Unrivaled Comprehension: From Mortal to Immortal King

Having completed the process of flesh-energy conversion, Lin Jiufeng had firmly established himself in the Eighth Prohibition.

From now on, as long as his physical body was not utterly destroyed in an instant, he could recover given enough time.

As midnight approached, Lin Jiufeng stood beneath the starlit sky, his body surging with energy. Beneath his increasingly perfect physique lay a power as immense as a dragon or an elephant, concealed yet formidable.

Draped in a robe interwoven with black and white, he seemed to embody the essence of yin and yang, exuding an ethereal presence akin to an immortal.

Bai Ling lay on the rooftop, silently observing him.

Lin Jiufeng smiled faintly and beckoned to Bai Ling, "Why are you up so late, sitting on the rooftop?"

Bai Ling replied candidly, "Keeping you company."

Lin Jiufeng chuckled and said, "Then accompany me to read some books."

Bai Ling nodded, leaping down from the rooftop to follow Lin Jiufeng into the Sutra Pavilion.

Upon arrival, Lin Jiufeng ascended to the highest level of the pavilion and opened a hidden pocket dimension.

"This is... a Profound Realm!" Bai Ling exclaimed in surprise.

"A Profound Realm?" Lin Jiufeng asked, puzzled.

"My inherited memories tell me that spaces like these—independent yet incomplete in their laws and reliant on the main world—are called Profound Realms," Bai Ling explained.

"Your inherited memories?" Lin Jiufeng found this intriguing.

Bai Ling spoke matter-of-factly, "Because I am a child born of a human and a demon. Most of such offspring have impure bloodlines, unaccepted by either race. They inherit neither the natural advantages of humans nor the talents of demons, leading an unremarkable life."

Lin Jiufeng halted and looked at Bai Ling. "And you?"

"I am one of the rare exceptions," Bai Ling said proudly. "Since birth, my bloodline has undergone atavism. As I grew, the ancestral inheritance of the fox clan gradually awakened within me. Even without parental guidance, I instinctively understood many things."

"This Profound Realm is something my inherited memories have taught me about," Bai Ling added.

Lin Jiufeng nodded in understanding. He had read about such phenomena—unlike humans, demon ancestors would engrave vast knowledge within their bloodlines, passing it down through generations.

Even if their descendants had increasingly diluted bloodlines, there remained a slim chance of atavism, allowing them to awaken ancestral memories.

This was a unique inheritance method exclusive to demonkind.

"Then why do you still want to learn the Feathered Ascension Sutra from me?" Lin Jiufeng asked curiously.

"Because my father practiced it, so I must learn it too," Bai Ling replied earnestly.

"You say this is a Profound Realm—are there many of them?" Lin Jiufeng inquired. Having spent most of his time in the Feathered Sect, he was unaware of the outside world's situation regarding Profound Realms.

Bai Ling nodded. "Yes. My inherited memories tell me that Profound Realms are numerous, varying in size. Most major sects possess their own, and even some powerful cultivators have personal Profound Realms."

Lin Jiufeng pondered this. It seemed likely that the Feathered Sect's Profound Realm was a legacy from its founding patriarch.

He asked no further and led Bai Ling into the Profound Realm.

The Feathered Sect's Profound Realm was vast but desolate, devoid of inhabitants. Towering mountains stood in clusters, their depths concealing countless books collected by generations of sect leaders.

Lin Jiufeng took Bai Ling to a valley where rocky cliffs had been hollowed out into numerous caves, each filled with ancient tomes, preserved through the ages.

Bai Ling was astonished. "You humans like to store books inside mountains?"

Lin Jiufeng chuckled. "Perhaps the past sect leaders found it aesthetically pleasing."

"There are thousands of books here. You may browse freely. Though you possess ancestral inheritance, that knowledge is ancient. The world evolves, and outdated knowledge cannot be blindly applied. You need to learn the wisdom of this era," Lin Jiufeng advised earnestly.

Bai Ling nodded obediently, recognizing Lin Jiufeng's genuine concern. She eagerly ran off to read.

Lin Jiufeng also entered a cave, selecting a book on cultivation practices from five thousand years ago. He hoped this text would provide clarity.

Previously, he had sought information about an ancient war that occurred three thousand years ago. However, the records seemed deliberately erased, shrouding that era in mystery.

This time, he chose a book even older, focusing on cultivation, hoping to uncover clues.

Even if it yielded nothing on the war, he was curious about the strength of cultivators five thousand years ago.

Lin Jiufeng had always felt that today's cultivation world was incomplete.

Five thousand years ago, the cultivation world flourished with unparalleled masters. Among them, the Ten Kings stood supreme, reigning over an era.

This was the opening line of the book Lin Jiufeng found—bold and direct, proclaiming that five thousand years ago, the cultivation world was dominated by these ten figures.

Lin Jiufeng was immediately intrigued, murmuring in awe, "The Ten Kings—if they could reign over an era, they must have been extraordinary."

The book described how the Ten Kings emerged within a span of three hundred years, overthrowing previous elites and subjugating newer generations. Among themselves, they were equals, but to everyone else, they were invincible.

This golden age, however, lasted only eight centuries.

Eventually, the Ten Kings vanished. Some claimed they succumbed to internal injuries, others believed they left the world, and some speculated they fought each other to death.

Thus, the legend of the Ten Kings faded into history. With no direct successors, their legacy was gradually forgotten.

After all, the cultivation world never lacks prodigies. The Ten Kings were merely rulers of their time, and their absence meant their stories were lost to time.

"Who exactly were these Ten Kings?" Lin Jiufeng's curiosity deepened as he continued reading.

The book listed their names: the Red-Clad Maiden, the Painted-Skin Scholar, Gu Baili, the Eternal Sky, the Great Serpent King, the Great Ape King, the Sword God Emperor Liu, the Mad Blade of a Hundred Battles, the Mortal Hades, and Lady Whale.

Among them, there were victories and defeats, yet none ever lost to outsiders. Their supremacy was undisputed.

"Did they not leave behind their ultimate techniques?" Lin Jiufeng wondered. The masters disappeared, and so did their legacies.

"Such a pity," Lin Jiufeng lamented.

Just then, glowing text appeared before his eyes:

[Through diligent reading, you have activated Heaven-Defying Comprehension and have glimpsed a fragment of time. Do you wish to view it?]

Lin Jiufeng's eyes sparkled with excitement. Unexpectedly, his ability had been triggered, granting him insight into a moment of history.

What secrets lay within this glimpse of time?

Without hesitation, he responded, "View!"