Eternal Emperor's Path to Ascension

Chapter 380: People Change After Attaining Immortality

The battle ended as abruptly as it had begun, but the impact it left behind remained for a very long time.Throughout the Eternal Peak, discussions erupted everywhere.

Groups of disciples gathered together excitedly, some discussing Yun Jiang’s astonishing Buddhist Divine Power while others discussed the mysterious finger strike of Tian Yongheng.

More accurately speaking, they discussed the complete lack of anything they had seen; that alone was enough to leave them bewildered.

"The Great Compassion Buddha Palm was incredible."

"Of course it was. Senior Yun Jiang is a Nascent Soul Realm expert after all."

"But the Peak Master didn’t even move..."

"That’s the terrifying part!"

Many younger disciples became increasingly excited the more they discussed it.

For cultivators beneath the Nascent Soul Realm, the battle had already exceeded their understanding.

Even though they couldn’t comprehend what truly happened, simply witnessing Yun Jiang’s attack vanish into nothingness was enough to leave a deep impression on them.

For the first time, many genuinely understood the meaning behind the word "Immortal".

An Immortal, a real Immortal, not merely a powerful cultivator, but an existence standing beyond the limits of mortality.

Immortal Cultivators were mortals pursuing immortality, and an Immortal Deity was a being who had achieved immortality; there was a reason they didn’t have "cultivator" behind their name.

At the same time, in another area of the Dao Field, Wei Yusheng was moving through the sky at astonishing speed.

His usually calm expression now carried traces of excitement.

The moment he returned to his cultivation chamber, he immediately activated the surrounding formations.

Several layers of restrictions descended as the outside world was instantly isolated.

Then, he slowly sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

The image of Tian Yongheng extending that finger continuously replayed within his mind.

Although he had failed to see what Yun Jiang saw, he had still gained something.

After all, he was still a being who had reached the Tribulation Transcendence Realm.

The natural Dao rhymes surrounding Tian Yongheng, invisible to ordinary cultivators below the Tribulation Transcendence Realm, had been enough to benefit him tremendously.

At this moment, Wei Yusheng slowly exhaled.

"The Immortal Ascension Realm..."

His voice echoed softly throughout the cultivation chamber.

In at most another twenty or thirty years, he would be able to achieve that realm, he was confident now.

Once he stepped into the Immortal Ascension Realm, he would finally ascend to the Upper Realm.

And there, he could personally investigate the mysteries surrounding the Immortal Gods.

The movements of the Upper Realm had become increasingly unusual.

Many things no longer made sense.

Someone had to be Tian Yongheng’s eyes and ears there.

Wei Yusheng’s eyes gradually became determined.

Elsewhere, Qing Yunzi remained standing in the same place.

Or rather, he had originally been standing, now he was sitting cross-legged on the ground.

The surrounding cultivators had long since retreated.

Nobody dared disturb him; after all, everyone could see that something unusual was happening.

At this moment, countless Dao rhymes continuously emerged around Qing Yunzi as his aura fluctuated slightly, the worldly laws and heavenly rules surrounding him becoming increasingly active.

As a Half Immortal, someone who had already touched the threshold of immortality, his understanding naturally far surpassed ordinary cultivators.

Others were confused because their realm was too low, and many had yet to even come into contact with heavenly rules.

He, on the other hand, saw something entirely different.

That finger...no, that wasn’t even the important part, the important thing was what happened before the finger appeared.

It was the collapse of Yun Jiang’s Divine Power, the way reality itself seemed to reject its existence, the way everything simply ceased to matter.

That was what truly shocked him.

That wasn’t the power even ordinary Immortals should possess; it existed on a fundamentally different level.

At this moment, Qing Yunzi’s expression became solemn.

"Immortality..."

He muttered quietly before closing his eyes.

The comprehension he had gained today was enough to save him countless years of wandering.

It was truly the wisest decision of my life to follow that person.

Meanwhile, the area of the Eternal Peak where the battle took place gradually returned to normal.

Tian Yongheng and Yun Jian slowly descended toward the pavilion where Sun Hao was already waiting for them.

The atmosphere was considerably more relaxed than before.

Yun Jiang’s expression remained thoughtful, his mind still digesting today’s experience.

At this moment, another figure approached from the distance.

It was an elderly man dressed in azure robes, with a sword hanging at his waist.

The moment Yun Jiang saw him, a smile immediately appeared.

"Senior Zhao."

The newcomer laughed heartily.

"Looks like you’ve finally caught up."

It was none other than Zhao Ye, the Manor Lord of the Turquoise Lake Sword Manor and Sun Hao’s master.

Compared to years ago, his cultivation had likewise advanced tremendously, already at the later stages of Nascent Soul Realm.

At this moment, Zhao Ye stroked his beard while looking at Yun Jiang, his eyes carrying undisguised emotion.

Back then, when they first met, he had been at the Void Refinement Realm, while Yun Jiang was only at the Golden Core Realm.

Although he knew that Yun Jiang, as a personal disciple of an existence such as the Truth Endeavoring Arhat would one day surpass him, he didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

Though to be honest, he also hadn’t expected that he would reach the later stages of Nascent Soul Realm so quickly.

Time truly changed everything.

Opportunities changed even more so.

At this moment, Zhao Ye couldn’t help laughing.

"When I first met you, I never imagined this day would come so soon.

Yun Jiang smiled helplessly as he replied, "Neither did I."

The two exchanged glances before simultaneously laughing.

The atmosphere became considerably more relaxed.

Zhao Ye’s gaze gradually shifted toward Tian Yongheng, a trace of curiosity appearing in his eyes.

Truthfully speaking, he had also been watching the battle, and despite witnessing everything from beginning to end...

He understood almost nothing.

At this moment, he finally asked the question everyone wanted to.

"Peak Master... what exactly happened at the end?"

The surrounding atmosphere immediately became quiet.

Sun Hao looked over as well.

Although he knew Tian Yongheng was powerful, the scene earlier had still exceeded his understanding.

Yun Jiang suddenly froze in place, and then everything ended; nobody understood why.

At this moment, Tian Yongheng smiled faintly.

He naturally understood what Zhao Ye was asking.

However, he just shrugged and simply said:

"That is what an Immortal is."

The answer sounded almost meaningless, yet the moment those words left his mouth, everyone fell silent.

Not because they understood what happened, but because they understood something else.

An Immortal.

That was the explanation.

The methods of Immortals could not be understood by mortals, not even Immortal Cultivators.

If they truly wished to understand, there was only one solution, and that wad to become an Immortal themselves.

Sun Hao immediately laughed.

"Peak Master really knows how to answer questions."

Zhao Ye could only shake his head helplessly while Yun Jiang nodded thoughtfully.

For some reason, he actually understood what Tian Yongheng meant.

The experience earlier wasn’t something that could be explained through words.

Even if Tian Yongheng tried to explain it, nobody present would truly comprehend it. Only after reaching that realm could they understand.

Soon, the conversation gradually shifted toward lighter topics.

The tension from earlier slowly disappeared.

Several hours passed without anyone noticing.

At this moment, Yun Jiang suddenly looked at Tian Yongheng.

A strange expression appeared on his face.

He seemed hesitant, as if unsure whether he should ask something or not.

Eventually, he spoke, "Senior..."

"Hm?"

Tian Yongheng looked at him.

Yun Jiang hesitated briefly before finally asking, "You seem to have... changed. Why is that?"

The question caused everyone present to pause.

Sun Hao immediately lowered his head while Zhao Ye suddenly became very interested in the nearby scenery.

Both clearly knew the answer.

Tian Yongheng raised an eyebrow.

"Changed?"

Yun Jiang nodded.

"I can’t really explain it."

He thought carefully before continuing "When we first met centuries ago, although it was only for a brief moment, you always seemed very distant."

His expression became somewhat complicated.

"It felt like no matter how close someone stood beside you, there was always an invisible separation."

At this moment, Yun Jiang looked directly at Tian Yongheng.

"But now..."

He paused.

"Now you feel much more human."

Sun Hao almost laughed.

Much more human, that description was surprisingly accurate.

After all, before breaking the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Severing Law, Tian Yongheng genuinely had become increasingly detached and showed no emotion outwardly even when he felt it all.

Now that influence had disappeared.

Naturally, the difference was obvious.

At this moment, Tian Yongheng glanced at Sun Hao, causing the latter to immediately look away.

Then, he turned his gaze toward Zhao Ye.

The old man suddenly became fascinated by a nearby spiritual tree, constantly nodding and praising its height, its leaves and stems.

Tian Yongheng couldn’t help but smile.

He seemed to be in deep thought for a moment before answering.

"Perhaps attaining immortality changes people."

The response was vague, but not entirely false.

After all, his transformation truly had occurred after becoming an Immortal. The only difference was that the reason wasn’t immortality itself.

Yun Jiang remained silent before nodding.

"Perhaps."

Although he felt the answer wasn’t the complete truth, he didn’t pursue the matter further.

Everyone possessed secrets, especially someone like Tian Yongheng.

At this moment, a gentle breeze swept through the mountains as the Immortal mist drifted lazily through the Eternal Peak.

The atmosphere became peaceful once more.

For a while, nobody spoke.

Instead, they simply sat there quietly, watching the scenery and enjoying the tranquility.

Tian Yongheng looked toward the distant horizon, his eyes becoming slightly thoughtful.

Unknowingly, it had already been over eight hundred years since his reincarnation.