System Bestows me with Immortality, Living on to Eventually Become Invincible

Chapter 33 – Constantly drifting and about to leave again

The Kingdom Qian harbored a secret realm known as Nandou Mountain, which opened once every twenty years. It was a place sealed by hundreds of powerful cultivators from the kingdom thousands of years ago, to ensure the continuity of the world of immortals in Qian.

Within it lay countless spiritual herbs, the most precious of which were the ones used for the Foundation Establishment Pill. However, these had been divided and guarded by the major immortal sects, with only a limited number of spots available.

Moreover, the secret realm imposed strict restrictions on cultivation levels, allowing only Qi cultivation phase cultivators to enter. The competition that occurred every twenty years was so fierce that only one in ten would survive.

Aside from the ten great immortal sects that had the means to cultivate the spiritual herbs for the Foundation Establishment Pill, the other sects did not, which was the fundamental difference between them. Natural Foundation Establishment was not only a waste of time but also prone to causing one to deviate from their path.

With only a hundred years of life in the Qi cultivation phase, reaching the tenth level already took a considerable amount of time. Even fighting for just one more year was enough to cause bloodshed.

The spiritual herbs for Foundation Establishment outside the Kingdom Qian had long been harvested to extinction. There were too many cultivators in the Qi cultivation phase, and the demand far exceeded the supply.

"So that's how it is."

After hearing this, Chen Xun understood that they were being asked to be enforcers, or even cannon fodder.

"Of course, if you manage to collect three main ingredients for the spiritual herb, the sect's uncle-master will refine a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, and the collectors will naturally get a share."

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Yin Jun added, then changed the subject, "Our Five Aggregates Sect never forces disciples to participate, so fellow Daoist need not worry."

Chen Xun chuckled without responding, but inwardly he scoffed: What's there to force? Those with poor aptitude who see no hope in Foundation Establishment would beg to go.

"After joining the Five Aggregates Sect, you can choose your own duties, and as long as you meet the contribution requirements each year, that's sufficient."

Yin Jun spoke at a leisurely pace, hands clasped behind his back, "For instance, I am an external affairs disciple, and I can exchange contributions for cultivation techniques, spells, and so on."

"Every year, there's also a grand competition within the sect. If an elder takes a liking to you and accepts you as a disciple, you'll soar to the heavens and become an Inner Disciple."

"What if one fails to meet the contribution requirements?"@@@@

"Make up for it the following year. If you fail to meet the standard for three consecutive years, you'll be expelled from the sect."

Yin Jun's eyes flashed with fear as he spoke of expulsion, which meant one's cultivation would be crippled, "This is only for external disciples. Inner Disciples and those in the Foundation Establishment phase are exempt."

"Thank you for enlightening me, fellow Daoist."

"But this bull of yours," Yin Jun glanced at Black Bull, his brow furrowing slightly, "the sect only accepts spiritual beasts."

"That's even better." Chen Xun patted Black Bull.

"Moo moo!"

Black Bull stepped forward, mana surging within him, shocking Yin Jun. A second-level Qi cultivation phase cultivator, and he hadn't noticed until now.

"Then there's no problem."

Yin Jun stepped back and said, "Spiritual beasts are a great asset for cultivators. One of the ten great immortal sects, the Beast Mastery Sect, specializes in them, and they are formidable among the lower-level cultivators."

"Good, then I, Chen Xun, am willing to join the Five Aggregates Sect." Chen Xun bowed solemnly, locking eyes with Yin Jun.

"Master, Mistress."

Chen Xun's voice trembled slightly as he bowed, their laughter and voices seeming as if they were from just yesterday.

"Although you're not the most talented, I believe you will be the one with the highest medical skills."

"This child is indeed good, with upright character and excellent temperament."

It was as if the two of them were sitting in front of the graves, still smiling at Chen Xun, their eyes filled with contentment.

"We're leaving, to bid farewell to Master and Mistress."

Chen Xun's expression was solemn as he bowed deeply, with Black Bull following suit, careful in its movements.

He patted Black Bull, turning to leave when suddenly his foot slipped as if someone had pushed him. Chen Xun's pupils contracted sharply, his eyes trembling.

"Moo?"

"Old Bull, it's nothing, let's go."

Chen Xun's lips revealed a faint smile, not looking back, leading Black Bull away.

At that moment, a gentle breeze blew, countless catkins soared into the sky, without confusion or hesitation, their figures growing more distant.

...

A huge round moon hung high in the sky, the moon of early winter, clear and cold, pouring down icy silver light from the west.

Outside Nine Stars Valley, many solitary cultivators began to leave, with no hope left as the valley was about to close the next day.

In the distance, on a grassy field, roars and screams echoed, blood dripping onto the grass, with seven or eight figures standing around, smirks on their faces.

"Dare to provoke our Liao family, this is the consequence."

The middle-aged man who sold Chen Xun the spiritual herb seeds crushed a solitary cultivator's head with his foot, his eyes cold, surrounded by flying swords.

"Fellow Daoist, that hooded idiot has appeared."

The round-faced man sneered, not forgetting the punch from before, "Didn't expect him to show up again."

His Liao family had been doing business in Nine Stars Valley for years, with many cultivators in the family. Though they lacked a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they were not to be trifled with by solitary cultivators.

"Hmph, after hiding for so long, we won't let him escape this time." The middle-aged man said darkly, his surrounding flying swords becoming even sharper.

Suddenly, a sense of dread washed over them, and the Liao family members were startled, looking towards the high ground of the grassy field, their eyes filled with shock.

Under the round moon, a hooded figure and a large black bull stood atop the high ground, their robes billowing in the wind, three Mountain-axing axes and the black bull's horns rendered even more chilling by the moonlight.

"Liao family, it's been a while."

The hooded figure tilted his head slightly, a cold smile on his lips as he looked down at them, "I heard you were looking for me."