Founder of the Mesoamerican Federation!
Chief Sage of the Sage Council!
The person who embodied a multitude of auras and glories seemed rather ordinary in Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes.
Apart from his long beard, he looked no different from an ordinary Caucasian old man, perhaps with an additional air of scholarship about him.
"The Federation was established over seven hundred years ago. As a ’longevity,’ if you haven’t ascended or died accidentally, you could indeed live until now."
Zhong Shenxiu waved a hand, "Sit!"
"I’m just an ordinary old man, everything about the Federation has long since ceased to relate to me."
Isreal’s eyes sparkled with wisdom as he sat in front of Zhong Shenxiu.
Though their garb may seem shocking and unconventional, passersby paid them no heed whatsoever.
"So... why did you choose not to appear when the Federation was severely damaged, yet now you appear before me?"
Zhong Shenxiu asked with a playful tone.
"The Federation is but an ordinary country, with secret histories spanning tens of thousands, even millions of years, there are countless nations greater and vast than it..."
Isreal replied indifferently, "Its existence or demise won’t bring much change to the world, but you are different!"
"Because I am a ’longevity’?"
Zhong Shenxiu’s lips curved slightly.
"No... ’Longevity’ might be rare, but there have been a few throughout history..." Isreal slowly shook his head, "It’s because you are watched... the attention those great beings pay to you surpasses any ’longevity’ in history, the mark upon you is proof!"
He was referring to the dark blood curse.
"Yeah... not many longevity beings are as unlucky as me," Zhong Shenxiu quipped.
"Taking shortcuts always comes with a price."
"Your state is beyond my expectations," Zhong Shenxiu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "I thought... you’d have gone mad by now."
He still had many questions for this Chief Sage.
"I researched the secrets of Ascension, and like you, traversed nearly the entire Spirit Realm, only to reach a deadlock..." Isreal said, "I was too naive back then, prone to extremes... but later, I found that not Ascending was quite pleasant, after all, one would not become those beings’ pawns, or even their food..."
"For those great beings, even we longevity beings are merely larger ants... Our world is but an island surrounded by darkness and madness; humanity must recognize its insignificance and ignorance, we must not provoke Them, attract Their attention, or be... too curious!"
’So, the point is just to survive, huh?’
Zhong Shenxiu rolled his eyes internally: "So... you chose to hide yourself, to disappear... even to watch the Federation weaken without striving to promote any ’longevity’..."
"Yes... ’Longevity’ is already enough to draw the attention of such entities, too many would bring disaster to the world."
Isreal sighed, "And now, you have become one!"
Zhong Shenxiu pointed at himself.
"You have been marked by the black blood, and when the curses cover your body, you will become Its puppet, or even Its incarnation!" Isreal said solemnly, "Those great beings, due to various reasons, find it difficult to arrive in reality, but the arrangements on you are the key for the Master of Black Blood to bypass those restrictions... In no more than ten years, this scene will unfold, and that will be the root of the apocalypse!"
Zhong Shenxiu sank into silence.
He had, of course, guessed this possibility.
"So... the White Tower Master’s prophecy was right, after nearly a hundred years of development, once I become the vessel for the Master of Black Blood’s arrival, the apocalypse will also come..."
Zhong Shenxiu nodded, "And Chief Sage, you choose this moment to appear, is it to prevent the apocalypse?"
"Yes, if it were possible to erase you as a carrier, that would be best... alas, by the time I became aware of this, it was already too late, you had already consumed the longevity blood, becoming a ’longevity’... For the past hundred years, I have been waiting silently, hoping you could break the cycle... But everything is already predestined."
Isreal sighed again, "To protect this world, I can only ask you to leave..."
Zhong Shenxiu crossed his legs, assuming a more comfortable position, "So... last question, what do you mean by not ascending?"
"Literally. We thought reaching the source would grant us everything, how laughable..." Isreal slowly shook his head, "Just as we believe in the Seven Difficulties and the Ruler of Years, thinking They will definitely save us... great beings do not need faith, it is us who need faith. We have beautified Them, we have made Them conform more to our imaginations... and all of it is a deception."
"All of the ’Ascenders’ in history, none have had an ending following their Ascension... Obviously, their fates were not very good."
"So, I advise those who come after not to Ascend, this is the truth!"
"Alright, everything is clear now, so how do you plan to eliminate me?"
Zhong Shenxiu took a sip of milk tea.
As ’longevity’ beings, maybe his methods were a bit weaker, not as rich as Isreal’s, but even in defeat, escaping should be no problem.
Among mortal beings, ’longevity’ beings could already be considered divine, revered as Demigods!
Wars between gods were often exceedingly drawn out.
"No, no, no... I don’t plan to destroy you, in fact, I plan to help you."
Isreal smirked cunningly, "I want to help you... Ascend! As long as you leave this world, it won’t be harmed."
Clearly, he knew that after Zhong Shenxiu ascended, the outcome wouldn’t be good, yet he still decided to do so.
"Regarding the Ascension Altar, I have some conjectures too, it might... not be in the Spirit Realm after all."
Zhong Shenxiu sighed.
Isreal’s smile froze, a shadow crossing his face, "I didn’t think your research could have come this far."
"Because I have already found the edge of the Spirit Realm..."
Zhong Shenxiu responded softly, "And considering each time we pass through a Dao Mark, we arrive in a new dimension, why, after passing the heavenly trials, do we fall back to the mortal world instead?"
"The answer is... this entire reality is the Ascension Altar! We have... always lived atop the Altar!"
This is the true nature of the real world!
The Spirit Realm is far vaster and more expansive than reality, to the Spirit Realm, the reality is an altar!
Although only ’longevity’ beings can attempt Ascension.
But everything that happens in the real world, the actions and even the very existence of humans and other intelligent beings are all ’sacrifices’!