Chapter 563: Discussion on Immortality

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After matters concerning Gu Yuena were temporarily settled, Bibi Dong summoned Tang San and asked, "So, Gu Yuena has returned to the Star Dou Forest?" 

Having acquired artificial spirit rings, Bibi Dong had already filled the eighth and ninth rings for her second martial soul. Additionally, all her spirit rings had been elevated to the hundred-thousand-year level within the Spirit Beast Mirage Realm. 

As for the abilities of the spirit rings, Bibi Dong no longer concerned herself with them after perfecting the Twin Soul Meditation technique and consolidating her Primordial Spirit. Her focus had shifted to comprehending the divine power of the Rakshasa God and the Death God. 

The strength of the Primordial Spirit not only extended her mental coverage further and allowed for more intricate control but also granted her the ability to manipulate any elemental power, making her nearly omnipotent. 

Theoretically, as long as one understood the operational principles of any soul skill, it could be replicated through the power of the Primordial Spirit, thereby achieving mastery over all abilities. 

The original soul ring abilities had essentially become instinctual. 

Therefore, upon learning Gu Yuena's true identity, Bibi Dong was not particularly concerned. After all, she no longer required soul rings, so whether Gu Yuena was human or not was irrelevant. 

"She has returned. After all, she is the ruler of the Spirit Beast Clan. In a sense, this is merely because she is the strongest and represents their hope of achieving divinity," Tang San nodded. "As for the relationship between humans and spirit beasts, I believe that a shift in the spirit beasts' perception is necessary. For instance, humans do not view primates as their own kind, but normally, no one actively hunts primates unless they are overly threatening, like baboons." 

"Spirit beasts with a hundred-thousand-year cultivation are essentially no different from us humans. They don't see those lower-level, unintelligent beasts as their peers. At most, they possess sympathy and compassion for them." 

"The foolishness often seen in hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts in their human form is merely because they've lived too long in deep, remote forests, untouched by the complexities of human society. This makes them appear somewhat naïve. However, the moment they choose to take on human form, whether they've reached maturity or not, they have already become human in essence." 

"This has nothing to do with the soul. Their bodies are identical to humans, and their souls will gradually transform to resemble those of humans. Their personalities will also shift toward human traits until they fully integrate." 

"Gu Yuena may very well be the key to fostering harmony between humans and spirit beasts." 

Bibi Dong remained silent for a long while before suddenly asking, "Can humans and spirit beasts truly coexist in harmony? While artificial spirit rings have emerged, and large-scale production may become possible in the future as a business venture, the fundamental conflict remains the competition for survival space between humans and spirit beasts." 

"That depends on humanity itself. After all, isn't human history already rife with internal strife and slaughter?" Tang San smiled faintly. "If humanity were to someday venture into the stars and encounter other races and civilizations—beings who look nothing like us, have different beliefs, ideas, and even entirely different ways of thinking—would we then wipe them out, leaving only our Douluo humans behind?" 

"Tian Dou and Xing Luo, especially Tian Dou, used to consist of numerous kingdoms and duchies, with diverse ethnic groups. Yet they have now been unified." 

"Even within the Spirit Hall, its members hail from different regions and various ethnic backgrounds." 

"As society progresses, the concept of 'humanity' can expand beyond bloodlines and species. As long as beings possess intelligence and the ability to understand one another, they can all be classified as 'humans.'" 

Bibi Dong understood this perspective but also recognized that, given the current situation, such a level of understanding was unattainable. After all, even humans struggled to understand one another. 

Moreover, this goal was far too grand. 

"For someone as great as you, Your Holiness, pursuing such an ambitious goal and achieving it would be the ultimate fulfillment," Tang San said flatteringly. 

Bibi Dong responded flatly, "...So you're just drawing me a big pie in the sky, huh?" 

"Drawing a pie in the sky may not fill one's stomach, but for someone at your level, material pursuits are no longer necessary. Naturally, you must enrich your spirit," Tang San reasoned. "For those with eternal life, a purpose is essential. Simply indulging in pleasure will corrupt the soul. Alternatively, one could learn from the habits of spirit beasts, residing in an unchanging, secluded place for millennia, maintaining a simple and contented state of mind."

Bibi Dong's forehead was lined with black veins. Tang San's words essentially boiled eternal, immortal life down to three choices: either go insane and live frivolously, find a purpose to relentlessly pursue, or stagnate into complacency and stop thinking altogether. 

Recalling the time difference between the God Realm and Douluo Star... 

It was likely that even the gods couldn't endure true eternal time. The God Realm Committee, its enforcers, and administrators were probably just finding something to occupy themselves with—otherwise, eternal life would be unbearably dull. 

"By your logic, all soul masters are masochists, aren't they?" Bibi Dong asked. 

"That's correct. Soul masters—or anyone who cultivates or pursues truth—are indeed masochists. You and I did not reach this level by luck. You carved your path through slaughter and endured countless hardships. As for me, I've spent most of my days buried in libraries, archives, and experimental research, verifying my theories. My journey was hardly smooth sailing either," Tang San sighed. 

Bibi Dong's mouth twitched. 

Although Tang San's reasoning was sound, she couldn't help but feel that Tang San had reached his current level far too easily. 

Easily? 

Tang San would beg to differ: 

"Organize, classify, summarize... 

Discover, experiment, conclude..." 

These tasks may sound simple, but anyone who attempts them would realize just how difficult they truly are. If not for the scientific foundation of his previous life and the extensive observations and summaries made by predecessors in this world, he wouldn't have even known where to begin creating something from nothing. 

Yet Tang San did not deny his good fortune. 

"Fine, let's put this topic aside for now. Although we've reached a great height, the perceptions of ordinary people are nowhere near our level. We still need to descend the mountain to handle practical matters," Bibi Dong said, shifting gears. "Over the past eight years, the Sun Moon Continent has dispatched troops three more times. Each attempt was repelled by the Heaven Dou Empire and our Spirit Hall forces. However, a small number managed to escape and return. They're likely aware of their emperor's demise by now. Currently, they've dispatched another fleet. Under the pretext of enhancing communication and trade between the two continents, they seek to retrieve the princess and their captured generals."

"What are your thoughts on this matter?" 

Tang San: "..."

(End of Chapter)