"Is this the pinnacle of the mortal realm?"
Wang Xuan felt the changes within himself. Having reached this point, he could clearly predict that moving forward would mean entering the extraordinary realm.
The ferryman looked at him, his ambiguous expression revealing a hint of complexity. Was he still a mortal?
"Your body and spirit have transcended the limits of mortals. You just need their resonance to undergo a transformation into the extraordinary."
The ferryman was certain that Wang Xuan no longer feared certain individuals in the extraordinary realm.
Thanks to the transformation of his scripture, his strength had increased significantly. The mysterious scripture on the stone slab inspired awe even in the ferryman.
"It truly deserves to be a legacy that has made even the Celestials fight for it!" The ferryman reflected, recalling that among the ancient Celestials, two had fallen.
Those two were the elite among the Celestials, ranking among the top.
Wang Xuan bowed deeply to the ferryman, grateful for the gift of the feathering divine bamboo's light. Such a favor was immense.
He asked the ferryman if there was anything he needed to do at this stage, whether there were any unfulfilled wishes in the Old Earth.
"There wasn't one before, but now there is. That old bell… did he dig into my past? Has he truly uncovered my roots?!"
Mentioning this made the ferryman seethe with anger. How dare that old bell touch the remnants of the Celestials? He probably had dug up his foundation!
Wang Xuan nodded. He had originally intended to seek out the old bell to learn what miraculous items he had unearthed, hoping for a chance to exchange for some treasures.
"Where is your dwelling? That old bell has dug too much; if I don't provide an address or name, it'll be tough for him to recall them all one by one."
The ferryman felt awkward and irritated at this. The old bell had dug up more than one relic of the Celestials, and he didn't even know the full extent of it; he shouldn't have to disclose his own details as the victim.
"I'm a figure from the Pre-Qin era, well-acquainted with the Daoist methods of later generations. I have many identities; during the Qin Dynasty, I was called Xu Fu," the ferryman said calmly.
Wang Xuan was taken aback, then his eyes sparkled. He was seeing a historical figure?!
The great sage—Xu Fu, a name renowned in history.
He was also the last great sage of the Pre-Qin era. After him, it would be the age of Daoism shining brightly.
"You went to sea to fetch the elixir of immortality for the Qin Emperor, and instead ended up drifting into this green sea, or rather, this lake?" Wang Xuan revealed a look of surprise, wanting to ask him many questions.
This was a person from over two thousand years ago, a living history. He mastered the arts of Pre-Qin sages and was well-versed in the supreme secrets of Daoism—truly a treasure of a man.
The ferryman frowned, not wanting to entertain too many of his questions. "I don't care about the rest. If he has dug up my foundation, I only ask that he preserves my small leg bone!"
As for sending it to the land of the deceased, he felt there would be no such opportunity soon, as this land would soon shift, likely landing on an unknown life-bearing planet.
If he ended up at the edge of deep space, he believed there would be no chance of meeting this young man again.
"Feathering and ascending to immortality, with lightning shattering the remnants of the body's bones? What significance do those bones hold for you?" Wang Xuan had always wanted to know the secret behind this.
The ferryman ignored this topic and added, "The imprint must also be returned to you!"
He then supplemented and advised, "The cross-domain expedition to the land of the deceased is a great opportunity; you must not miss it."
"Then let this opportunity serve as my gratitude to the senior," Wang Xuan replied, feigning a reluctant expression.
"Return it to you!" The ferryman glared, yet he tried several times, and the imprint could not be separated, proving impossible to shed.
This caused his expression to shift, realizing he could not resolve this issue in the short term.
Wang Xuan dared not laugh. His eyes landed on the sun-gold fish hook on the bamboo boat, and he quietly asked, "Senior, can this hook be straightened?"
The ferryman's expression shifted between light and dark. He pondered how to resolve the imprint issue, eventually stating, "You should leave; try to come back in a short time, and I'll help you forge a divine spear!"
"Shouldn't I just take it with me? Modern metallurgy technology is highly developed; I can find someone to forge it without bothering you," Wang Xuan thought that this old man seemed to be holding back a big move, and it was better not to meet for a while.
The ferryman glanced at him and said, "I originally intended to instruct you on how to practice the mysterious scriptures recorded on the stone slab…"
"Please guide me, senior!" Wang Xuan eagerly interjected, not waiting for him to finish. He immediately reversed his stance, saying he would come back after harvesting the demonic fruits.
In truth, he wanted to delve into the depths of the Secret Realm only after reaching the extraordinary level.
Though he no longer feared some extraordinary beings, the depths of the Secret Realm surely held formidable individuals, and he was unwilling to be beaten down by anyone.
Should they meet again, Old Chen would probably be greatly shocked!
"Do you think the transformation of scriptures went smoothly this time?" the ferryman asked.
"It was very dangerous, and I owe it all to your assistance, senior," Wang Xuan expressed his gratitude again at the right moment.
"Actually, you're not doing too badly. Do you know how many people want to practice this scripture but can't? They often injure their organs or destroy their spirit."
The ferryman looked at him with some emotion. This young man was somewhat fortunate but also quite capable.
"The reason you succeeded is that you established a spiritual domain at the mortal stage, perceiving your body to an extraordinarily fine degree, allowing you to adjust at any moment. Of course, the most important factor is that you laid a solid foundation in advance, practicing both the Golden Body Technique and the Pre-Qin sage's fundamental methods to a profound level, reaching the limits of what a mortal can attain."
Wang Xuan nodded and said, "This further illustrates the horror of this scripture. At the limit of the mortal realm, it has raised my strength significantly, increasing the limits of the mortal domain."
"That's not the focus. What I want to discuss is a feasible method for practicing this mysterious scripture."
Wang Xuan became serious, listening attentively.
"The Golden Body Technique supports your body, while Zhang Daoling's physical technique has tempered your organs; this is the key to your survival and success. Imagine, if you hadn't practiced these two methods, would you have succeeded in transforming the scripture this time?"
Wang Xuan agreed with his statement; it was indeed true.
"After stepping into the extraordinary level, you can use a similar approach to practice the second true form. I suspect that the second scripture, apart from the body, will likely involve the spirit as well. This is because the extraordinary realm is closely related to the enhancement of the spiritual level."
The ferryman suggested that Wang Xuan could practice some spiritual secrets in advance while also strengthening his body to the extreme. This would be easier than directly practicing the second true form.
Wang Xuan contemplated, "I thought that having this scripture would make other methods unnecessary, but it seems I still need various scriptures for assistance."
In an instant, he thought of the old bell's study.
"How do the golden bamboo slips from the Pre-Qin era compare to the scriptures on the stone slab?" Wang Xuan asked.
"I personally believe they are not inferior to the stone slab scriptures," the ferryman surprisingly said.
Wang Xuan was stunned, completely unprepared for such a comment.
"The strongest among the Immortals practiced the scriptures recorded on the golden bamboo slips, and both of them had the opportunity to obtain the stone tablet scriptures, yet they paid no heed and did not compete for them."
"There are four volumes of the golden bamboo slips. Obtaining one allows direct access to the pinnacle of the Immortal realm. It is said that when the four volumes are combined, they actually form a complete scripture, known as the first wonder of the pre-Qin period, the strongest cultivation secret manual, without equal. But sadly, no one has ever gathered all four."
After hearing this, Wang Xuan felt as if he had been blasted by the news.
The Ferryman glanced at him and said, "I must remind you not to be overly superstitious about a single scripture. Times are changing; even the strongest scriptures may have omissions and limitations, so you should complement and learn from each other."
"You make a valid point!" Wang Xuan nodded earnestly.
The Ferryman continued, "Besides the golden bamboo slips of the practitioners, the various jade books of Taoism are also formidable; these are not inferior to the mysterious scriptures recorded on the stone tablets."
Wang Xuan took a deep breath and quietly remembered.
Not long ago, he had felt some insights when he switched scriptures.
The scriptures on the stone tablet encompassed the body secret powers that could be developed through the Golden Body Technique and the Root Method, covering broader and more detailed areas.
At that time, he wondered if he could draw inspiration from other top secret texts to expand new potential areas and uncover more secret powers.
Every part of the human body possesses different secret powers. Now, if he were to look within, the interior would be a riot of colors, and if he were to mobilize everything, it would be tremendously terrifying.
The Ferryman had shattered that layer of glass for him, making everything clear.
Now that he had mastered the strongest scripture, if he had the chance to study the golden books and jade volumes, he would certainly cherish the opportunity and carefully compare and verify them.
The Ferryman added, "Buddhism's exploration of the spiritual realm is not to be underestimated. They have opened up the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which actually exists as a real spiritual dimension. Behind the Pure Land, there are even deeper layers of the spiritual realm. The secret powers of the spiritual world are also vibrant and colorful; the more you uncover, the more powerful you become in certain aspects."
Wang Xuan was moved. Could it be that the spirit actually has multiple layers, like one spiritual world after another, with those vibrant secret powers hidden deep within the subconscious?
The Ferryman's words made him aware of fields he had only heard of before.
"Practitioners and Taoists also have impressive explorations of the spiritual realm. Inner Landscape is such a product. In fact, at the deepest point of Inner Landscape, there are even more astonishing layers. Even the process of ascension into immortality has been referenced and contrasted with these..."
These words hit Wang Xuan like thunder, ringing in his ears. It was the first time someone had mentioned the secrets of ascension to him.
He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but the Ferryman continued speaking, not paying him any mind.
"In this era, for you mortals, the opportunities are truly endless! The scriptures that were previously invisible have been unearthed by you; the secret texts that should have been hidden at the ends of the void are now resting on the shelves of collectors like Old Zhong. The opportunities are rare, and treasures are everywhere; you must seize them, or you will regret being born in this era!"
Wang Xuan nodded seriously.
Until the end, the scene fell silent, with no further words spoken.
Wang Xuan realized that various scriptures could be explored; the essence was the excavation of the various secret powers contained within the body and different spiritual layers. It was a colorful world.
Though today he had only caught a glimpse of the truth of the mist-shrouded world of cultivation, he was already able to plan his future path from a higher perspective. The Ferryman's words had a significant impact on him.
Long after, Wang Xuan finally asked, "When I changed scriptures, new secret powers emerged. I saw fairy mountains within my body and discovered a medicinal garden with mist rising, as well as the Peach Garden of the Yaochi. Could this be the manifestation of a certain layer of the spiritual realm?"
The Ferryman nodded and said, "Seeing those things in the realm of mortals is indeed no small feat."
He told Wang Xuan that next time he encountered them, he should not intentionally try to crush them; that was the reflection of spiritual secret powers and needed to resonate with the physical body. It was a manifestation of the impending transcendence.
Wang Xuan was somewhat lost in thought and asked, "Could it be that some myths and legends only happen in the spiritual world? For example, the Yaochi banquet inviting the immortals, or the Peach Conference?"
The Ferryman remained silent and did not respond.
Wang Xuan left the place in a daze, preoccupied with various questions. His understanding of cultivation had changed from before.
In the distance, Xiong Kun and two companions reappeared. He did not want to wait for the notification of the Black Horn Beast, fearing he would miss the mysterious mist at the Inner Landscape treasure site, so he went to the outer region once more.
"I think the twelve keys must be almost collected. We should just wait and see, refining their blood marrow for our use."
At the same time, they speculated about the fate of those two riders, believing they should have been wiped out by the Black Horn Beast, though it was a pity about that short sword.
"There won't be any surprises; they are mere mortals, after all, and simply cannot confront the transcendent beings." They were certain that the realm of mortals could never challenge the transcendent level.