Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

When the small sword formed from a surge of sword energy pierced into the foreheads of Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo, both collapsed to the ground. Xu Ming’s head hit the floor with a thud, while Xu Xue’nuo fared slightly better, falling onto Xu Ming’s shoulder.

“That should do,” the old man said to the gathered crowd.

“Whatever skills you wish to impart to them, now’s the time. If they can handle it, then so be it. If they can’t, it simply means fate has dictated otherwise. It shows that the Dao has denied us even this last chance. We, these old relics, are destined to perish here. The new world has no room for a ship that can carry us forward.”

“Ah, old man, why so pessimistic? I have a lot of faith in this young man~,” Zhou Wanfeng said with a sly smile. “Although I don’t have much to offer, I do have an unnamed meditation technique I found in an ancient ruin. It’s been quite useful, even saving my life multiple times. I’ll pass it on to them.”

Raindrops fell as Zhou Wanfeng condensed a wisp of spiritual energy, which entered the foreheads of Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo.

“I’ll take a gamble on them with my Gambling Oath,” the gambler chuckled, conjuring another wisp of spiritual energy. “They can learn it if they want, though I doubt they’ll take it far. Still, when the day comes for them to make a pact, they might find it useful.” The energy was infused into the duo’s foreheads.

“My butcher’s blade technique suits a brute better, but as for the girl, she probably won’t even bother looking at it. After all, what kind of lady would like my coarse, vulgar blade techniques? But whether she likes it or not, she’ll have to learn it,” the butcher said with a grin, condensing two wisps of spiritual energy and sending them into the pair’s foreheads.

“My Divine Step technique is pretty good. I reckon this boy’s never learned such a top-tier movement technique,” the thief said with a smirk, releasing two more wisps of energy into their foreheads. “Combine their swordsmanship with my movement technique—oh, the possibilities!”

As he spoke, his eyes suddenly lit up. “I wonder what my enemies will think when they see my technique in their hands. Ha! I’d love to see their faces!”

“My spear technique… I hope it finds a successor,” said the lone man among the prisoners who appeared somewhat normal. Bound by chains like the rest, he released two wisps of spear intent, which entered the pair’s foreheads.

Within the cave, every prisoner sent forth a wisp of spiritual energy into Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo’s foreheads. Though each wisp was small, it was the product of countless centuries of painstaking accumulation, even under the restriction of sealed spiritual energy. Every wisp carried with it a unique technique.

“Old man, what will you teach them?” Zhou Wanfeng asked teasingly.

The carpenter chuckled. “The old man’s never taken an apprentice, has he?”

Zhang Xiao’er chimed in, “So these two kids are essentially your disciples now?”

“Get lost! What disciples? I’ve never taken an apprentice and never will. But these two… they do have remarkable swordsmanship talent. Not as good as me, of course, but not bad. I’ll teach them one sword move—just one. If they can master it… ha!”

The old man didn’t finish his sentence, instead bursting into hearty laughter.

The mood in the cave grew solemn. Everyone present understood what the old man meant. They all knew which sword move he was referring to.

Though he adamantly claimed he wouldn’t take disciples, if these two truly mastered that sword move, they’d essentially be his disciples in all but name.

Still chuckling, the old man conjured two miniature swords from his forehead. The swords shot into the pair’s foreheads.

“Now, let us begin!” the old man declared in a deep voice.

“Understood!” The others quickly steadied themselves, putting aside their distractions and responding in unison.

A storm of sword energy swept through the cave, lifting Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo into the air. They floated, suspended in midair.

The storm of sword energy fragmented into countless invisible threads, each one piercing into the vital Fengling acupoints of the fifteen prisoners, including the old man.

Though their spiritual energy had long been sealed, through the guidance of these sword-energy threads, their energy began to trickle slowly into Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo’s bodies.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the two young figures. They all knew that their fate now rested entirely in the hands of these two.

At the same time, Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo slowly opened their eyes. However, they both quickly realized that it was not their physical bodies that had awakened but their souls. ṛÄNồβĚS

Surrounding them was a field of blood-red earth, littered with countless swords as if it were a graveyard of blades. Above them hung a blood-red sun in the sky. The ground was red, the sun was red, and even the clouds in the sky were red.

This oppressive world of crimson exuded an overwhelming sense of desolation and silent foreboding. It felt as though the entire world had descended into an apocalyptic wasteland, enveloping Xu Ming and Xu Xue’nuo in its chilling atmosphere.

And then, from the distance, a figure appeared.

Xu Ming focused his gaze and saw that it was a woman—a stunningly beautiful woman with alluring features, wearing a purple dress that accentuated her mature figure.

At first glance, the woman bore a striking resemblance to Zhou Wanfeng, the woman they had seen in the cave.

No, it wasn’t just a resemblance.

It was Zhou Wanfeng.

Unlike the Zhou Wanfeng in the cave, who had been imprisoned for so long that she looked disheveled and unkempt, her beauty dulled by years of neglect, this Zhou Wanfeng was immaculate, radiating the elegance of her former self.

“Do I look good, little brother?” Zhou Wanfeng asked, her lips curling into a playful smile, her eyes curving seductively.

Zhou Wanfeng’s charm was of the same enchanting nature as Mo Zhuer’s, yet Mo Zhuer’s youth gave her allure a certain innocence amidst the seduction. Zhou Wanfeng, on the other hand, exuded the full bloom of a mature woman’s beauty.

“You’re… alright,” Xu Ming replied plainly.

“What do you mean ‘alright’?” Zhou Wanfeng feigned a pout, throwing him a playful yet flirtatious glance. “Little brother, you really don’t know how to compliment a lady, do you?”

Xu Ming quickly changed the subject. “What’s going on? Why have you appeared in my consciousness, senior?”

Zhou Wanfeng chuckled lightly and explained, “This is part of the deal we made with you. From now on, each of us will teach you a technique. You must master every single one of them. Only by doing so can we transmit our spiritual energy to you through these techniques.”

She smiled knowingly before continuing, “The human soul is a mysterious thing. A single day within your consciousness could equal a year—or even two—in the outside world. That’s the nature of a dream that spans a millennium.

“Under the old man’s sword energy, a year in your consciousness is equivalent to a day in reality. However, time will still be tight for you. If you fail to master even one of our fifteen techniques, even if it’s your so-called Dao companion who falters…”

Zhou Wanfeng paused, her eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint. “Both of you will face annihilation—body and soul—and accompany us to the grave.”

Xu Ming: “…”

“What do you mean by transmitting spiritual energy to us?” Xu Ming pressed further.

“You’ll understand when you make it out alive~,” Zhou Wanfeng replied with a sly smile.

The moment she finished speaking, Zhou Wanfeng suddenly appeared directly in front of Xu Ming. Before he could react, she reached out and touched a finger to his chest.

In that instant, Xu Ming’s entire being was thrown into chaos. His blood felt as though it were boiling, his emotions spiraling out of control. His eyes turned red, not with desire as they had during the incident with the Yuanyang Cauldron, but with pure, overwhelming turmoil.

Visions flooded his mind:

Mo Zhuer threatening to kill Qin Qingwan.

Qin Qingwan catching him and Mo Zhuer in the act during their dual cultivation and demanding to know who this other woman was.

Feeling powerless as he watched his mother succumb to old age and illness.

Wu Yanhan, obeying the emperor’s decree, marrying someone else, while he was cut down by Wu Kingdom soldiers when he attempted to disrupt the wedding.

One bizarre thought after another surged through his mind, overwhelming him.

These thoughts were utterly nonsensical, yet they clung to Xu Ming like inner demons, threatening to consume him.

Xu Ming’s head felt like it was about to split apart, and he could barely maintain control over himself.

But in that critical moment, a technique suddenly appeared in his mind.

“Master it, and you’ll live. Fail, and you’ll die,” Zhou Wanfeng said with a seductive smile.

Xu Ming’s heart trembled as he focused on the technique now etched in his consciousness. His Dao heart told him she wasn’t lying. If he couldn’t master this, these inner demons could very well shatter his mind.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming began to study the technique in his mind.

As he did, he gradually felt the chaos in his consciousness begin to subside. The more he practiced the technique, which was called Tranquil Heart Mantra, the calmer his spirit became, until he found himself in a state of meditation.

Watching from the side, Zhou Wanfeng’s eyes widened in surprise as she observed this young man.

Based on how he had dealt with the demonic beast earlier, it was clear that Xu Ming was both a martial arts and swordsmanship prodigy.

But Tranquil Heart Mantra was a Daoist technique, rooted in an understanding of nature and the Dao itself. Yet he was mastering it this quickly?

Was this young man truly one-of-a-kind, or had the arrival of the great era outside brought forth countless geniuses like him?

Within his sea of consciousness, after half an incense stick’s worth of time, the turmoil in Xu Ming’s heart completely settled.

When Xu Ming opened his eyes again, they were calm, serene—like a still spring lake, untouched by even the slightest ripple.

“Thank you, Senior, for bestowing this technique upon me,” Xu Ming said, bowing deeply to express his gratitude.

“There’s no need to thank me,” Zhou Wanfeng replied with a smile. “The old man said this is your opportunity, and it’s also the price of our deal. But don’t get too cocky just yet. The others’ techniques… won’t be so easy to master.”

With that, Zhou Wanfeng’s figure slowly faded.

Meanwhile, beside Xu Ming, the unconscious Xu Xuenuo was also encountering Zhou Wanfeng in her own mind.

In Xu Xuenuo’s sea of consciousness, strange and unsettling scenarios began to unfold:

“Xu Ming learns the truth that I’m not his real sister, that we’re not blood-related, and cuts ties with me completely.”

“My mother had an affair. I’m not a true member of the Xu family. When her betrayal is discovered, I’m cast out of the Xu household.”

“Xu Ming and Qingwan both call me a ‘bastard child.'”

Although Xu Xuenuo knew deep down that such things were highly unlikely—Xu Ming and Qingwan would never say such things to her—she couldn’t stop her mind from spiraling.

Even if they didn’t speak those words, wouldn’t they still look at her differently?

At that moment, Zhou Wanfeng appeared before Xu Xuenuo.

“What a beautiful young lady,” Zhou Wanfeng said with a smile. “With such a face, even I must admit I’m outmatched. Though you do seem a bit cold. But hey, there are plenty of people who are into that cold fairy type.”

“What have you done to me?!” Xu Xuenuo demanded, forcibly suppressing the chaos in her mind as she glared at the woman in front of her.

“What else? I’m giving you an opportunity,” Zhou Wanfeng replied, touching a finger to Xu Xuenuo’s forehead. A technique immediately imprinted itself into her mind.

Just like Xu Ming, Xu Xuenuo’s sword heart told her that mastering this technique was the only way to quell the chaos within her.

Taking nearly the same amount of time as Xu Ming, Xu Xuenuo finally opened her eyes. Having fully mastered the Tranquil Heart Mantra, her mind was now crystal clear, and the chaotic thoughts from earlier had completely vanished.

“You’re a sword cultivator, that’s true,” Zhou Wanfeng said, smiling faintly. “But learning something outside your field every now and then might help you refine your swordsmanship even further.

“Of course~ I’m no sword cultivator, so feel free to ignore me.”

And with that, Zhou Wanfeng slowly faded away.

In place of Zhou Wanfeng, a chubby man appeared before Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo.

Neither Xu Ming nor Xu Xuenuo knew his name, only that he called himself the “Butcher.”

The Butcher took out a knife that looked utterly ordinary—no more than a simple kitchen cleaver. He glanced at Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo and said,

“I’ve already told you, I’m a butcher. I kill pigs, cows, whatever needs killing. Men, even dragons—it’s all the same to me.

But in my eyes, no matter what it is, if it dies under my blade, it’s no different from a piglet. That’s why the technique I’ve developed is called the Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique.

Use this blade technique to kill me. If you don’t, and I end up cutting down your souls, don’t blame me.”

The moment the Butcher finished speaking, he lunged forward, wielding his so-called Pig-Slaughtering Blade.

Strangely, Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo each found an identical blade suddenly materializing in their hands.

What’s more, they couldn’t use any of their other techniques or skills. The only thing they could rely on was this Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique. And even as they wielded it, they had no idea how they’d learned it!

Inside the cave, the fifteen prisoners watched the unconscious young man and woman lying on the ground.

“They have at most a day,” the craftsman said. “San Shi Peak is a forbidden zone. I don’t know what means they used to get here, but the current sect master of Tianxuan Sect must have already noticed their presence. They’ll have only one day to accept our inheritance.”

“You’re wrong,” the old man replied, shaking his head. “They don’t even have a day.”

The old man raised his head to look at the ceiling of the cave, though his eyes reflected not the rocky surface above but the image of a middle-aged cultivator.

“He’s already here,” the old man said quietly. “Prepare to receive our guest.”

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