Land of Cultivation, Separation of Immortals and Mortals (Seeking Monthly Votes)

"Innate Seventh Layer Martial Artist [Chen Dengming]

Lifespan: 82/135

Spiritual Roots: Metal, Wood (Low-Grade 87/100)

Martial Arts: Chen Family Martial Arts General Outline (Mastery 91/100)

Dao Arts: Gu Refining Chapter (Proficient 0/100)"

The wind whistled past his ears. Chen Dengming feigned calm, refusing to look down at the rapidly shifting scenery below, nor daring to openly admire the graceful figure of the Female Cultivator Luo ahead of him. He closed his eyes and focused, observing the subtle changes in his panel.

Ever since his Spiritual Root Potential had been detected by Fairy Luo at the Ascension Convention, the panel had shifted accordingly, now displaying his Spiritual Root attributes and even a value that resembled skill proficiency for techniques.

However, Chen Dengming analyzed that it likely wasn't proficiency, but rather a measure of affinity with spiritual energy.

As things stood, his Spiritual Root affinity was indeed quite high—close to mid-grade among low-grade ones. Unfortunately, they were conflicting Spiritual Roots, a nightmare wrapped in good fortune.

One sentence summed it up: if you said his Spiritual Roots were poor, he had the highest-affinity low-grade Dual Spirit Root; if you said they were good, he had the highest-affinity conflicting Dual Spirit Root.

Still, perhaps affinity could be improved over time, much like training a skill, gradually altering one's Spiritual Root quality. Only future attempts would tell.

Now, a full day had passed since the Ascension Convention ended.

Ever since he left Misty Cliff that day, following the five cultivators, he had only felt a flash of light before his eyes, a flicker of darkness in his mind—and in what seemed like an instant, he was in an entirely unfamiliar place.

This surreal sensation was akin to controlling a character stepping into a teleportation array in a game from his past life.

But experiencing it firsthand was a feeling beyond words.

Because, crossing from the mortal realm of Nanxun Kingdom into the Cultivation World, Chen Dengming could clearly sense that with the change in environment, the very air he breathed seemed laced with an unusual energy. It made every cell in his body feel alive, his mind sharp, his eyes clear, and the circulation of his True Qi accelerate, as if he had been reborn. Even the Blood Centipede Gu dormant in his ear canal twitched its antennae in excitement.

He understood—the extra energy in the air was spiritual energy. He had made the right choice.

Fighting his way from Nanxun Kingdom into the Cultivation World meant swapping to a larger platform with richer resources.

Now, he was traveling with Fairy Luo on her Flying Artifact, heading straight for the settlement she had mentioned.

Back then, after the seven of them left Nanxun Kingdom, they had appeared on a cloud-shrouded platform similar to Misty Cliff.

Then, the five cultivators descended the platform into a great mountain, where they encountered several other cultivators who seemed to guard a formation. After an exchange that resembled a shift handover, they parted ways.

The cultivator surnamed He left with Nangong Yun, reportedly to take him into the Moon Reflection Sect.

As for the other cultivators, Chen Dengming had mostly figured them out: they were from the Hidden World Sect, the Spirit Communication Sect, the Red Cloud Gate, and the Wonderful Sound Sect.

Fairy Luo was from the Wonderful Sound Sect. Judging by how the other cultivators treated her, she seemed to have some background.

They had been flying for half a day.

Now, on the horizon ahead, two large cities built against the mountains came into view, along with a chaotic, noisy plain between them.

Chen Dengming had overcome his initial fear of the heights and was slowly adjusting.

He had to admit—even though in his past life he had grown used to airplanes and even tried bungee jumping twice, and in this life he was a Xiantian Grandmaster with superb lightness skills, standing hundreds of meters in the air with only a thin layer of spiritual light shield for protection and no other safety measures—even with his mental fortitude, this first experience of high-altitude flight was still deeply unsettling.

One misstep, and he would be reduced to dust.

Fairy Luo raised an eyebrow slightly, turning to look at the closed-eyed Chen Dengming behind her. She found it amusing but maintained the aloof demeanor of an Immortal Master, slowing the flight speed as she said flatly, "We've arrived. Still afraid to take a look below? I recall you weren't this timid yesterday when you dared to make demands."

Chen Dengming opened his eyes.

Before him was a delicate, stunningly beautiful side profile. A fragrant breeze brushed past, and a few strands of hair drifted near his face, almost tickling him. Accompanied by her breath like orchid mist, it stirred a faint ripple in his heart.

Seeing Fairy Luo's brow sharpen, Chen Dengming composed himself and replied, "It's only my first time at such heights, and I'm still quite unaccustomed. I think if I could later come into contact with such Flying Artifacts, I would gradually adapt. Please forgive my embarrassment, Immortal Master."

With that, he looked toward the two cities far below, suppressing the slight dizziness from the high vantage point, and asked in surprise, "Does the Immortal Master intend to settle me in one of those two cities?"

Fairy Luo gave a light laugh and said coolly, "You, a mere mortal, think rather highly of yourself.

Those two cultivation cities belong to the Zhu Family and the Luo Family, two Cultivation Families. Without strength above Qi Cultivation Fourth Level, you have no right to apply for residence there.

Even if you had the strength, you'd need to pay Spirit Stones or join as a member to qualify for living in the city. As for you—"

She cast a sidelong glance at Chen Dengming, then pointed a slender finger at the chaotic, noisy zone between the two families.

"You can only stay there. That's the Rogue Cultivator zone that has gathered around these two Cultivation Families. It's quite lawless, with some Innate Martial Artists like you and a few low-level Rogue Cultivators.

I can only bring you this far. Compared to the wild outskirts, the Rogue Cultivator zone, though dangerous, is still better—at least there are no beast attacks."

"Luo Family... beasts..."

Chen Dengming's mind made connections, but he listened calmly. Even if her condescending remark about "a mere mortal" stung a little, he didn't take offense—because what she said was true.

Anger without strength was nothing but impotent rage.

Knowing oneself was often the key to making the right choice in many situations.

"I see..."

Chen Dengming nodded slightly and cupped his fists respectfully to Fairy Luo. "Then please set me down in that Rogue Cultivator zone, Immortal Master. I thank you for guiding me onto the Immortal Path. I dare to ask your name, so that I may repay this guidance in the future!"

Fairy Luo raised an eyebrow, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips where a beauty mark sat. "This was already a transaction. The Gu arts you gave me are repayment enough."

Perhaps feeling her earlier words had been too harsh, she softened her tone as she formed hand seals to bring down the Escape Light. "Bringing you here was just a small effort on my part, nothing significant.

That Gu art of yours is worth at least five or six Mid-grade Spirit Stones. In some black markets, it could sell for over a dozen. So, I intend to give you some compensation."

With that, the two swiftly descended to the ground below. A waist token flew out from Fairy Luo's Storage Bag, arcing toward Chen Dengming.

Chen Dengming was about to refuse with words, but when he met Fairy Luo's gaze, her eyes seemed to convey a message straight through his mind, leaving him no room to decline.

He understood at once—she didn't want to owe him even this trifle, nor have any further entanglement with him, a "mere mortal." The only choice was to accept the waist token.

"This is a Luo Family token. If you run into trouble in the Retailer District, you can use it to resolve matters. But remember, it's just an ordinary token. If you face a major problem or some desperado willing to risk it all, this token won't save you."

Fairy Luo smiled calmly. Her tone was gentle, yet it carried the aloof, distant air of an Immortal Master.

"Thank you, Immortal Master. I understand."

Chen Dengming cupped his fists once more, then tactfully gathered his breath and leaped down from her lotus-shaped Flying Artifact.

As he landed, stirring up dust, Fairy Luo had already departed on her Escape Light. Her graceful silhouette was flawless, leaving only a faint trace of lingering fragrance.

From start to finish, she never told Chen Dengming her name.

Perhaps it was because she knew he had no hope of cultivating immortality and had few years left to live.

Or perhaps she felt her name wasn't worth telling to a mere mortal.

Either way, it revealed the cruel gap and harsh reality between immortals and mortals.

Chen Dengming's mind remained calm, unshaken by her attitude.

He knew that from the moment he set foot on this Cultivation World, he had begun a new life and a new stage.

As long as he immediately started practicing the cultivation technique the old Daoist had traded him, he could extend his lifespan. The longer his life grew, the farther he could walk on the path of immortality.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Dengming glanced at the sprawling, disorderly huts not far away and flicked his right ear.

"Buzz—"

The Blood Centipede Gu stirred inside his ear, awakening from its dormant state.

Chen Dengming gathered his breath, activated his movement technique, and quickly advanced toward the noisy Retailer District ahead.

But before long, he frowned and swiftly veered away from the area ahead, taking a detour.

Almost as soon as he turned aside, several fireballs shot through the air with a whoosh, heating the atmosphere intensely. They slammed into a cultivator surrounded by a Golden Light Spirit Shield, erupting with a bang.

That cultivator shouted toward the direction Chen Dengming had left, "Fellow Daoist, save me! I'll repay you handsomely!"

"Bad luck!"

Chen Dengming's face darkened as he sped away even faster.

A cultivator who had just activated a Fireball Talisman glanced at Chen Dengming's retreating figure from afar. After a careful sense, he suddenly relaxed and cursed under his breath.

"Just a mortal of innate stage. Scared me for nothing."

Then, with a sinister grin, he activated another talisman and pressed the attack against the cultivator ahead.

Several hundred feet away, Chen Dengming slipped behind a hill, held his breath, and quietly observed the two cultivators locked in battle.

"The threat I sense from their aura isn't as strong as Fairy Luo's group, but it's definitely greater than Nangong Shuo's. They should be low-level cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage. Still, their methods of fighting are rather monotonous..."

Today's update is over six thousand words. If you have Monthly votes, throw them in, folks!