The calm in the cave didn't last long.
Senju Yukika thought for a moment, then said, "Since you fought for justice, I'm willing to go to the black hole and help you. For the sake of the universe's justice, I'll help free you from your plight."
The moment those words fell, the golden face before him lit up with elation!
Though this was an ancient Buddha, a figure of great virtue, being trapped in such a remote black hole for countless ages—any sage would struggle to keep their heart untroubled. These seven ancient Buddhas had been seeking escape day after day. But after all this time, they'd come to realize that only someone truly fated with the Buddha-path could save them.
Now, despite the composed appearance on that golden face, who could know how deeply unsettled he had been on the inside?
It wasn't until Yukika gave his answer that the golden face finally let go of the tension in his heart—like a great weight had finally dropped away.
Then that aged voice spoke again, "Fated one of the Buddha-path, thank you for all you've done. In that case, the sooner you head to the black hole, the better!"
Yukika frowned slightly, sensing some concern in the golden face's tone.
He said, "But I don't know which black hole you're trapped in. And with my current strength, I probably can't even get near one."
He understood now that these black holes were remnants of that apocalyptic war from ancient times, created when space itself was torn apart. For someone like him, approaching such a place would likely mean instant annihilation—his body shredded before he got close.
The laws of the universe were intricate and terrifying. Yukika wasn't about to gamble his life testing them firsthand.
But just then, the aged voice laughed softly and said, "Since we're asking you to come to the black hole to rescue us, naturally, we've prepared a way to keep you safe!"
As the voice fell, layers upon layers of mysterious characters suddenly appeared in midair—dense, glowing symbols that looked like tadpoles swimming gently through the air. They floated before Yukika's eyes and began to project vivid images.
His eyes widened. He could faintly sense that these tadpole-like symbols were part of a powerful technique—a secret scripture!
And since it came directly from the ancient Buddha, it was sure to be both powerful and mysterious.
Recalling the earlier mention of entering the black hole, and seeing this cultivation method now, a thought nearly slipped from Yukika's mouth.
The ancient voice spoke slowly, "This is the Heavenly Immortal Force, the most powerful technique within the Buddha-path."
"There are seven layers in total. With your current cultivation, you only need to reach the third layer. Then, relying on the strength of your physical body alone, you'll be able to step into the black hole."
So that's what it was. This technique was called the Heavenly Immortal Art…
Yukika nodded. The Buddha-path had many powerful techniques, but among them, the most profound were those that touched upon the Seventh Heaven. This Heavenly Immortal Art was clearly one of them.
He also understood that legendary techniques like this would never be passed down lightly, especially across races. If it weren't for the ancient Buddha's desperation to be rescued, he'd never have revealed something so heaven-defying.
Just as the Buddha said—by cultivating the art to the third layer, Yukika would be able to pass through a black hole using his body alone!
Just imagine… if someone reached the peak of the seventh layer, how terrifyingly powerful would their body be?
Could they truly ascend to an immortal realm, as the name suggested?
Yukika had to admit—he was tempted. Even with the aid of his system, this Heavenly Force was too attractive to resist.
This was the path to physical immortality—who in the universe could possibly stay indifferent to that?
And if not for this unlikely encounter, how could he have ever obtained such a miraculous technique?
The ancient voice continued, "Write down all these scriptures. Once they enter your mind, they'll automatically transform into a language you can understand."
Yukika nodded and quietly began committing the tadpole-like symbols to memory.
Sure enough, as the scriptures settled in his mind, they seemed to break apart and reform, converting into words he could clearly comprehend.
This Heavenly Immortal Art truly held unimaginable secrets—its depth and power shook Yukika to his core. Even just reading it gave him a sense of awe in the deepest parts of his soul.
He could already tell that this technique would be invaluable for strengthening his body!
The aged voice let out a long sigh before speaking again, "Once you've cultivated the Heavenly Immortal Art to the third layer, return here. When you arrive, we will guide you."
As soon as those words ended, the golden face suddenly burst apart into specks of dazzling starlight, which then gathered into a new image in the sky…
Yukika peered closely—it was a star map, with a five-pointed star marked on it.
That mark, perhaps, was the black hole where the seven ancient Buddhas were trapped!
Without this map, Yukika knew he'd never be able to locate the black hole.
In this vast universe filled with stars and deadly black holes, who could possibly find the right one without guidance?
As that final message echoed in the cave, the golden face dissolved completely, vanishing into the air.
Yukika now knew that the secret of the Buddha-path hidden within the Giant Peak Mountain Range had been completely uncovered.
He was certain the lingering auras that had existed for so long would no longer reappear. They had been permanently sealed within that black hole, awaiting rescue.
Just as the ancient Buddha had said—he only needed to cultivate the art to the third layer. Then, following the coordinates on the star map, he could make his way to the black hole. From there, the rest would fall into place.
Without delay, Yukika sat down cross-legged, clearing all distractions from his mind. He let go of all thought and began to quietly cultivate the Heavenly Immortal Art.
The technique was incredibly profound. Even with Yukika's high comprehension, there was no way he could reach the third layer quickly.
Because the third layer meant he would be able to move freely through a black hole!
Now Yukika fully understood—charging into a black hole with raw divine power was simply impossible. But reaching the third layer of this cultivation art would make it possible. Just thinking about that level… how could anyone achieve it easily?
As time passed, outside the cave, Tanaka the young beast had just finished his own cultivation.
His power had stabilized at the level of a high-ranked martial artist. Though still far from the peak, he was already quite satisfied.
What Tanaka didn't know was that, thanks to his affinity with the Buddha-path, he had nearly broken straight through to a super-rank level in one go!
But despite that, in the end, he had been cast aside—no longer the chosen one. His cultivation foundation slowly returned to its previous state...