As soon as they stepped through the door, a dense mist rose, obscuring all surroundings.
Qin Xi summoned the Dingyue Lantern. Its faint light could only illuminate an area of about ten feet. This lantern had the effect of breaking restrictions; within the ten-foot radius it illuminated, no restrictions existed.
Mo Tiange turned around and found that even the door they had entered through was no longer visible.
With a flick of her sleeve, the Taiji Bagua Diagram flew out, unfurling slowly in the air. Ripples like water spread around it. As the ripples expanded, the surrounding Yin and Yang energies were gradually smoothed and calmed.
"Huh?" Mo Tiange's expression changed slightly. The power of the Taiji Bagua Diagram was blocked by a force after smoothing only about ten feet. This force was gentle yet immensely powerful; no matter how much strength she exerted, she could not budge it.
Qin Xi pointed with his spiritual energy, and several sword lights shot from his sleeve, stabbing forward. The next moment, however, the sword lights halted before him, seemingly blocked by something, unable to advance an inch.
"What is this?" His expression changed as he stared intently ahead. It wasn't Immortal Qi; upon entering this door, the Immortal Qi had vanished without a trace. He could only determine that it was likely a restriction. As for what kind of restriction, even his Dingyue Lantern couldn't detect it. It probably far exceeded their realm and had long been lost to time. If even Immortal Qi appeared here, what was impossible?
With both their magical treasures thwarted and no immediate solution, Mo Tiange said, "Fellow Daoist Fengqing, do you have any means?"
Fairy Fengqing bit her lip and reluctantly took out a foot-long green jade ruler. "This item might be worth a try."
The two saw that this jade ruler had an inward-gathered radiance, its brilliance contained and not revealed—clearly a rare treasure. Mo Tiange thought to herself that a long-established Nascent Soul cultivator indeed possessed many treasures; this item was no worse than her own Taiji Qiankun Diagram.
Fairy Fengqing extended her hand. The green jade ruler floated in mid-air, wisps of azure light escaping from it and gathering into a mass above. The azure light seemed to contain a violent, ferocious aura, wanting to rampage but suppressed by the gentle azure glow.
"Go!" Fairy Fengqing shouted. The azure light burst open, and that violent aura soared skyward.
With several hissing sounds, the aura halted above, unable to advance further.
Fairy Fengqing's expression changed several times. She formed a hand seal, and the azure light surged up, wrapping around the aura before leaping back into the jade ruler.
"My apologies, I am powerless as well."
This was an expected result, so they weren't particularly disappointed.
"This..." Qin Xi was about to say something when suddenly the surrounding mist dispersed, and the scenery changed dramatically.
Immortal music rang in the air. Beautiful, holy Immortal maidens flew in the sky, scattering layers of petals.
Mo Tiange reached out her hand. A petal landed in her palm, vibrant in color and fragrant in scent.
"Real?" She crushed the petal into powder, murmuring.
Amidst the immortal music, auspicious clouds appeared beneath their feet. Clear, melodious voices of Immortal maidens echoed from the air: "We respectfully invite the Immortal Superiors to ascend to heaven and receive their titles."
"We respectfully invite the Immortal Superiors to ascend to heaven and receive their titles." The words repeated continuously. Mo Tiange felt her consciousness grow hazy, floatingly stepping onto the clouds, riding them up to the ninth heaven.
Immortal jade formed the walls, divine wood the beams, gold and stone the steps—resplendent like a dwelling of gods and Immortals. Divine Monarchs with billowing sleeves and Immortal maidens with flowing ribbons all came forward to greet them, saying, "We respectfully invite the Immortal Superiors to enter the hall and receive their titles."
Surrounded by the crowd of Immortals, they entered a magnificent, golden hall. Seated in the main position was a middle-aged Divine Monarch, untainted by worldly dust, with dignified and imposing features.
The Immortals bowed in greeting: "We minor Immortals pay our respects to the Main Deity."
The middle-aged Divine Monarch raised his hand in a gesture of support: "All Immortals need not stand on ceremony."
After the Immortals rose, someone pushed them forward: "Several Immortal Superiors, quickly pay your respects to the Main Deity."
The four were pushed to the center and, in a daze, bowed: "We minor Immortals pay our respects to the Main Deity."
"You need not stand on ceremony. Rise!" After the four of them stood, the Main Deity said with a smile, "Now that the Heavenly Dao is severed, the four of you can still ascend and become Immortals. This truly requires talent, temperament, comprehension, and opportunity—none can be lacking. Since you have ascended to the Immortal Realm, I specially bestow upon you the title of Zhenjun Tiandao."
The four bowed again, speaking respectfully: "We thank the Main Deity for bestowing the title."
The Main Deity nodded with a smile: "Since you are Zhenjun Tiandao, you shall have your own fiefs and cave dwellings. From now on, you may come and go between heaven and earth as you please."
The crowd of Immortals surged forward to offer congratulations. Then the Main Deity hosted a feast, and the entire Immortal Realm was bustling with excitement.
The four lived in a daze, beginning to enjoy carefree, happy days in the Immortal Realm. They possessed eternal life, ageless and undying. With a snap of their fingers, they could annihilate a nation; casually tossing out a fruit could transform seas into mulberry fields. No one opposed them; mortals made offerings, and all Immortals revered them.
Suddenly, a point of icy cold touched her neck, and the scenery before her eyes twisted slightly. Mo Tiange stared blankly at the mortal world beneath her feet and suddenly said, "Senior Brother, where are we?"
Qin Xi was startled, then suddenly felt as if his internal organs were burning. A flame of blazing fire erupted from within his body, enveloping his entire form.
"Senior Brother..." Mo Tiange, however, seemed not to see the flames, only looking at him in surprise as his entire body turned crimson, with what seemed like a flame burning in each of his eyes.
"Ah!" He couldn't endure it and cried out, as if his spiritual energy was exploding from his body, suffering unbearable pain.
"Senior Brother!" she called out but couldn't get close to him.
The flames in his eyes grew fiercer, and the surrounding scenery continuously twisted until, with a sharp crack, it shattered into fragments.
The Immortal Realm, all the Immortals, the Immortal hall—all vanished, revealing an empty stone chamber devoid of anything.
Mo Tiange was shaken, her heart still racing. This was the most beautiful illusion she had ever experienced, yet also the most terrifying. Because it was too beautiful, it made one unable to extricate themselves, wishing to remain within forever, never leaving for a moment.
The flames on Qin Xi's body instantly disappeared, and his consciousness cleared. He quickly looked around and let out a sigh of relief. "False..."
Mo Tiange gradually regained her senses and smiled at him. "Did you wish it were real?"
But Qin Xi's face held no smile. He said, "I wish it were real, yet also wish it were false."
Mo Tiange was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
He lowered his head, a rare look of confusion appearing in his eyes. "Attaining the Dao and becoming an Immortal seems wonderful, yet if it were truly like that illusion, I feel an emptiness in my heart, as if something important has been forgotten."
Mo Tiange paused, then nodded gently, speaking slowly. "I originally thought achieving Immortality was the ultimate goal. But after experiencing this illusion, I realize that although I want to become an Immortal, I don't want to leave this world and abandon everything." For example, her master, Zhenji, Nie Wushang, Luo Fengxue, the Xuanqing Sect... all those people she considered important, she didn't want to give up.
"Could it be," Qin Xi said dazedly, "that achieving Immortality is not our goal?"
"No," Mo Tiange suddenly said with determination in her gaze. "It should be said that achieving Immortality like that is not our goal. We want to tread the Great Dao, we want to ascend and seek Immortality, but not by abandoning everything to become Immortals. If achieving Immortality requires abandoning everything, if eternal life means forgetting all, what meaning does such Immortality hold for us?"
"I strive in cultivation, advancing even through thorns, not to lose, but to protect. I want to protect myself, protect those I love, protect the people and things I care about." She recalled the heart-question she experienced during her Nascent Soul Formation, the figures of Mo Yaoqing and Fu Yaozi appearing before her eyes.
What is the Immortal Dao? To seek power, to not be controlled by others!
What is the Immortal Dao? To seek eternal life, to explore the true meaning of the world!
Her beginning, like Mo Yaoqing's, was to make herself stronger, to not be controlled by others, to protect herself and those she cared about. As she gradually grew and gained sufficient power, like Fu Yaozi, she gained another purpose. Cultivation was something that brought her joy; eternal life was a goal she wanted to achieve. Why was this world like this? How could one achieve eternal life? She wanted to know the answers to these things, so she pressed forward resolutely, cutting through all obstacles.
Her path to Immortality was not about discarding her master, Zhenji, her friends, her sect under such circumstances... If all this could be discarded, what was her original purpose? Cultivation was not about losing, but about protecting.
Qin Xi did not answer immediately. He needed his own answer to this question.
What was cultivation for? Why did he feel regret about achieving Immortality like this?
He still remembered when his master took him from the royal manor, asking only one question: "Are you willing to follow me to cultivate immortality?"
At that time, he didn't fully understand what cultivation meant, but he was captivated by his master's demeanor and naturally replied, "I am willing."
And so he embarked on the Immortal path.
He had never asked himself why. This path felt natural to him; he didn't need to ask why. Precisely because of this mindset, before his Nascent Soul Formation, he had never encountered a bottleneck. Even his master praised him as naturally suited for cultivation, saying his Dao Heart was firm. Although he later stumbled over Tian Ge, it had nothing to do with his Dao Heart. Even his three failed attempts at Nascent Soul Formation were not failures of the Dao Heart. It was only the recent illusion that made him suddenly realize his Dao Heart was not impregnable.
If his Dao Heart was firm, why would he feel a sense of loss after achieving Immortality? Wasn't achieving Immortality his goal?
She said achieving Immortality was not about losing, but about protecting. What about him?
He... he didn't want to lose his master, lose his sect, even with her by his side. These were things he wanted to protect, not things he could casually lose.
He would one day step onto the Great Dao, but before that, he needed to know that the things he wanted to protect were safe and sound.
This was his heart.
"I understand," Qin Xi revealed a smile. "I want to achieve Immortality, but not Immortality like this."
The two smiled at each other. Even as Dao companions, they needed to share the same heart to continue advancing.
"What exactly is this illusion?" Mo Tiange wondered the next moment. "Other illusions have flaws, but within this illusion, there were none at all."
Qin Xi shook his head. "After all, it's something of the Immortals. How could we see through it?"
He turned his gaze. Xiaofeng and Fairy Fengqing sat cross-legged, smiles on their faces, showing no signs of breaking free from the illusion.
"They..." Mo Tiange's gaze was worried. "They won't be unable to come out, will they?"
"Let me try to see if I can wake them." Qin Xi stood up, took out a spirit talisman from his robe, and slapped it onto Xiaofeng.
The talisman lit up, but Xiaofeng showed no reaction at all, still wearing a blissful smile, immersed in the illusion.