Chapter 2: Old Man (1)

In the memory of Li Lin, The Star Region was vast and spanned a billion miles. Countless Kingdoms, Ancient Sects, Cities spread in the region. Li Lin's hometown, All Mortal City is one of the cities under the Primitive Crystal Kingdom, is located in the Mortal Province.

Within the Star Region, there were Twenty Ancient Kingdoms, Million of Cities, Countless Sect. The three powerful Kingdoms in the Star Region are Ancient Jewel Kingdom, Jade Valley Kingdom, Heaven King Kindom; for cities and minor sects, they were either jurisdiction of the Twenty Kingdoms in their territory or independents. Such as, Ancient Sects that had their own territories spanning billion of miles like those Ancient Kingdoms.

If one travel the Star Region, it will take many years, unless they were either powerful cultivators or had an extraordinary flying artifact. And flying would shorten the traveling and gateway teleportation could directly warp to their destination, of course, they need to pay a hefty cost. If they would arrive in a certain territory, they also need to pay crystal stone to enter their territory; It could be described that traveling burns money fast.

All Mortal City is one of the city jurisdiction under the Primitive Crystal Kingdom. The Primitive Crystal Kingdon although it was not the best Ancient Kingdom, it's still powerful. The Primitive Crystal Kingdom had the authority of Hundred Thousand Cities, Hundred of Thousands Sect, and a Few Major Sects. Mortal Province is under the authority of Primitive Crystal Kingdom; every organization built inside their province needs to pay taxes to them; even those travelers.

Just by looking at the factors of the Primitive Crystal Kingdom, one can deduce that the Star Region was vast as endless seas. Plus, Star Region is only one of the regions of Great Difficult World.

The Great Difficult World was also known as Difficult Horizon or Difficult Limitation that consisted of five different regions. In the west lies the Demon Grand Island, the north has the Primordial Purgatory, the east forms the Endless Sea, the south comprises Star Region, and the middle were the strongest people of The Great Difficult World dwelled — Heavenly Myriad Territory.

Mortal Region, All Mortal City was the abode for non-cultivators, it stood solely for mortals to reside.

All Mortal City was also known as Hope City. The reason it was also known as 'Hope City', was the 'Hope' symbolizes them, who desire to leap from the pond and soar in the sky. For that, at times of disciple recruitment, All Mortal City bustle with activity. Either the parents send their child for talent testing, encouraging them, or youth that had the passion for martial art, who came alone without their parents. Li Lin was the same with those passionate youths, for his parents that died at his age of 12. Thus, Li Lin was a lone wolf without someone patting his back at the times like that.

Lin Lin's house was located at the valley in the mountain range, just behind the All Mortal City. Traversing from the mountain range to the City takes Ling Tian an hour. As the recruitment starts 12 hours after. Ling Tian had a lot of time before the recruitment starts. So with leisure strides, he inhales the mountainous fragrance after a billion years tortured in the dark void.

As he strides towards the City, Ling Tian also didn't forget to circulate the Spiritual Qi in order to find out if the Difficult Dao Era was real. It looks like it was not exaggerated. Ling Tian senses that the Spiritual Qi becomes lesser and thinner it was really impossible to sense without a martial art. But for him, sensing Spiritual Qi was a piece of cake. He defies Heaven from erasing his memories as his soul was tortured by Heaven for a billion years. Because of the pain, his soul broke through numerous times from its limit. He even forgets how many times he breaks his soul limit, for it was simply many that he can't exactly count with his finger. As he walks, Ling Tian absorbs the Qi, not for his cultivation, to nourish and strengthen his bones.

"Trees and Grasses even lost their luster?" sighed Ling Tian, seeing the trees and grasses with withered vitality, he lamented the past.

Billion Years Ago, Ling Tian's era was called the Golden Age Cultivation Era. All living beings, nature's creations were blessed by the Heavens. Plants, Trees, Grasses were especially healthier, luster, and had a long vitality for several thousands of years before it rotten. But as he saw this rotted tree that presumably didn't pass 100 hundred years before rotten out, Ling Tian's mouth escaped a sigh. The difference between the past and present was unimaginable; there's no simple comparison.

"What really happened 200 million years ago that the Heaven become weaker? Are the people from 'Outer World' invaded already?" He sighed, "Let's not think about this, for now, I will uncover it sooner or later."

Suddenly, Ling Tian sensed a powerful concentration of Spiritual Qi in the northern part of the Mountain Range. He thought for a bit before smiling as he walks in that direction.

After arriving at the place, he saw a silhouette in the middle of the waterfall.

The silhouette belongs to the Old Man sitting cross-legged below the waterfall. The waterfall crash at his body numerous times. The Spiritual Qi violently hovered above his head. His entire body also emitted a faint blue light, creating an image of the Black Tortoise. As the Spiritual Qi rushes to his body, his face becomes heavier and pained look expressed from his wrinkled face.

Ling Tian from afar escaped a sigh from his mouth leisurely walking towards him. "Old Man, if you walk to this path, three to four months, your body would cease in existence!

Ling Tian's voice alerted the Old Man. He stood up and turned his gaze at Ling Tian: "Who are you? And what do you mean that I would die if I walk to this path?"

Ling Tian didn't speak as he put his hands behind his back. "A passersby."

He lightly smiled and continued. "Let me guess, when you were opening the Black Tortoise Dao Pillar of the Four Attribute Dao Realm, there was a problem, as soon as you tried to open that pillar, your body becomes heavy as mountains pressured your back ribs, and bursting pain, your meridians were tightly clogged as your upper dantian resist the opening of the Black Tortoise Dao Pillar. Moreover, your bones become delicate as it felt it gonna break in any second, and your absorption towards Spiritual Qi goes crazy to the point it mindlessly devours the Qi in the surrounding out of your control, as it feels like your dantian would explode in any second like carrying a time bomb, am I right?"

The Old Man stepped backward. This man is not simple!

"You... You... Who are you?" Hearing Ling Tian, The Old Man couldn't help but be appalled. He takes a second detailed look at Ling Tian, and his heart almost jumps back to his throat. His illness was not even those someone at Dao Star-Forming Realm can cure and deduced without concentration yet unexpectedly a mortal youth discerned his illness in a single glance? How could he not be shocked?

"I said, I'm a passerby." Ling Tian lightly smiled; then his expression became serious, "Old Man, take my advice and stop cultivating the Tyrannical Dao Art. It such a waste of talented person like you to die. Listen, your physique talent is not compatible with that martial art. Heed my words, if you ignore my advice, it's up to you. But if you choose to disregard my advice, it will take four months, no, three months' time for you to die and explode!"

Ling Tian smiled after he said that. He merely came here to see the abnormality of Spiritual Qi. But since he saw a man with great potential. It's such a waste if he dies like that. Since he was the first person he meets after reincarnating, giving him a few sentences didn't bleed his heart, especially for he adores talents.

Seeing Ling Tian was about to leave, he immediately said, "No, Please Wait! Young Noble, Since you know what kind of illness I have, I bet you have a way to fix it right? Please, help me Young Noble." The Old Man bowed his head. He stared ar Ling Tian, pleading, begging. He absolutely couldn't waste this chance that the gods from above bestowed him. He was struck in this cultivation for a long time and he nearly loses hope. Although Ling Tian was a bit suspicious, he didn't think those thoughts later on for them to have no feud. Also, he vaguely felt that this young man can definitely cure his illness.

Ling Tian stopped his pace, turning his head, he gives a strange smile, "Reason? You didn't have have the thoughts of forcing my hands right?"

"Definitely not!" The old man immediately shook his head. Although he was strong, he was not the type of cultivator covert someone's secret. Even if he can force Ling Tian, he didn't do it. He needs his help, and a person should show sincerity when dealing with this stuff. He modestly continued, "Young Noble, even though you can see that I am powerful. I'm not a treacherous person to steal someone's belonging. I rather die in my illness that doing that. I am a righteous and forthright person, Young Noble, I do hope that you can help me. Words can't describe gratitude. But if Young Noble can cure me, I don't mind stepping inside the Hell Fire to repay you."

Ling Tian's heart softens a little. This was the type of talent he wants. Neither humble nor prideful.

"Fine, but I have one condition if you agree, I can help you right now."