Becoming an immortal against the will of heaven

‘Composed in the face of events, never revealing his thoughts, this child is indeed a talent destined for great things!’ After examining Chen Tian, the old man smiled contentedly to himself.

Then, after pondering for a moment, he slowly said: “You should understand now that the凝海境 (Níng hǎi jìng, Ocean Condensation Realm) cannot be broken through by simply accumulating spiritual power.

To reach the Ocean Condensation Realm, one must comprehend the Heavenly Dao, seek out cause and effect, and thereby generate one's own境 (jìng, realm) of the Heavenly Dao.”

“Heavenly Dao Realm?” Chen Tian was stunned upon hearing this, and then asked with some confusion: “Please, Senior, explain what this Heavenly Dao Realm actually refers to? What must I do to comprehend my own Heavenly Dao Realm?”

“This, well…” The old man's eyes flickered a few times, and then he laughed heartily: “I can't tell you too much about this. If I say any more, it would be revealing heavenly secrets. When the heavenly tribulation descends, this old man will suffer unspeakably.”

The old man shook his head, and then closed his mouth and drank his little wine attentively, leaving Chen Tian alone in contemplation.

However, Chen Tian was still completely bewildered, unable to find the key.

Half a quarter of an hour passed, and the wine in the old man's bowl had dried up again. He looked up and found that Chen Tian was still sitting on the chair with a frown on his face.

Seeing this scene, the old man smiled slightly and sighed: “Forget it, forget it, I will reveal another trace of heavenly secrets to you. Follow me.”

With that, the old man stood up from the chair, hung the gourd back on his waist, pushed open the door, and walked out.

Chen Tian was shocked and hurriedly got up, following the old man out of the house.

At this time, the afternoon break was over, and the villagers walked back into the fields to begin their afternoon labor.

Under the careful care of these farmers, the vast fields were filled with half-height rice ears. The breeze blew, stirring the rice fields like a sea, creating waves.

“It’s good, very quiet and harmonious. When I came here just now, I saw that every household did not have door bolts installed, and they didn’t seem to be afraid of thieves breaking in, which is enough to show that the folk customs here are simple and honest.” Chen Tian nodded and replied.

The old man nodded slightly after hearing this, and suddenly asked again: “Would you be willing to be an ordinary person again here?”

“What? An ordinary person?”

Chen Tian was originally immersed in the tranquil scenery here, but after suddenly hearing the old man say these words, he was immediately surprised: “Senior, what do you mean by this?”

“It’s nothing.” The old man smiled mysteriously and said: “Don’t think that ‘Heavenly Dao’ is far away from us. It may exist in our lives, in every move we make. So why don’t you take this opportunity to be an ordinary person again?”

Chen Tian originally thought that the old man was joking, but after hearing such incredible words from him again, he couldn't help but be shocked.

Chen Tian still seemed unable to accept it. Just as he was about to ask the old man again, he turned his head, and something even more surprising happened. The old man who was still here suddenly disappeared.

Chen Tian looked around in horror, but found that there was no one else here except him. The old man who had just been talking and laughing with him was like a wisp of breeze, completely gone without a trace. Even the flock of white pigeons he raised had disappeared.

Leaving Chen Tian alone, stunned in place.

“Giddy up… giddy up… giddy up, giddy up…”

At this moment, a series of childish voices came from a distance, instantly bringing Chen Tian back to his senses.

Chen Tian hurriedly looked in the direction of the sound and found a child straddling a bamboo pole between his legs, playing a horse-riding game.

Chen Tian recognized this child. He was the little boy who had been playing on the old man's body just now. His name seemed to be ‘Erwa’ (Second Child).

Chen Tian frowned, and then shouted at him: “Erwa, come here for a moment.”

The child was originally entertaining himself, but after hearing Chen Tian's shout, he immediately stopped and walked towards Chen Tian, asking suspiciously: “Uncle, how do you know my name is Erwa? Are you also from our village? Then why have I never seen you before?”

This Erwa had many questions, all of which he blurted out to Chen Tian.

However, Chen Tian did not answer these questions, but squatted down and smiled kindly: “Erwa, uncle asks you, do you still remember the grandpa who played with you at noon? Do you know where else he likes to go besides here?”

“Grandpa?” Hearing Chen Tian’s words, this Erwa tilted his head, trying hard to recall, and finally shook his head and said: “What grandpa? I don’t know! When I was eating breakfast this morning, I broke my dad’s favorite smoking pipe, so he locked me in the small dark room all morning, and only let me out just now.”

“What?”

Hearing Erwa’s reply full of childishness, Chen Tian was stunned again.

He clearly saw the old man playing with this child at noon, so how could he now say that there was no such thing?

“Erwa! Erwa! You little rascal, so you ran here, huh? I’ll beat you to death, I ask you, where did you put my tobacco?”

Just as Chen Tian was stunned, another angry voice came.

Chen Tian looked up and found a middle-aged man wearing gray cloth clothes, a bamboo hat, and covered in dirt, walking over angrily.

When Erwa saw this middle-aged man, he was immediately frightened and hurriedly hid behind Chen Tian, shouting: “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me, I didn’t throw your tobacco into the fish tank to feed the fish, it really wasn’t me… Dad, don’t hit me!”

Hearing this explanation, the anger on the middle-aged man's face became even stronger. He walked a few steps quickly, immediately grabbed Erwa out from behind Chen Tian, and said angrily: “Good, you little rascal, not only did you break my smoking pipe, but you also took my tobacco to feed the fish, I’ll beat your butt when we get home.”

With that, the middle-aged man grabbed Erwa's collar and wanted to walk back.

“Um, can you wait a moment, and allow me to ask you a question?” Just as the middle-aged man was scolding Erwa and walking back, Chen Tian suddenly spoke to stop him.

Hearing Chen Tian's words, the middle-aged man seemed to have just noticed him, paused, and asked doubtfully: “What’s the matter?”

Chen Tian pointed to the old man's house in the distance and asked: “Do you know where the person living in this house went?”