Transaction Between Immortals and Mortals

Even among Xiantian Grandmasters, they rarely fought to the death, usually stopping at the point where victory was clear to avoid mutual destruction unless there was a glaring gap in their strengths.

Yet between the seventh-level Xiantian Chen Dengming and the eighth-level Xiantian Nangong Shuo, Nangong Shuo evidently held the upper hand in strength.

Even if the two had fought to the death, Nangong Shuo would have had better odds of winning.

Yet the outcome was the opposite.

Even Hu Lei, who had attacked Chen Dengming alongside him, died.

The result of this battle was shocking, and the key to victory actually lay in Chen Dengming's Gu poison.

Had Nangong Shuo and the others not pushed step by step, Chen Dengming would not have been willing to pull out this trump card.

Since the two insisted on courting their own deaths and refused to listen to reason, Chen Dengming had no choice but to ruthlessly kill them once and for all.

He had always preferred to avoid trouble whenever possible, but if the trees desired calm yet the wind would not stop, and trouble insisted on knocking on his door, his only choice was to do his utmost to cut through the tangled mess with a sharp blade, wiping out all threats and leaving no lingering roots of trouble—this was the experience and lesson he had accumulated over more than eighty years of surviving in this martial arts world after crossing over.

Any womanish mercy would only bring trouble to himself and those around him.

Therefore, both Nangong Shuo and Hu Lei died because he, Chen Dengming, was about to leave for the Cultivation World, and only by eliminating these two could he prevent them from striking at his family left behind in the mortal world.

Without these two, aided by the snake Gu and loyal guards he left for the household, the Chen Family would be worry-free for the next century.

Yet at this moment, the deaths of Nangong Shuo and Hu Lei dealt the greatest shock to Shao Yu Feng.

Chen Dengming's might subverted his perception, even causing him to feel an inexplicable, guilty panic and sense of threat.

Therefore, upon hearing the immortals above discuss the matter of youth preservation during their exchange, Shao Yu Feng immediately seized the opportunity, respectfully and humbly cupping his fists toward the five immortals floating above.

"Respected Immortal Masters, please accept this subordinate's bow."

"This subordinate dares to answer the respected Immortal Masters' previous question. In truth, the reason Chen Dengming is so adept at preserving his youth is rumored to be that he obtained the remains of an immortal in his early years, among which was a Youth Preserving Pill. As for whether there were other items, this subordinate does not know."

"Oh?"

The five cultivators were currently communicating via voice transmission, and upon hearing this, all of them looked toward Shao Yu Feng.

In an instant, Shao Yu Feng felt as though his every hidden thought and secret had been completely laid bare.

Under the burning gazes of the five cultivators, his body felt as if it were being dissected, leaving no thought concealed.

Just as terror struck his heart, the female cultivator surnamed Luo spoke indifferently, "So he actually obtained a Youth Preserving Pill. That makes sense after all. What a pity, such a precious pill was actually wasted on a mortal. I wonder if he has any more?"

Shao Yu Feng's heart eased, and he had just begun to feel a surge of joy.

The next instant, however, the gaze of the female cultivator surnamed Luo suddenly turned fierce. She swept a cold glance at Shao Yu Feng and snorted, "It's just that... when we are conversing, how dare a mere mortal like you presume to listen and butt in? Utterly ignorant!"

Shao Yu Feng's face instantly turned pale. He felt her cold snort and lightning-like gaze strike his heart like a thousand-jin heavy hammer, instantly filling him with heart palpitations, a sense of powerlessness, and an inability to resist. In a mere instant, his mind was injured, blood seeped from the corners of his mouth, and he staggered backward.

The other four cultivators at this moment either wore cold expressions or carried sarcastic smiles.

Naturally, they could easily see through Shao Yu Feng's intention to use their hands to deal with Chen Dengming.

Yet while they were willing to listen to this mortal's explanation, it did not mean they were willing to be used by a mere mortal.

Such foolish behavior from a mortal felt insulting to them, and punishment was naturally inevitable.

Seeing Shao Yu Feng suffer and realizing the five immortals were apparently not so easy to talk to and quite fickle in their moods, the remaining eight individuals all held their breaths in terror. Even the Nangong Family descendants, who had been crying aloud, hurriedly stopped their grief, fearing they would provoke the immortals.

At that moment, Chen Dengming finally flew up, guided by the token's pull, and landed upon the giant teleportation array platform.

He first looked up at the five immortals floating high above. Feeling the cold gazes and intense pressure emanating from them, he immediately lowered his gaze slightly to show submissiveness, cupped his fists, and bowed.

"Junior Chen Dengming pays respects to the five Immortal Masters!"

With those words, seeing no response, he immediately kept hidden wariness in his heart while lowering his head to observe the others around him.

After sweeping his gaze past the Nangong Family descendants who were staring at him with hatred, he lingered for a moment on several old freaks brimming with the aura of twilight, feeling quite shocked inside.

He had already guessed the identities of these old freaks, and he was equally astonished that these old monsters could truly live so long; the oldest among them was probably approaching his Lifespan Limit.

Yet he had gained such longevity only because he increased his lifespan by practicing martial arts.

As for this group of old freaks, they likely prolonged their lives by consuming blood through methods similar to tortoise breathing, freezing, or certain demonic arts, making it possible for them to live this long, with each of them exuding a gloomy and terrifying aura.

However, everyone's lifespan limit differed; some people could live at most seventy years, while others could reach a hundred and ten, so it could not be generalized.

Aside from that, Chen Dengming also noticed the blood seeping from the corner of Shao Yu Feng's mouth. Connecting this to the solemn and even tense atmosphere at the scene, he had his suspicions, which only made him feel even more solemn.

At that moment, the female cultivator surnamed Luo suddenly spoke again, gazing calmly at Chen Dengming. "I heard that you once encountered the remains of an immortal in your early years and obtained a Youth Preserving Pill. Is this true?"

Without needing to raise his head, Chen Dengming felt the gazes of the five figures above pressing down on him like sharp blades, staring straight at him as if trying to see through his thoughts. Any deception would surely lead to an unpredictable fate.

Yet against this, he had long made preparations and anticipated it.

All along, while he held hopes for the descending immortals of the Ascension Convention, he also knew that immortals did not necessarily symbolize goodness, nor were they without desires.

They might even just be a group of cultivators stronger than Xiantian experts.

Such a group of powerhouses selecting the weak to go to the Cultivation World—what was their purpose? Would it truly be as wonderful as claimed?

In other words, even if it truly were that wonderful, one must guard against others, which was why he had still prepared quite a few trump cards for self-preservation.

At this moment, he answered truthfully and respectfully, laying bare the Youth Preserving Pill he had obtained in his youth, as well as the immortal's Gu techniques.

He even detailed the exact location of the immortal's remains he had encountered back then, holding nothing back.

This frank attitude also satisfied the five heart-reading cultivators.

They could tell Chen Dengming was not lying, and even though they had not asked about the Gu techniques, Chen Dengming had honestly confessed to them anyway.

The female cultivator surnamed Luo said in a calm and gentle tone, "What a pity that there was only a single Youth Preserving Pill, otherwise Junior Sister Liu and I would have liked to make a trade with you, a mere mortal, to exchange for that Youth Preserving Pill. Pity."

At these words, the envy previously held in the eyes of the others present turned into schadenfreude and relief.

Chen Dengming cupped his fists, before he could speak, another old cultivator with the air of an immortal spoke with a chuckle, "Fellow Daoist Luo and Junior Sister Liu are interested in the Youth Preserving Pill, but this old Daoist priest's weathered face has no interest in such pills.

However, I am rather interested in the Gu cultivation arts this mortal obtained. Let me ask you, the Gu arts you used earlier seemed colorless, odorless, formless, and substance-less. Is there some special technique to it?"

Hearing this, the expressions of the other four cultivators also flickered slightly as they looked at Chen Dengming.

Chen Dengming respectfully cupped his fists. "This is precisely the highest grade of Gu-using technique. As recorded in the Gu techniques this junior obtained: 'Releasing Gu does not require the exclusive use of food; simply breathing upon someone with one's breath or looking at them with one's eyes can transmit the poison to a person. Using food is the lowest grade of Gu usage.'"

"Good, good..."

The old cultivator looked at Chen Dengming with a smile. "I wonder if you are willing to take out this Gu cultivation art and make a trade with this old Daoist?"

Chen Dengming replied candidly, "This junior is naturally willing, and would even be willing to gift it to the Immortal Master."

"Bah!"

The old cultivator waved his hand, speaking indifferently, "This old Daoist only makes trades, and does not accept gifts from mortals, nor will I taint myself with such unearned karma."

Chen Dengming was left speechless.

At that moment, hearing these immortals repeatedly use the words "mortal," he truly felt the immense gap between immortals and mortals, as well as the overwhelming sense of superiority and pride those immortals held.

Even a Xiantian Grandmaster, when facing cultivators, did not even possess the qualification to offer gifts.

Suppressing his emotions, he continued respectfully, "Since that is the case, this junior dares to make a trade with the Immortal Master.

Only, at present, this junior does not yet know where he will go after this Ascension Convention, and therefore does not know what to ask for in exchange for the Gu techniques."

The five immortals came to a realization, though their expressions also mingled with a trace of sentimentality, a sigh, and a trace of mockery. The old cultivator said with lingering meaning, "I almost forgot about the main business of the Ascension Convention."

With those words, his gaze carried a smile as he exchanged glances with the other four cultivators. After a quick communication, his expression turned light and detached, high and mighty, as he indifferently gazed down at the three expectant old freaks.

"The three of you are nearing the end of your lifespans with little time left. Even with spiritual roots, it would be difficult for you to cultivate. Be on your way."

At these words, the three old monsters froze, their gazes blank for a long moment as they felt as though all hope had suddenly been shattered.

Immediately, one of them fell to his knees in despair and cried out, begging the Immortal Master to grant him a chance.

"Silence!"

The old Daoist priest frowned and snorted, suddenly pinching a hand seal and flicking his horsetail whisk. A fierce gale directly swept up the three old freaks and blasted them straight off the platform.

Having finished this trivial matter, the old Daoist's gaze shifted directly to Shao Yu Feng, and he said indifferently, "You are also getting old, be on your way."

Shao Yu Feng froze, his lips trembling as he suddenly looked up to stare at the old man, only to feel that among the high and mighty gazes above, there was one resembling a cold lightning bolt mixed with a frosty blade that pierced straight into his heart, chilling him to the core.

He let out a miserable laugh on the spot, leaping down from the platform of his own accord, feeling momentarily that all his previous efforts, calculations, and bitter pursuits appeared so laughable.

What fourth among the Xiantian, what unfailing calculations—it turned out everything was in vain. What did it matter even if he had a spiritual root?

A mortal who struggled all his life to reach the pinnacle in pursuit of an immortal destiny, only to reach the finish line and be dismissed by a casual remark from an immortal that he was too old, was instantly crushed in all his efforts, resulting in a single outcome—failure!

Not only was Shao Yu Feng's heart chilled, but at this moment even Chen Dengming's heart grew cold.

His age was even greater than Shao Yu Feng's by over a decade.

Though he possessed a transmigrator's golden finger, his remaining lifespan was still vast, and he had room for future improvement.

However, the five cultivators knew nothing of this. If they wanted to drive him away, it seemed he had no other choice but to leave.

The Blood Centipede Gu was indeed a trump card that could threaten the lives of cultivators, but that required catching them off guard.

Moreover, there were five of them, and such a problem could not be resolved merely through martial force.

Only then did Chen Dengming understand that the cruelty of cultivation and the indifference of immortals were truly like the cold, unfeeling reality, unlike how they were written as beautiful dreams in the novels of his past life.

When these immortals conversed with him just now, it was merely because there happened to be a topic of discussion, not because they regarded him as an equal.

And now, rather than starting with him, they drove the others away first, simply to make him see the "reality," leaving him until last to complete a single transaction before driving him away as well.

Think of a way—I must think of a way!

The more nervous Chen Dengming became, the calmer he forced himself to be, his mind racing as he thought rapidly.

At that moment, the other Xiantian Grandmasters, the two princes from the Imperial Palace, and the descendants of the Nangong and Wu families also began to accept the "judgment" of the immortals!

Unsurprisingly, several Xiantian Grandmasters were driven away just like Shao Yu Feng.

Among them, Wang Shiduo, the fifth-ranked Xiantian, was the most pitiful.

His age was not high, merely fifty-eight years old, but he only possessed an inferior spiritual root, which did not meet the enrollment conditions. He was tossed a basic cultivation manual and driven away.

Yet according to the cultivator wearing the square cap, even with a cultivation manual, it was utterly impossible to succeed in cultivation in a place like the Nanxun Kingdom where spiritual Qi was nearly exhausted.

Apart from that, the two imperial princes were also tested and found to have no spiritual roots at all, and were driven away.

Although they possessed the qualifications to participate in the Ascension Convention due to their birth, the threshold for entering cultivation was no different for them than for anyone else. Without a spiritual root for cultivation, what could they do but sigh in helplessness?

In the end, it turned out that a descendant of the Nangong Family actually possessed an inferior spiritual root and could be taken away to enter the Cultivation World.

Out of the ten people with tokens, aside from Chen Dengming, only a youngster from the Nangong Family who had not even entered the Xiantian realm had gained an immortal destiny. This could only be described as ironic.

Chen Dengming was extremely calm at this moment, but facing the gazes cast by the five immortals, he felt as though he were welcoming his ultimate judgment.

Even his steady state of mind, maintained for over eighty years, found it somewhat difficult to suppress his nervousness at this moment.

"Ordinarily, given your age, there would be no need to test you; we could simply drive you away."

The female cultivator surnamed Luo looked at Chen Dengming and calmly said, "Because a mortal's lifespan rarely exceeds a hundred years. As for those who previously tried to prolong their lives and lingered on through various means, that is the extent of it.

Even if they possess High-grade Spiritual Roots, stepping onto the immortal path at this time would only result in death before reaching the Qi Cultivation Second Level, wasting resources."

Pausing for a moment, she continued, "However, considering you are currently eighty years old, you perhaps still have twenty or thirty good years left to live. If you happen to possess an inferior spiritual root, you might manage to cultivate to the third or fourth level of Qi Cultivation, at which point you could live up to a hundred and fifty years—and nothing more."

"Indeed!"

The old cultivator calmly looked at Chen Dengming, adding, "Everything requires value to be worth anyone's attention.

You possess the little Gu arts that we are all interested in, so if you possess an inferior spiritual root, we are willing to make an exception and bring you onto the immortal path, starting as an outer sect disciple of the sect. That is the condition of our trade."

A Low-grade Spiritual Root was already considered top-tier talent for someone born in a place of barren spiritual Qi. In the true Cultivation World, it surpassed the vast majority of people, making the elimination of Shao Yu Feng and the others quite normal.

After all, even in the Cultivation World where spiritual Qi was abundant, many mortals lacked spiritual roots entirely and could not even be called cultivation trash; that was the reality of most people's lives.

Hearing this, the selected descendant of the Nangong Family stared closely at Chen Dengming, silently cursing him not to have a spiritual root so that he would not be taken away.

At that moment, the female cultivator surnamed Luo formed a hand seal and cast a spell to test spiritual roots, which landed on the crown of Chen Dengming's head.

Previously, she had used five Mid-grade Spirit Stones as a wager, choosing Chen Dengming as her bet.

Thus, once Chen Dengming possessed a Low-grade Spiritual Root and could step onto the immortal path, she would also win more gambling stakes, though she would need to yield a portion of the profits to her companions.

After all, according to the principles, even if Chen Dengming possessed a Low-grade Spiritual Root, he would not be selected due to his advanced age, limited potential, and the waste of resources.

It was precisely because Chen Dengming possessed the Gu arts that interested everyone that this exception existed.

As the power of the spell seeped down from the top of Chen Dengming's head, it divided into multiple strange hues.

Different colors shifted and floated above Chen Dengming's head, representing his affinity for various attributes of heaven and earth.

In the end, two balls of light—one cyan and one white—floated above Chen Dengming's head, both of them relatively faint...