Lin Yun had planned to visit Vice Palace Master Yao anyway, so the summons was timely.
He then left the Bright Moon Platform with Fire Cloud Emperor and the others.
“Lin Yun, with you as a new powerhouse, the Fire Cloud Empire’s status in the Heavenly Deity Palace will rise further. We essentially have two Sovereign-level figures now,” Immortal Bingyi said joyfully.
Though Lin Yun hadn’t reached the Sovereign Realm, his strength was on par, so he was treated as such.
“Disciple, after we return, I’ll appoint you as the Imperial Preceptor of the Fire Cloud Empire, second only to me,” Fire Cloud Emperor declared.
With Lin Yun’s current strength, he was fully qualified.
“Master, you know I have no time or interest in managing affairs. I only want to focus on cultivation,” Lin Yun said with a wry smile.
“No matter, the Imperial Preceptor is an honorary title, requiring no administrative duties,” Fire Cloud Emperor assured.
“Lin Yun, congratulations on your promotion,” Bingyi and the others chimed in.
After leaving the Bright Moon Platform.
“Lin Yun, your main focus now should be breaking through to the Sovereign Realm,” Fire Cloud Emperor advised.
“I understand, Master, but how exactly does one break through the bottleneck to Sovereign Realm?” Lin Yun asked curiously.
“Through comprehension, by understanding the rules of the Heavenly Dao. Specifically, the rules governing all things in the world. Haven’t you noticed that everything seems to operate under certain laws and patterns? Who orchestrates these? Who sets these rules?” Fire Cloud Emperor asked.
“This…”
Lin Yun froze at his words.
For years, Lin Yun’s drive to cultivate stemmed from goals he needed strength to achieve.
He had rarely pondered the questions Fire Cloud Emperor raised.
Now, his master’s words were like a revelation, making him acutely aware of this issue.
Lin Yun began to wonder: where did the rules governing the world originate?
An empire’s rules could be set by its emperor, but who established the rules of the world’s operation? Who created them?
Lin Yun couldn’t find an answer.
“There’s much I don’t know, but I’m certain we’re all bound by rules. Most of the time, we can only alter what’s permissible within those rules,” Fire Cloud Emperor said.
He continued, “Humans cultivating to immortality is about breaking these rules, which is why tribulations descend to prevent it. Even after achieving immortality, while our personal constraints lessen, the world’s rules remain unchanged.”
Fire Cloud Emperor added, “And does immortality truly mean eternal life?”
Lin Yun was taken aback, “Master, isn’t it?”
Fire Cloud Emperor looked skyward, “Immortals, in theory, should live forever unless killed or met with accidents. But are there any immortals alive today who’ve lasted a hundred thousand years? None. If immortals are truly eternal, where are those who lived longer? The world has existed for how long? Millions, billions, or even tens of billions of years? Why are there no immortals with such lifespans?”
“Did they all die in accidents or battles?” Lin Yun asked, puzzled.
“Even so, there should be immortals who avoided conflict and survived. Even if immortals are rare, over millions or billions of years, their numbers would be significant. Why hasn’t a single one endured?” Fire Cloud Emperor pressed.
“This…” Lin Yun was speechless.
Fire Cloud Emperor’s words struck him with profound shock.
These were questions Lin Yun had never considered.
“I’ve lived far longer than you, seen and thought more. I believe the immortality of immortals exists only in theory. The furthest historical records we can trace go back a few hundred thousand years, and even those are scarce,” Fire Cloud Emperor said gravely.
He continued, “Beyond that, history is a blank slate. What happened to those earlier immortals? How did they die? We don’t know.”
“Did they all perish because of the demon race? Even then, some must have hidden and avoided wars. Why didn’t any survive?” Lin Yun mused aloud.
“Want to hear my guess?” Fire Cloud Emperor looked at Lin Yun.
“Of course,” Lin Yun nodded eagerly.
Fire Cloud Emperor said, “Even the wars between the demon race and humans, I believe, are part of the rules’ design. We’re pitted against each other, wearing each other down. Immortals break the rules by achieving supposed eternity, so the rules find ways to ‘kill’ them, maintaining the rules or some balance, or perhaps serving another purpose.”
“If we completely wiped out the demon race in a war, could we break these rules?” Lin Yun asked hopefully.
Fire Cloud Emperor smiled and shook his head, “The longer I live, the more I feel these invisible, intangible rules, which dominate us from the shadows, are immensely powerful.”
“Even if, as you say, we eradicated the demon race, would that free us from these constraints? Perhaps there’s something else we don’t know about. We thought reaching immortality would free us, yet we’re still orchestrated by forces beyond us.”
“This… this…” Lin Yun’s heart reeled with shock.
Fire Cloud Emperor withdrew his gaze, “Haha, these are just my speculations, perhaps I’ve gone too far. Your goal now is to break into the Sovereign Realm. The rest can wait.”
“I understand,” Lin Yun nodded.
But Fire Cloud Emperor’s words left a lasting impact.
They opened a new door in Lin Yun’s mind.
“Remember, focus on comprehending the rules. There’s no fixed method for breaking into Sovereign Realm; it’s elusive. The only certainty is its difficulty,” Fire Cloud Emperor said.
With a smile, he added, “Given your current performance, I estimate that if you reach Sovereign Realm, your strength might surpass mine. But how long that will take, or if you can break through, no one can predict.”
