Only at the Mahayana Stage Does the Reversal System Appear - Chapter 48

Chapter 48 The Oldest Man in Kyushu

. The Jiuzhou Protective Array was conceived by Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu long ago.

The extraterritorial demons arrived from other worlds, each appearing in a random location. While Jiang Li could easily defeat them, he needed to know when they were coming and then reach their landing site.

This gap was enough time for the demons to wreak havoc across the land, causing millions of deaths.

To minimize casualties and buy time, the Jiuzhou Protective Array was conceived. In their conception, this array encompassed Jiuzhou. Once the extraterritorial demons arrived, it would take a quarter of an hour to break through. At this point, Jiang Li would receive notification of the demons’ approach and quickly reach the point of destruction, slaying them.

However, this array presented two challenges.

First, it required constant maintenance, consuming a vast amount of spiritual energy. Jiang Li summoned the six major sects and nine dynasties, having them take turns providing six fusion-stage cultivators, while the Human Emperor Palace provided two, for a total of eight cultivators, to continuously supply spiritual energy and maintain the formation.

Despite the might of the six major sects and nine great dynasties, a behemoth in Jiuzhou, only the Red Dust Pure Land’s protective formation could confidently hold off the extraterritorial demons. Other factions were helpless against the demons, and no one wanted to be killed by a sudden appearance, so they agreed to Jiang Li’s proposal.

Secondly, the formation was enormous. No other formation had ever encompassed Jiuzhou. This wasn’t simply a matter of scaling up the formation; it also had to consider terrain, spiritual energy transport, and transit points. Its design was incredibly complex, requiring even a cultivator in the Fusion Stage to devote considerable effort.

It was for this reason that Bai Hongtu only began designing it after breaking through the Tribulation Stage.

“Using an immortal artifact as the center of the formation?” Although Jiang Li hadn’t been aware of this beforehand, he wasn’t surprised.

This formation was so powerful that it naturally required a treasure capable of bearing the weight of such a massive causal relationship.

“Well, I asked Patriarch Changcun, and he said that the Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal, which connects heaven and earth and has the power to awaken spirits and enlighten, is the most suitable for the center of the formation.”

“Is Immortal Changcun all right?” Jiang Li asked, stirring.

“Of course, he’s doing well. Judging by the spirited state of Grandmaster Changcun, he might still be alive even after I die of old age. Do you want to see him?”

“I have some questions for him.”

“Can I also go with you to see the Immortal Master Changcun?” Saintess Jingxin pointed at herself. She had only heard of the

Immortal Master Changcun, but had never met the elder. “Sure, Grandmaster Changcun enjoys a lively atmosphere; he’d love to see more people,”

Bai Hongtu nodded. “I still have some preparations to make for the Immortal Artifact Appreciation Conference. You can go on your own; he’s still in Fengji Cave.” Bai Hongtu hurried away.

Dong Zhongren, having heard from Wang Bian that Jiang Li had discovered his affairs, felt embarrassed to stay and fled.

Buddhist disciple Wuzhi was very interested in the Immortal Artifact Appreciation Conference. Although it hadn’t started yet, many cultivators had already arrived to display their weapons. He said goodbye to Jiang Li and Saintess Jingxin and wandered around excitedly.

…

“Is the Immortal Master Changcun truly the oldest person in Jiuzhou? Is he truly an immortal?”

Saintess Jingxin asked on the way to Fengji Cave.

“He is indeed an immortal. As for his age, that depends on how old your Red Dust Master is. Excluding the uncertain Red Dust Fairy, he is indeed the oldest.”

“I suspect he is Daozu’s disciple, but he has always denied it.”

Before becoming the Human Emperor, Jiang Li had consulted Immortal Changcun many times and held the elder in great respect.

Saint Pure Heart was slightly surprised. If he was indeed Daozu’s disciple, then Immortal Changcun must have lived up to his name, possessing longevity and immortality.

Daozu’s disciple must have lived at least fifty thousand years ago.

A cultivator in the Fusion Stage can live for two to three thousand years, witnessing the rise and fall of countless powers in their long lives. Immortal

Changcun, however, witnessed the growth and death of countless Fusion Stage cultivators.

When Jiuzhou still had contact with the Immortal Realm, many immortals visited Jiuzhou, but they all stayed for a few hundred years before returning to the Immortal Realm. Only Immortal Changcun was a native of Jiuzhou. After ascending, he felt the Immortal Realm was less welcoming than Jiuzhou, so he returned to Jiuzhou and never left.

Jiang Li thought he was planning to retire in Jiuzhou.

However, it was thanks to this old antique that many of his doubts were answered, such as what the Immortal Realm contained, how to become an Immortal, that beyond the Tribulation Crossing Stage, there was more than just Immortality, and that the Mortal Immortals were the embodiment of the “Beauty” of the Heavenly Dao.

Furthermore, when successive Human Emperors were unable to stop the extraterritorial demon, Immortal Changcun intervened, slaying the demon.

However, Immortal Changcun’s actions could not be too frequent.

Upon becoming an Immortal, all one’s spiritual energy is converted into Immortal Power, which sustains the Immortal’s body. Immortal Power is only found in the Immortal Realm, and upon descending to the mortal realm, the amount of Immortal Power within the body decreases with use.

Immortal Changcun, upon descending to the mortal realm, planned to replenish his Immortal Power whenever it ran low, as he could travel back and forth freely. However, he foresaw that the Immortal Ladder to Immortality malfunctioned, preventing him from reaching the Immortal Realm.

This was a serious problem.

If he exhausted his Immortal Power, his body would collapse, and he would experience the Five Decays of the Celestial Being and die!

He tried his best not to intervene.

“Immortal Master, are you here? I’ve come to see you again with questions.” Jiang Li called out from the stone gate of Fengji Cave, and it swung open automatically.

The two entered the cave, finding the vast majority of the contents to be ancient books, some neatly arranged on shelves, others scattered across the floor. Of course, “ancient books” is relative; to Immortal Master Changcun, these were newly published titles.

“You always come back with questions, kid. Can’t you just come to see me?” Immortal Master Changcun feigned indignation, but Saint Jingxin could tell he was delighted by Jiang Li’s arrival.

“Hmm, you even brought someone with you? That’s rare.” Immortal Master Changcun looked like any old man you’d see in the countryside: gaunt, hunched, with age spots and calloused hands, dressed in ordinary, coarse linen clothing.

This was a sign of extreme Qi and Blood Concentration.

Looking at Jiang Li, revered as the Jiang Emperor, Immortal Master Changcun sighed in admiration. Who could have imagined that this little kid, once a mere Nascent Soul, would become so unfathomable?

As an immortal, he couldn’t tell how powerful Jiang Li really was.

“This little girl looks pretty. Whose family is she from?”

“To answer the immortal, Jingxin comes from the Red Dust Pure Land and is a descendant of the Red Dust Patriarch.”

“Fairy Hongchen, this is a name I haven’t heard of in a long time.” Immortal Changcun laughed and treated the two of them warmly, and even brought out the best spiritual tea and cakes. Of course,

the three of them were fasting, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy delicious food.

She didn’t know if it was an illusion, but Saint Jingxin felt that when she said she was a descendant of the Red Dust Patriarch, Immortal Changcun became much more enthusiastic, and the look in his eyes when he looked at her changed.

How to put it, it was as if he was looking at his own junior with the same doting look.

“This is someone who has seen Fairy Hongchen with his own eyes.” Jiang Li sent a message to Saint Jingxin.

Saint Jingxin understood, he was still thinking about his own ancestor.

(End of this chapter)