Like a fish out of water, the pseudo-immortal's strength withered away due to the decline of spiritual energy.
The "True Records of the Profound True Dao Ancestor" points out that this type of pseudo-immortal is considered the lowest tier. They haven't even broken free from the narrow definition of heaven and earth spiritual energy, let alone the broader definition.
In the "True Records of the Profound True Dao Ancestor," pseudo-immortals are divided into two tiers. The lower tier pseudo-immortals lose their power due to the decline of heaven and earth spiritual energy, the so-called advent of the Dharma-ending Age, and can no longer cultivate further.
However, the higher tier pseudo-immortals are not bound by heaven and earth spiritual energy as a singular energy source. They seek other energy sources and convert them into the cultivation resources they need.
For example, they draw upon the power of faith and emotions from the hearts of countless mortals, then convert this divine energy into the immortal cultivation resources they require.
For example, they draw energy from the various ores, water sources, land, and even the entire planet itself, then convert it into the immortal cultivation resources they need.
For example, they draw energy from the concept of slaughter, from the concept of time, from the concept of the five elements, and from various seemingly ethereal, yet non-spiritual, simply existing concepts, converting them into the immortal energy they require.
This is the higher tier among pseudo-immortals.
They are not limited to the narrow definition of heaven and earth spiritual energy but pursue the broader definition of spiritual energy.
As long as the broader definition of spiritual energy exists, their power will not diminish.
Such cultivators can draw energy from time and space, and in many fictional worlds, they are beings at the pinnacle of existence. However, for the supreme primordial chaos, these beings are not "true immortals" but merely "pseudo-immortals," the limit of ordinary beings, at most cultivators at the Void Refinement and Dao Integration stage, not true Earth Immortals.
According to the records in the "True Records of the Profound True Dao Ancestor," even pseudo-immortals who can draw energy from time and space, upon entering the Void Sea of All Emptiness, can no longer find any "space" or "time" from which to draw energy.
Outside the fictional world, there is "no space," "no time," "no lifespan," "no distance," "no rules," "no Great Dao," "no material existence," "no sentient beings," "no concepts," "no emotions."
Under such circumstances, even higher tier pseudo-immortals cannot survive in the Void Sea, precisely because the broader definition of spiritual energy, all spiritual and material energy, has no substitute in the Void Sea.
No matter how powerful a higher tier pseudo-immortal is, they still require energy, spirit, concepts, and laws to sustain themselves.
In the Void Sea of all emptiness, where there is no time, no space, no spirit... once their true form steps in, it is a path to only death, with no other options.
Only true immortals can "create something from nothing" without relying on rules, Great Dao, spiritual energy, or energy sources. They can create rules, Great Dao, spiritual energy, and cultivation energy themselves.
Being able to "create something from nothing," possess "infinite energy," and have "inexhaustible magical power," and to step in with their true form without sinking into the Void Sea – this is the true might of an Earth Immortal.
This is the true immortal.
The answer to "What is an immortal?" has been thoroughly explained in the "True Records of the Profound True Dao Ancestor."
It divides cultivation below the immortal realm into pseudo-immortals, and further divides pseudo-immortals into lower and higher tiers.
Achieving Earth Immortal status is considered becoming a true immortal.
As for the grades of immortals, the "True Records of the Profound True Dao Ancestor" offers no explanation. This is because the Profound True Dao Ancestor himself states that he is merely an "external Heavenly Immortal," progressing within the Heavenly Immortal fruit position. While heading towards the supreme primordial chaos, he heard the teachings of the mythical Great Luo Yunlong Venerable and gained a slight understanding of "profound principles." He is at most an "external Heavenly Immortal" possessing some characteristics of a Profound Immortal, and thus naturally not qualified to discuss the distinctions between immortal grades.
On the thirty-eighth page of the "True Records of the Profound True Dao Ancestor," the classification of fictional worlds is also discussed.
In the view of the Profound True Dao Ancestor, fictional worlds can be divided into three levels.
The first level of fictional worlds: cultivators within these worlds are unaware of events happening outside their realm, do not know the fundamental nature of the Void Sea, and lack the strength to interact with the outside. This is because the low level of the fictional world makes it impossible to even use the world as a vessel for navigation.
Once the spiritual energy within the world is depleted, the cultivators inside can only wait for death helplessly.
Such worlds are considered low-level fictional worlds.
Low-level fictional worlds generally contain lower tier pseudo-immortals.
The second level of fictional worlds: cultivators within these worlds are aware of events happening outside their realm, know the fundamental nature of the Void Sea, and can use their world as a vessel, with themselves as crew and captain, to navigate. This allows them to interact with other fictional worlds and sail the Void Sea.
Such worlds are considered intermediate fictional worlds.
Intermediate fictional worlds contain higher tier pseudo-immortals, but these pseudo-immortals are essentially just more powerful mortals, not immortals.
Therefore, they rely on the protection of their own world to navigate the Void Sea. Once they lose the protection of their world-ship, they are incapable of moving their true form in the Void Sea.
In other words, they cannot escape the world-ship and can only interfere with the Void Sea and other fictional worlds through their own power.
Relying on a fictional world does not equate to true strength.
When the broad definition of spiritual energy, all spiritual, material, and energy sources within are depleted, if they cannot devour or plunder other fictional worlds, they are destined for destruction.
Such fictional worlds are still trapped by an energy crisis.
Once trapped in an energy crisis, pseudo-immortals are bound to die. Pseudo-immortals cannot escape their fictional worlds.
The third level of fictional worlds refers to worlds where true immortals reside within.
The Profound True Realm, where the Profound True Dao Ancestor resides, is a world of this tier.
The Profound True Dao Ancestor can leave the Profound True Realm, his fictional world, and enter the Void Sea with his true form, possessing an inexhaustible source of magical power, infinite magical power, and infinite energy.
He can navigate the Void Sea without relying on a fictional world. Mortals always need the protection of a fictional world, but immortals do not.
Immortals transcend fictional worlds.
They no longer face an energy crisis and do not need to rely on navigating fictional worlds or devouring other fictional worlds to obtain energy.
They themselves are infinite energy, they themselves are infinite energy sources.
This is the third level of fictional world, also known as a high-level fictional world.
Whether there are fourth-level, fifth-level fictional worlds above the third level, the Profound True Dao Ancestor states in his book that he is not qualified to classify them.
Regarding the Golden Immortals in the supreme primordial chaos, and their so-called "immortal golden nature," the Profound True Dao Ancestor is also not qualified to define them. He has not even reached the Profound Immortal stage, let alone Golden Immortal. He merely gained some characteristics of a Profound Immortal by heading to the supreme primordial chaos and listening to the teachings of various powerful beings.
The Profound True Realm, as a whole, can be comparable to a high-configuration primordial chaos, but it cannot compare to any top-tier primordial chaos.
Low-configuration and mid-configuration primordial chaos realms contain many pseudo-immortals but no true immortals.
Those pseudo-immortals who are still limited by energy crises and trapped by energy cannot be called true immortals, nor can they attain the true fruit position of Earth Immortals.