The higher one went, the greater the suppression of any given world became. This formed the natural barrier that separated a world and the space beyond. Mountains that were part of Wanshen continent did not typically stretch high enough to touch this feature. All except one.

Gu Chaoge grunted as he climbed. His measly cultivation at the Core Formation stage did not mean he was immune to fatigue.

Humans referred to all cultivators as revered immortals, but they were little more than enhanced mortals. A Core Formation expert was enough to be an untouched god in any of the nine dynasties, but average anywhere else.

"Come on, just a little further. Senior said it was just..." Gu Chaoge felt his breath grow heavy. The heaven piercing mountain was truly high.

An immortal could ascend to the heavens, drink celestial dew and dine immortal peaches alongside harems of fairies on Mt Penglei. A life of paradis.

He'd grown up a poor beggar in a rural village. It was his own determination and fortune that he's been able to cultivate to this level. That same determination taught him that if one wanted something, they must do anything to obtain it.

Once he crosses into an immortal, then let's see who's laughing. Even those Nascent Divinity, and Worldly Saint ancestors would not compare.

"Huff…huff!" Gu Chaoge hung of a cliff face. "YEAH!" He screamed as he cleared another milestone. He did not however, notice the largely flat cliff several kilometres behind beginning a rockslide.

"Just another…woah!" He screamed as he lost his grip from the sudden shaking.

Falling from a great height, the quickly activates his signature defensive technique to break his fall. Sadly, here were minimal greenery around him to assist.

He understood that he would fall several hundred metres before impact. Golden Core cultivators could survive many things, but they were still flesh and blood in the end. Gu Chaoge felt deep fear.

Rocks tumbled down after him, accelerating into a rockslide. The mountain shook from a sudden earthquake.

"Gah…what?" Several dozen metres was all I took for him to reach the ground. Gu Chaoge gasped, feeling a soft breeze blow behind him. The rocks falling with him had suddenly disappeared.

His hand touched the solid ground, yet strangely he found no hard surface. It was soft, warm to the touch. What's more, it was the same colour as his skin outside of a few patches of dirt. In the distance, he even saw dirt and rocks falling through a crevice.

Nervously, he turned around. There was no smooth mountain facing him. Instead, it was an enormous eye. What appeared at first to be a cave also turned out to be the opening of nostrils.

Long eyelashes that dwarfed cities hung above him. To his horror, he realized he was sitting on someone's hand. The great mountain had been a living being all along.

To be high enough to touch the heavens while lying down, just how big was this creature.

"H…hello?" He nervously said. Inwardly, he theorised that this must be one of those legendary spirit gods told in legends. Those creatures said to be at the pinnacle of the material world, just one step away from touching upon True Immortal.

As for why he didn't think it was a True Immortal? Well that level of being would not exist outside the mythical upper realm.

"Revered spirit god," Gu Chaoge kneeled as per his people's customs. Spirit gods were the peak of Human Immortals, far beyond those Worldly Saint ancestors from the holy lands.

"Child of mine, you are mistaken." The giant eye spoke with a woman's voice. The hand he'd stood on also moved.

'It's getting up?'

It was the face of a woman. She may have had long silky hair, but each strand was the size of mountains. She was also beautiful in a more primal way. The lack of make up, and the expression she had was reminiscent of the barbarian tribes. What was most striking was an eyepatch covering her other eye.

Gu Chaoge gasped, he had been lifted far far off the ground. Clouds once thought to be the summit of the heavens was below him. The stars appeared tangible from where he was.

The giant woman stared at him warmly. Her soft breathing released golden vital breath that felt refreshing to the cultivator, bolstering his cultivation. He wondered if this was the moment he'd reach the immortal realm.

"This Gu thanks the great spirit god. Beautiful and mystifying, heavenly and profound," he praised. Inwardly, he wished for her to impart upon him an immortal method.

"Fool?" She said softly.

Gu Chaoge was speechless, this was not going as intended. Did legends not say spirit gods were impressed by human resilience and would contact the heavens to reward them?

Suddenly, his body jerked. Patterns appeared on his skin and the urge to vomit enveloped him. He couldn't scream, not even as an azure gas cloud escaped him.

It leaked onto the woman's palm, travelling up her arm and into her chest at an unprecedented speed. Yet she was unafraid. Merely pinching the attack and ripping it off her.

Hu Chaoge gasped for breath, fearful under the goddess' gaze. But instead, she said something else. "You scheme against me? Come out."

When there was no answer, she was forced to act. Tracing the past through karma, she tugged at a certain string. With her great strength, pulling out a new individual was easy.

"Senior?" Hu Chaoge gasped at the sudden appearance of an elderly man. This was one of his closest confidants, a man who helped him throughout his cultivation journey.

"Damn it," the growled. He did not expect the spirit sleeping inside the mountain to locate him so easily. His Human Immortal level cultivation exploded in an attempt to free him.

The woman scoffed at the attempt. The arrogance of mortals were unreal. He had no clue what she actually was, being nothing more than a desperate old man unable to breakthrough.

"Hai, wishful thinking. Where did the pure children I had go? Monkey be damned you six eared ape," she snapped. Her singular eye narrowed into them.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"You three thousand years old and on the verge of death, a lifetime of schemes and theft to obtain resources. Betrayals and murders, I can see the karma all over you. What made you think I would be your ticket to ascension?" She told the old one. "And you, a naive fool falling for the schemes of a decrepit half corpse. Not only did you believe him that there was an easy way to the heavens, but facilitated much of his recent recovery as well. Hmph do either of you know who I am?"

The two cultivators were frozen. Deep in their very human essence, they detected a name. It was something ingrained in every human, etched into the coding of their DNA. No one from the Three Realms would be unable to remember their creator, even if they've never heard of her.

"Nuwa," the two uttered together.

The goddess leaned back, her figure easily parting the clouds. In the distance, the tip of a serpent tail raised high. "Cultivation is not something for me to grant. It's for you to earn yourself. You have no need to seek me out. The Dao is always purest when it has no crutch"

The old man at the Human Immortal realm was pulled even further upwards, right to Nuwa's face. "Wait please."

"Begging? You tried to infect my body for your own use. You should've just passed on peacefully and cultivate again in your next life. Even if you are mine, I can't let this go."

Five coloured gems arose around him, attaching to his body. His torso began disintegrating immediately. "Mercy, mercy! Goddess, I was wrong, it was only a small mistake. Who wouldn't be tempted for a higher realm. Chaoge, don't just stand there. Help me damn you!"

He perished without much fanfare. A being who stood at the apex of the mortal world was gone just as quickly as the breeze. Nuwa felt no particular sadness for his death, merely rubbing her covered eye with discomfort.

"Trustinf someone who seemingly helped you thinking them a friend only for it to turn out to be lies. I can relate," she said to Gu Chaoge.

However, her expression then turned grave. "Understand this my son. The heavens are not as you imagined. Immortals are not unrestrained.

"Celestial order governs reality. There are rules, regulations, and righteous morals that cooperate to keep the universe at peace. The Jade Emperor up high, selflessly assumes the burden to allow all the chance to thrive. And those who upheld it are not the forgiving sort. Who could obtain success with outward evils?"

Nuwa began a slow descent. "Reality will not bend to your whims. Those stronger than you have tried and failed. When you get to the upper realms, remember to respect and uphold the celestial order."

Gu Chaoge did not understand. Ascension to True Immortality was supposed to be a reward. Legends say one could be as free and unfettered as the clouds, drink celestial dew and dine on immortal peaches with fairies on Mt Penglei. Why would this goddess make it out like this.

Nuwa, having read his thoughts, returned with a smirk. "The freedom you imagine is an illusion. Fantasy. Look at me and see the reality of the universe."

She gestured to her eyepatch. "Evil exist in all corners, no matter how much they deny it. Even good is evil from another's perspective. This is why the celestial order is important. Suppresses the greatest of evils by all means necessary."

She had lowered her palm beside a flattened hillside now. Her entire body that once made up the mountain range had uprooted itself. "Heed my words my son. Cultivate peacefully, and should you may have a future in the heavens."

…

A flurry of souls marched through a mountain pass. Red pillars anchored the misty body of yin qi, preventing any leakage into human lands. This was the domain of the dead.

A mountain as high as the heavens that also opened up an ever descending passageway. Giant deities guarded each step of the way. Ghost soldiers stood like fences to prevent any escape. Yin scholars counted heads along the roadside, carefully to prevent any mistakes.

High on the edges of this sacred mountain located at the eastern fringes of the Heavenly realm, a royal dressed emperor stood supervising the movement of souls.

"Mt Tai is as busy as ever," a voice called out from beyond the emperor. This man appeared younger, with slick eyes and smooth hair, almost like a sleazy con artist.

"How have you been old Huang?"

This emperor, the Dongyue Emperor and lord of Mt Tai gestured to a boulder beside him. "Have a seat Ziya."

"Not even a proper chair for the guy who got you this job?" Jiang Ziya sat down with a smile. "I'm not here for anything important. Just have to get out of Kunlun for a while."

The Dongyue emperor scoffed, thinking the slippery wizard offended someone again with his words.

"Tired of teaching?" Dongyue Emperor joked.

"After the destruction of several Dao sects in the lower realms, the younger generations are throwing protests. Even senior brother Xuandu cannot stop it," Jiang Ziya revealed. "The Jade Emperor heartlessly destroying dozens of worlds also did not help matters."

"His majesty is becoming more aggressive," Dongyue Emperor said in agreement. "But alas, he was always the type to take on the burden personally rather than let others feel the guilt from their own hands."

Jiang Ziya chose to take in the scenary of the dead instead. He took note of a separate entourage moving through the crowd. "Why's a man of merit being escorted in a cage?"

The ghost in question was a scholarly type man who's cloths were ripped in places. He appeared bruised, angry, and miserable. He was also guarded by ferocious guards.

Just from reading his karma, one could tell he had been an emperor's adviser. A saintly figure who saved his country from a famine, multiple floods, and was revered. He was even enshrined as a city god.

Dongyue Emperor sighed. "What does it matter of one's a man of merit? A crime is a crime. He allowed his desperation and fear of reincarnation to consume him. Instead of giving up his term as city god, he attempted to introduce blood sacrifices to prolong his ghostly self."

Jiang Ziya frowned, blood rituals used to be frowned upon in the cultivation world. After the Jade Emperor took the throne, it was an outright crime. Tens times more severe if conducted on mortals.

Why could such a man not let go? If he chose to peacefully retire into the underworld and undergo reincarnation, his next life would emerge as something mighty. Now he was just another criminal.

"Do you think?" Jiang Ziya paused for a moment before looking at the clouds obscuring the Heavenly Court above. "Do you think the Jade Emperor might be the same? Desperately clinging onto power?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've heard the rumours I'm sure. About the weakening of his cultivation?"

The lord who guarded the underworld's gate frowned. "Unsubstantiated rumours. I thought Daoism was better then this."

"Daoism has always had problems with the Jade Emperor. For what it's worth, the Dao council is unsure what to make of this."

"You can tell your senior brothers that there is no need for concern regarding his majesty's abilities," a powerful female voice said above both great immortals.

Startled, Jiang Ziya quickly calmed himself. "I meant no offence, empress."

Descending to the cliff of Mt Tai, Houtu nodded at the two. "Revered deities should not be entertaining idiotic rumours."

"Apologies Earth Queen Deification Great Emperor," Dongyue Emperor said much more formally. He'd forgotten his boss was still present given how little she shows herself.

"If you want to chat, at least wait till your designated break," Houtu sighed. "You daoists are too carefree. Why I should…"

Suddenly, all three froze. Houtu narrowed her phoenix eyes in distaste upon seeing a falling leaf rise back up.

"Someone's messing with time again."

"At least Taisui Star lord finally has something to do."

"Don't be a smartass Ziya."

…

Yellow Dust world, a lower realm in the trichilicosm.

Jiang Yuancheng hid a smile of satisfaction. Six months had passed since he miraculously traveled back in time. Six months that he'd used to resolve the wrongs of his past life.

Of course, this was only the beginning. He's lived nearly five hundred years in his past life and made it to the Nascent Divinity realm. Although all that progress was lost in the time travel, he'd been able to keep all the knowledge.

The divine technique, Spring Autumn Reversal he'd obtained in the past was safely in his head. It was how he completed his meridian opening and obtained the peak Foundation Establishment within several months.

'In two weeks, the flame roc will appear and a hunt will be organised. I must obtain its heart this time. Then the Sacred family is next. Once that's done, the Luan sect will pay for what they did last time.' He kept adding on to the list. Five hundred years worth of wrongs done to him by the great powers. In this life he swore to topple them to resolve their karma.

THOOM!

Jiang Yuancheng glanced out his window, the rain was intensifying. He didn't remember it raining so hard in the previous timeline. As he was about to go back to his lost, a lightning bolt struck his garden.

"Intruder!"

"Intruder!"

"Identify yourself!"

Jiang Yuancheng halted at the noise from his clan guards. Nothing like this happened in the previous timeline. His grip on his brush loosened.

A second lightning bolt struck outside, but no more sound was heard. Jiang Yuancheng grew cautious. He was confident of fighting against Golden Core experts, and could even run from a Nascent Soul old master.

"The one who turned back time, please come out." A rather polite voice announced. Jiang Yuancheng froze, this was not possible. How could anyone know his greatest secret?

Sure his rise in this timeline was meteoric. One didn't just start at the age of sixteen and reach Foundation Establishment in several months when others took decades. But he'd already claimed to have found an old wise master.

'Dad and little sister are still here. Could it be the Black Demon king?' He was about to take out an explosive when his body froze.

"I know you're here, I can smell the temporal energy around you. Don't make this difficult."

'Okay, my soul has not degraded from my past life. I hope I don't need to unleash more than I have to.' The teen sneakily top toed to his window and glanced outside.

"Last warning."

Jiang Yuancheng saw his tied up family kneeling on the ground. A man dressed like a soldier from the reigning emperor's army was outside holding a spear. He couldn't feel the other's cultivation at all.

'Now!' He jumped out with greater speed then a Foundation Establishment expert should posses. His attack aimed at the soldier's neck.

BAM!

"What the?" Jiang Yuancheng's attack bounced off of the man's neck. It should not be possible, his attack would kill Core Formation, severely injure Nascent Soul, even scare off peak Nascent Soul masters.

The soldier had also caught his neck while he was falling back. His unremarkable face turned to the handsome time traveler with annoyance.

"According to celestial law, messing with time is strictly forbidden no matter the individual, or the place. I am Fan Chao of the Heavenly Court's temporal department. You are hereby under arrest."

"Let my son go! He's just a boy!" A tied up man cried out.

"Yeah let my little brother go! He didn't do anything wrong," a tied up girl said.

"The emperor must be senile to arrest the boss," a shady looking servant added.

"Your mortal emperor has no jurisdiction here. I represent the Heavenly Court. The gods are not blind to the ongoing of the mortal world. Messing with time is a grave crime," Fan Chao said in defence. He brought Jiang Yuancheng closer to himself.

"Lies, you're just a demon."

"Let the young master go!"

"The Jiang clan's never offended you."

"This man is over five hundred years old. He broke a sacred law," Fan Chao explained.

"I broke nothing. Who are you to judge?" Jiang Yuancheng struggled to say.

"I'll admit, you probably didn't know given you're from a lower realm. I'll take you to the Heavenly Court and let the higher ups pass judgement. I'll read you your rights and what you should expect. Remember to behave," Fan Chao kindly said. He ignored the hateful glare the teen gave him.

"Honestly, why can't you just let go the previous time. You lived a full life and died. Now you messed things up even more."

Fan Chao took away the young man doing exactly as he'd said. Meanwhile, Jiang Yuancheng added the name of Fan Chao to his list.

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