Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1853: 1395: Disguise_2
Previously on Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan...
Furthermore, both of them were preoccupied with their own cultivation, leaving them no time to keep him company.
Due to the necessity of fleeing from external pursuers, he had engaged in more conversation with Five Elements, which led him to recognize this problem.
This state of affairs was actually quite harmful to the development of Five Elements, as he was no longer merely a spiritual object but a sentient being!
Although his innate body was of an exceptionally high grade, granting him the strength of the Realm of Human Immortality without much effort, things could not stay this way forever.
His cultivation could not be allowed to hit a plateau. To advance his realm, the state of his mind and his Dao heart were crucial; however, currently, he was as innocent as a babe—or to put it bluntly, a sheltered flower.
How could one forge a resilient Dao heart and mental state without real-world experience?
Li Zhirui sank into deep reflection, searching for a viable remedy.
Should he let Five Elements train at his side? He dismissed the thought immediately. Aside from the massive disparity in their power, the danger of bringing him along was simply too great!
Because the origins of Five Elements were easily identifiable, an immortal-rank spiritual root that had attained intelligence would stir up unimaginable chaos.
One thing was certain: such a storm would be far beyond what Li Zhirui and the Li family could endure!
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Li Zhirui.
While he couldn't take Five Elements across the Primal Spirit Realm, he could certainly send him into the Five Elements Small Realm!
In this manner, not only would the risk of exposing his true nature and attracting danger be eliminated, but he could also evolve alongside that world.
A Minor Thousand World in the midst of rapid growth would provide more than enough opportunities for him to train and witness many new wonders.
“Five Elements, would you like to visit a small world to play? You could watch how a world grows and develops,” Li Zhirui asked, feeling quite pleased with his plan.
Upon hearing this, Five Elements initially swayed with joy, but he soon seemed to recall something and asked with a hint of fear, “Is that alright? I won’t cause any trouble, will I?”
“Of course it’s alright! You played a part in opening that small world, so how could you be a burden?” Heartbroken by the little being’s cautious thoughtfulness, Li Zhirui immediately offered comfort.
“That is good then.” Five Elements relaxed, his voice filled with anticipation. “I want to go to the small world! When do we leave!?”
“I will transmit a secret technique to you now. Once you have mastered it, you can enter the small world.”
As he spoke, Li Zhirui pulled a jade slip from the depths of his storage treasure, instructing Five Elements to comprehend it and ask if he had any difficulties.
“The Fruit Embryo Incarnation Secret Technique?”
This was an obscure secret technique specifically designed for spiritual objects like Five Elements who possessed intelligence but lacked the means to transform into human form quickly.
The method was straightforward: one had to split a portion of their spiritual soul and manifest it within a spirit fruit. If no fruit was available, a spell could be used to nurture a spiritual embryo. Through constant cultivation, a Tao body incarnation could be crafted, allowing the user to move freely without being tethered to one location.
Five Elements was able to bypass the initial step by choosing a spirit fruit to house his incarnation, which saved a significant amount of time.
The technique itself was not overly complex, and with the detailed instructions provided by Li Zhirui, he mastered it in a matter of days.
All that remained was for the process to mature over time.
Having stayed within the secret realm for several days, Li Zhirui assumed the cultivators from the Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance had moved on, so he decided it was time to leave.
In the midst of the desolate mountains, a figure suddenly materialized; it was Li Zhirui!
Surveying the landscape, he instantly recognized the area where everything had begun.
Thankfully, the crisis had passed, and since his identity was well-shielded, the Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance should be unable to track him or bring calamity to his clan.
Suppressing his Qi and wiping away any lingering traces, Li Zhirui’s tall form vanished in an instant.
Only the wild grass, dancing in the wind, remained as a witness to his presence.
...
Elsewhere.
“Have any leads been discovered?” a Heavenly Immortal queried the clan member who had just entered the hall.
The Ten Thousand Spirits Alliance refused to give up, obsessed with finding the human cultivator who had appeared so abruptly from the secret realm.
Even if they had lost the trail, they were determined to find clues through other means!
“Great Patriarchs, the secret realm is set to close today. Should we make preparations?” The clan member carefully sidestepped the primary topic.
It was common knowledge that since the failure to capture the human cultivator, the temperaments of these Heavenly Immortal patriarchs had been foul, making it wise to avoid the subject.
“The secret realm is closing?”
One of the Heavenly Immortals recovered his focus and commanded, “Assemble all disciples to welcome the return of our kin.”
...
As the portal to the secret realm pulsed with light, waves of beings began to emerge.
A quarter of an hour passed until the flow stopped, and the portal slowly faded away, dissolving back into the fabric of the world.
“Why are the casualties so high?”
If memory served, tens of thousands of clan members had entered, yet now, half were missing, and many survivors were covered in wounds.
“The dangers within that secret realm were extreme. Aside from those terrifyingly powerful Heavenly Immortals, the creatures in other regions were far more lethal than average. Many of our kin simply couldn't hold their own and fell in battle...”
This report cast a dark shadow over what should have been a celebratory mood.
“What is the status of the secret realm's clearing?”
“Many hostile entities remain. It will require a massive investment of manpower and resources to secure it.”
“Sigh!”
The Heavenly Immortals sighed in unison, shaking their heads. “Let us not rush. We shall wait a while longer.”
Following this, one of the Heavenly Immortals brought up the events occurring outside, specifically mentioning the mysterious human Heavenly Immortal. He hoped that among the thousands of returning members, someone might know something.
“A human Heavenly Immortal?”
Members of a small tribe who had encountered Li Zhirui when he asked about natural wonders exchanged looks. Without a second thought, they raised their hands and shouted, “We have information!”
“Oh?”
The gazes of the Heavenly Immortals locked onto them instantly. They were brought to the front and asked, “What do you know?”
They proceeded to describe the cultivator who had passed through their lands just before the secret realm opened.
“Do you recall his appearance?”
“I cannot say for sure, but our Sect Leader should remember. He spoke with the man directly.”
“Excellent!”
The Heavenly Immortals felt a surge of hope. Having a lead meant they could eventually hunt down the target and eliminate the threat of information regarding the Heavenly Immortal secret realm leaking out.
The leader of that small clan, seeing so many powerful patriarchs gathered, felt a mix of exhilaration and dread, wondering why such a fuss was being made.
“Clan Leader, the Elders require...” A fellow tribesman quickly explained the situation.
“I see. I do indeed remember the human's face. I can produce an image of him right now.”
With that, he produced a jade slip. After a brief apology to the Elders, he began to etch the memory of the man’s features into the jade.
Before long, a jade slip containing Li Zhirui’s likeness was finished!
“Well done.”
The Heavenly Immortals studied the image intently, burning every detail into their minds.
However, they were unaware that all their efforts were in vain!
The face recorded by the clan leader was not Li Zhirui’s true visage; it was a disguise!
Ever since his days of weakness, he had maintained a habit of changing his appearance while traveling to avoid bringing trouble to his family. He had kept this habit even after reaching the heights of a Heavenly Immortal.
Li Zhirui likely never realized that this simple precaution would be the very thing that saved his clan from a total catastrophe.