Exploring Immortality Cultivation

Wang Qi's initial thoughts about studying the Divine Tao were merely a lament that "the Mortal World should have its Edison." It just so happened that he needed to research any aspect of the Life Path to enhance his understanding of the nature of life beings and thereby control the Life Flame. Since Chen Feng was intent on studying the Human Dao, he simply went a step further based on his friend's aspirations, adding his own interests.

However, he now pondered why he had developed such an interest.

"Four years ago, I was nothing more than a Mortal. Four years later, I could no longer ignore the Mortals, always weak and always sinking," Wang Qi held the Heart Demon Great Curse Memory in his hand with mixed feelings. "Initially, I must have had this thought in mind: At least to enable all Mortals to afford the Lighting Talisman and enjoy the fruits of the Immortal Dao. I can't say that in the future I'll still think about this matter as I do now, but acting like this now, I am ultimately not failing today."

"Is that foolish?" Chen Youjia, who had grown up in an Immortal Dao Family, felt little resonance with Wang Qi's words. It's not that she was unaware of the suffering in the Mortal World, but she just couldn't empathize. The gap between the Immortal Dao and the Mortal World was roughly like the gap between modern civilized nations on Earth and small countries in Africa. She lightly threw cold water on the idea, "You should know, Mortals can't control the ways of the Immortal Dao. Everyone a practitioner of Immortal Cultivation? That's too idealistic."

Wang Qi nodded, "I know, I've known for a long time, it's only recently that I realized it."

Why didn't the village I was born in know about Modern ways, only knowing that there were Immortals and that the Immortal Dao could be sought?

Simply because it was unnecessary.

"Mortals cannot control the methods of Immortal Dao," of course, isn't absolute. For instance, some talismans are activated constantly, and Mortals can wear them. Also, there are talismans that a Mortal can activate by crushing them.

However, this involves a problem of "investment and output". Talisman Makers refining talismans is not without cost. And having a cultivator make similar tools for mortals to use in production is extremely inefficient; it's better for the cultivator to do it themselves.

As for Earth's type of machines that anyone can use... on this planet filled with Spiritual Energy, which is like constantly having EMPs, those devices simply aren't durable.

Thus, Mortals have no value even as skilled workers. Naturally, vocational schools and community colleges tailored for Mortals are unnecessary.

Their only value is to provide talent for the Immortal Dao. The duties of the Immortal Dao to the Mortal World are merely to ensure a population base and to select talent.

This isn't indifference but an inevitable choice created by economic benefits; the duality of Immortals and Mortals is the most natural production relationship in this world.

The elite crops and fertilizers distributed by the Immortal Alliance are the pinnacle accomplishments of genetics and chemistry, and theories that each Immortal Alliance Branch discusses annually include the core Basic Mathematics, the Three Great Heavenly Principles, and Heavenly Calculation Theory. The most talented youths enter the Immortal Institute, and those youths who have hopes for the Immortal Path are taken in by numerous small sects. However, for most people, those theories are useless in their lifetime, studying them does no good, and focusing on them might even hinder their children's normal education due to a lack of thorough understanding.

Wang Qi had once thought that this outdated educational system of the Immortal Alliance was to avoid a potential "external enemy." But as he delved deeper into the study of the Human Dao, he gradually realized that the Immortal Alliance's method of avoiding external enemies was limited to "hiding technology"; most theories were public. And the Immortal Alliance's hidden technologies were merely making use of the Ten Thousand Immortals Illusion Realm System. In education, the Immortal Alliance didn't resort to fraud.

The Immortal Alliance wasn't afraid to enlighten the populace but simply found it unnecessary.

Those genuinely seeking immortality would travel hundreds of miles to find an Immortal Alliance Branch, where a Golden Core Cultivator would preach the Great Dao; this also served as the first "Dao Heart Test," asking "Can you endure this?" Those who dared not even step outside their family door certainly couldn't be expected to overcome the long years and hold onto their True Heart.

Then, seekers of the Seeking Dao faced a gamble. They needed to learn the most basic and core theories in the "public classes" taught by Golden Core Cultivators, betting on whether they had the talent. If they won the bet, Shenzhou simply gained one more cultivator; if they lost, in an agricultural society, years without income often meant homelessness and wasted years.

Broadly opening schools, whether for the Immortal Dao or the Mortal World, wasn't of much benefit.

Regarding Wang Qi's deduction, Chen Feng nodded in agreement, "Makes sense. My parents are major merchants among the commoners, well-informed about seeking immortality. However, they are limited to 'knowing' only, never really witnessing the wonders of the Immortal Dao, simply because they are Mortals."

"Moreover, I think, this division between Immortals and Mortals, I don't know if it's caused by the interests you mentioned, Wang Qi. It might also be due to people's hearts," added Chen Feng. "This has been the norm for eighty thousand years, not something that can be changed overnight."

Eighty thousand years of Immortal Dao History, eighty thousand years of Immortal and Mortal duality, eighty thousand years of accumulation of ills. After eighty thousand years of consistent practice, no one feels that there's anything wrong with the Immortal Alliance today.

"Interest as the 'cause,' the accumulation of ills as the 'effect.' Current interests are separate, only then do we have the eighty thousand years of accumulation," Wang Qi emphasized his viewpoint. He then asked Chen Feng, "Clearing the eighty-thousand-year accumulation isn't something that can be done overnight."

"I have at least a few hundred years to work on such matters," Chen Feng was quite optimistic.

Chen Youjia muttered, "All fools."

"At least ten thousand years from now, looking back on today, I won't feel the slightest displeasure, maybe I'll even feel happy," Chen Feng, already accustomed to Chen Youjia's style, reiterated his thoughts, "Being a good person really is delightful."

Suddenly, Wang Qi smiled mysteriously, "Chen Feng, don't resist."

"What..." Chen Feng suddenly felt an external force invading his brain. He could have easily repelled it with a focused thought. However, remembering Wang Qi's words, he forcibly suppressed his defensive instincts.

"This is the 'Ghost Soldier' I gave you..." Chen Feng finally realized what Wang Qi was doing, "What are you trying to do?"

The "White Snake" Ghost Soldier had already withdrawn its hand from Wang Qi's head, bringing along a disc-shaped spiritual power field. Wang Qi said satisfied, "The concept of 'wanting to be a good person' and the reflections on 'interests and Dao Morality'. The crucial material for the next step of the research is now in my hands."

Chen Feng questioned, "Your actions just now..."

Wang Qi laughed heartily and clapped Chen Feng's shoulder vigorously, "It was all to lead you to think about the questions just mentioned, Boss! The reason I didn't tell you beforehand was to ensure that your stream of thoughts was pure, devoid of any impurities. Even though you are an elite practitioner from the Yangshen Pavilion, you can't collect all your thoughts."

Chen Youjia felt as if she had been stabbed in the chest, her girlish heart shattering spectacularly. Fortunately, Wang Qi then grabbed Chen Youjia's hand, "Of course, I also wanted someone to talk to about what has been on my mind these past few days. Thank you, junior sister."

"Let go..." Chen Youjia broke free from Wang Qi's grasp and moved back a few steps.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Feng asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"The next phase of the research is the 'Anti-Demon Spell'," replied Wang Qi. "After completing the first phase of studies on Circle of Reason and Holy Light God, I will start experimenting on altering these two Divine Spirits. As the doctrine of Holy Light God is complete and its connotation is clear and simpler, I plan to modify this Divine Spirit by altering its believers' thoughts and changing the composition of its followers, trying to convert it into a 'moral' orthodoxy."

"The specific method is to implant Chen Feng's reflections on Dao Morality and my thoughts on interests into certain believers' minds, making them transform from merely verbal defenders of the faith into true gentlemen."

"For Circle of Reason, I'll purely use spell techniques to directly adjust the Divine Spirit's body, attempting to eliminate the impact of the Dao Heart Pure Yang Spell from the material level and erase the Heart Demon Algorithm."

Chen Youjia, still annoyed, felt the need to mock Wang Qi, "Are you a gentleman? Don't joke around."

"I am absolutely a good person, my hobby is to punish the wicked, support the kind, a hero driven by interests," Wang Qi responded thick-skinnedly, boasting along with Chen Youjia's words.

Chen Feng brought the topic back to a serious academic discussion, "What do you think is the significance of this research?"

Wang Qi counted on his fingers, "First, Holy Light, Circle of Reason, and Hongyuan all exhibit the trait of the Heart Demon Algorithm. We haven't found a new god yet, but looking at these three known entities, maybe this is a common feature among all Divine Spirits—regardless of whether they are Personality Gods or non-Personality Gods, or whether their beliefs are philosophical or natural. If we were to create a Human Dao God, it might also possess a strong Heart Demon Algorithm."

"Second, only by figuring out how to counter the Heart Demon Algorithm can we boldly use the Great Heart Demon Curse in real combat. Otherwise, if the algorithm mutates, it might end up harming ourselves."

Chen Feng considered for a while: "Some disagreements are always wrong, are incorrect. Some actions, no matter how time passes, how Human Dao changes, will never be right. If law were the faith, eliminating illegal differences..."

Murder and arson can never be deemed righteous.

"Bad laws are not laws," Wang Qi shook his head. "We can't determine whether a particular law applies in all situations, whether it needs to be abolished, or whether it needs to be strictly followed in all extreme cases. Even Saints can't determine whether a 'right' might turn into a 'wrong' a thousand years later."

By the Earth's account, during the Pre-Qin period, including the forever revered Confucius, no one thought discrimination against women was wrong, while during the same period, the Greeks, including Plato, thought slavery was the foundation of civilization.

Wang Qi thought of something else and added, "Another point. I admit, there are many fools in this world, and the stupidity of groups is severe. However, the lower limit of all beings is much higher than that of a mere single will."

Perhaps a wise and rational dictator could greatly enhance societal efficiency, but a dictator can't ensure that his successors will always be wise. While democracy may be inefficient, it does not allow fools to control the state for long, even if a madman deceives all the people to rise to power, he might not necessarily lead all the people to a dead end.

If everyone were to be stripped of certain disagreements, Shenzhou would easily turn into a sweeping frenzy.

That would be the most terrifying disaster. The history of Earth has witnessed disasters in the name of false revolutions more than once. The greatest chemist Lavoisier died amidst such fervor.

After convincing Chen Feng, Wang Qi revealed his craziest idea: "Lastly, after eliminating the hidden dangers of the Great Heart Demon Curse, I plan to sow it into every mortal."

"The Great Heart Demon Curse will rewrite the soul and can naturally connect with the Divine Tao System through the natural link between Spell Spirits. It also grows automatically. Any member of the Human Clan born or who becomes sensible will automatically receive a Spell Spirit, growing alongside them. As long as that 'eliminating disagreements' hazard is removed, the Anti-Demon Spell is the ideal 'terminal'!"

"The Anti-Demon Spell provides the basic mana, allowing mortals to enjoy the fruits of Immortal Dao Civilization!" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)