Chapter 198: The Man Behind the Curtain

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

The  gap between mortals and immortals is like a chasm, not merely bridged by will alone. Everlasting Celestial has not reached the realm of immortals and is at the Tribulation Crossing Stage.

Although he lacks a physical body, possessing only a soul, he does not fully qualify as at the Tribulation Crossing Stage, but he has mastered the nascent form of the immortal ariya-phala, which compensates for his lack of combat prowess.

If a being at the Tribulation Crossing Stage encounters Everlasting Celestial in the mental space, they would find themselves at a disadvantage. However, Everlasting Celestial happened to meet the genuine Everlasting Fairy.

The nascent form of ariya-phala is powerless in the presence of the true ariya-phala.

After being reprimanded, Everlasting Celestial realized that he is not a true immortal, but rather an imitation of Everlasting Fairy.

“As for how the ariya-phala came into being, senior, what are your thoughts?” Yun Zhi posed this question to Everlasting Fairy.

Everlasting Fairy had been pondering this very question and she presented a golden glow: “My initial judgment was not wrong. This item can be reluctantly called an immortal ariya-phala, though it is far from mature and is merely a nascent form.”

“The emergence of ariya-phala should follow the same principle as this youngster’s appearance, both reliant on the power of will.”

Lu Yang was curious, “Can ariya-phala be formed just by willpower? If so, wouldn’t becoming an immortal be very simple?”

Everlasting Fairy shook her head, correcting Lu Yang’s misunderstanding, “It’s not the ariya-phala, but its nascent form. Not to mention that this ariya-phala is the result of over ten thousand years of accumulation by the Undying Sect, just the production of a nascent form through willpower alone has significant limitations.”

Ariya-phala is a sign of becoming an immortal, a final product that can change the rules of the world, a concept far beyond Lu Yang’s understanding, something he cannot grasp at this moment.

“The difference between ariya-phala nascent form and ariya-phala is vast. I can produce as many nascent forms of immortal ariya-phala as I want, but there will always be only one immortal ariya-phala, which is the one I possess.”

With that, Everlasting Fairy showed a confident smile, believing her immortal ariya-phala to be the strongest, superior to those of Ying Tian Immortal and others.

As for the ariya-phala nascent forms, in her view, they were inferior. “But the nascent forms might replace the ariya-phala.”

Yun Zhi’s words threw cold water on Everlasting Fairy, who instantly cooled down. “What do you mean by that?” Lu Yang asked.

Only Everlasting Fairy and Yun Zhi knew the truth about the ariya-phala; Lu Yang and Everlasting Celestial were completely in the dark.

Everlasting Celestial couldn’t even differentiate between ariya-phala and its nascent form; if not explained now, he wouldn’t even know how his ariya-phala nascent form came into existence.

Yun Zhi explained, “The ariya-phala nascent form is crude and simplistic, even its internal structure is unstable. If the ariya-phala nascent form gradually matures, it will become increasingly similar to the ariya-phala.”

“And since only one of the same kind of ariya-phala can exist, a mature ariya-phala must be discarded for the nascent form to fully mature.”

Lu Yang was astonished, “So you mean to say that the fairy’s ariya-phala might be replaced by an immortal ariya-phala nascent form?”

Lu Yang was worried for the fairy; although she was not particularly reliable and often unhelpful, creating trouble for him, he still hoped that she would always possess her ariya-phala and not be usurped.

Yun Zhi shook his head, his expression grave, “The senior holds the highest authority in the ‘Immortal’ lineage, no one can contend with her in the realm of ‘Immortality’, not even a nearly mature ariya-phala nascent form.”

“The replacement of ariya-phala by its nascent form can only occur under one circumstance—when the ariya-phala is ownerless, and the nascent form has an owner.”

Lu Yang breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s good, the fairy is still alive, no one can replace her.”

“But she was not supposed to be alive.”

Hearing Eldest Senior Sister’s words, Lu Yang felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Indeed, if he hadn’t inadvertently called out Everlasting Fairy’s true name, she might not have been able to resurrect by the end of the great conflict.

Perhaps as Eldest Senior Sister said, without him, it would take another 300,000 years for someone to accidentally call out Everlasting Fairy’s true name.

But if Everlasting Fairy hadn’t resurrected and Everlasting Celestial was able to mature the immortal ariya-phala nascent form, replacing the original immortal ariya-phala.

By the time of the great conflict, Everlasting Celestial leading the Undying Sect would make his name known, and by then, who would dare to casually utter “Everlasting Fairy” as a joke.

By then, Everlasting Fairy might never be able to resurrect, truly dead. Everlasting Fairy also realized this and was terrified.

Yun Zhi organized her thoughts briefly: “In ancient times, the senior was assassinated, the immortal ariya-phala lost its owner, becoming ownerless.

“The man behind the scenes made the concept of the immortal ariya-phala public, fabricating the non-existent Everlasting Celestial, making the followers of the Undying Sect believe, envision, and resurrect Everlasting Celestial, while Everlasting Celestial himself was unaware, desperately trying to mature the ariya-phala nascent form.”

“When the time was ripe, the man behind the scenes would act, harvesting the immortal ariya-phala for himself.”

“Now the only uncertainty is whether the man behind the scenes wants to harvest the mature immortal ariya-phala, or just before it matures, or perhaps… he has already arrived?”

At this, Yun Zhi’s voice was as cold as eternal ice, his murderous intent chilling Lu Yang.

Yun Zhi and Everlasting Fairy unleashed their spiritual awareness, sweeping through every inch of the surrounding area, determined to uncover the man behind the scenes.

Suddenly, in the corner of the secret room, space trembled, and a dark figure walked in rhythmically clapping his hands, praising Yun Zhi’s extraordinary abilities.

Lu Yang stared at the dark figure, who was right here, yet his spiritual awareness scanned nothing.

Lu Yang felt like the man was an unfathomably deep black hole, with tremendous ambition capable of devouring everything, utterly terrifying.

Yun Zhi and Everlasting Fairy positioned themselves in front of Lu Yang, wary of the newcomer.

“Truly, as the strongest of the Five Great Immortal Sects, you pose the biggest threat in Central Continent to me. Originally, I came here to see if the immortal ariya-phala nascent form had really formed, but I didn’t expect such a great gain just from observing for a few days.”

The dark figure looked towards Everlasting Fairy, and although his face was unclear, Lu Yang felt he was smiling. “Unexpectedly, Everlasting Fairy, you have resurrected, the biggest variable, beyond my expectations.

“Since you have resurrected, the plan to replace the ariya-phala with the immortal ariya-phala nascent form is now null and void, what a pity for the 14,000 years of preparation by the Undying Sect, all for naught.” The dark figure shook his head in regret, unsure whether he felt sorry for the Undying Sect or for his own schemes.

“Ying Tian, Qilin, Immemorial, Nonuple, which are you! Come out and show your true face!” Everlasting Fairy shouted harshly, the person intending to erase her existence, a feud of life and death, unresolvable!

A confrontation between her and the shadow was inevitable!

The shadow shook his head, laughing wryly: “Were there really only five immortals in your era? Is Nonuple truly the first immortal?”

“Fairy, so many things are uncertain, how can you be sure I am one of those four?”

“Deceiver!” Everlasting Fairy gritted her teeth.

Yun Zhi said no more, acting decisively with full force.

The shadow’s expression hardened: “Indeed, your strength is far greater than you show to the outside world, even my true form would likely not be able to defeat you.”

“After the ancient times, to have someone like you is truly a miracle of nature.” Knowing he was no match, the shadow chose to self-destruct.

“What a pity for my true body, unable to know what’s happening here.”

(End of the chapter)