One man and one beast strode through the depths of the mountain forest.
"There's no need to move too quickly," Wu Yuan's voice resonated in Qiong Sea King’s mind, "Our location is still uncertain. Refrain from revealing your full strength or taking flight."
"Yes, Master," Qiong Sea King acknowledged with a nod.
As they pressed onward, Wu Yuan manipulated the ambient light waves with a mental command, rendering them imperceptible to the eyes of ordinary mortals.
Naturally, this measure was futile against cultivators who comprehended heaven and earth’s power. Those who wielded heaven and earth’s power would naturally discern the irregularity of the distorted light.
"Master, look," After ten li, Qiong Sea King suddenly spoke, extending a claw towards the distant sky.
In the air several dozen li away, a sizable silver flying boat sailed at a moderate speed.
"It is a tenth-grade flying boat," Wu Yuan observed. "Designed for mortals."
"Mortals own flying boats?" Qiong Sea King exclaimed in astonishment.
"Qiong Sea, I reminded you to read up on the general knowledge material within the Daoist Scripture Tower, but it seems you weren’t paying attention," Wu Yuan shook his head. "Spiritual energy is abundant in the macrocosm, hence ordinary etherstone veins are ubiquitous. Low-grade etherstone holds little value for cultivators."
"Qi refiners decided to fashion basic flying boats for mortals, below the standard of ninth-grade spiritual equipment. Hence, they are dubbed tenth grade. These basic flying boats harness low-grade etherstone as their source of power," Wu Yuan explained.
Qiong Sea King was taken aback.
"Do not assess the macrocosm through the same lens as the Middle Land. The Middle Land is a primitive place with few qi refiners, thus the focus is presently on combat."
"Yet, the macrocosm is steeped in history, a place where qi refiners have forged a resplendent civilization, excelling not only in combat but in diverse disciplines. They have achieved wondrous feats in culture, art, architecture, and more. Even mortals thrive here."
The two continued their journey, their path soon leading them to a remarkably wide road that stretched into the distance and was paved with a unique kind of stone.
Occasionally, they observed vehicles passing by. However, they were unlike the carriages of the Middle Land, instead resembling the cars from Wu Yuan's past life, powered by etherstone.
In the fields, large puppets toiled, with humans riding them. These puppets were manned by ordinary mortal humans.
"Master, I’ve read about this before," Qiong Sea King remarked. "These puppets, known as agricultural puppets, have incredible strength but are not suited for battle. Instead, they excel in tasks such as planting and labor, with a single puppet capable of matching hundreds or even thousands of ordinary workers."
Qiong Sea King, though not the most attentive reader, still possessed some basic general knowledge.
Soon, they approached quaint village.
The scene before them unfolded like a carefully painted canvas, revealing orderly rows of houses. Nestled within several of the courtyards were small flying boats. Amongst the dwellings, patches of vibrant greenery flourished, tended to by mechanical contraptions—agricultural puppets tirelessly working the land. In the distance, they spotted several training grounds, where martial artists honed their skills amidst the serene backdrop. This idyllic scene unfolded before them, unlike any village Qiong Sea King or Wu Yuan had ever encountered in their travels through the Middle Land.
This village bears more resemblance to the countryside of the interstellar era in my former life. Truly, the true cultivation world is far removed from the outdated notions depicted in novels.
When he first read about the Greenridge Macrocosm from the eight immortal slips bestowed by the realm master, Wu Yuan was taken aback, realizing the disparity between his preconceived notions and the reality of immortal cultivation.
However, he was convinced by a statement within the immortal slips – cultivation was not about living longer to endure prolonged suffering, but living longer to seek a better life.
Cultivation was not all about following old traditions to the letter. Cultivation was not about building grottos in desolate mountains, living like a mountain hermit to achieve enlightenment.
That, Wu Yuan realized, was not the true essence of cultivation.
The pursuit of inner peace and transcendence was not synonymous with forsaking creature comforts.
"Master, do most mortals in the macrocosm live such good lives?" Qiong Sea King inquired curiously.
"No," Wu Yuan replied, shaking his head slightly. "The macrocosm is vast, with immortal nations as plentiful as forests and immortal continents as common as tides. Leaders from different factions hold varying perspectives, resulting in three general types of civilizations under their rule."
"Three types?" Qiong Sea King asked, surprised.
"The first type is perfectly encapsulated by what we are currently witnessing. You may take this as a glimpse of the larger picture," Wu Yuan explained with a smile. "Martial arts are commonplace, and all humans embody the potential of dragons. This is the type of rule I envision for the Middle Land."
Qiong Sea King couldn’t help but recall the current situation in the Middle Land. Though Wu Yuan's rule had only just begun, his philosophy and approach already brought about significant changes to the Middle Land.
"Qi refiners craft numerous puppets to aid mortals, enhancing their standard of living," Wu Yuan continued. "At a glance, this appears to be a waste of time, similar to how I utilized earth-type arcane arts to construct bridges, facilitating transport across rivers in the Cloud Capital. This allows mortals to spend more time focusing on martial arts cultivation, rather than struggling to put food on the table."
"Don’t you think this will lead to an increase in martial artists and cultivators?" Wu Yuan posed the question with a smile.
Qiong Sea King sank into thought.
As a demonic beast, he had only established a modest demonic kingdom in the South Ocean. Why would he ponder such profound questions?
"Nevertheless, there are drawbacks," Wu Yuan added solemnly. "Martial arts cultivation and the evolution of life is a path of loneliness and solitude, and immortality is elusive.”
"Excessive comfort and a lack of urgency can breed complacency," Wu Yuan continued. "However, among the human race, this type of immortal civilization has become mainstream. Even though many immortal nations and factions have made adjustments to their rule, many still adhere to the mindset that ‘everyone is a dragon’."
Qiong Sea King nodded.
"The second type is primitivism," Wu Yuan elaborated. "The eldritch lineage is one such example. They prefer not to overly influence the lifestyles of mortals. They emphasize the birth of the strong from barbarism, prioritizing natural selection and primal combat."
"After all, the journey of the evolution of life and the pursuit of the immortal path are inherently brutal and bloody," Wu Yuan sighed. "There is little room for compassion or kindness."
"Natural selection?" Qiong Sea King's eyes gleamed.
He felt himself resonating with this school of thought, sensing it aligned more closely with his own inclinations.
"What about the final type?" inquired Qiong Sea King, unable to contain his curiosity.
"The final type is known as the Asura Devil Path," chuckled Wu Yuan. "The worm devil we encountered falls under this category of civilization, along with the hell devils born from the Abyss. The strongest among them ascend to power by treading upon the corpses and bones of countless others."
"Naturally, even among the human race, there are cultivators who embrace the Asura Devil Path," Wu Yuan explained. "It is a primitive form of natural selection, where competition and killing are not avoided."
"Those who follow the Asura Devil Path believe that only through brutal and bloody battles, constantly toeing the edge of life and death, can they stimulate the most primitive and essential power of life," Wu Yuan said, shaking his head. "Rather than shying away from competition, they encourage their subordinates to engage in frenzied killing, each one akin to a crazed devil."
"Hence, it is aptly named the Asura Devil Path!"