Chapter 147: The Five Ancient Immortals
Chapter 147: The Five Ancient Immortals
Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii
Everlasting Fairy bristled with anger. "Everlasting" was a title she took pride in and would not allow to be sullied by a mere Unity Stage.
"I'll freeze you into the marrow of ten thousand years of ice, then deep-fry you with oil!" Everlasting Fairy threatened fiercely.
Did they really think immortals were so easily bullied?
That so-called True Immortal who challenged her was killed with a single poke from her, and she refused to believe that this Unity Stage could withstand her finger!
"Calm down, calm down." Inside the spiritual space, Lu Yang held Everlasting Fairy back, persuading her to roll down her sleeves.
The Unity Stage, named Sanli Zhenren, confessed things not much different from what True Immortal had said. The only valuable piece of information was the location of a heavenly domain.
(TL Note: Zhenren is a Chinese term that first appeared in the Zhuangzi meaning "Taoist spiritual master" in those writings. Religious Taoism mythologized zhenren, having them occupy various places in the celestial hierarchy sometimes synonymous with xian (immortals), while Chinese Buddhism used it to translate Arahant "Enlightened One".)
"The domain is there, hiding all my life's wealth. If you don't believe me, you can go see for yourself to know I'm not lying."
"But I've set a rule on that domain: only those below the Foundation Building stage can enter. However, those at the Foundation Building stage can never take control of that domain. Swear you won't refine me, and I'll give that domain to you!" Sanli Zhenren threatened.
Yun Zhi did not agree, showing not even a hint of yielding.
Although the Dao Seeking Sect refined souls and had an unorthodox air, having recruited Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, it was still considered a reputable sect with lines it would not cross, including lying.
Yun Zhi then left the prison with Lu Yang, just as they ran into Grandmaster and Meng Jingzhou, who had also finished their interrogation.
Yun Zhi and Grandmaster compared their interrogations, which were basically consistent. The only difference was that the Unity Stage interrogated by Grandmaster knew of an immortal named Ying Tian Immortal. (TL Note: See chapter 123)
"Ying Tian Immortal is in the East Sea, but he didn't know the exact location."
Yun Zhi nodded, which was not new information. Having captured so many ancient Unity Stages and researched ancient texts, it was already known that one of the ancient five immortals, Ying Tian Immortal, was in the East Sea.
"Ying Tian Immortal?" This wasn't the first time Lu Yang heard this name; Everlasting Fairy had mentioned it a few times.
According to Everlasting Fairy, Ying Tian Immortal was an immortal with strength comparable to hers.
Considering Everlasting Fairy's strength and character, Lu Yang didn't have an accurate perception of Ying Tian Immortal yet.
"Ying Tian Immortal is in the East Sea? Let's go, take me to find him. With me appearing on your behalf, with my reputation, I guarantee you'll enjoy all the best things!" Inside the spiritual space, Everlasting Fairy excitedly proposed, promising Lu Yang the world.
Lu Yang reminded her, "Don't forget how you died. Up to now, we still don't know who killed you. Besides you, there are four immortals, and it must have been one of them. Aren't you afraid it was Ying Tian Immortal?"
Everlasting Fairy, doused with a bucket of cold water by Lu Yang, calmed down and muttered, "It... it shouldn't be. Ying Tian Immortal is a decent person, not likely to have ill intentions..."
"Then, who among the four immortals do you think is most likely to have killed you?"
Everlasting Fairy was silent, believing none of them would kill her. Everyone seemed friendly and polite to her on the surface.
But she had to admit, her death was certainly related to one of the four immortals.
"Then, who do you think could refine the stars into continents?" Lu Yang asked, feeling this could be a clue to narrow down the range of the ancient nameless figure.
Everlasting Fairy didn't understand Lu Yang's point, "All five of us could."
Lu Yang: "...wow?!"
Did I underestimate you before, considering your true capabilities?
Lu Yang finally realized, being an immortal wasn't just a realm; it represented the ultimate pursuit of cultivators, signifying reaching the pinnacle of cultivation, wielding infinite power, and easily refining stars - something Everlasting Fairy had yet to showcase her ability to do, as she was still recovering.
Then, Yun Zhi told Lu Yang, "The ancient immortals are Ying Tian Immortal, Qilin Immortal, Immemorial Immortal, and Nonuple Immortal."
For ordinary people, immortals were highly exalted and inscrutable, their very existence uncertain. Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, for instance, only learned about the existence of the Everlasting Celestial through the Undying Sect.
However, from Yun Zhi's vantage point, she knew far more than ordinary people about the four immortals, whose titles were no secret to her.
"The exact locations of the four immortals are unclear, but it is certain that the Ying Tian Immortal is in the eastern sea, the Qilin Immortal in the southern demonic realm, while the whereabouts of the Immemorial Immortal and the Nonuple Immortal are unknown."
Lu Yang was startled by one of the immortal's titles. "Qilin?"
He recalled the little medical kings in the medicine garden, one of which was the undying qilin medicine.
Legend had it that the qilin did not truly exist - what ancient people saw were actually the undying qilin medicines.
If this immortal was called the "Qilin Immortal," did it mean his true form was a qilin?
Seeing Lu Yang's interest, the Everlasting Fairy explained, "The Qilin Immortal's true name is Shi He."
"His true form is indeed a qilin. According to him, he is the sole existence of his kind in the world, an inconceivable being born from the combination of all worldly destinies. At least in my era, there was only one qilin. I'm not too familiar with the current era, but there should not be a second qilin."
In fact, before the Everlasting Fairy appeared, Yun Zhi had always thought there were only four immortals in antiquity - or rather, everyone thought so.
The Unity Stage imprisoned in the Peak of Imprisonment was the most ancient, dating back over 200,000 years to the Great Antiquity Era. According to him, there were only four immortals in antiquity.
Not just the prisoners of the Peak, but ancient texts also recorded only four immortals in antiquity: the Ying Tian Immortal, Qilin Immortal, Immemorial Immortal, and Nonuple Immortal.
Before the emergence of the Undying Sect, there was no record whatsoever of an "Everlasting Fairy" in history!
After the Undying Sect appeared, some cultivators believed this was an immortal made up from thin air, non-existent in antiquity.
"In ancient times, I was hugely renowned. Even the Tribulation Crossing Stage trembled before me. How could my immortal name be missing?" The Everlasting Fairy was outraged upon learning this.
Whoever killed her was familiar with her ariya-phala characteristic and deliberately erased her existence from history.
"That's not right. Based on the ancient immortal naming conventions, you should be called the Everlasting Immortal," said Lu Yang.
"It was that damned Ying Tian Immortal who suggested using three-word names, saying they had more gravitas. Everyone started using three-word immortal names, and he even recommended I go by 'Everlasting Immortal'."
"But I didn't want to be called the 'Everlasting Immortal' - it sounds so ugly and doesn't distinguish between male and female, making me sound like a man. Isn't Everlasting Fairy so much nicer to the ear?"
Lu Yang thought Yellow Bean sounded even better, but he didn't dare say it aloud lest the Everlasting Fairy flew into a rage.
After ensuring the two prisoners were secured, the Eldest Senior Sister bid farewell to her master and left the Peak of Imprisonment with Lu Yang.
"Eldest Senior Sister, are we going to the remnant celestial realm that Sanli Zhenren mentioned?" Lu Yang noticed the Eldest Senior Sister had no intention of returning to Heaven's Gate Peak and had flown out of the Dao Seeking Sect instead.
The cloud Yun Zhi rode was vast, obscuring the view below, so Lu Yang did not feel vertigo.
Yun Zhi nodded. The life's possessions of a Unity Stage expert were worth examining.
(End of the chapter)