Gate of Immortality

Yan Jian sat in a meditative position as he circulated his qi. The pearl on his neck glowed as faint streams of light entered his body as he absorbed qi from outside.

In Zhao nation, there are five great families along with the royal family. Each clan's strength isn't much inferior to sects from outside. Yan clan is the second most powerful clan of the Zhao nation.

Yan Jian's mother died from illness when Yan Jian was three months old. Lord Yan loved his wife very much, so he never remarried.

When Yan Jian was a child, he and his father went to the Ominous Earth Ridge to hunt. Accidentally, they encountered a powerful ancient beast. They got separated when Yan Jian fell from a cliff.

As heaven favored him, he found a cave beneath the cliff. There, he saw a broken sword handle besides a skeleton. The skeleton sat in a meditative position, but the strangest thing is, its bones were glowing like crystals.

There was nothing besides the broken sword handle other than a pendant on the neck of that skeleton. The sword handle was pitch black in color, while the pendant was like a milky white pearl.

Yan Jian was injured from the fall, but when his blood came in contact with the pearl, he felt a warm current healed all of his wounds. What's more, he felt his soul awakened as he gained the ability of divine sense earlier.

With the increase in soul energy, Yan Jian's comprehension also grew. The technique people take months just to understand the beginnings, Yan Jian can do it in few days. He felt his understanding of the battle techniques increased greatly. 

What's more, after wearing the pendant, his cultivation speed also increased twofold. He can practice the Yang attribute techniques with more efficiency.

But the black broken sword handle looked ordinary compared to it. Yan Jian always thought that there is a mysterious thing about that handle, but somehow, he never grasped it.

" Hmm, Nobody knows that there is a small spirit spring in that cave. Practicing there for a day is the same as practicing a week outside. Too bad, I can't go there frequently as it might raise suspicion." Yan Jian rubbed his chin.

Cultivation was divided into many stages. Each stage was divided into multiple layers. First comes the Qi gathering stage. It has thirteen layers. After that, stages were divided into nine layers.

After that comes Foundation Establishment Stage, where one can use divine sense and awake the soul.

Then comes the Core condensation stage and the Astral Transformation stage. The King of Zhao was at the pinnacle of the Core formation stage while Lord Yan was at the peak third layer of the Core condensation stage

The Astral Transformation stage was the next realm. Yan Jian heard that there are a bunch of them in the central continent.

Currently, Yan Jian was at the seventh layer of the Foundation Establishment stage. His cultivation speed was something that even the older generation envied.

As he was remembering these matters, someone knocked on his door.

" Brother Yan, Can I come in?" Hong Xifeng asked.

" Yes." Yan Jian replied.

Hong Xifeng entered the room as she stood in front of Yan Jian.

" B-brother Yan, You aren't...angry at me, right?" Hong Xifeng asked.

" No, Why would I?" Yan Jian chuckled.

" That's good. Brother Yan, I never visited Zhao Country. Can you take me outside?" Hong Xifeng asked.

" Hmm, Let's go out this afternoon. I know a good place to see the sunset." Yan Jian smiled.

" Brother Yan is really good to me." Hong Xifeng hugged the arm of Yan Jian.

" Xifeng..." Yan Jian's heart pounded Hong Xifeng's body came closer to his.

" Ehe, Brother Yan looks so cute when you are shy." Hong Xifeng laughed. " Meh, You aren't allowed to tease me." Yan Jian scoffed. But he could still feel butterflies in his stomach.

" Brother Yan, where did you get this pendant? It looks so beautiful." Hong Xifeng exclaimed.

" This?" Yan Jian was startled. " I found it in Ominous Earth Ridge. I feel it can increase my luck, that's why I always wear it." Yan Jian smiled.

" Is that a Soul Pearl? Strange, How there can be a Soul Pearl here?" Hong Xifeng thought inwardly. Powerful cultivators above Astral Transformation Realm can create Soul Pearls from their soul force. 

It can increase the divine sense of lower realm cultivators. What's more, most Soul Pearls contain the inheritance of their creators. So it's a precious treasure.

Actually, The pearl was Yan Jian's biggest secret. So he won't tell that even to Hong Xifeng. 

Even she is extremely beautiful, Yan Jian always had suspicion in his heart. Her identity, her past, and how she ended up in Ominous Earth Ridge are still unclear.

But when he saw that Hong Xifeng had no cultivation, he didn't mind it much. 

" Either she had lost all of her cultivation or expert at hiding it. But I don't think that even Father can be mistaken."

" Brother Yan, is that zither is yours?" Hong Xifeng asked curiously.

" Yeh, I play it sometime." Yan Jian nodded as he looked at the zither, which was at the corner of his room.

" Can you play a tune for me?" Hong Xifeng asked suddenly.

" Now?" Yan Jian was startled. " Yes. Play something...hmm, Yes, Something heartwarming." Hong Xifeng said.

" Come with me." Yan Jian invited Hong Xifeng to his open courtyard. It was a beautifully made courtyard, with many kinds of trees giving their shade. There is also a small pond, with various fishes and turtles in it. With the cool breeze, the surrounding was serene.

" Well, Let me think of something." Yan Jian held the zither as he took a few deep breaths. After that, his fingers glided on the zither string. A mellow tune drifted out from it.

Yan Jian closed his eyes as he played the zither. All other sounds seemed to be stopped as only the sound of zither remained.

Hong Xifeng sat on a chair and closed her eyes. She seemed to be mesmerized by the tune. They didn't felt the passage of time as the sun reached the horizon.

Yan Jian's fingers stopped as she slowly opened his eyes.

" What is the name of this tune?" Hong Xifeng asked. Her eyes were still closed.

" I found it from the Royal Library of Zhao country. It's called, " Remembering the Last Spring." Yan Jian sighed.

" It's really a hard tune to play. It took me two months to be able to play this tune. Nonetheless, this tune is truly mesmerizing. Every time I play this tune, I couldn't help but remember some sweet memories." Yan Jian smiled.

" Truly. *Remembering the Last Spring* lives up to its name. The Last spring, eh..." Hong Xifeng mumbled.

Hong Xifeng's background wasn't ordinary. She hailed from a sect where cultivators of Astral Transformation Realm were abundant. 

She herself was a powerful cultivator. But as fate wished, she saw the destruction of what she loved once. While fleeing from her enemies, she even lost all of her cultivation.

For current her, this tune is akin to something that triggered her memories. " Why? Why must I fight back? I did what I could have. What more?" Her mind shouted.

" No! I won't give up! As long as I, the last empress of Void Heaven Holy Land is alive, nothing can stop me to achieve my aim." Hong Xifeng swore in her heart as she looked at Yan Jian.

" Mm, Sun is about to set. Shall we go out now?" Yan Jian looked at the sky as he said.

" Sure." Hong Xifeng smiled. But in her smile, a hint of craftiness remained hidden.

..........................................

Yang Shi saw these memories flashing by. He clutched his head in pain as it all assimilated in his mind. But what he saw next, he couldn't take it.

The love story of a rich young master and a mysterious girl turned into something unexpected. Their life passed through unnatural situations, life and death trials, greatest betrayal, and endless love.

" Xifeng...Xifeng! No! NOO! You can't do this to me! No!!" Yang Shi screamed.

" HONG XIFENG! I SWEAR I WILL FIND YOU AND MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS!" Yan Jian's screams resonated in Yang Shi's mind.

" ARGHHH!" Yang Shi rolled as his pain increased. He couldn't understand what's happening. He couldn't even remember if he was Yang Shi or Yan Jian. His mind was in a mess as he could do nothing.

He saw the journey of Yan Jian. From a small kingdom to the Celestial realms and Hellish lands. 

Even after losing everything, he walked. Like a phoenix rising from its ashes. He walked as he never stopped. 

For him, time became only like passing wind. Days, Months, Years, Centuries, Star born and collapsed. The world was created and destroyed. Civilization was made and wiped out. He saw everything. 

He was like an undying being, watching the universe from the sideline. He mastered every trade, every path, every technique, and dao, only reach his goal. 

That's how noble Yan Jian became the supreme Samsara Emperor. 

As for his story, that is a matter of another day.

...............................................

Yang Shi's mind went blank as he finally absorbed Samsara Emperor's journey of endless years.

" Wh-Who am I? Yan Jian? Ah yes, I must be Yan Jian." Yang Shi mumbled.

" Yang Shi! YANG SHI!!" Someone shouted.

" Huh? Who is Yang-- Arghh!" Yang Shi's face twisted as he recalled. 

" Yes, I am Yang Shi! I am Yang Shia and NOT Y AN JIAN!" He screamed.

He began to remember everything. His life on Earth, Old man Tang, Mei Xian, Young master Song, and his death.

" Yes, I remember. But who called me?" Yang Shi was surprised.

" It's me. Ar-Are you alright?!" Jin Yu asked worriedly. Yang Shi understood that Jin Yu was talking to him with her divine sense.

Since she was connected to Yang Shi's soul, she was able to sense the disturbance in it. She was an Ancient Beast, so she was able to use her divine sense to wake Yang Shi from madness.

" Thank You. If not for you, I might have turned into someone else." Yang Shi smiled bitterly.

But when he looked at his soul, he was surprised greatly.