Chapter 114: Chapter 109: Transmutation of All Things
Translator: 549690339
Li Fan and Yin Shangren returned deeper into the building. After settling down in a resting place, Li Fan stated his intention.
“Oh? You want to know how to break through to the Foundation Establishment Phase?” Yin Shangren was immediately excited, speaking animatedly,” No one understands building foundations better than I do!”
“I’d like to hear the details!” Li Fan didn’t argue but asked happily.
The dog, with human hands, walked upright towards them at this time.
Its front limbs held two cups, which it placed on the table.
The cup was swirling with a dark liquid; it was unclear what it contained.
Following that, the dog laid down and started circling around Yin Shangren, as if to get his approval.
“Please have some tea! This is a great thing, brewed with the spirit energy fungus group that I’ve cultivated. If they multiply symbiotically within the body, they can speed up the circulation of spirit energy, enhance the explosive strength of the spirit energy, it has lots of benefits.” Yin Shangren tasted a sip deliciously and told Li Fan.
Li Fan scanned it with his spiritual sense, and discovered that what was churning in the cup were countless minuscule organisms, with peculiar and varying appearances.
So Li Fan sat still.
Seeing Li Fan not drinking, Yin Shangren seemed a bit disappointed.
He didn’t insist, and moved on to the main point, asking, “The so-called foundation building is the building of the Taoist foundation. So, do you know what this Tao foundation actually is?”
Li Fan pondered for a moment, then replied, “The Tao Foundation represents the root of a cultivator’s cultivation. Once a cultivator has achieved perfection in refining energy, one must build one’s own Tao foundation to continue cultivation. Otherwise, even if one’s cultivation continues to increase, it is like building a skyscraper on sand. It will collapse at the slightest shake.”
When discussing academia, Yin Shangren was surprisingly serious. He nodded, saying, “Indeed, before the Great Calamity, there were energy refining cultivators who took a different approach, not building any Tao foundation, focusing solely on refining energy.”
“They claimed that there was no limit to refining energy, and that refining energy in three thousand layers could sever the Unity Path. Unfortunately, this person only refined energy to the ninety-ninth layer, then a golden core cultivator grew impatient with him and killed him casually.”
“Perhaps his path was truly feasible, but firstly, the bodies of energy refining cultivators are weak and unable to bear such immense power. Secondly, regardless of how many layers of energy you refine, it still only provides brute strength. In a real fight against cultivators who have built foundations or maintained higher cultivation levels, he’d be at a great disadvantage.”
Yin Shangren took a sip of tea, continuing, “In ancient times, cultivators learned from nature. They observed the operation of heaven and earth, and understood the rules of the great path.”
“Then they combined their personal realization to make a crude mimicry.”
“After years and months, their thoughts and comprehension about the laws of heaven gradually formed the basis of their latter cultivation.”
“As everyone’s talent is different, enlightened people are high and low; the speed and compatibility of the Tao foundation built up by various cultivators through their comprehension of the great Tao are vastly different.”
“Some could immediately feel something and establish their foundation right away. However, the vast majority are stuck without progress after decades, their hairs turned white.”
“One can get a glimpse of the challenges in cultivation.”
With a sigh, Yin Shangren said, “But that was the past.”
“If we compare the principles of heaven and earth to a heaven-reaching gigantic tree, then formerly, we cultivators, were like tiny spirits among the trees. We fly between branches and leaves, observing and realizing.”
“It was too slow and too difficult.”
“Therefore, after the immortal elders’ law transmission, we cultivators have turned into greedy ants, no longer observing and subtly imitating but directly gnawing the branches and leaves of the giant tree, turning them into our nourishment for growth.”
“In this way, cultivation has surely become countless times faster. And natural treasures are just like these branches and leaves of the tree.”
“They are the concentration of certain rules in the world. With the help of miraculous objects, cultivators can omit the process of personal realization and directly transform it into their own Tao foundation.”
Li Fan nodded, “I remember that it was mentioned in the ‘Theory of Miraculous Objects’.”
‘”Theory of Miraculous Objects’…” Yin Shangren scoffed, seemingly disdainful.
He continued, “If we say, previously, the wonders of heaven and earth were there for us to omit the process of understanding heaven and earth… ‘
“Then, let me ask you. Nowadays, some cultivators are extremely talented and don’t need these natural treasures to understand these principles at all. They deeply comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, and in ancient times they could easily establish their foundations. But now, is it still possible?” Yin Shangren stared at Li Fan.
“Of course not, building a foundation requires the wonders of heaven and earth…” As Li Fan spoke, he suddenly thought of something, and fell silent.
“That is correct, the method of cultivation has been completely changed,” Yin Shangren coldly stated.
“In the past, cultivators comprehended the Heaven-Earth Principle, cultivating in accordance with heavens, which was the natural rule.”
“However, after the law transmission by the Immortal Elders, this natural rule has changed. Cultivators must defy the heavens and seize the land…” Li Fan murmured, “Contrary to the logic of Heaven and Earth…”
“To achieve eternal life!” Yin Shangren continued.
“I do not know how, prior to the Great Calamity, cultivators could attain eternal life. ”
“Ever since the method of cultivation changed, the only way to eternal life now is by defying the Heaven and Earth principle.”
“The Immortal Elder who initially transmitted these laws, was the originator of this theory and also the first to put it into practice.”
“They defied all the principles of cultivation observed by cultivators around the world, achieving the status of the Fruit of Eternal Life. From then on, they lived as long as the heavens and the earth, free and unfettered.”
“Since then, cultivators around the world who wish to cultivate can only follow their ‘laws’. How domineering!”
Yin Shangren’s tone became harsh, clearly dissatisfied with this Law Transmitting Immortal Sovereign.
“To walk your own path, then force all of creation to follow that path. Quite an Immortal Law-transmitter…” Li Fan was deeply shaken.
This was the second Immortal Sovereign he was able to glimpse.
Immediately after, he recalled the gigantic statue of the High Crowned Old Man on Ten Thousand Immortals Island.
Stood majestically, gazing down upon the comings and goings of all beings.
“Could it be, this Alliance of Thousands of Immortals was created by the Immortal Law-transmitter? But if this Immortal Elder is still alive, then how could they have turned a blind eye to the destruction of Ten Thousand Immortals Island by the Crimson Flame after several years…” Li Fan was overwhelmed by doubts.
Yin Shangren ignored Li Fan’s comment and continued, “The key issue is that in order to achieve the Foundation Establishment Phase these days, one must rely on the wonder of Heaven and Earth.”
“So, what is this Natural Treasure, after all?”
“You have also read the ‘Theory of Miraculous Objects’, and know that when a cultivator falls, they will be transformed by the Heaven and Earth into a Natural Treasure.”
“Doesn’t that imply that a cultivator, when alive, can also be considered a Natural Treasure, not fully transformed yet?”
Yin Shangren spoke faster and faster, as if he wanted to spit out all the research that had been neglected for years in one breath.
“Heaven and Earth is like a furnace, and the well-melted product is the formed Natural Treasure. And everything in heaven and earth can be considered as unformed Natural Treasures!”
“Natural Treasures are the aggregation of rules, isn’t it the same for humans?! The human body is so exquisite and contains infinite mysteries. Why can’t we consider it a Natural Treasure?”
“Do you, fellow Daoist, know that some cultivators can refine mortals with special abilities into Natural Treasures and use them as their Tao Foundation, thereby claiming the mortals’ special abilities as their own.”
“I am also human, so am I a Natural Treasure?”
Seeing Yin Shangren’s words becoming more outrageous, Li Fan couldn’t help but interrupt, “Is this just your guess, or…”
Yin Shangren cracked a grin, “It used to be a guess, but now…” “It’s been confirmed by me.”
As he spoke, his body split down the middle into two halves.
Inside his organs and flesh, another face of Yin Shangren appeared.
“Ten years ago, I used myself as a Natural Treasure to build my Tao Foundation!”
The two faces inside and out spoke in unison..
