The Earth Immortal realm.
It is roughly divided into two major stages.
The first is the Unification Stage of the eighty-one unions.
The second is the Three-Principle Realm of the three triads.
The so-called eighty-one unions refer to the merging of the Primordial Spirit, Dharma Aspect, physical body, and Fortune into one. Achieving the Unification Stage represents the Great Perfection.
However, saying this is easy, but doing it is difficult.
The path of the Earth Immortal is the most crucial trial for a cultivator's personal cultivation. If the foundation is not solid, the Purple Mansion not sturdy enough, or the Primordial Spirit and Dharma Aspect not pure, most will falter here, unable to reach the Great Perfection of the eighty-one unions in their entire lifetime. If one forces the fusion, not only will all previous efforts be wasted, but even one's life may be forfeited.
Those in the Present-Ancient Era who benefited from the Heaven's Mandate Descends and the great bloom of nature, coincidentally achieving Earth Immortal status, nine out of ten will stop here.
Such is the case for pseudo-Earth Immortals.
Even those Fortuned Prodigies are no exception—in fact, it is even more severe for them.
The more Fortune one possesses, the more difficult the fusion; the more powerful the Fortune, the greater the danger during fusion.
However.
After achieving the Great Perfection of the eighty-one unions, one enters the so-called Three-Principle Realm.
The first principle is the Spirit-Origin.
After the Primordial Spirit, Dharma Aspect, physical body, and Fortune fuse into Great Perfection, one's power undergoes a qualitative leap. Spiritual energy is no longer mere spiritual force but transforms into Spirit-Origin force.
One is 'Qi' (energy), the other is 'Origin' (source).
The gap between them is like a chasm.
It is no exaggeration to say that the power of a Spirit-Origin Earth Immortal is incomparable to that of an ordinary Earth Immortal.
Earth Immortals in the Unification Stage, whether with eighteen, thirty-six, or even forty-five unions, do not differ too greatly from each other. If neither possesses Fortune, their strength is roughly equal, evenly matched. Unless they fight to the death, neither can likely overcome the other.
However.
Spirit-Origin Earth Immortals are different. Because the Spirit-Origin power after unification undergoes a qualitative ascension, even three or four, or perhaps seven or eight, Unification Stage Earth Immortals are likely no match for a single Spirit-Origin Earth Immortal.
Only by stepping into the Spirit-Origin stage does an Earth Immortal become a true baseline, their spiritual energy achieving a genuine cycle of endless renewal, flowing continuously. A single move can topple mountains and overturn seas—truly formidable.
Such is the Spirit-Origin Earth Immortal.
The Chaoyuan Earth Immortal is even more powerful.
First, the heart stores the spirit: the postnatal is the conscious spirit, the prenatal is propriety. When emptiness resides in sorrow, the spirit stabilizes, and the fire-qi of the Red Emperor of the South ascends to the origin.
Second, the liver stores the soul: the postnatal is the wandering soul, the prenatal is benevolence. When emptiness resides in joy, the soul stabilizes, and the wood-qi of the Green Emperor of the East ascends to the origin.
Third, the spleen stores the intent: the postnatal is the deluded intent, the prenatal is trustworthiness. When emptiness resides in desire, the intent stabilizes, and the earth-qi of the Yellow Emperor of the Center ascends to the origin.
Fourth, the lungs store the vigor: the postnatal is the ghostly vigor, the prenatal is righteousness. When emptiness resides in anger, the vigor stabilizes, and the metal-qi of the White Emperor of the West ascends to the origin.
Fifth, the kidneys store the essence: the postnatal is the turbid essence, the prenatal is wisdom. When emptiness resides in pleasure, the essence stabilizes, and the water-qi of the Black Emperor of the North ascends to the origin.
Once cultivation enters the Chaoyuan stage, the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are sublimated; essence, qi, and spirit become full. The self no longer harbors any turbid energy; the physical body undergoes rebirth, achieving a prenatal constitution. Even without mobilizing one's Spirit-Origin, relying solely on the physical body, ordinary Earth Immortals cannot shake it.
Earth Immortals at this stage are truly powerful existences.
As for the existence of the Guiyuan Earth Immortal, hailed as the Human Immortal.
This is the final realm for cultivators seeking the Dao and becoming Immortals, the last threshold. Once stepping into the Guiyuan stage, it signifies the end of the cultivation path; this is also the most powerful phase for a cultivator. A single strand of hair, a single pore, a single acupoint, a single meridian—all are perfectly full and abundant. One foot has already stepped through the gate of the Immortal Dao. Once one successfully undergoes the tribulation, one can achieve the Great Dao and become an Immortal. The Human Immortal is then no longer a Human Immortal, but a true Immortal.
At this very moment.
A fierce battle is raging in the air.
Twelve Great Perfection Earth Immortals from the Jade Void Sect of Tianzhao Country are besieging four young men.
And these four young men are none other than the four most famous figures in the Yanluo Kingdom since the Heaven's Mandate Descends.
Li Juncai from the Taiji Sect.
Qiao Yu from the Nandou Sect.
Zhou Ting from the Crimson-Letter Sect's Juexin Branch.
And Lü Tianze from the Yanluo Immortal Mansion.
Rather than saying it's a siege, it would be more accurate to say Li Juncai and the other three are individually challenging the Jade Void Sect's ten Great Perfection Earth Immortals—and they appear to be doing so with ease.
At this moment.
Li Juncai from the Taiji Sect is single-handedly fighting two of the Jade Void Sect's Great Perfection Earth Immortals.
He is enveloped in white flames, majestic and awe-inspiring, actually beating the two Great Perfection Earth Immortals from the Jade Void Sect into continuous retreat!
This sight truly astonishes the onlookers.
As is well known, this Li Juncai is a direct disciple of the Taiji Sect, and moreover, a disciple of Vice Sect Master Cang Yun. Many have heard that during the Heaven's Mandate Descends, he awakened a White Flame Treasure Body. Relying on the might of this treasure body's white flames, Li Juncai once defeated an Ancient Era Earth Immortal several years ago.
This was just a rumor.
Many had not witnessed it personally and remained skeptical.
Now, witnessing Li Juncai single-handedly challenge two Great Perfection Earth Immortals, the crowd realizes the rumor is neither false nor exaggerated. Not only that, Li Juncai's strength is far greater than everyone imagined, especially his White Flame Treasure Body, which is truly exceptionally powerful. The two Great Perfection Earth Immortals from the Jade Void Sect cannot even get close to him.
At the same time.
Qiao Yu from the Nandou Sect is also single-handedly fighting two Great Perfection Earth Immortals. He appears wolf-like and tiger-like, ferocious and fierce. One of the two Jade Void Sect Great Perfection Earth Immortals is already bleeding from the mouth and nose from his blows.
"This Qiao Yu received a peculiar transformation during the Heaven's Mandate Descends, said to allow him to transform into a tiger-wolf, capable of annihilating Ancient Era Earth Immortals effortlessly. Seeing it today, the reputation is indeed well-deserved. The two Great Perfection Earth Immortals from the Jade Void Sect are being beaten by him without any ability to fight back. Truly formidable!"
"Li Juncai and Qiao Yu are both impressive, but look at Lü Tianze—he's even more formidable, actually fighting three Great Perfection Earth Immortals alone."
In the air, Lü Tianze stands proudly, a great sun radiance Dharma Aspect crowning his head, his body shimmering with a full three hundred and forty layers of great nature colored spirit energy. Every move and gesture contains the thunderous force of great nature. With a single punch unleashed, the three Great Perfection Earth Immortals are sent reeling, blood spurting from their mouths and noses.
For the great nature colored spirit Fortune, eighty-one layers represent extraordinary Fortune, containing the stormy might of great nature.
At one hundred and eighty layers, one can transform into cloud, into wind, coming without a shadow, going without a trace.
If reaching two hundred and seventy layers, it embodies the thunderous might of great nature; every move and gesture carries the force of ten thousand jun.
However.
The most frenzied, intense, most jaw-dropping, most awe-inspiring spectacle undoubtedly belongs to Zhou Ting from the Crimson-Letter Sect's Juexin Branch.
He alone is challenging a full five Great Perfection Earth Immortals from the Jade Void Sect.
No!
This is not a challenge at all.
Because he merely stands with arms crossed, proudly and selflessly in the air. Not to mention making a move, he hasn't even opened his eyes. He just stands there, a wild and disdainful smile playing on his lips, his body radiating a brilliance akin to celestial guardian energy. This brilliance envelops him, and no matter how the five Jade Void Sect Great Perfection Earth Immortals besiege him, they cannot break through that celestial guardian-like radiance.