“I’m immortal.”

“That would explain why you showed no fear being stared at by my eyes. They instill the fear of death in whoever they gaze upon, meaning they don’t work on someone who can’t die. But I need more of an explanation than ‘I’m immortal’.”

“I reached a high cultivation stage, which, combined with my talent, formed an immortal constitution. Also, before you ask, yes, I have sealed my cultivation to descend to the lower realm. There are limitations to the information I can share regarding higher levels than the transcendence stage, imposed by the Heavens. I don’t want to make it angry.”

“Let me guess, people wanted to know how to become immortal, you were unwilling or incapable of teaching them, they decided to figure out your secrets by themselves, so you decided to flee, right?”

“Spot on. How did you know?”

“I definitely have not read a lot of stories with a similar plot line. I merely possess an ungodly talent for deduction. Hehe he…”

“Anyway, that is what I mean when I say that I am immortal.”

“Have you dedicated yourself to the pursuit of knowledge, choosing to stay here researching?”

“I have indeed. What is the point of a long life spent in ignorance? The truth is out there, and I will discover it. I don’t really have any time to lose either.”

“Isn’t the fabric of reality in the lower realm of a lower level than the higher realm? The laws are also ‘thinner’ and more ethereal here. Doesn’t this make your life harder?”

“I have clones in different areas of the universe gathering the data I need, so that is no problem. The purity of something is also not necessarily indicative of its proximity to the truth. What if the laws are false, and I pursue those falsities because of this misconception.”

“Interesting…”

“What did you say, Samuel?”

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“What do you mean? I was reflecting on your words; I didn’t say anything.”

“I have lived for a long, long time already, with my senses reaching the pinnacle of what can be achieved, there is no way I would mishear. You must have said something, there is no one else here.”

“I promise on my life, I did not say anything. Also, I didn’t hear anything. You might be experiencing delusions because of the shock of being in my amazing presence.”

“Are you trying to play a prank on me, boy? I know what I heard.”

“What did you hear then?”

“I can’t recall… all I remember is someone saying something.”

“If you can’t recall, then it can’t be important. That’s my motto! It’s probably nothing.”

Mike was sure it was something though. He knew he heard someone, yet there was only him and Samuel there. If not for the fact that Samuel seemed truly ignorant of the event, he would give him a good slap. Or rather, he would try.

“You said you are pursuing the truth, even going as far as to not trust the laws of the universe, yet your cultivation path is flawed. Don’t give me that look. Don’t you know?”

“No, I don’t know my cultivation path is flawed. How would that even make sense? I will have you know, I am the predecessor of all cultivators in the Shattered Realm. That is the reason I descended here. I received the path of cultivation directly from the Heavens. Obviously, I wouldn’t trust this blindly, so I cross referenced it with a ruin that remained from the time the Shattered Realm was still whole. I made sure the path was perfected. Also, if my path is flawed, then almost every cultivator in the universe has a flawed path.”

“You didn’t find it weird that refining the eyes required two levels in the Mortal Evolution stage? Even though all your organs and bones respectively only count as one level each. Obviously, there is a flaw here. Someone like you, unless you are being interfered with, would surely be able to realize this. I can sense the presence of the Heavens in your body. You rely on it for balance. A balance between your essence and the essence of the Heavens, granting you your talent. This is not right. Cultivation is about going against the Heavens, not relying on it. I think your intelligence is being compromised when it comes to this.”

Clearly reflecting over Samuel’s words, Mike’s expression was conflicted. Was he truly wrong?

“If what you say is the truth, then what is the proper cultivation path?”

“Well, I don’t know about the stages higher than my own, but at the Mortal Evolution stage you need to refine your flesh after refining your skin and before your bones, becoming the second level of the stage. The eyes are one level, equaling nine, the proper number of stages.”

“Refining the cells in the flesh before reaching the True Cultivation stage is impossible. There is no way to do it. Countless people have studied this for millions of years, without finding a way to do it, yet you are telling me this is the proper path.”

“You need to use your essence, either from the core building blocks of your body, mind or soul to bathe the cells in it, allowing them to transform, transform into something independent of the Heavens. That is all. Nothing more, nothing less. This is what I did, and when I succeeded, I underwent a proper ‘mortal evolution’, allowing all aspects of my existence to improve drastically. I know for a fact that this is the right path, while you are only of the opinion that you know for sure. But you don’t. I see the stubbornness in your eyes, unable to accept my words. Just don’t disregard them. Reflect upon them for a while, then come look for me when you realize the deception you have been victim of.”

On finishing his sentence, Samuel vanished, leaving Mike standing there with a terrible headache.

“Have I really been wrong for all these years? Have I been deceived? And why did I hear a voice, but can’t remember what it said?”