24: Chapter 24 Golden Entry: Immortality

[Golden Trait: Immortality]

Qin Changsheng stared fixedly at the newly appeared trait, his breathing becoming rapid.

Immortality—this was the ultimate goal that countless Cultivators spent their entire lives chasing!

Throughout the ages, how many brilliant geniuses had defied the heavens in search of longevity, only to end up with their bodies destroyed and their Dao extinguished?

And yet, he had actually obtained Immortality while only at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

He suppressed the agitation in his heart and delved his consciousness into the trait. Instantly, a flood of ancient and distant information poured into his mind, clearly presenting the miraculous effects of [Immortality] before his eyes.

[Immortality (Golden Trait) Property One: Infinite Lifespan. From the day the trait awakens, the host's Lifespan will no longer diminish. The Physical Body and Divine Soul will be frozen at their Peak state, with no need to worry about the exhaustion of Lifespan or the calamity of one's lamp running out of oil.]

[Property Two: The host's appearance will not change, forever frozen in a youthful state!]

Looking at the description of Immortality, Qin Changsheng slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of disbelief flashing within them.

Qin Changsheng still had some understanding of the Lifespans of Cultivators.

Ordinary Mortals lived to be seventy-something at most.

The Lifespan of a Qi Refining Cultivator was roughly around one hundred and sixty or seventy years.

The Lifespan of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was roughly between three hundred and five hundred years.

The Lifespan of a Golden Core Cultivator was roughly around a thousand years.

And yet, a single trait had granted Qin Changsheng permanent Lifespan.

Even his appearance would remain unchanged.

"Good! What a fine 'Immortality'!" Qin Changsheng praised in a low voice, his eyes filled with a calm that followed wild joy.

[Cultivation] gave him the capital to rapidly accumulate resources and temper his Foundation.

And [Immortality] paved a broad road toward eternity for him!

Infinite Lifespan meant he had enough time to explore the mysteries of the path of immortal Cultivation.

As long as Qin Changsheng could endure the loneliness of Cultivation, he would definitely be able to become a powerhouse of his own.

At the same time, a thought regarding the future was quietly taking shape in his mind.

In the past, after breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, he would have surely followed the standard procedure, striving to pass the Sect assessment within a year or two to enter the Outer Sect.

After all, the resources on Servant Peak were limited and its status was low. Only by entering the Outer Sect could he gain access to more profound Cultivation Techniques and obtain more Cultivation resources, giving him the chance to go further on this path of Immortality and gain more Lifespan.

But now, everything was different.

The Golden Trait, Immortality, was like opening a brand-new door for him.

Infinite Lifespan meant he no longer had to be like other Cultivators, seeking quick success to outrun time, nor did he have to take risks to snatch resources, and he certainly didn't need to risk Qi Deviation by forcing a Breakthrough against a Bottleneck.

The lives of other Cultivators might end in a few short centuries with the regret of an exhausted Lifespan.

But he possessed infinite time.

"There's no need to rush." The Outer Sect seemed glamorous, but in reality, it was full of factions and constant strife.

The likes of Lin Hao were merely Outer Sect Senior Brothers, yet they could already use their power to squeeze Utility Disciples and plunder resources.

If he truly stepped into that whirlpool, with his current Cultivation, he might not be able to escape unscathed.

Moreover, the Cultivation atmosphere of the Outer Sect was too impetuous; it wasn't as quiet as this Servant Peak, which was more suitable for his secluded Cultivation.

Hiding away on Servant Peak might seem like laying low, but it was actually the wisest choice.

There were spirit fields to farm here, and with the boost from the [Cultivation] trait, his harvest of spirit rice and spirit materials far exceeded others, enough to support his daily Cultivation.

Not many people paid attention here, allowing him to temper his Cultivation Techniques and increase his Cultivation in peace.

As for the gap in Cultivation Techniques and Magical Artifacts, he had his External Incarnation, Hu Nan.

He could have Hu Nan act covertly in the Outer Sect, utilizing the conveniences there to scout the Sect's movements and collect the Incomplete Manuals and low-tier spirit materials needed for Cultivation.

When a suitable opportunity arose, he could even quietly seize some ill-gotten gains.

If Qin Changsheng did these things himself, it would be difficult to avoid exposing his tracks.

But letting Hu Nan do them would involve no risk at all.

Even if some clues were occasionally revealed, it would only implicate the identity of "Hu Nan"; no one would ever suspect Qin Changsheng on Servant Peak.

"Walking on two legs is the only way to go far and steady." The plan in Qin Changsheng's heart became increasingly clear.

He himself would remain on this Servant Peak, being the most inconspicuous Spirit Farmer.

Farming and cultivating every day, tempering his Cultivation, and accumulating traits.

Meanwhile, Hu Nan would become the hand he extended into the Outer Sect, collecting resources and gathering Intelligence for him.

When the day came that he had accumulated enough Golden Traits, his Cultivation broke through to a higher Realm, and he possessed the strength to crush everything, he would then step out from this Servant Peak. At that time, who in the entire Heavenly Sword Sect could stand in his way?

...

Qingyun Tower.

Zhang Han, Lin Yao, and many other Cultivators from Beihai Prefecture had all come here.

Every year at this time, they would gather at Qingyun Tower to chat about their gains over the past year.

The Incarnation Hu Nan was also mixed into the crowd.

He deliberately mimicked the original Hu Nan's speech and behavior, occasionally joking with familiar fellow disciples, and no one noticed anything amiss.

Halfway through the gathering, after several rounds of drinks, the originally lively atmosphere gradually took on a hint of melancholy.

Around the wine table, several Outer Sect Disciples sat together, their faces full of depression as complaints rose one after another.

"Sigh, this Spirit Sand is really becoming more and more insufficient! The monthly allowance is just that little, and everything from Cultivation to buying Medicinal Pills costs money. Forget about rushing for a higher Realm, even stabilizing my current Cultivation is difficult."

A slightly chubby Outer Sect Disciple gulped down a mouthful of wine, his tone full of helplessness.

Someone beside him immediately agreed, their brow furrowed: "Isn't it? I've been cultivating for several years now and I'm still stuck at the third level of Qi Refining!"

"Sect missions are so difficult; it's hard for us to get rewards!"

These words poked at everyone's sore spot, and they nodded in agreement, their words filled with anxiety over their Cultivation predicament.

"By the way, Senior Sister Lin, how is your study of Talisman Crafting going?"

Finally, everyone turned their gaze toward Lin Yao.

Lin Yao was the most outstanding among them; her Cultivation had reached the fourth level of Qi Refining, and she was even studying Talisman Crafting with a Talisman Master.

Hearing their questions, she shook her head gently, her tone helpless: "Sigh, I've been practicing the Fireball Talisman for nearly three years, and I've only just started. The Talismanic Incantations I draw either have their Spiritual Qi dissipate or their power is weak; they can't be used at all."

Lin Yao's eyes were full of frustration, completely devoid of the liveliness she had when she first joined the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Originally, she thought she could carve out a world for herself within the Heavenly Sword Sect.

But now, just Talisman Crafting had stumped her.

Furthermore, her Cultivation had been stuck at the fourth level of Qi Refining for over two years.

If she didn't have enough resources, she would need several more years of hard training to break through the fourth level of Qi Refining.

"Fellow townsmen, why belittle yourselves? The road of Cultivation is inherently long; it's only normal to encounter difficulties." Seeing Lin Yao's sadness, Zhang Han quickly stood up.

Everyone's eyes turned toward him as Zhang Han cleared his throat and continued: "Although we have difficulties, compared to Qin Changsheng, we are already quite fortunate!"

"To this day, he is still merely a Utility Disciple!"

"Busy farming spirit fields every day, accompanied by spirit rice all day long, his Cultivation is still at the first level of Qi Refining."

"I reckon it won't be long before this Qin Changsheng is cleared out by the Sect!"

Zhang Han deliberately emphasized words like "Utility Disciple" and "first level of Qi Refining," his tone carrying a hint of casual contempt, but in reality, it was to divert everyone's attention.

Using Qin Changsheng's "situation" to contrast with everyone's advantages was meant to make Lin Yao and the many fellow townsmen feel a bit happier.

Hearing this, the frustration on everyone's faces dissipated quite a bit.