Chapter 4: Is The Path Of An Immortal?

As soon as Tian Han uttered these words, Yellow Wing took off. Ye Feng immediately placed his hand on Tian Han's back, sending a warm energy that wrapped around his body. 

This energy would prevent him from being torn apart due to Yellow Wing's immense speed—after all, he was still just an ordinary mortal. 

Yellow Wing flapped its wings, each beat pushing it faster and faster. 

The wind brushing against Tian Han's face felt refreshing; this was a completely new and exhilarating experience for him. 

Of course, if it weren't for the protective energy Ye Feng had infused into him, his body would have been shredded into pieces by now. 

Yellow Wing soared through the sky at an incredible speed, and the scenery below changed constantly. Sometimes mountains, sometimes rivers, and sometimes vast forests. 

Tian Han was left speechless by their speed; all he could do was watch as the images blurred past him. 

Below, countless different scenes unfolded. Mortal villages, children playing joyfully. 

A bear wandering through the forest with its cub. 

A climber struggling to ascend a snowy peak. 

And many more... countless landscapes, countless lives, all vanishing in an instant, as if they had never been there to begin with. 

Once again, Tian Han realized that becoming an immortal was far different from what he had imagined. To an ordinary mortal, the scenes he had just witnessed were extraordinary and mesmerizing, yet the old man sitting beside him hadn't even bothered to glance at them. 

To immortals, such sights were trivial and fleeting. 

As Tian Han pondered this, he saw an enormous mountain on the horizon—the largest he had ever seen. Compared to this, what he had previously called mountains were nothing more than hills.

They were quickly approaching the colossal peak. Tian Han scanned the surroundings, spotting massive, terrifying beasts he had never seen before. 

"What the hell are those?!" 

Tian Han was visibly shaken. Each of these creatures was gigantic, with razor-sharp claws and menacing fangs. 

Some even had multiple heads! 

If just one of them entered his village, it could devour everyone like a mere snack, and no one would be able to stop it. 

Had they been surviving by pure luck all this time? 

As Tian Han got lost in his thoughts, they crossed over the giant mountain. On the other side, he noticed a massive structure in the distance. 

From above, the structure resembled a giant maple leaf. Walls divided the area into distinct sections, forming vein-like patterns on the surface of the leaf. 

Tian Han counted four separate divisions. He observed that as one moved further inside, the number of people in each section decreased significantly. 

At that moment, Yellow Wing began to descend, heading directly toward the maple leaf-shaped structure. 

As they got closer, the structure appeared even larger. 

Once they reached a certain altitude, Ye Feng waved his hand and performed several complex hand signs. Suddenly, a formation appeared before them, catching Tian Han's attention. He tried to comprehend what was happening, but he had no clue. 

Yellow Wing, carrying both Tian Han and Ye Feng, passed through the formation. As they did, Tian Han felt a strange tingling sensation coursing through his body, causing his hairs to stand on end. 

Yellow Wing continued descending until it reached the landing area. It let out a sharp cry before finally touching down. 

A cloud of dust and dirt erupted around them. As the dust settled, the silhouettes of a young boy and an elderly man emerged. 

Neither of them was covered in dust; they remained perfectly clean. 

Ye Feng gracefully floated down from Yellow Wing's back. Tian Han, on the other hand, was suddenly lifted into the air. 

A surge of panic gripped him, but before he could react, he landed safely on the ground. 

Ye Feng had remained silent throughout the entire journey, simply sitting still. But now, for the first time, he opened his mouth to speak. 

"Little one, we have finally arrived at my Floating Leaf Sect. Before entering, I will explain the rules, the sect's divisions, and its inner workings." 

Tian Han nodded and focused intently on Ye Feng's words. 

"My Floating Leaf Sect is divided into four layers. From the outermost to the innermost, these are the fourth, third, second, and first layers. The first layer is where the Sect Master and Elders reside. No disciple is allowed to enter. If anyone violates this rule, their cultivation will be crippled, and they will be fed to the mountain beasts.The second layer, also known as the Inner Sect, houses the most talented disciples. Each of them has the potential to become a future Elder or even the next Sect Master. The third layer is the Outer Sect, where disciples fiercely compete to ascend to the Inner Sect. The rivalry here is the most intense within the sect. And lastly, the fourth layer consists of individuals who possess talent but have yet to grasp the ability to manipulate energy. They struggle desperately to achieve the first step of cultivation—Arcen Awareness." 

Tian Han listened carefully, but he had no idea what Arcen Awareness actually meant. However, he quickly realized that it was some form of cultivation stage. 

Ye Feng noticed the confusion on Tian Han's face and chuckled. 

"You don't know what Arcen Awareness is, do you? Very well, I'll explain all the realms first, so you can understand better. The cultivation realms are as follows. Arcen Awareness,Arcen Awakening,Arcen Seeking,Arcen Master,Arcen Disintegration. Beyond these exists the legendary Origin Comprehension Realm, but no one has reached it in thousands of years. Arcen Awareness is the stage where one first perceives Arcen energy and learns to store and utilize it within their body. A person at this stage could crush a massive boulder as if it were mere clay. Next is Arcen Awakening, which is significantly harder to reach. To break through, one must push the Arcen energy stored within their body to its absolute limit and then transform their body in a single, overwhelming burst of energy. The maximum amount of Arcen energy one can store varies depending on their body, making natural talent a crucial factor for reaching this stage. Arcen Awakening consists of three sub-stages: the First Awakening, Second Awakening, and Third Awakening. Each breakthrough grants an immense power increase, making a cultivator at the Third Awakening vastly stronger than someone at the First Awakening. Following that is Arcen Seeking, a completely different level compared to the previous stages. At this point, both luck and talent become crucial. After transforming one's body with Arcen energy and experiencing multiple awakenings, the body itself now acts as a vessel, allowing the cultivator to directly absorb pure Arcen energy. However, pure Arcen is extremely destructive and unstable, making its direct absorption highly dangerous. Those who reach Arcen Seeking are considered fearsome warriors due to their overwhelming strength. The final two stages are Arcen Master and Arcen Disintegration. Truthfully, I don't know much about these levels—they are exceedingly rare. But those who have reached these stages are said to be capable of moving mountains and splitting rivers. Against them, everything seems weak. These cultivators essentially rule the world we live in. Currently, only five individuals in our world have reached Arcen Disintegration. As for the legendary Origin Comprehension Realm, I have no knowledge of it whatsoever." 

Tian Han was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information. It would take time to absorb and fully understand everything he had just learned. However, Ye Feng did not stop and continued his explanation. 

"Now that you understand the cultivation stages, I can explain more about the sect. Disciples in the Fourth Layer struggle to reach Arcen Awareness. Every three months, they are given two pills to help them store Arcen energy within their bodies and increase their chances of breaking through. In return, they are responsible for various chores such as cooking and cleaning for the sect. Disciples in the Third Layer, the Outer Sect, receive eight pills per month to further increase their Arcen reserves and improve their chances of reaching Arcen Awakening. They are also required to complete at least one sect mission per month. These missions vary—sometimes they involve collecting rare herbs, while other times, they require hunting down beasts. Completing these tasks earns them Contribution Points, which they can use at the sect's store to purchase various items. The Second Layer, the Inner Sect, houses the most talented individuals. Each of them has already reached Arcen Awakening or is on the verge of doing so. The Inner Sect operates on a ranking system based on combat ability. The higher a disciple's rank, the greater the rewards they receive each month. This means that the strong will only become stronger. Inner Sect disciples must complete at least three missions per month, earning Contribution Points to exchange for valuable resources. The First Layer is strictly off-limits. Only Elders and the Sect Master may enter. Anyone caught trespassing will suffer severe consequences. As for the Elders, they are all at least in the Third Stage of Arcen Awakening." 

Tian Han felt dizzy from all the new information. He had just learned far too much at once. 

"Yes, little one, you've learned everything you need to know. Now, I will take you to the Outer Sect, which is the third layer." 

Tian Han tilted his head in confusion and asked. 

"But, Sect Master, I haven't even reached the Arcen Awareness Realm yet." 

"Do I look like a fool to you, little one? Your talent is exceptional. Placing you in the fourth layer would be a waste. You have one year. If you fail to reach the Arcen Awareness Realm within that time, I will send you to the fourth layer." 

Tian Han lowered his head slightly and clasped his hands in respect. 

"Yes, Sect Master." 

Ye Feng nodded approvingly. Without warning, he grabbed Tian Han and soared into the sky. In the blink of an eye, they appeared above the third layer. 

Ye Feng gently descended and landed in front of a vacant residence. 

"This will be your home from now on. Stay out of trouble and focus on reaching the Arcen Awareness Realm as soon as possible." 

Tian Han examined the house. It was enormous. 

Even larger than the home he had lived in with his family! 

"Respected Sect Master, this house is too big for me." 

Ye Feng shrugged. 

"This is one of the smaller residences here. Don't overthink it—settle in and start training." 

With a flick of his wrist, Ye Feng produced a small bottle and tossed it to Tian Han. 

"There are twenty cultivation pills inside. Use them to reach the Arcen Awareness Realm." 

Tian Han caught the bottle and bowed in gratitude. 

At that moment, several disciples of the Outer Sect noticed the Sect Master's presence and started gathering around. 

 A young man with an average-looking face and long black hair spoke from within the crowd. 

"This is the Sect Master! And he brought a new disciple with him!" 

Hearing this, more students gathered out of curiosity. Some whispered among themselves, discussing who this boy might be. 

"If the Sect Master personally brought him here, he must be incredibly talented." 

"Hmm… He doesn't really seem all that special to me." 

"Are you questioning the Sect Master's ability to judge talent?" 

"No, that's not what I meant…" 

A small commotion broke out within the crowd, leading to a brief argument. However, it soon settled down, and all eyes returned to Tian Han. 

Ye Feng glanced at the gathered students but didn't pay much attention. Instead, he turned back to Tian Han. 

"Don't disappoint me, boy." 

With those words, Ye Feng rose into the air and quickly disappeared. 

All the students, as well as Tian Han, silently watched as he vanished. 

Shortly after Ye Feng was gone, the students began to slowly approach Tian Han. 

A tall, muscular young man stepped forward and asked. 

"What cultivation stage are you at?" 

Tian Han glanced at him. The young man looked intimidating. With a hesitant voice, he replied. 

"I don't have one yet." 

The tall disciple sneered and shoved Tian Han, causing him to fall. 

Before Tian Han could react, a loud voice interrupted. 

"Picking on a kid? How pathetic." 

A young man shouted with an angry expression. The surrounding students turned their heads upon hearing his voice.

The tall youth hesitated for a moment when he saw this furious young man. He took a small step back but did not give up and spoke. 

"Li Shan, this has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it." 

"So, you're bullying a little kid, and I'm supposed to ignore it? Anyone with a conscience should care. You have two choices—walk away now, or I'll have to teach you a lesson." 

The tall youth's face twisted in frustration. He realized that prolonging this confrontation any further wouldn't be wise. Grumbling under his breath, he turned around and walked away. 

With that, the gathered crowd slowly dispersed, each returning to their own residences. 

Li Shan looked at Tian Han, who was still on the ground, and extended his hand. Tian Han grasped it, and Li Shan pulled him up with a smile. 

"Welcome to the sect, Little Brother. You can call me Big Brother Li. If you ever have any problems, don't hesitate to come to me for help." 

Tian Han felt relieved. He smiled and lowered his head slightly as a sign of gratitude. 

"Thank you, Big Brother Li. My name is Tian Han." 

Li Shan nodded in approval, pleased with Tian Han's attitude. 

"Don't wander around too much or draw unnecessary attention, Little Brother Han. Go inside and start training as soon as possible." 

"Thank you for your advice, Big Brother Li." 

With that, Li Shan turned and walked away. Seeing him leave, Tian Han also headed toward his new home. 

This house was much larger than the one he had lived in before. Back then, he shared his home with his family, but now he would be living alone. The house felt too big for him. 

There was even a garden. Against the fence, there was a sack filled with seeds. For now, he didn't pay much attention to the garden. Instead, he walked straight inside. The interior was beautifully decorated with wooden furniture, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. 

Wooden shelves, tables, chairs… There was an overwhelming number of furnishings. Tian Han realized how truly ignorant he had been, like a frog living at the bottom of a well. 

With this realization came a wave of exhaustion. He had traveled a long way, learned so many new and unfamiliar things, and had already encountered a small conflict. He was truly drained.

He wandered around the house, found his room, and collapsed onto the bed. Lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, he muttered to himself. 

"So this… is the path of an immortal?"