A moment later.

  Xia Li decisively took the golden bowl out of his Phase Ring. The golden bowl needed no guidance from him—it flew on its own toward the Vajra corpse.

  Even more, as it flew, it rapidly enlarged, transforming from a small bowl into a massive bowl like a great mountain.

  The golden bowl flew to the Vajra corpse's hands. The Vajra's other hand slowly lowered, with one finger coming to rest completely on the ground.

  Xia Li stood in place observing the Vajra corpse, not understanding what this meant.

  After watching continuously for several minutes, Xia Li finally grasped one possibility. He walked forward to that finger resting on the ground, leaped lightly onto it, and walked to the palm of the Vajra corpse.

  The Vajra raised its hand, placing it inside the golden bowl. Seeing this, Xia Li jumped down from the palm. The Vajra's massive hand slowly rose, then flipped over...

  The great hand covered the golden bowl.

  Golden light of unknown origin spilled through the Vajra's finger gaps into the golden bowl. The radiance was extremely dazzling, so bright Xia Li couldn't open his eyes.

  When the light faded and Xia Li reopened his eyes, he found the sky was no longer dark. Soft golden light had dyed the clouds above into a splendid expanse of gold.

  Deafening chanting filled his ears.

  Xia Li immediately used telekinesis to lift himself into the air. When he saw the world outside the golden bowl again, he was completely shocked.

  "This is..."

  Xia Li saw countless giants walking through mountains and seas.

  Buddhist legend said Mount Sumeru's peak led to the Thirty-Three Heavens. These Thirty-Three Heavens were also called the Heavens Beyond Heaven. Though this differed from the Daoist legend's Nine Firmament Celestial Realm, both referred to the same concept.

  Presumably this was also the so-called Immortal Realm.

  So was the Immortal Realm a more vast world, or a higher-dimensional universe? Or perhaps...

  There was a third possibility.

  Since Spirit Qi Resurgence and the unearthing of Spirit Age ruins, humanity no longer denied the authenticity of mythology. There were suspicions of exaggeration, beautification, and fabrication.

  But whether exaggeration, beautification, or fabrication, at least something was sufficient to prove their existence—that they had at least once existed.

  Earth's human civilization, according to their understanding of the world, viewed these mythological existences as a super civilization, a divine civilization.

  And humans were perhaps one species within this civilization.

  However, evolution was also real. Humans were not created by gods, yet gods did exist in this world. Human physiques differed greatly from Spirit Age cultivators, yet were also quite similar.

  To put it this way.

  Humans and chimpanzees shared about 98% genetic similarity, but the genetic similarity between humans and Spirit Age cultivators was only about 95%.

  Current scientific theory and the Heavenly Dao Computer both supported one hypothesis.

  Humans were perhaps a race that re-evolved after Spirit Age cultivators experienced atavism over the ages.

  Humans and "humanity" in mythology were not the same concept.

  Both were biological relatives. Neither could be said to have evolved more—they were simply subspecies that developed in different environments, like Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.

  But competition between species was equally brutal and fierce.

  Neanderthals went extinct. Homo sapiens became the sole remaining human lineage. And even among Homo sapiens, there were many different subspecies.

  Like Xia Li, who belonged to the Eastern Homo sapiens subspecies, with higher genetic similarity to Spirit Age humanity.

  "What an absolute view!"

  While pondering humanity's origins, Xia Li admired the scenery here. He currently couldn't connect to Heaven Chip—this could only mean he wasn't in the real material world.

  This was an illusion realm.

  But Xia Li didn't try to break through it. Since fate had brought him here to witness a glimpse of divine civilization, Xia Li was quite willing.

  He sat at the golden bowl's edge. A Vajra carried the golden bowl, walking through heaven and earth without looking down at him.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Along the way, he saw countless rare and massive beasts. True dragons even flew through the sky.

  Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?

  These were answers humanity constantly sought. But the first two were becoming less important. Humanity was increasingly focused on the latter.

  Where are we going?

  To the stars, to the universe!

  While his thoughts wandered, Xia Li gained many insights from the information he'd acquired.

  Humanity in mythology was perhaps created by gods.

  But humans were not.

  Humans even turned around and created gods.

  What the Heavenly Dao Computer could currently accomplish—how did it differ from a god?

  And as human technology advanced further, humanity's god would become ever more powerful. Moreover, humanity's god would absolutely never betray humanity itself.

  The Vajra continued forward, seemingly without any destination. Xia Li just sat quietly at the golden bowl's edge, watching.

  After who knows how long, the Vajra arrived at a massive platform. Many Vajra gathered here, seemingly practicing some kind of dharma. Their bodily movements secretly harmonized with heaven.

  The Vajra carrying the golden bowl set the bowl on a nearby mountain peak, then walked forward to join the practice.

  Xia Li jumped down from the golden bowl and practiced along with the Vajra.

  Chanting shook the heavens.

  Each seemingly simple movement contained profound mysteries, resonating with the Buddhist shouts, resonating with heaven.

  Xia Li forgot time, simply unifying his movements with the Vajra's. Gradually he gained insights—Reaching Heaven Manifesting Earth wasn't humans transforming into Vajra, but Vajra manifesting as human.

  If a human transformed into Vajra, borrowing Vajra's power over long ages, they might eventually establish connection with the Vajra race and transcend their life form to become Vajra.

  But was that what Xia Li wanted?

  Vajra were merely attendants and followers of the various Buddhas. They had masters.

  Even if one day he ascended, he would merely be under the seat of various Buddhas.

  Therefore...

  The moment Xia Li noticed scriptures appearing on his arm, he immediately changed his movements. Scriptures were power but also chains.

  Why had humanity in mythology returned to mortality to re-evolve?

  What did humans mean to mythological humanity?

  "I am human..."

  "Human!"

  "Life born on the third planet of the solar system, Chordata phylum, Hominidae family, Homo genus, human species!"

  Not humanity from the Immortal Realm, the Upper Realm, the Heavens Beyond Heaven.

  At this moment Xia Li was missing an arm, blind in one eye, his form hunched. He slowly raised his left hand, and the scriptures engraved on his left hand rapidly dimmed, then directly shattered.

  Though the scriptures were wondrous, containing infinite profundities, merely hearing them made one feel the Three Flowers converging at the crown and the Five Qi returning to origin—faintly sensing the feeling of becoming immortal.

  But what I do not desire is illusion!

  The chanting echoing throughout the entire world now grew even louder.

  But Xia Li seemed not to hear it, no longer imitating the Vajra's movements. This not-hearing was so he could hear more in the future. Though immortal music was pleasant and Buddhist chanting was wondrous, it was no longer worthy of entering his ears.

  Then...

  Xia Li suddenly covered his ears, feeling waves of tearing pain coming from them.

  He...

  Watched with his own eyes as his ears fell off, dropping to the ground and transforming into a handful of mud.

  Yet new ears were being born.

  After the divine soul opened its eyes, next came the ears!

  Ears Hear the Void!

  This void was the void of illusion—all sounds I do not desire are meaningless illusion.

  The Six Stages of divine soul transformation: Eyes See Reality, Ears Hear the Void, Nose Scents Guidance, Mouth Tastes Qi, Body Harbors the Source, Mind Is Never at Peace.

  Xia Li at this moment attained the second stage!

  His divine soul became more solid, his telekinesis growing once again!