The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 723 723 Nine Dao Realms_1

Above the Divine Bridge.

The Sixth Dao Realm is known as the Formless Realm, where one can live up to nine thousand years.

Refining the spirit and harmonizing its form, one is called an Utmost Human. When the spirit achieves clairvoyant consciousness, its physical form becomes indefinite. It adapts and transforms according to circumstances, manifesting various appearances in response to the world, hence the name Formless!

The simplest understanding is that Formless Realm cultivators are the highest, utmost, and perfect Utmost Humans, the last great realm beneath the Immortals.

They are not bound by the existence of form, nor by the forms of flowers, birds, fish, or insects. They are not constrained by the outward appearance of male or female, old or young, but manifest different images according to the environment and their will.

Simultaneously, such a being is "nowhere" and yet "everywhere." They exist in non-existence, possessing immense Skills and Mana!

Therefore, if one praises their name, they will know; even Space-Time cannot hinder them.

The Soaring Serpent, Four-eyed Giant, and other powerful creatures that descended in the Red Flame Zone have reached this realm.

If they so wish, they can change their forms at any time, transforming into humans or other creatures of the myriad tribes, yet they choose not to do so.

Moreover, even without relying on a forbidden land, they can descend into other Withering Realms based on their own strength.

If Shen Mo were still in the Primordial Realm and directly called their true names, no matter how far apart, these beings would be able to sense it. This is similar to how Lin Zhaozai of the Evil Path, after swearing a Dao oath, could faintly perceive that Shen Mo was about to erect the Divine Bridge. Whether they would care about this or not would depend on their mood!

Above the Formless Realm.

The Seventh Dao Realm is known as the True Immortal Realm, with an unknown Lifespan.

Within the True Immortal Realm, there are divisions into Ghost Immortal, Human Immortal, Earth Immortal, Divine Immortal, and Heavenly Immortal. These five categories are all True Immortals, but there are differences in their ranks!

Having reached the Formless Realm Peak, to become a True Immortal, one needs to overcome an Immortal Tribulation.

Depending on the accumulation of one's foundation before becoming an Immortal and the specific situation during the tribulation, one can become a True Immortal of different levels, possibly becoming a Ghost Immortal or directly becoming a Heavenly Immortal!

Ghost Immortal, the lowest of the five Immortals.

They achieve Transcendence through Yin. Their divine image is unclear, they are unrecognized in the ghostly registers, and unrenowned among the Three Mountains. Though they do not enter the cycle of reincarnation, they find it hard to return to the Fairyland. Ultimately, they have no true place to belong, their path ending only in reincarnation.

As for cultivators who do not comprehend the Great Path and desire quick success, they become like dead wood. Their hearts are like cold ashes, their spiritual sense is guarded internally, and their focus is unwavering. In this state of concentration, an Yin spirit emerges. This is an ethereal ghost, not an Immortal of pure Yang. Because their unwavering focus manifests as an Yin spirit that does not disperse, they are called Ghost Immortals. Though termed Immortals, they are, in reality, ghosts!

Human Immortal, the second lowest of the five Immortals.

Cultivators who do not comprehend the Great Path, but find a specific method within the Dao and a particular technique within that method, can achieve this. They maintain their faith and strive diligently throughout their lives without wavering. Through mistaken confluences and combinations of the Qi of five elements, their physical forms are solidified, and the plagues of the eight evils cannot harm them. However, they cannot fully grasp the Great Path. Their achievement is limited to the peace and longevity brought by a single method and technique from the Dao. Thus, they are called Human Immortals!

Earth Immortal, halfway between Heaven and Earth, possessing the talent of a Divine Immortal.

These are cultivators who, failing to comprehend the Great Path, halt at the methods of the Senior stage; their accomplishments are not outwardly visible. They only seek to live long in the world, avoiding death among mortals. By repeatedly refining the three Cinnabar Fields, they create an Elixir, which they permanently consolidate in the Lower Cinnabar Field. By refining their form to remain in the world, they achieve longevity, becoming terrestrial immortals. Hence, they are called Earth Immortals!

Divine Immortal is achieved by Earth Immortals who grow weary of the mortal world and continue their diligent cultivation.

When an Earth Immortal's cultivation reaches a point where they "forget their form," their mortal coil naturally dissolves. Their Yin is exhausted, and their Yang becomes pure. They achieve an out-of-body existence, transcend the mundane to enter the sacred, and forsake worldly dust to return to the Three Mountains. Hence, they are called Divine Immortals!

Heavenly Immortal, who succeeds in the Three Vehicles and whose accomplishments transcend even these.

They are not constrained by laws nor mired in the Dao. They make great contributions to Heaven and Earth and perform great deeds recognized throughout history.

Among Divine Immortals, those who tire of residing on the three islands and choose to spread the Dao in the human world are on this path. They accrue merit in the Dao and perform great deeds among mortals. They participate with the forces of creation and can endure for millennia without decay. Once their merits and deeds are complete, they receive a heavenly book and return to a Fairyland. These are called Heavenly Immortals, the highest of the high among Immortal cultivators!

Daoxuan Immortal Master spoke of things Mysterious and Yet More Mysterious, but Shen Mo gained great insights.

Cultivation below the True Immortal Realm did not differ greatly from the previous five Dao Realms, only requiring the constant elevation of one's cultivation level and enhancement of one's Mana!

However, the cultivation after successfully crossing the Immortal Tribulation and achieving True Immortality left Shen Mo thoughtfully savoring its profound essence for a long time.

As it turns out, once one cultivates beyond the Myriad Phenomenon Realm and enters the Seventh Dao Realm, one truly becomes an Immortal.

As for what level of True Immortal one attains, it depends on the accumulated foundation from the previous six Dao Realms and the circumstances during their Immortal Tribulation!

Those with profound accumulation, who grasp the Great Path, and successfully pass the tribulation naturally become top-grade Heavenly Immortals. Those with shallow accumulation, who grasp the Small Path, and face difficulties during the tribulation, even if they cross the Immortal Tribulation without turning into ashes, can only achieve the lowest level, like a Ghost Immortal!

The differences between a Human Immortal and a Heavenly Immortal—whether in Mana, Skills, divine attributes, Lifespan limits, and so on—are beyond rational calculation.

Therefore, the Lifespans of those who achieve True Immortality vary greatly and cannot be generalized.

But then again, even the lowest-level Ghost Immortal is still a "True Immortal." In a sense, they are no longer in the same category as ordinary mortals.

The distinction between them and cultivators who have not yet become Immortals is vaster than the difference between mortal cultivators and Demons. Consequently, their Lifespan is no longer bound by the limitations of the Human Race but depends solely on the level of True Immortal they have attained!

A True Immortal's Lifespan varies, but even the fifth-tier Ghost Immortal has a Lifespan of one hundred thousand years, more than ten times that of a cultivator in the Formless Realm.

During this period, as long as they do not perish from the Three Disasters and Six Tribulations, they can naturally enjoy great longevity.

As for the top-grade Heavenly Immortals, their lives are incredibly long; living for a million years is merely a common occurrence!

In addition, even if one becomes a Ghost Immortal, one can still gradually improve their cultivation level through hard cultivation, progressing all the way towards Heavenly Immortal.

However, the hardships, perils, and tribulations encountered on this path are tens, even hundreds, of times greater than all previous trials combined, making advancement exceedingly difficult!

Upon reaching the levels of Earth Immortal and Divine Immortal, unless they have made great contributions to Heaven and Earth, there is no chance of attaining the status of Heavenly Immortal.

Considering this, it is somewhat similar to the situation where Shen Mo erected the Divine Bridge in the Primordial Realm!

It also involves presenting one's understanding of the Dao to the will of heaven and earth, which represents "all beings and everything," essentially bargaining with "The Heavens" to achieve different True Immortal Dao Fruits.

Of course, "The Heavens" of the Primordial Realm cannot be compared to "The Heavens" of the Immortal Realm.

"I, Shen Mou, thank fellow daoist Daoxuan for your guidance," Shen Mo said.

"However, it seems that fellow daoist has not said everything."

"The Formless Realm is the Sixth Dao Realm, and the True Immortal Realm is the Seventh Dao Realm. There are still two Dao Realms above... Could fellow daoist enlighten me?"

Saying this, Shen Mo took out the Enlightenment Tea from the Sword Zone Space, used Nine Holes Stone Marrow as spring water to brew a pot of top-grade spiritual tea, and personally poured a cup for Daoxuan Immortal Master.

Daoxuan Immortal Master tasted a sip of the Enlightenment Tea, praised it immediately, then slowly said, "The details of the last two Dao Realms are not something an old man like me, still on the Divine Bridge, can fully comprehend. However, I have some speculations. Let me voice them, and you may take them with a grain of salt!"

"Above the True Immortal Realm is the Eighth Realm, which might be the Empyrean Realm or the Taiching Realm. Such existences can be called The Eighth Da Luo Golden Immortal realm."

"As for what lies above The Eighth Da Luo Golden Immortal realm, it is unknown, undetectable, and indescribable…"

"But we in the Immortal Realm speculate that beings in this state transcend the ordinary and enter the realm of Saints. They possess eternal life, remain untouched by Cause and Effect, are omniscient, and omnipotent. The Great Path is undying, and Saints are immortal!"