Chapter 137: Why Is the Mortal World Not the Seventh Realm?

Once Dad was called, there were no more problems at all.

Little Yiyi happily summoned a giant roc and rode it southward.

Throughout the journey, Shuyu kept trying to break free from the rope. Perhaps the Mo tribe carried some very unpleasant memories regarding being bound, but Gu Yi paid her no mind, as there were far more important matters at hand.

Little Yiyi lay down with her hands crossed over her chest, gazing up at the sky.

This posture was learned from Gu Yi; she loved mimicking his mannerisms.

The two of them swung their legs in unison under the blue sky, white clouds, and a warm breeze brushing against their faces.

"Tell me, why did you leave in the first place?"

"It wasn't I who wanted to leave, but the other me."

"Nonsense, what is that supposed to mean?"

"I was originally an aggregate, holding many different voices. As I remembered more and more things, the voice telling me to leave gradually drowned out the others, so I left."

Gu Yi understood only half of what he heard. "Speak more clearly."

Little Yiyi said, "In the past, I didn't know what I really was or what my purpose was. There were many things I seemed to know yet couldn't quite remember. Do you remember always scolding me for being stingy, refusing to teach you the best things? Do you remember that?"

Gu Yi nodded.

"Actually, it wasn't that I refused to teach you, but that I didn't remember. When I taught you later, it was because I had recovered those memories. As more and more came back to me, the clearer my true identity became, until one day, everything became entirely clear, and that voice compelled me to leave."

"I didn't want to leave, but I seemed powerless to resist."

"I recalled some things about cultivation in this world, but not all of it. It was a feeling difficult to put into words or express aloud. In the end, I could only leave behind what was most important and crucial for you."

Gu Yi did not want to interrupt, letting him continue.

"I told you that the cultivation of the Luyang Academy is flawed, though I do not know where the flaw lies. I told you that the Mortal Realm is not the Seventh Realm, wanting you to start over and avoid making the wrong path again. But as for what the Seventh Realm truly is, I only recalled it recently."

Hearing this, Gu Yi could not help but sit up. "So the Mortal Realm is not the Seventh Realm, and there was no hidden metaphor—it literally means the Mortal Realm is not the seventh stage of cultivation?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then what is the seventh stage?"

Little Yiyi channeled a trace of spiritual energy, producing a wisp of smoke that drifted toward Shuyu's nose. Within just a few breaths, she fell fast asleep.

Gu Yi watched without interfering, even feeling a sense of approval.

Only then did Little Yiyi speak. "The seventh realm is called Immortal Transformation."

"Immortal Transformation..."

"Do you have many questions?"

"Yes."

"Then call me Dad once more."

Gu Yi could not bear it, his expression collapsing. "I think there is something seriously wrong with you."

"Just joking!" He adjusted his mood with consummate ease, turning serious in an instant. "This is a profound history, though my memory of it is incomplete. Immortal Transformation is indeed the seventh realm. After the Sage of Yun, no one could ever enter the eighth realm—the Mortal Realm—and the reason lies right here."

Gu Yi found it hard to comprehend. "What caused the eighth realm to become the seventh realm? Was it lost to time, or did later generations misinterpret the ancients?"

"Neither. It was deliberately erased by the Yin clan of the Xu Kingdom."

"What? Why?!"

"For the sake of rule, likely," Little Yiyi sighed lengthily. "The Mortal Realm possesses the power to single-handedly destroy a kingdom. Such might is far too dangerous for any state. After the Xu Kingdom obliterated the two peak-led sects and swept away its external enemies, the internal cultivators who survived—those trusted right-hand men of the Xu Emperor—became the greatest threat."

"Among them, some were in the Mortal Realm, while others had reached Immortal Transformation. Some of these individuals were still very young, and the Xu Emperor worried that his descendants might not all possess his towering competence. Upon his death, should those powerful beings harbor treacherous ambitions, they could alter the very heavens and earth by themselves."

"However, merely executing these threatening individuals was not enough, for cultivation geniuses of immense talent could be born among the populace at any moment. To sever the roots and eradicate the source, the Xu Emperor executed a massive plan, which the Yin clan termed the 'Decreasing Power Plan'."

Gu Yi could sense the connotation of the plan simply from its name. "Decreasing Power—making the world gradually weaken."

"Precisely. The world gradually weakens, until individual cultivators, no matter how formidable, can no longer contend with the state."

Gu Yi also recalled that when he first heard of the Luyang Academy, he understood its purpose: quite simply, to consolidate all authority over training cultivators under the imperial family.

It seemed that beyond this, the Yin clan had employed other methods as well.

"To achieve the Decreasing Power Plan, the first thing the Xu Emperor had to do was make it impossible for anyone to reach the Mortal Realm. He acted ruthlessly, directly excising the seventh realm, Immortal Transformation, from the path. How could anyone ever comprehend their way directly into the Mortal Realm from the Sage of Yun?"

"Furthermore, he altered historical records, either destroying or rewriting all books concerning cultivation, and strictly forbade anyone from ever mentioning 'Immortal Transformation' or the eight realms of cultivation. Infants born from that time onward received an education teaching that cultivation possessed only seven realms."

Gu Yi still felt it seemed somewhat unfeasible. "Was there no one who opposed this?"

"The founding monarch of the Xu Kingdom was a powerhouse of the Mortal Realm. After Bian Xiaochuang died, no one could surpass him. No one dared defy his decrees, and should anyone dare, it merely provided him with a pretext for slaughter. Later, finding that cultivation techniques and sword arts still remained too potent, he destroyed those essences as well. After twenty years of such measures, those who knew of Immortal Transformation grew exceedingly scarce."

Gu Yi still found it hard to believe. "Surely fragments of knowledge would slip through when people weren't paying attention."

"You underestimate the strictness of the Xu Emperor's control over the nation, and overestimate the resolve of people to die for the truth. The cultivation academies across the Nine Continents of the realm were all in the hands of the Yin clan, and private discipleship among the common folk was banned. Where would children ever hear of such information?" Little Yiyi's tone grew heavy.

"However, the Xu Emperor's concerns back then mirrored your own. Words are easily eradicated, but the world is vast, and countless cultivators hide away among famous mountains and great rivers; they knew of the eight realms of cultivation."

"Thus, to completely erase this knowledge, the plan of the large and small Deng Islands overseas was put into motion. The Xu Emperor set a trap on the overseas islands, luring the realm's cultivators to vie for treasures. Enlightened scholars of the mainland rushed there in droves. Since a Mortal Realm expert could easily fight ten thousand, those who went naturally never returned."

Damn it!

Gu Yi was deeply shaken within. "Under such control, there would naturally be problems at first, but over the passage of years, fewer and fewer people remained who knew the truth."

"Yes, eventually perhaps only successive emperors and the historians of the former dynasty remained. But after investigation, the people I sent told me that the few remaining descendants of the historians were also hunted down and captured to the last, and the final survivor was likely imprisoned at the bottom of the Returning Immortal Lake in the Luyang Academy."

The Returning Immortal Lake of the Luyang Academy?

The name sounded slightly familiar to Gu Yi.

At the bottom of the Returning Immortal Lake?

In an instant, realization dawned upon him—wasn't that the blind man he encountered when he tried to break into the Technique Pavilion back then?!

The amount of information was rather overwhelming.

To think that all of this had been right in front of him.

"The Immortal Transformation Realm... That is to say, to reach the Mortal Realm, one must first undergo Immortal Transformation. How does one comprehend the Immortal Transformation Realm?"

Hearing this, Little Yiyi shook his head. "I have not recalled that yet, but what is certain is that the *Eight Notes of a Rainy Night* records this secret. It was left behind by a predecessor from the two peaks, a person who likely foresaw the myriad changes in the world and, risking their life, documented all the wicked deeds of the Yin clan of the Xu Kingdom."

Gu Yi remembered. "You mentioned the *Eight Notes of a Rainy Night* to me before. I found the Dream Paper, and inside, I ran into the predecessor who wrote the *Eight Notes of a Rainy Night*! I also learned that the person you are looking for is named Bian Xiaochuang!"

Little Yiyi showed no particular reaction.

"I remembered all of that later. However, I truly have no clue regarding the contents of the *Eight Notes of a Rainy Night*."

Gu Yi asked, "How is it recorded? There is nothing inside the Dream Paper at all."

Little Yiyi smiled. "Each of the *Eight Notes of a Rainy Night* is different. The Dream Paper records the place where the author took refuge; it contains no written text, merely blank paper. The Sea Paper records the spirits of the abyss, a sect as renowned as the two peaks—recording it was likely to prevent people from forgetting them entirely."

"The Paper of Wood records the great talents of worldly cultivation prior to the Xu Kingdom, names that can no longer be found anywhere today."

"The Immortal Paper is the one that details the eight realms of cultivation, including the name and connotation of each realm."

Before Gu Yi could voice his question, Little Yiyi preempted him. "I don't know, don't ask me."

"And the clues?"

"To the east, overseas, someone has landed. Perhaps they discovered something, so following them will likely lead to answers."

Things were not going to be so simple; Gu Yi felt a headache coming on.

"There is one more method we can try," Little Yiyi said. "The Mortal Palace. Perhaps everything can be found there."

"Then we..."

Little Yiyi shot the idea down again. "The Mortal Palace was left behind by the founding emperor. Without the strength of the Mortal Realm, breaking in is a one-way trip with no return."

That was no different from saying nothing at all.

"So, will you return to Luyang to protect that emperor?"

Gu Yi froze.

Right, there was another problem.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Are you now planning to lead the two peaks in destroying the Xu Kingdom?"

"I am not the one leading the two peaks." Little Yiyi lay back, crossing one leg over the other, swaying leisurely. "It is the other voice in my mind. Sometimes I am myself, and sometimes I am him. Right now I am myself; hearing over there that you had been captured by the Great Rain Palace, the normally unresisting me overrode him. But perhaps soon I will no longer be myself... Therefore..."

Gu Yi could not help widening his eyes slightly. Could it be...

Little Yiyi closed his eyes and sighed.

"Therefore, even though I have returned to your side for now, I cannot stay with you constantly to help you teach lessons to all those who bully you. Because perhaps at some sudden moment, I will become someone who bullies you, or even kills you."

Because Gu Yi was an enemy of the two peaks.

"You mean you're going to run away again?! Is there really no other way?"

Little Yiyi remained quite optimistic. "There is. This is a world where the strong prey upon the weak; you knew that on the very first day you learned cultivation from me. As long as your power is strong enough, the heavens and earth will naturally bend to your will."

"Actually, I wanted to tell you all of this every moment, but when I had to leave, I couldn't control it. Since I didn't remember much, I could only leave those two sentences behind. Now, finally telling it all from beginning to end, this chance was truly hard to come by. Telling you all this is to make sure you find a way to reach the Mortal Realm. Being dissatisfied with the status quo and trying all sorts of flashy tricks is entirely futile. Once you reach the Mortal Realm, all the problems you face will be solved effortlessly."

Gu Yi clenched his fists; everything ultimately depended on strength.

"However, I cannot stay by your side to help you, so you must be very careful. As for searching everywhere for me... I am right here, what can be done? At the very least, you ought to reach the sixth realm first."

And right now was certainly not the time; Little Yiyi did not want to accidentally kill Gu Yi, nor did Gu Yi wish to be killed by him.

Gu Yi said, "I know. When that time comes, I'll make you kneel and sing 'Conquest' for me."

"Hahaha, you'll have to be able to pull that off first! As for this young lady of the Mo tribe, do as you please~" Little Yiyi stood up, releasing a breath of spiritual energy to rouse the sleeping Shuyu.

He squatted down and said, "Young lady, do not follow your Palace Master in the delusion that Gu Yi associating with you is climbing high above his station. A muddled head is worse than having no head at all. Not everyone in the Mo tribe is like you and your Palace Master; the true Mo tribe members are beautiful, generous, gentle, virtuous, and steadfast unto death—that is why people praise the Mo tribe. Otherwise, what use is your good looks? Even a lustful fellow like Gu Yi doesn't like your kind, understand?"

Gu Yi: "???"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

*Whoosh.*

The little loli spread her arms and leaped into the air, while the giant roc continued moving forward, widening the distance between them. "I must go. Remember my words, and I'll leave the giant roc to you. I've already taught you the Beast-Taming Talisman, too."

Gu Yi ran forward a few steps and shouted toward her, "Wait for me! I will definitely come find you!"

Little Yiyi offered only a smiling face before vanishing into thin air with a soft *swish*.

Upon waking, Shuyu witnessed this perplexing scene and saw Gu Yi's silhouette standing alone beneath the sky, appearing somewhat lonely.

After a long while, he turned around and reached out. The golden rope binding her retracted into his hand. Was he letting her go? She felt a hint of surprise. "You..."

Gu Yi planted himself on the ground. "Don't think about dragging me back to confess before Gu Baici. My injuries are fully healed; if it comes to blows, you are no match for me."

His words were harsh, but Shuyu felt no anger. She had no reason to rage, sitting there with her knees bent, her heart tangled in complex emotions.

"If you want to leave, go."

Shuyu's pupils trembled; she was deeply moved after all, and spoke a measure of truth from her heart. "You saved me once and helped me once, whereas I struck you once and harmed you once, and yet now you're letting me go..."

"The biggest problem with you and your Palace Master is that you think victims possess inherent righteousness. In truth, as the Eighteenth Floor Master said, no matter how much suffering you endure, it wasn't I, Gu Yi, who inflicted it. Forget it, go."

"I..."

"What is it?"

"For now, I don't really want to leave."

Gu Yi: "..."

Could Gu Baici's words actually be true?

Shuyu glanced at him as well, though she quickly averted her gaze.

*Thump, thump.*

Gu Yi patted the giant roc's back. "Find a city; I need to eat a proper meal. I reek all over."

He did not refuse her, which brought Shuyu a measure of reassurance.

Gu Yi shouted out into the open sky, "Long-Legged Cat, Yan Lang! I'm heading down for food, don't lose track of me!"

The figures of those two were nowhere in sight—expecting them to sit quietly was impossible—yet a voice drifted back, shouting, "Got it!"

Shuyu slowly stood up. Wanting to initiate conversation, she asked, "Are you truly the Immortal of Xiaoyuan Mountain?"

"It's me. Your Palace Master said Xiaoyuan Mountain has no successors, and that is indeed true. Though I've taught a few people a thing or two, I never intended to take on a successor or anything of the sort."

The Immortal of Xiaoyuan Mountain—that was formidable indeed. Back in the day, the incident where the hundred-li radius around Xiaoyuan Mountain turned as bright as day was described with vivid colors even in the northern Great Rain Palace.

"Then how did you become the successor of Xiaoyuan Mountain?"

"Ah, that? I didn't give myself that title; it was bestowed by the Xu Emperor. The Immortal of Xiaoyuan Mountain had vanished, and he must have been worried to death, so he concocted a successor to steady the morale of the army. I figured since he was willing to provide food and drink, I might as well accept it."

The giant roc descended rapidly, and the bustling sounds of the street market could already be heard.

"Shall we get some food and a bath first?"

"Mm."

This was an unnamed city. Though fairly large, the ravages of war had left all trades depressed and business sluggish.

Gu Yi and Shuyu clearly stood out from ordinary folk, and Shuyu's appearance in particular caused the entire tavern to fall silent the moment she stepped inside. Those lingering gazes made Shuyu rather unaccustomed, prompting her to move closer to Gu Yi, instinctively trying to hide behind him.

"Prepare a private room, and open four guest rooms as well."

"Four rooms?"

"Four rooms, hurry up and go."

Having gone without a bath for so many days, their appearances had slipped somewhat, leading onlookers to sigh at how such a fine woman ended up following someone who looked like a slob.

Gu Yi cared nothing for such perceptions; being out in the open felt wonderful.

"We are still some distance from Luyang, so we won't get the embroidered perch of the Imperial Delicacy Pavilion, but it doesn't matter. Once we arrive, I will definitely treat you to it."

He was speaking to Shuyu.

Meanwhile, Long-Legged Cat and Yan Lang hung upside down outside the window, never behaving normally for a single moment. "Really? All-you-can-eat?"

"All you can eat." Gu Yi produced a pouch of gold—he had earned quite a tidy sum back on Xiaoyuan Mountain. "I earned this from someone else once."

"Whoa, what is this shiny thing?"

"The two of you never left the Great Rain Palace, so you wouldn't know. With this single item, you can order a whole room of dishes and summon anything you like."

The waiter jumped in fright upon entering. When had two people turned into four? And why did the newcomers look so bizarre?

"What would you like to order, patrons?"

Gu Yi tossed the gold to him. "Bring out one portion of every single dish you can make! Also, prepare hot water for bathing; I want to wash up, and by the way, go buy me a fresh set of clothes."

Seeing the massive gold ingot, the waiter was utterly thrilled. "Right away, right away! Patrons, please sit, I'll attend to it at once!"

Long-Legged Cat's eyes rolled, and she snatched a gold ingot into her palm. "This little thing is so useful? It makes him do so much work, and he's still happy about it? What kind of magic does it have?"

"Probably purchasing power. Hey, the two of you, sit properly, bouncing around is annoying."

Shuyu had paid no attention to any of that; she was preoccupied with an entirely different matter.

When it came time to eat, should she take off the veil on her face?