ccnovels #430 - Dialogue with Bones
#430 - Dialogue with Bones
"Quick, envelop me!" Three Realms Wanderer shouted anxiously.
Wang Ji Xuan was stunned for a moment, and then the Hetero-Soul, with tears streaming down, swallowed the remnant soul of Three Realms Wanderer into its chest.
Strands of soul power nourished Three Realms Wanderer.
Actually, there was no need to rush too much. Several small ships had already shot over from the direction of the moon, and several beams of light had already struck this place.
Support had arrived.
"What's going on?" Three Realms Wanderer asked anxiously.
Wang Ji Xuan pondered for a few moments, then began to recount his experiences.
The Immortal Palace, the halls, the skeleton sitting in meditation, and the skeleton that pushed him out, as well as the words 'What a pity, he's a demonic cultivator'.
"What's wrong with demonic cultivators? The immortals in there look down on demonic cultivators?" Three Realms Wanderer grumbled, unconvinced.
Perhaps, his previous actions were indeed more demonic than a demonic cultivator.
Wang Daochang ignored his second life, his brain working at lightning speed to think and analyze.
There was one point that Shen Qionglin was right about.
This Stone of the Past was not a key, it was the secret realm hidden within the moon itself… The relationship was complicated to explain.
It was as if the secret realm within the moon had its material foundation in that area inside the moon, but the secret realm itself exceeded the current dimension, and the Stone of the Past was a projection of this secret realm in the current universe.
That was roughly it.
This item was not a treasure of inheritance, and the secret realm didn't seem to be meant to bestow blessings upon future generations.
However, the skeleton that could move discovered that he was a demonic cultivator, but only banished him and didn't kill him, which was a good sign.
Wang Ji Xuan's heart was burning with excitement.
A corpse that remained incorruptible for eternity was definitely an immortal!
The treasures there were incomparable to any treasures in the cultivation world. The murderous aura left behind by the weapons made it difficult for him to even approach.
Wang Daochang was now more than just curious.
He desperately wanted to know what had happened there, and what the Immortal Realm was really like.
"So, in that case," Three Realms Wanderer muttered, "the images I left on this stone were all seen by that living jade skeleton inside?"
"Not sure. Immortals might not be interested in ants like us who haven't become immortals," Wang Ji Xuan said.
"Stop guessing. I'll go call them for a meeting. The light on this stone has already started to fade, you should be able to go in and hide."
"Later, I'll use my main body's Nascent Soul to try again. The other party seems to mind demonic cultivators practicing the righteous path. It seems that the war between immortals and demons, righteousness and evil, should also be the main theme in the Immortal Realm."
Three Realms Wanderer replied with some frustration.
He muttered, "I'm clearly a remnant soul of a half-immortal, yet I wasn't chosen. Your Hetero-Soul was chosen instead, it really doesn't make sense… Ah, I can't do it anymore, I'll go to sleep first. Before the next experiment, remember to take me out and enshrine me."
"Okay, I know." Wang Ji Xuan was too lazy to be polite with his second life. His main body woke up from its slumber and began to call people to discuss.
Collective wisdom, after all.
It was better than him racking his brains alone.
…
The second experiment would take place in two hours.
The experiment had already been successful once, so there shouldn't be any problems afterward. The only uncertainty was where this stone would fall after the spatial-temporal tunnel shattered.
Due to the Earth's gravity, it would most likely be near the Earth.
As for the wonders inside…
Wang Ji Xuan described his experiences in detail. Ling Tong, Amy Nina, Zheng Shiduo, Wu Man, Xiao Huating, who were participating in this meeting, and, most importantly, Shen Qionglin, the Divine Domain Brain, all fell silent for a time.
They were very unfamiliar with the concept of immortals and could only simply and crudely understand them as 'advanced civilizations'.
"From the situation you described, it's very likely a collective suicide," Shen Qionglin said quickly, twirling a projection pen (a simple device that could write directly on a projection screen) in her hand after pondering for a few moments.
"It's good to have some gains. If we can determine that it's a high-dimensional, or even more advanced civilization, then it would be a great gain for us."
"Now we only need to do two things."
"Continue the experiment and send the boss's Nascent Soul in, and prepare some scripts for the boss in advance to respond to the other party's questions."
Everyone looked at each other, each with a head full of confusion.
Wang Ji Xuan laughed, "Can you even make a script for this?"
"Of course," Shen Qionglin pushed up her non-existent glasses, "We should get up from where we fell. Let's assume that the boss sees that moving jade skeleton. At this time, it's highly likely that there will be these three questions: Who are you, where do you come from, and how did you find this place."
Wang Ji Xuan: …
The Daoist priest was momentarily unable to refute.
Shen Qionglin had already opened her mind and said with great interest, "Boss, assuming you encounter these three questions, how would you answer? Starting with the first one… It's best to rehearse it, assuming you're facing that moving skeleton right now."
Wang Ji Xuan looked at the Stone of the Past beside him, which was completely still.
He reminded Shen Qionglin, and Shen Qionglin winked at him, indicating that she knew what she was doing.
Wang Ji Xuan also didn't understand what Shen Qionglin wanted to do.
However, the success of this matter depended entirely on Shen Qionglin's planning, and Wang Ji Xuan now trusted her quite a bit.
So, Wang Ji Xuan stood up, cupped his hands in the air, and said solemnly, "Junior Wang Ji Xuan, cultivating from the lower realm, having experienced three lifetimes and only half a step away from becoming an immortal. I have come here today by chance. I have no intention of disturbing the senior, but I only have one or two questions to ask."
"That won't do," Shen Qionglin shook her head.
"That's too ordinary. If the other party only answers a few questions, neither giving you technology nor treasures, then wouldn't you be at a great loss?"
Wang Ji Xuan said solemnly, "Whether or not to give techniques and treasures all depends on the senior's intention. How can I force it? Besides, now I'm just curious about the Immortal Realm and very puzzled by that finger that prevented me from becoming an immortal, so I just want to ask about it."
Shen Qionglin said, "Didn't you say that treasures are everywhere inside, and that just taking out a weapon would probably have the ability to slay gods and slaughter immortals? If you enter a treasure mountain and return empty-handed, would you be willing?"
Wang Ji Xuan smiled freely.
He raised a finger at Shen Qionglin and shook it.
"You don't understand this. The matter of cultivation also emphasizes opportunity."
"Most of the time, forcing things is a lower-class tactic. Moreover, I cultivate the Qingping Art, which should have nothing to do with this place."
"As long as I can ask some questions and answer some doubts in my heart, that will be enough for me."
"Then how about this," Shen Qionglin murmured for a moment, "For example, for the first question, you deliberately create some mystery… Like this, I'll help you write a paragraph."
Her eyes lit up as she found a projection screen and began to write furiously.
In just two or three minutes, a speech draft was in front of Wang Ji Xuan.
Daoist Priest Wang's forehead was covered with black lines as he frowned and read, "Greetings, senior. Junior Wang Ji Xuan, coming from the future, seeking past secrets. I don't know what unfulfilled wishes you seniors have. Junior encountered this place by chance and felt a lot of confusion in my heart seeing you seniors meditating here, so I am willing to fulfill one or two of your wishes, so that this opportunity can be fulfilled…"
Everyone nodded upon hearing this.
"This is good," Zheng Shiduo said seriously, "It doesn't mention whether you want benefits or not, and directly puts the other party on a high pedestal. It's quite clever."
Ling Tong said, "Isn't this a little too scheming? If the other party is a very powerful existence, then their strength shouldn't just be in combat power, but also here."
She pointed to her head.
Gao Huating said, "We also need to pay attention to this skill when communicating with people. If we want to gain the other party's favor, focusing on the other party is definitely the right thing to do."
"That's the point," Shen Qionglin explained.
"For such a powerful existence, why would they care about a latercomer from a low-level civilization?"
"They have the qualifications to be arrogant."
"If we praise the other party, even if the other party sees through it, they will most likely not pursue it."
Wu Man said, "I'm just afraid of encountering someone with a strange temperament."
"There's no need to argue about this small problem," Wang Ji Xuan silently memorized this speech draft.
He smiled and said, "Professor Shen is leading this experiment, so let's listen to Professor Shen. I am now full of confidence that this time we can obtain information about the Immortal Realm."
Ling Tong reminded, "Information is certainly important, but at most it will only let you know some secrets and satisfy your desire for knowledge and curiosity. The real enemy will arrive soon, so don't relax."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Shen Qionglin said, "Then I'll help you continue writing some drafts and create a mind map to make it easier for you to respond randomly?"
"Thank you for your hard work," Wang Ji Xuan smiled.
It felt really good to have a strategist to use.
So, two hours later.
The second experiment proceeded smoothly. Wang Ji Xuan had the Hetero-Soul envelop his second life's remnant soul, and then his main body's Nascent Soul left his body, carrying the Stone of the Past into the spatial-temporal tunnel.
The spatial-temporal tunnel shattered, and the Nascent Soul drilled into it, then was slowly pushed away by the colorful light emitted by the stone.
Wang Ji Xuan was still a little apprehensive at this moment.
Compared to the first time, the only variable was that his Hetero-Soul had been replaced by his Nascent Soul.
If the Nascent Soul was rejected like the second life's remnant soul and couldn't enter this place, then they could only wait for the third experiment to let the Hetero-Soul try again.
Facts proved that he was quite lucky.
At least more lucky than his second life.
The light breathed in and out, and Wang Ji Xuan's Nascent Soul was instantly sucked into the Stone of the Past. The light and shadows in front of him flowed, and the scene inside and outside the painting reappeared.
He was in!
Daoist Wang's spirit was greatly lifted. He then lowered his head to look at his attire, and with a thought, he had his nascent soul change into a long robe, tied up his long hair, and exuded righteousness, directly entering the place.
‘Should I wander around the side hall, pretending it's my first time here?’
Just as Daoist Wang had this thought, he heard a sigh coming from the main hall directly in front.
“Alas, come over here.”
Wang Jixuan immediately clasped his hands, lowered his head, and walked quickly.
Faint images began to appear on the empty space beside him.
Unsurprisingly, they were all images related to his second life.
The images stored in the Stone of Past Events could indeed be directly ‘called’ by the skeleton here.
However, as he approached the main hall, the images that appeared in front of him made Wang Jixuan somewhat embarrassed.
It was the scene of him and Shen Qionglin proofreading the manuscript together.
Good heavens!
Wang Jixuan completely suspected that this was a situation Shen Qionglin had already considered!
That animated skeleton was sitting quietly in front of the hall door.
Wang Jixuan stepped onto the last step, and when he looked up, he saw the skeleton's empty eyes and the shimmering light emanating from the immortal bones.
Wang Jixuan clasped his hands and said, “Junior Wang Jixuan, I apologize for the disturbance.”
“You still know that you are disturbing this place.”
The skeleton's voice and tone had become very natural compared to its previous obscurity.
Wang Jixuan always felt that this kind of ‘communication ability’ was very powerful.
Anyway, he couldn't switch his language habits at will.
The skeleton said, “I already know about your interaction with the Moon Stone. It can indeed be considered a kind of fate… Since you have found this place, I can grant you one wish, but only one. You might as well tell me your greatest enemy, and next time I see you throw out the Moon Stone, I will help you suppress and kill them.”
Wang Jixuan was silent.
He naturally wouldn't suspect that what the skeleton said was false.
What he was thinking about now was actually another question.
With only one chance, should he choose to eliminate the owner of that finger that killed his second life?
Soon, Wang Jixuan looked up at the skeleton and said solemnly, “Thank you for your kindness, Senior, but my enemies should be eliminated by my own hands. I only want to know what the Immortal Realm is like, and why someone would hinder my ascension to immortality.”
“Oh?”
The skeleton seemed a little surprised:
“Are you sure? If your wish is to glimpse the Immortal Realm, then the effort you put into entering this place would be a bit too unworthy. You can also learn about the secrets of the Immortal Realm through other means.”
“To be honest, Junior is now being targeted by two forces, one called Tianluo, and the other called the Dark Sect.”
Wang Jixuan shrugged calmly:
“This humble Daoist just feels that they should be related to the Immortal Realm and the Forbidden Land of Immortals.”
The skeleton slowly nodded, looking down in thought.
It was silent for a long time before finally speaking: “Then so be it… I don't know about the Tianluo and the Dark Sect you mentioned. Presumably, they are just some marginal forces operating in the lower realm, not worth mentioning.”
Wang Jixuan was momentarily speechless.
The skeleton said slowly:
“As for your origin, I do know something about it.
“The cultivation world you originally belonged to should be a place where the sky is round and the earth is square. Every certain period of time, immortal masters will descend to the mortal world to pass down the Dao, and then every few hundred years, one or two immortals will become immortals and ascend to the Immortal Realm.
“Is that right?”
“Yes,” Wang Jixuan nodded lightly, “That's how it is.”
The skeleton smiled and said:
“Your cultivation world is actually a Void Realm, a peripheral projection of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
“The so-called immortal masters are just the lowest-level immortals sent out by various forces that control the Ascension Platform.
“The so-called preaching and teaching is just to cultivate soldiers for various forces.
“After all, the cultivators who ascend from the lower realm have all experienced hardships and can be called elites among elites. With a little training, they can become talents, much stronger than those young master heavenly soldiers who cultivate in the Immortal Realm.
“And the Immortal Realm, in addition to being led by the Ascension Platform upon ascension, there are other ways to directly enter, without necessarily becoming an immortal.”
Wang Jixuan: …
He tried hard to digest it and asked, “Then Senior, what does the Forbidden Land of Immortals mean?”