Chapter 12: Cultivation Realms

The Painted-Skin Scholar

Ever since Lin Jiufeng learned about the Painted-Skin Scholar from the Wen family, he had never heard of him again.

Even when the great spiritual energy revival ushered in a golden age of cultivation, the Wen family still failed to locate the Painted-Skin Scholar.

At that time, Lin Jiufeng wondered if the Painted-Skin Scholar had ventured into the Dimensional Battlefield.

And he was right.

However, what Lin Jiufeng never expected was that after Gu Baili's sacrifice, it was the Painted-Skin Scholar who saved the human race.

Gu Baili had blocked the Giant King, while the Painted-Skin Scholar had fended off the Giants' retaliation.

Together, the two of them had pulled the human race back from the brink of destruction.

"The Ten Great Kings are all truly formidable," Lin Jiufeng sighed in admiration.

He continued reading, eager to learn what happened next.

He also wanted to know how long ago these events had taken place.

As he flipped through the book, he found the answer.

The Painted-Skin Scholar had held the last human stronghold against the Giants, forcing them to retreat, though he himself had suffered severe injuries. After that, he vanished without a trace.

But thanks to his efforts, the last human stronghold survived, allowing the human race to persist and remain among the Hundred Races.

With his strength alone, the Painted-Skin Scholar secured a place for humanity among the Hundred Races, a status that lasted for thirty years.

Lin Jiufeng was stunned. "So all of this happened just thirty years ago?"

Thirty years ago, the Giant King sought to annihilate humanity, and Gu Baili intervened.

Thirty years ago, the Giants sought revenge for their king, and the Painted-Skin Scholar stepped forward.

Lin Jiufeng had assumed that these events had occurred long ago. He never imagined they were so recent.

"No wonder Gu Baili and the Painted-Skin Scholar are so powerful. They ascended five thousand years ago. With their talent and comprehension, growing to such heights over the millennia is understandable," Lin Jiufeng mused.

"But just how powerful are they now?"

Curious, he continued reading in search of answers.

The book indeed contained a record—not from the Painted-Skin Scholar himself but from elders of the Giant Clan.

They claimed that the Painted-Skin Scholar had surpassed the Eighteen Restrictions and embarked on the path to immortality.

Upon hearing this, even the smaller races who harbored ambitions against humanity abandoned their plans.

Surpassing the Eighteen Restrictions and stepping onto the path of immortality—such a master was not someone minor races could afford to provoke.

"Beyond the Eighteen Restrictions…" Lin Jiufeng murmured, furrowing his brow. He closed the book, returned it to its place, and set off to find more information about cultivation realms.

He knew nothing about the cultivation realms of the Dimensional Battlefield beyond the Twelfth Restriction, which he had recently broken through.

He only knew that this realm was called the Eternal Overlord, and that was because the Sacred Beast Qilin had told him.

The Sacred Beast Qilin possessed inherited memories and knew about these realms, but since its bloodline had not fully awakened, its knowledge was incomplete.

Thus, Lin Jiufeng had no idea what lay beyond the Twelfth Restriction.

At this moment, he found a book detailing the cultivation realms.

He sat in a quiet corner, the dim glow of a lantern casting soft light over him.

It was already past midnight. Outside, the city lights burned bright, but within the library, everything was tranquil.

Lin Jiufeng immersed himself in the book, focused entirely on its contents.

It felt as if he had returned to his days in the Feathered Immortal Sect's scripture pavilion back in the mortal world.

He read carefully, absorbing every word.

The cultivation system of the Dimensional Battlefield started from the First Restriction and progressed all the way to the Twelfth Restriction, reaching the Eternal Overlord realm.

The book stated that among Eternal Overlords, the longest-living recorded individual belonged to the Divine Tortoise Clan and had survived for a staggering eighty thousand years.

For most Eternal Overlords, living for ten thousand years was already considered extraordinary.

Some races with unique physiques or strong bloodlines could extend their lifespans slightly, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand years beyond that.

Exceptionally rare races, whose talents lay specifically in longevity, could live even longer.

The Divine Tortoise Clan, for example, had exceptionally long lifespans. Their cultivation progression was slow, but their average lifespan as Eternal Overlords started at thirty thousand years.

The record-holder had lived for eighty thousand years.

Lin Jiufeng shook his head slightly at this revelation.

"Even though the Divine Tortoise Clan can live so long, none of them have ever broken past the Eternal Overlord realm in eighty thousand years. This proves that their cultivation talent is extremely poor. Even with endless time, they cannot progress."

Reflecting on this, he realized that even among the most gifted of the Divine Tortoise Clan, the maximum recorded lifespan was only eighty thousand years.

By contrast, his One Yuan lifespan was truly monstrous.

Fortunately, no one knew about it.

Lin Jiufeng continued reading, eager to learn about the realms beyond the Twelfth Restriction.

The Cultivation Realms Beyond the Twelfth Restriction

Thirteenth Restriction: Soul Tendrils

This realm focuses on refining the primordial spirit, allowing it to split into countless threads, extending outward like tendrils. These tendrils act as a vast sensory network, enabling the cultivator to perceive the world more clearly than even their physical senses could.

Fourteenth Restriction: Dao Core

At this stage, the cultivator forges a Dao Core, a mystical sphere that fuses their primordial spirit, innate qi, and comprehended Dao. Once the Dao Core is formed, the Dao naturally manifests.

Fifteenth Restriction: Inner World Creation

This realm is not about creating an external world but rather forging an internal one. Taoism refers to it as the Inner Realm, Buddhism calls it the Palm-Sized Buddha Land, and the Demonic Path describes it as Endless Phantasmagoria. The core concept remains the same—unlocking the body's hidden potential to create a miniature world within.

Sixteenth Restriction: Heaven-Earth Manifestation

At this stage, a cultivator condenses an invincible avatar—a manifestation of their full power. This avatar can act independently in battle. In critical moments, it can be shattered to unleash a surge of power, either to escape death or to turn the tide against a formidable foe.

Seventeenth Restriction: One Thought to the Heavens

Previously, there was a realm called One Thought to Derive Laws. Now, this stage is the ultimate extension of that—One Thought to the Heavens.

One thought expands the world.

One thought births all things.

One thought manifests the Dao itself.

This represents the pinnacle of comprehension.

Eighteenth Restriction: Wind-Fire Tribulation

Unlike previous breakthroughs, this stage is not about gaining power but enduring a tribulation. Upon reaching this realm, Heaven and Earth will unleash a catastrophe upon the cultivator—heavenly flames will scorch their soul, and earthly fires will incinerate their body, subjecting them to unimaginable torment.

This ordeal lasts for 365 years without pause.

Only by enduring the Wind-Fire Tribulation can one truly perfect both body and soul, achieving a state of flawless transcendence.

Once the Wind-Fire Tribulation is overcome, the cultivator steps onto the Path of Immortality.

However, none of the books recorded what lay beyond.

Lin Jiufeng searched several volumes but found nothing about the realms beyond the Eighteenth Restriction.

It seemed that for those who wrote these texts, such realms were too distant and unfathomable to document.

He wasn't discouraged.

Returning the books to their shelves, he sat quietly, deep in thought.

"So, this is how the cultivation path unfolds… Eighteen great mountains to climb, and the last one requires 365 years of tribulation—unbelievable," Lin Jiufeng murmured.

Of all the realms, the Eighteenth Restriction—Wind-Fire Tribulation left the strongest impression.

Heavenly flames scorching the soul. Earthly flames incinerating the body.

Day and night, for 365 years.

Just imagining it was enough to send shivers down his spine.

During this period, a cultivator's strength would likely be at its absolute lowest.

If one wanted to break through this realm, they would need to find a safe place to endure the tribulation.