The Elixir of Life is the only way to attain immortality, and the Shogun knows who to send to get his hands on it. Now that the ruthless criminals, including Gabimaru and their Yamada Asaemon escorts, have entered Kotaku Island, do they find the elixir of life in Hell's Paradise?
Spoiler Warning: This article contains manga spoilers for Hell's Paradise!
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Does the Elixir of Life Exist in Hell’s Paradise?
The Elixir of Life exists in Hell's Paradise, though Gabimaru and the others initially mistook it for a fruit called Tokijiku no Kagunomi that they needed to harvest from the magical world.
The Elixir of Life is known as Tan and the Tensens; all seven of them guard it with their lives.
However, the Elixir of Life holds many secrets, and Gabimaru and the others were only scraping the surface when they initially landed on the island.
It is the result of Lord Tensen's research into creating a potion for anyone seeking external ways to become immortal, regardless of intrinsic abilities or training.
It is produced by human life on the island of Kotaku, much like nectar from flowers.
So, when the Shogunate's Court discovered a glimmer of hope that the Elixir of Life existed, they resolved to send an investigation team to examine the so-called paradise, nirvana, or sukhavati, the realms everlasting beyond the Ryukyu Islands in the far Southwest.
What greeted the explorers was far more than just the dancing of leaves and petals; they could even hear a bird sing, just as the folklore told.
Therefore, the explorers assumed that the elixir of life that grants immortality also exists.
Unfortunately, not a single soul alive returned to the Shogun until one witness, barely alive, returned with some kind of flower sprouting on his body.
Of course, this piqued the Shogunate's interest, and what better way to confirm the existence of the Elixir of Life than to send more hopeless people on another expedition?
This is where Gabimaru enters the picture, along with the other deadly criminals seeking forgiveness.
They opted to explore the island with their assigned Asaemons, knowing that there would be carnage and death along the way.
Bringing back the elixir of life, however, is a tremendously tough task. Not only must they fight the harsh and unforgiving environment of the island, but they must also learn the secrets hidden within it, not to mention the formidable Tensens who guard it.
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Where Is the Elixir of Life in Hell’s Paradise?
The Elixir of Life is found on the mysterious island known as Kotaku, the Paradise of the Gods.
The island may appear to some to be an idyllic setting, but Gabimaru found it to be a creepy landscape full of man-made flora and creatures that do not belong together in their natural habitat.
The wildlife is incredibly strange, with butterflies with human faces that aren't found anywhere else on the planet.
Furthermore, these vermin have alien anatomy, and some have other lifeforms sewn onto them.
Worse, there are monsters known as Soshin roaming the island all the time. Given their religious adornments, Yamada Asaemon Senta believes these monsters are misbegotten gods.
They are the island's guardian deities, bestowing wisdom and punishing those who reject their religious beliefs.
There are also the Monshin, who serve as guardians, and, most crucially, the Doshi, who is Lord Tensen's direct disciples and possess intellect.
The island of Kotaku is divided into three regions: the Eishu, which contains the beach and the forest; the Hojo, which has the settlement of Hoko; and the Horai, which is covered in mist and contains the elixir of life, known as Tan.
As a result, Senta argued that Kotaku is the polar opposite of a mystic realm because it is a revolting and shoddily constructed Mandala that appears strange and intriguing.
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Who Guards the Elixir of Life in Hell’s Paradise?
Tan is protected by the island's highest beings, the seven Tensens. They command the Soshin and pass judgment on sinners, specifically humans who visit the island. But don't worry; those who are condemned do not just perish; their lives become flowers that nourish the Elixir of Life.
The Tensens, also called Heavenly Hermits in Mainland China, refer to an elite class of mystical hermits.
They are immortals, all seven of them, and they are Supreme Fugen Jotei, Heavenly Ashuku Taitei, Enthroned Fuku Jukun, Sagacious Ratana Taisei, Regnant Nyoi Genkun, Decorus Monjo Koko, and Imperial Jundei Teikun.
They vary in character and role, but together they rule over Kotaku Island. They can manipulate Tao, or the energy that flows through all creation, which is why they can touch the very origins of creation.
The Tensens were believed to have been created by Jofuku, a famous Hoshi who used Shenxian Principles to discover the secrets of immortality.
He created crossbreeds of creatures with similar Tao to experiment with Tao directly. He also disassembled and reassembled them with each experiment aimed at gaining immortality.
For many years, the Tensens regularly exercised their Tao in five ascetic methods: Do'in, Taisoku, Shu'Itsu, Shuten, and, most importantly, Bochu Jutsu.
The first four can be completed on their own, but the fifth requires a training partner because the Yin and Yang cycle requires intimate congress or simply sexual intercourse.
The Elixir of Life, or Tan, is essential to the Tensens, yet it will only convert ordinary humans into trees, and they will die as a result.
Unfortunately, the Tan is insufficient to sustain the Tensens, which is why Rien devised a strategy to nurture Banko, a massive Waitanhua flower, to process a far greater quantity of Tan all at once.
Unbeknownst to the others, the true aim is to resurrect the Grand Master, and in order to accomplish this, Rien, who turns out to be Shinsen, must utilize the humans of Woguo to nurture Banko all at once.
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Do They Find the Elixir of Life in Hell’s Paradise?
Yes, Gabimaru and the others manage to find and retrieve the Elixir of Life in Hell’s Paradise, after so many intense fights with Shinsen, the Tensens, the reinforcements from Iwagakure Village, and even the other Asaemons, particularly Shugen.
The Elixir of Life was brought home by Gantetsusai after Gabimaru, Yuzuriha, and Nurugai agreed that it would be best for him to bring it back and receive the writ of pardon from the Court of Shogunate.
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