Parting Ways

The four of them, who were once revered by thousands and known as Prodigies in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, finally bowed their heads before the pursuit of immortality.

What they had disdained just a month ago, they now compromised on, even wanting to actively pursue it.

To this, Li Ji'an offered his sincere blessings!

"May we all have a bright future!"

However, he still rejected their invitation.

"Brother Li, you're being foolish. At the peak of the Martial Path, our lifespan is only a hundred years. But once we achieve Qi Condensation, we're guaranteed at least a hundred years. Advancing to the middle stage allows us to live for two sixty-year cycles, and late-stage Qi Condensation can even extend our lives to a hundred and fifty years. If we're lucky enough to reach Foundation Establishment... three hundred years! Three hundred years of life, just thinking about it is exciting," Zhang Tie Zhu said emotionally.

Zhu Linxian looked at Li Ji'an, wanting to speak but hesitating, and ultimately remained silent.

Dong Jiangling's eyes flickered as he sighed softly, "Alas, I can understand Brother Li's thoughts. We've now understood clearly how difficult cultivating immortality is! I don't know if I'll regret today's decision. The future is bleak, and hope is slim."

Zhao Shuyao looked incredulous, "Brother Li, we've cultivated in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty for decades, and it wasn't solely due to our talent. You were able to become a Prodigy who overshadowed an era; your temperament, perseverance, effort, and comprehension are all top-notch.

If the Martial Path works, perhaps cultivation can too!

Now, you won't even try.

You and I are the oldest; we don't have time to waste!

If we don't start now, it'll truly be too late!"

Li Ji'an nodded.

Indeed, without "Rejuvenation," how could he be so calm, leisurely, steady, and patient?

But with "Rejuvenation," he had endless time.

He had already arrived in the cultivation world and seen the hope of achieving the Great Dao and Ascension, living as long as the heavens. He could not afford to take risks now.

Over the past month, their understanding of this cultivation world had become increasingly detailed. In addition to confirming what Chen Zhao'hu had said, they also understood the ever-changing landscape and unpredictable fate of the cultivation world.

They also learned about the intensity of the competition.

For those like them, who had missed the optimal age and possessed inferior Spiritual Roots, catching up to others without taking risks or going all out was almost hopeless.

However, Li Ji'an did not aspire to make a comeback in this life.

He only sought to integrate into this world and do his utmost to ensure the safety of his next life, accumulating a little bit of resources would be considered a success.

After all, he likely only had about thirty more years left in this life.

Without much explanation, Li Ji'an insisted on staying put for the time being, waiting for the opportune moment to make further plans.

Finally, the five of them had a farewell dinner at the Hundred Fragrance Tower, where they had their welcome banquet when they first entered this world. Li Ji'an also divided the remaining Spirit Sand equally as travel expenses for each of them.

"Brother Li, take care. If I'm fortunate enough to step into cultivation, I'll definitely come back to find you. You all too; once you've settled down, write to Brother Li. Then Brother Li can help us exchange addresses. In this foreign land, we must help each other," Zhang Tie Zhu said, cupping his fists towards everyone before striding towards the southern frontier family.

"Take care! See you in ten years." Zhao Shuyao and the other two were preparing to head to the United Market a hundred miles away to seek their immortal destinies.

Everything that needed to be said had been said. They no longer tried to persuade Li Ji'an, merely bidding each other farewell.

They agreed to reunite in ten years, no matter what.

"Ten years!" Li Ji'an smiled freely as he watched his old friends depart.

"Let's go. Perhaps you'll see them again in less than ten years," Chen Zhao'hu said, patting Li Ji'an's shoulder.

"Brother Chen, what do you think will happen to them in ten years?" Li Ji'an asked with a smile.

Chen Zhao'hu chuckled, "I'm not a God-favored One who can predict the future, how would I know what happens in ten years? You people are definitely blessed with deep fortune. Perhaps you'll encounter some great opportunity and soar to the heavens."

"Predict the future? God-favored One?" Li Ji'an heard this for the first time.

"Oh, God-favored Ones, as the name suggests, are people favored by the heavens. They are naturally in harmony with the Great Dao and possess some profound and mysterious abilities from birth. There was once a God-favored One who could foresee the future a hundred years ahead," Chen Zhao'hu said casually.

Li Ji'an stopped in his tracks instantly. The image of Ning Sujin involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

He felt that Ning Sujin's ability to avoid danger seemed to fit Chen Zhao'hu's description of a God-favored One.

"Naturally in harmony with the Great Dao... doesn't that mean... the chosen one?"

Seeing Li Ji'an's surprised expression, Chen Zhao'hu shook his head and chuckled, "Not necessarily. I heard from those important figures that God-favored Ones are merely people who have merged with Great Dao Law Fragments and possess corresponding abilities. However, some laws are beneficial for cultivation, while others can even be harmful. Moreover, it seems that besides the corresponding abilities, Great Dao Law Fragments do not change anything else. Not only humans, but some items can also be possessed by Heavenly Dao Laws, gaining mysterious abilities."

"Great Dao Law Fragments..." Li Ji'an became even more bewildered.

This kind of thing didn't seem like something someone at Chen Zhao'hu's level should know.

"That's right, Great Dao Law Fragments. It is said that our current Heavenly Dao is incomplete because many laws have shattered."

"The Heavenly Dao of this world is incomplete?"

"If it weren't incomplete, then perhaps we would all have a chance to achieve the Great Dao and Ascension!" Chen Zhao'hu said, suddenly becoming excited.

"Brother Li, you don't know, but a great power once discovered an ancient ruin revealed from the earth's veins. It recorded that cultivation back then wasn't all about absorbing Spiritual Energy and refining Magical Power like we do now. The highest cultivation method was to directly sense the Heavenly Dao and comprehend the laws. Some people meditated for a hundred years and achieved enlightenment in a single night, and there were even innate Dao Children who entered the Dao at birth.

Moreover, even for those who cultivated by refining Spiritual Energy, Foundation Establishment in a hundred days was common. That era... was truly a golden age of cultivation!"

"Then what exactly happened?" Li Ji'an's expression turned solemn.

"Who knows? We'll probably have to wait for those important figures to discover clues in ancient ruins someday. Forget it, forget it. These things are too far from us; we can just listen. Come on, I'll teach you a body-refining cultivation method from this world," Chen Zhao'hu sighed, his enthusiasm waning significantly.

"Okay!" Compared to the grand trends of this world, or even the history of the cultivation world, Li Ji'an had plenty of time to explore. Right now, he was more concerned about the body-refining cultivation method Chen Zhao'hu was about to impart to him.

For the past month, he had come to understand that the so-called Martial Path Cultivation Method taught by the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty was merely a common, low-level body-refining technique in this world, the Dragon Elephant Body Forging Technique.

Furthermore, it was incomplete, only the first half of a Tier 1 body-refining technique. It lacked any offensive skills and could only be cultivated to the early stage of Tier 1 body refinement.

Besides this, the technique that he had initially been proud of, which he created using his accumulated comprehension from four lifetimes and the efforts of countless ancestors of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty to stimulate Vital Energy and Blood, was actually just a widely spread auxiliary body-refining technique in this world.

That night, Li Ji'an agreed to join Chen Zhao'hu's team, acting as a mascot for one year, in exchange for the Hundred Refinements Golden Body Art, a body-refining technique that Chen Zhao'hu had stumbled upon.

Chen Zhao'hu boasted that this technique could at least be cultivated to Tier 2!

A Tier 2 body cultivator could break through the protective magical shields of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in close combat, so they should not be underestimated.

"Brother, although the possibility of us becoming Tier 2 body cultivators is very slim under these conditions, even as a mid-stage Tier 1 body cultivator like myself, I am strong enough to live safely here.

Don't lose heart. Refine your body diligently and hunt. I will help you find a Cultivation Partner with a decent Spiritual Root when the time comes. Perhaps you can then have a child with a good Spiritual Root, and that would fulfill your dream of cultivation."