Volume One: Youthful Encounters in Humble Times Chapter 125: The Remarkable Li Xiyan

Li Xiyan had long been at the peak of the Ninth Realm. In truth, he could have broken through to the Tenth Realm at any time, but he had fiercely suppressed his cultivation for the sake of coming to Tianmen Town, hoping to find the perfect opportunity to ascend from the Tenth Realm directly into the Eleventh.

In the world of cultivation, it is said that the longer one lingers in the Ninth Realm, the greater the chance of finding the opportunity to break through and achieve Dao. Throughout history, most of those who have successfully broken through to the Dao-Seeking Realm were those who had spent a long time at the Ninth Realm.

The Tenth Realm is the Heavenly Pass—a barrier that separates the mortal from the divine. Those who break through the Tenth Realm are individuals who have grasped their own Dao and gained the acknowledgment of the Heavenly Dao. To attain that acknowledgment, the Ninth Realm is critical; it is the Realm of Awakening and Inheritance, the pinnacle of the nine mortal realms.

In the cultivation world, realms are divided into the Mortal Realms and the Dao-Seeking Realms. The Mortal Realms consist of three tiers: the Lower Three (Spirit Mansion, Cleansing, and Immaculate), the Middle Three (Bright Light, Reflecting Sea, and Heavenly Terrace), and the Upper Three (Approaching Heaven, Ascending to Hear, and Awakening Inheritance).

To enter the Dao-Seeking Realm, the Mortal Realms are the foundation—the bedrock of the Great Dao. Only after traversing these nine realms does one reach the threshold between the mortal and the divine: the Heavenly Pass. Only those who break through this barrier can be considered great cultivators, people who have transcended the mundane and gained the qualifications for immortality.

Yet, breaking through the Heavenly Pass is no easy feat. Through the continuous exploration of those who came before, it was determined that if one finds the "Sense of the Mortal World" while in the Ninth Realm (Awakening Inheritance), they have the greatest chance of entering the Dao upon breaking the Heavenly Pass. However, finding this sense is difficult. Throughout history, only a handful have broken through using the Sense of the Mortal World; others have relied on the slow accumulation of time to wear themselves into the Dao-Seeking Realm, or relied on other fortuitous encounters. This meant that for them, achieving further growth in the Dao-Seeking Realm would be an arduous task.

Li Xiyan could have entered the Heavenly Pass at any time, but he suppressed his cultivation to maximize his chances of achieving the Dao. When he stayed in the Li family for a long time without finding that sense, he realized he had to seek it elsewhere.

Cultivators often have premonitions. When he learned the Li family was heading to Tianmen Town, a thought flashed through his mind: he had to go. This was the place most likely to yield the Sense of the Mortal World. Though the premonition was silent and sudden, it did not affect his judgment. After reviewing records of Tianmen Town, he realized that such a unique place must have extraordinary qualities.

He felt a constant sense of relief, grateful for his decisive choice to come; otherwise, how could he have encountered such an opportunity? He had witnessed the opening of the Heavenly Gate, the Daoist’s miraculous techniques, and the manifestation of the Saint’s spirit controlling the Great Dao. These experiences broadened his horizons and elevated his state of mind. Never before had he longed for such power, nor had he craved to become a figure like the Daoist.

Though the Daoist had destroyed the Li family’s ancestor, Li Xiyan held little resentment. When one’s skills are inferior, one must accept fate; when one is at the end of their rope, one must admit defeat. That was the ancestor’s choice, and it was their destiny. On the contrary, he felt a deep admiration for the Daoist. He had never imagined that someone in this world would dare to stand against the world itself, sacrificing their own cultivation and even their Dao-soul for the sake of ordinary people.

As his long-held belief that cultivators stood above all others began to waver, his opportunity for breakthrough arrived. The so-called "Sense of the Mortal World" is nothing more than the power of the mortal world itself.

If the mortal world wishes to help you achieve the Dao, it will grant you a portion of its power. At this moment, Tianmen Town was that world. It had just undergone a rebirth, and with the Daoist’s help, the original spirit of Tianmen Town had been reborn. The Daoist’s ultimate goal was that "there is no construction without destruction." He knew that to build a town governed by the Dao, the original spirit had to be destroyed, providing space for a new one to emerge.

Now, as Tianmen Town became a land of the Dao, its feng shui and terrain had been fundamentally altered. The newly generated spirit represented the Daoist’s hope for the town and the equality of ordinary people with cultivators. Therefore, anyone who harbored a sincere intention at this moment could receive a gift of this mortal power.

Borrowing this power, Li Xiyan’s cultivation surged. He understood clearly what the Sense of the Mortal World was. In that moment of enlightenment, he silently thanked the Daoist: "Thank you, Senior. I will never forget your guidance, and I will not let this power of the mortal world go to waste."

The power helped him absorb the surrounding spiritual energy, refining it into pure spiritual power. Then, in full view of everyone, he successfully broke through to the Heavenly Pass. Just as everyone thought this was his limit, something unexpected happened: his cultivation was still climbing.

The three elders of the Li family noticed this as well. Li Zhonghong was overcome with excitement. He had initially thought this trip to Tianmen Town would yield nothing, but not only had Li Xiyan broken into the Heavenly Pass, he was now on the verge of breaking through to the Dao-Seeking Realm—a development of immense significance.

He hurriedly produced a treasure he carried with him: a true Spirit-Suppressing Pagoda. This pagoda could not only suppress the spirits of enemies but also protect the lives of those it shielded. That was its true purpose. After placing the pagoda over Li Xiyan, he turned to the surrounding crowd and cupped his hands. "Today is the day our junior breaks through to the Dao-Seeking Realm. I do not wish for anyone to do anything that might mar our relations or cause offense. If any of you think that because our Li family’s strength is diminished today, you can act, you had better consider whether you can withstand the wrath of the Tianshan Li family in the future."

His caution was justified; the members of the Li family present had suffered heavy losses in combat. If anyone were to secretly stir up trouble or strike from the shadows, it would not be easily managed. For now, to avoid severe punishment upon their return, they had to ensure Li Xiyan successfully entered the Dao.

Li Xiyan was at the critical juncture. He floated in the air, eyes closed, his expression serene and peaceful, his mind in a state of emptiness. Everyone encounters different visions when entering the Dao. When Lu Ming became a Sword Immortal, he saw his own immortal sword reflecting his inner self—the past he could not face. To succeed, he had to confront that reflection with courage. Lu Ming had been destined for the Dao; he had already received a portion of the mortal power while in the Awakening Realm, and with the Daoist’s help, his ascent was a certainty. He only needed to overcome his inner obstacles to become a Sword Immortal.

But what of Li Xiyan? As he faced the Heavenly Pass, he did not confront internal demons, but the humiliation of the Li family falling from the clouds into the dust.

The Li family had always been arrogant, believing themselves to be favored by heaven, born with marks of the Great Dao, and destined for a path of cultivation simpler than others. They viewed themselves as heaven’s darlings and treated everyone else with contempt. To be forced to live at the very bottom of the mortal world was something they could neither imagine nor accept.

Now, in his vision of the Heavenly Pass, Li Xiyan faced the reality of his proud family collapsing—abandoned by all, bullied by the cultivation world, and reduced to the status of ants in the mundane world. The Li Xiyan trapped in the illusion could not accept this, especially when he saw his master, his patriarch, and his kin begging for scraps. His faith shattered in an instant. He tried to save them, but a family that had lost its vitality could not be saved, and in the end, he, too, was dragged into that miserable life.

Just as he became one of the beggars, he saw a familiar yet strange figure pass by. It was a child, only two or three years old, living a life of begging and wandering, bullied and humiliated. Though his body was hunched and his knees might have been on the ground, his eyes still held a proud, unyielding light. It was as if he were saying that no matter how wretched his past, he remained proud, composed, and confident.

The child calmly picked up a discarded bun, tore off the dirty parts, and ate it with composure. Then, he walked away with an unremarkable gait, yet one that revealed an unbending backbone upon closer inspection.

Li Xiyan stared at the child, struck with profound shock. Just then, the child looked back at him. With that single glance, Li Xiyan’s mind began to clear. Slowly, his reason returned, and in that moment, he understood things he had never known before. As he gained this enlightenment, the illusion around him crumbled.

When the last of the vision vanished, he sighed silently, "Was this the life you lived after being cast out of the Li family?"

In the outside world, Li Xiyan’s aura fluctuated as he sat in deep meditation—first growing stronger, then fading. Li Zhonghong watched with anxiety, fearing the breakthrough was failing. But unexpectedly, at the final moment, it stabilized and began to grow ever more powerful.

Watching Li Xiyan’s rising momentum, the crowd felt a bitter irony. They had not expected that the greatest gain from this trip to Tianmen Town would go to the Li family—the very people originally rejected by the town.

Finally, at the last moment, Li Xiyan’s aura withdrew. In an instant, celestial music echoed from the heavens, signifying that he had successfully entered the Dao. He opened his eyes, looked up at the sky, and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Senior, for your guidance."