"However, this spirit realm is strange. It seems that we still cannot contact the upper realm, but we can use immortal power. It seems to be a world where immortals and spirits are one. As for the divine realm and such..." He said with a wry smile and shook his head helplessly.

The caterpillar said in Chu Nian's spatial artifact: "The Spirit Realm, which has collapsed in the Upper Realm, can only reconnect to the God Realm by connecting with another spatial plane of the God Realm that still exists, and only then can people ascend again."

As for why there are immortals and immortal energy in this world, it's likely that when the immortal realm collapsed, it opened a gap in the spirit realm, allowing immortal energy to flow into it and persist for a long time, causing the world to mutate. This broke the limitations of the spatial laws, allowing immortal energy to also exist in the spirit realm. However, immortal energy generally only floats in the upper layers of the world, and ordinary people cannot come into contact with it.

Chu Nian ignored the caterpillar. This guy had a lot of inherited memories in this area, and would occasionally spout a bunch of similar long-winded theories, with a level of knowledge that Chu Nian, who had traveled through many worlds, could not reach.

Lin Jingting asked, "After you recover from your injuries, will you come with me or stay in Emei? Your cheap master, that old nun, probably wants you to start cultivating the Path of Ruthlessness again."

Chu Nian said calmly, "I plan to stay here and continue to cultivate the Path of Ruthlessness."

Lin Jingting's expression stiffened slightly as she asked, "Why...why?"

Chu Nian sighed and asked, "Where's Xiao Xiao Lin?"

Lin Jingting asked in confusion, "Who is Little Lin?"

Chu Nian then said, "Lou Qianzong!"

Lin Jingting frowned and said, "I've never heard of this name before."

Chu Nian remained silent: It seems Lin Jingting hasn't encountered Lou Qianzong yet!

She repeated, "I will not go with you. I will stay and cultivate the Path of Ruthlessness."

Lin Jingting's face turned frighteningly pale. She asked again, "Why?" After a pause, she asked, "Is it because of that little Lin? Is he very important to you? More important than me?"

Chu Nian pondered for a moment and said, "You say that now because you haven't met him yet. In fact, he is just as important to you as I am. I once told him that you, me, and him are an inseparable group, while other people are just like flowing water to us."

Lin Jingting's expression softened slightly, and he said, "If that's the case, then why do you still stay to cultivate the Path of Ruthlessness?"

Chu Nian frankly admitted, "I think this method should be more suitable for me."

That's right. After gaining access to the original owner's memories, she had a deep understanding of the ruthless path within those memories. She certainly didn't want to give up this opportunity to improve herself.

Lin Jingting pondered for a moment and said, "Regarding the Path of Ruthlessness, I have actually collected quite a few methods in this area over the years. If you need them..."

Chu Nian interrupted him, saying, "I need this circle. To discuss the Dao with others, not to cultivate alone."

Lin Jingting: "After cultivating the Path of Ruthlessness, will you...you..." become even more ruthless? He just didn't know how to ask this question properly.

After thinking for a long time, he said, "You are my master. Since you want to cultivate the Path of Ruthlessness, then I should also cultivate this path."

Chu Nian: "Your experience and path of cultivation are too different from mine. Your temperament is also very different from mine. The path of cultivation you are on now is the most suitable for you. You don't need to suffer here with me."

This place doesn't allow meat consumption, and there are many rules. Chu Nian doesn't know how long she can endure it.

She said, "I'll go to Demon Mountain to find you when I feel I've cultivated enough." She also had another main purpose for staying: she had to stop that old nun from constantly harassing Lin Jingting at Demon Mountain.

Upon hearing her words, Lin Jingting gave a self-deprecating chuckle.

Chu Nian asked with some surprise, "What do you mean by this?"

Lin Jingting: "It's nothing." She turned her face away to avoid Chu Nian's gaze.

But Chu Nian still noticed that his eyes were red, and couldn't help but laugh, "You don't think I don't want to be with you, so you're just making up an excuse to stay and cultivate the Path of Ruthlessness, do you? And you think that no matter what happens, I won't come looking for you, right?"

Lin Jingting said somewhat dejectedly, "Isn't that how it is?"

Chu Nian smiled helplessly, "You're overthinking it." Seeing Lin Jingting staring at her suspiciously, she could only say earnestly, "I told you, we have an unbreakable bond. Even if it's not about love, it's impossible for me to have no feelings for you at all."

The bond between them could be described as a teacher-student relationship, a comradeship forged through shared hardships and battles, or even kinship.

Seeing that her expression didn't seem fake, Lin Jingting sighed softly and said, "Then, I'll return to Demon Mountain alone. You... your skills are very weak right now, so why don't I leave a few of my men to protect you secretly?"

Chu Nian laughed and said, "No need. Don't you know I have a few capable men under my command?"

Lin Jingting recalled for a moment and said, "That broken bird?" After thinking for a while, he added, "I remember you also have a little fox under your command, and a few... strange people. I feel that the Buddhist sect is very hostile towards me, and I may not be able to leave safely. Why don't you... send that broken bird to protect me and escort me back to Demon Mountain!"

Chu Nian asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why are you so fixated on Xiao Jin? She's already inside, how can she not leave? You clearly want Xiao Jin to leave her."

Lin Jingting remained silent with a cold expression.

Chu Nian just kept glaring at him.

His lips twitched, and he finally said, "Last time, he called me 'Ksitigarbha' as soon as he saw me. I don't know why he called me that, but no matter how I asked him, he wouldn't answer."

Chu Nian's heart skipped a beat. Xiao Jin had indeed mentioned that Lin Jingting had been appointed Ksitigarbha by Tathagata. However, she remembered that when Lin Jingting first met Xiao Jin, he was carrying Xiao Jin, who had been knocked unconscious by her. At that time, Xiao Jin had been beaten back to his original form.

Xiao Jin hasn't received any education on the laws of time and space, so she shouldn't be able to keep Lin Jingting's secret to such an extent, like a caterpillar!

Is there some reason for this?

Seeing that she had calmed down, Lin Jingting asked, "Did you think of something?"

Chu Nian shook her head and smiled, "I just remembered that someone said you were appointed Ksitigarbha by Buddha himself, but you have never responded to this matter."

Lin Jingting frowned and said, "Although Tathagata is not an old-fashioned person, I don't think he would bestow any title upon me, a demon lord." However, that Peacock King doesn't seem to be a good person. He was initially identified as a demon by the cultivators, but Tathagata bestowed upon him the title of Bodhisattva.

Chu Nian sensed from his words that he was actually acquainted with Tathagata, but he didn't think much of it. After all, he and Tathagata were now the leaders of the demonic path and the Buddhist path, respectively, so it was unlikely that they didn't know each other at all.

She said, "In Wu Nian's memory, although Emei is one of the holy sites of Buddhism, its reputation in Buddhism is far less than that of Lingshan. I hope to have the opportunity to visit Lingshan."