Eternal Life by Daily Divination

The senior was very patient, telling Li Tai’an everything he knew.

Li Tai’an listened intently.

Through Li Tai’an’s eyes, Li Chang’an also heard the complete description of the World-Crossing Ship.

"The World-Crossing Ship..."

Li Chang’an was no stranger to this vessel.

Back before his Foundation Establishment, he had journeyed to the Ancient Wood Secret Realm in search of the key to the Changqing Cave Mansion. Along the way, he had encountered a bizarre white fog.

A boat of gleaming white bones sailed within the fog, its entire hull constructed from skeletons.

A Cultivator sat cross-legged on the boat, muttering "World-Crossing Ship."

Li Chang’an had spoken with that Cultivator and learned from him that a Heaven and Earth Spirit Root needed to be won over through faith and could not be subdued by force.

At the time, Li Chang’an had thought he’d encountered a special phenomenon recorded in the ancient texts—a conversation with an Ancient Cultivator across time and space.

Thinking about it now, perhaps it wasn’t a conversation across time and space at all.

He had truly seen the legendary World-Crossing Ship!

Back then, if he had boarded that World-Crossing Ship, he might have obtained a heaven-defying opportunity—or he might have met a fatal end.

’Thankfully, no great calamity has befallen the current Cultivation Immortality Realm, so there’s no need for a Tribulation Avoidance Treasure. It’s just that the world is growing more and more chaotic.’

Li Chang’an mused silently.

Meanwhile, the dream was coming to an end.

In the dream, Li Tai’an decided to enter the Hermit Coffin, taking a gamble on the chance to awaken in a future age.

He entered the coffin and slowly lay down.

The senior closed the coffin lid and urged him, "Tai’an, if you truly awaken in a future age, you must not forget to restore the Profound Artifact Sect!"

"I imagine there will be many others like you, who have used various means of avoiding calamity to survive into a future age."

"You can try to contact them and, together, restore the glory of the Nine Great Sects..."

"..."

The voice in Li Tai’an’s ears grew faint as he sank into a deep slumber.

「An unknown amount of time passed.」

He slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of confusion in their depths.

’Who am I? Where am I?’

He slowly sat up and looked around the secret chamber. His mind was a chaotic mess as countless jumbled and hazy memories surfaced.

’I... I seem to be a disciple of the ancient Profound Artifact Sect, named Li Tai’an...’

’No, that’s not right!’

’I am Li Chang’an!’

’This Li Tai’an is just a character from my dream!’

Li Chang’an was suddenly wide awake, the confusion in his eyes gone.

This time, he didn’t need the help of a Divination.

He had woken up on his own in just a few breaths’ time.

The two sets of memories in his mind were clearly distinct, and he knew perfectly well that one of them was just a dream, not his true self.

’Strange. Why did I wake up so quickly this time? Is it because I’ve gotten stronger?’

Li Chang’an was puzzled and mulled it over for a moment.

The biggest change in him since the last time was his own strength.

However, when it came to a profound Treasure like the Hermit Coffin, the difference between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core seemed negligible.

’Perhaps it’s because I’ve gone through this once before.’

’Forget it. There’s no point in overthinking it. I’ll sort through what I’ve gained first.’

Shaking his head slightly, Li Chang’an stopped dwelling on the matter and pushed his doubts to the back of his mind for the time being.

He rose from the coffin, stepped out, and swallowed a few Calm Heart and Peaceful Mind Elixir Pills. Then, he questioned Dahuang, who was guarding the Cave Mansion.

"Dahuang, did any outsiders visit while I was in the coffin?"

"Master, no one visited, and no one was spying on Changqing Mountain."

"Good."

Li Chang’an went to the depths of the Cave Mansion, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to contemplate.

The greatest gain this time was, of course, the clue to the subsequent parts of the Ancient Wood Evergreen Technique.

’Since the Divination gave me a hint, the key should still be in Li Tai’an’s Cave Mansion. I just have to find it.’

As for the location of the Cave Mansion, Li Chang’an already knew where it was.

The Ancient Wood Secret Realm!

Many years ago, he had accompanied Su Yuyan’s disciple, Su Qingxue, to the Secret Realm for her training.

Su Qingxue’s objective had been to obtain Earth Cold Evil Qi from a Cold Evil Well.

That Cold Evil Well was located within the ruins of an Ancient Sect.

’Those Sect ruins are the very same Profound Artifact Sect and Ancient Wood Sect Sub-Sect I saw in my dream!’

However, the towering halls and pavilions from his dream had been reduced to crumbling ruins, buried by time and desolation, their former glory long vanished.

Besides the clue about the Cultivation Technique, Li Chang’an had made another significant gain.

Artifact Refining Skill!

The Li Tai’an in his dream had been a disciple of the Profound Artifact Sect, quite talented in the art of Artifact Refining, and had reached the level of Tier Three Top Grade.

Li Chang’an had acquired this Skill in its entirety. With just a little time to adapt, he could become a Tier Three Top Grade Refiner.

This Artifact Refining Skill would save him a lot of trouble.

In the past, whenever he killed an enemy and took their Magical Treasure, he never dared to use it openly, fearing it would be recognized.

He either had to use it in secret or sell it.

Now, he could melt down and re-forge his enemies’ Magical Treasures, no longer needing to worry about them being recognized.

’This Skill is a perfect match for me.’

Li Chang’an was very satisfied with this.

The Hermit Coffin had granted him a second "overnight enlightenment," making him one of the top Refiners in the entire Southern Domain.

’First, I’ll go to the Secret Realm to get the key, then I’ll come back and practice my Artifact Refining Techniques.’

With this in mind, Li Chang’an immediately transformed into a streak of light, leaving the Changqing Mountain Cave Mansion and heading for the Ancient Wood Secret Realm.

Along the way, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

The senior in the dream had urged Li Tai’an not to forget about restoring the Profound Artifact Sect in the future.

If Li Tai’an had successfully awakened, would he have done as he was told?

The texts of the Southern Domain recorded many instances of people whose personalities changed drastically after an "overnight enlightenment."

Clearly, those people were no longer their original selves; they had been replaced by the awakened Ancient Cultivators.