“All things have a place of origin and beginning, and within the human body there is such a place as well — the very root of life’s vitality, where the Life Essence of the entire body is stored. It is called the Life Source Wheel, or simply the Wheel of Life.” Elder Wu Qingfeng spoke in an unhurried, measured tone.
“Where is this Wheel of Life?” Pang Bo asked.
“Below the navel.” Elder Wu Qingfeng pointed to a spot below Pang Bo’s navel: “Its location is precisely the most perfect dividing point between the upper and lower halves of the body.”
Ye Fan was somewhat surprised. He immediately thought of the golden ratio of the human body — and it aligned exactly with the location the elder had described. The dividing line at which the ratio from the soles of the feet to the top of the head is 0.618 is known as the golden ratio line of the human body, and the area just below the navel happens to fall precisely at that point. This ratio of bodily proportions is considered the most aesthetically ideal.
In truth, the human body has many golden ratio points throughout its various parts, and each of these local points corresponds to an area of extreme importance to the body. By comparison, the largest golden ratio point of the human body — below the navel — might appear at first glance to be less significant. Yet now, hearing Elder Wu Qingfeng say that it is the location of the Wheel of Life and the fundamental seat where the body’s Life Essence is stored, a flash of clarity lit up Ye Fan’s mind. Perhaps the most important golden ratio point of the human body truly was “the place where all things originate and begin.”
The Wheel of Life was not a single point but a region. According to Elder Wu Qingfeng’s description, it was centered at that point below the navel and formed a circle roughly the size of a palm — the dwelling place of essence.
Elder Wu Qingfeng emphasized this with great seriousness: “The Wheel of Life — ordinary people use it to give birth to children; cultivators use it to give birth to themselves. It is the fundamental ground of all who walk the cultivation path.”
According to Elder Wu Qingfeng, the Wheel of Life is the source of divine power. For a cultivator seeking to step onto the immortal path, everything must begin here.
“Throughout an ordinary person’s life, the Wheel of Life is continually drying out. Every year, time etches another mark upon it — like the growth rings of a tree. When a person reaches the very end of their life, the Wheel of Life has been filled entirely with these wounds of time. At that moment, it is the point at which the Wheel of Life finally shatters completely.”
“Could you indicate for us how many marks are currently left on our Wheels of Life?”
Originally young adults in their twenties, both Ye Fan and Pang Bo had been transformed back into the appearance of eleven or twelve-year-olds — a breathtaking reversal of aging that had occurred in their bodies.
“Your Wheel of Life bears eleven marks.”
Hearing this result, Pang Bo immediately broke into a wide grin. Compared to their classmates who had lost the vitality of their youth, what had happened to him was truly defying the heavens. He then pointed toward Ye Fan: “And him? Should be the same as me, right?”
Wu Qingfeng had already known of Ye Fan’s physique, yet he still examined him carefully. The conclusion he reached was close to what the others had said — Ye Fan’s Wheel of Life was utterly still and silent, the sea of bitterness solid as divine iron, stable as a great boulder, utterly immovable, impossible to open.
“His physique is extremely unusual. I cannot see through it clearly, nor say exactly how many marks are upon it — I would guess about the same as yours.” At this, Elder Wu Qingfeng’s expression became one of deep regret: “His vital blood energy is vigorous — almost comparable to a flood dragon or great elephant. If he could cultivate… what a shame.”
Only now did Ye Fan and Pang Bo finally understand what the Wheel of Life truly was — though many questions still lingered in their minds.
“The Wheel of Life may be called the root of every cultivator. If one reaches the legendary realm and is able to keep the Wheel of Life as pure and pristine as it was at birth — bearing no wounds, no marks — then perhaps there is a faint hope of becoming an immortal.”
“Is it truly so difficult to become an immortal?”
“The immortals spoken of in the mortal world are simply cultivators who can fly through the sky and burrow through the earth. As for the true immortals spoken of in legend — whether they actually exist is very difficult to confirm. From what I know, across the vast and boundless Eastern Desolation, not a single person has become an immortal in thousands of years. Perhaps only those sacred grounds, the ancient clans that have passed their lineages down from the primordial age, or certain ancient demons, know the truth of the matter.”
“Elder, it feels as though you’re trying to demolish our belief — we’d just started to feel the urge to cultivate, and you’re already telling us immortals might not even exist. That’s really quite a blow.”
“Spring blossoms do not last past autumn; cicadas do not survive into winter; the life of an ordinary mortal lasts less than a hundred years. If a person were to exist for thousands of years, they would have broken the natural order of heaven itself — that, in a sense, could well be considered a kind of immortality.”
Ye Fan and Pang Bo understood what the elder was conveying. When a cultivator sets out on the immortal path, from the very first day they begin to cultivate, they have already surpassed ordinary mortals. The most powerful among them may even live thousands of years, breaking through the rules of heaven and earth. Even if they ultimately cannot become immortals, such a life of striving and struggle would not be wasted — for they would have shattered the constraints of natural law and changed the course of their own fate.
“In truth, I have not entirely denied the existence of immortals. Perhaps it is simply that we cannot reach the world where they dwell.”
After this, Ye Fan and Pang Bo asked question after question, and the elder answered each one patiently.
“We keep hearing people speak of the sea of bitterness. What exactly is it?”
“It is the endless sea of hardship and tribulation that shrouds the Wheel of Life.”
“What do you mean?” Neither Ye Fan nor Pang Bo understood.
“Once a cultivator has reached a certain stage, the Wheel of Life — which appears to be only as large as a palm — is in truth like a genuine world within. The sea of bitterness comes into being naturally alongside it.”
“Please explain in detail. The Wheel of Life and the sea of bitterness seem to exist in the same place — what is the relationship between them?”
“The sea of bitterness and the Wheel of Life overlap — or more precisely, the sea of bitterness drowns the Wheel of Life. Not only does time grind away at the Wheel of Life, but the sea of bitterness also erodes it, bit by bit.”
“So that is where the saying of ‘crossing the sea of bitterness’ comes from?”
Elder Wu Qingfeng nodded: “Correct. The entire foundation of a cultivator lies within the Wheel of Life. One of the purposes of cultivation is to cross entirely to the other shore of the sea of bitterness.”
Ye Fan and Pang Bo were astonished: “According to what you’ve said, the sea of bitterness is boundless and drowns the Wheel of Life — how can it possibly be crossed completely?”
“Indeed — it cannot be fully crossed. And so even the most brilliantly gifted and powerful cultivators, after thousands or even tens of thousands of years, ultimately still return to a handful of dust.” Elder Wu Qingfeng’s expression carried a trace of bitterness, but then shifted to one of deep longing: “Legend has it that true immortals must completely cross the sea of bitterness, transforming it entirely into the life-giving sweet waters of immortality — a single drop of which is said to be enough to resurrect the dead and restore flesh to bare bones.”
“Alas, that’s only legend after all — whether immortals truly exist is still an open question.” Pang Bo let out a sigh: “Could you please tell us about something that actually exists?”
“Though the sea of bitterness cannot be fully crossed, a cultivator who wishes to attain a long life must not remain trapped within the sea of bitterness.” Elder Wu Qingfeng’s eyes shone with a deep and luminous light: “Within the sea of bitterness one must create life, brewing vigorous vitality from within Desolate stillness — cultivating the divine veins, consecrating the heavenly bridge, reaching the other shore, arriving at the far end of the sea of bitterness.”
Ye Fan pondered for a moment, finding something unclear, and asked: “The sea of bitterness drowns the Wheel of Life, and the two could be said to overlap. If one cultivates the divine bridge and reaches the other shore, departing from the sea of bitterness — doesn’t that mean departing from the Wheel of Life? Yet you said it is the very foundation of all cultivators. Can one truly move away from it?”
Upon hearing this, Elder Wu Qingfeng gave an approving nod: “I said the Wheel of Life is the foundation of a cultivator, the seat of all roots — but I did not say that beyond it there is nothing else.”
Pang Bo’s eyes immediately went wide: “There’s something more?”
“To become an immortal, cultivating only the Wheel of Life is far from enough. The divine bridge is the key that spans the sea of bitterness and connects to the other sacred realms within the body…”
“Are you saying there isn’t just one Wheel of Life — there are others? That within the human body there exist several things similar to the Wheel of Life?” Ye Fan was deeply astonished.
“To become the greatest and most powerful figure in this world, it is sufficient to cultivate the Wheel of Life to its absolute limit. But if one wishes to become an immortal, cultivating only the Wheel of Life is still far from enough.” At this, Elder Wu Qingfeng shook his head — for even he did not know whether immortals truly existed. He continued: “Even for the most unparalleled of geniuses, dedicating an entire life to cultivating just one Wheel of Life is more than sufficient — its benefits would be inexhaustible. To cultivate the divine veins, consecrate the heavenly bridge, reach the other shore, and attain a long and enduring life — none of this is easily accomplished. Remember this always, and never let your ambitions outrun your foundations. Only by laying an unshakably solid groundwork is one truly on the most essential path!”