Chapter 365: The Secret
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

“In every Untainted Land, there are the same people—Hongjun, Luohou, the Three Pure Ones, Goddess Nvywa, Jieyin, Zhunti, Haotian, and Ancestor Minghe. But, in each different land, everyone’s fate and achievements differ. For instance, in the Eighth Period, I actualized the Great Way of the Origin in the Battle of the Gods Investiture, the first one to do it.”

Minghe remained silent, reflecting on those words. If that was true, that meant that before him there had been eight Ancestor Minghes, Hongjuns, Luohous, and Three Pure Ones, which could be terrifying if one thought about it.

Moreover, he had just spoken about the Battle of the Gods Investiture. It turned out that there indeed was the same people and the same things. “Are the general trends of Heaven in the nine Untainted Lands the same except for some minor aspects?” It was surprising that Haotian in front of him had actualized the Realm of the Origin. After all, Haotian was born late. He had to have had a great aptitude or some coaching to be the first one to do it.

Minghe still could not say a word, therefore Haotian continued. “After seven Cultivation Tribulations of Heaven and Earth, the Battlefield of Gods and Demons was opened. Thus, I, Hongjun and all the other Sages who actualized the Realm of the Origin broke in to find the so-called Fated Chances. But, we underestimated the Battlefield of Gods and Demons’ cruelty, especially at the Medium Layer.”

A face of doubt crept over Minghe, so Haotian said, “Oh, I forgot that you’re new here, and don’t know much about it. The Battlefield of Gods and Demons is also a Chaos world under the Great Way. It’s divided into the Low Layer, Medium Layer, and High Layer districts. For instance, we are now in the Low Layer district.”

Speaking of the Chaos world, Minghe aked, “Fellow Taoist just said that the Battlefield of Gods and Demons is also a Chaos world. May I know which level Untainted Land is at?” Minghe’s Good Separation, Heaven and Earth Taoist, cultivated the Tao of Heaven and Earth, so he was naturally curious about information of world levels. He used to just blindly grasp it, but since Haotian was in front of him and seemed to know, he wanted to learn.

Therefore, Haotian explained it to him. “Look at my Heavenly Court, 36 Heavens connect to each other to become a small chiliocosm. Above that are the medium dichiliocosm, great trichiliocosm, and finally the Chaos world. Every world is divided into Low Rank, Medium Rank, High Rank, and Fulfilment level. I was born in the golden age when Untainted Land was a High Rank great trichiliocosm. However, after the Cultivation Tribulation, we dropped down to the Medium Rank.”

Minghe knew why they had dropped. With the number of Creatures increasing along with their cultivation, Spiritual Air and resources ran out. So, the world could not ascend. This was why Minghe had been turning the Air of Chaos into primordial Spiritual Air in the Cauldron of Heaven and Earth to supply the World of Heaven and Earth.

But, to Minghe’s surprise, the current Untainted Land did not seem to descend. To be exact, it was turning from descending to ascending. According to Haotian, the Battlefield of Gods and Demons was opened after seven Cultivation Tribulations of Heaven and Earth. However, there apparently had not been seven Cultivation Tribulations of Heaven and Earth yet in the Ninth Period Untainted Land. Could the timing for this be uncertain?

Minghe did not interrupt to ask anything, so Haotian continued, “There is a World Crystal Wall between every district layer, and you can easily cross into the higher layer districts, however, you will be suppressed by the Divine Law of Heaven and Earth if you enter a lower layer district.

“In the Low Layer district, you could reach up to a Half Step to the Fate Realm Realm. You have to enter the Medium Layer district to get higher cultivation. In the Medium Layer district, there are few Ominous Beasts of Chaos and other Creatures at the Fate Realm. Oh, moreover, in the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, we have the Zenith Heaven Realm, Fate Realm, and Supreme Realm. Now you’re at the Peak of the Zenith Heaven Realm.”

At that moment, Haotian’s face revealed a fleeting sadness. Then, he continued, “I cultivated to Fellow Taoist’s Realm in the Low Layer district. Then Zhenyuanzi, Minghe, Kunpeng, and I broke into the Medium Layer district to look for a breakthrough.

“But we had really bad luck. Besides, the Medium Layer district was more vast than the Low Layer district. Though the Creatures were sparsely scattered, we ran into an Exotic Beast at the Fate Realm before long. Fellow Taoist Zhenyuanzi died there, Minghe and Kunpeng escaped injured, and I just had a ghost of me residing here, building a world and waiting for an inheritor.

“I shouldn’t have acted so recklessly. The Medium Layer district was more dangerous, and I was too eager. I want you to learn a lesson from me. You ought to step into the Medium Layer district at the Peak of a Half Step to the Fate Realm and then reach the Zenith Heaven Realm. In that way, you will be able to save yourself when you are in danger.”

Minghe asked, “Since you’ve been to Low Layer and Medium Layer districts, you must know a lot. I’m new here and know nothing. I’d like Fellow Taoist to tell me something about the Battlefield of Gods and Demons. I really appreciate it.” It would save him trouble if he could get the information straight from the horse’s mouth.

Haotian laughed at himself. “I’m a dying person, why should I keep the information secret? Because you need it, I’ll tell you. But, the Battlefield of Gods and Demons was boundless, I haven’t even walked across the entire Low Layer district. And for the Medium Layer, I only know a few things. But, I still hope you can find my words useful.”

Then, Haotian waved his hand and a Jade Slip on the desk flew over to Minghe. He grabbed it with his hand to make sure it was harmless. Then, he read it thoroughly. The Jade Slip recorded the information of the largest area of the Low Layer district and Spiritual Products that were growing in it, greatly enlarging Minghe’s current database. Moreover, there was a little information about the Medium Layer district, which was helpful because sooner or later he would be going in.

Minghe raised his head to find that Haotian’s ghost was vague, illusory, and unstable. It seemed that his days were numbered, and soon he would completely dissipate. Thus, Minghe had to ask him, “Does Fellow Taoist Haotian have any other wishes?”

Haotian could not help saying in grief, “I am a dying person, why should I have any wishes? But if you must ask, I want you to say sorry to Yaochi for me. Moreover, if you meet Minghe and Kunpeng again, well…” He was a little angry, but then, he just sighed.

Reading between the lines, it seemed that the battle was not smooth. If Haotian hated those two people, then they must have left him behind. However, when he thought that there was another Haotian that he knew, a weirdness crept over him. If all the Minghes from the previous eight periods were still alive, they would have such great cultivation.

If Minghe were to meet a previous version of himself, he would not be able to defeat him. Haotian originally wanted Minghe to get revenge for him. But, since Minghe was from another period, Hoatian had to sigh away all the hatred. The hate and love from his last life did not mean anything to Haotian anymore.

Haotian’s ghost had gotten even more unstable now, thus, he immediately pulled himself together and said, “There’s another thing you can do for me. I hope you that can find someone to inherit the Spiritual Inheritance that I left in the Haotian Mirror to continue my Taoism lineage because Fellow Taoist is already at a high realm. As for the Heavenly Court and Haotian Mirror, you can take them if you like.”

Then, Haotian’s ghost started fading to stardust, sadly dissipating in the Heavenly Court. His last words echoed through the Divine Wind Palace: “100 million years’ practice turned to dust. I might be dead, but I regret nothing.”

Minghe’s face was blank. Although he got what he came for, and he would not die here today, he could not cheer up. On the road to the Great Way, anyone could be the next Haotian. Who could have smoothed out his path to the Great Way? No one could have, not Minghe or Hongjun could. You had to keep progressing and practicing to the end of cultivation where no one could beat you, and where you could sleep tight at night.

When the ghost was completely gone, tiny changes crept upon the Haotian Mirror, Heavenly Court, and even the entire small world. An air of sadness drifted over as if the world had sensed Haotian’s departure, and as if a dynasty had lost its emperor. The sadness even dimmed the Haotian Mirror’s and Heavenly Court’s shining lights, as if they were unowned items.