I Cheated While Cultivating

Zhou Heng looked at You Ziheng incredulously, shaking his head, “No, that’s impossible. I returned once in May, and it’s been less than two months since then.”

“How much interaction does this village have with the outside world?” You Ziheng asked.

“There is some interaction,” Zhou Heng shook his head, “Although the villagers mostly rely on their own farming and hunting in the mountains for self-sufficiency, they still go to nearby towns to trade some goods.” “In that case… let’s retrace the route you usually take between here and Huangtong Mansion City,” You Ziheng said.

“Alright,” Zhou Heng nodded, confirmed the direction, and turned around, but after taking a few steps, he stopped, smiling bitterly, “Even the mountain roads are gone.”

“You lead, I’ll clear the way,” You Ziheng decisively said.

“Thank you, senior,” Zhou Heng sincerely thanked him.

His mind was now filled with doubts, wanting to understand what was going on. Why had the place he transmigrated to disappeared into thin air?

Could it have something to do with his transmigration?

Why did he transmigrate from Earth to such a world?

Or was it merely a coincidence?

Two and a half years ago.

Zhou Heng was a senior in college on Earth, enjoying his time playing games, reading novels, or wondering if, after so many years of being single, he should try asking out a junior girl.

But one day, he woke up to find himself in a strange world, becoming the son of a couple in an unnamed small mountain village.

A seventeen-year-old boy.

This boy didn’t have an official name, just called Zhou Gousheng.

Zhou Gousheng’s life was very simple and monotonous. Apart from eating, drinking, and attending to nature’s calls, he would work on the farm or go hunting. There was almost nothing else.

Seventeen years of memory, as blank as a page.

This allowed Zhou Heng to merge with his memories quite effortlessly.

But precisely because Zhou Gousheng’s memories were almost blank, even after merging with them, Zhou Heng was still essentially a pure Earthling.

An Earthling from China, habituated to having the internet, various electronic devices, and many modern infrastructures, coming to an almost primitive strange mountain village, was simply maddening.

Back on Earth, Zhou Heng’s biological parents would call him every weekend, showing their care and concern.

Now that he had transmigrated to this world, what about his parents on Earth?

They must be very sad, very upset…

This thought nearly drove Zhou Heng mad, leaving him sleepless night after night, unable to eat, constantly thinking about returning to Earth, but reason told him that it was almost impossible.

Zhou Gousheng’s parents noticed the strangeness of their son.

They were simple people who eked out a living in the mountains, unfamiliar with complex theories, and had simple thoughts. They thought the recent changes in their son might just be because he was growing tired of the mountain fare.

So they worked even harder. His father hunted desperately in the mountains and skinned animals, while his mother wove day and night. All to sell their wares in the towns beyond the mountains, in exchange for money to buy good food from the town for Zhou Heng.

Such meticulous care gradually pulled Zhou Heng out of his desperate madness. He began to adjust his mindset, earnestly trying to fit into his current role, and started to seriously take care of the parents in this world.

Life settled down like that.

It wasn’t until half a year later when Zhou Heng saw people flying in the sky, their clashes pulverizing mountains, that he truly realized this world indeed harbored powerful beings akin to immortals!

He wanted to learn martial arts, cultivate to become strong, and understand why he had transmigrated to such a world.

His parents agreed without conditions, taking out most of their savings to send him to a martial arts school in Huangtong Mansion City.

That was how the current Zhou Heng came to be.

Although in Zhou Heng’s heart his real parents were always the ones on Earth, the parents in this world also occupied a significant place in his heart.

This was a weight woven from gratitude, responsibility, and guilt.

Zhou Heng had made up his mind: if he couldn’t return to Earth, he would treat the parents of this world well, ensuring they lived a safe, prosperous, and carefree life.

But now, the parents in this world, along with everyone in the entire village and even the village itself, had all vanished into thin air.

It was enough to make him want to curse at the sky.

What on earth happened??

You Ziheng led the way in front, cutting through the path as Zhou Heng directed, and they moved at a considerable speed.

Soon, they left the mountains.

They arrived in a nearby town.

Zhou Heng asked the locals if they had any recollection of the village in the mountains.

After all, many from the village used to come to this town to sell goods and purchase various things.

Without exception, all the answers they received were-there are no villages in these mountains.

Not a single person remembered.

It was as if the mountain village only existed in Zhou Heng’s mind, as if it was exclusive to his thoughts.

“How could this be??” Zhou Heng was utterly confused.

“I think I might know what’s going on,” You Ziheng suddenly spoke.

“You know, senior?” Zhou Heng asked, surprised.

“I have some speculations,” You Ziheng said. “In many local legends and the comprehensive records of the Pure Yang Palace, there are some situations that are similar.

“The mountain village you are currently in is likely a ‘miniature human world created by a Celestial Man during his seclusion to comprehend the Dao, so as to avoid being ‘Dao-ized’ by embedding his internal Cave Sky into the real world.” “What?” Zhou Heng didn’t understand; there were too many technical terms.

“It’s like this…” You Ziheng explained patiently.

A Celestial Man anchors his Primordial Spirit in the void, thus obtaining an almost indestructible characteristic, and from that, he can glean the aura of the Dao to attain vast Divine Skills, even using that as a foundation to create an internal Cave Sky that can interfere with or twist external world laws and principles.

An internal Cave Sky is essentially a small world of its own.

However, precisely because the Primordial Spirit is naturally anchored in the void, close to the Dao, one’s human will is inevitably eroded by the laws of the Dao.

Without resistance, one’s humanity becomes weaker over time, gradually “Dao-ized.” One would lose human emotions and become an undead that only acts according to the laws of the Dao.

The usual method of resistance is to frequently interact with humans and strengthen one’s human identity to reinforce one’s humanity and prevent ‘Dao-ization.’

However, during seclusion for Dao comprehension, it is impossible to engage with the world, and the danger of Dao-ization increases.

So some Celestial Powers thought of a solution.

That is to construct a “miniature human world” with one’s own Cave Sky, implant the Cave Sky into reality, and interact with the “vast human world.” This maintains their humanity and prevents ‘Dao-ization.

Under normal circumstances, if the Celestial Man ends his seclusion, this temporarily constructed “miniature human world” Cave Sky would be retracted into his body. Although the people inside continue living normally, they are no longer present in reality.

“Senior, do you mean that the mountain village I lived in could possibly be an internal Cave Sky set up by a Celestial Man?” Zhou Heng was astonished.

“It’s not necessarily so, but it’s very likely,” You Ziheng nodded. “Then why did it exist for so long and suddenly disappear recently?” Zhou Heng wondered, feeling slightly relieved.

If it was indeed a Celestial Man’s Cave Sky, at least his parents in this world would still be alive, just not in the reality perceivable by ordinary people.

“It’s likely because of you,” You Ziheng sighed softly. “It’s suspected that you are a transmigrated great power, and this news has already spread.

“Regardless of the reality and whether people believe it or not, a Celestial Man in seclusion wouldn’t risk exposing his location to a transmigrated Celestial

Man.

“For him, there would be uncertainties and risks. The safest method, naturally, is to retract the Cave Sky and find another place.”

“Because of me?” Zhou Heng first froze, then bitterly smiled, “Perhaps it really is for that reason… But how do I find it?’

Originally, he thought pretending to be a transcended great power was a clever move that could reasonably explain why he could use many surprisingly powerful special skills. He hadn’t expected this consequence.

“Usually, the relocated Cave Sky would become even more hidden and difficult to find,” You Ziheng said. “However, there is one channel that often deals with such secret and strange matters.”

“What channel?” Zhou Heng asked.

“The Zhou Tian Boundary Officer,” You Ziheng smiled. “The Five Emperors Inner Seat invited me decades ago, explained the rules of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer to me, so there’s no need to be puzzled.” “Thankyou, senior,” Zhou Heng bowed. “I have made up my mind.” “Good,” You Ziheng nodded lightly, “First, come back to the Pure Yang Palace with me. After you officially join, you can seek to join the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer with the Five Emperors’ Inner Seat.

“Heh, there must be an order to these things. By that time, you’ll be a disciple of the Pure Yang Palace joining the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, not a member of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer entering the Pure Yang Palace.”

Having said that, he called the white crane, took to the sky with Zhou Heng, and they vanished into thin air.

Taihua Mountain spanned thousands of miles in the western part of Da Qi, in Qjnzhou territory. Seen from high above, it was like a dragon sprawled across the land, stunning to behold.

Layers of cloud seas shrouded the “body” of this dragon, interspersed with streaks of golden light. All were part of Taihua Mountain’s Mountain Protection Array, impervious to even Upper Third Rank intruders without effort.

You Ziheng and Zhou Heng rode the white crane and arrived without passing through the mountain gate. Instead, they descended from the sky. You Ziheng formed a hand sign, and the layers of cloud sea churned, parting like curtains to each side.

Majestic mountains and palaces, figures flying through the clouds, and trees with unusual flowers and rare fruits… all appeared before Zhou Heng’s eyes.

“Roar!”

At that moment, a huge wave surged up from the churning cloud sea not far away.

An exotic beast with the head of a dragon, the body of a deer, the tail of an ox, and the hooves of a horse, covered in blue scales, burst out, treading on sparkling water ripples that appeared out of nowhere, and galloped towards You Ziheng.

When the creature first appeared, it was over ten meters tall, but it had shrunk to the size of a palm by the time it ran up to You Ziheng, jumping onto the white crane’s back and calling out to You Ziheng incessantly.

It seemed to be begging for something.

Zhou Heng felt a bit dazed-was this what an Immortal Sect outside the world of mortals was like?

ps: I am very sorry, last night I fell asleep while writing, and I rushed to finish this morning, my sincere apologies!!