Gu Qingfeng swept his Divine Sense along the way and discovered that apart from those Chixiao People, the Mountain-River Branch Hall also had a few Earth Immortals.
However, these Earth Immortals were merely nominal, possessing the title of Earth Immortal without the true substance.
The path of cultivation.
After the Nascent Soul comes the Dao Heart, after the Dao Heart comes the Dharma Aspect, and after the Dharma Aspect lies the Earth Immortal realm.
Although Earth Immortals are not true Immortals, once one steps into the Earth Immortal realm, it signifies having one foot already inside the Immortal gate.
The Nascent Soul, Dao Heart, and Dharma Aspect complement each other, allowing one's spiritual power to circulate endlessly, beginning and ending in a cycle, as if perpetually renewed, boundless and inexhaustible, reaching a state of natural perfection.
The Golden Core has eighty-one transformations.
The Infant Soul has eighty-one metamorphoses.
The Nascent Soul has eighty-one metamorphoses.
The Dharma Aspect has eighty-one evolutions.
Simultaneously.
The Earth Immortal also has eighty-one harmonies.
The path of the Earth Immortal is a process of refining the void to unite with the Dao, meaning to fuse the Nascent Soul, Dao Heart, and Dharma Aspect together. This is an extremely long and fraught process, absolutely considered the most difficult and final barrier on the path of cultivation.
Throughout the ages, many cultivators yearning for the Immortal Dao have stumbled and fallen here; calling it the gate of hell on the cultivation path is no exaggeration.
Because the path of refining the void to unite with the Dao for an Earth Immortal is a test of one's foundation, as well as a test of the Nascent Soul, Dao Heart, and Dharma Aspect.
Those with a scattered Nascent Soul, an unstable Dao Heart, or a blurred Dharma Aspect will inevitably collapse upon fusion. With bad luck, one loses all cultivation, barely keeping a life; with worse luck, one's soul scatters and body perishes on the spot.
That the path of cultivation has no shortcuts refers precisely to this.
If you hadn't laid a solid foundation before, attempting fusion now would mean certain death.
If your Nascent Soul was achieved through pill-popping, or your Dharma Aspect was forcibly nurtured on a weak foundation, attempting fusion now would also surely end in utter failure.
Whether through pill-popping or other means, as long as you took some shortcut to step into the Earth Immortal realm, unless you never attempt fusion, you will inevitably pay the corresponding price.
Therefore.
Many cultivators halt at the Earth Immortal realm, not daring to attempt fusion, muddling through their entire lives like this. Moreover, the longer this is delayed, the greater the danger; many people are literally dragged to their deaths this way.
Cultivating to the Earth Immortal realm certainly grants longevity.
But it is only nominal longevity.
Various major and minor tribulations can drive one to despair. Not to mention others, just the life tribulation that descends every ninth year leaves one helpless.
Even so.
Most people, after stepping into the Earth Immortal realm, still dare not attempt fusion. They would rather face various tribulations with a sliver of hope than risk fusion.
Facing various tribulations, there might still be a thread of hope, but facing fusion, none of them have any hope.
This is the case for those who took shortcuts on the cultivation path.
Even for those who didn't take shortcuts, advancing step by step with solid foundations, facing the eighty-one harmonies of the Earth Immortal realm, none dare claim a hundred percent certainty.
Especially for those with considerable Fortune, the dangers they face are no less than those who took shortcuts. Moreover, the greater one's Fortune, the higher the difficulty of fusion and the greater the danger faced. This, like for shortcut-takers, is directly proportional. The difference is, if a person of Fortune succeeds in fusion, their Fortune will only become greater.
Like the Chixiao People's Blood Fiery Aura and Spirit of Dragon and Elephant—these are also forms of acquired Fortune, and rather extreme and perilous acquired Fortune at that.
Compared to ordinary Fortune, once a Chixiao Person steps into the Earth Immortal realm, the difficulties and dangers they face in fusing their Nascent Soul, Dao Heart, and Dharma Aspect are ten times, even a hundred times, more arduous than others.
This is also why many Chixiao People halt at the Earth Immortal realm.
Old Master Feng Xu and the other Chixiao People stationed at the Mountain-River Branch Hall are like this. They have been in the Earth Immortal realm for many years, yet to this day, they have only refined four or five harmonies. Old Master Feng Xu has only refined nine harmonies, making him a Nine-Harmony Earth Immortal.
Do they not dare to fuse?
Are they afraid that fusion failure will lead to utter ruin and annihilation?
No.
The Chixiao People do not fear death.
The reality is, the Blood Fiery Aura in their fleshly bodies was refined through blood, and the Spirit of Dragon and Elephant has fused with their spiritual will. The Nascent Soul, Dao Heart, and Dharma Aspect they nurture are all affected to a certain degree, making fusion extremely difficult. It's like an ordinary person trying to push a mountain—simply immovable. How can they fuse like this?
Even so.
However.
None of the Chixiao People have ever regretted refining the Blood Fiery Aura, nor have they regretted fusing with the Spirit of Dragon and Elephant.
Not only do they not regret it, they are actually grateful and fortunate.
Because they all lived through that terrifying, dark era of antiquity and personally participated in overthrowing it. They understand better than anyone that in that era, merely surviving was already difficult enough. Becoming an Immortal?
None of them ever harbored such extravagant hopes. As many Chixiao People say, being able to live peacefully until now is already the greatest victory in life.
Of course.
Although refining the Blood Fiery Aura and sacrificing to the Spirit of Dragon and Elephant makes fusion difficult, it is only difficult—it doesn't mean success is impossible.
Quite a few Chixiao People, after stepping into the Earth Immortal realm, have also successfully achieved the eighty-one harmonies. In the Yanluo Kingdom alone, there are over a dozen. Great figures like Black Buddha Lord and Black Heart Lord have not only successfully fused but have even broken through the Earth Immortal realm.
Late at night.
Gu Qingfeng wandered alone on Fengxu Mountain, admiring the scenery and listening to the discussions of the disciples on the mountain.
They were discussing the experts of the Mingyu Branch Hall, and the name they mentioned most was Lin Hao of the Mingyu Branch Hall. From their words, it seemed this Heaven's Chosen prodigy born of destiny was quite formidable. At only seventeen or eighteen years of age, he already possessed the cultivation of a Dharma Aspect Grand Venerable. Relying on his destiny-born Fortune, over the years he had beaten many Earth Immortals to the point they couldn't stand up...
As for how remarkable this young man named Lin Hao was, or what destiny-born Fortune he possessed, Gu Qingfeng didn't know and couldn't be bothered to inquire. He had no interest, not even a shred.
After wandering on the mountain for a while and finding it utterly uninteresting, he prepared to return to the guest quarters to rest. On his way back, a sudden commotion erupted on the mountain. Many disciples rushed over in a panic. Puzzled, Gu Qingfeng followed as well. When he arrived at the spot, a large crowd had already gathered. Listening to the discussions, it seemed an elder of the Mountain-River Branch Hall had encountered a deviation during cultivation.
Gu Qingfeng focused his gaze. Inside the area, a middle-aged man sat cross-legged, his face pale and panicked, the aura around him extremely chaotic. The Nascent Soul and Dharma Aspect within his body were twisted and blurred, as if on the verge of collapse at any moment. This was clearly the result of forcibly attempting to elevate his cultivation while his Nascent Soul and Dharma Aspect were unstable.
"What happened!"
Old Master Feng Xu and the others hurried over. One of them said, "Old Hall Master, Elder Wen encountered a deviation during cultivation, we don't know how..." Before he could finish, Old Master Feng Xu angrily rebuked, "Reckless!
Utterly reckless!
His Nascent Soul and Dharma Aspect grew wildly due to the brilliance of the great nature and are fundamentally unstable. I've told him countless times to consolidate his cultivation and not cultivate further!
Why won't this lad listen!"
Old Master Feng Xu was injured and unable to intervene. Just as the other Chixiao People were about to step in to help, a pleasant voice suddenly rang out.
"Several Old Masters, please allow this junior to handle it."
A graceful young woman appeared in response.