The End of the Immortal Path

Ling Dang stared at Jiang Man, watching how he cultivated.

They were geniuses too, but not on Jiang Man’s level.

She wanted to see for herself what separated them.

It was true that pitifully few Outer Sect disciples ever participated in the Immortal Sect’s Grand Competition.

So, there was no harm in observing someone like him.

The sky gradually darkened.

The Monk finished his chanting.

He glanced to the side and saw that Jiang Man had stopped cultivating and was now reading an Array Book.

He wasn’t surprised. Promotion Skills were difficult to master; one had to alternate between practice and contemplation.

But when he looked over at Ling Dang, he found her frozen in place, her eyes wide with shock and terror.

"Ling Dang?" Monk Zhen Kong asked, a little surprised.

He didn’t understand her reaction.

Seeing she didn’t react, he called her name again.

At last, Ling Dang snapped out of it. She looked at the Monk beside her and pointed excitedly at Jiang Man. "M-Master Monk, h-h-h-he... he’s reached... Great Success."

Monk Zhen Kong was baffled. "Great Success in what?"

"His Primordial Spirit Promotion Method! He’s reached Great Success with it!" Terror filled Ling Dang’s eyes as she spoke. "I saw it with my own eyes. He didn’t even know how to do it at first, but then he just... practiced and practiced, and now he’s achieved Great Success.

"And the sky isn’t even dark yet."

At her words, Monk Zhen Kong fell silent for a long while. He didn’t even try to verify her claim. He simply recited a Buddhist phrase and said, "Just watch him. Don’t say or do anything unnecessary before we head back."

Ling Dang nodded.

She was only now realizing the true weight behind his title as the number one disciple of the Outer Sect.

She also understood how he had become number one before, fought his way out of Heart Demon Lake, and was even targeted by a Peak Master.

The True Dragon Form.

It was after the Primordial Spirit Realm that the true prodigies began to emerge.

And he was not far from reaching the Primordial Spirit Realm.

Meanwhile, Jiang Man was looking through Array Books that focused on dealing with the Evil God.

The Thirty-Six Books of Ascension weren’t quite enough for this.

Luckily, the books also contained content from the seventy-two "Chamber Entry" volumes.

So he would be able to learn the arrays.

Since there wasn’t much time, he could only choose between studying this or the second volume of the Evil God’s Technique.

Cultivation was too time-consuming; he’d have to wait for dawn for that.

Also, Qin Wen’s people still hadn’t shown up.

’They’re a bit slow.’

’If they arrive any later, I’ll have grown even stronger. What chance will they have then?’

Jiang Man felt like reminding them, but unfortunately, the Secret Skill could only transmit his location, not his voice.

With that thought, he began to activate the Secret Skill to transmit his coordinates.

He sent it several times for good measure.

The Monk and Ling Dang watched Jiang Man’s actions in silence.

They had no idea what he was doing.

As the sky grew darker, faint glimmers of light began to appear all around.

However, it was still impossible to tell which beam was the brightest.

Jiang Man and the others ascended using Sword Control.

He was still using the Spirit Sword Ye Xiaoshuang had given him. She hadn’t asked for it back, and he hadn’t offered it.

’Another nice profit. I wonder who’ll give me a better Spirit Sword next time.’

They hovered in the air and saw that the area was a vast forest, crisscrossed by several rivers that looked perfectly serene.

But no one knew if dangerous currents churned beneath the surface.

It wouldn’t be easy for someone with a Golden Core Cultivation to get back up if they went down.

The beams of light grew more distinct.

Once the sun had completely set, all the surrounding beams of light became fully visible.

Some were as thin as saplings, but most were as thick as massive trees.

Then, a pillar of light descended, and Jiang Man’s group of three finally turned to look behind them.

Startlingly, a beam of light as wide as a wall stood right behind them.

"That beam is huge!" Ling Dang exclaimed in shock.

’My luck really is incredible,’ Jiang Man mused.

’Just as I thought, my fortune reaches the heavens.’

"What do you think is inside?" Jiang Man asked, maneuvering his sword closer.

"It’s likely a Primordial Spirit Level Magic Skill. Most people who come here are at Golden Core Perfection, so it can’t be a Cultivation Skill. A Cultivation Skill wouldn’t be this valuable.

"Or," Monk Zhen Kong added, "it could be entry to the Golden Core Secret Realm."

The Golden Core Secret Realm is where one forges their Primordial Spirit.

’That would be a bit of a shame,’ Jiang Man thought with a nod, ’but I could always sell it.’

’It should fetch a good number of Spiritual Sources.’

’Especially to pay off my debts.’

’But their Cultivation is too weak. Even Young Master Fang is still struggling to reach the Golden Core Realm.’

’They won’t be able to use this thing until who knows when.’

As Jiang Man and the others drew near, they saw three elixirs, three envelopes, and a book resting on a stone platform inside.

The envelopes granted entry to the Qi Refining Secret Realm, and the book was the Celestial Essence Skill.

The elixirs were labeled "Primordial Spirit Pill."

The moment he saw the Primordial Spirit Pills, Jiang Man felt nothing. He had no idea what they were.

Monk Zhen Kong and Ling Dang, however, were ecstatic.

Jiang Man looked at them, and they looked back at him.

"Benefactor, are you not excited?" Monk Zhen Kong couldn’t help but ask.

"Is it because you’re such a prodigy?" Ling Dang added.

Jiang Man was silent.

He felt the clear-eyed confusion of an illiterate.

’So, what’s a Primordial Spirit Pill?’

’Or is the Celestial Essence Skill the really amazing thing here?’

After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Man decided to ask.

For a moment, the other two were stunned speechless.

They looked at him in disbelief.

Jiang Man: "..."

Monk Zhen Kong didn’t keep him in suspense and began to explain. "The Celestial Essence Skill is a type of Skill unique to the Primordial Spirit Realm. It’s considered a Low-grade Skill.

"But it’s irreplaceable. There’s no equivalent Skill in the Golden Core Realm. If you were to look for a comparison in a lower Realm...

"...the closest equivalent would be the True Martial Skill.

"The True Martial Skill can only draw upon the power of one’s Golden Core, Physical Body, and Spirit.

"The Celestial Essence Skill, however, draws upon the Primordial Spirit, Golden Core, and Physical Body.

"Moreover, it can not only burn continuously but also erupt with instantaneous power.

"Unlike the True Martial Skill, the Celestial Essence Skill isn’t automatically granted upon reaching the Primordial Spirit Realm. It must be won through the Grand Competition.

"Even though it’s a Low-grade Skill, it is extremely difficult to obtain.

"Even harder to get than most Top-grade Skills.

"Finding this Skill in the Golden Core District is like finding the Celestial Heart Seal in the Yunqian Bureau in recent years."

"And the Primordial Spirit Pill?" Jiang Man asked.

The other two were truly surprised by Jiang Man’s question. Did he really know nothing?

But then they remembered he was still in the Outer Sect, and it made sense.

They didn’t teach this kind of knowledge in the Outer Sect.

But the fact that he had reached a Realm comparable to theirs while still in the Outer Sect made them feel as though the distinction between a genius and an ordinary person meant little to him.

"The Primordial Spirit Pill is an elixir used to help form one’s Primordial Spirit. It’s a modification of an Ancient Alchemy Skill." Monk Zhen Kong looked at the golden Elixir and explained, "Ancient Cultivators relied on these to achieve their promotions, but for us, they are merely supplementary. The Secret Realm is the fundamental path and provides the most complete way to form a Primordial Spirit.

"The Primordial Spirit Pill was preserved and improved so it could be used to compensate for deficiencies in one’s Spirit, and in some cases, even one’s Physical Body.

"If one’s Spirit and Physical Body are already at Perfection, then after forming the Primordial Spirit, your state will reach its absolute peak, saving you several years of refinement.

"This is the effect of the modified version, but the refinement process is difficult, so it hasn’t been released to the market yet.

"As for the envelopes, they’re just icing on the cake.

"They’re of no use to us."

’They’re useful to me,’ Jiang Man thought. ’I can use them to pay off my debts.’

’Besides, if Xiaopang and the others improve their Cultivation, they’ll have more Spiritual Sources. I can have Young Master Fang go borrow from them.’

’He failed his Core Formation this year, so he can borrow again next year.’

’Poor Young Master Fang will just have to suffer a bit. I hope he fails his Core Formation.’

Having identified the items, Jiang Man didn’t hesitate. He threw a punch straight at the beam of light.

BOOM!

The pillar of light trembled, and the water below quaked in response.

A few Demon Beasts surged upward, ready to attack them.

The Monk formed a hand seal and struck down with his palm.

Great Light Buddha Mountain.

BOOM!

An immense force bore down on the beasts.

Confident that they could handle it, Jiang Man continued to hammer away at the beam of light. The faster he broke it, the better.

’Once I get these, my promotion to the Primordial Spirit Realm will be that much easier.’

’The Celestial Essence Skill is a great prize, too.’

’If I miss this chance, it’ll be incredibly difficult to get it later.’

’After all, with that Peak Master watching me, everything is more complicated.’

However, as he struck, Jiang Man realized it would take him several hours of constant assault to break it.

’And that’s with me doing the hitting personally.’

’Wouldn’t someone else have to pound away at it for an entire day?’

"This is obviously designed to stall for time, to wait for others to arrive and force us to compete," Jiang Man said between punches.

The moment the words left his mouth...

...two streaks of light shot toward them from the distance.

Followed by a palpable wave of Sword Intent.

A sword strike descended.

"It’s strong! Retreat!" Monk Zhen Kong said, feeling the chill of the attacker’s Sword Dao.

"Retreat?" Jiang Man took a step forward, his voice cold. "Have you two never been in a competition where you just completely dominate?

"Well, you’re in luck. You’re about to."

As the words fell, Jiang Man threw a punch.

BANG!

His fist collided with the sword’s light.

In the span of a single breath, the sword’s light shattered and vanished.

The hem of Jiang Man’s robes fluttered in the wind.

His voice was even. "Perfect timing. I was finding this a bit slow on my own."

"A Sect Cultivator? You’ve got a big mouth," the sword light dissipated to reveal a woman holding a sword, hovering in the air. She stared coldly at Jiang Man.

But before she could finish speaking, she suddenly felt a gust of wind rush past her.

In the next instant, she saw a fist rapidly filling her field of vision.

BANG!

Jiang Man had appeared beside her, and he smashed the back of his hand into the side of her face.

With a sickening CRACK, the side of her face contorted, and blood sprayed from her mouth along with several teeth.

Her entire body was sent flying backward.

She crashed heavily onto the ground below.

Jiang Man slowly descended from mid-air, his Flying Sword catching him. A gentle breeze stirred the hem of his robes.

He retracted his gaze, pulling his hand back smoothly, and shook his head slightly. "Apologies, I’m a bit pressed for time, so I went ahead and made the first move. I hope you don’t mind."