At the courtyard gate, the old man and his grandson stood watching as the stranger rode off on his white horse, disappearing into the distance in a cloud of dust.
Li Ping'an clutched his broken wooden sword, still mimicking the stances he'd learned earlier.
"Hiss—!"
Suddenly, his ear was yanked painfully.
The old man, who had seemed so kind before, now glared in fury. "You little brat! That man's another seeker of immortality. Sooner or later, he'll be flying through the skies like the rest of them. And you—talking about killing immortals! Do you want to get the entire village killed?!"
"I want revenge!" the boy shouted.
"Crack—!"
The old man snapped the wooden sword in two, raising his hand as if to strike, but finally froze midair. His voice softened. "Child, accept your fate…"
This so-called cultivation world—people here lived no better, perhaps even worse, than those of the Great Sheng Dynasty.
If cultivators needed so much spiritual grain… why didn't they grow it themselves?
The thought sounded foolish even to Chen Sanshi. He spurred his horse faster.
Following the old man's directions, he headed southeast for five hundred li.
Soon, a towering mountain blocked his path, reaching into the clouds. At its base, a familiar group of figures came into view—the seven cultivators led by Lu Boqin, whom he had parted ways with earlier. Clearly, they had found the same place.
Mist coiled thick around the mountain's base, ancient trees rose like pillars to the heavens, but there was no visible way up.
Lu Boqin sent two men into the fog to scout ahead. They vanished, only to reappear moments later, panting and confused.
"Brother Lu, it's no use! It's like a maze inside. No matter which way we walk, we end up right back here."
"Ah…"
Another man sighed deeply. "I've spent five years seeking the path of immortality—step by step, hardship after hardship. And still, it's as hard as ever."
Just as frustration was setting in, two figures slowly emerged from the mist.
An old man with a wine gourd at his waist, leading a donkey.
The old man grinned amiably. "Fellow Daoists, are you seekers of immortality?"
"We are," Lu Boqin replied, clasping his fists. "Senior, you must be a cultivator from within Daze Market. Might we ask how we can enter?"
"Ten spirit stones," the old man said casually, taking a sip of wine. "I'll show you the way—what do you think?"
"Ten?"
Lu Boqin frowned, his tone hardening. "Do you take us for fools?"
These people clearly knew far more about the cultivation world than most wanderers from The Edge of the World.
"Heh," the old man chuckled lazily, his breath reeking faintly of wine. "There are so many of you, and just ten lower-grade spirit stones—how is that expensive?"
"Two," Lu Boqin said firmly. "We'll all pay together. Two spirit stones total. If you agree, fine. If not, we'll walk away."
"Ah, fine, fine. I'll take a loss this time," the old man said, pretending to grumble but clearly pleased.
Lu Boqin and the others began pooling their money.
Ten spirit crystals equaled one spirit stone.
They divided the cost evenly among themselves.
"You there, friend," Lu Boqin called, spotting Chen Sanshi watching from horseback in the distance. "If you're also seeking the immortal path, why not join us?"
"Alright," Chen Sanshi replied without hesitation.
He took out one spirit stone, exchanged it for ten spirit crystals, and handed over his share.
'This old man sure knows how to make money,' Chen Sanshi thought. 'At this rate, he's probably earning dozens of spirit stones just by pointing the way.'
Once the two spirit stones were gathered, the old man—whose name, he later introduced, was Mo Zhu—began to lead the way.
The area was covered by a Mist-Trapping Formation, designed to prevent ordinary mortals from accidentally wandering in and disturbing cultivators. The only way to pass through was by following a specific walking pattern while chanting a simple incantation.
After about five hundred steps through the swirling mist, they finally emerged into a vast, breathtaking world.
The cultivation realm—Daze Market!
Before them stretched endless green mountains and clear rivers. Fields brimmed with spiritual herbs and immortal grasses that shimmered in seven-colored light. Springs gushed with pure spirit liquid, strange beasts roamed freely, and high above the blue sky, cultivators soared through the air, riding swords or clouds.
It was truly a sight out of legend.
Lu Boqin and the others were struck speechless.
"At last!" Tang Ao said, eyes wide with excitement. "So now we can just find a place and start cultivating, right?"
"Hehe, young man," Mo Zhu chuckled, stroking his beard. "You think too simply. The world's spiritual energy is limited, but people are not. If everyone took what they wanted, how could there be enough to go around? For us cultivators to obtain enough spiritual energy, we must rely on spirit veins and cave dwellings."
"Let's walk and talk," he continued, leading the way and pointing toward the mountain peaks ahead, where pavilions floated in the clouds. "This place is called Daze Market. It has one main spirit vein of the second rank, and one subsidiary spirit vein of the first rank."
"The ranking of spirit veins determines their strength. Simply put—the higher the rank, the greater the benefit to cultivation. But for anyone below the Foundation Establishment stage, a first-rank vein is more than enough."
"In Daze Market, the majority of veins are first-rank."
"Now, let me explain the rules. Daze Market is currently managed by a family clan. Foreign cultivators who wish to stay here must first register their identity at the Office of Affairs and then purchase a cave dwelling. Otherwise, they can't remain long."
"This… cultivation world still uses such shabby housing?"
After walking through the picturesque countryside, they came upon rows of thatched huts lining both sides of the path. Even compared to mortal villages, they looked crude and poor.
"These," Mo Zhu explained, "are the spiritual vein cave dwellings. As I said, the world's spiritual energy is finite. Every spirit vein must be used to its fullest capacity. Crowding is inevitable. What you see here are cave dwellings built upon lower-grade first-rank veins."
"Low, middle, and upper grade correspond to the early, middle, and late stages of Qi Refining, respectively. If you want better conditions, you can buy a middle- or upper-grade dwelling—but the cost rises sharply."
"Still, most cultivators living in lower-grade caves also purchase large mortal estates for leisure and rest."
Soon, they reached halfway up the mountain.
The scenery became livelier.
Streets spread in all directions, cultivators bustled about, and on both sides stood rows of stalls and shops selling every kind of item imaginable.
The entire market teemed with noise and energy, a bustling world where mortals and immortals crossed paths beneath the endless sky.
Unlike the mortal world, the carriages here weren't pulled by horses but by strange beasts. The stalls and shops didn't sell ordinary goods either—they offered pills, talismans, and magical artifacts of all kinds.
Everyone watched with wide eyes, dazzled by what they saw.
Before long, they reached their destination—a grand pavilion standing at the highest point of the market, its signboard bearing four large golden characters: Daze Office of Affairs.
Upon entering, Chen Sanshi immediately spotted a familiar face—Xu Youliang, the cultivator who had earlier scammed a naive youth out of his spirit stones. He was, it turned out, one of the deacons here.
"Well, if it isn't old Mo," Xu Youliang said, scanning the group with a grin. "Still got your nose for profit, huh?"
"Just earning a bit of travel money," Mo Zhu replied, chuckling. "My old tongue's near worn out from guiding this lot."
Then he turned to the others. "My job's done, fellow Daoists. We'll part ways here. Oh, and if you ever need talismans—look for me. Fair prices, honest business, no trickery."
"Alright," Xu Youliang waved lazily. "Come on, register your names."
The group stepped forward one by one, leaving their names and recording their origins. Each received a small wooden token, serving as an identity pass allowing them to freely enter and leave Daze Market.
However, without a cave dwelling, they could not stay longer than two hours per day.
And cave dwellings were expensive.
A lower-grade cave cost thirty spirit stones per year.
A middle-grade cave cost fifty.
An upper-grade one—one hundred.
Xu Youliang looked them over and said, "Since all of you made it here from the mortal realm on your own, I assume you each have a jade token?"
He smirked. "If you lack spirit stones, you can trade your jade token for residence rights. Under the current rules, one jade token can be exchanged for twenty years of ownership of an upper-grade cave dwelling."
Everyone's scalp tingled hearing the earlier prices. But after learning how valuable the jade tokens were, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
"You outsiders are far better off than local loose cultivators," Xu Youliang explained. "With your jade tokens, you can move straight into upper-grade dwellings—perfect for cultivation. The locals, on the other hand, can only crowd into those shabby lower-grade huts."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Tang Ao couldn't contain his excitement and immediately took out his jade token.
"But I must make one thing clear first," Xu Youliang warned. "Once the trade is done, the jade token becomes property of the market. There's no undoing it. And once you lose the token, you'll have no way of returning to the mortal world."
"No way back?" Tang Ao asked, frowning. "But back at The Edge of the World, weren't there plenty of cultivators who went out to search for spirit veins?"
Xu Youliang arched a brow. "You just said it yourself—they went out to search for spirit veins. Those were special cases. Normally, the market wouldn't spend such vast resources to maintain the teleportation array. Once their mission's done, it's shut down immediately."
"Of course," he added lightly, "if you have enough spirit stones, you could reopen the teleportation array yourself. But the cost—well, you probably couldn't afford it even after cultivating for years."
The room fell silent.
Everyone exchanged uncertain glances.
Trading the jade token would grant them a place to settle and cultivate in the immortal realm—but it also meant forever cutting ties with the mortal world.
"I still have two younger brothers and a sister," someone murmured.
"I've got a son back home."
"I promised to find my little sister a good husband."
"Enough!"
Lu Boqin slammed his jade token onto the table, his voice ringing like steel. "It seems some of you lack the resolve for the Dao."
"Indeed," another Martial Saint said as he placed his token beside it. "Since we've stepped onto the path of immortality, we're no longer mortals. If we succeed, our lifespan will stretch for hundreds or even thousands of years. No matter what ties we had in the mortal world, we must abandon them eventually."
"Well said, Brother Qu."
With the two Martial Saints taking the lead, the rest followed one after another, each laying their jade tokens down.
"And you, friend?" Xu Youliang turned to Chen Sanshi. "Where's your token?"
"I…"
Under everyone's gaze, Chen Sanshi shook his head. "I'll pass."
He hadn't come here simply to chase immortality.
The emperor, the Fragrant Fire God Sect—all these things proved there were higher powers at play. If he didn't understand them, he might not be able to face what was coming.
And there was the anomaly at the Luotian Mountain Range.
'Mass death of living beings…' Those words still echoed in his mind.
He needed strength—quickly. To face immortals, he had to learn immortal arts himself. But his goal wasn't eternal life.
Immortality was just a means to an end.
If he stayed here permanently, that would mean abandoning everything—his wife, his child, his brothers-in-arms. That wasn't an option.
"Oh?" Lu Boqin said coldly. "Seems our friend here is still too attached to the mortal world."
"Indeed."
"Are you giving up the path of immortality, brother?"
"Who doesn't desire eternal life?" Chen Sanshi countered calmly. "But tell me, all of you—why do you seek it?"
"Why else?" Lu Boqin laughed. "To do whatever we please, of course."
"Exactly," another added. "Immortals live unbound and free."
"Well," Chen Sanshi said evenly, "perhaps I'm a bit different. I don't seek the Dao to do whatever I want—but to ensure that when I don't want to do something, no one can force me."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
Lu Boqin and the others chuckled, thinking he was just playing with words.
"Deacon Xu," Chen Sanshi said, ignoring them, "is there another way to earn spirit stones?"
"Of course," Xu Youliang grinned. "Plenty."
Xu Youliang pointed toward the stairs. "Go downstairs. In the main hall, there are plenty of job postings and bounty notices. You can earn spirit stones that way. Take a look yourself if you're interested."
The others stayed to complete the procedures for their cave dwellings. Chen Sanshi, meanwhile, went down alone.
The walls were covered with notices of all kinds.
Gold Spirit Mountain—Hiring 500 miners.
Pay: 2 spirit crystals per day, settled monthly.
"Two spirit crystals?"
Chen Sanshi quickly did the math. That was only 6 spirit stones a month—about 72 per year. A single lower-grade cave dwelling already cost 30 per year, which meant half of one's annual income went straight into rent.
That was brutal—and it wasn't even the worst.
Daze Market—Hiring spirit farmers.
Rental rate: 50 spirit stones per mu of spiritual farmland per year, depending on quality.
Hundred Pill Hall—Accepting alchemy apprentices.
Tuition: 8 spirit stones.
Study duration: 10 years.
Must serve Swallow Fire Manor for 30 years after training.
Tool Refining Apprentices Wanted.
Tuition: 12 spirit stones.
Training period: 10 years.
And so on.
Each posting was more outrageous than the last.
Chen Sanshi studied them carefully. If one relied only on manual labor to survive in Daze Market, they'd barely break even each year—no savings, no advancement.
Technical crafts like alchemy, artifact forging, and talisman-making did pay far better, but the time cost was enormous—decades of learning before any returns.
'This is cultivation?' he thought bitterly.
Life for low-level cultivators didn't seem much better than for commoners in the mortal world.
Then he remembered something.
He still had one mid-grade spirit stone, worth 100 lower-grade stones—a small fortune by any measure.
'That little sister-in-law of mine… she really went big,' he mused.
Then a new thought struck him.
'Wait—how did Shen Guiyi get so many spirit stones? And where did she learn her immortal techniques?'
Another posting caught his eye:
Daze Market—Hiring Law Enforcement Deacons.
Requirement: Martial Dao Stage Two or higher.
Pay: 20 spirit stones per month.
Martial Dao Stage Two…
After asking around, Chen Sanshi learned that the cultivation world's martial stages differed from those of the mortal realm.
The First Stage was Mortal Shedding.
The Second Stage was True Strength.
In the mortal world, a Martial Saint equaled the True Strength stage—strong and capable. If they were willing to sell their lives, they could earn quite a bit.
As for Chen Sanshi, his current realm—Profound Manifestation, at the level of mastery—was about to reach Minor Achievement, putting him at mid-stage Mortal Shedding.
He needed to break through to Martial Saint as soon as possible.
At that level, he'd have both power and a place to stand no matter where he went.
Besides the posted jobs, there were other ways for cultivators to make big money—bounties and hunting.
Bounties included tasks like killing enemies for other cultivators or finding rare spirit herbs.
Hunting meant slaying spirit beasts or demon beasts.
The beasts in the Luotian Mountains had already rivaled high-level martial experts. The beasts here in the cultivation world were likely even stronger—equal to cultivators themselves.
Hunting was a deadly profession.
And bounty missions? Even worse—dangerous, ruthless work that demanded both courage and strength.
One notice stood out among the rest:
Bounty—Ghost-Faced Demon.
Reward: 10,000 spirit stones, plus permanent ownership of an upper-grade cave dwelling.
"What?"
Ten thousand!
In a world where most cultivators couldn't earn 100 spirit stones a year, that was a staggering figure. Clearly, the profits from spiritual veins were unimaginably high.
No wonder so many risked their lives to hunt down Gui Qi.
If someone managed to claim that bounty, they'd never have to worry about money again.
'Gui Qi's martial realm… likely True Strength,' Chen Sanshi guessed.
'Similar to Master's level.'
Using the Qi Observation Technique, he recalled the immense spiritual power within Gui Qi—it might even surpass his Master's.
Wait… speaking of his Master—
Chen Sanshi remembered what his Fourth Senior Brother had said before he left: that he might encounter their Master.
'Two people of similar realms, both warriors… could it be the same person?'
But the appearances and weapons were completely different.
Then again, didn't he also have two faces?
Still, there was no proof.
And since Gui Qi was said to be from the cultivation world, it was better not to jump to conclusions. Mistaking someone else for his Master would be ridiculous.
He turned his thoughts back to money.
'Let's see… two stones for information, three for the boat…'
He had less than two lower-grade spirit stones left.
His mid-grade stone was already half-consumed from cultivation—it might still be worth thirty lower-grade stones at best, barely enough to rent a lower-grade cave dwelling for a year.
But Chen Sanshi had no plans to stay. Not now.
Still, he couldn't just leave empty-handed.
Leaving the Office of Affairs, he wandered into the Daze Market's trading district to browse.
After some time, he stopped before a grand shop called Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
"Greetings, Daoist friend," a smiling female cultivator greeted him. "What might you be looking for today?"
"I'm just browsing."
Chen Sanshi's eyes roamed over the wall of magical artifacts, each displayed with a wooden tag describing its properties.
Guiyuan Sword — Rank 1 lower-grade magic weapon.
Price: 20 spirit stones.
Purple-Gold Hammer — Rank 1 middle-grade magic weapon.
Price: 50 spirit stones.
Each was more expensive than the last.
'If I worked in a mine, it'd take a full year just to afford one,' he thought bitterly.
Then something caught his eye.
Golden Bow and Silver Bullet — Supreme Rank 1 upper-grade magic weapon.
Price: 200 spirit stones.
He stopped in his tracks.
"You've got a good eye, Daoist friend," the saleswoman said brightly. "This Golden Bow and Silver Bullet—if you can aim well, each shot packs the power of a full-strength attack from a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. There's only one in stock. Once it's gone, it's gone. Don't miss your chance."
"It's incredible…" Chen Sanshi murmured, his heart stirring.
But sadly, he didn't have that kind of money.
And even if he did, with his current first-stage Qi Refining level, he couldn't even wield such a weapon.
'Maybe I should buy a flying sword instead?' he thought.
If he remembered correctly, once one reached mid-stage Qi Refining, it was possible to fly using a sword.
But after a moment's thought, he dismissed the idea.
He didn't even have spiritual qi to cultivate with—what use was a flying sword?
With just one mid-grade spirit stone, Chen Sanshi figured he wouldn't even reach the second level of Qi Refining. Otherwise, why would cultivators here fight tooth and nail just to buy a cave dwelling?
'Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish,' he thought.
Rather than spend what little he had on fleeting gains, he wanted something that could keep bringing returns. So, he turned toward the section where cultivation manuals and techniques were sold.
Unlike the mortal world, where techniques were written on paper scrolls or books, most of the cultivation methods here were stored in jade slips no larger than a palm. A cultivator had to inject a trace of spiritual power into the jade to view a preview of its contents. Only after purchase would they receive full access.
Nourishing Essence Pill · Formula
Clarity Spirit Pill · Formula
"Young Daoist," a female cultivator said, noticing his interest, "are you perhaps thinking of learning alchemy?"
She seemed to realize at a glance that he was a newly arrived rogue cultivator. "All the pill formulas we sell here are the most basic kinds, and even then, they aren't really meant for loose cultivators. If you truly wish to study alchemy, it's best to become an apprentice at the Hundred Pill Hall."
"Do I really have to become an apprentice? Isn't there any other way?"
Chen Sanshi took a spirit crystal from his pocket and placed it on the counter. "Miss, could I trouble you to explain in detail?"
"You're quite generous, Daoist."
She smiled and accepted the crystal. "There are over a hundred crafts in the cultivation world, but the four most esteemed are: alchemy, artifact forging, talisman crafting, and formation arrays. Master even one of these, and you'll have the foundation to survive anywhere in the immortal realm.
"But of course, that's easier said than done. These four crafts are all monopolized by major sects and families. Few loose cultivators can access them, and they're notoriously hard to master.
"Take alchemy for instance. Without a proper teacher, you'll waste a fortune in materials during the learning phase. And unless you have extraordinary talent, you'll achieve nothing on your own. Even geniuses have to start as apprentices."
She gestured toward the shelves. "As for pill formulas and cauldrons, we do sell those—though if you don't care about quality, the cheap ones will do. But the real expense isn't the formula—it's the alchemical flame."
"Alchemical flame?" Chen Sanshi asked. "What exactly is that?"
"Just as the name implies—it's the fire used in alchemy. Whether refining pills or crafting weapons, special flames are required. Only sects with dedicated fire veins possess such resources.
"If you don't have a fire vein…"
She opened a small chest on the counter. Inside lay several pieces of wood that shimmered faintly with light.
"…then you'll have to buy strange fire instead. These logs burn with a spiritual flame strong enough to refine first-rank lower or middle-grade pills. But each use costs several spirit stones. It's less like burning wood, more like burning money. Unless you're a seasoned alchemist, you'll lose far more than you earn."
Chen Sanshi nodded thoughtfully.
Strange fire.
He already had that.
'So among alchemy, forging, talismans, and arrays… alchemy and artifact forging would suit me best,' he realized.
All he'd need was a pill formula and a cauldron—he wouldn't even need to buy fire.
"Thank you for the advice, Miss. I'll look around on my own," he said with a polite nod, then began searching through the shelves.
As the woman had said, there were no high-grade or rare pill formulas here—just scraps and leftovers. But luck favored him: he found a formula that could boost the Mortal Shedding Realm in martial cultivation—the Bone-Nourishing Pill.
Exactly what he needed.
If he could refine even a few pills, their effect would surpass that of ordinary herbs, helping him quickly progress through the Profound Manifestation Realm and toward the Martial Saint Realm.
Now more than ever, he yearned to break through.
Below Martial Saint… one was practically powerless.
Just look at the situation in the Luotian Mountains—anyone wanting to fight against cultivators needed at least the strength of a Martial Saint.
But at his current pace, it would take at least half a year to reach perfection in the Profound Manifestation Realm. That speed was already extraordinary… yet still not enough.
He needed to get stronger—faster—to face what was coming.
Especially the Witch God Sect on the grasslands.
In ten days, over one million people had died in Yunzhou.
That kind of mass blood sacrifice was no mortal act. And after years of preparation, no one knew what horrors would unfold once war began. Breaking through to the Martial Saint Realm was no longer a goal—it was a necessity.
Fortunately, since Mortal Shedding Realm warriors held little value in the immortal realm, this particular pill formula wasn't expensive—exactly 20 lower-grade spirit stones.
But he'd still need a cauldron and ingredients.
"For a cauldron," the woman said, "I recommend this one. 200 spirit stones. It's sufficient for all first-rank pills."
Chen Sanshi winced, his jaw tightening.
'So this is what it takes to get started in the cultivation world?'
Then again, if it were easy, no one would be mining or farming for a living.
"Must I use a special alchemy cauldron?" he asked carefully.
'Would the incense burner from the Fragrant Fire God Sect work?' he wondered.
If it did, he could try smuggling one back and removing its tracking seals.
The woman shook her head. "Of course you need a proper cauldron. The cauldron's quality affects both success rate and pill grade. If not, wouldn't anyone just use a random iron pot meant for forging weapons?"
"Right…" Chen Sanshi sighed.
It made sense. When he had used a black-iron furnace and a temple incense burner to refine spiritual grain ointment, the results had been nearly identical—proof that equipment quality truly mattered.
Fine, he'd just buy one outright.
At least basic materials were affordable—five spirit stones per portion.
"Do you have any pills for the True Strength Realm?" he asked next.
"Of course," the woman said, holding up a porcelain bottle. "This is the True Martial Pill, produced by Hundred Pill Hall. 200 spirit stones per pill. If your talent is good, it greatly shortens cultivation time. Even for those with poor aptitude, there's a 1 in 100 chance of breaking through to the True Strength Realm."
"Two hundred…"
The same price as a cauldron—utterly outrageous.
But then again, that 1% chance for a talentless martial artist to reach the Martial Saint Realm was priceless.
No doubt, these were meant for desperate martial cultivators willing to gamble everything.
'With odds that low,' Chen Sanshi thought, 'I wonder if anyone actually takes the bet.'
Just looking at the price gap between the required resources made it obvious—the first and second stages of Martial Dao were two completely different worlds. The difference must be enormous, and probably related to realms even beyond the Martial Saint.
After all, first-stage Mortal Shedding warriors could barely withstand a spell's impact. In the cultivation world, they were almost useless.
The mid-grade spirit stone Chen Sanshi carried was worth, at most, about thirty lower-grade spirit stones.
Not nearly enough to buy anything significant.
At the very least, he could afford the Bone-Nourishing Pills, which would help him reach perfection in the Profound Manifestation Realm. That alone made the trip worthwhile.
He took out the mid-grade spirit stone. It still held a trace of energy, but when exchanged, it yielded only thirty-two lower-grade spirit stones.
He spent twenty of them on four Bone-Nourishing Pills, leaving himself just fourteen stones.
After the exchange—money for goods, goods for money—Chen Sanshi packed up his things, mounted Qianxun, and rode out of Daze Market.
On the way down the mountain, he saw the lives of cultivators in the shanty outskirts.
Some returned from the wilds carrying slain spirit beasts, their bodies bruised and bleeding. Others, covered in dust and grime, complained about the agony of mining spirit stone veins and the dangers that came without warning.
Some carried the corpses of their Dao partners home, faces gray with grief.
"Your cave dwelling's lease has expired!"
"Please, give me a few more days! I just accepted a bounty—within a month I can earn enough spirit stones!"
"Enough nonsense! Come back in a month and reapply!"
Several law enforcers threw the rogue cultivator out of the market without mercy.
Scenes like that only strengthened Chen Sanshi's resolve to leave.
To gain a foothold in this world, one either had to break through to the True Strength Realm or master a true cultivation craft. Otherwise, life was nothing but an endless, desperate struggle.
He still had plenty to do back in Liangzhou, and with the jade token in hand, he could return here freely anytime—he didn't need to wait fifty years. He'd come back once he became a Martial Saint.
Leaving Daze Market behind, he made his way back to Small Stone Village.
"You're back already?"
Old Li was shocked. "Master Chen, didn't you go to seek immortality?"
"I did," Chen Sanshi replied politely. "But immortality's not for me. I'm leaving soon. It's getting dark—may I stay at your house for the night? I'll head out at first light."
He was new to this world and didn't dare camp outside overnight. It was safer to rest under a roof.
"Leaving?"
Old Li had never seen an outsider choose to leave the immortal lands before. Still, this was no man he could afford to offend, so he hurriedly invited him inside.
Chen Sanshi noticed a basket of eggs in the corner.
"I have a granddaughter," Old Li said while pouring hot water. "She's married now—to a man in the city. A concubine, actually. But she's a good girl, always sending things back to us. Thanks to her, life's been a little easier these past couple of years."
He turned toward the kitchen and shouted, "Old woman, get the lard! Fry some eggs for this honored… ah, hero."
The elderly couple busied themselves cooking.
After dinner, Chen Sanshi swallowed one Bone-Nourishing Pill, then headed into a bamboo grove at the edge of the village, carrying a bamboo pole as a makeshift spear.
A pill that cost five spirit stones—a real immortal elixir!
The moment it entered his stomach, a wave of cool comfort spread through his limbs and bones. Unlike the painful surges from mortal tonics, this pill's energy flowed smoothly, gently nourishing his meridians. As he circulated his cultivation technique, the medicinal power gathered in his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, tempering his body and purifying his qi.
"Crack!"
The bamboo pole couldn't withstand the pressure of his gang qi—it exploded into countless splinters.
But at this level, he didn't even need a weapon to train.
After all, fists and spears were merely two expressions of the same force.
"I'm about to break through!"
Chen Sanshi's heart raced. His progress was astonishing—faster than he'd imagined.
Each punch he threw sent violent shockwaves blasting through the air. The bamboo forest around him swayed like it had been caught in a storm, bending nearly ninety degrees, groaning and creaking as if about to snap.
Li Ping'an, hiding nearby, was completely dumbfounded.
In this world, few people practiced martial arts. Among commoners, reaching the second stage of Martial Dao was even considered a forbidden art. He'd seen immortals who could fly, but never a mortal this powerful.
Profound Manifestation Realm: Mastery. Externalized Gang Qi.
After breaking through, a warrior's gang qi could extend up to three zhang (about ten meters) from the body.
With every strike, Chen Sanshi's fist force grew stronger and more refined. Under the effect of the pill, for the first time he could maintain his focus without exhausting himself.
He threw one last punch.
A tiger's roar echoed faintly through the air as his gang qi ripped the atmosphere apart. With a thunderous boom, the bamboo grove exploded into splinters. Shards flew like arrows in every direction, forcing Li Ping'an to dive behind a boulder for cover.
Technique: Dragon Spear of Nation-Suppression · Profound Manifestation (Mastery)
Progress: 0/1000
Effect: White Tiger Killing Qi – Destructive Power of the Tiger, Unstoppable Force
Breakthrough!
Chen Sanshi slowly withdrew his energy.
He could still feel the lingering medicinal power of the pill circulating through him. A few more doses, and he'd reach Minor Achievement in the Profound Manifestation Realm.
"Can you kill immortals now?" Li Ping'an asked seriously.
"Never fought one," Chen Sanshi said with a faint smile, ruffling the boy's hair. "Go to sleep. Before I leave, I'll write down the full sword technique for you. Practice well—but don't show it to anyone until you're sure you can protect yourself. Understand?"
"Got it."
Li Ping'an nodded solemnly. "Master, you said you're leaving… will you come back?"
"I should," Chen Sanshi replied softly.
Chen Sanshi said, "I'll come back in a couple of years to see how your training's going. And one more thing—if you get into trouble, don't you dare use my name."
He'd already decided not to use his real identity when teaching the boy. But it didn't matter much. If something really happened, he could always change his face again.
The written language between the two worlds wasn't that different, so that night, Chen Sanshi copied down the entire sword manual, gave it to Li Ping'an, and told him to hide it well. Then he sat cross-legged in the small house to rest for a few hours.
Before dawn, he mounted Qianxun and began the ride back along the same road he came.
This journey had finally come to an end. He needed to return to Liangzhou first and take care of the important matters waiting for him there.
Too bad…
He had no spirit stones left.
Without them, he couldn't buy the alchemy furnace, formulas, or ingredients he needed. If only he could refine two furnaces of True Martial Pills, he might just break through to the Martial Saint Realm before the war on the grasslands began. Then he could intervene in the affairs of the Luotian Mountains instead of sitting by helplessly.
'Becoming an immortal,' he thought bitterly, 'really is too expensive.'
Far across the lands—
At the ends of the world.
An ancient teleportation formation stood quietly amid overgrown ruins.
A young man in straw sandals and a patched travel robe carried a small bundle on his back. His name was Sinan.
He had once been an ordinary martial artist from the mortal realm. But his talent for martial arts was so poor that, despite years of practice, he achieved nothing. His family, burdened by poverty, could no longer support his training.
Frustrated, he set off wandering the mountains, until one day he stumbled upon a miraculous encounter—he found a jade token and a spirit root testing method.
To his shock, the test revealed that he possessed a Heaven-grade Thunder Spirit Root, along with a Supreme Bone—both the marks of a heaven-sent prodigy.
According to the ancient records inscribed on the jade, if someone like him could enter the cultivation world, he was destined to become a mighty being—an existence others could only dream of.
"Is this really the path?"
He'd asked around for days and finally learned that following this ancient road would lead to the teleportation array.
"Hey there, young man!"
A burly man with a full beard approached him. "You're seeking the immortal path too?"
Sinan tensed, his eyes wary.
"Don't be nervous, I'm the same."
The bearded man smiled and pulled a jade token from his robe. "See? I've got one too."
Sinan looked carefully—it was identical to his own. He relaxed and exhaled softly.
"Brother," said the bearded man warmly, "I've heard rumors that people have been ambushing others for these tokens. Why don't we travel together? It'll be safer that way."
"Alright!"
Sinan nodded firmly.
The two set off side by side.
Halfway through the mountain path, a man suddenly leapt out and attacked.
Startled, Sinan froze.
The bearded man sprang forward, striking back ferociously. Within moments, he beat the assailant bloody and sent him fleeing into the woods.
"Thank you, brother!" Sinan said, still shaken.
"Heh."
The bearded man glanced at him. "Young brother, you don't seem to have practiced martial arts, have you?"
"No," Sinan admitted honestly. "My martial talent's terrible. But I have a Heaven-grade Thunder Spirit Root—and a Supreme Bone! I heard those are incredibly rare in the cultivation world! You saved my life today. Once I ascend and achieve greatness, I'll repay you for this kindness."
"Oh, is that so…"
The bearded man's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then I, Li Huzi, suppose I can say I've just killed a future mighty immortal."
"What?"
Sinan froze in confusion.
Li Huzi's hand gleamed with golden light as he struck down with a single punch. The world went dark.
"Got it!"
Li Huzi crouched beside the corpse and retrieved the jade token. "Didn't even know a lick of martial arts. How'd this idiot make it here? And I even wasted time pretending!"
"Li Huzi!"
Another cultivator emerged from the bushes—it was his accomplice.
"You killed him? He said he had a Thunder Spirit Root! If he really became a great immortal, we could've used him as our ticket to glory!"
"Fool!" Li Huzi barked. "We're already cultivators. Once he advanced, it'd only take him a glance to find out who we are. Do you think we'd still be alive then?"
"Tch."
The other man sighed regretfully.
If they'd played it right, they could've openly acted as his protectors and ridden his rise to fame.
But Li Huzi scoffed. "Relying on heaven or others is useless. Only relying on ourselves works!"
He weighed the two jade tokens in his hand and grinned. "Two upper-grade cave dwellings! Even if we sell them, they'll fetch a fortune!"
This boy was the second victim they'd ambushed.
Ever since the opening of the Heavenly Gate, many had struck it rich doing the same.
"Li Huzi, remember our deal," his partner reminded. "Half for each of us."
"Of course, of course," Li Huzi said casually, though a shadow flickered in his eyes.
Just as he was about to make his move, the ancient teleportation formation ahead began to glow again—
Someone else was coming.