Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1435 - 906: Birth, Aging, Sickness, Death—Human Nature. The Immortal Path Is Treacherous, a Road Against Heaven.
Previously on Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather...
"Hmm, proceed. I shall await your triumphant return!"
Yang Zhenshan, bearing Red Cloud's lifeless form, soared towards Anxi Mountain.
Anxi Mountain, the burial ground for Jade City, lies west of the Spirit River. Today, it is replete with countless tombs.
Finding a suitable location at the mountain's base, Yang Zhenshan excavated a simple grave and interred Red Cloud within.
He forewent a formal funeral, bidding Red Cloud farewell privately. Nevertheless, he ensured a tombstone was erected in her memory.
...
Within a serene courtyard in Yang Family Town.
An Yuxing and Liang Shengze were engaged in a game of chess beneath the shade of a tree.
As the match concluded, An Yuxing casually flicked a chess piece back onto the board before raising a wine gourd, tilting his head back for a deep draught.
"The martial path stretches long and demanding; let us pledge our grand aspirations with this fine wine."
"Haha, splendid wine, truly splendid!"
With the wine warming his insides, An Yuxing erupted into hearty laughter.
Liang Shengze observed him, a hint of envy in his gaze, "I cannot measure up to you!"
"In what regard?"
"Your equanimity! You possess a more unburdened spirit."
"Haha, what is there truly to be troubled by?" An Yuxing chuckled.
Liang Shengze sighed, shaking his head. "Thirty years have passed since I attained the Golden Body Realm, yet my cultivation has remained utterly stagnant."
An Yuxing poured him another bowl of wine. "One must find contentment; reaching the Golden Body Realm is itself a profound blessing!"
These intervening years had presented challenges for them both. The path to immortality is fraught with peril, as is the martial path. Once one achieves the Golden Body Realm, further advancement becomes exponentially more arduous.
Neither Liang Shengze nor An Yuxing had managed any breakthroughs in the thirty years since entering the Golden Body Realm. Their progress, it could be argued, had ceased entirely.
In truth, this represented the prevailing norm.
Individuals in the Spirit Source Land could ascend repeatedly to the Golden Body Realm primarily due to the beneficial effects of the Spiritual Spring Water.
This water possessed the ability to enhance latent potential. Even those lacking inherent martial aptitude could potentially become Innate Martial Artists through diligent effort and the aid of the Spiritual Spring Water.
Furthermore, individuals with even mediocre talent held a possibility of breaking through to the Golden Body Realm.
However, upon reaching the Golden Body Realm, the efficacy of the Spiritual Spring Water in facilitating cultivation breakthroughs diminished significantly, becoming almost negligible.
While the Spirit Source Land offered a plethora of other resources, these were ultimately insufficient to sustain continuous cultivation advancement for all its inhabitants.
This stagnation was not confined solely to An Yuxing and Liang Shengze; it affected many others as well.
At present, the highest cultivation level among the martial artists within the Spirit Source Land belonged to Yu Qingyi, who resided in the mid-stage of the Golden Body Realm.
Yet, Yu Qingyi was an anomaly. The resources bestowed upon her were on an entirely different scale compared to everyone else.
Yu Qingyi stood as the exception, while An Yuxing and Liang Shengze exemplified the common reality.
It was highly probable that they would remain within the Golden Body Realm for the remainder of their lives. Perhaps, in the distant future, they might attain the mid or late stages of the Golden Body Realm, but that would likely represent the apex of their martial journey.
Ascending to the Divine Soul Realm was virtually an impossibility.
"Indeed, attaining the Golden Body Realm is already a great fortune! I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, that I could surpass the Innate limit!" Liang Shengze affirmed with a slight nod, a smile gracing his lips.
For their generation to have achieved such a level of cultivation was already an extraordinary stroke of luck.
Had Yang Zhenshan not led them away from Da’an, had he not provided them sanctuary within the Spirit Source Land, they would have long since turned to dust.
As they conversed, An Yuxing suddenly stiffened, his gaze intently fixed on the eastern horizon.
"What troubles you?" Liang Shengze inquired, bewildered, turning his head to also observe the east.
He witnessed the eastern sky erupt without warning, the once clear expanse transforming into a blazing, golden crucible. Innumerable streaks of red-gold light rained down from the Ninth Heaven, and the clouds contorted into a swirling, golden vortex.