Chapter 44: The Nine shackles of mortals!

"There is a way." replied the mother.

"And that is through the One Hundred Thousand Graveyard lake!" she continued, her tone solemn.

Hearing this, Duan Li recalled that the principal somehow said that the One Hundred Thousand Graveyard lake was centered around all the other region.

"That is a graveyard for all the beings of the nine region. When we die, our carcasses will be teleported and dumped into the graveyard lake!" she explained.

"Is that so.. no wonder it is called as such..." said Duan Li slowly.

The One Hundred Thousand graveyard lake was a lake that is full of dried up bones and meat. When Duan Li had first entered it to temper his physical body for his ascension to the immortal realm, he thought that it was from the remains of a very, very colossal monster.

"According to the legend, these nine region was formed after an absolute being, the Grand Immortal from the upper firmaments of the multiverse founded a way to live for the third lifetime. Thus, in order to create an increasingly strong physical body for his future self, he had painstakingly created this dimensional space and poured countless varying creatures within it, separated by tall borders with each a respective Guardian overseeing them." continued the mother.

The reason why these beings were caged inside this separate dimension called the Eternal maze was due to the Grand Immortal's wish to use their blood as a tonic to temper his future self's body.

However, thinking that it would be cruel to massacre all these living creatures for the sake of their blood, he decided to let them live naturally inside their own habitat which he artificially made using his boundless powers.

Only when they died, either naturally or killed, will their body be teleported into the One Hundred Thousand graveyard lake, where their blood essences would then be extracted, condensed and merged together with the other blood essences.

As a result, the lake grew increasingly potent through time, such that it would kill any cultivator that tried to temper their physical body in it, except those with affinity.

Duan Li was astounded when he heard the title, Grand Immortal. That title seemed to be the most domineering one he has ever heard.

Grand Immortal?

Isn't that like someone who is above the immortals?

What kind of concept is that?

With curiosity poking at his mind, he couldn't help but to ask, "Grand Immortal? Is that someone at the peak of the immortal ascension realm?"

If that was the case, then wouldn't he be also called the Grand Immortal back then?

The mother wolf narrowed her eyes.

"Young man, be very careful whenever you said something involving the Grand Immortal himself. That is an Utmost Supreme Being that is worshipped by the nine guardians of the Eternal maze!" replied the mother hurriedly, her tone a little bit panic.

Who was the Grand Immortal? That is an existence which created the entire Eternal maze with inconceivable means. To say that the Grand Immortal was at the immortal ascension realm?

That would be downright blasphemy!

And just as she said that, a figure abruptly appeared behind Duan Li.

Whoooshh!

This was the old man, the Guardian of the first region. His face was looking quite dark right now.

"Brazen brat, you dare to suggest that the Grand Immortal is of a lowly realm once more, I will erase you from existence this instant!" said the old man with a hoarse voice.

When Duan Li saw the abrupt appearance of the blue robed old man with a dignified air to him, combined with what he just said and the warnings from the mother wolf before, he immediately knew who the old man standing before him was.

"I... I am someone new to the world of cultivation, please forgive my slip of the tongue if I had mentioned anything offensive Lord Guardian!" said Duan Li quickly as he did a 90 degrees bow towards the old man.

Seeing Duan Li's immediate repentence, the old man's face returned to normal as he nodded.

After all, a man who knew the three wisdoms of life; respect, repent and forgive is someone whom is worth the second chance.

"Hmph! You are fortunate that this region was supervised by the magnanimous me. If it had been any of the other eight Guardians, you would have died on the spot right now without a doubt!" the old man harrumphed.

"I am Jing Zhianghu, the Guardian of the first region!" he introduced himself with his hands clasped behind his back.

"That wolf you spoke with, is from a species called Fenrir from the Ninth region. It would be best for it to return soon." continued the old man.

Fenrir...

What a powerful name for a species...

"Anyway, It seems that you came from the Tian continent. How is it nowadays?" the old man asked.

He was also someone who came from the Tian continent about ten generations ago. Thus, feeling his interest piqued by Duan Li's previous means, he wondered whether humanity had become much more formidable ever since the day he departed into this maze.

"Eh... I guess everyone is doing fine.. we now have a total of nine empires across the whole continent... We even have something called the Airtrains now..." replied Duan Li slowly.

Airtrain? What's that?

Nevermind, its probably something new that was invented recently.

"Nine? That's quite a lot! It seems that humanity has flourished. What more with that thing called Airtrains that seems to be impressive since you mentioned it. Although it would still take some time before the human civilization could reach the apex once again." said the old man as he nodded his head, but he still has that indifferent look to him.

After all, before someone from his realm, all others beneath and everything material are quite insignificant in the scale of the multiverse.

"It seems that the human's conception of the cultivation realm has deteriorated though. Why don't you explain that to him?" interjected the mother wolf.

"Hmph! You don't have to remind me! I am planning to tell him anyway!" replied the old man while closing his eyes feeling annoyed as he turned his attention towards Duan Li once more.

"Listen brazen brat! The cultivation realm doesn't just stop at the immortal ascension realm. In fact, that is merely the beginning to truly become an immortal!" he continued.

"The mortal wheels of fate, will transform to become the immortal's fate once they ascend to the immortal ascension realm! What it means for this change is that, one would have finally escaped the first shackle of a mortal! Thus, ascending to the realm of immortality!"

The old man then continued to explain that, according to the Grand immortal whom had released himself from the eight shackles, the ninth shackle should be the final obstacles before one finally reach true immortality, an existence that is unbounded by the laws of nature, space and time!

In other words, the most inviolable existence there is!

The first shackle is called as the Escaping mortality realm! In this realm, one's body will become incomparably tough, to the extent that their three life's being will leap into a qualitative change that could prolong their lifespan up to five thousand years old!

The second shackle, Entering Omnipresence state realm is when one would be able to obtain the ability to travel through the void to reach a distance so vast, in but an instant!

As Duan Li listened all the way to the eight shackles, his heart palpitated in eagerness. In his memories, he was only able to reach the pinnacle stage of the immortal ascension realm, or now known as the Escaping mortality realm.

At that time, his battle prowess was already so heaven-defying!

What would it be like to go far beyond than that? To release the ninth shackle?

"And finally, the ninth shackle, True One Whole state realm! This is the name given by the Grand Immortal who had ascended all the way to the Eight shackle, Eternal Heavenly Realm state!" said the old man as he look towards the sky, his eyes filled with awe and reverence.

"True One Whole state realm...!" Duan Li repeated subconsciously.

A singular state where there is no precedence before or after it, separating oneself from the Three Life's being, while still being alive indefinitely for all eras until the ends of time and after. Now that, is a true indomitable and inviolable existence!

A true immortal!

Duan Li's hair stood on end as he imagined what sort of unparalleled being could reach and release that final shackle!

"However, releasing the ninth shackle is extremely beyond difficult and that phrase would still be underestimating it! If there is anyone who could do it, that would only be the Grand Immortal himself!" added the old man with a longing look to him.

For the old man, releasing the first shackle was already too difficult for him. It took a total of 800 years for him to reach such a state. And now 500 years later, he was still stuck at the early stage of the first shackle.

If he do the maths, perhaps he could only reach the pinnacle of the first shackle in this lifetime. After all, the world of cultivation is aligned entirely with both luck and affinity. Without these two, it would definitely be impossible for one to progress any further.

The old man sighed as he accepted his fate. He then turned towards the mother wolf.

"Go back to where you belong now, this is not the place for you to stay." said the old man with a stern voice.

"Hmph! As if I wanted to be here in the first place." snorted the mother wolf looking annoyed at the old man.

"Young man, I shall leave my son to you for awhile. Take care of him for me." continued the mother.

"En! No problem!" replied Duan Li as he nodded his head.

The mother wolf then extended the floating thunder essence in front of Duan Li. However, before she could even began to tell him how to cultivate it, the latter had closed his eyes and started to cultivate it while sitting cross-legged.

Noticing the other party trying to cultivate the thunder essence normally as if cultivating the spiritual Qi from a monster core, both the old man and the mother wolf chuckled as they shook their heads.

This young man is still too green!

Let's see how long it will take for him to realize that it will be futile to cultivate the thunder essence this way!

Just as such thoughts crossed within their minds, the inconceivable happened before their very eyes.

Pshiingggg!

The thunder essence that was floating so majestically before was now gone without a trace, absorbed by Duan Li as he then opened his eyes abruptly.

"Done!" he said with a happy expression.

He could feel the power of the rattling thunder essence floating within his dantian right now to be extremely strong. If he encountered any powerful being even at the nascent soul realm, this thunder essence would be able to do a quick work out of them!

Done?

We just so happen to see that the thunder essence was gone when we blink in just for a few moments!

Did you eat it? Hurry and spit it back out!!

That is no way to cultivate it at all!

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