Chapter 5, The Turning of the Compass, The Opening of Destiny! (II)
"It is an immortal," the old man corrected. After a pause, he kindly reminded, "Do you wish to unlock the tenth level? With your current abilities, it is simply impossible. The second level of the compass has as many as six layers, and the third level has as many as nine layers. The runes are also different from the first level and will become increasingly complex; the second level is more than twice as difficult as the first. It even encompasses the principles of nature and the universe. With your current capabilities, you can at most unlock the seals of the second or third levels, but you cannot progress further. For every three levels, the difficulty increases tenfold, and at the later stages, you will even need corresponding power to manipulate the compass."
Yang Tianwen felt bewildered, not understanding the meaning, yet in his heart, there was a thought that he seemed to have touched upon a world he could never have imagined before.
Then my wish is to cultivate and become an immortal Yang Tianwen stated his first wish
Are there really immortals? Yang Tianwen was astonished. On Earth, immortals are merely legends, and in the 21st century, they are regarded as superstitions
"Alright, open the - Picture - Book of the Fate Celestial Disk. You have unlocked the seal of the first level of the Fate Celestial Disk. Congratulations, you can obtain a first-level wish. Oh, perhaps you do not understand what this means, so let me explain. The Fate Celestial Disk, also known as the Wish Compass, is divided into thirty-six levels and consists of one hundred and eight layers. Each time you unlock a level, you can obtain a corresponding wish, and there are additional benefits. Now, you have unlocked the seal of the first level and can obtain a wish. Of course, this wish is a first-level wish, which can grant you endless wealth and honor in the world, or allow you to gain power beyond measure, or have numerous wives and concubines. You need to think carefully before making your wish," the old man said kindly.
Yang Tianwen pondered for a moment and asked, "Elder, are you saying that as long as I reach level ten or above, I can become an immortal?"
The Wish Compass? Yang Tianwen was astonished, is this really possible? Each level unlocked grants one wish. According to the elder, this is merely the first level's wish. It seems the compass is divided into thirty-six levels and a *book*; does that mean there are wishes for the second, third, and even thirty-sixth levels? If a first-level wish can bring wealth and honor, along with numerous wives and concubines, what about the second and third levels? And the thirty-sixth? Could it grant immortality? If a first-level wish can bring wealth and honor, along with numerous wives and concubines, what about the second and third levels? And the thirty-sixth? Could it grant immortality?
After speaking, a beam of golden light shot out from the Compass Heavenly Pool and entered Yang Tianwen's brow. Yang Tianwen felt a wave of dizziness, and after a while, he recovered, as if something had been added to his mind.
The old man smiled, his joy evident, and with a look of appreciation, he said: "You are very clever. If you make this wish after the second-level seal is broken, you will lose this opportunity, because you are the first person to unlock the first-level seal of the Fate Celestial Disk that has never been opened before. Therefore, this first wish will be very special. Young man, as you wish."
Of course, and there are many, many more, but they are all in the celestial realm the old man replied truthfully
Hello, Initiator, you are the first and possibly the only Initiator since the birth of the Wheel of Destiny. Congratulations to you. The old man smiled slightly, expressing his admiration.
The just-formed tadpole rune floated in the air, the compass began to spin, emitting a series of piercing crackling sounds, and the rune started to change. A beam of light surged up from the Heavenly Pool, and the rune was absorbed into the light curtain, drawn into the Heavenly Pool. Then, a shadow gradually emerged from the light curtain, slowly revealing its form. Yang Tianwen's eyes widened in surprise; it turned out to be an old man with a white beard dressed in a white robe.
"What does this mean? Who are you? What exactly is this compass? Where is this place? Can I go back?" After a moment of surprise, Yang Tian quickly regained his composure and asked calmly.
The old man gave Yang Tianwen an approving glance and replied: "This treasure is called the Celestial Disk of Destiny. As for its origins, once you fully gain its acknowledgment, you will naturally come to know. I am both the guardian of this treasure and your guide. This is the Purple Mysterious Continent; you may have the chance to return in the future, but by that time, you probably will not wish to return to the library."
"Not bad," the old man replied
This is the "Zixiao Baolu," a cultivation method from your hometown. To speak frankly, although you have a good mind, your aptitude for cultivation is extremely poor. However, the techniques from your hometown are unique; they are the most extraordinary cultivation methods I am aware of. In other realms, the requirements for cultivation techniques are very high, and it is almost inevitable that aptitude will be the only difference between cultivators and ordinary people. Those with poor aptitude, even if they obtain the best techniques, will likely never succeed in establishing their foundation. Yet, the methods from your hometown prioritize opportunities first, followed by the heart of the Dao, with aptitude coming in third. Of course, the better the aptitude, the faster the cultivation, and the fewer the bottlenecks..." The old man spoke with great admiration, seemingly hesitant to continue.
Yang Tianwen received the answer and felt delighted. There is no good thing in the world that comes without effort, and this wish was obtained after spending three days and nights, exhausting all his brainpower. If the first level is this complex, let alone the tenth level; he is aware of his own limitations.
The old man did not urge, quietly waiting until Yang Tianwen gradually calmed down, then said: "Make a wish"
Yang Tianwen's IQ exceeds 240, making him exceptionally intelligent. He discerned the meaning behind the old man's words and cautiously asked, "Are you suggesting that the wish for eternal life and becoming an immortal can indeed be fulfilled?"
Yang Tianwen had a sudden inspiration and recalled that in the Daoist texts he had read before, it was recorded that mortals could cultivate themselves to become immortals. Thus, he asked, "Immortals are cultivated from mortals, correct?"
Yang Tianwen was stunned, struggling to digest all of this. The news was truly astonishing. As a university student in the 21st century, it was impossible not to yearn for the legendary existence of immortals. The descriptions of immortals—eternal life, moving mountains and seas, calling the wind and rain, and possessing great supernatural powers—were all captivating. Yang Tianwen was studying archaeology and had always been interested in various antiques, having also collected quite a few ancient texts. Hearing today that immortals truly exist was still somewhat hard for him to believe.
"You are very clever, indeed. Once you reach level 10 or above, you can make this wish and directly become an immortal, living forever," the old man replied with a smile.