The Hierarchy of Realms
"I must remain extremely cautious of him no matter what," Ye Chen muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing sharply. The influence of this man named Qin Tian on his reborn life was simply too overwhelming.
Anything connected to Qin Tian deviated significantly from Ye Chen's memories of his past life.
After his rebirth, Ye Chen had been acutely aware of his greatest advantage: the opportunities he knew of but had yet to be seized. The royal-grade medicines, the ancient treasures, the inheritances of fallen masters—these precious boons were still lying untouched in this timeline.
By securing these treasures before anyone else, Ye Chen could build an unshakable foundation for his future rise. The road ahead was treacherous; seizing every opportunity was the only way to emerge victorious.
"Tomorrow, I'll disguise myself before heading to the auction house," Ye Chen decided. Although he had planned to visit the Immortal Terrace Auction House openly, his natural caution convinced him otherwise.
"I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow and I can acquire that artifact," Ye Chen whispered as he lay on his bed, meticulously planning his path forward.
The Residence Beside the Ye Family Manor
"This pavilion is well-constructed," Qin Tian remarked as he stood on a high platform, gazing towards the Ye family's manor. The location of this residence provided a perfect vantage point to monitor the activities within the Ye estate. Ji Kong had done an excellent job arranging this.
Qin Tian's lips curved into a faint smile. Over the coming days, he intended to verify his suspicions regarding this so-called "child of destiny." He had already deduced much but wanted conclusive proof.
"Master, I have a question," Chu Xinyue said softly, standing beside Qin Tian. Her slender hands rested lightly on his shoulders, kneading gently.
"Speak," Qin Tian replied with a slight smile, taking a sip from his wine glass.
"What lies beyond the realm of the human emperor?" Chu Xinyue's voice carried a note of curiosity. In the Qingyun Realm, the strongest known experts were at the human emperor level. Beyond that, the upper realms were a distant mystery, with few details available even to those in the great holy lands.
While human emperors at the sixth tier or higher could ascend to the upper realm, very few actually chose to leave. Those who did usually had ties to factions in the upper realms. Otherwise, they stayed, serving as the ancestral guardians of their sects or holy lands.
For this reason, knowledge of realms beyond the human emperor level was scarce. Chu Xinyue herself had spent considerable time in the Dao Pavilion of the Wan Dao Holy Land, but even there, records of higher realms were vague at best.
"Beyond the human emperor realm?" Qin Tian's smile deepened.
If Chu Xinyue ever stepped into the primeval immortal domain, she would quickly realize how insignificant the human emperor realm was there. Yet within the vast expanse of the starry worlds, a human emperor was a powerhouse.
"Above the human emperor realm is the Heavenly Sovereign realm," Qin Tian began, his voice calm and even. "At this level, one can live for millions of years, immune to the ravages of time. Their presence can witness the rise and fall of entire epochs."
"At this stage, a single drop of blood, a strand of hair, or even a piece of their skin can regenerate them entirely," he continued, sipping his wine without a hint of exaggeration.
The Heavenly Sovereign realm was incomparable to the human emperor level. In the primeval immortal domain, such beings were recognized as true powerhouses. Even among the taboo clans, a Heavenly Sovereign could serve as an elder.
"And beyond the Heavenly Sovereign realm lies the God and Demon realm," Qin Tian added. "There are two paths to this level. The first is through a divine spark, creating what is called an 'Acquired God-Demon.'"
"The second path is far more arduous. One must ignite their own god-demon essence and forge an innate divine spark. These individuals are known as 'Innate God-Demons.'"
"Once at the God-Demon realm, one becomes nearly indestructible. Their existence transcends time, and even a mere thought can span countless star realms. Uttering their true name might summon their awareness."
Qin Tian's tone remained serene, though he refrained from elaborating further. He didn't mention the mythical Primordial God-Demons, beings capable of erasing countless star realms with a wave of their hand. Such entities were said to exist beyond the reach of even the primeval immortal domain.
"Master, what lies beyond the God-Demon realm?" Chu Xinyue asked eagerly, her eyes wide with fascination. The mention of such realms had stirred a longing within her to know more.
Qin Tian chuckled lightly, his gaze shifting to the distant horizon as if piercing the veils of time itself.
"Above the God-Demon realm is the Ancient God realm, followed by the Dao Sovereign realm," he said. "These are realms I, too, know little about. They require profound insight and comprehension."
The Ancient God realm was an exceedingly rare attainment, even within the primeval immortal domain. As for the Dao Sovereign realm, it was shrouded in mystery. Such entities were said to gaze upon the very threads of existence, their actions echoing across time and space.
"Thank you, Master, for enlightening me," Chu Xinyue said, her voice tinged with awe and reverence.
For the first time, she felt the weight of her own insignificance. In the Qingyun Realm, her status as a holy maiden was unparalleled, and her talents were widely praised. Yet compared to the geniuses of the primeval immortal domain, she was but a speck of dust.
"Do not lose heart," Qin Tian said gently, patting her head. "With the Dao scripture I gave you, while you may not become one of the absolute monsters of the primeval immortal domain, you'll be strong enough to stand among the second tier of geniuses."
Qin Tian chuckled softly. Having capable companions who could share his bed and manage affairs when necessary was quite a pleasant prospect. He had no intention of letting her lose her resolve.