Immortal Realm, Xuantian Immortal Domain.
The Xuantian Immortal Domain is one of the thirty-three Immortal Domains, vast and boundless, situated near the Abyss of Demons.
Within the Immortal Domain resides countless immortals who engage in perennial battles against innumerable demonic creatures emerging from the depths of the Abyss of Demons.
A streak of escaping light flashed by, faintly permeated with blood energy, evidently the result of a blood escape technique that burns one’s essence.
Inside the escaping light was a young man, pale-faced and weak in aura. The man’s name was Gao Wuyou. Not long ago, he had explored a ruin with a close friend.
They discovered a great opportunity within the ruin—a treasure left behind by a Jade Immortal. However, that close friend, coveting the treasures, ambushed Gao Wuyou and gravely injured him.
Barely escaping with his life, Gao Wuyou was still relentlessly pursued by his former friend.
“Hahaha, Gao Wuyou, you’ve been poisoned with the venom of demonic marrow. Without intervention from a Golden Immortal, you are doomed to die. Why struggle? Rather than endure the constant agony of marrow extraction, why not let your elder brother liberate you?”
“Brother Wu, if you wanted the treasures of the ruins, you could have just said so. Why go to such extremes?”
“Say it directly? Would you hand it over if I asked? These are treasures left by a Jade Immortal!”
“Brother Wu, you have helped me countless times before. Is there nothing we cannot discuss?”
“Enough of this. I trust only myself. Discussions are too troublesome. Once you’re dead, all the treasures will be mine.”
Gao Wuyou burned his life essence as he fled, his mind replaying the conversations he had with ‘Brother Wu’ during the pursuit. A wave of despair washed over him.
He had truly regarded Brother Wu as family. The path of cultivation was inherently lonely, and Brother Wu, as his guide, held a special place in his life.
But alas, for the sake of an unclear Jade Immortal opportunity, Brother Wu had unhesitatingly struck him down.
Although Gao Wuyou had long understood the treachery and deception rampant in the path of immortality and always kept a hand hidden, he still found it hard to believe Brother Wu would do this to him.
“So be it.”
“Consider this repayment for all those years of kindness.”
Gao Wuyou’s consciousness gradually plunged into darkness. Severely injured and afflicted with demonic marrow poison, he could no longer hold on.
Burning his essence to escape, he only wanted to know why Brother Wu had betrayed him.
With Gao Wuyou’s power, he could easily attempt to destroy the treasures left by the Jade Immortal before his death, especially the portion recording inheritance techniques.
However, in the end, Gao Wuyou chose not to. If Brother Wu wanted the opportunity, he could have it.
Just as Gao Wuyou’s consciousness was about to completely sink into darkness, a new will quietly awakened.
Gao Wuyou’s expression suddenly calmed. Surveying his surroundings, he frowned slightly.
Lin Yuan quickly absorbed Gao Wuyou’s memories and understood the current predicament: the closest person to him was hunting him down, and the original owner of the body had lost the will to live.
“A Jade Immortal opportunity?”
Lin Yuan’s thoughts raced. After absorbing Gao Wuyou’s memories, he naturally understood the significance of this opportunity.
The cultivation system of the Immortal Realm is an extension of the systems in the Immortal World and the Spirit Realm.
The stages are as follows:
Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, Void Refinement, Dao Fusion, Tribulation (Immortal King), Mahayana, Golden Immortal, Jade Immortal, Dao Ancestor.
Among them, the Tribulation stage corresponds to the eighth rank of the main universe. Mahayana is the ninth rank, Golden Immortal corresponds to the tenth rank, Jade Immortal to the eleventh rank, and Dao Ancestor to the ultimate twelfth rank of the main universe.
Of course, these correspondences are approximate. Different cultivation systems lead to variations in combat strength at the same level, but the overall disparity is not significant.
Gao Wuyou was a rogue cultivator in the Xuantian Immortal Domain, at the Tribulation stage, while Brother Wu was at the peak of the Tribulation stage. The two had known each other since the Nascent Soul stage and had journeyed side by side, advancing to the Tribulation stage together.
“I’m now...”
Lin Yuan furrowed his brows, sensing the dire state of his current body.
Severe injuries were not a concern. With Lin Yuan’s awakened willpower, a single thought could suppress the injuries from worsening.
Given Lin Yuan’s control over his body, any injury could be healed with time. Once he imprinted the divine ability of “Blood Rebirth” onto this body, it would become virtually indestructible.
But the demonic marrow poison?
The demonic marrow poison originated from the unfathomable Abyss of Demons and was a deadly poison for cultivators of the Immortal Dao, suppressing both mana and the soul.
During the poisoning, the afflicted would feel as though their marrow was being extracted and their bones stripped, a torment beyond words.
Lin Yuan’s poisoning involved a Tribulation-level demonic marrow poison, which only a Golden Immortal could hope to cure.
Of course, this limitation applied only to Immortal Dao cultivators.
Lin Yuan was an exception.
“Let me see.”
Lin Yuan carefully examined the demonic marrow poison within his body.
[Your insight is unparalleled. Observing an unknown poison rapidly enhances your understanding of its nature.]
Lin Yuan prioritized resolving the demonic marrow poison because he noticed its potential to cause irreversible damage to his body and soul.
Although this irreversibility was not absolute for Lin Yuan, it was an inconvenience best addressed promptly.
High above in the sky behind Lin Yuan, Wu Xiangyan swiftly traversed the space, his immense divine sense faintly locking onto the fleeing Gao Wuyou.
Wu Xiangyan, now in hot pursuit, was Gao Wuyou’s sworn brother. Despite their deep bond, he relentlessly sought Gao Wuyou’s life.
“The blood escape technique drains the essence, coupled with the demonic marrow poison. Gao Wuyou, you won’t last much longer,” Wu Xiangyan thought coldly.
He and Gao Wuyou had been close friends, but so what? Could any relationship take precedence over one’s path to immortality?
Since breaking through to the Tribulation stage, Wu Xiangyan had realized that his own aptitude was insufficient to advance to the Mahayana stage.
To further his cultivation, he needed external opportunities.
Thus, he had spent recent years frantically exploring ruins. For safety, he had taken Gao Wuyou along.
To Wu Xiangyan, Gao Wuyou was merely a pawn to be discarded when necessary.
“I’m not wrong to act this way. To become a Dao Ancestor, one must be cold and ruthless. Even family can be sacrificed for opportunity, let alone friends or companions.”
“Only by dedicating oneself to cultivation with absolute sincerity and treating it as everything can one achieve great success.”
Wu Xiangyan’s thoughts grew fervent.
In this latest exploration, they had stumbled upon an opportunity of Jade Immortal level.
A Jade Immortal.
Even in the Xuantian Immortal Domain, such beings were exalted figures. A single leak of treasure from a Jade Immortal was enough to propel someone to the Mahayana stage or even the Golden Immortal stage.
“Unfortunately, Gao Wuyou was closer to the opportunity and managed to seize it first,” Wu Xiangyan lamented. Since the Jade Immortal’s treasures were in Gao Wuyou’s possession, he had been forced to act ahead of time. What if Gao Wuyou escaped with them?
“Gao Wuyou must die.”
Wu Xiangyan concluded that even if Gao Wuyou hadn’t taken the Jade Immortal’s treasures, he couldn’t let him live.
The Jade Immortal opportunity was invaluable. Only secrecy could ensure safety.
If word got out, it would attract countless Mahayana stage and Golden Immortal cultivators. Wu Xiangyan would stand no chance of keeping the treasures.
Thus, to be safe, everyone aware of the Jade Immortal opportunity had to die.
“Once I secure the Jade Immortal opportunity, I’ll retreat to Cangwu Immortal City for secluded cultivation. I won’t leave until I break through to the Mahayana stage,” Wu Xiangyan planned meticulously.
[Your insight is unparalleled. Observing the unknown poison, you’ve completely mastered its nature.]
Maintaining his blood escape technique, Lin Yuan observed the poison within him for only a dozen breaths before fully understanding its nature.
Complete mastery implied total understanding, which meant he could easily neutralize it.
Though the demonic marrow poison was fearsome, Lin Yuan’s level was far superior. At the eleventh rank’s peak, he was near the twelfth rank.
To Lin Yuan, the Tribulation-level demonic marrow poison was almost transparent in its workings.
Had it not been for the poison’s specificity to the Immortal Realm and its unfamiliarity to him, Lin Yuan would have comprehended and neutralized it instantly.
“Neutralizing the demonic marrow poison is simple.”
Lin Yuan ceased his observations and began circulating his vitality.
To Immortal Dao cultivators, neutralizing the demonic marrow poison required higher-level Immortal Dao essence to suppress and eliminate it.
For instance, a Tribulation-level poison needed a Golden Immortal’s essence to resolve.
However, with complete mastery of its nature, Lin Yuan could counteract it at the microscopic level without any side effects.
Under Lin Yuan’s control, his vitality condensed and intertwined with the poison rooted in his body and soul.
Gradually, the poison transformed into a dense life force, healing Lin Yuan’s injuries.
The demonic marrow poison, though a deadly venom, was also a potent resource when fully converted and absorbed.
“Done.”
Lin Yuan nodded slightly. With a single thought, he had neutralized the poison that had permeated his body and soul.
To understand, had Gao Wuyou remained poisoned to this extent, even with a Golden Immortal willing to sacrifice their essence, it would have taken hundreds or thousands of years for full recovery.
Moreover, getting a Golden Immortal to expend their essence for a mere Tribulation cultivator? Even close family might refuse.
The loss of essence weakened one’s strength, leaving them vulnerable to enemies.
“Hmm?”
“Gao Wuyou stopped running?”
Far above, Wu Xiangyan hesitated.
Through his divine sense, he noticed that Gao Wuyou, who had been fleeing with the blood escape technique, had dispersed the escaping light and stopped in place.
“Is it his limit?”
Wu Xiangyan nodded knowingly. By his estimation, Gao Wuyou could only last this long due to the blood escape’s drain, his injuries, and the poison’s torment.
The fact that Gao Wuyou endured this long was a testament to his strong will and deep reserves.
“I hope the Jade Immortal treasures aren’t too damaged.”
Wu Xiangyan anticipated that Gao Wuyou might attempt to destroy the treasures before dying. While the Jade Immortal’s treasures were beyond Gao Wuyou’s capability to damage, the recorded techniques and inheritances might be vulnerable.
Yet Wu Xiangyan remained optimistic. Even the most fragile items left by a Jade Immortal shouldn’t be easy to destroy. Given Gao Wuyou’s current state, how much power could he muster?
Swoosh.
Wu Xiangyan stopped at a distance, observing Gao Wuyou from afar.
“Gao Wuyou? Why did you stop running?”
Cautiously, Wu Xiangyan scrutinized Gao Wuyou. Despite believing Gao Wuyou to be at his limit, he remained vigilant.
The Jade Immortal opportunity was within reach, as was his path to greatness.
Wu Xiangyan wouldn’t risk failure.
“Gao Wuyou, any last words?” Wu Xiangyan asked, sensing an odd unfamiliarity about Gao Wuyou—as if he was no longer the same person.
“Never mind, I’ll just end this.”
Uneasy, Wu Xiangyan decided to unleash his strongest attack to finish Gao Wuyou off.
Initially, he had wanted to savor his victory, but Gao Wuyou’s unfamiliarity unnerved him.
“Five Elements Rotation.”
Wu Xiangyan activated his power, and the five elemental rules of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth began to circulate.
Each of the five elements represents a foundational rule. Together, they approach the level of pillar rules.
Through his comprehension of these rules, Wu Xiangyan had achieved peak Tribulation strength. He even believed that, by continuing on this path, he might eventually reach the Mahayana stage.
However, this hope was slim and time-consuming, prompting Wu Xiangyan to rely on external opportunities instead.
“Hmm?”
Lin Yuan diverted a sliver of his focus to glance at Wu Xiangyan.
Most of his attention had been on his body, making numerous adjustments with his awakened will.
From Lin Yuan’s perspective, Gao Wuyou’s body was in a dismal state, with its various energies unbalanced. The issue wasn’t the body’s strength but its lack of harmony.
Even the weakest body could achieve perfection if its energies were balanced. Conversely, stronger bodies with more potent energies were harder to harmonize.
“The Five Elements rules?”
Recalling the memories of Wu Xiangyan, whom the original body considered a brother, Lin Yuan exhaled lightly. Instantly, the surrounding spacetime froze, and all rules, including the Five Elements, shattered.
Lin Yuan possessed insights into dozens of seventh-order pillar-level fusion rules and mid-sixth-order spacetime fusion rules.
Even though he had just arrived and hadn’t fully adjusted his body, this knowledge provided sufficient self-preservation. He could escape a Jade Immortal’s pursuit with his spacetime mastery.
As for a peak Tribulation cultivator like Wu Xiangyan? He was no more than an ant.
“What?!”
Wu Xiangyan’s pupils constricted. In his perception, the Five Elements rules he had comprehended vanished entirely. In an instant, all rule fluctuations, including the Five Elements, disappeared, as though he had entered a world devoid of rules.
“Run!”
Overwhelmed by terror, Wu Xiangyan fled without hesitation. Although he couldn’t grasp the reason behind this, nor its connection to Gao Wuyou, his instincts screamed at him to escape.
...
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