Eternal Life
Yang Fan sat cross-legged beside the campfire, embodying unity of essence, breath, and spirit, fiercely maintaining the tranquility of his spiritual mind. At this moment, he found himself submerged in the torrent of information emanating from the verdant halo, his consciousness buffeted like a riverbank at the mercy of a flood, constantly on the brink of collapse. Should he fail to withstand this overwhelming mental strain, he could very well succumb to madness, descending into a terrifying state of idiocy.
Thus, Yang Fan dared not to let his guard down for even a heartbeat. Fortunately, while the stream of information was indeed formidable, its duration was fleeting. After a brief while, he exhaled a breath of stale air, droplets of sweat forming on his forehead.
**"The Fragment of the Immortal Dao: The Qi Refinement Chapter."**
Segments of intricate and obscure incantations swirled within his mind. It turned out that Yang Fan had only acquired a portion of the teachings from the Immortal Dao, known as the *Fragment*. This *Fragment* was divided into nine layers, perfectly mirroring the nine great realms of the cultivation world: Qi Refinement, Spirit Concentration, Foundation Establishment, Golden Elixir, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Body Integration, Tribulation Crossing, and Great Ascension.
In this moment, the insights related to the *Fragment's* Qi Refinement chapter naturally emerged, and he began to grasp their essence on a fundamental level.
**"Truly an extraordinary technique! The content of just the first layer, the 'Qi Refinement Chapter,' surpasses the combined knowledge of all the jade slips in my storage bag!"** Yang Fan marveled, a sense of awe swelling within him.
After a prolonged period of comprehension, a multitude of revelations unfolded in his heart. Rising to his feet, he opened his eyes and gazed into the surrounding night, feeling an indescribable affinity resonating from every leaf, every stone, and every blade of grass. He spread his arms wide, yearning to embrace nature, his consciousness intertwining with the environment around him.
In that moment, within a radius of ten paces, no rustle of leaves nor stir of grass could escape his keen senses. Even the faint breath of a small insect several paces away was perceptible to him. This was an exquisite state of being, stirring his heart profoundly, manifesting so naturally, so effortlessly.
After several breaths, Yang Fan withdrew from this extraordinary state, feeling refreshed, as if every pore of his body had opened, allowing for an exhilarating flow of energy. Standing in this deep forest, he experienced an illusion akin to a fish returning to water. However, when he attempted to re-enter that mystical realm, he found himself powerless. It appeared that this state could not be forced; it came only with natural ease, unobtainable through will alone.
**"How strange…"** he pondered. **"This incantation is so obscure and profound, far exceeding the complexities of any technique I have ever practiced, yet I have managed to comprehend a fraction of it in such a short time?"**
He would not attribute this to his innate talent. Deep down, Yang Fan knew his qualifications were merely mediocre; although he was considered talented within the confines of the Southern Neighbour Yang Family, on the vast expanse of the East Victory Continent, he could only be deemed average. There were tales of prodigies whose extraordinary talents allowed them to refine Qi before birth, achieve Spirit Concentration at five, and Foundation Establishment by ten. Yet, such anomalies were exceedingly rare and often relegated to legend.
Yang Fan had attained the title of the foremost genius of Yang Family Fortress not solely due to his talent, but also because of his diligence and the unwavering support of his mentors.
After much contemplation, Yang Fan could not arrive at a conclusion, so he decided to set the matter aside. Continuing to sit cross-legged, he did not rush toward a breakthrough. Instead, he began to delve into the contents of the *Fragment of the Immortal Dao*.
The vast stream of information presented itself in a state of chaotic interweaving. The information of the first layer, *Qi Refinement*, was remarkably clear, while the second layer, *Spirit Concentration*, was somewhat vague, and the third layer, *Foundation Establishment*, remained obscured, revealing only fragments of insight. Beyond Foundation Establishment lay an abyss of chaos, from which Yang Fan could glean nothing.
In essence, while he had absorbed the stream of knowledge from the *Fragment of the Immortal Dao*, he could currently only comprehend the first three layers.
**"The information within the *Fragment* is truly formidable! It encompasses not only the incantations from the Qi Refinement realm to the Great Ascension realm but also numerous classifications, including alchemy, botany, demon spirits, sacred healing, and esoteric arts…"**
As he skimmed through these vast classifications, he felt himself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of knowledge. For instance, within the *Alchemy* section, he discovered various methods for concocting precious elixirs and the materials required for their creation. Some of these elixirs were extraordinarily rare within the cultivation world.
For instance, there existed a *Youth Preserving Elixir*, capable of significantly delaying the aging process of cultivators. Although cultivators could prolong their youth through cultivation, they were not immune to the ravages of time. The extent of aging was often influenced by a cultivator's progress. A prodigious talent, who achieved Spirit Concentration before the age of twenty, Foundation Establishment before fifty, and the Golden Elixir before reaching a century, could maintain the appearance of a youthful twenty for an extended period.
Yet, such geniuses were indeed a minority, and the path of cultivation often presented numerous bottlenecks that could impede even the most talented. Thus, most cultivators would experience gradual aging over time.
While male cultivators might remain indifferent, exceptionally beautiful female cultivators often regarded this as a matter of utmost importance.
Although the *Youth Preserving Elixir* might not yield substantial results for most cultivators, Yang Fan's eyes widened as he came across another elixir: the *Longevity Elixir*. As the name implied, the *Longevity Elixir* could extend a cultivator's lifespan. The allure of such a potion was immensely powerful for any cultivator.
In the arduous journey of cultivation, how many had succumbed to the ravages of time, ultimately reduced to mere dust?
**"The *Longevity Elixir*! This is a spiritual elixir that has nearly been lost to the annals of cultivation history!"** Yang Fan gasped in amazement.
Besides the *Youth Preserving Elixir* and the *Longevity Elixir*, the alchemical section contained countless other marvelous elixirs, some of which he had never even heard of before.
**"Alchemists hold an esteemed status within the cultivation world."** A thought flickered in Yang Fan's mind but quickly vanished without resolution.
Next, he began to explore the other categories.
The *Botany* section catalogued an array of rare treasures from the heavens and earth—poisonous plants, spiritual herbs, and countless exotic flowers and grasses. Among this knowledge was a method for discerning the toxicity of various flora.
The *Demon Spirits* section mirrored the *Botany* section, listing various demonic creatures. Yang Fan found little interest in the content of these two chapters.
Then he came upon the *Sacred Healing* chapter, which surprisingly delved into the realm of medicine! The content of the *Sacred Healing* chapter comprised a significant portion of the entire compilation, leaving Yang Fan astonished.
He recalled the preceding chapters on alchemy, botany, and demon spirits; it seemed they merely laid the groundwork for the profound teachings of the *Sacred Healing* chapter.
This chapter elucidated the principles of pharmacology, the structure of the human body, the anatomy of demonic beasts, and the very essence of various species. Delving deep, it intertwined the principles of healing with the fundamental laws of the universe.
This chapter emphasized a selfless spirit of compassion, dedicating oneself to the well-being of others.
**"Nonsense!"** Yang Fan scoffed at this notion and promptly dismissed the *Sacred Healing* chapter, shifting his focus to the brief yet intriguing *Esoteric Arts* section.
The *Esoteric Arts* chapter detailed a myriad of spells and supernatural abilities, capturing Yang Fan's attention immediately.
**"Heavens! There are actually numerous lost spells of the cultivation world here!"** Yang Fan exclaimed in excitement, eagerly scanning through the *Esoteric Arts* chapter. Techniques such as *Water Avoidance*, *Phantom Steps*, *Disguise Technique*, *Illusory Clone Technique*, *External Body Incarnation*, and *Thunder Strike Technique*, among countless others, dazzled him beyond measure.
Of course, the majority of these techniques were beyond his current capacity to practice, save for entry into the *Spirit Concentration* or even *Foundation Establishment* realms.
A summary in the *Esoteric Arts* chapter cautioned: **"This chapter pertains to the esoteric and peripheral arts; it is merely for exploration and cannot be regarded as the true path."**
This single sentence felt like a cold splash of water upon Yang Fan's face.
What manner of reasoning was this? The selfless spirit of medicine was exalted as the supreme path, while the profound techniques of spells and supernatural powers were belittled as peripheral arts.
The *Immortal Dao*, indeed, was an extraordinary teaching that stirred Yang Fan's heart.
Its primary advantages lay in the preservation of youth and an elongated lifespan, nearly twice that of cultivators of equal rank.
Especially when Yang Fan entered that state of merging with his surroundings, the sensation of possessing control over
all things was irresistibly captivating.
Yet, what stirred Yang Fan's heart most was the tremendous potential of this cultivation method.
The *Fragment's* content encompassed the entirety of the journey from *Qi Refinement* to *Great Ascension*, spanning all nine realms.
What did this signify?
It represented a genuine path to attain eternal life!
However, Yang Fan felt an unwavering defiance rise within him.
In the next heartbeat, he stepped into the realm of the *Immortal Dao*.