088: Nurture the Immortal Spirit Within; Carve Out a Vast World with the Blade

In the darkness of night, fishing boats with pointed prows cut through the river like plowshares tilling the land.

Suddenly, the waves parted, and a dazzling, snow-white blade of light, condensed into ice, slammed hard against the bow of the ship.

The protective Formation broke almost instantly, and the bow of the ship was hit with a loud 'bang,' causing it to rise high and tilt like a wild horse.

The fishermen on the boat cried out in alarm. Before they could react to such a sudden turn of events, several golden lines pierced through the air with a 'buzzing' sound, followed by a series of screams that quickly faded away.

"Golden Silkworm Gu?"

One of the men on the boat exclaimed in surprise, shouting, "Brother Chen, is that you?"

"Qiangzi!?"

With a flash of light, Chen Dengming's burly figure landed on the boat, stomping down the nearly capsizing vessel with a loud thud, sending waves crashing up.

Chen Dengming's eyes shone brightly as he looked with delight at Jiang Qiang, who was standing unharmed on the ship, holding onto the mast.

The two locked eyes and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Qiangzi, you're really clever, kid. I was afraid that when I saw you, you'd already have your legs chopped off and be crawling on the ground calling me Brother Chen!"

"Haha, Brother Chen, if you had arrived any later, I might really have had both legs chopped off and be lying on the ground."

"I didn't expect this, but it's good that you're alright. Now is not the time to talk, the patrol guards will be here soon, let's go!"

Chen Dengming didn't waste any words, nor did he bother to retrieve the Storage Bag of the cultivators who had fallen into the river.

The master combines Artifact Control Technique with the Blade Control Blade Dao.

With a flash of light, the blade transformed into a streak of bright Escape Light, engulfing Jiang Qiang and sending him plunging into the surging river with a 'thud,' quickly drifting away with the current.

The night rain followed the wind, and the wind and rain grew stronger, as if countless whips were lashing the heavens and the earth, and the surrounding fields were shrouded in a curtain of rain.

The river turned into a misty haze, as if the heavens were on its side, allowing Chen Dengming and his companion to leave safely.

Having rescued Jiang Qiang, the mission was now complete, all worries were gone, and a whole host of Heartless Ghosts had been dealt with. He left in a carefree and exhilarating manner.

As for anything else, Chen Dengming can neither control nor manage it.

Hopefully, the women of the Yu family and the alchemist who had his legs severed can escape in the chaos.

He didn't have a completely clear concept or distinction in his mind what an immortal was or what a knight-errant was.

Some things don't need to be divided so clearly.

But since arriving in the Cultivation World, he has seen no one with Immortal Qi.

Among all the social interactions, none possessed a chivalrous spirit.

He admitted that he didn't possess the kind of aura that Xianxia) had.

However, if one possesses sufficient power, one can draw their sword on the Longevity Path; otherwise, what is the point of embarking on this journey through the Xianxia?

In this world, the kind are often bullied. If one feels oppressed or frustrated, one should Blade Qi Soaring and shout that the world is too small, and that one should summon wind and rain Summon Wind and Rain the clouds drift lightly.

Being cautious is not being a coward! Being cautious is not being a coward!

If you lack the ability, take a step back and defiantly face the criticism of a thousand men; if you have the ability, strike straight at the heart of the enemy and crush them with overwhelming force!

Almost immediately after Chen Dengming and Jiang Qiang left with the river.

Spiritual Light quickly pierced through the rain and appeared at the port.

They were none other than the patrolling and guarding cultivators of Jue Lin City.

However, even if these people appeared at this moment, it was already too late. They could only help the fishermen collect the corpses, and some of the corpses could not even be collected because they had already sunk into the river and fed to the fish.

At this time, the wind and waves were fierce, and some Water Demon in the deep river were startled out by the smell of blood. There was no longer any trace of Chen Dengming and the others.

Once you enter the Dongjiang River, it's like a dragon swimming in the sea; once you try to catch it, it becomes very difficult.

This was a result that Chen Dengming had already foreseen, not just the movement patterns and schedules of the fishermen.

He had been observing and recording the patrol routes and times of the guarding cultivators over the past few days.

For many years, apart from the life-or-death battle between the Yu and Liang families, no cultivator has ever dared to make such a commotion in Jue Lin City.

But now, there's another person involved. The patrolling and guarding cultivators of Jue Lin City don't even know this person's name or appearance, so they can only classify it as a revenge-seeking incident.

Two days later.

In a forest more than 500 miles Jue Lin City.

With a loud "boom," Chen Dengming used his strength to shake off the sticky rainwater covering his body and cast a Cleansing Technique on himself, finally feeling much more comfortable.

"Brother Chen, we've been on the run for two days, and it's rained for two days straight. It's like the heavens are on our side."

Jiang Qiang's voice came from behind, accompanied by the tantalizing aroma of grilled fish.

There stood a strange fish, about half a meter long, roasting over a fire in the forest. Smoke billowed out, and its skin, resembling the skin of a mottled python, was roasted to a golden brown and crispy, dripping with oil. It looked more like cowhide or sheepskin than fish skin.

"If Heaven were to help us, it would have done so long ago; why wait until today?"

The saying "Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs" means that Heaven is impartial, neither helping nor assisting anyone, and everything follows its natural course.

"You can't expect heaven to help you unless you're the Protagonist of Heaven and Earth."

Chen Dengming shook his head and walked over. Jiang Qiang immediately cut off a large piece of roasted fish, wrapped it in leaves, and handed it to Chen Dengming.

"Brother Chen, what are your plans after this? Are you planning to join a sect?"

Jiang Qiang tried to speak in a relaxed tone, not wanting to create distance between them by being too respectful.

But no matter how hard he tried to relax, the tension in his heart was unavoidable.

Upon seeing Chen Dengming again, Chen's strength had far exceeded his expectations, making it difficult for him to overcome his nervousness even if he wanted to talk to Chen Dengming as easily as before and call him "Brother Chen."

Is the cultivation speed of High-grade Spiritual Root really that astonishing?

Chen Dengming noticed Jiang Qiang's nervousness, smiled, walked over, patted Jiang Qiang on the shoulder, and said, "Qiangzi, I'm going to join a sect."

"But once we get there, I'll make sure you're settled in. You're quite skilled at creating Formation; you can make a living in a relatively comfortable environment."

Jiang Qiang felt a surge of warmth in his heart. In all his years in the Cultivation World, he had only met one person like Brother Chen, who was so powerful yet still so righteous and compassionate. He felt a deep sense of gratitude, like a scholar would die for a true friend.

"Eat up. After we finish eating, let's continue our journey. We'll be a little tired along the way, but we need to hurry so we can get to Fengwu Workshop as soon as possible. There will be fellow Daoists there to meet us."

"Um!"

After passing Jue Lin City, heading east along the river, one truly enters the territory of the Immortal Sect Dao Gate in the heart of the Eastern Region.

The area around here is rich in spiritual energy, with numerous dragon and Spirit Vein.

Surrounding the Spirit Vein, many small cultivation sects and Cultivation Family have established themselves here, vying for the numerous Cultivation Resources and Spirit Vein in the surrounding area.

Among the Daoist sects of the Immortal Sect, those that can be named after "Zong" are all sects with Nascent Soul cultivators in charge.

The Daoist sect is even more renowned and prestigious, with even Spirit Transformation cultivators residing there.

Those named with "gate" or "faction," such as the Wind Summoning School and the Thunderbolt Gate, are mostly small sects or factions.

At most, there are only Golden Core Cultivator in charge, or even a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator or a so-called Pseudo-Core cultivator, who can form their own faction.

However, some sects can change and become weaker; they are not static. For example, the Moon Reflection Sect and the Wonderful Sound Sect were once presided over by Nascent Soul Old Monster stage experts.

One sect's old monster was killed by the Sha Star, and another sect's patriarch disappeared with the Sha Star, truly a tragic fate.

A little over half a day later.

Chen Dengming and Jiang Qiang had already arrived at Fengwu Workshop smoothly.

Upon Zhu Xun the message via the short-range Sound Transmission Jade Talisman, Zhu Xun immediately came out to greet him.

"Fellow Daoist Chen! You've finally arrived. This must be Fellow Daoist Jiang, right? Congratulations! Fellow Daoist Jiang, you've been out of prison. From now on, you're sure to have a string of good fortune."

Chen Dengming smiled and raised his hand, "Alright, Old Zhu, no need to be so polite. We've come all this way, let's settle in first. Have you made all the arrangements?"

"Of course. I've rented a house in the western part of the Marketplace, just waiting for Fellow Daoist Chen to bring Fellow Daoist Jiang over. I've already found out everything about the situation here."

"Hey, Fellow Daoist Zhu, have some friends arrived?"

Upon arriving at the residence, an old cultivator greeted them with a smile, sizing up the travel-worn Chen Dengming and Jiang Qiang.

Zhu Xun smiled and introduced, "Yes, he's from my hometown. We both cultivate immortality in a remote corner, and they're incredibly skilled."

The old man glanced at Jiang Qiang, smiled, and then looked at Chen Dengming. Although he couldn't discern Chen Dengming's specific strength, he felt a sudden tightness in his chest. He looked at Chen Dengming's imposing back, smiled, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Welcome to Fengwu Workshop, fellow Daoists. From now on, we'll be neighbors."

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, is your formidable friend even more powerful than you? Why don't you introduce him to me?"

At this moment, in the courtyard on the other side, a female cultivator who was watching the commotion spoke in a rather fiery tone.

She was a mature and beautiful woman with white teeth and red lips. Her skin was tanned slightly dark and smooth by the sun, radiating a healthy red glow. She wore a silk sash around her waist and silk trousers underneath. A Law Artifact sword was tucked diagonally into her chest.

Zhu Xun was startled, glanced back at Chen Dengming, and quickly said, "Hey, Sister Cheng, please don't talk nonsense anymore. My fellow Daoist here doesn't like your type."

"Hey, you, Fellow Daoist Zhu, I told you I wanted to live with you, but you weren't interested. Today I told you I wanted to be with your friend, and you're still not interested. Do you want me to stay single forever?"

The female cultivator, hands on her hips, said irritably, her hair, styled into dozens of fine, even braids, swaying with her hip movements.

Chen Dengming shook his head, smiled, and Zhu Xun.

It's clear that the cultivation environment at Fengwu Workshop is much better.

At least the relationships between cultivators are relatively harmonious; even strangers will joke around, and the mutual wariness is not as severe as in other places.

This made Chen Dengming feel more comfortable; the environment was less oppressive and he felt much more relaxed.

Perhaps it's because resources are more abundant here. Although competition is fierce, at least everyone lives a much more comfortable life, which also proves the saying, "When people are well-fed and warm, they think of lust; when they are hungry and cold, they think of theft."

With Zhu Xun, who had arrived at Fengwu Workshop more than half a month in advance and familiarized himself with the place, as their guide, Chen Dengming and Jiang Qiang quickly settled in.

At the same time, I also gained a detailed understanding of the situation of some Immortal Sect in the surrounding area.

Fengwu Workshop is the territory of the Cultivation Family, a family of the Feng Family. The head of the Feng Family was once an elder of the Wind Summoning School, and they still have close ties. Therefore, this land is also under the jurisdiction of the Wind Summoning School.

The criteria for recruiting disciples to the Wind Summoning School are that they must be cultivators under the age of fifteen with Medium-grade Spiritual Root or above, regardless of their strength. To join the sect, they must also pass other tests.

The Wind Summoning School does accept independent Rogue Cultivator, but the number of disciples they recruit each year is limited, and the requirements for Rogue Cultivator are even more stringent, requiring them to be under 25 years old and have a low-grade Low-grade Spiritual Root cultivation level of Qi Cultivation Fifth Level or above.

Moreover, these types of cultivators need to undergo a more rigorous series of tests.

After all, the older they get, the less pure their intentions become. Unlike those who have been nurtured since childhood and have such a strong sense of belonging to the sect, they may have even gotten into some grudges outside and brought trouble upon themselves.

Like Zhu Xun, who possesses Medium-grade Spiritual Root, he missed the best opportunity to join a sect because he was born in a remote and isolated place.

Relying on one's own hard work in cultivation, seeking Cultivation Method, accumulating resources, living in hardship, and eating even more difficult...

Having cultivated to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Level through such slow and steady progress, this is actually considered extremely outstanding among Rogue Cultivator. Now, even joining the Wind Summoning School would be very difficult.

Because of his age, Zhu Xun is now thirty-seven years old.

"Ah, Fellow Daoist Chen, to put it simply, we just came from a poor background."

"In terms of practical combat skills, endurance, and experience, in what way are we inferior to those Lineage disciples?"

Inside the house, Zhu Xun complained with a worried expression, "Those Lineage scions, as long as they have a Low-grade Spiritual Root, they start cultivating as soon as they are born and become sensible. They are given enough resources, and all they have to do every day is cultivate. They don't have to worry about anything else."

Before the age of twenty-five, one can cultivate to the Qi Cultivation Fifth Level, making it easy to be sent to the Immortal Sect for cultivation.

If it's Medium-grade Spiritual Root, then there's even less to worry about; guaranteed admission and all kinds of resources are plentiful—it's like being born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

Jiang Qiang, who was even less qualified, sighed upon hearing this and nodded in agreement.

He has Low-grade Spiritual Root and is thirty-four years old this year. He has not yet broken through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Level. He has no hope of joining a small sect like the Wind Summoning School. If he were born into Lineage, it would be much easier.

"Do other sects in the surrounding area also use this standard?" Chen Dengming frowned.

Zhu Xun shook his head and sighed, "They're all about the same, or even have higher standards. There's no way around it, resources are limited, and the Immortal Sect are very selective in training their disciples. Actually, the Wind Summoning School already has relatively low standards."

Chen Dengming's eyebrows furrowed; he sensed trouble.

I didn't expect such a small sect to have such high requirements.

Wouldn't the prestigious sects have even higher requirements?

If the Longevity Sect were to set a standard requiring rogue Rogue Cultivator to be under thirty years old and at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Level, wouldn't he have to shrink his bone age to under thirty?

This is simply unreasonable.

Rogue Cultivator resources or a comfortable cultivation environment, it's very difficult for independent cultivators to reach the Qi Cultivation Eighth Level before the age of thirty. If they could, there must be something very unusual about it.

If a thorough investigation were to be conducted at that time, the trouble would only become more significant.

In my past life, if I wanted to enter the system and get a permanent position at the edge of the universe, I had to have my family history investigated for three generations and pass a political vetting process.

In the Cultivation World, the status of disciples of prestigious sects is equivalent to being part of the official system, a kind of civil servant in the Rogue Cultivator. Naturally, the tests and investigations are more rigorous and thorough for Cultivation World cultivators, who are "Rogue Person" in the cultivation world.

Zhu Xun and Jiang Qiang exchanged glances. Their sighs were one thing, but Chen Dengming also looked worried. Who was he trying to impress?

"Fellow Daoist Chen, with your current strength, these minor sects would welcome you with open arms. You're already Foundation Establishment prospect, what's there to worry about?"

"It's different. I don't want to join these small sects. I want to join the Longevity Sect, which is a perfect match for my major."

"Relevant to your major?"

"It suits my taste perfectly. I want to live a long life so that I'll have opportunities in the future."

"I dare not even think about it, I absolutely dare not even think about it."

Zhu Xun felt depressed after hearing this, and tears welled up in her eyes.

He only wanted to join an Immortal Sect to coast along, but he couldn't even get in. Fellow Daoist Chen, on the other hand, complained that the gate was too small and wanted to find a bigger one to cross over into.

This is the difference between people.

"Don't be discouraged. Didn't they say they'd be recruiting new disciples again in a few months, around the New Year? Let's wait and see; maybe there'll be an opportunity."

"Furthermore, even if there isn't a chance, I will take care of you after I advance to the Foundation Establishment."

Chen Dengming offered a comforting word with a smile.

If I become rich and powerful, let us not forget each other.

Zhu Xun and Qiangzi often helped him with errands and other tasks.

He was focused on cultivation, and he did need some subordinates to help him with miscellaneous tasks and amass wealth. He couldn't afford to waste their time and energy, so he didn't offer any assistance.

If he were to reach the Foundation Establishment in the future, even a small amount of help that would be insignificant to him could easily change their predicament. However, for now, Chen Dengming was already planning to leave.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, you are truly righteous!"

"Brother Chen, meeting you is truly like meeting a benefactor!"

"Alright, meeting adjourned!"

Chen Dengming announced the end of the three-person meeting, and they went about their own business.

Zhu Xun his old ways, hunting for Demon Beast in the vicinity.

Chen Dengming had instructed that the blood of the Demon Beast hunted should be delivered to him while it was still fresh to feed the Gu Worm.

Jiang Qiang, like others, was preparing to take up a craft and make array plates.

However, this time, it wasn't about making array plates for sale, but rather, at Chen Dengming's request, making some array plates for him to carry and use in the future.

For example, we need to make several more Spirit Seizing Array Disk as backups.

Although Jiang Qiang's strength is lacking, his skill in making array plates is as strong as his Qiang-style algorithm. He can barely make first-order, fourth-level array plates, and the selling price of such array plates on the market is not low.

In his words, he was only at the third level of Qi Cultivation Third Level when he could create a first-order, fourth-level array plate. He was forced to do so by the fishermen. If he couldn't make it, he would have to cut off his legs, or even his fifth limb.

Chen Dengming was always generous; he was willing to pay his subordinates as long as they were willing to work hard.

This time, they were given some Spirit Stone for their daily needs.

The rent in Fengwu Workshop isn't cheap either, since it's adjacent to First-Rank Spirit Vein. Although it's not as expensive as Jue Lin City, it still costs thirty Low-grade Spirit Stone a month.

In addition to daily food, drink, clothing, housing, and transportation, it costs a considerable amount.

Fortunately, before leaving, Chen Dengming reaped a windfall from the fishermen's wealth.

Storage Bag of Li Yuan, the leader of the fishing cultivators, there were forty-two Mid-grade Spirit Stone, several hundred Low-grade Spirit Stone, five bottles of Qi Increasing Pill, three mid-grade Law Artifact, and one high-grade Law Artifact.

This was a huge fortune, making Chen Dengming's Storage Bag, which had shrunk considerably, full again, enough to support him in comfortably cultivating until he reached the threshold of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

He planned to prepare for another half month before continuing his journey, passing through the chaotic areas of the smaller sects, and heading to the territory of the Longevity Sect.

As for Zhu Xun and Jiang Qiang, he didn't plan to take them with him. He instructed them to stay in Fengwu Workshop to develop their careers, look after each other, and seize any opportunity to join the Immortal Sect.

If he cannot join them, he will not forget the two of them once he has achieved Foundation Establishment.

With Zhu Xun Qi Cultivation Sixth Level strength, he was able to gain a foothold in Lineage territory like Fengwu Workshop and protect Jiang Qiang, ensuring their safety.

Time passed quickly, and half a month went by in the blink of an eye.

With the help of the Demon Beast blood provided by Zhu Xun, Chen Dengming managed to Bone Forging Art to about half its proficiency.

It will still take some effort to break through, but the nearby Demon Beast, which are not of high quality, are no longer sufficient to meet the breakthrough requirements of this Cultivation Method.

At this time, Chen Dengming had also prepared a complete Eastern Region Map and purchased the necessary items such as the Breath Concealing Bead for the journey.

Without further hesitation, he bid Zhu Xun and Jiang Qiang, and rode away on his Blade Control.

This journey is just like my unwavering ambition to soar to the clouds; to attain divine power and rival the creation of the universe, I must ride a crane to the heavens.

The path to immortality is shrouded in dust and smoke, Great Dao Competition. To attain Eternal Longevity, one cannot linger, nor should one.

He wasn't someone who could achieve immortality effortlessly; if he truly desired immortality, he would have to pursue it step by step.

(We've reached 80 monthly votes today, so we'll be adding an extra long chapter! Continuing with 10,000 words a day, monthly votes keep coming, 10,000 words a day keeps going!)