In the basement, the red light emitted by the triangular form was dazzling and enchanting, and the smile on the face of the person standing in front of it was mysterious and powerful. The thick black shadow of his finger pointing at the triangle fell across Li Ying's face, making her eyes look all the more bewildered and confused.

It's not that she didn't understand; in fact, because of the high literacy rate and the popularity of novel culture among the Glorious, the concept of 'cultivation' has been around since ancient times.

In ancient times, the Combat Technique sects founded by Martial Artists at the Peak of Perfection were called 'Immortal Sects', and Combat Techniques were referred to as 'Superior Immortal Techniques', while other techniques that couldn't be cultivated to the Peak of Perfection were labeled as 'Inferior Spiritual Techniques'—the hierarchy among techniques back then was much more severe than it is now.

As times progressed, Superior Immortal Techniques and terrestrial immortals became more prevalent, so the gold standard of the Immortal Sects naturally wasn't as high. Once anything starts to increase in quantity, its status inevitably declines. After several centuries, the names of terrestrial immortals and Immortal Sects were considered relics of feudalism to be abolished, and there weren't even any sects left; anyone who could enter the National Academy would receive Superior Immortal Techniques for free.

Although Martial Artist pillars at the Peak of Perfection still had unlimited benefits, being able to pursue a career as a General in blue, or retire directly to a great family as a Tributor, and truly traversing the world without fear, it could not compare to the days when any terrestrial immortal could preside over a region, be favored by the Imperial Family, respected by everyone and even worshiped with incense offerings.

Immortals stood above the heavens, overlooking the world; Martial Artist pillars held up the heavens and protected the world. Just from the names, it was evident that those Martial Artists at the Peak of Perfection had undergone a transformation from 'rulers' to 'workers', and naturally didn't deserve the title of immortal.

Yet the longing for freedom, power, and omnipotence is an unending human desire, and unlike the previous world Earth, where conception of immortals existed only in imagination, Glorious had a 'standard' with the existence of Martial Artists at the Peak of Perfection and a ready-made system of Spiritual Power, making the fantasy seem more tangible.

Li Ying had once heard a rumor that a small overseas nation read a cultivation novel and believed it to be so real due to examples like the Martial Artist pillars in the story, leading the nation to faithfully believe in it. Consequently, they cultivated according to the cultivation techniques in the novel, even building temples for the immortals depicted, until it truly became a part of their traditional culture. Even when Glorious people told them it was all false, they refused to believe, making them the strongest novel fandom on earth.

But a novel is ultimately a novel; the path of Combat Techniques is at its end, and the future primarily involves an integration of firearms or divine-armed routes. Compared to novelists, Martial Artist pillars throughout history have spent more time pursuing 'immortality' with various attempts, including many heretical martial artists walking the path of seeking divinity through incense; yet all attempts ended in failure.

Waiting for a Spiritual Qi Awakening.jpg

Thus, Li Ying was not unfamiliar with cultivation, but the problem was... wasn't she here to pick up goods? Why did it suddenly turn to cultivation?

The other three newcomers were also visibly bewildered, with the mountain bear standing up, loudly roaring: "Are you fooling me?!"

It seemed the mountain bear was bad-tempered even normally, likely a greedy and irritable brute, mostly of the natural disaster type, Li Ying thought.

"Don't easily dismiss what you cannot understand; that will only reveal your stubbornness," the smile said. "You can seek evidence, practice, and understanding; you can choose to doubt, but you cannot choose to reject."

"Nonsense, hurry up and make the Spirit Condensing Pill, I'm not here to listen to your stories!" the mountain bear shouted, his eyes tightly fixed on the red glowing triangle, greed unconcealed beneath his mask: "That's the Blood Essence Stone, isn't it? The Spirit Condensing Pill is made with it, right?"

"If you get it, you can have one wish from Cha Huan; if you get it, you can attempt that with the Imperial Court; if you get it, you can rise to the peak."

The smile persistently stepped aside, extending his hand in invitation: "Since you don't want to waste time joining my plan, why not execute the plan you decided on from the start? Presumably, you are confident enough to stand up and challenge me, right?"

As soon as the smile finished speaking, the mountain bear lunged forward with incredible speed, a stark contrast to his massive build, fast as lightning at least a Lingxu Step of Integration and Mastery!

And as he charged toward the Blood Essence Stone, he flung both hands, scattering several wisps of white dust into the air!

Lime powder!

Though one could directly counter with a bright explosion to disperse the lime, facing this sudden attack, most robed figures chose to step back and evade, completely clearing the path for the mountain bear.

Only the smile remained standing to the side, seemingly unafraid of the lime getting into his eyes. The mountain bear reached with one hand for the Blood Essence Stone, while the other hand sent an explosion of light aimed at the smile!

"Ah!?"

With the mountain bear's exclamation, he saw his hand pass through the glowing red triangle, as if piercing through an illusory mist.

The mountain bear reacted quickly, immediately halting his movement to unleash a full-force attack on the smile, perhaps intending to blast the Blood Essence Stone from his body!

However, something unbelievable happened—his light explosion, his hand, passed through the smile's body without resistance, just like it did with the triangle!

It did not penetrate, it did not harm, it just passed through!

He saw the mocking curve at the corner of the smile's eye, he saw himself reflected in the smile's pale pupils!

His attack was utterly meaningless!

The mountain bear, terrified, stomped the ground forcefully, scattering another large pack of lime as he fled without looking back toward the corridor, screaming: "You're not human!"

"Of course, I'm not human." The smile snapped his fingers, "I'm an immortal."

The mountain bear, now at the corridor entrance, suddenly froze mid-air, as if the law of inertia had lost effect on him. Lavish golden chains emerged from his body and connected to the walls, and with the sound of whips slashing through the air, he was bound into a crucifixion shape by the golden chains, standing in the basement's air like a punished prisoner.

The others stared at this scene in shock, utterly speechless, dumbfounded by it all.

Immortal Trace.

Even the well-traveled Li Ying could only think of this. Combat Techniques could not make someone turn into nothingness, invulnerable to any physical effect; nor could they make golden chains emerge from someone's body to bind a person from ten meters away completely!

This was a power beyond Combat Techniques.

"I was wrong, sir, I beg you to forgive me!" The mountain bear immediately wailed with a voice full of despair, "It was my greed, my stupidity, my ignorance. I shouldn't have harbored ill intentions towards you. From now on, I am willing to follow your lead, whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. I beg you, spare my life..."

A grown man cried sincerely, trembling like a frightened hamster, and Smiling seemed somewhat moved, "Oh?"

"I, my brother is the Captain of the Patrol and Punishment Department, Du Tingbei, I am—"

"How about this, tell a joke, if it's funny, I'll spare you," Smiling said casually.

"A joke?" The mountain bear was stunned, mumbling quickly, "A joke, a joke... let me think, I just remembered, I've heard others tell jokes, I'll think of a funny one, a funny one..."

But caught in a tense predicament, his mind was full of fear, how could he possibly come up with a joke?

He mumbled for a long time but couldn't say anything, yet Smiling took the initiative to clap his hands:

"Since you can't think of one, let me give you a start and tell a joke to help you out."

"There was a kid who wanted money, but his father wouldn't give it. So, the kid resorted to crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang himself, and the father, helpless, had to give in."

"Then the father sighed: Unfortunately, this combo move can only be used once in a lifetime."

A golden lock silently looped around the mountain bear's neck, Smiling snapped his fingers, and the mountain bear was instantly pulled to the ceiling, strangled by the golden lock. He let out his last life's wail, and it didn't take long before his body hung limply down.

Smiling waved his hand, and the mountain bear's golden lock disappeared without a trace. The whole person fell to the ground with a thud, then was dragged by a golden lock to the corner of the basement, swallowed by the darkness where the red light couldn't reach.

"Hehe." Smiling laughed, "You guys didn't react, is my joke not funny? Then next time I'll think of a funnier one."

Li Ying swallowed a mouthful of saliva—this person seemed somewhat abnormal.

"Come, sit, sit, sit, don't stand on ceremony. Although there were some minor hiccups, now the newcomers should have no doubts about what I just said, right? Immortality is not far from you, it's right before your eyes."

Smiling sat cross-legged in front of the triangular structure, inviting everyone to form a circle, then suddenly asked, "By the way, who is your superior, newcomers?"

"Chen Zhou."

"Fei Xue."

"Fei Xue." The newcomers hurriedly replied.

"Including these two newcomers, Fei Xue, you've met the conditions for promotion, advancing from Level 5 Apprentice to Level 4 Disciple." Smiling looked at another woman wearing a snow-white mask, "Membership upgrades are rare to see, go ahead and upgrade, it will be good for the newcomers to see the benefits they can obtain."

"Yes." Fei Xue was overjoyed, stood up, and reached out towards the triangular structure. At the same time, Smiling also reached towards the triangular structure, both touching it simultaneously. At that moment, the illusory triangular structure seemed to become solid.

The triangular structure emitted a brilliant red light, sprouting strands of red threads connecting to Fei Xue's body. With an indescribable rhythm, Li Ying felt as if the triangular structure was like a heart, pumping blood, infusing it into Fei Xue's body.

This process only lasted a little over ten seconds, and Smiling and Fei Xue released their hands simultaneously. Fei Xue looked down at her hands, and Smiling said, "Why not show the newcomers the power of your disciple?"

"Yes!" Fei Xue happily agreed, turning to look at some bricks on the ground not far away. She didn't move from her spot, and there was a ten-meter distance from the bricks, yet the bricks seemed to be lifted by an invisible force. With a crack, the bricks shattered directly!

No contact.

No explosion of light.

Not even a movement!

Fei Xue merely gazed at the bricks a few times, and from ten meters away, made a brick explode!

More importantly, Li Ying knew Fei Xue because Fei Xue was the senior sister who recruited Li Ying as a junior distributor. Fei Xue wasn't much older than Li Ying, and Li Ying didn't think she had any special abilities before. However, after undergoing the so-called 'upgrading ritual,' she could perform a remote attack!

Although remote attacks aren't much, any ordinary firearm is stronger than her, this is just the beginning! A brand new starting point different from the Combat Technique system! An opportunity to transcend humanity!

"Not bad, you adapted very quickly, keep it up, aim to reach Level 3 Deacon soon."

"Yes!" Fei Xue gratefully lowered her head.

"As you have seen," Smiling looked at the newcomers:

"I don't need to say extra words; you are all smart people, you have your own judgment."

"If you, like us, desire to gather myriad powers within yourself, transcend life and death, and wander freely through the world, then the Immortal Palace plan offers you an opportunity."

"An opportunity to transcend mortal flesh and bones, to achieve the position of an immortal."

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