"Qi Refining Fourth Layer? Hold the token properly, you may only browse the first floor of the Collection Area and the Transmission Area, the rest are off-limits!"
Under the tall and towering giant hall, whose layers are unknown, a middle-aged Daoist with graying hair, looking aged with Qi Refining Seventh Layer, glanced at the exceptionally handsome young man before him, couldn't help but his face turned cold. He stowed away a Spirit Stone from the table, and then tossed out a token, signaling the young man to hurry inside.
Though his appearance had not entirely decayed, the old age on his body could no longer be hidden.
With no hope for Foundation Establishment, he could only do odd chores in the Scripture Pavilion.
Whenever he saw these vigorous new disciples, he felt a vague sadness in his heart.
The years pass like steeds, the strong fly with freedom and ease, traversing the lands.
The mediocre ones merely get crushed bit by bit under the sound of hooves.
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Gu Yuan did not mind the Daoist's indifference, calmly took the token, and then stepped into the Scripture Pavilion.
It had been three days since he moved into the Cave Mansion.
Over the past three days, Gu Yuan watched the Jade Pillar condense Spirit Water while cultivating, waiting until after three days passed, when he was less noticeable, to step into the Scripture Pavilion to prepare to browse the scriptures.
He had already understood the ability of the Jade Pillar, but could not identify the second batch of Spirit Water the Jade Pillar condensed, so he needed to enter the Scripture Pavilion to look it up.
Holding the token, passing through the invisible cyan light gate, Gu Yuan stepped within.
In view was a row of incredibly tall shelves, countless bamboo slips, Jade Books, Spiritual Scrolls, each in its place, like a giant pyramid, piled in the center of the giant hall.
On the shelves, many disciples, like ants, moved back and forth on the shelves, engrossed in reading various scriptures.
Below the shelves, there was a huge light screen that categorized the types of books in detail.
By lightly touching the light screen, you could find the general location of the book you wanted to read.
It was said that before, the Cyan Peak Daoist School's Scripture Pavilion had a special "Book Spirit" responsible for managing all books, as long as you expressed your thoughts, the Book Spirit would fetch the corresponding book.
But later, this Book Spirit seemed to have been imprisoned, knowing too many secrets, and the Daoist School could only manage this vast sea of books by cruder methods.
Gu Yuan stayed on the light screen for a long time, found the general location of the book he sought, then beckoned with his hand, and a Dharma Artifact as thin as a cicada's wing, resembling a book page, appeared out of thin air, underfoot, lifting him to fly toward the shelves.
The Scripture Pavilion was vast and grand, yet no flying was allowed, only the unique "Book Boat" within the pavilion could carry people freely.
...
...
"Star Spirit Forty Thousand Years!"
"South Mountain Domain Chronicles!"
"Four Domains Insight!"
"Journey to the Middle Earth Divine State!"
Gu Yuan did not directly seek the records of Spirit Water, but first flew towards various miscellaneous records and introductions about this world.
First understand the world, then search for records of Spirit Water and Jade Pillar, this way it's less conspicuous.
But after roughly browsing a few books, although they all introduced South Mountain and other domains, the broader world, they were not grand enough, lacked a macro perspective.
But just then, a heavy and ancient tome came into Gu Yuan's view.
"Longevity Seal!"
The penmanship was bold, carrying an overwhelming aura, capturing Gu Yuan's heart at a glance.
Without any hesitation, Gu Yuan picked up this book.
"Do not say longevity is difficult!"
"Do not say longevity is distant!"
"Heaven and earth have a seal for longevity!"
The opening sentence had an inexplicable grand momentum, moving and captivating.
Gu Yuan merely glanced at it, and couldn't help but immerse himself within.
...
After a long, long time, only then did Gu Yuan come back to his senses, looking at the Stone Register already flipped to the end, eyes flickering with a light he couldn't comprehend.
"Longevity! Longevity!"
"Could such a miraculous object really exist in the world?!"
Breathed out a turbid breath, Gu Yuan's eyes filled with disbelief!
It turns out, in this world, there exists a divine seal unstated when it came into being, perhaps born naturally by heaven and earth, named the Longevity Seal!
With this seal, longevity can be obtained!
Live as long as heaven and earth!
Endure through time and remain immortal!
For this Longevity Seal, starting from countless millennia ago, cultivators and Great Demons striving for the utmost pinnacle began a prolonged struggle.
Battle across the Nine Heavens Ten Lands, shattered the most magnificent and terrifying empires, crushed an entire Northern Territory, ultimately two existences laughed till the end.
One was a Great Demon of the Flood Dragon Race!
The other was the most dreadful existence among the Human Race!
The two employed endless means, but neither could seize the complete Longevity Seal, instead each obtained half.
Yet half of the Longevity Seal still possesses boundless terrifying power.
True Dragon emerged, the world's sole True Dragon!
In the Four Seas, vast and boundless sea regions, millions upon millions of Water Race Great Demons and cultivators could only heed one sound.
The Dragon Palace emerged, ruling all sea regions in the world!
And atop the four domains of the land, a Celestial Palace was born.
A True Immortal presiding over the Celestial Palace, akin to the Celestial Emperor.
The Celestial Palace's laws command the earth, none defies.
Among the world's cultivators, none could rise.
No one stronger than a True Immortal or True Dragon.
Two overwhelming forces pressing upon everything in the world, wherever their laws reign, none defies.
This is the world's most peaceful era, without the Celestial Palace's edict, without the Dragon Palace's decree, none could wage war across the lands.
Yet should anyone defy, thunder descends instantly.
"Dragon" and "True Immortal" have become synonymous with taboo.
But simultaneously, it's the darkest era.
The shadows of the Celestial Palace and Dragon spread across the lands and seas, every cultivator who reached the pinnacle tread cautiously, or joined the two forces.
Yet even so, it's useless.
Time cuts like a knife.
Aside from the True Dragon and True Immortal, none can resist.
Time crushed one generation of geniuses after another, tens of thousands of years have passed, yet the two mountains remain eternally unbroken.
Despair looms.
But... the Longevity Seal is not whole.
If the Longevity Seal were complete, as long as heaven and earth, eternally unbreakable, it would grant longevity.
Yet half the Longevity Seal provides terrifying power, but no longer infinite life.
"The Celestial Palace's laws seem no longer spread outside of the Central Land Divine State..."
"In the Four Seas, apart from the East Sea, the remaining three seas have nearly ten thousand years without hearing the True Dragon Sound..."
The Stone Register's last sentence did not utter "disrespectful" words, just vaguely noted its guess.
"The Longevity Seal has its divine anomalies, if there are changes, it shall return to heaven and earth..."
Meaning, should these two fall, the Longevity Seal becomes ownerless.
Anyone can seize it!
"Longevity Seal?"
"Could such a miraculous object truly exist in the world?"
Gu Yuan stared at the Stone Register's records, couldn't help but ask again in his heart.
This matter is too mysterious, shaking him to disbelief.
But gathering experiences from recent days, he felt clearly how "Celestial Palace" and "Dragon" suppress the world's cultivators.
And within the hearts of all who know, that ever-growing desire.
No one dares to speak "death," yet it seems everyone waits.
Even if the Longevity Seal cannot be seized, the world inevitably faces unprecedented drastic change.
Gu Yuan's heart stirred unceasingly, couldn't help but open the Stone Register's first page, read it once more.
"Do not say longevity is difficult!"
"Do not say longevity is distant!"