Ambition to Cultivate Immortality

Compared to Li Ji'an's surprise, the other four were utterly stunned!

Even Zhu Linxian, the quiet little girl who had been silent all along, couldn't believe it and asked for an answer: "Brother Li, this... are we really in the right place? Is this really the cultivation world? Tell me, it's not like this, right!"

Only five Immortal Seeds remained from this batch, excluding Li Ji'an and Zhao Shuyao, there were Dong Jiangling, Zhang Tie Zhu, and Zhu Linxian.

Dong Jiangling was the adopted son of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty's Chief Eunuch. Having grown up in the imperial court, he had a special reliance on and affection for the Imperial Family. This was why, ten years ago, when he entered the Immortal Palace at thirteen, he fell deeply in love with the Ninth Princess Zhao Shuyao at first sight.

Zhu Linxian was the pearl of the Zhu family, a Vital Energy and Blood clan that rose to prominence after Prince Yun of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty ascended the throne. However, due to the untimely death of her beloved mother, her personality became quiet and reserved, and she rarely voiced her opinions along the way.

Zhang Tie Zhu was the most unique among this batch of Immortal Seeds. A farm boy, he was discovered by chance to possess the Dragon Elephant physique. He was accepted into the Immortal Palace and had been progressing rapidly, living up to expectations.

Li Ji'an had already seen that among the other four, Zhu Linxian had the deepest obsession with cultivation.

Therefore, she felt the greatest sense of disappointment at this moment.

"What do you think the cultivation world should be like?" Li Ji'an asked back instead of answering.

Zhu Linxian looked a bit lost and tentatively said, "My clan said that Immortals and mortals are different. Immortals... Immortals..."

She trailed off, unable to continue.

After all, Li Ji'an's act of slaying immortals had shattered her previous understanding.

Li Ji'an smiled slightly and continued, "Immortals should look down on all beings, treat all things as straw dogs, be high above, and be worshipped by mortals?"

Zhu Linxian's gaze flickered slightly as she looked at Li Ji'an, proving that Li Ji'an was right.

It couldn't be blamed on her; she had been indoctrinated with such ideas since childhood.

Although her perception of Immortals as supreme beings had been challenged on the way here, she still harbored some lingering thoughts about cultivation.

"Immortals and mortals are different? Heh~

They're just cultivators who haven't achieved Ascension yet, what kind of Immortals are they?

Moreover, so-called mortals are merely those who haven't stepped onto the path of cultivation. If there's a difference just based on that, then when we in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty step onto the Martial Path, aren't we also different from the common folk who haven't?

Are we not the same as those commoners? Are we not human?"

Li Ji'an let out a carefree laugh, feeling refreshed.

"But... it shouldn't be... it shouldn't be so lacking in the demeanor of a cultivator, in such broad daylight..." Zhu Linxian still found it hard to accept.

Li Ji'an understood; he knew their sense of disappointment.

They thought they would be able to cultivate, only to see these cultivation families still engaging in such low-level activities as recruiting sons-in-law, strong laborers, and test subjects... it lacked prestige.

What Li Ji'an wanted to say was that not everyone liked to put on a stern face all day, pretending to be profound and detached. Profundity and detachment couldn't be faked just by pulling a long face. Besides, if cultivating meant having a long face every day, what was the point of cultivating?

Most importantly, profundity and detachment couldn't make cultivation families prosper, nor could they bring in cultivation resources.

However, he didn't say it explicitly. Some things needed to be experienced and understood by themselves.

If they couldn't figure it out, couldn't lower themselves, couldn't integrate, and looked down on these behaviors that existed for a reason, then their future would be difficult.

"Hey, what a coincidence, my friend. I wasn't following you this time; it's a genuine chance encounter."

Just as they walked out of the plaza, while the four were still processing Li Ji'an's words, a strange yet familiar hearty laugh rang out.

Chen Zhao'hu this time only brought his thirteen or fourteen-year-old younger brother.

"Brother Chen, Li offers his regards." This time, Li Ji'an didn't push people away.

Being in an unfamiliar place, he ultimately needed to integrate and be guided.

In comparison, Chen Zhao'hu's words and actions put him more at ease.

"Whoa~ Brother Li, you... not only are you someone with great fortune who came out of the Abandoned Land, but you must also be a favored child of heaven. Your adaptability is truly extraordinary." Chen Zhao'hu was quite surprised.

"Brother Chen flatters me."

"Good, good, I like people like you. Let's go, let's go. An unexpected encounter is better than an invitation. The Hundred Fragrance Tower ahead has superb flavors, and the chef learned from a Spirit Chef. It's a feast to welcome you." Chen Zhao'hu was overjoyed.

Li Ji'an paused slightly: "Brother Chen, didn't you go hunting today?"

"Hah, I've hunted for half my life, can't I rest for a bit?" Chen Zhao'hu said casually.

"Nonsense! He's just bewitched. Every day he goes out, he has to cast a divination, saying it's an inauspicious day to go out... Hmph, you haven't even solidified your spiritual sense, and you want to dabble in Divination, the most difficult of the hundred arts of cultivation?" His younger brother immediately exposed him.

This put Li Ji'an at ease.

What bad intentions could a burly man obsessed with divination and fortune-telling have?

Following Chen Zhao'hu for less than a hundred steps, a two-story stone house came into view. Next to the large "Hundred Fragrance Tower" sign at the entrance, a larger plaque hung: "Followed Spirit Chef Gao Yue for twenty years."

"Oh, a Purple Gold Sable, not bad, not bad. Do you want to sell it, honored guest?" As soon as they entered the Hundred Fragrance Tower, a waiter's eyes fell on the Yao Beast slung over Dong Jiangling's shoulder.

Dong Jiangling looked at Li Ji'an.

"Sell it!"

"Eh, eh, alright, alright. It's been dead for over a day, hasn't it? Oh dear, the fur is damaged..." The waiter nitpicked bit by bit.

"Scram! What, you're trying to swindle my brother Tiger?" Chen Zhao'hu had been talking to his younger brother and was a step behind. He had just arrived and saw a familiar waiter trying to cheat someone.

The waiter repeatedly apologized with a smile: "Ah, my apologies, my apologies. I didn't recognize him and thought he was a passerby. My apologies. I'll go get our manager."

After the waiter ran off, Chen Zhao'hu, familiar with the place, led the five into a private room and they took their seats.

"My brothers and I are clearly no ordinary folk, even looking down on this kind of eatery. However, you've definitely never eaten food like this before," Chen Zhao'hu said, seemingly to himself.

In reality, he had noticed the subtle disdain from Dong Jiangling and the others.

This made Li Ji'an think highly of Chen Zhao'hu; he was a tall, sturdy fellow with a keen mind.

But it made sense; if you weren't careful hunting Yao Beasts, you'd be dead long ago.

"What are you saying, Brother Chen? We've been roughing it for days. We're already very content to be able to eat here."

"Oh, oh, good, good, Brother Li, the more I look at you, the more I like you. How about it? Come hunt with me." Chen Zhao'hu extended the invitation again.

Li Ji'an chuckled, "Heh heh, you're so sure I can bring you good fortune?"

"I am! Remember the first day we met? I cast a divination when I set out, and the omen showed 'Moon Virtue Approaching,' a sign that I would meet a benefactor." Chen Zhao'hu became excited when talking about this subject.

"This might disappoint you, Brother Chen, but our ambition is to cultivate immortality. Otherwise, we wouldn't have traveled thousands of miles to get here." Li Ji'an refused again.

Hearing this, Chen Zhao'hu looked at Li Ji'an and the others in surprise. "Huh? You guys... you don't understand the situation yet? You came out of the Abandoned Land; you can basically forget about cultivating immortality!"

"???"

"!!!"