I am a living immortal.

Chapter 522 Firmly pinning this era

They had grown into behemoths, unafraid of the existence of innate gods. The human race was needless to say, and countless dynasties and immortal sects existed. Even though some often claimed there was a "separation between immortals and mortals," it was undeniable that humans were fundamental. Just like the demons, after awakening to intelligence, no matter how much they refused to admit it, they shared the same roots as uncivilized beasts.

However, this is theoretical. In reality, whether immortals, demons, or gods and ghosts, they have all transcended the constraints of their original race. Sometimes, the differences between them and their own kind are greater than the differences between humans and bananas. If you insist, this is a branching of race.

Su Mu wondered if he was a human being, or a world in human form? He had become a self-circle, reaching the point where he could survive without the world. This was also the prison of his mind. Su Mu was powerful, unimaginably powerful. He grew stronger every moment, each second closer to perfection than the last. This was the "immaculate state." There was no such thing as perfection in the world; there was only a transition from imperfect perfection to a somewhat perfect perfection. Though infinitely close to perfection, it was not truly perfect.

It sounds convoluted, but this is Su Mu's current situation. Before, he needed to cultivate and comprehend, but now his methods are like the sparks of billions of stars colliding, and even he himself doesn't know how many methods he has. Whenever he thinks, a spark called "art" bursts from his mind and is then applied to the world.

Is it powerful? Very strong. But it gives Su Mu a sense of superficiality. So now he still uses those methods he used before: swords, talismans. These are the only two methods among the many superficial "skills" that give him a sense of reality.

To break free from this endlessly repetitive box stacking cycle, one must retrace the path back to their original purpose. This is like the three realms of Zen Buddhism: seeing a mountain as a mountain, seeing a mountain as not a mountain, and seeing a mountain as still a mountain. Su Mu is currently at the stage of "seeing a mountain as not a mountain," and what he wants to break through is "seeing a mountain as still a mountain." Upon entering the Dao, seeing a mountain as a mountain is true knowledge; upon attaining enlightenment, seeing a mountain as not a mountain is the breaking of attachments. The celestial immortal and carefree immortal that Su Mu aims to achieve is the true immortal, the so-called "seeing true knowledge"—seizing a little truth from the false, completely transforming "art" into a practical reality.

Su Mu understood the logic behind this, but couldn't see through it. Perhaps the time hadn't arrived yet, so he simply let things take their own course. The immortal path, unlike so many other systems, relied on enlightenment and experience. Once realized, it was enlightenment; it couldn't be forced. Su Mu wasn't anxious anymore; he believed he would find his true self and the path he'd taken.

Back to the Dragon Clan. They were among the first to learn of the existence of the Innate Gods. They didn't want to return to a previous era, so they had been preparing for this war. Witnessing Su Mu's battle with the Blue Bird had revealed the true strength of the Innate Gods' core strength. This also made Cang Lin look solemn, especially after that final blow—a blow he believed he could never withstand, nor would he take it head-on like Su Mu had.

While the current era may appear to have the upper hand, in actual combat, this isn't the case. Just like Tian Ji's horse race, inferior horses are bound to defeat superior ones. Crucially, these inferior horses can be revived, while superior horses, once dead, are truly dead. This has led to the inferior horses becoming unbridled. Of course, there's also good news: these horses are not united. In a real battle, it's not impossible that inferior horses could defeat superior horses. Therefore, discussing victory or defeat now is meaningless. Until the very last moment, the outcome remains uncertain, and one can only keep escalating the odds.

The appearance of the blue bird also made Su Mu realize that this war might not be a simple struggle for survival, but a battle for leadership and occupation, a struggle for the future path, a fusion of all races or a divine dictatorship. The world's test is not just the test of her own era, but the test of two eras, a choice between two paths.

Could Bluebird, a descendant of Kunlun, be considered a traitor? Compared to Chaos, not really. She had her own convictions, simply based on a different perspective and unscrupulous means. Did she seek supremacy over all living beings? Not necessarily. But why did she join this battle? And why did the Queen Mother of the West agree to it? Until then, Su Mu hadn't understood, assuming it was simply Di Jun's desire to restore his former glory and rule over all. Was there such a thought? Yes, and a significant one, but it wasn't the only one. He must have a deeper reason for attracting so many innate gods to his side.

These innate gods aren't fighting for Di Jun so much as they are fighting for the path they've chosen. The world doesn't know which path is truly right, so both sides in this war have reasons to go all out. This is far more reliable than mere self-interest.

Where exactly is this war headed? The closer they get to it, the more unclear it becomes. And what Su Mu can imagine, the Dragon Clan must also be able to imagine. So, all they can do now is to increase the odds while weakening the enemy. A deeper understanding of the meaning of war wouldn't actually help much; they still have to follow the same path.

Cang Lin came up to Su Mu and bowed to express his gratitude. Su Mu waved her hand, saying they both got what they needed, so there was no need to thank her.

"Fellow Daoist, what do you think we should do next?" Cang Lin asked. If the appearance of the Blue Bird had made him realize the true strength of the pillars of the innate gods, and had also made him realize that the future war might not be as simple as they imagined; then Su Mu's ability to take the Blue Bird's desperate attack with his bare hands and remain virtually unscathed had made him realize that they were the backbone of that crucial battle. Then Su Mu was absolutely a stabilizing force. His region would surely attract a large number of followers. The Yan Dynasty was only a small country, yet he had already been able to gather such a team.

This also made Cang Lin realize more deeply that Su Mu's existence was the absolute anchor of this era. No matter how turbulent the situation, as long as Su Mu stood firm, the innate gods could not shake the foundation of this era. All of this seemed to have been foreseen long ago. So he subconsciously asked this question.

Su Mu smiled, didn't answer, but looked towards the people in the capital. Cang Lin suddenly realized: Yes, as long as the Yan Dynasty exists, as long as all living beings exist, Su Mu will firmly stand at the forefront of this era and hold it firmly. This has nothing to do with anything else, simply because Su Mu was born in this era and identifies with it.