Chapter 371: The Third Trial Wasn't Meant to Be Cleared Like This
Jiang Li gave face to the Sleeping Arhat’s legacy by taking a nap. Upon waking, he found himself enveloped in an aura of tranquility.
“Where is this place?”
He quickly realized he was in a womb, surrounded by Innate Qi.
The experience of becoming a fetus was utterly novel for Jiang Li. Innate Qi was highly prized by demonic cultivators, who could extract it by refining pregnant women—whether for cultivation or forging weapons, it was considered top-grade material.
During the era when demonic cultivators flourished, pregnant women faced extreme danger, often losing both their lives and unborn children. Only after the Celestial Ladder was severed and the Nine Provinces launched large-scale purges against demonic cultivators did this situation improve.
When Jiang Li was born into the mundane world of Postnatal Qi, the Innate Qi dissipated. Yet he felt no discomfort—to him, Innate Qi was too pure, almost unsettling, while the turbid Postnatal Qi felt more natural.
Like Yuan Wuxing, Jiang Li was born into a wealthy mortal family. When the divide between immortals and mortals remained, he sought immortality in the mountains, only to be coldly informed that his Five Elements Spirit Root made cultivation a waste of spiritual energy.
“Spiritual energy is infinite. If you can use it freely, why can’t I cultivate without depriving others?”
The immortal found Jiang Li’s question too foolish to answer and drove him away.
After learning about his Five Elements Spirit Root, Jiang Li didn’t bother seeking retests from other sects. He simply accepted it—it wasn’t life-threatening, after all.
“Son, give up on cultivation. It’s not for you,” his parents advised, and Jiang Li readily agreed.
“Alright, I won’t cultivate.” His decisiveness surprised them.
Abandoning cultivation ambitions, Jiang Li focused on business studies and martial arts before inheriting the family enterprise. His commercial prowess surpassed even Yuan Wuxing’s—under his management, he became the wealthiest man in the nation, so influential that even the emperor treated him with deference.
An immortal descended to offer Jiang Li a deal: if he donated all his wealth to prove his sincerity, the immortal would help him achieve Qi refinement—though only to the third level of Qi Refining, the lowest tier of cultivation.
Jiang Li immediately refused. The immortal assumed he couldn’t bear parting with his riches and left, shaking his head at Jiang Li’s “lack of sincerity.”
Jiang Li sneered. During his rise to wealth, he’d discovered these so-called immortals were merely cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage who couldn’t even achieve inedia. They produced nothing, relying entirely on mortal provisions despite their gluttonous appetites that strained the populace.
“Eating without working? What kind of privilege is that?”
The immortals often made capricious demands—like building celestial platforms to “get closer to heaven” for better enlightenment. These costly constructions were abandoned when they proved useless.
They also redirected rivers to “improve spiritual energy flow”—another baseless idea. Countless similar incidents occurred.
Jiang Li despised these immortals. Despite preaching about the immortal-mortal divide, they depended entirely on mortal labor for survival.
Eventually, Jiang Li liquidated his assets, raised an army, overthrew the government, and became emperor. The immortals didn’t care who ruled—it didn’t affect them.
Once in power, Jiang Li immediately cut off all provisions to immortals. Any requests had to be earned—either through labor like using rain-summoning spells to aid agriculture or by disclosing cultivation methods.
“We seek immortality to transcend worldly burdens! How could we demean ourselves with farming?” As for sharing cultivation techniques? Out of the question—that was their foundation.
“Too demeaning? Then stop eating.” Jiang Li showed no courtesy. These so-called immortals, barely reaching Nascent Soul stage after centuries, dared call themselves cultivators?
“You impudent brat! The throne can easily change hands!” An enraged immortal attacked, only for Jiang Li to punch him into a palace pillar.
“What… what is this?!” The immortal gaped at Jiang Li’s monstrous physical strength, akin to a demon’s.
“This is martial arts. I’ve reached the External Scenery realm.” Jiang Li cracked his knuckles. Since negotiations failed, force was necessary. Despite his poor spiritual roots, he’d achieved martial prowess comparable to Divine Transformation cultivators.
Leading his army, Jiang Li dethroned the arrogant immortals and abolished the artificial immortal-mortal divide. Henceforth, immortals had to contribute to society through labor. Surprisingly, their cultivation progressed faster through this engagement.
“Cultivation is about entering the world, then transcending it. Your self-imposed isolation stunted your growth.” The immortals were awestruck by Jiang Li’s wisdom.
As an External Scenery martial artist, Jiang Li enjoyed disease-free longevity. During his reign, immortals and mortals integrated seamlessly—cultivator numbers soared while food security improved dramatically.
Eventually, Jiang Li passed away peacefully, smiling in his final moments.
…
This trial was meant to make cultivators experience mortal struggles and the Eight Sufferings for enlightenment. Instead, Jiang Li unified the nation and tamed the immortals—the Eight Sufferings never touched him.
Bodhisattva Xiangxiang: “…This must be Human Sovereign Jiang.” She couldn’t imagine anyone else capable of this.
“Wait—if that’s him, who’s the other one? Bai Hongtu?”
Checking Bai Hongtu’s trial, she saw him donate his wealth for a cultivation manual, then climb the immortal hierarchy through social maneuvering and resource accumulation—reaching peak Nascent Soul through sheer connections and ambition, all without his original powers or memories.
“…I know you’re both exceptional, but could you at least experience one of the Eight Sufferings?”
Bodhisattva Xiangxiang was at a loss. Their achievements were undeniably impressive—but completely missed the trial’s purpose of experiencing life’s sufferings!