"The path to immortality is not sought in the immortal realm, but only in the mortal world!" Cao Ya sighed inwardly, for immortals in the mortal world are superior to true immortals.

Even the weakest of the Mortal Immortals are among the best of the True Immortals, and can be called Quasi-Immortal Kings.

The Ten Ancient Ferocious Beasts in Perfect World are mostly Quasi-Immortal Kings, with very few exceptions such as True Dragons.

However, the cultivation of the Heaven-Covering Technique is too difficult, especially the two stages of becoming an Emperor and becoming an Immortal. Hundreds of millions of geniuses and heroes compete to cross these thresholds, and only one becomes a Great Emperor. The Great Emperor is invincible for ten thousand years and his power suppresses the universe. However, during this period, one must touch the gate of the Immortal Path, step into it with one foot, and then live countless lifetimes in reverse to become an Immortal in the mortal world.

Under such immense pressure to prolong life, very few emperors and sovereigns throughout history have achieved immortality.

But... if it doesn't work, you die.

In the universe of [Perfect World], there are many supreme beings in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. In the same era, multiple supreme beings are allowed to achieve their status.

Moreover, let alone the Supreme Beings, even those who have become gods can live for hundreds of thousands of years, or even over a million years!

In the universe of "Covering the Sky," that would be the long, ancient era.

Of the countless ancient emperors, only two—the Ruthless Emperor and the Beginningless Emperor—ultimately became immortals.

The Heaven-Covering Law has immense pressure on lifespan, high requirements, and is difficult to cultivate. These many hardships have also forged the Heaven-Covering Law cultivators into unparalleled fighters, extremely strong among their peers.

Because very few universes are like the one in "Covering the Sky," where countless heroes compete and vie for supremacy, only one emperor or sovereign emerges, one succeeds, and the rest are all losers.

If your combat strength is insufficient, how can you defeat the heroes of all races and ascend to the throne?

The loser can never subdue all the myriad paths of the universe, merge with the Heavenly Heart Mark, and become an emperor.

Moreover, once a Great Emperor appears, he can suppress all other paths. In this era, a second Great Emperor is not allowed, unless the previous Great Emperor passes away after ten thousand years, his Great Dao disappears, and he no longer suppresses all other paths in the universe.

The Great Emperor and the Ancient Sovereign have never met each other since ancient times!

For the loser, there is no possibility of rising again in this life; the only option is to seal away the divine source and leave it for the next life.

In other universes, even the losers have the possibility of rising again in that lifetime.

Given all the restrictions and hardships, it would be unreasonable for cultivators of the Heaven-Covering Law not to be strong.

Just like the founding emperors of unified empires during chaotic times, none of them were weak.

There are also great rulers in times of peace, but their proportion is far less than that of the founding emperors.

Cao Ya's thoughts raced, and he drifted off into a daze for a while.

After a long while, everyone came to their senses and began to carefully examine the platform.

It is magnificent and tall, like a mountain or a tomb, with mottled rock walls full of traces of time.

In the crevices of the cliff, one after another old medicinal herb grows tenaciously, wafting a refreshing fragrance that permeates the very bones of people.

Through the chaotic mist, one can vaguely see some withered plants on the cliff face, which have been growing for countless millennia and can be described as kings of medicinal plants.

The seeds they scattered have all grown, making this place fragrant and lush, like a divine land, almost like entering a celestial realm.

"The Medicine King!"

"The living Medicine King!"

Duan De and the old blind man were excited. They pointed ahead and saw an ancient medicine hidden in the chaotic energy.

The Medicine King must grow for at least 100,000 years to earn this title. Its medicinal properties are excellent, and it has the miraculous effect of bringing the dead back to life.

Nearly 100,000 years—who can wait that long? Even immortal dynasties and divine dynasties only lasted a period longer than that.

"There's one more there!"

"Heavens, the number of medicinal herbs here is probably comparable to the total number outside."

"A single king of herbs is extremely rare, capable of extending one's life by four hundred years! A dozen or so combined are comparable to an elixir of immortality!"

"Alas, we failed to intercept the Immortal Phoenix Elixir earlier."

The crowd was excited and envious, going crazy for the Medicine King.

The last sentence was spoken by Cao Ya, who still regretted missing out on the Immortal Phoenix Elixir.

Somewhere on the platform, amidst wisps of mist, the Medicine King gently stirs, its buds glistening, swaying with divine light, releasing a hazy, sweet fragrance that intoxicates at first sniff, making one irresistibly want to pick them.

A single plant can extend life by four hundred years, who wouldn't be tempted!

Hmm, I'm not tempted at all...

Cao Ya thought to himself, he not only gained the memories and power of his other self, but also his lifespan.

Simply put, due to the special nature of the Panlong universe, Panlong Cao Ya is immortal, and he has also become immortal.

So, the Medicine King, who extended life by four hundred years, remained calm and unmoved while people in the [Covering the Sky] universe went crazy for him.

Of course, miracle drugs are another matter.

An immortal herb could extend the lifespan of even ancient emperors by ten thousand years. If he were to consume it, he wouldn't care about the increase in lifespan, as he was already immortal. However, the herb's effects could likely instantly elevate his cultivation from the peak of the Immortal Three Dao Slayer King to the Immortal Four Saint, or even the Immortal Five Saint King!

Duan De and the old blind man tentatively picked the medicinal herb, but as soon as they took a step, they were shaken back, blood gushing from their mouths and noses, their bodies convulsing, and their bones cracking, which was quite frightening.

An aura of the Great Dao was spreading, like an ancient universe in motion, incredibly terrifying, as if reminding them not to cross the line even a step.

So close, yet we cannot get close.

It is desirable but unattainable.

Undoubtedly, Duan De, the Blind Man, Ye Fan, and the Black Emperor were all filled with resentment.

If it weren't for the light emanating from the Primordial Emperor Jade, which blocked the aura of the Great Dao, they wouldn't have just coughed up blood; they would have been crushed into dust and turned into a pile of minced meat on the spot.

"Three pieces of the Wushi Emperor Jade are missing," the old blind man lamented.

“We have the Devouring Demon Jar!” Duan De’s eyes lit up, and he urged Cao Ya to take the Devouring Demon Jar forward, break into the Dao Platform, and harvest the Medicine King.

A single medicinal herb can make even a fully-fledged Dao-Slaying King bow down, and even ancient sages would have to compromise for it, because it can add four hundred years to one's lifespan, which is of great importance to a sage and could potentially change the course of one's entire life.

Cao Ya didn't care about the Medicine King, but since he had taken control of the Devouring Demon Jar that originally belonged to Duan De and the Blind Man, it was only reasonable for him to help them out.

Boom!

So, under Cao Ya's urging, the Devouring Demon Jar emitted light, and the aura of the Great Emperor flowed, resisting the aura of the Great Dao. He sped away, picked the Medicine King, and returned.

During this time, a stream of chaotic energy descended, like a white waterfall, striking the Devouring Demon Jar. It felt as if hundreds of divine mountains were pressing down, or as if an ancient star had crashed down. As an ultimate imperial weapon, the Devouring Demon Jar was naturally unaffected.

“Cao Sheng…”

Amidst the drastic change in Ye Fan and the others' expressions, Cao Ya raised his hand, his hand entwined with profound laws, blocking the chaotic energy and escaping unscathed.

Everyone was taken aback; even the aura of the Great Dao couldn't harm Sage Cao Ya.

“This… Sage Cao Ya is probably more than just a sage; perhaps he is a great sage,” Zhang Lin murmured.

But Cao Ya sensed something was wrong.

"Hurry up!" he shouted, rolling up his sleeves and leading a few people in a swift retreat.

Boom!!!

The platform trembled violently, as if it had collapsed, and an even more terrifying aura of the Great Dao descended, shaking the entire star field as if it were about to fall.

The group quickly retreated, leaving the area and stopping only when they were far enough away from the platform.

There, everything was a vast expanse of white, with thousands upon thousands of chaotic waterfalls cascading down, an incredibly magnificent sight that submerged the area just moments before—a truly awe-inspiring spectacle.

Everyone stared at the horrifying scene, speechless.

"This is terrifying!" After a long while, Zhang Lin sighed softly. He was quite knowledgeable, but he had never seen anything like this before.

Cao Ya gave the Medicine King to Duan De and the old blind man. The two of them took it, held the Medicine King in their hands, and laughed heartily, their mouths almost reaching their ears.

Then Duan De urged them to try again, since they had the Devouring Demon Jar, and in a moment of crisis, they could simply jump into the jar and escape unscathed.

Cao Ya refused. The Devouring Demon Jar had not recognized its master, so he could not fully activate it. As for that platform, it was the place where the Great Emperor Wushi once sat cross-legged, and the aura of the Great Emperor remained. He was very wary of it.

Just then, Ye Fan had a sudden thought. He opened the treasure bottle, inside which was a snow-white, crystal-clear skull of a female saint, and a crescent-shaped pendant.

"I'll give it a try."