Chapter 444: Cultivating the Dao, Not Immortality

Gone, all gone.

The miniature Congniang sat cross-legged on the ground, staring blankly at her jade-white hands—her vast spiritual power had vanished completely, not a single drop remained.

The surgery was a success; the Sky-Palm Vase and the Reincarnation Seal are safe.

Meng Qi wiped his sweat with his sleeve and returned the small green bottle to Han Li.

Inside the Jade Virtual Palace, a deep green crystal was enveloped in chaotic qi, within which floated an unfathomably mysterious illusory seal, flickering in and out of visibility; if stared at too long, one might feel as if one had already entered reincarnation, enduring all the trials of the mortal world.

The crystal bearing the Reincarnation Seal was of extraordinary quality, crystallized from the Dew of Supreme Creation and Congniang's entire green-onion-essence spiritual power.

Had he not already borne the Three Pure Ones' karmic foundations across both worlds, and possessed the Primordial Golden Scripture, the Cause of All Fruits, and other divine marvels, he could not have preserved the crystal intact.

Su Lin held it in his hand for a while, then handed it to Han Li: "Keep it with you."

"Just leave it at the sect," Han Li shook his head. "It'll be easier for us to contemplate at any time."

"Fair enough." Su Lin prepared to place it inside the Scripture Library.

He picked up the now-toy-sized Congniang and took her along with the enlightenment stone.

These two days are packed—I need to inventory my gains from this period, familiarize myself with my newly acquired power, and most importantly, prepare some consumables for cultivation.

"Seniors, don't forget to attend the Hand-Pushed Tractor Competition the day after tomorrow," Song Shuhang reminded them. "Bring your own tractors—the top five winners get special rewards."

Su Lin hadn't expected the White Zunzhe to still be fixated on the Hand-Pushed Tractor Competition—and had successfully organized it—nor had Song Shuhang tried to stop it from happening.

On the same day, Jiang Nan's decade-long Sword Flight Competition will be held; if possible, Su Lin would rather join the Sword Flight Competition and let those cultivators see his sword.

But then again.

'As long as the White Zunzhe is happy,' Su Lin thought to himself.

He even considered investing to expand the scale, and when the crowds swelled, make a divine revelation—perhaps deliver a lecture by the Profound Saint—and figure out a way.

I wonder if the top five prizes include something like 'White Zunzhe Limited Edition: Lucky Blessing'—maybe a one-tenth discount on groceries, the opposite of Super Double.

Speaking of groceries, Su Lin sensed something odd—he immediately frowned toward Kleine's position.

'Suppose the grocery lottery uses Super Double points—does Super Double on groceries equal Super Spending on the lottery?'

Could it be, he wondered, that I actually didn't need to spend so many points on the lottery to begin with?

Though this thought seemed superstitious, Su Lin no longer dared to disbelieve that cursed mouth of his.

Is there any way to permanently silence Kleine—even prevent him from sending messages?

'Silence him? Eliminate him?'

Su Lin departed with mixed thoughts, deciding to let it slide this time—but next time he encounters this, he'll give Mr. Fool two cuts.

Meanwhile, Kleine within the Historical Gap remained under intense spiritual warning, still believing his trick on Lu Mingfei had been discovered, his dread so profound he wondered if Su Lin's heart had grown even smaller.

Shi Hao looked at Ye Fan and asked: "What is a tractor?"

"A steel monster that spews black smoke."

In Song Shuhang's world, the three-story villa in the university district near Jiang Nan University now commanded astronomical prices.

After all, this was once the queueing and helmet-distribution center for the Simulation Universe.

"Young Master Shuhang, are you hungry?"

"Young Master Shuhang, this is the spiritual spring I just obtained—please evaluate it."

"Young Master Shuhang…"

These words might make one think Song Shuhang had become extremely powerful—but what if all these words came from the same person?

"Senior Kuangdao Sanlang, don't you have anything else to do?" Song Shuhang sighed. "Why not return to your cave and cultivate?"

"You don't understand, Shuhang," Kuang Dao Sanlang set down his gift, turned, revealing bloodshot eyes and a haggard, unshaven face, and gritted his teeth:

"I feel as if I've ingested Bone-Eating Heart-Eating Powder—hundreds of African fire ants are crawling all over me—how am I supposed to cultivate?!"

"As long as I can reach that place, as long as I can get there…"

I hope he hasn't gone insane. If Kuang Dao Sanlang didn't look so utterly broken, Song Shuhang would have secretly sent a message to Huangshan Zhenjun, informing him Kuang Dao Sanlang was right here.

"Withdrawal symptoms are terrifying," King Dou Dou thought—even as a dog, he couldn't bear to watch.

"Even if you come every day, I don't know when the Simulation Universe will open," Song Shuhang spoke truthfully.

"Sigh," Kuang Dao Sanlang dragged his weary body away, glancing back every three steps, making Song Shuhang's scalp tingle.

Previously, we asked Senior Kuang Dao Sanlang and other interested seniors—but Senior Su Lin's face showed visible distress.

It's said that restoring the subsequent timeline and fully repairing the world fell entirely on him alone.

In other words, the louder they made their noise, the more fun they had, the more cleaning up after the banquet—sweeping fruit peels and paper scraps, mopping floors, exterminating pests, scrubbing toilets—all fell to Senior Su Lin alone.

As for Senior Su Lin's home world, according to his own words, he's trying to establish contact with his own Heavenly Dao.

That way, even without administrator privileges, he could open a real Simulation Universe.

Song Shuhang has always wondered: as a former agent of his own Heavenly Dao, now working independently in another universe, would his own Heavenly Dao even care about him anymore?

And though everyone in the group teases me about my one-year transcendence, isn't it Senior Su Lin who's truly insane?

Isn't he already equivalent to a limited-edition Heavenly Dao?

"Woof! Ignore him—he'll perk up again when he can do something reckless in a few days," King Dou Dou pulled up his flowered shorts and began preparing to cultivate the Black Emperor Scripture passed down by Black Emperor:

"Shuhang, can you ask Mr. Hang to get some Dao Seeds? I want Huangshan Da Sha to cultivate too—for our world's cultivators, lifespan isn't an issue—we can just grind our way up."

Song Shuhang thought for a moment and said: "Alright, I'll ask."

This stuff doesn't seem very valuable—I'll see if I can trade with Senior Su Lin for some.

If possible, I want to arrange one for every senior in the Jiuzhou No. 1 Group.

Rolling winds, blazing light, violent spiritual energy, auroras hanging high.

Within the five-colored clouds, thunder rolled; space twisted and reassembled into kaleidoscopic mirrors, like a heavenly forbidden zone too beautiful to breathe.

A bustling, crowded area, dense with commercial buildings and skyscrapers.

At this moment, what drew the crowd's gaze most was not the celestial anomalies, nor the iconic statue of the climbing panda, but the white-robed man standing motionless in midair above them—his face indistinct, holding a longsword of pure azure, radiating a faint glow, silently gazing upward at the heavens.

Amidst the cries below and the clicking of cameras, talismans, magic swords, flying darts, spells, and psychic abilities flew out from the crowd—several transcendent beings unleashed their various arts.

"Master, which sect do you belong to?"

"The use of magic is forbidden within Huaxia! Please return with us for registration and documentation."

"Please, Master, consider the reputation of the Jixia Academy."

To reach this level in such a short time—even achieving aerial flight—would be considered heavenly talent in other worlds.

Ignoring their desire to communicate, chains of cosmic laws shot through the void and bound them. After manifesting his divine presence, Su Lin flew toward the sky.

Below lay the mortal world—love, hate, partings, joys, sorrows, all manner of human affairs.

Above rose the brilliant, dazzling light of the tribulation, radiant yet predatory.

"The Great Ascension stage? That's what they say—but really, I just felt I'd reached it, step by step." Su Lin saw a message in his chat group, but had no heart to reply.

Above lies the Bai Yu Capital, twelve towers, five cities; immortals pat my head, tie my hair, and bestow eternal life.

Cultivators seek immortality through calming the spirit and nurturing nature, or through refining truth and awakening the Dao, striving for the supreme perfection of deathlessness.

At this moment, he was striving for the dream of his youth, the fantasy of his adulthood, the ideal of now—immortality.

When he came to his senses, his immortal cultivation had already accumulated to a terrifying level.

All myriad arts reflected upon his body; all laws of countless realms were stored within his heart.

Maintaining his current state, Su Lin charged toward the immortal tribulation calling to him—in an instant, heaven and earth were swallowed by a sea of lightning.

As if grasping a sliver of opportunity, within this cataclysmic Lei Jie, Su Lin's essence, energy, spirit, and intent blazed like a blazing sun, momentarily even suppressing the radiance of the tribulation.

Boom—!!!

The Lei Jie grew stronger still; the might of heaven and earth cast a gloom over every living thing on Earth—they knew not what had happened, only felt an inexplicable oppression.

Suddenly, amid the deafening roar, the entire world was shrouded in dark light; multicolored thunderstorms exploded above Su Lin's head, while crimson lightning wove into a prison.

In this apocalyptic calamity,

Su Lin's Jin Dan and Nascent Soul resonated in unison; he opened his arms and merged with several shadowy figures—the sacred ten-winged light-form, the chaotic and mad luminous humanoid, the glazed-golden-light-veiled divine body.

White robes fluttered, a long sword spun rapidly in his hand, then slashed forth a brilliant blue blade-light, pushed to its absolute utmost, infused with the radiance of sun, moon, and stars—like the splitting of heaven and earth, cleaving the thunderclouds in two, illuminating the darkness.

When the world fell silent, only cold, broken shards of blue light drifted down from above, slowly fading.

For a moment, stars fell like rain.

Su Lin sheathed the Tianqing Yu Xu Sword, gazed quietly at the scene for a moment, then his figure dissolved into the air and vanished.

He returned to Shuijing Peak, tore down the red banner reading "Grand Celebration: Comrade Su Achieves Immortality, Roams the Mortal World, Harem of Three Thousand," crumpled it in his hand, and reduced it to ash.

"What's wrong?" Lu Mingfei poked his head out wearing a Christmas hat, holding a party popper. "Didn't you succeed in transcending? Why that expression?"

After Su Lin swore he wouldn't harm him, Lu Mingfei ran up to Shuijing Peak and transmitted to Su Lin the memories of the immortal tribulation he had dreamed.

He didn't understand why Su Lin kept obsessing over his cultivation, but since his brother wanted to strive hard instead of just cheating his way to godhood, he was happy to come cheer him on.

He also used it as an excuse to sneak a few cups of the immortal liquor—so he'd even specially ordered that banner.

"Where's the promised elevation of life's tier?" Su Lin glanced at Lu Mingfei, then looked blankly at Zhong Li and Meng Qi and the others. "Where's the heavenly lightning forging my body, refining my bones, elevating my realm?"

Successfully transcending ≠ becoming immortal

Even if this world has no Immortal Realm, no divine reception after immortality, according to the traditional methods shared by Zhong Li and Lu Mingfei, after surviving the Lei Jie, my immortal cultivation should have undergone a qualitative transformation.

"Unexpected, yet perfectly logical," Zhong Li said, arms crossed, smiling faintly:

"Your life's tier can no longer be measured by ordinary standards. The typical cultivator's Lei Jie likely has no effect on you."

"For you, what matters more is your own realm cultivation. Can you perceive the Five Elements' qi, interweaving, forming stable, tangible forms, the Dao reaching its peak of antiquity?"

Su Lin shook his head, his expression turning strange:

"I've long mastered all that. But I can't feel the realm at all anymore. I used to sense the shift from emptiness to fullness—then one day, after waking from a nap, the feeling vanished."

Due to having entered the Eternal Catastrophe dimension one or two times, he could no longer estimate exact years, months, or days—he only remembered that his immortal cultivation had reached Great Ascension, aided by countless heavenly treasures, was long, long ago.

The Eight-Nine Mystery Art, the Emperor Scripture, the Six Yang Lingxiao True Record—plus cultivation methods from countless worlds—he now synthesized the strengths of all, irrigated by the finest resources. Talent meant nothing; even a pig could become immortal.

Su Lin's face immediately fell—he was worse than a pig?!

"That's strange," Zhong Li murmured, chin in hand. If he couldn't even perceive his realm, it contradicted his earlier hypothesis.

"Perhaps you should try focusing solely on Ye Fan's or our world's scriptures?" Meng Qi suggested.

Even without seeing his true form, Meng Qi didn't believe it was the negative effect of Su Lin's chaotic nature.

According to Su Lin himself, he could exist simultaneously in multiple forms—dividing off a normal human body was no problem.

"I'll try," Su Lin closed his eyes, opened them seconds later: "Done."

Meng Qi blinked. "What did you cultivate?"

"I've spent a sum… already elevated your world's Eight-Nine Mystery Art." Su Lin felt he was wasting money. "Inner landscape manifesting, merging with heaven and earth—my spirit, body, and cosmic forces forming a divine form. I've had that for ages."

"And the divine body?" Meng Qi asked instinctively.

"The spirit, divine form, and body fully fused into the divine body—wasn't that already possible long ago?" Su Lin thought, then glanced around at the others: "Want to see my divine body?"

In a flash, Miss Kelaien stepped out of the air, tipped his hat to the group, and said, "Farewell."

He dissolved into playing cards, vanishing from sight; nearby, two portals snapped shut instantly—inside one, a plain-looking man could just be seen walking in.

Zhong Li wiped away nonexistent sweat, massaged his forehead, and advised: "In common reason, there's no need for such theatrics."

"You might as well kill me," Lu Mingfei said seriously.

After stopping Su Lin, all of them helped analyze.

Everything's messed up. Totally messed up.

Even though they'd long known he was chaos itself, they never imagined his cultivation could be this chaotic.

"Perhaps you've already become immortal," Meng Qi mused, then firmly negated his own words: "No—you're not an immortal. You've touched the Dao far beyond what cultivators at your stage should comprehend, yet your pure immortal cultivation hasn't caught up."

It's different—you're not an immortal... the Dao you've touched has long surpassed what cultivators at your stage need to comprehend, yet your pure immortal cultivation hasn't caught up.

You're not cultivating the Dao at all

Su Lin did not maintain a single cultivation state for long; he could, but there was no need, and when he used his cultivation normally, everyone sensed he was not a celestial or deity.

Cultivation means cultivating the body, then the heart, then the Dao.

Immortal cultivation is fundamentally about aligning with the Great Dao, pursuing the Great Dao, and becoming the Great Dao.

Meng Qi and Zhong Li exchanged a glance; both saw surprise in each other's eyes, and spoke in unison: "You are cultivating the Dao!"

(End of Chapter)