Chapter 7: Zhu Xiong's Spiritual Connection to Seek Treasure, Breaking Through the Illusion Realm to Become a True Immortal
"Got any wine?"
The moment Zhu Xiong appeared, it requested wine, but Li Mingzhu simply ignored it.
Instead, Li Mingzhu was pondering how to find a spirit vein in the East Sea. Even if it wasn't for trading purposes, gifting it to Duobao as a birthday tribute would still be pretty remarkable.
A high-grade spirit vein—such a gesture would be considered grand, even for a cultivator in the Primordial Spirit Realm.
Of course, more than that, Li Mingzhu wanted to gather some spirit stones to trade on Three Mountains Island for better Daoist skills or superior travel magic artifacts.
As for spiritual treasures, that was out of the question. How could something like that possibly appear on Three Mountains Island? Even lower-grade treasures were an unrealistic expectation.
"What are you thinking about?" Zhu Xiong ran over to sit beside Li Mingzhu. Seeing that it wasn't getting any attention, it leaned in closer to ask.
"Thinking about how to find a spirit vein."
Li Mingzhu replied with a faint smirk, casually pulling out a flask of wine from their robes and tossing it to Zhu Xiong.
"Finding a spirit vein? That's simple—leave it to me. You don't even realize how many spirit veins you passed by while flying here earlier!"
With a big gulp of wine, Zhu Xiong waved its large paw confidently, guaranteeing success. After all, receiving a favor has its obligations.
Li Mingzhu merely smiled knowingly.
It was clear Li Mingzhu was already well aware of Zhu Xiong's unique spiritual connection. And by the time Zhu Xiong realized it, it had already been swept up into Li Mingzhu's flowing sleeves like a pocketed trinket.
If Zhu Xiong were really just a wine-guzzling, escape-prone creature, Li Mingzhu wouldn't have bothered bringing it along at all.
Though sulking in the sleeve with wine in hand, Zhu Xiong didn't delay business, dutifully informing Li Mingzhu of a spirit vein two hundred miles away.
The vast blue sea stretched into the horizon, where the setting sun painted shimmering golden ripples and dazzling reflections, almost blinding.
Li Mingzhu flew at a pace that wasn't too fast or too slow—it conserved mana without wasting time. Striking this balance of speed was neither difficult nor easy but required skill born of practice.
It was roughly half an hour before Li Mingzhu arrived at the spot Zhu Xiong mentioned, only to see nothing but endless blue sea.
Leaping boldly, Li Mingzhu dove straight into the water. The innate Taoist body had its advantages—naturally impervious to water and fire, navigating even the vast ocean as if walking on solid ground.
This wasn't a divine skill but rather an innate gift—something unattainable through learning.
For most non-aquatic beings, unless their cultivation was exceptionally high, they'd have to rely on water avoidance arts to survive under the sea. Li Mingzhu, however, faced no such inconvenience.
Underwater, everything was a deep blue. By rights, the depths of the ocean should have been pitch black. Yet, as Li Mingzhu descended further, visibility extended for dozens of zhang.
However, this clarity of vision came at a cost—divine sense was noticeably hindered, unable to stretch as far as it did on land. Such was the oppressive majesty of the ocean, a testament to the marvels of Heaven and Earth.
Li Mingzhu speculated that the glowing light nearby must have been emanating from the spirit vein, and without further thought, began moving toward it.
Each stride covered dozens of zhang, lotus blooms forming with every step.
Yet, upon reaching the source of the light, what unfolded before Li Mingzhu's eyes was an unexpected sight—a small bustling city. Throngs of people filled its narrow streets, the din of haggling, yelling, laughter, and quarrels clearly audible.
"There were buildings like towers, halls, and marketplaces, all vividly present—countless in number. Suddenly, a great wind arose, and dust enveloped the city, leaving only vague outlines..."
For some inexplicable reason, Li Mingzhu was abruptly reminded of a passage from *Mountain City* he had read in his past life. If his guess was correct, this scene was of a similar nature.
Believing he had seen through it all, Li Mingzhu burst into hearty laughter. Taking one confident step forward, he knew that if it was indeed illusory, one step would restore clarity.
As he took that step, the world shifted. Yet, contrary to Li Mingzhu's expectations, the illusion did not dissipate entirely.
"What… is this?"
Lost and bewildered, Li Mingzhu gazed around with shock and disbelief.
He found himself surrounded by cold stone walls and drab furnishings. Beside him lay a three-foot-long sword—wasn't this the seclusion cave mansion from his past life?
"Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly?"
Li Mingzhu muttered under his breath but still refused to believe he had returned to Earth. Or rather, that he had never left—was it all just a dream?
Such an explanation might have been reasonable, but he wouldn't accept it.
Even if all before his eyes was illusory, Li Mingzhu calmed his heart and resolved that this earthly cave mansion was an illusion. And if it was an illusion, then so be it.
No matter how real it seemed, it was still an illusion.
The three-foot magic sword cleaves through falsehood!
Such power was deeply subjective. In our normal reality, no matter how fervent your belief, your thoughts alone wouldn't alter facts. But here, in the nebulous Primordial World, the power of the heart was undeniable—it existed and wielded immense influence.
Not to mention the illusion masters who dedicated themselves to this path, even some sword cultivators could reshape reality with intent. If they believed a stone was a pear, then that stone would indeed become a pear.
Not mere belief, but conviction so absolute it turned into reality.
As absurd as it sounded, it truly existed. It was said that the Saints, in creating the world, brought forth Heaven and Earth with a single thought—what unparalleled power!
Closing his eyes tightly, Li Mingzhu held no physical sword. Yet, within his heart, it felt as though a three-foot blade existed—cutting away falsehood.
Memories from his past life replayed, one scene after another, only to be struck down, shard by shard, by Li Mingzhu. It wasn't that he forgot these memories but that he set them aside.
The memories remained in his mind, no longer an anchor but like remnants of a fleeting dream. What he perceived now was real; all else was illusory.
Clarity of heart brought him closer to the Dao.
Breaking through the Illusion Realm, he ascended to True Immortal.
The path from the Primordial Spirit Realm to True Immortal was inherently seamless—provided sufficient mana was at hand. Li Mingzhu had been unable to ascend earlier due to his unresolved Illusion Realm.
Below True Immortal lay nine realms, with the Illusion Realm between the Golden Core and Primordial Spirit stages—yet Li Mingzhu had directly leapt over it.
Now, using the illusory realm born of the spirit vein demon beast, breaking free of the Illusion Realm allowed him to ascend to True Immortal naturally.
The Illusion Realm for Li Mingzhu was deeply tied to his memories of a past life. These memories were both his greatest help and greatest hindrance.
Because of them, he could foresee dangers, plans, and turning points far ahead. Yet they also constrained him—making him cautious to a fault.
Would he abandon an opportunity simply because he foresaw obstacles, risks, or dangers ahead?
The Dao lies ahead; without great resolve and wisdom, how can one achieve it?
Living a cautious life might be manageable, but would Li Mingzhu truly be content with such mediocrity?
Thus, under the guidance of resolute intent, he wielded a sword of clarity, cutting away all illusions and seeking only the Dao.
Li Mingzhu slowly opened his eyes, revealing celestial bodies swirling in his gaze. Though he appeared as a young man, his eyes betrayed the weight of countless lifetimes.
With a grin, he swiftly reverted to his youthful demeanor. Acting too solemn would make it harder to trick others, after all—he chuckled to himself.
Returning his attention to his surroundings, Li Mingzhu found he was still airborne, never having entered the sea at all.
An illusion within an illusion, a dream within a dream. Reflecting on it, Li Mingzhu couldn't help but shiver in fear. Had he not corrected himself, he might have met his end here.