No wonder when I said I didn’t like the Buddhist sect, this Black Bear Spirit immediately claimed to be on the same side!
Just look at this pile of stolen Buddhist artifacts, almost forming a small mountain.
Lin Heng guessed that this fellow must have been chased by Buddhists quite a few times.
"You said just now, you were held up by some bald donkeys?"
"Could it be they came specifically to catch you?"
Lin Heng said half-jokingly.
"Probably not."
The Black Bear Spirit shook its head and replied, "When I was stealing from Jinshan Temple and Lingyin Temple, I got caught twice. During the escape, there was a fight, so they probably know my strength. If they really wanted to catch me, they wouldn’t just send a few beginner Grandmasters to die."
"Oh?"
"So, Grandmasters in front of you are just sent to die?" Lin Heng was a bit surprised.
The Black Bear Spirit blurted out, "Of course, without their Unmoving Bright King Turtle Shell, it would be so easy to kill them, I could slap them dead one by one!"
"Grandmasters? Just ants."
Its tone was arrogant, and its face full of pride.
But the next second, it remembered something and quickly said with a flattering face:
"Of course, those are just trash Grandmasters, you’re different, Boss, you’re talented and unrivaled, even though you’re only at the Grandmaster Realm currently, you’re still an unattainable peak in my heart!"
"My admiration for you is like the endless flowing river, like the flooding Yellow River, once it starts, it can’t be stopped, I..."
"Stop!" Lin Heng interrupted the flattery with a face of disgust and asked, "What’s your current realm, and what are the realms above Grandmaster?"
To be honest, without a guide, Lin Heng’s understanding of the cultivation realm was quite limited.
He only knew about five cultivation realms: Qi Refining, Postnatal, Innate, Profound Communication, and Divine Enlightenment.
And that was from what Master Qingxu told him during his lifetime.
As for the division of realms after Divine Enlightenment, that was beyond Master Qingxu’s knowledge.
"Boss, aren’t you from Dragon and Tiger Mountain? How come you don’t understand the cultivation realms?"
The Black Bear Spirit looked surprised and puzzled.
Because Lin Heng’s question seemed too basic, like a high school student asking what one plus one equals.
"Who said this humble Daoist is from Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"
"This humble Daoist is from Qingfeng Temple!"
Lin Heng explained calmly.
"Ah? Then the Golden Light Spell, the Five Thunders Righteous Method... Boss, you?"
The Black Bear Spirit’s eyes were filled with confusion.
"Just something I came across by chance."
"Come on, just answer the question, why ask so much?"
Lin Heng showed a bit of impatience.
The Black Bear Spirit quickly nodded and bowed, saying:
"Understood, understood."
Then, it explained seriously:
"In the path of cultivation, nine is the ultimate."
"Just as the minor realms have nine layers, the major realms also only have nine."
"They are Qi Refining, Postnatal, Innate, Profound Communication, Divine Enlightenment, Divinity Communication, Path of the Palm, Immortal Platform, and Celestial Human!"
"Upon reaching the Divine Enlightenment Realm, one can be called a Grandmaster."
"Divinity Communication is called a Grandmaster!"
"Realm of Dao Mastery is called a Great Expert!"
"The Immortal Platform Realm is considered a Foundation Level existence!"
"And a Celestial Human can almost be called a living Immortal. Once they pass the Ascension Tribulation, they can leave the mundane world and enter the legendary Immortal Realm, becoming a true Immortal!"
The Black Bear Spirit’s tone was filled with longing for Immortality.
And Lin Heng was surprised.
He knew there were realms above Grandmaster, but didn’t expect four more!
"Speaking of which, has anyone ascended to immortality in this era?" Lin Heng asked curiously.
"Well..."
The Black Bear Spirit showed a bitter smile: "If I remember correctly, the last ascension should go back six hundred years ago."
"Oh right, that person, Boss, you should be familiar with."
"Me?" Lin Heng showed a puzzled expression.
The next second, the Black Bear Spirit said: "The one who ascended six hundred years ago was the founder of prosperity for the Daoist Holy Land, Wudang Mountain, Master Zhang!"
Lin Heng raised an eyebrow, clicking his tongue slightly.
He was a bit surprised, but on thinking further, it wasn’t so surprising.
According to ancient records, Master Zhang from Wudang lived over two hundred years, and his Daoist practices were so high that even the kings of those two dynasties held great respect for Wudang!
And history does not record the year of Master Zhang’s death.
There are more unofficial histories, some saying Master Zhang has passed away, others saying he was still seen in the world at over three hundred years old, and a few rare unofficial histories suggesting that Master Zhang, having achieved enlightenment, had already ascended as a crane from Wudang Mountain!
Upon learning the true fate of this great Daoist figure from the Black Bear Spirit.
Lin Heng, in addition to his surprise, also felt a surge of admiration.
"However, since the previous dynasty entered, the Buddhist sect has been thriving, and it’s been more than three hundred years now."
"The Buddhist sect has become so prosperous today, hasn’t anyone taken that step?" Lin Heng was very puzzled by this.
The Black Bear Spirit explained: "Ascension to immortality is very difficult, throughout history, there have been countless talented individuals."
"To take the final step, it requires not just talent, but also mindset, and good timing."
"There should also be some special factors that limit the number of people who can ascend in each era."
"Anyway, the last one who ascended from the Buddhist sect was eight hundred years ago, that mad monk who killed demons without blinking, Fa Hai!"
"Fa Hai?"
Hearing this name, a trace of surprise appeared in the depths of Lin Heng’s eyes.
It must be noted that in the films of his previous life, the name Fa Hai was an existence as famous as the sound of thunder!
Unexpectedly, here, Fa Hai was still invincibly strong.
He was even the last recorded ascendant from the Buddhist sect!
Lin Heng marveled and then curiously asked:
"In hundreds of years, it’s hard for a single person to ascend."
"So, what happened to those with high cultivation, did they just let their lifespans run out and fade into the earth?"
Cultivation can indeed extend lifespan.
But without entering the Immortal Realm, there will ultimately be a day when one’s lifespan runs out.
So Lin Heng was very curious about the fate of those who couldn’t ascend.
"Boss... how did you manage to become a Grandmaster?"
"It feels like you’re a newbie in the cultivation realm?"
Lin Heng’s question made the Black Bear Spirit more puzzled.
To this, Lin Heng replied grumpily: "I’ve been in closed-door cultivation, not paying attention to the outside world, just focusing on reading cultivation books, is that not allowed?"
The Black Bear Spirit quickly flattered: "Of course, I understood from the first time I saw you, Boss, that you were no ordinary Grandmaster."
"To have such high cultivation just from closed-door cultivation, my admiration for you is like the endless..."
"Alright, alright!"
"You still haven’t answered me."
Lin Heng interrupted it speechlessly.
The Black Bear Spirit, hearing this, immediately returned to the question.
"To report to the Boss, those who couldn’t ascend indeed, many have just let their lifespans run out and faded from the world."
"But some have chosen to seal themselves in forbidden places, becoming the foundational ancestors of their respective sects."