Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World

Chapter 770 764: Vice Hall Master, Flesh and Blood Origin Realm Technique_1

Three days later, the Starstream Divine Vessel halted, arriving at the end of the Star River.

In the distance, gray mist surged, exuding a powerful and enigmatic corrupting force.

"Fellow Daoists, please emerge from your seclusion."

"Take the Teleportation Array back to the Donghua Immortal Domain."

The Star Origin River did not traverse the entirety of the Donghua Immortal Domain and the Black Death Demon Realm; a portion of the region remained uncovered.

Just as when they had first arrived, everyone moved to the Teleportation Array at the center of the deck and took out their Tokens.

The Formation's light flashed, and one by one, they vanished from the Starstream Divine Vessel.

Once again standing on solid ground, they inhaled the fresh scent of grass and trees and felt the Immortal Spiritual Qi suffusing the air, an involuntary smile touching their lips.

"Finally, we're back in the Donghua Immortal Domain!"

The Star Origin River was far too dangerous; if the Starstream Divine Vessel had encountered any problems, they all would have been lost within it.

Everyone offered a cupped fist salute before dispersing.

Jia Ren sensed something and looked toward a distant stone house.

Yan Yuanwu emerged from the stone house, a warm smile on his face. "Vice Hall Master, you must be weary from your long journey. Please, return to the Sect with me."

Jia Ren nodded, not refusing.

Yan Yuanwu's appearance was the most potent confirmation of Jia Ren's identity; no one would doubt him now.

This gesture is heartwarming.

Otherwise, if a Daluo Golden Immortal-level Xianzun were to appear personally, it might attract all sorts of unwanted trouble.

Xuan Ling Immortal Monarch cupped his fist in salute to Yan Yuanwu and Jia Ren, saying, "I have urgent matters to report to the Sect, but I will definitely visit Ming Luo Hall next time."

He had infiltrated the Black Death Demon Realm for a long time and gathered a great deal of intelligence. The information regarding Yang Chengcang and the Abyssal Demon Realm was critically important and needed to be relayed promptly.

"Then I will not see you off far," Jia Ren replied, offering a cupped fist salute as he watched Xuan Ling Immortal Monarch depart into the distance.

With Xuan Ling Immortal Monarch's doubts about Jia Ren's identity dispelled, the two had gotten along quite well, and Jia Ren had listened with interest to Xuan Ling Immortal Monarch's tales of the Immortal Realm's many wonders.

"Let's go!"

Yan Yuanwu took the lead, employing the Driving Light Escape, with Jia Ren following closely as they sped towards Ming Luo Hall.

After flying for tens of millions of miles, Yan Yuanwu finally spoke. "I never imagined you would break through the Third Layer Pass so quickly. You are truly a rare talent for By Strength, Prove the Dao."

"If the Ancestor were here, he would be delighted to take you as his disciple."

He had always held high hopes for Jia Ren; his breakthrough of the Third Layer Pass proved his judgment correct.

"By joining Ming Luo Hall, you'll have a public identity in the Donghua Immortal Domain. Even a Daluo Golden Immortal would have to consider their own status before making a move against you."

"Although the Ancestor is not present, the Immortal Path Sects still owe us some courtesy."

The Ming Luo Ancestor was merely missing, not deceased; his lingering influence remained. A figure who had broken through the Fourth Mystical Barrier was exceedingly rare, possessing immense combat strength and an exceptionally unique status.

Seeing Yan Yuanwu, Jia Ren thought of the Master of the Bizarre Hall in the Black Death Demon Realm, whom he had called junior brother.

"Where is Kun Mingyuan?"

This was a probe, to confirm if Yan Yuanwu knew of this matter.

A flicker of complexity crossed Yan Yuanwu's eyes as he murmured, "That name is taboo in Ming Luo Hall. Since you've mentioned it, you must have encountered him in the Black Death Demon Realm."

"He is a traitor to Ming Luo Hall! He has fallen to the Bizarre Path and is no longer one of us!"

His words were sincere, and Jia Ren's Linghuan True Heart sensed no ulterior motive.

Jia Ren then ventured, "Could the Ming Luo Ancestor have fallen to the Bizarre Path?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Yan Yuanwu's voice was adamant, without a hint of hesitation. "The Ancestor dedicated his life to By Strength, Prove the Dao, seeking ways to unlock the Dao Treasury. He always looked down on the Bizarre Path; how could he stray onto such a deviant way!"

His certainty stemmed from another reason as well. The Donghua Immortal Domain had clashed with the Bizarre Path numerous times and was intimately familiar with its top experts; Lord Mingluo was not among them. If Lord Mingluo had indeed fallen to the Bizarre Path, the Immortals who abhorred it would have long since destroyed Ming Luo Hall. How could his Dao lineage have endured to this day?

This was merely Jia Ren's speculation. Seeing Yan Yuanwu's intense reaction, he said no more.

"Vice Hall Master, return to Ming Luo Hall with me," Yan Yuanwu urged gently. "The Profound Path Secret Techniques you obtained from Martial Nephew Wu do not involve the orthodox teachings of Ming Luo Hall."

"Within the Sect are insights and notes left by the Ancestor, which will be of great benefit to those who cultivate By Strength, Prove the Dao."

He had never given up on bringing Jia Ren into Ming Luo Hall. Declaring him the new Vice Hall Master was merely a title for now; if Jia Ren didn't acknowledge it, he wouldn't be a true member. He had previously recognized Jia Ren's astonishing talent as worth recruiting. Now that this potential was realized, Jia Ren's combat strength far surpassed his own. One more step, and Jia Ren would be among the absolute strongest. Such an opportunity, right before him, could not be missed.

The cultivation realizations and notes of Lord Mingluo?

Jia Ren was undeniably tempted.

Many had attempted the Third Layer Pass, leaving behind a wealth of experience and insights. But... as for breaking through the Fourth Mystical Barrier, so far only Lord Mingluo was known to have succeeded.

"Is there a secret technique for developing flesh and blood miniature worlds?"

If Ming Luo Hall possessed such Profound Path Secret Techniques to aid in forging these flesh and blood miniature worlds, wouldn't that save him tens of thousands of years of detours?

Yan Yuanwu seemed to sense Jia Ren's interest and said with a smile, "Naturally!"

"The Ancestor's knowledge was vast, and he created numerous Profound Path Secret Techniques. Of course, there is a corresponding technique, one that is immensely helpful for breaking through The Fifth Profound Barrier."

"If you join Ming Luo Hall, Vice Hall Master, and wish for your position to become official, all the Sect's secret repositories will be open to you."

While Cultivation Techniques were important, cultivation talent was even more so. By Strength, Prove the Dao demanded a level of talent so high it was outrageous. Throughout history, only Lord Mingluo had broken through the Fourth Mystical Barrier. Those who reached the Third Layer Pass were few and far between. No matter how good a Cultivation Technique, if no one could cultivate it... Without reaching the corresponding level, the Five Luo Daozang and its associated Profound Path Secret Techniques were worthless. Ming Luo Hall was sparing no expense to recruit him.

Jia Ren opened his mouth, but it felt dry, and for a long moment, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

The conditions offered by Ming Luo Hall were too generous.

"Before my Ascension," Jia Ren began, "I belonged to a Sect where I have many acquaintances..."

He had been deeply influenced by the Lingbao Sect. When people from the Lower Realm ascended, he would most likely revive the Lingbao Sect.

The Lower Realm? Yan Yuanwu mused. Jia Ren's unwavering attachment to his sect in the Lower Realm is the best testament to his character.

After a moment's hesitation, Yan Yuanwu lowered his terms further. "Ming Luo Hall does not mind if you are affiliated with two Sects, as long as you are willing to acknowledge your identity as a member of Ming Luo Hall."

With matters having reached this point, Jia Ren had no reason to refuse. He nodded. "Then I shall be under Hall Master Yan's care in the future."

Yan Yuanwu burst into hearty laughter, feeling his efforts had not been in vain; he had finally brought Jia Ren into Ming Luo Hall.

The Ancestor would surely feel gratified upon his return to the Sect. The path of the Profound Immortal was weakening. The path of By Strength, Prove the Dao was inconsistent, its practitioners of mixed quality and unreliable for crucial tasks. Ming Luo Hall had declined to its current state, possessing only one Immortal Monarch-level combatant. Adding another expert of the same rank was essential to stabilize the Sect's position. This way, the Sect's lineage wouldn't be extinguished should he, Yan Yuanwu, fall in battle against the Bizarre Path.

「Half a month later」

The two returned to Ming Luo Hall, travel-worn. The Immortals of Ming Luo Hall, having received news in advance, regarded them with complex expressions.

Many remembered how this person had once infiltrated Ming Luo Hall and even fought against Hall Master Yan. Unexpectedly, after little more than a thousand years, he returned as the Deputy Master of Mingluo Hall.

Life's twists and turns were truly mysterious.

Yan Yuanwu swept his gaze around and declared in an undeniable tone, "Jia Ren is now the Deputy Master of Mingluo Hall, in charge of the By Strength, Prove the Dao lineage."

The path of By Strength, Prove the Dao was of little concern to most of them, so they felt no particular resistance. Indeed, for the Sect to gain an Immortal Monarch-level powerhouse was a good thing. They all saluted Jia Ren. "Greetings, Deputy Master!"

Their voices boomed like cracking thunder.

Jia Ren's gaze passed over the crowd. Some faces showed excitement, others complex emotions, and some... their expressions remained unchanged.

"You are all too kind. We will have many opportunities to interact in the future."

This initial meeting was mainly to familiarize Jia Ren with the Sect's disciples; it wouldn't do if they didn't even recognize their own Deputy Master.

Yan Yuanwu gave Jia Ren a tour of the Sect, finally bringing him to the Ming Luo Main Hall. The primary inheritance of Ming Luo Hall was still the path of By Strength, Prove the Dao. Unfortunately, this path was arduous, with only three individuals having broken through the first Mysterious Barrier. Those who hadn't broken through the first Mysterious Barrier hadn't even crossed the threshold and couldn't be considered formal disciples of the By Strength, Prove the Dao path. The path of the Profound Immortal, originally a subsidiary branch, had paradoxically become more prominent.

"Deputy Master, you've broken through the Third Layer Pass. Do you have any key insights or guidance to offer?"

The three practitioners of By Strength, Prove the Dao were still at the first Mysterious Barrier. Had they not been utterly devoted to this path, they would never have crossed even that initial threshold. Their welcome for Jia Ren was no less enthusiastic than Yan Yuanwu's.

Jia Ren led the three into the main hall and conducted a simple test to gauge their cultivation progress. Drawing upon his own experience, he offered targeted advice, from which the three benefited immensely.

An old man with a wrinkled face and age spots appeared beside Yan Yuanwu. The two silently watched Jia Ren instruct the three disciples, a nostalgic look in their eyes.

Only when Jia Ren finished his instruction did the old man speak. "Deputy Master, have you fought Kun Mingyuan before?"

"He went easy on you!"

"As the Hall Master's chief disciple, Kun Mingyuan broke through the Third Layer Pass and opened over three thousand fleshly miniature worlds."

"On the path of By Strength, Prove the Dao, he has gone further than you."

He went easy on me?

Jia Ren had harbored similar suspicions when Kun Mingyuan vanished mid-battle.

The old man said no more on that, smiling instead. "Since the Ancestor disappeared, the Five Luo Daozang have been shelved, a bright pearl gathering dust for far too long."

"Deputy Master, these are the Cultivation Techniques and insights passed down by the Ancestor. I hope that one day, in your hands, they will flourish once more."

The old man handed over a Jade Slip, looking deeply at Jia Ren, his dim eyes filled with keen expectation.

To break through the Third Layer Pass in such a short time... his talent is comparable to, if not greater than, Lord Mingluo's! Breaking through the Fourth Mystical Barrier should be no problem. Perhaps there's even hope for him to break through The Fifth Profound Barrier, reaching a realm none have ever achieved!

After presenting the Jade Slip, the old man departed gracefully, not disturbing Jia Ren's comprehension of the Cultivation Technique.

The Jade Slip still recorded the Five Luo Daozang, but this version was more detailed than the one Jia Ren had previously obtained. It also included the secret techniques corresponding to each Realm.

Jia Ren's gaze skimmed over the secret techniques, quickly finding the one related to the Fourth Mystical Barrier.

"The Flesh and Blood Origin Realm Technique."