Redemption of a Born Demon-Chapter 38: The Way of Corpse Dissolution, Immortals Hidden in the Vast Sea of People (Part 2)
"From the moment a human infant is born, the first organ to develop is the brain. Around four months of age, the brain’s basic structure solidifies. By age three, an infant’s brain development is over eighty percent complete. And by the time a child is nearly six, their brain is almost identical to an adult’s."
"This is why most people’s memories from before the age of five or six are quite fuzzy. However, a brain at this stage of development is actually capable of holding a great deal. For a young child, this period is essentially a blank slate."
"If a memory were to be imprinted at this time, it would take absolute precedence. In a way, it’s essentially like a person being reborn inside that infant’s body."
Tao Zihong said in a low voice.
"A reincarnated body... breaking the taboo between life and death. Is this legend true?!"
Yi Beidou’s expression changed.
Once Martial Arts reaches the Realm of Mighty Spirit, one gains the ability of Soul Capturing and Soul Stealing. They can use Heart-to-Heart to influence a person’s mind.
And this ability becomes even stronger after reaching Body Ascension.
But even Yi Beidou wouldn’t dare claim he could imprint his entire being into another person’s body.
"If it appears in legends and history, how could it be a rumor from nowhere? In the Taoist School, we call such figures Corpse Dissolving Immortals."
"If such an existence can carefully select a body for reincarnation, they can rely on their own experience combined with the new body’s innate talent. This gives them a high probability of cultivating back to their original realm and reincarnating again before the body completely decays."
Fang Xiuyuan said.
"Corpse Dissolving Immortals... Are there really beings who have reincarnated multiple times, living from ancient times to the present day? Why have they never appeared in historical records or influenced the state of the world?"
Yi Beidou spotted the inconsistency.
Such figures, with their transcendent abilities, should have left a deep and lasting mark on every era. Yet now, they have all but vanished from the pages of history.
"These figures all remain hidden from the world. They won’t reveal themselves or display their power unless absolutely necessary. They need to practice ’Avoiding Cause and Effect’."
Fang Xiuyuan said.
"Avoiding Cause and Effect? Heavenly tribulations? Lightning from the heavens and Earth Fire?"
Yi Beidou recalled some legends.
In a way, the actions of such figures truly are an affront to the natural order.
"It’s not quite that mystical. As the saying goes, ’Heaven and Earth are easy to deceive, but the Human Tribulation is hard to pass.’ These figures are not without their weaknesses. The period after they reincarnate, before they reclaim their Fruit Position, is when they are most vulnerable."
"Even an Immortal can’t help but leave traces. If they stir up too much trouble in the world and create too much cause and effect, they might be invincible for one lifetime, but they’ll likely face an inescapable net when they try to reincarnate. Mortal armies and secular governments can kill Gods and slay Immortals—to say nothing of facing modern technology?"
"Once you’ve tasted Longevity, how many would be willing to give it up? When these old monsters choose a new body, they don’t even tell their closest relatives, their sects, or their disciples. It’s a taboo for them. The human heart is unpredictable. Who would dare gamble a lifetime of Cultivation on it?"
"So, even now, in this vast world, this endless sea of people, even we have no idea how many ’Immortals’ are hidden among us, or just how many ages these beings have lived through."
Tao Zihong said with a sigh.
’A Corpse Dissolving Immortal.’
Yi Beidou was now almost certain that his master, Hong Datong, was such an existence.
Except he seemed to have broken the taboo and not completely hidden himself.
’Pursuing Longevity instead of the Great Dao is not the righteous path. Have you not heard that one can die content in the evening if they hear the Dao in the morning? What is the use of a thousand empty years?’
Yi Beidou recalled the words Hong Datong had left behind.
’A thousand-year dream is ultimately an illusion; one’s true life and destiny are found in a single lifetime.’
"It is indeed not the righteous path. In recent years, more and more of these old monsters from the Hidden World have been breaking the taboo and reappearing. Although they haven’t stepped onto the main stage, we can already glimpse their shadows. To achieve their goals, these figures who don’t belong to the current era will stop at nothing."
Tao Zihong’s expression turned sharp.
"That’s because they’re afraid. For the past century, our era has been undergoing earth-shattering changes. All sorts of technologies and powerful weapons are emerging one after another. The power wielded by ordinary people is growing stronger and stronger. One day, they will completely lose their space to survive and we’ll drag them all out. That’s why they’re taking the initiative to emerge now. They want to apply modern technology to themselves to forever guarantee their ’transcendence’."
"It’s foreseeable that our era will be hit by a monstrous tidal wave. The past and present will collide, and we’ll see who truly represents the future."
Fang Xiuyuan said.
"It doesn’t matter who they once were. If they want to debate the Dao in this world, they’ll have to survive my palms first."
Yi Beidou said, his expression calm.
...
...
「The provincial capital of Yunhai Province, Spring City Airport.」
Five men who looked like tourists walked out of the airport carrying luggage. They all had Asian features and didn’t stand out in the crowd.
After they left the airport, a van was already waiting. A banner on its side read, "The Spring Breeze Tour Group Welcomes You to the Beautiful Spring City." A chubby-faced man was leaning against the van, smoking a cigarette and scanning the airport exit.
When the five men saw him, they walked over. After a brief conversation, they all got into the van.
It looked just like a group of tourists visiting Spring City who had made arrangements with a local tour group.
Nothing could have seemed more normal.
Once inside the van, however, the driver’s actions were quite strange. He took out several strings of Brocade Bags resembling Protective Talismans and had the men hang them in various places around the van’s interior, seemingly forming some kind of simple Array.
Only after all this was done did they begin to speak.
"Is the target’s location confirmed? The higher-ups mobilized us in such a rush this time. Are you prepared on your end?"
The leader of the five men asked the driver.
"Rest assured, everyone. The man just achieved Body Ascension. He probably thinks there’s nothing left in the world that can threaten him, so he hasn’t bothered to hide. Getting intel on him wasn’t difficult."
"Our intelligence network within Donghua has already pinpointed his location. He should be in Cloud Prison Mountain right now."
the driver said.
"Cloud Prison Mountain? That’s near the Donghua National Boundary and sparsely populated. A good opportunity to strike."
The leader said, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The reason their organization had deployed them so urgently, getting them into Donghua within hours, was because they had received intelligence that the target was in Yunhai Province.
Yunhai Province is a border province of Donghua with complex terrain, full of mountains and jungles. If they successfully captured the target, it would be the easiest place to evade pursuit by Donghua’s forces and cross the Donghua National Boundary as quickly as possible.
And Cloud Prison Mountain’s location was, without a doubt, even more advantageous.
Deep in the mountains and old forests, rarely visited by people. If the hunt was successful, they could be out of Donghua within hours.
"It’s not that simple. According to our intelligence, there may be more than one Saint in Cloud Prison Mountain, which makes it a difficult place to make a move. You should all wait quietly here in Spring City. After his business in Cloud Prison Mountain is finished, he will have to pass through Spring City. That will be the opportune moment."
the driver said in a low voice.
