Cultivating To Immortality

Inside the military camp.

Most of the soldiers in the Tiger Wolf Army shared a tent with several others.

However, these foreign Cultivators were not well-regarded and were assigned to a secluded area.

Of course, this also had its advantages: each of them could have their own tent.

Setting up a set of Formation beads around it and activating some simple protective Formations could barely count as a rudimentary "Immortal Cave."

After the forces suppressing the rebellion returned, Luo Zheng went to General Bai to report, and it was now a time for rest.

Song Yan sat alone in his tent, his Divine Sense exploring Chen Li’s Storage Bag, picking and choosing.

The more he looked, the more disgusted he became.

Fighting Demonic Path Cultivators had this one drawback: their Storage Bags were simply unwatchable.

They were filled with all sorts of messy skulls, corpses, and the like; even Soul Banners seemed like proper items among these things.

After moving the Spirit Stones and taking a few items he could use, he could basically package the rest and throw it to Gou Sheng.

Song Yan also scanned the Jade Slips in the Storage Bag one by one.

When he scanned a seemingly ordinary Jade Slip, he paused.

"Void Phase Demonic Technique? This seems to be the secret art Wu Huaisheng mentioned."

Whether it was Gou Sheng or other Mo Xu Cultivators, Song Yan had gained some understanding of the Cultivation Techniques practiced by Mo Xu Cultivators over the years of dealing with them.

Surprisingly, the so-called Devilish Qi cultivated by many Mo Xu Cultivators was, in many ways, remarkably similar to a Sword Cultivator’s Sword Qi.

Therefore, many Demonic Cultivators could also simultaneously control spiritual power and Devilish Qi to cast Spells and Dao incantations, or to activate Spiritual Artifacts and Spiritual Artifacts.

Thus, in his spare time, Song Yan would also peruse these Demonic Cultivation Techniques.

On one hand, knowing oneself and one’s enemy ensures victory in every battle.

On the other hand, since the Cultivation of Devilish Qi had similarities to Sword Qi, perhaps some of the Demonic Cultivators’ ingenious ideas also had their merits.

As long as he didn’t commit heinous acts that would affect his Dao Heart, it would be fine.

Perhaps he could even gain some inspiration.

The Demon Ruins had existed for countless millennia, and the Cultivation Techniques passed down through them must have their profound aspects.

Song Yan carefully read the Void Phase Demonic Technique once, further confirming this point.

This Cultivation Technique was very interesting.

By separating a wisp of one’s Divine Soul, or by seizing another’s Divine Soul, one could refine a Void Phase Heavenly Demon, which had infinite uses.

However, Song Yan seemed to have discovered something; he read it again from beginning to end and sighed softly.

In fact, after a Void Phase Heavenly Demon was refined, if its master died, it could actually be refined again and inherited.

This meant that the person named Wu Huaisheng didn’t necessarily have only death as an option; he could have been refined again by Song Yan.

In this way, although the chances were slim, perhaps he could still meet his wife, children, and relatives.

However, recalling his words before his death, he made no mention of this point at all.

He likely didn’t wish to be controlled by others again, nor did he want to guide Song Yan to Cultivate this Demonic Technique.

After all, in his words, this was "not a good thing."

Song Yan shook his head, seemingly with some emotion.

But the person was already dead, and he quickly put these thoughts behind him.

Re-examining the Void Phase Demonic Technique, his approach to this secret art was slightly different from ordinary people.

In his view, the Void Phase Heavenly Demon was a tool, and its method of use was quite flexible and varied.

For Chen Li to use it for petty theft was truly a waste of its potential.

Currently, Song Yan’s Great Bright Dharma Body already possessed considerable combat power, but there was a relatively significant problem.

That was, although the Dharma Body’s actions didn’t require Song Yan to directly control them, this process still consumed mental energy.

And the consumption was not small.

If he cultivated this method himself, separating a wisp of his Divine Soul and integrating it into the Dharma Body, this might greatly reduce his Divine Sense pressure.

For ordinary Cultivators, damage to the Divine Soul and Divine Sense was no small matter.

Not only would their Cultivation Realm be affected, but a weakened Divine Soul would also impact the Cultivator’s spirit, reducing their resistance to illusionary Spells.

It required special Heaven And Earth Treasure to slowly nourish and repair it.

But Song Yan was different; with the Five Stars Pulse Grasping Skill and the True Transformation Bright Diagram for visualization, even without Spirit Pills to nourish his Divine Soul, he could recover relatively quickly.

So he made up his mind to give it a try.

However, it certainly wouldn’t be now.

Temporarily putting away the Void Phase Demonic Technique, Song Yan continued to sort through the Storage Bag, finding some relatively proper miscellaneous items in a corner.

A Jade Pendant with some special patterns, quite exquisite.

Some bottles and jars, all ordinary Spirit Pills.

There were also some Jade Slips, which didn’t record any Demonic Techniques, but rather legitimate Cultivation Techniques.

However, there was nothing among them that could prove his identity, so Song Yan couldn’t be sure if they belonged to Wu Huaisheng.

He decided to keep them for now; if he ever had the chance to meet his wife and children in the future, he would hand them over.

With a thought, he suddenly sensed movement outside the tent.

Song Yan casually withdrew the Formation and walked out of the tent.

Not far away, soldiers moved back and forth, their expressions hurried.

Slightly turning his head, other foreign Cultivators also emerged from the tents around Song Yan.

Wu Caidie and Li Yan saw Song Yan, nodded, and greeted him warmly.

The others exchanged glances, everyone unsure of what was happening here.

Before long, Wang Shengguang hurried over, carrying his armor, looking anxious.

"Captain Song, Captain Song."

He quickly came before everyone: "Captain Song, Deputy General Luo has summoned you!"

Before everyone could ponder what they were to do, Wang Shengguang’s words were startling: "It seems he wants to take you to General Bai."

General Bai?

Everyone was startled; they had long speculated about this General Bai mentioned by Luo Zheng.

Deputy General Luo was already at the Golden Core Realm, so the legendary General Bai could clearly not be below the Golden Core, and might even be a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator.

Meeting a Nascent Soul?

Song Yan took a deep breath, unsure if it was good or bad.

But it was impossible not to go; otherwise, the mere act of disobeying a military order could lead to immediate execution.

"Alright."

...Luo Zheng wasn’t wearing armor, nor was he leading a horse; he walked casually in front.

Song Yan silently followed behind him.

In truth, he had many questions in his heart.

For example, the biggest puzzle was why they had to leave the military camp to see General Bai. Could it be that General Bai was outside the camp?

But he just followed; the person in front of him could crush him with a single finger, so he didn’t intend to speak too much.

"Little brother, you’re in for some great luck."

At this moment, Luo Zheng was completely devoid of the terrifying authority he had shown when they first met in the army; instead, he was very approachable.

He said casually: "I sent a message detailing the situation of the rebellion to General Bai and also reported your military merits."

"Unexpectedly, the General actually specifically asked to see you."

"Oh, by the way, little brother, where are you from?"

Song Yan answered without hesitation: "I’m from Stone Ridge... um, Yunyang County."

There was no need to hide anything from Luo Zheng.

"Yunyang County? Ah, is it that I’m getting old? I don’t seem to have heard of this place."

Of course, you haven’t heard of it; that’s not Qin territory at all.

Song Yan laughed: "It’s normal not to know; it’s a small place."

"Little brother, you’re not yet thirty, are you?"

"Twenty-four or twenty-five."

"Hmph!" Luo Zheng gave a thumbs-up: "Young and promising!"

"Later, when you meet General Bai, be careful with your words. With your Aptitude, if you can gain the General’s appreciation, advancing to the Golden Core Realm will be no problem."

Song Yan nodded, but his mind was pondering.

Golden Core Realm?

That should be the Golden Core Realm; this seemed to be the title for Golden Core Realm military generals in the ancient Immortal Qin Dynasty.

However, that wasn’t the main point. The main point was that, coming from Luo Zheng’s mouth, advancing to the Golden Core Realm seemed like a very simple matter.

In Chu State, the emergence of a Golden Core was known throughout the land.

But listening to Deputy General Luo, it seemed that gaining the appreciation of this great General made advancing to the Golden Core a sure thing.

Could it be, truly a Nascent Soul?

Heaven help him, Xiao Song had lived for over twenty years and had never seen a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

The mountain wind swept through the valleys, deviating from the main road and penetrating deep into a mountain forest.

At the end of the winding mountain path, the view suddenly opened up.

An ancient building stood quietly in the mountain hollow.

Song Yan mused.

This complex of buildings, at first glance, was clearly of the common square layout found in official post stations.

But upon closer inspection, it was uniquely crafted.

The bluestones of the courtyard walls were laid out in an orderly fashion, with old vines climbing the corners, adding a touch of desolate elegance to this post station.

It looked more like a courtyard.

Walking to the gate, he looked up.

Du You Post.

Song Yan was startled, his eyes flickering, his guess solidified somewhat.

The entire post station seemed to have no soldiers guarding it.

Luo Zheng led Song Yan directly to the central courtyard.

The small courtyard gate was ajar. Luo Zheng didn’t knock, but simply stood respectfully outside the gate, announcing in a deep voice: "Your subordinate Luo Zheng, with Captain Song, requests an audience."

"Come in."

A gentle, clear voice came from inside the courtyard, reaching their ears.

Luo Zheng pushed open the door, about to step in, but after a moment of thought, he stepped aside, letting Song Yan go first.

The scene inside the courtyard was even more exquisite than what was seen from outside.

The courtyard was not large; in the center, there was a clear pond, its water reflecting bamboo shadows.

Several simple, unpainted wooden tables were scattered by the pond.

The entire courtyard was elegant and serene.

However, the moment Song Yan stepped into the courtyard, an incredibly clear throb emerged from the endless treasury.

"?"

Song Yan was startled, his steps halting.

"Why are you dazed? Go on," Luo Zheng reminded him.

Song Yan quickly stepped forward.

He saw a young man sitting alone in the courtyard.

His build was not particularly burly, and he wasn’t wearing armor, but a loose, moon-white robe.

His dark long hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and between his brows, an undeniable heroism shone through.

He seemed to lack the oppressive aura of the battlefield; instead, he had a calm and gentle scholarly air.

Had Luo Zheng not stated it beforehand, no one would have imagined this was the Immortal Qin Dynasty’s Grand General commanding the Tiger Wolf Army.

He was holding a small Jade pot, intently refilling the clear tea in the ceramic cup before him, steam rising gently.

A chessboard lay on the stone table, black and white pieces intertwined, but clearly, he was the only one there.

Amusing himself, perhaps.

"Your subordinate Luo Zheng, greets General Bai!"

Strictly speaking, Song Yan had no official military rank; the title of Captain was merely a temporary appointment, so he wasn’t entitled to call himself a subordinate. He simply followed with a cupped-hand salute.

His gaze, however, was cast towards the center of the courtyard, secretly glancing around.

By the pond, an ancient-looking ring-pommel longsword was diagonally stuck in the soil.

It was unremarkable, showing nothing special.

"Come and sit, no need to be so formal."

General Bai waved to them.

"Thank you, General."

Luo Zheng and Song Yan sat down at the nearby wooden tables as instructed.

He put down the Jade pot, his gaze lingering on Song Yan for a moment.

With just one look, Song Yan felt as if he had been seen through.

He slowly said: "Luo Zheng reported that in this suppression of the rebellion, Little Friend Song provided great assistance and even killed a military spy..."

Song Yan was startled, mocking himself inwardly.

What effort had he put in? He had merely taken advantage of the chaos to pick up scraps.

Song Yan quickly bowed: "Reporting to the General, it was all due to Deputy General Luo’s bravery; your subordinate dares not claim credit."

"Hahahaha, excessive modesty is pride."

General Bai waved his hand: "Alas, it’s just Xu Duan, what a pity."

At the mention of Xu Duan’s name, Luo Zheng also sighed softly.

"When I had not yet taken command of the Tiger Wolf Army, how sharp and spirited he was, charging into battle, slaying generals and capturing flags. Many soldiers in the army were proud to follow him."

"He was... a first-class choice for a general."

Despite being just a rebel, General Bai seemed very emotional, indicating that these two indeed had some feelings for him.

Unfortunately, Song Yan couldn’t empathize.

"However, his spirit was too strong, his desire for gain and loss too heavy, harboring narrow-minded thoughts."

General Bai’s gaze was profound, his thoughts seemingly drifting to a very, very long time ago.

"This narrow-mindedness accumulated over time, making it impossible to restrain his sharp edge, ultimately backfiring and costing him his future and life, and implicating a host of his subordinate generals and comrades, who followed him to their deaths on the battlefield."

"It’s simply..."

He suddenly changed the subject: "Exactly like me."

Song Yan frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, but remained silent.

Afterward, Luo Zheng discussed troop deployment with General Bai.

Listening, Song Yan only then realized that General Bai intended to send troops to attack the Yan army.

His eyes narrowed slightly, meaning that this Immortal Dynasty battlefield relic was sealed during the war between the Qin, Sui, and Yan dynasties.

However, he had no interest in leading troops into battle, and his gaze fell once again on the ring-pommel sword by the pond.

General Bai must have noticed this.

He paused his discussion with Luo Zheng, looked at Song Yan, then at the sword in the courtyard, smiled gently, and suddenly extended his hand, pointing at the sword, and said to him.

"For you?"

Song Yan was startled at first.

When he reacted, he initially wanted to refuse, but then he was a little reluctant to let go of this opportunity, subconsciously glancing at Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng, fearing the young man would make a foolish mistake, kept winking and whispering.

The voice was very low, but Song Yan still heard clearly: "Are you looking to die?"

"Hahahahaha..." General Bai suddenly burst into laughter.

He casually waved his hand.

To Song Yan’s astonishment, the golden-red ancient talisman in his Storage Bag flew out on its own, suspended in the air.

"Military rewards and punishments are clear; one cannot bestow gifts arbitrarily."

"This sword also has some connection to me."

The General smiled: "When you... have collected a thousand points of merit on the battlefield, you may come here to find me yourself."

"I will then bestow this sword upon you, how about that?"

Song Yan was slightly stunned.

He thought to himself, so General Bai could see this ancient talisman?

"Why are you dazed? Hurry and thank the General."

Luo Zheng prompted.

Song Yan realized, and quickly thanked him.

"But General."

He asked again: "Your subordinate has one question; there are so many soldiers in the army, why did you specifically send for me..."

"Is it only because I assisted Deputy General Luo in slaying the rebel leader?"

To be honest, Song Yan didn’t feel he had much credit to claim.

The General chuckled: "There’s no particular reason."

"This is my freedom."