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

At the age of 13, you embarked on the path of cultivation. After three years, you reached the ninth level of Qi Gathering.

You ascend once more, entering the vast world of mountains and seas.

[You passed through Dongshan City, killed Ni Gaoyuan, and four years later entered Kongsang County. Through your experiences along the way, you pieced together fragmented clues and deduced a series of schemes by Gao Sheng and Zheng Quan.]

[You coldly observed the True Lord's schemes and the infighting among the aristocratic families, and through your own means, you arranged the Heavenly Demon Ritual, successfully entering the "Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique"]

During this sensitive period, the rift in the Heavenly Demon Path manifested, causing misjudgments by the high-ranking officials of both sides and leading to the premature outbreak of the war between humans and demons.

During the war, Gao Sheng attempted to turn you into a puppet to pave the way for the Biyang Sword Sect, but thanks to your skillful maneuvering, he successfully exposed their plan.

[By revealing the truth to the public through Jiuge.com, you have fostered a united front against the Wild Goose Formation Lord, exacerbating the conflict and propelling the war forward.]

You survived the Divine Refining Array, the raging flood, and the invasion of the demon race, personally experiencing the catastrophe of mountains collapsing and seas turning upside down.

Finally, atop the Azure Clouds, beneath the might of the True Lord and the Heavenly Emperor, you reached out for the Dao Fruit of the Divine Transformation.

At 17, with no way out, you soared over the Origin Preaching Monument, like a myth reborn. Heavenly punishment descended, but though you died, you were honored.

[End of writing, awakened and accomplished in this lifetime—]

[Achievement: Outsider (Green) (Current bookmarks can hold 4/9)]

[Effect: Greatly enhances your insight into and ability to decipher large-scale formations, and makes it easier for others to overlook your presence.]

In the Great Qi Realm, inside the Shaolin Temple, the deep morning bell awakened Shen Moyan.

He opened his eyes blankly and stared at the gray mud roof, lost in thought.

Only when a few rays of sunlight fell on his face did he cautiously look around to make sure no one was watching him before opening the bookmark.

"Retain the peak cultivation level of the previous life."

[Real name: Shen Moyan]

Race: Human

[Realm Level: Early Stage of Mortal Transformation (Xian Dao)]

Current lifespan: 600 years

[Current Skills: *Sword Art of the Startling Swan* (Self-created), *Scripture of Detachment from All Forms* (Transcendent Realm), *Azure Sun Rising Technique* (Transcendent Realm), Paper Cutting to Create Humans (Advanced Level), *Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique* (Beginner Level), *Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique* (Thirteenth Level)...]

Shen Moyan pushed open the door and stepped out, instantly disappearing from Shaolin Temple and arriving at Ziyang Mountain.

A mountain breeze blew in gusts, causing Shen Moyan's robes and thoughts to flutter wildly.

That last glance from the Buddha image was unforgettable for him.

Although not as eerie as the Heavenly Demon's glance, it was still terrifying enough.

"Immortal Lord, Heavenly Demon..."

"Heh, it seems this world of mountains and seas is truly a chaotic mess of gods and demons."

A thousand thoughts turned into a cold laugh.

What a magnificent image! This is the ultimate technique that Jiang Qingshui obtained by exchanging his life and the Holy Court's golden plaque.

It is indeed an unparalleled technique.

This move directly brought down the great figure, the Immortal Lord.

True Lords, demons, and even sects—nobody should play this game anymore.

He merely uttered a few words of truth, and the entire world moved in accordance with him. Such great power is no exaggeration to call him a Celestial Lord.

I'm afraid that all the beings in Langya Prefecture, including the True Lord of Guicang Realm, are nothing more than ants.

"Immortal...mortal..." Shen Moyan murmured to himself, then his expression froze.

He actually developed a sense of disdain for all the heroes in the world because of his successful reopening; he was truly courting death.

That's not right.

Shen Moyan reflected on his actions.

Reason told him that he shouldn't have tried to seize the Nascent Soul Dao Fruit in his previous life.

It's foolish to get involved if you don't know your own limitations.

It's better to survive until the end, witness the causes and consequences of the great battle, and make plans for the next life.

But, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Since we can't escape Langya Prefecture anyway, we might as well fly into the clouds and explore the high heavens.

The result delighted him. Above the clouds, he had a clear view of everything on earth, including the secrets hidden after the sea dried up.

That was the perspective that Afan had always longed for.

Shen Moyan saw it, but paid for it with his life.

"May the Peng bird soar to the heavens, and its wings dance across the azure clouds..."

"Is this the price that cultivators pay when they try to climb the clouds and catch a glimpse of the cultivators' perspective?"

Standing against the wind, Shen Moyan took a deep breath, his face expressionless.

Indeed, he was captivated by the great power of that immortal lord.

But he also knew that his current foundation was shallow.

"The Nine Songs are long and drawn out, and all spirits persevere in their efforts."

"The path to enlightenment is long and arduous..."

After some reflection, Shen Moyan shifted his focus from the Immortal Lord to the Heavenly Demon, who was also an unfathomable being.

If it weren't for the reminder I wrote down, Shen Moyan would never have known that his ceremony could have such an impact.

"I have now mastered the basics of the Heavenly Demon Transformation Technique and no longer need the rituals."

"However, I can still use rituals to determine when the transvestite war will begin."

"With this information, I can completely scheme against the entire human and demon races."

"And like the True Lord of the Wild Goose Formation, they fish in troubled waters during wartime..."

Shen Moyan pondered.

As his mind gradually calmed down, he discarded all distracting thoughts and realized that being down-to-earth was the right path.

He devoted all his energy to planning this lifetime.

As for the goal.

will not change.

eternal life.

On Ziyang Mountain, Shen Moyan closed his eyes, and heard the chirping of birds in his ears.

He suddenly frowned, and with a flash, he arrived at the mountainside.

"A shrike? No... no, it just looks like one."

Shen Moyan suddenly discovered that there were small birds similar to quails soaring among the tall grass on Ziyang Mountain.

Even though I used my divine sense to explore the entire mountain during my last cultivation, why do I still subconsciously ignore it?

Because they are so tiny.

But I was too arrogant back then.

The little bird landed on a fruit tree laden with fruit, and suddenly discovered that there were edible fruits in the mountains.

Shen Moyan raised his hand, and the fruit flew into his palm.

One bite, and the juice bursts in your mouth, a subtle sweetness rising on your tongue.

Savoring the lingering sweetness, Shen Moyan's gaze towards this world suddenly changed.

The grass underfoot still held glistening dewdrops. Perhaps because of the rain, the wildflowers were in full bloom, more beautiful than the national flower that the ministers of the Great Yan had presented to him.

A mountain breeze brushed against his sleeves, and the mountain scenery came into view. Shen Moyan suddenly smiled.

If you only have your goal in mind, you will naturally ignore the scenery along the way.

He projected his divine sense outwards, looking down upon all living beings at the foot of the mountain.

Suddenly, the commotion of several ordinary people in the mountains caught his attention.

Every day, ordinary people come to climb Ziyang Mountain.

As we reached the mountainside, the wind picked up and the clouds lowered.

Some people found the stone steps too steep and turned back from the mountain.

Some people complained that the wind and rain were unbearable and found excuses to leave.

Some people persevered despite the mountain's difficulties and dangers.

"This is the true nature of all living beings."

Shen Moyan understood, and the sharp light in his eyes flickered uncertainly.

"I seem to be no different from those mortals."

The pursuit of immortality is like climbing a mountain.

If the goal is simply to reach the summit, such an empty objective is utterly uninteresting.

The vitality of a mountain, which inspires a desire to conquer it, is maintained by the surrounding environment, not just the mountaintop itself.

The pursuit of immortality also requires a wonderful process.

Of course, without a mountaintop, there would be no mountains on all sides.

The mountaintop defined the surrounding area.

Immortality defines the course of action.

At this moment, Shen Moyan's thoughts were no longer confined to actions in this world.

Climb the solitary peak of immortality. When people look up and see the summit hidden in the clouds, they believe that the key to immortality is hidden there.

Just like when Avatar fell to earth, he always longed to grow feathers again.

But it was wrong.

They mistook "form" for "purpose" and forgot that the true meaning of flying lies not in soaring above the clouds, but in each flap of their wings.

In the end, Afan realized that there was no need to transform into feathers, for his clothes were feathers; and there was no need to climb wings, for his heart was wings.

By analogy, the true meaning of seeking immortality does not lie in the four words "immortality".

And the scenery along the way.

The excitement of the pursuit.

"佡...凡, 蜕凡, I see."

Recalling his previous four lives, Shen Moyan closed his eyes to calm himself.

In a moment of sudden enlightenment, Shen Moyan's magical power manifested as clothing, which stretched several feet long, and his hair grew wildly, reaching his waist in an instant, fluttering in the wind.

He transformed into a feathered robe, and thus he became one.

[Realm: Mid-stage Transcendental Realm (Feathered Robe) (Xian Dao)]

Current lifespan: 700 years