Immortal Dao is dead, I am the mastermind behind it all.

"Doesn't the governor of Langya Prefecture care?"

Shen Moyan's expression returned to normal. He did not mention the promotion, but instead indirectly inquired about the governor.

"Manage? How?"

"Just now, the war between humans and demons broke out. Right now, the governor and the Jiang family are fighting against the great demon of the Qiongqi clan, and they are too busy to take care of themselves." Gao Sheng sneered.

This was also beyond his expectations. After he heard that strange heartbeat, the demon race immediately marched on the human race.

He had originally anticipated that True Lord Yanzhen would also activate his power only after thirty years, during the Dao-obscuring period.

But it happened half a 60-year period earlier than expected.

"Is this the true Grand Array for Refining the Spirit of All Beings?"

Shen Moyan crossed his arms, his brows relaxed, admiring the grotesque giant tree before him, as if the billions of lives hanging on it were none of his concern.

He understood in his heart what the Wild Goose Formation True Lord had done.

No wonder they released the sea; it turns out they did it to cover up the secrets of the deep sea.

"That's right. All living beings refine their spirits, and Kongsang returns to the sea. This formation is modeled after Cangwu and nourished by the vast sea, in order to outline the 'Daoist charm' of the ancient mountains and seas of Cangwu."

Gao Sheng looked at Shen Moyan, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

This person is so indifferent to everything and so disdainful of the common people; he truly is a descendant of the Biyang swordsman.

I knew I hadn't chosen the wrong person.

"As for the purpose of True Lord Yanzhen..." Gao Sheng did not say it outright, but instead steered the conversation elsewhere.

"To solidify the Dharma body, to transform into a feathered robe, and to perceive the wondrous realm—these are the three stages of transcending the mortal world."

"I presume you've already been to the academy? What did the instructors teach there?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Moyan recalled what Instructor Zhou had said during class.

"Through the three stages of 'forming the Dharma body,' 'transforming into feathered robes,' and 'seeing the ethereal realm,' one's magical power continuously increases until it reaches perfection, at which point one can see the threshold of the Purple Palace..."

However, after hearing what Shen Moyan said, Gao Sheng's lips curled slightly.

"It seems the Sword Sect has been living in seclusion for a long time, and their understanding of the Dao is only superficial."

"The Holy Court has had great experts who have studied this, and found that the current Dao of Immortality corresponds one-to-one with the realm of immortals of the past."

"But how do these three steps of mortal transformation correspond to the old immortal path?" Gao Sheng raised this question.

"That's right. As your magical power continues to increase, from the early stage to the middle stage, then to the late stage, and finally to the peak, you will naturally reach the threshold of the Purple Mansion."

"Then what's the point of dividing this realm into three stages?"

Upon hearing Gao Sheng's words, Shen Moyan suddenly fell silent.

As one's magical power and control increase, one will naturally be able to perceive the "Daoist essence" and reach the threshold of the Purple Mansion.

But why is the Transcendent Realm divided into three steps?

He suddenly remembered the contents of the second section of the second chapter of the "Records of Mountains and Seas".

The teacher taught Afan to recognize the three characters: Heaven, Earth, and Man.

Shen Moyan suddenly reconnected the Foundation Establishment stage of the old immortal path.

"To manifest the Dharma body, to transform into feathered robes, to see the wondrous... is equivalent to..."

"Foundation building for humanity, foundation building for earth, foundation building for heaven?"

The twelve words struck Shen Moyan's mind like a bolt from the blue.

"That's right!" Gao Sheng snapped his fingers.

"In the ancient immortal path, with the help of foundation-building spiritual objects, cultivators could have three major grades of foundation building."

"Similarly, in this world, those who follow the Dao and rely on their own comprehension are also divided into three types of potential cultivators who have transcended the mortal realm."

"The Dharma Body only cultivates the lowest level of magical power; its potential reaches its limit at the Purple Mansion level."

"Besides its magical power, the Feather Transformation Robe also reshapes a cultivator's Dao heart, allowing for a smooth and unobstructed journey to the Gui Cang Realm."

"To see Xi Yi, this step is equivalent to the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment in the ancient Immortal Path. Looking across the entire Three Thousand Provinces, very few people can reach that realm..."

Gao Sheng continued to recount his story.

Shen Moyan suddenly laughed.

Immortals, spiritual beings.

To understand the Way, to comprehend it.

A single sound difference completely separated these two paths of cultivation.

The path to immortality requires spiritual objects; the spiritual objects between heaven and earth lay the foundation for the Great Dao.

The Dao of Immortality is different; unlike the Foundation Establishment of Immortal Dao, it does not rely on spiritual objects to determine one's potential.

I have already reached the pinnacle of immortality; I am the Great Dao itself, and my potential is determined by my own understanding.

As for what to comprehend? That is naturally "transformation from the mortal realm".

"When True Lord Yanzhen was in the Transcendent Realm, he did not reach the stage of seeing Xiyi because his comprehension was insufficient."

"Therefore, when he sought the fifth realm of the Dao, the Tribulation Realm, it was extremely difficult. With his lifespan nearing its end, he had no choice but to try to retrace his original path of transcending the mortal realm to see Xi Yi."

Shen Moyan gazed at the giant tree at the bottom of the sea, and after expressing his thoughts, he still looked puzzled.

If we compare the realm of the Dao to a towering building.

So, meeting Xi Yi is the key to reaching the higher levels.

True Monarch Yanzhen is currently at the Guizang Realm level. If he wants to ascend to the next level and enter the Jiefa Realm, he must possess this key.

But this key is located on the first floor of the towering building.

No matter how high a level he reaches in the future, he can only linger outside the threshold of the Tribulation Realm, unable to make any further progress.

How can True Lord Yanzhen return to the first level and retrieve the key?

"After leaving the Transcendent Realm, is it impossible to see Xi Yi in a higher realm?" Shen Moyan asked.

"Don't ask me, I don't know what Xi Yi is either," Gao Sheng said, shrugging.

Even when he, the True Lord Mingxuan, was detached from the mortal realm, he did not reach the point of seeing Xiyi.

At the peak of the Transcendental Realm, after raising one's magical power to its limit, one can comprehend the Dao and enter the Purple Mansion.

Furthermore, the part about seeing Hiyi on the Origin Preaching Monument is written in an unusually abstract way.

Not to mention him, Shen Moyan also found it incomprehensible when he first read the third section of the second chapter of "The Book of Destiny of Mountains and Seas".

"However, as everyone knows, after the Purple Mansion, the Daoist cultivators resonate with the Dao Rhyme. The Dao Rhyme will interfere with the cultivators. Unless you see Xi Yi before you can sense the Dao Rhyme, you will never have the chance again."

"Then why..." Shen Moyan hesitated, then a thought suddenly popped into his mind.

Yan Zhenjun never even considered meeting Xiyi.

Perhaps, the path he wanted to take was not the right one.

"Starting from the three steps of mortal transformation, I've been giving you so many hints, young friend," Gao Sheng chuckled.

"Tuifan, try saying it another way."

Upon hearing this, Shen Moyan blurted out, his pupils dilating in shock.

"Transformation into a Divine Being!"

The fifth realm of immortality: Deity Transformation.

Lord Yanzhen aspires to become a deity!

"The ancient Cangwu formation gathers the souls of all living beings, transforming them into the Heavenly Dao. With these external objects, the Heavenly Dao is established, allowing one to transcend the mortal realm and become a god..."

Shen Moyan pieced together all the clues, and the indignant expression on Jiang Zhi Qiu's face that day suddenly appeared in his eyes.

He once said to Shen Moyan, "I later learned that these fruits were all transformed from humans."

"In that dynasty, two million mortals, all their life forms were transformed into fruit."

"Those fruits lived their entire lives on the great tree called the Dynasty—birth, growth, life, work, even marriage and having children!"

What is the Way of Heaven?

All living beings are the way of Heaven.

The Great Array for Refining the Spirits of All Beings operates methodically, rather than being located within the array itself, or rather, on a tree.

Transform the spirits and souls of all living beings to nourish one's own spirit.

The foundation of Heaven is laid, and all living beings are transformed into gods.

"So this is the true purpose of True Lord Yanzhen." Shen Moyan suddenly understood.

No wonder Jiang Zhi Qiu was silenced; knowing so much, it would have been difficult for him to survive.

Looking at the human-faced fruit tree that was about to take shape outside the Dharma boat, he sneered.

Absorbing lifespan is merely the most insignificant aspect of this grand formation.

The masses of people have become the fruits of the Dao, transforming into divine beings.

The old immortal path truly deserves to die.