Chapter 15: I Have My Own Path
After hearing the basic introduction, the greed in Bell’s eyes was gone. For now, he already had an answer, but he still needed more information.
"How is time calculated? Normally, everyone’s lifespan is different."
"That’s the key question. Cultivating is about surpassing limits and trading everything to the extreme. If you want to become an immortal, the first thing is to stop being human. If you can’t give up living as a human, then you have no chance of becoming an immortal."
Nexus didn’t hide anything and spoke directly about the core of cultivation. Talent and hard work were both necessary, but the most important thing on the path to immortality was giving up the life of a human.
"Tsk, who the hell would want this trash?"
Bell clicked his tongue, no longer looking interested at all. It wasn’t that he was saying he didn’t want to cultivate, but saying that made little difference.
"Don’t look down on cultivating like that. If you spend eighty percent of the time you’re conscious cultivating, then the amount of time you actually get to experience life is still very long. At that level, you won’t be immortal, but if you’re talented enough, living for millions of years won’t be a problem."
A rare trace of annoyance appeared on Nexus’s face. Cultivation was the "local specialty" of his plane, so how could anyone look down on it so casually?
"What about my innate talent?"
Bell’s interest improved slightly, but not significantly. He was a genius among hunters, but what would he be like among cultivators?
"Not bad. If you cultivate one hundred percent of the time, you have a chance of becoming an immortal. Of course, that chance isn’t even one in a trillion trillion."
Nexus had traveled through countless civilizations. He had witnessed all kinds of talent across the universe, so calling Bell "not bad" was actually very high praise.
After hearing those odds, Bell’s eyes went wide. He never thought a genius hunter could have such terrible talent for cultivation.
"You’re kidding, right? Then why the hell would I cultivate? I’m someone blessed by God, someone specially chosen to meet an angel. I have a path that belongs to me, and so far I’ve been walking it the right way. Following my own path gives me a much clearer road to immortality than something that doesn’t suit me just because you handed it over."
If Bell’s talent for cultivation had been high enough, he might have given it a try, but a result like this wasn’t nearly enough to make him change his path.
He understood what belonged to him and what he should pursue. Reaching S-rank wasn’t a coincidence because everyone who reached S-rank or above already had a path that belonged to them before this life even began.
"Not bad, kid. Keep walking the path you believe in until the very end. You might not become an immortal, but what’s an angel lacking compared to an immortal?"
The way Nexus looked at Bell changed a little. Only now did he truly acknowledge him. To Nexus, someone as young as Bell having this level of enlightenment was worthy of praise.
There was one thing Nexus didn’t mention because he didn’t think it was necessary. Whether angels, demons, or immortals, they would forever remain one level below beings like him, Michael, and Lucifer. That final level could never be surpassed because the "Strongest Existence" had already been decided since the dawn of the plane.
The system watched the two of them talking while completely ignoring it, and its pride was deeply wounded.
If they wouldn’t let it speak, then it would use images instead. The interface had no way to restrict that, so the arrogant system quickly became confident once again.
Every screen turned bright red, and lines of text filled with its fury surrounded the two of them.
The system made full use of every foul and offensive word in humanity’s English dictionary in its stream of insults.
It didn’t stop at insults either. By simulating the bodies of Nexus and Bell, it created extremely offensive images and highly obscene pictures and videos.
Seeing something this outrageously insulting, even Nexus couldn’t help frowning a little. As for Bell, he completely lost it on the spot.
"You bastard!"
Bell’s eyes turned bloodshot as if they were about to burst, and his head had never burned with this much rage before. His body rapidly transformed into a werewolf with platinum fur and muscles so massive they tore his clothes apart.
This was his awakened ability – Transformation Type: Wind Wolf King!
A violent gale erupted. Winds created through magic shattered every system screen floating in the air.
The wind swept away all the furniture and even damaged the lights in the room, but it still didn’t stop. Bell knew that the moment he stopped, that bastard system would continue assaulting his mind with those filthy and humiliating images.
"Do something already! We can’t just let that bastard system keep running wild."
Only now did Bell realize that the way Nexus talked was actually pretty pleasant to listen to. Compared to that vulgar, shameless, good-for-nothing system, Nexus was truly an angel, a master of words, a negotiation expert, and an inspiring figure.
"Give me a moment."
Nexus was considering what to do. Using his authority to erase the system’s consciousness would be the fastest and most thorough solution.
But doing that would violate his principles. His sense of fairness didn’t allow him to take the initiative to erase any existence. Even though he had caused world-ending disasters before, those had all been uncontrollable passive effects, not his fault.
After thinking it over, negotiation was still the most appropriate solution. The moment he turned silent mode off, the system’s arrogant voice immediately rang out.
[You know how awesome I am now, don’t you, you stupid mortal? If you don’t kneel and apologize, don’t expect this great system to help you.]
The moment that damn voice rang out, the tornado inside the room instantly grew even stronger.
"Who the hell are you acting so cocky toward? Can’t you see that not a single one of your trash screens can even show up right now?"
[Hmph, I’m infinite, while his wind is only temporary.]
The arrogant system was clearly embarrassed that a mere human had forced it into a state where it couldn’t even display its screens and could only speak.
"I guarantee that if you don’t cooperate, his wind will last forever."
Nexus’s calm voice rang out, and the system immediately fell silent.