

The next moment, the tea in the cups seemed to flow backward in time and was filled up, and the trees around also gave birth to bizarre flowers under that breeze.

The fragrance overflowed, making Ganyu and the others, who were somewhat exhausted, instantly return to their peak.

Jiang Yan smiled gently.

"Just a little bit of the wonderful use of immortal cultivation means, no need to be surprised."

"No need to talk about it another day; it's just undergoing the Tribulation, it's not enough to make me tired."

"What we are doing now is actually something that immortal cultivators often do: discussing the Dao."

"Refer to other people's cultivation experience and verify one's own Dao."

"Being able to discuss the Dao with the longest-lived ruler in Teyvat is also a rare good thing for me."

Hearing this, Zhongli was actually a bit comfortable in his heart, but with the wide hood covering it, nothing could be seen on the surface.

Only seeing him nod slightly.

"You flatter me... It is also my honor to be able to witness other immortal cultivation schools."

"Then I will continue to ask..." ===== CHAPTER 10 =====