Divine Emperor of Death

Founder Alstreim Windstorm hesitantly uttered to Davis, not sure what kind of tone he should use anymore.

Continue treating him as his descendant or give respect to his descendant's strength?

For the first time in his life, he felt that he had to give serious thought to this matter, which was hilarious yet heartening at the same time. It meant that he was finally surpassed, which he thought his descendants were never going to achieve in his lifetime, at the very least.

"Is there anything else?"

Davis asked the Jade Lotus Valley's Immortal and Glorious Pill Palace's Immortal, causing them to be tongue-tied.

They both thought about asking him about his previous actions against the Glorious Pill Palace and the Emperor Sword Sect, but those words got stuck, no, didn't even swell in their minds as they knew that they shouldn't offend him.

A moment later, they could only shake their heads, causing Davis to cup his hands towards them.

"Then I will take my leave."

Davis flew away with his people, leaving an obnoxious remain of the Dark Ironroar Palace's Immortal that was ignored by the beauties present.

The Jade Lotus Valley and Glorious Pill Palace's female immortals watched them leave with a complicated gaze in their eyes. After their silhouettes left, their gaze fell on each other, their eyes squinting in scrutiny.

"Loraine, I heard that the Emperor of Death half destroyed the Emperor Sword Sect. Aren't you going to ask about it?"

"I heard that the Emperor of Death had taken the Glorious Pill Palace's recipes and alchemy knowledge for a cheap price. Why didn't 'you' ask about it, Shandra?"

The both of them tried to gain one over each other, a wry smile emerging on their expressions as they both knew the answer to that question but refused to answer. Nonetheless, the fact that their powers first designated the Emperor of Death as the first person they should know about after their arrival from the First Haven World wasn't one of fear-mongering or overestimating.

They were indirectly told to be careful of him, and it happened to be rightly so. The truth was that the Emperor of Death was more powerful than what they expected, practically towering above their might in their suppressed states.

They didn't doubt how powerful he would become after becoming an immortal. However…

"Do you think that the Emperor of Death will survive his heavenly tribulation? I think… there was something called as karmic burden that haunts when a person... Well, I'm not sure."

"I don't know, but if he did, the First Haven World is in for a… rude awakening~"

The Glorious Pill Palace's Immortal, Shandra, shivered ever so lightly upon hearing Loraine's solemn words.

As for Ivy Aries and Valley Master Jade Aurora, they were already stupefied enough that their minds were still in a state of stupor. However, their hearts couldn't help but feel heavy for some reason, especially Valley Master Jade Aurora's, whose limpid eyes were brewing with tears as she lowered her head.

'Perhaps, I was a little too hopeful after ancestor immortal's arrival, thinking that I could close the gap somewhat... but the truth is that I'm forever indebted to him, never able to...'

========

In the airspace of the Burning Phoenix Ridge, where Lea had returned to prop up the spirits of her sect's elders and disciples, displaying her prowess that was equal to an immortal while she was at it, Davis waited outside.

"Founder, will you explain to me about the Immortal Foundation Stage and its intricacies?"

"Sigh," Founder Alstreim heaved a heavy breath as though he really didn't want to but looking at his descendant's curious expression, he nodded.

"There are too many things to consider when a mortal breaks through to become an immortal."

"First, do you know what an Immortal Vessel is?"

Davis innocently shook his head, causing Founder Alstreim to nod again.

"The Immortal Vessel is the amalgamation of a human being becoming an immortal. An immortal will always be in possession of it as it is what practically states that you're an immortal, containing a vast source of immortal core that allows your cultivations to vastly improve to what it was from when you were a mortal, not to mention that it changes the state of your body and soul, allowing you to become an immortal being."

"It's impossible for an immortal not to have it because in that case, you would be considered a mortal."

"I see." Davis thought he stated somewhat the obvious, "Then what are the types of Immortal Vessels?"

"Before that, you need to learn that there are two Immortal Vessels. The Immortal Vessel that connects your Essence Gathering Cultivation and Body Tempering Cultivation and another Immortal Vessel that connects to your Soul Forging Cultivation, which is called the Immortal Soul Vessel."

"What? There's two?" Davis became taken aback, causing Founder Alstreim to smile.

"Don't worry. They practically overlap each other like a sphere enveloping another half of a sphere. They're interconnected yet not connected at the same time. Hence, they're separate and have their own conditions to form and improve. Do you understand?"

Davis lightly nodded his head before Founder Alstreim continued.

"Now, to answer your question, there are three, no, four types of Immortal Vessels and Immortal Soul Vessels. Cracked, Mortal, Earth and Heaven."

"Wait… Cracked Immortal Vessel is a type?" Davis seemed confused.

"It is both a type and not a type."

However, Founder Alstreim gave the same answer, confusing him even more, but he suddenly thought back to what Myria said about Cracked Immortal Vessel, that it is similar to being crippled yet not actually crippled.

"Before I explain your doubts, let me finish. The Cracked Immortal Vessel is the lowest and doesn't provide any prowess but could even be said to lower your prowess. The Mortal Immortal Vessel is differentiated into three comprehensive levels, which I'll explain shortly after clearing your doubt about the Cracked Immortal Vessel."

"As for the Earth Immortal Vessel, it increases your prowess by two levels, and as for the Heaven Immortal Vessel, it increases your prowess by three whole levels!"

"Just three?"

There was a hint of reverence when mentioning the Heaven Immortal Vessel by Founder Alstreim, but Davis sounded rather disappointed, causing Founder Alstreim's lips to twitch.

"You think crossing levels to battle in the immortal cultivation realm is like a mort-"Before Founder Alstreim could finish the sentence, he recalled that he was talking with a monster and realized that this monster had the right to ask this question, causing him to be tongue-tied for a moment.

"I mean, that's all it could give, but there are always variations. For example, having an Immortal Grade Physique can complement the Immortal Vessel, causing its prowess to spike depending on the quality of the Physique."

"Oh, so that's the case."

Davis smiled as he imagined what kind of increase in prowess his Tyrannical Heavenly Firestorm Physique would provide him. Moreover, he couldn't wait to realize what he had been planning for his Soul Forging Cultivation and also, later, somehow create a body physique as mentioned in the Grand Chaos Body Art.

However, to create three physiques… was that even possible?

"I told you about the four types. Now, I'll explain to you what a Cracked Immortal Vessel truly is."

Davis came out of his thoughts and nodded, paying attention.

"When a mortal has reached Peak-Level in only one cultivation system and breaks through to become an immortal, that mortal will obtain a Cracked Immortal Vessel which lowers his prowess by one level. This is not a crippled state of the Cracked Immortal Vessel as it only disables the mortal from reaching the next stage."

"Majority of the immortals in the First Haven World are like this, having cultivated to the Peak-Level Ninth Stage in only one cultivation system and becoming an immortal because of their inability to collect resources or in a hurry to become and gain the status of immortals, knowing that they wouldn't be much in the future. When they're a Level One Immortal, their prowess is one level lower, and therefore, they're actually in the eighth level of the Ninth Stage yet still an immortal."

"…" Davis was flabbergasted in hearing this information.

Immortals with a lower prowess? He certainly didn't expect that.

"The other state of the Cracked Immortal Vessel is the true crippled state. It is better termed as Cracked Mortal Immortal Vessel, Cracked Earth Immortal Vessel, and Cracked Heaven Immortal Vessel. When these three types of Immortal Vessels become cracked, the prowess they bestow will disappear, and that immortal will become unable to advance to the next  level and stage, but they will still retain their levels."

"For example, take Crimson Starchild, the Astral Light Sect's Immortal. He actually had created a perfected Mortal Immortal Vessel that increased his prowess by one level. He had enjoyed apt popularity, but there were rumors of him offending an Immortal King of his power and had his Mortal Immortal Vessel crippled, causing it to become cracked. As a result, he lost his prowess, and his ability to advance to the next stage became hindered."

"However, he was still an immortal and didn't have his prowess lowered by one level like those who had created a Cracked Immortal Vessel from the start, but after what you two did, you and… Fairy Myria, his Cracked Mortal Immortal Vessel has completely shattered, reverting him back to a mortal."

"Depending upon the vitality and lifespan he has left, it is a slow or fast process. If he had none left, he would essentially die. One is a temporary crippled state, and what you two did for him is a complete crippled state. The state of cultivation in the former stops or even deteriorates depending on the damage taken while for the latter, deterioration is a given and death is a swallowing maw for them."

Founder Alstreim came to a stop while Davis understood as he kept nodding, finally opening his mouth.