Chapter 27: Enlightenment

"I possess a method to attain immortality."

As these words were spoken, the hearts of all present—whether they were still hanging from the trees or had narrowly escaped—emptied in an instant, leaving them momentarily bereft of composure.

The excitement and fanaticism that followed were plain to see. They no longer doubted whether the Pharmacist truly held the secret to eternal life; after all, the miracle of youth restored was unfolding right before their eyes.

They were all ancient beings who had lived for ages, and they could clearly perceive that this rejuvenation was not merely a cosmetic change. Every aged organ in their bodies had been reversed in a single moment, returning to its peak state.

Even so, they remained wary. "How do we know you aren't using this as an excuse to entrap us?"

Lu Chun chuckled. "What reason would I have to harm you? What happened before was merely an accident."

The man beside him, whom Lu Chun had just rejuvenated, spoke up awkwardly, "Actually, that matter was..." He explained the sequence of events, which finally convinced everyone that it had indeed been an accident.

Yet, some remained uneasy. They did not consider themselves good people, but judging by the demonic plants they had seen earlier, the beautiful and alluring Pharmacist standing before them might be even less "good" than they were.

*Smack!*

"Stop your incessant bickering. If you are so hesitant, why stay here at all?"

He Zhuo, growing impatient, lashed out with a vine-whip at those who still wished to speak. Turning toward Lu Chun, his face full of fervor, he asked excitedly, "Master Pharmacist, when will you impart the method of immortality?"

"At any time," Lu Chun replied with a smile. He continued, "If any of you remain uneasy, you are free to return the way you came. I will not stop you."

"I shall wait in the garden ahead. Come when you are prepared."

His figure gradually drifted further away in the eyes of all present, eventually disappearing into what they perceived as a land of demons.

Withdrawing his Martial Soul Avatar, He Zhuo did not even glance at the others; he followed closely in Lu Chun's footsteps and vanished as well.

The people left behind wore complex and shifting expressions. Ultimately, most could not resist the lure of immortality and chose to press forward.

The few who remained watched them leave in silence for a moment before cold, sinister smiles crept onto their faces. "The method of immortality isn't something one must go there to obtain, is it?"

They were all hundreds of years old; who among them didn't know how to kill to seize treasures? With this thought in mind, they left the estate and waited quietly outside.

Meanwhile, inside the garden, He Zhuo felt a vitality even more concentrated than outside. He was shocked—was this level of energy reaching that of a place of great peril? Could such intense life force truly be generated by these plants?

Lost in such thoughts, he walked quickly toward the interior. Soon, he reached the deepest part of the garden and saw the Pharmacist standing not far away, smiling at him.

On the ground before him were dozens of chairs. He Zhuo sat directly in the front row, closest to Lu Chun. The others who arrived later followed suit, choosing their seats, which gave them an inexplicable feeling of being back in their first days of schooling.

Whether by coincidence or design, the number of chairs matched the number of people perfectly; not one was left over.

Seeing that everyone had gathered, Lu Chun looked at them and said, "Tonight, I shall expound the Dao. I shall speak of the method of immortality."

*Expound the Dao?*

Hearing this unfamiliar term, the crowd was confused, but the moment they heard the latter half of the sentence, they cast their doubts aside and sat in silent, focused meditation.

However, Lu Chun did not begin immediately. Instead, he shifted his tone: "But remember, all things exist through comparison and value. The gifts of fate are not selfless; when you gain something, you will naturally lose something else."

With that, regardless of whether they had taken his words to heart, Lu Chun took out several sheets of paper he had already prepared and scattered them, letting them fall into their hands.

Looking at the contents recorded on the paper, the group exchanged glances, their faces filled with bewilderment. In the tens of thousands of years of human history on the Douluo Continent, they had never seen such phrasing or prose. They recognized every character, yet when combined, they could not understand the meaning.

Lu Chun clearly understood this, which was why he had specifically prepared this lecture.

Above them, he opened his mouth, and a distant, ethereal voice echoed through the tranquil garden.

"In days of old, one sought the cinnabar. By consuming the cinnabar, one achieves clarity. Afterward, the eyes become like ears, the ears like the nose, the nose like the mouth, the mouth like the skin; the heart congeals, the form dissolves, bone and flesh melt into one..."

Listening to Lu Chun's words, the group quickly realized that what was recorded on the paper was a form of alchemy, and the method of immortality was the "Immortal Pill" refined through this technique. Yet, in their view, this alchemy was somewhat...

*Bizarre?*

The word sprang into their minds simultaneously. Having lived this long, they had consumed countless pills, but none were as indescribable as what was recorded on these pages. It was as if a child were playing with mud.

Were they being toyed with?

With this thought, they looked toward He Zhuo in the front, only to find him entranced by Lu Chun's lecture, his expression shifting from confusion to sudden enlightenment, as if he were completely immersed and unable to pull himself away.

Seeing this, the others looked on with uncertainty. Could it be that they were simply too dull to perceive the true meaning?

Zhu Yun rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache. He had just seen the Pharmacist transform into a figure with a thousand hands and a hundred eyes, but upon looking again, the figure remained in that beautiful, serene form standing before them.

"Dwelling in the self, yet in the curved, the texture begins... to exist as if gone, to chime as if clear, to create together and live together, how can the catcher lose? Never leading others, but always following others."

Because it was only a truncated portion, Lu Chun's lecture soon drew to a close. Yet, seeing the confusion on their faces, he repeated the passage twice more.

In the process, some began to grasp the principles. Their faces flushed red, their mouths hung open as saliva dripped out unconsciously, yet they continued to mutter, obsessed with the seductive logic.

Some began to dance and laugh wildly; others covered their faces and wept, barking like dogs; some became so lost in themselves that they fell into hallucinations, unable to extricate their minds.

In an instant, the garden became a scene of chaotic, demonic revelry. Those who remained un-immersed were horrified, suspecting they had fallen victim to some hidden sabotage.

Just then, He Zhuo, who had been the first to enter a trance, stood up abruptly. The soul power he had cultivated for hundreds of years erupted from his body, overturning everyone and everything around him. He roared in ecstatic madness, "I understand! The old man understands! Hahaha!"

Amidst his wild laughter, his soul power visibly underwent a sublimation and distortion. His Martial Soul Avatar manifested once more; however, this time, a sinister black mist emerged from the pale green tree body, shrouding it. When the mist dissipated, it revealed a drastically different appearance.

Every branch, leaf, and vine was now covered in human features. An indescribable terror instantly swept through their hearts!

And beside He Zhuo, above his deep red hundred-thousand-year soul ring, a golden soul ring slowly emerged.