Chapter 142 ·True Immortal Second Layer

Within ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Grotto Heaven, Heavenly Palace, Longevity Hall.

To ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍cultivators, time was both the cheapest thing and the most precious thing.

Cheap ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍because with a single closing and opening of one’s eyes, a hundred years could pass like flowing water.

Precious ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍because whether that passing time could be exchanged for advancement in cultivation was another matter entirely.

Gu ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yan opened his eyes and gently exhaled a breath of clear qi.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍aura resembled a dragon, circling the hall three times before slowly dissipating.

Ever since he had watched that great war in the Spirit Realm that lasted for many years and arranged for that brat Ye Chen to enter the grotto-heaven for cultivation, six years had passed in the blink of an eye.

Six years ago, at the age of eight hundred and thirty, he had broken through to True Immortal First Layer.

And afterward, he spent six years breaking into True Immortal Second Layer.

For a True Immortal, what did six years amount to?

Gu Yan raised a hand, and the Haotian Mirror appeared within his palm.

With a slight movement of his thoughts, some information regarding the Immortal Realm appeared upon the mirror’s surface.

Over these years, he had intermittently used the Haotian Mirror to deduce the cultivation progress of cultivators within the Immortal Realm.

And from this, he learned that for immortals in the early stages of the True Immortal Realm, breaking through a single layer was measured in units of thousands of years.

Being able to break through one layer within nine thousand years was already considered extraordinary talent and superior aptitude.

Nine thousand years.

Gu Yan looked at his own six years and fell silent for a moment.

However, he did not become arrogant because of it.

He knew very well that his cultivation speed was purely because he was cheating.

The entry 《Foundation of the Great Dao · Red》 continuously enhanced his comprehension day and night.

Combined with the rich Spiritual Energy of the Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Grotto Heaven, along with the various cultivation-assisting formations, pills, and resources within the Heavenly Palace...

With so many buffs stacked together, breaking through one layer in six years was truly nothing remarkable. Gu Yan even felt it was somewhat slow.

After sighing for a moment, Gu Yan turned the Haotian Mirror, causing the scene within it to shift as it began reflecting the entirety of the Little Luo Grotto-Heaven.

Within the grotto-heaven, everything was orderly and harmonious.

Over the years, more and more members of the Great Love Alliance had gradually entered.

Below the Heavenly Palace, spiritual light flickered throughout the immortal mountains and blessed lands, while streams of escaping light traveled back and forth.

Some cultivated breathing techniques atop mountain peaks. Some practiced swordsmanship beneath waterfalls. Some refined pills within cave dwellings. Others worked within medicinal gardens.

The place was full of vitality.

With a swipe of his fingertip, the image within the mirror shifted once more.

This time, it reflected a lush green mountain peak.

At the summit stood a small courtyard. Within the courtyard grew an old locust tree, and beneath it sat a person.

It was Ye Chen.

Back then, Nether Soul had sent word saying that Ye Chen wished to find a stable place to enter secluded cultivation, so Gu Yan directly transferred him into the grotto-heaven.

And after entering, Ye Chen discovered something.

The Taiyi Dao Sect was actually inside this grotto-heaven world as well.

At that moment, he had been completely stunned.

Standing before the mountain gates of the Taiyi Dao Sect and looking at the familiar fellow disciples coming and going, countless emotions surged through him all at once.

Later, after finding his old friend Xu Gang, he finally learned the truth.

It was Daoist Longevity.

It was Gu Yan.

He had used great divine abilities to forcibly relocate the entire Taiyi Dao Sect from Mortal Realm South Abyss No. 73 into this Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Grotto Heaven.

Xu Gang had also told him that if he wished to return to the mortal realm, there were still ways to do so.

Within the grotto-heaven existed teleportation formations connected to several Great Love Alliance strongholds in Mortal Realm South Abyss No. 73. If he wanted to return for a look, he could do so anytime.

But Ye Chen did not leave.

He stayed behind.

Over these six years, Ye Chen’s life had been extremely simple.

Cultivate. Wander around. Cultivate. Wander around.

This ordinary life held no danger and no pursuit.

Although there were no heaven-shaking opportunities or miraculous encounters that allowed one to ascend in a single step...

Ye Chen liked this kind of life.

At night while cultivating, he no longer needed to keep one eye open in fear that demons might sneak in.

During the day while walking, he no longer had to constantly prepare to flee or fight for his life.

This was what a human life should be.

Sometimes Ye Chen would think that if time rewound back to those days, and Daoist Longevity appeared before him once more to ask:

“There are worlds beyond this world. Do you want to go see them?”

He would definitely shake his head.

He would refuse without the slightest hesitation.

No more.

The excitement had truly been exciting.

But the exhaustion had also been genuinely exhausting.

During those years in the Spirit Realm, he had seen far too much.

He had seen mighty experts competing against one another while mortals were treated as ants.

He had seen righteous path cultivators turn against each other over a single treasure.

He had seen loose cultivators drinking and laughing together one moment, only to draw blades against each other over a sliver of opportunity the next.

During those years, he had lived like a tightly stretched bowstring that could snap at any moment.

Now, the string had finally loosened.

At this moment, Ye Chen leaned beneath the old locust tree, squinting at the sky above.

The sun within the grotto-heaven world was neither glaring nor scorching. Instead, it carried a warm and gentle heat that felt perfectly comfortable upon the body.

After yawning, he actually closed his eyes and peacefully fell asleep like an ordinary mortal.

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