Chapter 164: The Truth of the World, the Profound Heaven Gate

The morning sun rose in the east; though it could not add much warmth to the cold winter day, it at least illuminated the light.

Today was the day of the Emperor's funeral; the Ministry of Astronomy had long since employed methods to ensure clear weather, guaranteeing that neither rain nor snow would fall.

Chen Mo rode his horse at the very front to clear the path, with a procession stretching over a hundred miles behind him.

The civil and military officials, along with the court nobility, all came to see him off.

The rules for the funeral and burial of an Emperor were naturally different from those of common households, but fortunately, these matters were handled exclusively by the Ministry of Rites, so it was not Chen Mo's concern.

Although the procession was long, its speed was not slow.

According to Chen Mo's estimation, they should be able to reach the Huangling before noon.

A coffin should not be moved lightly, but since it had been moved, it must be buried today.

The funeral procession could not be called particularly solemn; because there were simply too many people participating, it instead felt rather chaotic.

Not long after riding his horse, Chen Mo could see the Huangling from afar.

The successive Emperors of Great Gan were all buried within the Huangling, so this mausoleum complex had been built increasingly vast; near the mausoleum, there were also thousands of Yulin Guard and ten thousand imperial guards stationed to protect the Huangling.

However, the combat strength of the Yulin Guard stationed here could not be compared to the Yulin Guard of the Palace City.

Most of them were disgraced nobles or members of the imperial clan who had been sent away to guard the Huangling.

As the procession drew closer to the Huangling, imperial guards gradually appeared on both sides to stand watch; the current Emperor's mausoleum had begun construction more than a decade ago.

Although the Emperor died suddenly, its main structure had long since been completed.

During this period, the craftsmen responsible for building the Huangling made some sacrifices, discarding some minor details, and only then was the entire mausoleum able to be completed before the Emperor entered the tomb.

As for the craftsmen who built the Huangling, it was of course impossible to kill them; these were talented people, and the next Emperor's sleeping tomb would still need to be built by them.

After walking another few hundred zhang along the mausoleum's approach road, a semi-underground palace appeared before their eyes.

Once the coffin was sent inside for burial and the suppression stone was lowered, even ordinary Post-Heaven Martial Artists would be unable to enter.

Although Innate Martial Artists could break in, there were no cultivation resources in this tomb, only gold and silver trinkets; let alone Innate Martial Artists, even Post-Heaven Martial Artists would likely not care for them.

"Let the coffin be buried normally first; I am currently inside this sleeping tomb," Chu Tianxiu's voice came, clearly having used a Secret Technique of sound transmission.

Chen Mo immediately looked at the Minister of Rites, signaling him to continue the ceremony.

The officials of the Ministry of Rites, who had long been waiting there, sounded the bells, and solemn funeral music began to play, which made one's spirit stir.

The entire ceremony was grand and cumbersome, and not a single detail was allowed to go wrong.

By the time the coffin was completely interred and the suppression stone had fallen, the time had already reached evening.

At this moment, the civil and military officials all breathed a sigh of relief; with this, the national mourning had finally passed.

In at most two or three days, the new Emperor would be able to ascend the throne and bestow rewards upon the civil and military officials.

Chen Mo found an opportunity to slip away quietly and arrived in front of a residence within the imperial mausoleum grounds.

Stepping into the courtyard, Chen Mo walked all the way to the main hall, where over a dozen Innate Martial Artists were already gathered.

But the aura of the vast majority of them was somewhat dim, clearly indicating they were suffering from heavy injuries.

Chen Mo was slightly surprised by this; logically speaking, even when discussing the life and death of an Emperor, it shouldn't be necessary for so many Innate Experts to show themselves.

"Senior Zhao, you have also escaped from that Mirage Mirror," Chen Mo was quite surprised to see Zhao Xuanxin here.

Zhao Xuanxin nodded slightly; ever since he escaped from that Mirage Mirror, he had originally intended to return directly to the Capital, but on the way, he received news from Chu Tianxiu and learned of everything that had happened since he had disappeared during this time.

This truly left him feeling extremely shocked and surprised; in just a few months, the outside world had been turned upside down.

The Emperor's life and death were uncertain, and almost all of Great Gan's Innate Experts were heavily injured; although the situation had improved slightly, they still could not act easily.

These various matters were truly enough to make one's head spin.

Not to mention that the Prince of Pingxi actually wanted to usurp the throne; if he were to succeed, Great Gan would likely fall into civil strife.

It could only be said that it was fortunate Chen Mo intervened and corrected the chaos in time, preventing a great disaster.

"This matter regarding the Prince of Pingxi still relied on the help of this young friend; another day, we will certainly reward you handsomely," Zhao Xuanxin promised.

Given his status and position, these words were definitely not just polite pleasantries, but a promise that would certainly be fulfilled.

"Everyone, I am the one who knows the situation here best, so let me explain it in detail," Chu Tianxiu said, drawing everyone's gaze toward him.

At the same time, he released his own Xiantian True Qi, covering and sealing the entire small courtyard to ensure that no one could spy on the situation inside.

"I have already told you all about Chen Mo's talent and cultivation; that he can have Innate cultivation at such an age, I believe you all understand what this represents.

Compared to other geniuses, or you and me, with his talent, the possibility of him breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm is greater.

Therefore, I propose that we first inform him of the truth of this world, and another day, Zhao and I will take him to see the Profound Heaven Gate."

Chu Tianxiu's gaze swept over the crowd as he spoke slowly.

Chen Mo frowned, his expression even more puzzled, but he could guess that the so-called truth of this world must be an extremely important piece of information.

He did not say a word for the moment, waiting quietly on the side to listen attentively.

"This old monk has no objection to this; Benefactor Chen is indeed more likely than us to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm," said an old Chan master dressed in coarse monk's robes with a compassionate expression.

Looking at his attire, Chen Mo could roughly guess that this old Chan master should be from Kucha Temple.

The disciples of Kucha Temple held the philosophy of guiding people toward goodness, and any disciple who achieved success in their cultivation was to venture out into the world to gain experience.

Throughout their journey, they would never take a single cent of gold or silver; they would eat whatever food they could beg for, and if they could not beg for any, they would not eat.

If a kind believer was willing to provide a place to shelter from the wind and rain, they would stay; if not, they would sleep in the wilderness.

Furthermore, along the way, if they encountered mountain bandits or evil thugs, they would first try to persuade them to lay down their butcher knives, and only if that failed would they use the Vajra method.

If they encountered a river without a bridge or an uneven road, the disciples of Kucha Temple would find ways to build roads and bridges.

If that was truly impossible, they would find a way to make a small boat to cross the river.

Only those who could return to Kucha Temple after this series of trials could be called true introductory disciples of Kucha Temple.

It was also because these conditions were so harsh that the population of Kucha Temple had never been prosperous.

Fortunately, there was a Secret Technique in Buddhism that could condense sarira; as long as the younger generation of disciples achieved success in their Buddhist studies, they could swallow and refine the sarira, transforming it into their own cultivation.

Although this process involved a great loss, it could also ensure that Kucha Temple would have Innate Martial Artists born in every generation.

Therefore, even if their lineage is not flourishing, their heritage has never been severed.

"I also have no objections; he is indeed more likely than any of us to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm."

The Dao Lord of Daoxuan Mountain wears a Seven-Star Treasure Robe and holds an Eight Trigrams Spirit Sword.

Daoxuan Mountain, the leader of all Daoist sects under heaven, is refined in every aspect: Talismans, pills, and Arrays.

Beyond having several Innate Martial Artists within the sect, they also have a Golden Core Dashiu sitting in command, making them arguably the most elite major sect in the entire world.

The current Imperial Court has always maintained a state of both wooing and guarding against Daoxuan Mountain.

Because, unlike Kucha Temple, Daoxuan Mountain once truly led the impoverished commoners who could no longer survive to rebel against the previous dynasty, Great Li.

Daoxuan Mountain at that time could even be called one of the feudal lords of the world; it was only later, unwilling to raise blades and weapons again to bring suffering to the people, that they were pacified by Great Gan.

But even today, within the Dao Prefecture where Daoxuan Mountain is located, they still command a hundred responses to a single call, so the Imperial Court cannot help but be wary of them.

And according to what Chen Mo knows, about two hundred years ago, a Daoxuan Mountain disciple stood up for impoverished commoners outside and was framed to death by local powerful officials.

That powerful official's family background was extremely profound; the family not only had a marquis but also a Minister of one of the Six Ministries of the current dynasty.

The Imperial Court originally intended to smooth things over, letting that powerful official provide sufficient compensation to Daoxuan Mountain, hoping to gloss over the matter.

The specific circumstances in between were not recorded in detail; it is only known that not long after, three thousand Feathered Robes entered the Capital, and over a hundred thousand imperial guards along with several Innate Experts of the Imperial Court were mobilized together, which the world found strange.

Three days later, the Imperial Court set things right, beheading that powerful official along with his father, and exiling his entire family five thousand li away.

With justice thus served, the three thousand Feathered Robes then withdrew, and ever since then, the Imperial Court's wariness toward Daoxuan Mountain has risen to a higher level.

And this Dao Lord Zhang is not only the Mountain Lord of Daoxuan Mountain but also the Dao Lord of the entire Daoist sect; if he were to raise his arms and call out, most of the Daoist sects in the world would likely respond.

"We of the Imperial Clan have no objections to this," Zhao Xuanxin spoke, representing the Innate Martial Artists of the Imperial Clan.

Since they all agreed, the remaining Innate Martial Artists naturally nodded one after another.

"Good, since everyone agrees, then I shall speak of this matter."

Chu Tianxiu spoke and immediately turned his gaze toward Chen Mo; not just him, but every Innate Martial Artist in the main hall was looking at Chen Mo at this moment.

"Regarding the matter of the Mirage Sea, you must have heard of it, little friend; you should have heard many people say that our world will be submerged by the Mirage Sea in another thousand years.

It is indeed true that it will be submerged by the Mirage Sea, but the time is far from a thousand years; according to our calculations, at most it will only be a hundred or so years before the Mirage Sea completely submerges this world.

Hiding in a Dongtian Fudi might be slightly later, but that would only allow one to linger on for a dozen more years."

Chen Mo's expression was first startled, and his brows could not stop furrowing deeply; this news was indeed too shocking.

In the past, he knew the Mirage Sea would destroy this world, but he had never taken it to heart.

A thousand or a hundred years of time was too distant; although his own physical essence and Qi were vigorous and his lifespan should be much longer than that of an ordinary Innate Martial Artist, whether he could live until that time was still an unknown.

But a hundred years of time is different; it is foreseeable that he will definitely still be alive by then.

Compared to the former, the latter becomes a problem he must find a way to solve, otherwise, in another hundred years, everyone will die.

However, he still did not speak; he believed that since Senior Chu had gone to such great lengths to summon over a dozen Innate Experts and tell him this in front of them, it meant there must be a way to solve it.

The solution might be very difficult, but it must exist.

Because if it did not, they would not need to go through such futile efforts.

"To solve this matter, there is only one way, and that is to push open the Heaven and Earth Profound Gate and connect with another world.

By using the power of two worlds to resist the Mirage Sea, only then can we extend the time before our world is submerged by the Mirage Sea.

And to push open the Heaven and Earth Profound Gate, one needs at least the cultivation of the Heavenly Human Realm.

Among all of us, your talent is the best, and only you are most likely to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm and solve this matter."

After Chu Tianxiu finished speaking, he said no more, giving Chen Mo sufficient time to slowly digest and understand these things.

In fact, pushing open the Heaven and Earth Profound Gate is just another degree of lingering on; it cannot completely solve the Mirage Sea.

Although the Mirage Sea will one day submerge the entire world.

The Heavenly Law within the world is like a dam, which will resist the Mirage Sea's erosion of the world.

Now, relying solely on the power of this world of theirs, they can no longer resist for long.

Very soon, the Mirage Sea Water will completely cross the dam and sweep over.

And if two worlds join forces, then they can more effectively resist the Mirage Sea.

Admittedly, by doing this, one day the world may still be completely eroded.

But it is better to live in misery than to die; even if it cannot be completely solved, being able to live for a while longer is a good thing.

Only by living on might there be a chance to see more hope; if one dies, then there is nothing.

"Then may I ask, Senior, what is the Heaven and Earth Profound Gate, and where is that Heaven and Earth Profound Gate?" Chen Mo asked with a curious expression, cupping his hands.

(End of chapter)