第一千三百九十四章 飞羽（大结局）

Chapter 1394: Flying Feather (Grand Finale) Han Li stood in midair with his hands clasped behind his back, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes. Gentle sea breezes brushed against his face, carrying a rich, salty, and damp scent. This was the Boundless Sea near the Tiannan region. Back then, he and Violet Spirit had flown out from the belly of a Rakshasa and arrived here. Spiritual Qi here was extremely scarce, but Han Li's soul felt exceptionally at ease, as if a wanderer who had been away from home for many years, having weathered countless hardships, had finally returned to his long-missed homeland. It was a kind of spiritual peace, a place that nothing else could replace. Han Li took a few deep breaths but did not linger here. With a flicker of his form, he vanished from the spot and reappeared in midair above a mountain range. This was a range of not particularly tall mountains, with over a dozen perilous peaks of varying sizes connected together, quite eye-catching. Numerous checkpoints and hidden posts were built on the peaks, and figures in tight-fitting outfits occasionally entered and exited, occupied by a mortal martial arts sect. This mountain was Caixia Mountain, and the sect occupying it was the Seven Mysteries Sect. Many people he knew were here: Doctor Mo, Zhang Tie, his younger self... In a small valley near the disciples' quarters of the Seven Mysteries Sect, a stern-faced black-clad youth was practicing a blade technique, wielding a long saber. This youth was precisely Li Feiyu. The Bottle Gourd had been lost. Seizing this final opportunity, Han Li decided to return to the past and take one last look at this childhood friend. Li Feiyu swung his long saber. As the blade whistled, cold light flared up, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, quite imposing. His clothes were soaked with sweat, and his sword-wielding arm was red and swollen, but he did not stop to rest, gritting his teeth and continuing to practice. Seeing this, Han Li nodded inwardly. Back then, Li Feiyu's blade technique was so outstanding. Taking the Marrow Extraction Pill was one reason, but the more important reason was inseparable from his relentless, day-after-day hard practice. At the same time, the small bottle in his hand grew fainter and fainter, its remaining power nearly exhausted. Han Li shifted his gaze, raised his hand, and made a hand seal, pointing forward. A black light shot from his fingertip and vanished into Li Feiyu's brow in a flash. Li Feiyu, engrossed in his practice, noticed nothing unusual and continued to sweat. Han Li smiled faintly and was about to return to reality when his brow suddenly twitched, and he looked down. A dark-skinned youth with an ordinary face was walking out of the Divine Hand Valley, heading out of the valley. His face was full of confusion, as if his mind was wandering. Wasn't this his younger self? Han Li's heart stirred, and his gaze extended forward. Not far ahead of the youth, the Bottle Gourd lay quietly on the ground, waiting to be discovered. But judging by the trajectory of the youth's footsteps, this time, he would likely not find the Bottle Gourd and would simply pass by it... Han Li's mind turned, and he lifted his leg, making a faint kicking motion. The Bottle Gourd buried in the ground shifted slightly, silently moving a few inches to the left. "Ouch!" His younger self gasped, clutching his foot and sitting on the ground. Seeing this, Han Li's lips curled into a smile. At that moment, the bottle in his hand finally turned completely transparent, its power exhausted, and it shattered with a bang. A temporal passage appeared out of thin air behind Han Li, and a surge of time law swept over, swallowing his body. In the Outer Heavenly Domain, Nangong Wan and the Golden Boy stood there, a hint of anxiety in their eyes. Just then, the void not far ahead rippled like water, and a temporal passage emerged. A figure flew out from within—it was Han Li. Seeing him appear, Nangong Wan and the Golden Boy beamed with joy and immediately rushed over. ... Time passed, seasons changed, and in the blink of an eye, countless millennia had gone by. In the Black Earth Immortal Domain, on the Ascension Platform, hundreds of ascension arrays were operating, emitting rings of light. Beside each array stood a welcoming cultivator. The Black Earth Immortal Domain was connected to countless lower realms below. The arrays would light up from time to time, sending up ascenders, who were then led by the welcoming cultivators to a stretch of connected buildings in the distance. Suddenly, one array on the Ascension Platform blazed with light, shooting straight into the sky. A stern-faced black-clad youth materialized within the array. Half of his body was charred black, clearly having endured a grueling ascension tribulation, and he was now unconscious. His still-bleeding hand tightly gripped a black long saber, the two seemingly fused together. The black saber was covered in cracks, inscribed with two ancient pictographic characters: "Feather" and "Wing." The saber was an immortal artifact, seemingly a innate immortal artifact. Though its blade was full of cracks, it still emitted a startling saber intent. Beside this array stood a welcoming cultivator, a white-haired middle-aged man with sharp brows and bright eyes, quite handsome. However, his temples were already gray, and his eyes were lined with wrinkles. Though his appearance was only middle-aged, he gave off an unusually aged feeling. Seeing the black-clad youth, he showed a surprised expression and raised his hand, waving. A white light flew from the white-haired man's hand, enveloping the black-clad youth. The wounds on the youth's body healed rapidly, and he soon regained consciousness. Once awake, the black-clad youth immediately looked at the black saber in his hand, a look of pain in his eyes. "I am Gao Sheng. Welcome, fellow Daoist, to the Black Earth Immortal Domain," the white-haired middle-aged man said with a smile, standing to the side. "I am Li Feiyu, ascending here from the North Wind Realm," the black-clad youth said, secretly sizing up his surroundings with a look of wonder. "Li Feiyu..." Gao Sheng was taken aback. "Is there something wrong with my name?" Li Feiyu noticed Gao Sheng's expression, his eyes flickering. "Nothing wrong. It's just that your name is very similar to that of a great figure in the True Immortal Realm, differing by only one character. That senior's name uses the character for 'rain,' while yours uses the character for 'feather,'" Gao Sheng said, recovering his composure with a smile. "Oh, what a coincidence," Li Feiyu said, raising an eyebrow. "Enough of that. Fellow Daoist Li, you are very lucky. The Black Earth Immortal Domain is one of the most prosperous immortal domains in the True Immortal Realm, and the True Words Sect, the number one sect in the True Immortal Realm, is located here. I, Gao, am a welcoming immortal envoy of the True Words Sect. Our sect particularly welcomes ascenders like you from the lower realms. Would Fellow Daoist Li be interested in joining our sect?" Gao Sheng suppressed his urge to perform divination and smiled as he extended the invitation. "I have just ascended to the True Immortal Realm and know nothing about anything. Joining a sect rashly seems inappropriate. Could Immortal Envoy Gao explain the situation in the True Immortal Realm to me?" Li Feiyu hesitated for a moment, then asked calmly. "That's only right. The True Immortal Realm is boundless, divided into thousands of immortal domains of varying sizes. The Black Earth Immortal Domain is one of them. Each immortal domain is astonishingly vast; an ordinary immortal could not leave a single domain in their entire lifetime. As for the cultivation realms of immortals, there is a saying: 'Golden Immortal, Tai Yi, Dao Ancestor; three thousand great Daos, laws supreme.' Each realm requires millions, even tens of millions of years to achieve. Our True Words Sect's Heavenly Lord Han is a Daluo realm great power, truly the number one figure in the True Immortal Realm. However, since... Oh, right, the great power I mentioned earlier whose name is similar to yours is precisely Heavenly Lord Han," Gao Sheng said, a complex expression on his face as he spoke of Heavenly Lord Han—respect mixed with other emotions. "Heavenly Lord Han? Didn't Immortal Envoy Gao say that senior's name was Li Feiyu?" Li Feiyu asked in surprise. "When Heavenly Lord Han ascended to the Immortal Realm, he used the alias Li Feiyu for a long time. So Li Feiyu is considered his second name," Gao Sheng said. "May I ask for Heavenly Lord Han's full name?" Li Feiyu nodded slowly, a hint of curiosity about this Heavenly Lord Han arising in his heart. "Heavenly Lord Han's given name is Han Li," Gao Sheng said, cupping his hands in a salute toward the void. "Han Li..." Li Feiyu murmured, a strange expression on his face. This name, for some reason, gave him a very familiar feeling. "Hush! Heavenly Lord Han's prestige in the True Immortal Realm is extremely high. His honored name must not be spoken directly. If someone hears it, it might stir up trouble," Gao Sheng immediately lowered his voice and said. "Yes, thank you for the guidance, Immortal Envoy," Li Feiyu was startled and looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him with a cupped fist. "Just be mindful of this in the future, Fellow Daoist Li," Gao Sheng waved his hand. "Immortal Envoy Gao, since Heavenly Lord Han is a Daluo realm great power, why is he the number one figure in the True Immortal Realm? Didn't you just say that Dao Ancestor is the highest realm?" Li Feiyu then asked. For some reason, he felt an urgent desire to learn about this Heavenly Lord Han. "Heavenly Lord Han is the most legendary figure in the history of the True Immortal Realm. 'A mortal cultivates immortality, storms rise again; time and space shuttle, reincarnation reverses'—that is said of him. His deeds would take three days and three nights to recount. We can talk about that later. Let's first go to the Ascension Palace over there to register your identity," Gao Sheng said with a chuckle. "I'll follow Immortal Envoy Gao's arrangements," Li Feiyu nodded. Thus, Gao Sheng led Li Feiyu toward the distant palace complex. ... In a valley in the Black Earth Immortal Domain, a small stream meandered through. Under the bright sunlight, green trees shaded the area, birds sang, and flowers bloomed—serene and secluded. Deep in the valley stood several bamboo-built pavilions. In a pavilion outside, several figures were seated. One of them wore a simple green robe, like a mortal without any magical power—it was Han Li. A woman in white robes sat nestled beside him—Nangong Wan. A vast wave of reincarnation law emanated from her, reaching the peak of the Tai Yi realm, only one step away from the Daluo realm. A chubby little girl with a topknot tottered around them, chasing after several exquisitely crafted wooden cats and dogs. The wooden animals' hooves flew as if alive, making meowing and barking sounds, making the little girl giggle incessantly. Two others were in the pavilion: Crab Immortal and Violet Spirit sat opposite each other at a stone table, playing Go, with Han Li and Nangong Wan watching from the side. Crab Immortal was now sitting in a wheelchair, half of his body strangely merging into the nearby void, much like the situation with Patriarch Chen Tuan back then. However, his expression was calm, without a trace of anxiety. He placed his stones swiftly, his black stones already occupying a large area in the center of the board. Violet Spirit, dressed in a purple long gown, was graceful and elegant. Her cultivation had also improved considerably, reaching the mid-Daluo stage. Her white stones were not weak either, firmly holding the four corners and forming an encirclement around the black stones in the center. Inside and outside the pavilion, there was an atmosphere of peace, and the falling sunlight was exceptionally gentle. Just then, Han Li's gaze suddenly shifted, and a smile appeared on his lips. "Husband, what happened?" Nangong Wan had most of her attention on the chubby little girl but noticed the change in Han Li's expression and looked over. "Nothing. It's just the reincarnation of an old acquaintance who has ascended to the Black Earth Immortal Domain," Han Li said casually with a smile. "Since it's the reincarnation of an old acquaintance of yours, should I inform Sister Yuan Yao to look after him?" Nangong Wan said. "In his previous life, he was a strong-willed person, and it seems this life is no different. There's no need to interfere with his life. If fate allows, we will meet in due time," Han Li shook his head and said. Nangong Wan nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this. At that moment, the bright sky suddenly darkened. The Black Earth Immortal Domain, rarely, began to snow heavily. Han Li stood quietly in the snow, and soon a layer of white covered him. He looked up, his gaze piercing through layers of space, taking in the entire Black Earth Immortal Domain and several surrounding immortal domains. The boundless Immortal Realm, sunrises and sunsets, clouds shifting like dogs and sheep. After a moment, Han Li closed his eyes and let out a breath, blowing the snowflakes into a flurry, like flying feathers. (The End of the Immortal Realm Arc)

Afterword for the Immortal Realm Arc Time flies like an arrow. The Immortal Realm Arc of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality has come to an end. It has been thirteen years since the Human Realm Arc of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality. After countless sleepless nights, I have finally finished writing Han Li's entire story. What a relief! When the Spirit Realm Arc of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality ended, I received many messages from book fans asking, "When will the Immortal Realm Arc start?" Everyone's anticipation made me both delighted and apprehensive. However, the Human Realm Arc had nearly drained all my energy, and I truly dared not pick up the pen to continue. In the following years, although I wrote "The Magus Era," "The Portal of Wonderland," and two other works, what weighed most on my heart was still A Mortal's Journey to Immortality. Giving Han Li an ending has always been my dream. In my spare time, I would also conceive some plots, but they never satisfied me. How to write Han Li's ending—this was a question I constantly pondered. Now in middle age, I often let my mind wander. What is the meaning of existence? If given another chance to choose, would you still be who you are now? Would your path be smooth or bumpy? What determines a person's fate? Can fate be changed? I asked myself, and I also asked Han Li. Once, seeing an old, awkward photo of my younger self, I suddenly had an inspiration. Even if I hadn't written A Mortal's Journey to Immortality, I would still have written another story and eventually embarked on the path of writing, pursuing my ideals. The process might have been different, the ending might have been different, but my heart would remain unchanged. Then I began to conceive the story of the Immortal Realm Arc. In recent years, social activities have gradually increased, and sometimes I couldn't extricate myself. I'm not good at communication, and I often feel overwhelmed. The story of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality is complex, with many foreshadowings. How to integrate them and try my best to depict the Immortal Realm as I envisioned it—after years of brewing, I gradually had a clear outline. At the end of 2017, I finally decided to start writing the continuation of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality. In the blink of an eye, more than two years have passed, and the Immortal Realm Arc of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality has finally come to an end. Han Li, from a mortal, went through twists and turns to become the supreme Dao Ancestor, but in the end, he gave up the position of Dao Ancestor and chose his own path, free from constraints. He chose a life with wine and tea, a few close friends, a beloved partner, and children. My writing ability is limited. There are many regrets in Han Li's story, and many ideas I didn't write out. Regardless, this has fulfilled a long-cherished wish of mine. Later, when I have time, I will write some stories not covered in the main text and release them as side stories to make up for everyone's regrets. Han Li has found his归宿, but my path as Wang Yu continues. In the future, I hope my readers will continue to accompany me and support me. The completion of the Immortal Realm Arc is just a stop on the journey of the world of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality. The entire world of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality may give birth to new legendary stories. I do not rule out the possibility that, after accumulating more inspiration in the future, I might write about another "Han Li" in the world of A Mortal's Journey to Immortality, another exciting legend of immortal cultivation. Let me give a preview: My next novel will still be about immortal cultivation. It will probably start serializing on Qidian Chinese Network around May this year. I hope my readers will pay attention then. Finally, I sincerely thank all my readers for your years of support! For your years of companionship! A thousand thanks to you!