Chương 353: Devilish Cult (6)

Tststsst!

Upon opening my eyes, I see the 'remains' glaring at me with eyes wide open right in front of me.

Tsst...

I transform into my human form and look at the remains.

'Did they call it a devotee?'

The True Persons seem to refer to beings that have been eroded by them as 'devotees (信者).'

'Who decided they are devotees?'

They are just pitiful victims who accidentally glanced at the sky and met the wrong gaze.

Who would willingly choose to become like this?

Woooong— I grasp the All-Heavens Sword.

Just moments ago, I had hesitated to cut it down, but I will no longer.

—Cut.

'Cut.'

The will of the All-Heavens Sword and my own are united.

I raise the sword high and elevate the All-Heavens Sword to a higher plane.

A pure downward slash.

From a higher plane to a lower plane.

From a high position to a low position!

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao!

Booong!

Shukwak!

I cut down the True Person's devotee glaring at me from their plane.

The devotee, reaching about 30 zhang in height, is cleaved cleanly by the Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao and begins to scatter.

The ominous feeling I had earlier was merely the dread towards the True Person behind the devotee.

But due to the chaos caused from seeing the [Inverted Cone], there is no longer any reason to be afraid.

Chuaaaang— Dozens of heads attached to the devotee's body melt all at once.

The pitch-black body scatters into pieces, flying in all directions.

Suddenly, amidst the spectacle, I notice an old woman in a neat black dress bowing slightly towards me.

—Thank you.

Her will is conveyed to me.

I simply nod my head in response.

Chalalalala— As she disappears, all of the hyphae covering this desert area turn to ashes and vanish.

In the distance, I see Jeon Myeong-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok walking towards me, levitating the four disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

"We rescued all the disciples, but... was that you who destroyed it?"

I nod, looking at the rescued Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect disciples.

Skull-shaped mushrooms are growing all over their bodies, but they soon turn to ash and scatter.

"Are these the ones who went all the way to the Nether Ghost Realm?"

"Yeah. They were affected by the cultivator eroded by a True Person and collapsed like this. I seared their insides with Heavenly Tribulation to burn away all the toxins that had taken root inside. But they lack vital energy, so they won't wake up for a few days."

"We should probably leave them to Hong Fan."

I gently stroke the heads of the sleeping disciples.

'Finally...'

All the survivors of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect have been successfully saved.

It's been a long and arduous journey.

I close my eyes.

Hong Su-ryeong comes to mind.

"... For now..."

I open my eyes again.

Kugugugu!

Gathering ghostly energy, I transform once more into a Ghost King.

"Summon all the Four Great Law Protectors and all the Guardian Ghost Kings."

Kwarurung!

Jeon Myeong-hoon turns into lightning and flies towards the distant Twilight Domain. Shortly after, he returns with the Four Great Law Protectors and the thirteen Guardian Ghost Kings, now including Baek Rin.

[Everyone, listen.] I speak, radiating ghostly energy.

[From now on, our order will establish itself on this land where a True Person's traces were found. There's no need to worry about the True Person's erosion. I have just erased all traces of the True Person, so there will be no problems.] I look around at everyone gathered here.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, Kim Yeon, Hong Fan.

And the thirteen Guardian Ghost Kings.

They are all my precious connections.

[However, during the encounter with the traces of the True Person, I faced the will of many True Persons. The True Persons have decided to oppose our order from now on.] At my words, the intent of everyone present stirs violently.

To prevent their fear and worry from spreading, I quickly continue.

[But their will is directed only at our order and myself. If you leave the order, there will be no problem. Anyone who wishes to leave from here can do so freely at any time. As you confirmed when you fled to this place, our order does not treat those who leave as traitors or enemies. Feel free to take your loved ones and leave.] However, no one shows any signs of moving.

Wei Shi-hon cackles and speaks.

"Haha. Last time, the Cult Leader told those who did not trust the order to flee from the White Yin Domain, but in the end, we overcame all adversities and escaped, didn't we? Those who left the Wuji Religious Order must be regretting it by now."

He continues.

"If the Cult Leader says something like that, it must be because he has something to believe in, right?"

I smile bitterly at his words.

[That's right. There is something to believe in. But... it's not something impressive this time either.] Wooong— I display my cultivation realm through attraction force.

And I explain about the 'side path.'

[After successfully building the complete Longevity Axis, I will flee again. This time, it will not just be a change of region... but to an entirely different world. Even so, will you follow?] At my words, they look at each other.

Wei Shi-hon strokes his chin and speaks.

"Certainly, us ghostly creatures cultivate best in the Nether Ghost Realm."

[Yes. As expected, you all are...]

"But what ghostly creatures fear the most is... the attraction force of the Netherworld."

He grins.

"And to us, having a 'physical body' that can escape the attraction force is extremely precious, something not easily traded even among family. Yet, the Cult Leader has provided us with such 'physical bodies' for free. We've even grown stronger through the 'procedure' and 'grace', so honestly, this gratitude is indescribable."

[...]

"Until we repay this gratitude, who would dare leave the order?"

[... It wasn't anything difficult for me, and it isn't anything that valuable. I just arbitrarily gave you puppet bodies.]

"If the recipient is pleased, isn't that enough? Haha. We, too, have accepted it arbitrarily and intend to remain in the order arbitrarily..."

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

All the Guardian Ghost Kings.

Even the newly joined Baek Rin who has recently undergone the procedure and grace, kneel down.

"Please accept us!"

Looking upon them, I tremble slightly.

[... Alright] I smile faintly.

[Then let's embark on a slightly long journey together.] At my words, they all respond in unison, loudly and powerfully.

"Yes!"

I put away my smile and shout with a serious face.

[Guardian Law Protector Hong Fan, Left Law Protector Kim Yeon, listen up! Bring the Twilight Domain here and have it land! From now on, we will reside on this land! The two Law Protectors will manage the Twilight Domain henceforth!]

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

[Right Law Protector Oh Hyun-seok, Chief Law Protector Jeon Myeong-hoon, listen up! From now on, this cult leader will enter a long, secluded cultivation to complete the Longevity Axis! Until now, I've been building it idly and slowly, but from now on, I will extend my consciousness properly to build the axis! I won't be able to move during this period, so guard this seat well!]

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

Kugugugugu!

The Law Protectors and Ghost Kings begin dragging the Twilight Domain and landing it on the land, and I watch the magnificent scene below with gleaming eyes.

'From now on, all the forces of the Nether Ghost Realm will come here. I intended to get along with the Black Ghost Palace, but if the True Persons influence even the Black Ghost Palace, it's meaningless. I'm sorry for Yu Hye, but I can't let her go for now.'

We have truly become the public enemies of the Nether Ghost Realm.

Not just the three major factions, but even the Flower Painting Western Heaven Palace will join the fray.

Previously, they might have sent a few Integration stage Grand Cultivators to suppress the order, but from now on, they will designate the entire Wuji Religious Order as 'public enemy' and attack us with that intent.

If the True Persons, who have taken root in the Nether Ghost Realm for countless years, move their forces, the outcome is clear.

'They will truly come at us with all their might!'

Before they arrive, I must complete the Longevity Axis as quickly as possible, open the side path, and return to the Bright Cold Realm.

'This time, for sure...!'

I won't let my comrades die easily.

Ham Jin sits down and takes a deep breath, reminiscing about the past.

He was just an ordinary beggar born in the distant corner of Yuhwa Country on the Peaceful Clouds Continent.

Born in the outskirts of Yuhwa, he had no grand dreams, only wishing to grow adequately big enough to work someday.

However, that dream shattered when a band of robbers attacked his village.

And so, Ham Jin slightly altered his goal.

It was a worthless life anyway, so changing the goal wouldn't kill him.

As he was sold to a slave trader, Ham Jin thought.

It would be nice to meet an adequately good master and live while working.

Then, Ham Jin was sold to a cultivator.

A ruthless cultivator practicing devilish arts.

Ham Jin's goal was shattered again.

But he didn't tire and revised his goal once more.

As he was experimented on by his self-proclaimed master, he thought.

It would be nice if after being adequately experimented on, he could return to his hometown, even as an experimental subject.

Then, Ham Jin's goal was shattered again.

Because he discovered his master's research books and experiment journals that he had been studying when the master was away for a while.

His master intended to remodel his disciples, create the most suitable body for practicing devilish arts, and 'switch' to that body.

At that point, there were 40 surviving disciples.

Among them, Ham Jin was considered one of the 'top-tier' bodies by his master.

His cultivation was only at Qi Refining 1st or 2nd star, but that didn't matter.

He found out he possessed a unique constitution called the Ghost Furnace Body (鬼爐體).

The Ghost Furnace Body is said to be highly compatible with contacting the great beings of the Upper Realms, easily gaining their favor and borrowing their power.

His master intended to borrow power from a great being in the Upper Realm and someday ascend.

That was why he was targeting Ham Jin's body.

Upon realizing this, Ham Jin's goal changed once again.

'I want to live!'

This time, it wasn't just 'adequately.'

He 'truly' wanted to live.

Although it was a worthless life, dying without achieving anything was too...

Too unfair.

'I will survive! I will definitely live!'

From that day on, Ham Jin secretly stole and read his master's books.

And he learned how to communicate with the great beings of the Upper Realms.

'My body is suitable for borrowing the power of great beings through rituals?'

Then, I will just use it.

Ham Jin took advantage of his master's absence to select a book from his master's library called the 'Wuji Ghost King Ritual Scripture' and performed a ritual.

And so, he faced a 'great being.'

This being demanded something peculiar from Ham Jin, took over his body, ascended to the sky to survey something, and then attempted to uproot the entire valley where Ham Jin lived. Realizing Ham Jin couldn't withstand it, the being retreated.

In return for borrowing his body, the being granted Ham Jin a unique 'sense.'

Woooong— Ham Jin opens his eyes.

All around him, countless Yin and Yang are swirling.

The great being said to meet him again in three months.

Ham Jin is terrified of that being!

A Ghost King with 19 faces, weeping bloody tears and cultivating a cursed flower garden!

A being with a form so terrifying it occasionally appears in his nightmares.

Ham Jin grits his teeth.

Even so, that being is better than his master who seeks to steal his life away entirely.

"O Great One..."

Taking advantage of his master's absence, Ham Jin prays to the being.

"Please descend upon me."

Kugugugugu!

He finds himself in a pure white space.

It's a familiar place.

Deep within his mental world.

There, he kneels down trembling with fear upon seeing a shadow with 19 heads entering the corner of the white space.

"O Great One, what do you desire from me?"

Ham Jin felt it from their last encounter; this being wants something through him.

'Normally, such beings only grant wishes in exchange for something precious or one's lifespan. But if the being has something they want...'

He might not have to offer his lifespan!

Whether the being knows his thoughts or not, they stare at Ham Jin with their 19 heads and ask, [Are you using well the sense I gave you last time?]

"Pardon? Ah, yes! I am using it very well."

It's the truth.

Though it's a sense granted by a malicious being, Ham Jin finds it extremely useful.

The reason Ham Jin could read the Wuji Ghost King Ritual Scripture from his master's library was simple.

While his master was experimenting in the adjacent research hall, one of the test subjects exploded, shattering not only the research hall but also the barrier set up in the library.

Taking advantage of the broken barrier, Ham Jin had secretly taken out the ritual scripture.

But upon gaining this sense, he no longer needs to wait for such coincidences.

He can vividly sense the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy!

He can sense how the barrier is set up and predict which parts to touch to avoid triggering it.

He navigated his master's library almost daily by reading the spiritual energy and avoiding the barriers.

There's no worry about being watched or his master suddenly appearing in the library.

The spiritual energy warns him of any impending danger!

He only needs to maintain his sense of spiritual energy!

He even dared to raid his master's spiritual elixir storage a few times.

Thanks to that, Ham Jin's cultivation rapidly soared, reaching the 3rd star of Qi Refining.

"Truly, it has been of great help. I am immensely grateful for your precious assistance."

[To hear it has been helpful... I am pleased.] Chills!

Ham Jin feels his entire body shiver at the voice of the terrifying being.

He fears the being might suddenly say, 'You've ripened well!' and devour him at any moment.

However, Ham Jin swallows his saliva and waits for the being to continue.

[Well, anyway, you seem to have grown excellently. Very good. To think you've reached the 3rd star of Qi Refining... through your body, I can now manifest about 1 or 2 hundredth more of my power...] The shadow laughs for a while before speaking.

[But it's not enough. After surveying this valley through your body, I realized the valley is quite heavy...] They speak, revealing 38 eyes.

[I desire... the power that lies... beneath this valley.] Kugugugugu!

The shadow clenches their hand.

Immediately, Ham Jin's mental world begins to shake violently.

No, that isn't all.

Ham Jin realizes that the 'outside' is also shaking.

Just by clenching their hand, the being is causing an earthquake throughout the entire valley!

[Child... For me to grasp that power... I need your help.]

"What... must I do to help?"

[Hmm...] The giant being slightly tilts their head toward Ham Jin.

Kugugugu!

Even that seems to cause Ham Jin's mental world to darken.

[You are still... too weak. For a regular cultivator to properly accept even a tenth of my power, they will need to be at least at the Nascent Soul stage.]

"...!"

Ham Jin's jaw drops in shock at those words.

'Na-Nascent Soul stage...'

Even his master is only at the mid-Core Formation stage!

Let alone Nascent Soul, his master grits his teeth, hoping to reach Grand Perfection Core Formation in his lifetime.

Hence, hearing the term Nascent Soul makes Ham Jin's mind go blank.

[However, thanks to your special constitution, you seem to accept my power a bit better. With your constitution, you can accept my power more easily. Even if you only reach the Core Formation stage, you will be able to accept a tenth of my power. Then, borrowing your body, I can completely overturn this cumbersome valley and obtain what lies beneath it...] Fortunately, reaching the Core Formation stage is within the realm of reason for Ham Jin.

However, it's equally daunting and distant.

"Forgive me, O Great One. To reach the Core Formation stage, I will need to cultivate tirelessly for the next 200 years. Moreover, my master plans to steal my body in a few years...!"

His eyes tremble with fear.

Suddenly, the worst outcome crosses his mind.

His master, already being at the Core Formation stage, can steal Ham Jin's body and implant his own Golden Core to immediately reach the Core Formation stage.

If that happens, both the being and his master would be satisfied—the being would draw power from the master, and the master would borrow the being's power!

Ultimately, the only one suffering unjustly would be the Qi Refining 3rd star Ham Jin!

As he breaks into a cold sweat, the great being speaks in a gentle voice.

[Do not worry. I am here to help you, and I will not betray you. But indeed, 200 years is too long. Not just for you, but I do not have that much time to wait either.]

"Then..."

The shadow, with their 38 eyes burning with ghost fire, rests one of their heads on their hand and stares at Ham Jin for a moment.

[Then, we must resort to a shortcut.] The shadow chuckles.

[One year. I will elevate you to the Qi Building stage within one year.]

"Pardon...!?"

The proposal is so absurd that Ham Jin's eyes widen in astonishment.

The Qi Building stage is no child's play!

Yet, the being speaks casually as if they're saying 'I will make you breakfast.'

[In exchange for that power, you will retrieve the 'power' guarded beneath by the dragon vein of this valley, of the entire country, and offer it to me.]

"D-Didn't the Great One say that to obtain it, the entire valley must be overturned?"

[If you were to simply obtain it by brute force, yes. Of course, I know you don't have that kind of strength. But instead of strength, you are a resident of this world. Through the spell I will teach you, weave the dragon veins of this valley. Gather all the nearby power in this area into your grasp. Like spinning threads to make clothes and weaving nets, interlace the dragon veins and create the formation I will teach you.] The shadow laughs.

[When the time comes, I will activate the formation. The dragon vein will move, drawing me to the 'power'. What do you say? Will you accept my proposal?] Ham Jin ponders the shadow's proposal.

And he realizes.

No matter how much he contemplates it, there is no better offer.

And in any case, without borrowing this being's power, he will inevitably be stripped of his body and die.

There is no better proposal!

He is in a position where he has to grab onto any lifeline, no matter how rotten.

'I can't be picky.'

Finally, having made his decision, Ham Jin speaks with a determined expression.

"Yes, I will follow the Great One's words!"

[Huhu, very good. Now that you have decided, listen carefully to the knowledge I will impart to you.] Whisperwhisperwhisperwhisper...

As Ham Jin communes with the Great Being, he receives the knowledge the being bestows upon him.

Pukwak!

"Tst, this experimental subject died too."

In Yuhwa, there exists beings known as the 'Three Great Sage Gods.'

They are the legendary Core Formation stage cultivators of the Yuhwa Country, and among them, the strongest in devilish arts, known as the 'Devil God.'

Black Tomb Old Monster Yeom Gok!

He briefly frowns with an unpleasant expression at the dead experimental subject before suddenly smashing the altar where the subject lay with his fist.

"Damn it! Another failure! Why are my disciples so weak!? How can they ever become a suitable body for me at this rate!?"

His enraged shout echoes throughout Split Turtle Valley.

The numerous Qi Refining stage disciples within the valley tremble at his thunderous roar.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! There are only 39 left now! Why is there no one showing any results!?"

Yeom Gok bites his lips and tears at his hair.

Unable to contain his rage, he burns the corpse of the dead experimental subject and shouts.

"Gather here immediately! You useless things!"

At his command, his disciples quickly gather in front of Yeom Gok's cave residence.

Yeom Gok looks over his disciples.

Apart from two who have reached the 6th star of Qi Refining, the rest are at the 1st or 2nd star, with even some failing to properly achieve the Qi Gathering stage.

"You useless things! Why were you born without any useful qualities!? Why!? Your worthless lives only have value when they are used to extend the life of a Sage God like me!!!"

Kuang, Kuang!

He shouts, throwing objects from his laboratory at the disciples below the Qi Gathering stage.

Still unsatisfied, he begins beating the Qi Refining 1st and 2nd star disciples.

After a while, only three intact disciples remain in his laboratory.

Qi Refining 6th star disciple Wi Je.

Another of the same stage, Yu Eun.

And Qi Refining 3rd star Ham Jin.

Looking at the Qi Refining 6th star disciples, Wi Je and Yu Eun, Yeom Gok speaks with bloodshot eyes.

"You bastards should be ready to perform the Seven Star Ritual by now, right? If you're not ready today, I'll grind you into pills!"

The two disciples tremble and nod their heads.

"Yes, yes, Master! I have fully reached great completion in the 6th star. I only need to perform the Seven Star Ritual!"

"Me too!"

"Hmph! Foolish things..."

He looks at them with dissatisfaction before finally turning to Ham Jin.

"Hmm..."

He slowly approaches Ham Jin, feeling his body and checking his teeth.

"Good... very healthy. Have you been brushing your teeth well lately?"

"Yes, yes. Thanks to the high-quality salt Master provided last time, I clean them thoroughly every day and use perfume oil to make them smell good."

"Good, you must be used to bathing by now, and you're exercising diligently?"

"Yes, I think I'm starting to build muscle recently."

"Haha, very good. Excellent. And let's see... oh, surprising. You've already reached the mid stage for the 3rd star of Qi Refining?"

"Yes..."

"Hahaha! Wonderful. But as I've told you many times, don't focus solely on training. Go outside, get some sunlight, and put your best effort into building a healthy and robust body."

"... Understood."

Yeom Gok pats Ham Jin's head with a kind expression.

A demeanor that anyone would think is that of a master doting on his favorite disciple.

However, none of those present envy or look at Ham Jin with jealousy.

On the contrary, every time Yeom Gok pats Ham Jin as if handling a precious item, everyone looks at Ham Jin with pity.

There isn't a single disciple who doesn't know that Yeom Gok has half-decided to use Ham Jin as the target for his body-swapping technique.

"Now then. I'm going out to gather some materials, so clean the entire research hall thoroughly while I'm gone."

After patting Ham Jin, Yeom Gok doesn't even glance at the other disciples as he grabs his storage stroll and leaves the cave residence.

He uses the Flying Escape Technique to exit the valley.

'... Since the earthquake, Ham Jin has been acting strangely.'

Yeom Gok furrows his brow.

A few months ago, a large earthquake struck the Split Turtle Valley.

As a result, some of the materials Yeom Gok had painstakingly acquired were destroyed, driving him into a rage.

But the real issue is that after the earthquake, Ham Jin has changed subtly in a strange way.

Previously, Ham Jin would often sneak into Yeom Gok's library to steal glances at the books.

Of course, Yeom Gok let it slide, knowing that Ham Jin's body would become his in a few years anyway.

However, Ham Jin has not once snuck into the library since the earthquake.

The multiple layers of barriers Yeom Gok has cunningly set up around the library are all functioning without any issues.

And today.

Today, once again, an unexpected earthquake caused his experiment to fail, resulting in the experimental subject dying without yielding any results.

And once again, Ham Jin had acted strangely.

Normally, Ham Jin would flinch despite trying to hide it whenever Yeom Gok touches him.

But today was different.

'There was no reaction at all.'

No, beyond having no reaction, Yeom Gok felt as if Ham Jin was looking down on him.

'Why has that little brat suddenly changed? Hmm... That kid must be hiding something from me. He's up to something.'

Yeom Gok ponders for a moment before smirking.

"As expected... is it that? The secret at the bottom of the valley. That mysterious power must have caused the earthquake and affected Ham Jin, who is susceptible to external forces."

Yeom Gok clenches his fist, his face showing a greedy expression.

"If I can obtain that power, reaching Grand Perfection Core Formation might not be a dream! With that power and Ham Jin's body, I might even reach Nascent Soul in this lifetime! Hahaha! If I reach the Nascent Soul stage and offer Ham Jin's body to an otherworldly entity for their power, even the Heavenly Being stage won't be out of reach!"

Black Tomb Old Monster Yeom Gok.

Laughing maniacally, he leaves Split Turtle Valley.

"Upon reaching the Heavenly Being stage, I won't just be a 'so-called' Sage God but a 'true' Sage God!"

Tiiiiing— A clear wave emanates from somewhere.

A thread of my consciousness descends into a Decaying Corpse Realm.

From that realm, someone's lifespan is being drawn towards me.

I receive the lifespan and convert it into Longevity Axis, building it.

Recently, I have nearly synchronized my mind with the Void Spirit Pond, extending my consciousness to numerous Lower Realms to accept even more offerings at a faster pace.

Today alone, I have been given offerings three times.

Of course, two of them were from vile devil path cultivators, so I didn't accept any compensation and instead crushed the heads of the devilish cultivators that conducted the ritual.

One-third of the countless offerings are like this.

Sacrificial offerings from devil path cultivators.

I always ignore such offerings, so the completion of the Longevity Axis was not particularly fast.

Nevertheless, with my mind synchronized with the Void Spirit Pond and extending my consciousness to the Lower Realms in earnest, the completion of the Longevity Axis became quite rapid.

'... How peculiar.'

However, recently, I began to ponder something as I observe the rapidly completing Longevity Axis.

To be precise, it was after facing the Entering Nirvana True Persons.

'The Entering Nirvana True Persons pulled my spirit out of the dimension through attraction force.'

Their method is strikingly similar to how I extend my consciousness to the Lower Realms to draw in my contractors' minds into the world of consciousness.

The contractors who have offered tributes are 'connected' to me, allowing me to reconnect and pull them in anytime.

And this fact allows for a certain hypothesis.

'To draw someone in with attractive force, is 'providing' required?'

'Providing' my power.

Benefiting them.

Such acts seem necessary to establish a connection with my mind through attraction force, allowing me to pull them in at any time without the need of an offering.

As evidence, no connection was formed with those devilish cultivators whom I only crushed, caused earthquakes and tsunamis, cursed, or inflicted irreversible fatal injuries upon right after being summoned.

'If I could connect with such vile beings, I'd visit them for fun and shove calamities upon them, but alas.'

In short, those who are given the 'act of providing' by me are connected through attraction force, while those who aren't are not.

And 'acts of providing' signify blessings.

The fact that acts of providing establish a connection through attraction force means that blessings are the true force of attraction.

Why do cultivators handle attraction force starting from the Four-Axis stage?

This hypothesis allows me to understand this a little.

It's because cultivators at the Four-Axis stage are qualified to oversee blessings, and sharing blessings means connecting people.

And the connection between people means attraction force.

'But when I think about it this way, it's strange that the Entering Nirvana True Persons pulled me in with attraction force.'

They never bestowed any blessings upon me. On the contrary, they only scattered calamities.

Even so, I was drawn to them.

'In that case, there are two possibilities.'

Either they bestowed blessings upon me without my consent at some point.

Or, their summoning of me was due to misfortune (厄) rather than a blessing.

'Misfortune has no substance.'

It merely refers to the absence of blessings.

'Giving misfortune' is just an expression. In reality, it's closer to the concept of 'taking away existing blessings.'

But I cannot form connections with those who have taken away my blessings.

If they never bestowed blessings upon me, how are they connected to me?

'... Did they summon me [intending to give] blessings?'

Only now do I understand the principle by which the Entering Nirvana True Persons drew my spirit above the dimension in an instant.

My contractors and I give each other what we need.

In this way, attraction force is generated between us.

Just as the living beings of the Lower Realms call upon me with the Wuji Ghost King Ritual Scripture with offerings to summon my mind, the Entering Nirvana True Persons also performed a summoning ritual from outside the dimension.

The calls of the Lower Realm beings are so small that I can choose not to respond to their summons.

However, the voices of the True Persons are so immense, and the attraction force of their existence is so powerful that I have no choice but to be drawn to their summoning ritual.

'The way the beings of the Lower Realms call upon me is based on the concept of [offering] something. The act of offering is merely stated as such due to the difference in realms. In reality, it's just a matter of giving and receiving. In short, the Entering Nirvana True Persons summoned me by performing a ritual [to give] blessings to me. In doing so, they hoped to connect with [the being they mistakenly perceive to be behind me] through attraction force...'

"..."

When my thoughts reach this point.

I touch upon [something].

'Wait.'

If the essence of attraction force is the exchange of blessings.

Wealth, Longevity, Health, and Love of Virtue entail exchanging what is needed with beings of the Lower Realms, connecting with [them] to acquire these concepts.

But think about it.

"... From the beginning... if I just [give] my lifespan to the Nether Ghost Realm, and the Nether Ghost Realm [gives] me the Longevity Axis..."

Wouldn't an attraction force be formed between [the Nether Ghost Realm and myself]?

Since the Nether Ghost Realm symbolizes Longevity, wouldn't the direct attraction force with the Nether Ghost Realm be the true Longevity Axis?

'The lifespan needed to build one axis is 10, 000 years.'

Each time an axis is built, a lifespan of 10, 000 years is granted.

"Ah... haha... hahahahaha!"

A cultivator at the Four-Axis stage receives a total of 50, 000 years of lifespan.

10, 000 years when first reaching the Four-Axis stage.

And 10, 000 years for each axis built thereafter.

'I understand now.'

My simple reflection, which evolved from the realization of the true nature of attraction force and the methods of the Entering Nirvana True Persons, Finally reaches a conclusion that cultivators who practice Immortal Cultivation solely for longevity and immortality would 'never' arrive at.

"The 'true' name of the Four-Axis stage... isn't the Four-Axis stage."

I now realize the 'true' name of the Four-Axis stage.