Chapter 681: The Reveal
As for the lifespans of cultivators in the upper three realms, Unity Realm cultivators could easily live for two thousand years, while Divine Ability Realm cultivators could live for six thousand.
The lifespan of Dao Union Realm cultivators could even easily exceed ten thousand years.
Above Dao Union, for example, the lifespan of Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators was theoretically infinite.
However, because dao resonance erosion was irreversible, even under the most ideal circumstances, Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators could only possess a long lifespan of one hundred thousand years.
Then, if one were to discuss the lifespans of those above the Immortal Ascension Realm, the Five Realms Above Immortality...
Chen Yan was not very clear about them. He only knew that Mr. You, who had once been a Returning to Void Realm cultivator, had lived from one hundred thousand years ago all the way until eight thousand years ago. If he had not forcibly broken through into the Uncarved Simplicity Realm and entered the spatial rifts in search of the truth, Mr. You could probably have lived beyond the theoretical lifespan of an Immortal Ascension Realm cultivator.
As for Uncarved Simplicity Realm cultivators...
Taking Zuo He, the Ultimate Sage of Heaven's Extremity, whom Chen Yan had known best during his time at the Qingxuan Immortal Sect, as an example, Chen Yan had learned about the history of the Qingxuan Immortal Sect by reading the books in its Scripture Repository. He knew that approximately one million two hundred thousand years before the era in which he had lived, the Tianji Continent had already been governed by Zuo He, the Ultimate Sage of Heaven's Extremity.
If one used these conditions to estimate the lifespan of Bai Chen, the Sage of Imperial Void, and temporarily calculated the existence of the Yuxu Continent as eight hundred thousand years, then added the period during which the Tianji Continent had existed, as well as the subsequent period of the Chenping Continent...
Three million years.
That was the long lifespan an Uncarved Simplicity Realm cultivator could possess. Of course, this was still Chen Yan's most conservative estimate. The lifespan of an Uncarved Simplicity Realm cultivator could very likely reach five million years, or even exceed ten million years.
Of course, all of this was merely speculation.
Then, if that was the case.
Just what, exactly, was Lord Qingluo, who governed the Three Thousand Worlds...
There was no meaning in speculating about this.
Several breaths later, only Chen Yan, Yun Yichen, and Lin Qifeng remained in Kongyuan Hall.
Yun Yichen's expression was somewhat solemn. Although he did not know why Realman Du Cang had come to find a minor Unity Realm cultivator like himself, he knew that this matter had to be extremely important.
“Lord Yun, you have held the position of Sect Leader of the Kongshan Sect for how long now?”
Chen Yan asked.
“One hundred and fifty years.”
Yun Yichen replied.
By now, Yun Yichen was already nearly four hundred years old.
Two hundred years ago, he had entered the Unity Realm. He first entered the Supreme Pivot Court of the Kongshan Sect, and then, after the previous Sect Leader of the Kongshan Sect, Tu Rusong, stepped down, he began serving as the Sect Leader of the Kongshan Sect.
As for Tu Rusong, the previous Sect Leader of the Kongshan Sect, he was also rather famous. He was currently serving as a Grand Elder in the Supreme Surveillance Court of the Kongshan Sect.
“Today, when I went with Supreme Martial Pacification Elder He to the Supreme Martial Pacification Court of the sect, I also met Grand Elder Tu. When we spoke about the future prospects of the Kongshan Sect, he praised you.”
Chen Yan's tone remained calm as he continued speaking slowly.
“When Yun first took over as Sect Leader, it was all thanks to Uncle-Master Tu's instruction and guidance.”
Yun Yichen replied.
“Ah!”
Chen Yan suddenly looked as though he had remembered something, revealing an expression of sudden realization.
“Come to think of it, Grand Elder Tu seems to have studied under the same master as your master, Grand Elder Ruan Tingzhu.”
“That is indeed the case.”
Yun Yichen replied once again.
Upon hearing the name Ruan Tingzhu, Lin Qifeng, who was standing to the side, slightly raised his eyes and studied Chen Yan's expression.
Lin Qifeng had more or less already guessed what today's conversation was about.
“I have long heard of Grand Elder Ruan's reputation. I am rather interested in this Grand Elder Ruan. I wonder whether Lord Yun would be willing to tell me about Grand Elder Ruan's past?”
So it really was this.
That was what Lin Qifeng thought to himself from the side.
Yun Yichen, however, was somewhat confused.
“My late master had always conducted himself quietly and kept everything simple. He did not leave behind any notable deeds within the sect either. May I ask what aspect of my late master has caught True Person Chen's interest...”
Yun Yichen was not wrong.
Ruan Tingzhu had always acted in an extremely low-key manner. It could even be said that the main reason Ruan Tingzhu was most famous in the cultivation world of the Chenping Continent was that he had been the master of Yun Yichen, the current Sect Leader of the Kongshan Sect.
Therefore, Yun Yichen simply could not imagine why Chen Yan, the current Steward of the Chenping Continent and a dignified Immortal Ascension Realm great power, would be interested in his master, Ruan Tingzhu, a cultivator who had fallen at the Unity Realm.
“I am merely curious.”
Chen Yan said.
“...Very well.”
Since True Person Chen had already put it that way, Yun Yichen naturally would not ask further questions.
“Please, True Person Chen, let us continue this discussion in the quiet room.”
...
Deep within Kongyuan Hall, inside the quiet room.
This quiet room, located in the deepest part of Kongyuan Hall, was a place that no one in the Kongshan Sect had the right to set foot in, apart from Yun Yichen, the current Sect Leader of the Kongshan Sect.
At the same time, this was also the room where the successive Sect Leaders of the Kongshan Sect received honored guests.
At the center of the quiet room, a tea table carved from ten-thousand-year coldheart wood gave off a pure and tranquil aura.
Lin Qifeng stood respectfully to one side, while Chen Yan and Yun Yichen sat facing each other on opposite sides of the tea table.
Yun Yichen personally brewed the tea, his movements meticulous and without the slightest error. The spiritual spring water in the teapot had been drawn from the Extreme Northern Snow Peaks in the northwest region of the Chenping Continent. Even this small pot of tea was worth several hundred high-grade spirit stones based on the spring water alone.
Chen Yan sat in the guest seat with a calm expression, watching Yun Yichen pour the tea leaves into the teapot, where they rolled and tumbled in the boiling spiritual spring water.
“Kongshan Cloudmist Root.”
Looking at the emerald-green tea leaves Yun Yichen had poured into the teapot, Chen Yan softly recited their name.
“Back when I was still in the Kongshan Sect, I always wanted to know what this sect-protecting treasure, which was as famous as the Kongshan Sect's Earthshaking Bell, actually tasted like. Unfortunately, in the Kongshan Sect, only cultivators at the level of Peak Elder or above had the qualifications to drink Kongshan Cloudmist Root.”
“Today, I will have two pounds of this Cloudmist Root wrapped up and give it to True Person Chen.”
Yun Yichen poured the tea from the teapot into a teacup, then respectfully and properly extended the teacup toward Chen Yan.
“If that is not enough, True Person Chen only needs to inform me. I will personally deliver more tea to Du Cang Mountain.”
“Lord Yun, you are too gracious.”
Chen Yan smiled, then picked up the teacup in front of him and took a small sip.
“Then, regarding my late master, may I ask which aspect True Person Chen wishes to learn about...”
Yun Yichen asked tentatively.
“His past life and present life.”
Chen Yan replied.
The words Chen Yan spoke left Yun Yichen even more stunned. He seemed clearly unable to understand what Chen Yan was trying to express.
“His past life and present life?”
“That is correct. Surely Lord Yun does not yet know that Grand Elder Ruan was also the reincarnation of an Immortal Ascension Realm great power?”
“My master was the reincarnation of an Immortal Ascension Realm great power... But how could that be?”
Upon hearing this, Yun Yichen became completely flustered. For a moment, he found it almost impossible to accept. Then, he raised his head again.
“May I ask True Person Chen, which Immortal Ascension Realm great power was my master the reincarnated body of?”
Chen Yan did not answer Yun Yichen's question. Instead, while taking another sip of tea, he shifted his gaze toward Lin Qifeng.
At the same time, Yun Yichen's gaze abruptly pierced toward Lin Qifeng.
“Qi Feng, your sectal ancestor loved you, his disciple's grand-disciple, the most back then. You must know something, yes?”
Yun Yichen's voice was low.
Being glared at by his own master, Lin Qifeng immediately shuddered. He then respectfully clasped his hands and bowed.
“This disciple knows.”
“Then which Immortal Ascension cultivator was your master the reincarnated body of?”
“Reporting to you, Master, it was Patriarch Yan.”
Lin Qifeng replied.