Coming One After Another

"This lowly one wishes to obtain some immortal sect texts."

Hearing Chu Zheng's request, Song Lingqing frowned slightly and spoke slowly:

"You have no immortal bone, so you cannot resonate with heaven and earth, nor draw spiritual energy into your body. You can't even step into the first realm, Qi Cultivation. The path of cultivation is closed to you. I advise you to choose something else—for example..."

Freedom, boundless wealth, a beautiful wife and concubines...

These should be the things a servant most desires.

To reach for the immortal path is nothing but overreaching.

"I don't want cultivation methods."

Chu Zheng glanced at Qin Feng beside him and shook his head repeatedly: "Historical records, immortal autobiographies, strange tales and legends, maps of mountains and rivers—any text related to the immortal sect will do."

Hearing this, Song Lingqing was somewhat surprised. Her brow furrowed even tighter as she warned:

"Some things, once you know them but cannot touch them, may become a lifelong pain."

The immortal gate right before your eyes, yet powerless to push it open—for most people, that is an unspeakable torment.

If you never knew from the start, perhaps you could live more lightly.

Song Lingqing's reply eased Chu Zheng's mind. It seemed these things were not vital secrets—at least, they could be told to him.

After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng spoke: "I only want to open my eyes and see this world. I ask for nothing else."

"Alright."

Song Lingqing nodded in agreement. She had originally considered offering Chu Zheng his freedom, but after weighing it for a moment, she abandoned the idea. In her view, the world outside was not as safe as within Song Manor.

Under the Song Family's protection, Chu Zheng could live longer.

Sudden wealth—a mere mortal could never hold onto it. It would only invite great disaster. Inside Song Manor, at least no one would bully or secretly harm him.

In the end, Song Lingqing left Chu Zheng with four thick texts. The paper was made of a special material, extremely tough and flexible—something Chu Zheng had never seen before.

The contents of Introduction to the Immortal Path, Travels of the Long Rainbow Sword Immortal, Hundred Manifestations of the Heavenly Stars, and Annals of the Northern Snow Heavenly Lord left Chu Zheng deeply satisfied.

After leaving the Filth Room, Song Lingqing's mood was somewhat low.

She had only recently set foot on the immortal path and had yet to experience many things. Returning home this time, much had changed.

Her father's politeness, her elder sister's distance and formality, and even Xiao Cai and Chu Zheng.

The attitudes of these people had all shifted, leaving her at a loss.

With no outlet for the pent-up frustration in her heart, Song Lingqing instinctively turned to Qin Feng behind her: "Martial Uncle Qin, did you ever face such circumstances back then?"

"No."

Qin Feng shook his head in denial: "I lost my father young, my mother when I was a child. Before joining the sect, I survived by begging. If I hadn't been born with an extra bone, my remains would have turned to ash by now."

Song Lingqing's fate was already better than ninety-nine out of a hundred people in this world. Precisely because of that, her temperament still lacked tempering.

"Martial Uncle, by acting on my own and giving those books to Chu Zheng, will it cause any trouble?"

Only now did Song Lingqing consider the consequences. Immortal and mortal were not to be mingled—all news about the Hidden Immortal Sect was sealed, forbidden from reaching mortals. That was the unspoken rule.

"No harm. Just a few miscellaneous books. That boy has a steady temperament, knows when to advance and when to retreat, and has some skill in reading people. Though he was speaking to you, he glanced at me no fewer than ten times, constantly gauging my reaction."

Qin Feng shook his head: "When I was sixteen, my temperament was inferior to his. Even with just a Low-grade Immortal Bone, that boy could still accomplish something. A pity..."

The world's affairs were never fair. Without an immortal bone, one was destined to be cut off from the immortal path.

"Martial Uncle is nearly three hundred years old, with a Dao heart as firm as stone. Can you still feel regret over a mortal?" Song Lingqing was somewhat surprised by Qin Feng's assessment of Chu Zheng.

"Even at three thousand, I am still human. The immortal path is long, the road arduous and distant. If I let go of everything, what would I be cultivating for?"

After Song Lingqing left, Chu Zheng did not waste today's repair attempts.

He repaired two Essence Pills, then used the remaining three chances on the Grand Cycle Qi Circulation Compendium.

From start to finish, he had never thought of asking Song Lingqing for a cultivation method. Instead, he placed his hopes on the Pre-Qin Qi Refiners.

Since the immortal sect members of this world believed he could not cultivate immortal arts, then it was surely impossible. There was no need to waste energy on it.

The immortal sect's inheritance spanned tens of thousands of years. They certainly had a complete method for determining whether someone possessed cultivation aptitude.

Chu Zheng did not consider himself a special existence capable of single-handedly breaking the rules and shackles formed over tens of thousands—or even hundreds of thousands—of years in this world. Better to save his strength.

In the handbooks of those Pre-Qin Qi Refiners from his previous life, Chu Zheng had never seen any mention of an 'immortal bone.' It was worth a try.

Chu Zheng did not spend more time on the breathing method of the Body-Fitting Fist. After taking an Essence Pill, he lay on the bed and began flipping through Introduction to the Immortal Path, seeking to understand the true secrets of cultivation in this world.

Every cultivation method in this world, regardless of its school, required an immortal bone as a medium. Immortal bones were further divided into four grades: Low-grade, Mid-grade, High-grade, and Super-grade.

A hundred years of painstaking cultivation with a Low-grade Immortal Bone could not compare to three months in seclusion with a Super-grade Immortal Bone. The gap was as vast as the distance between heaven and the abyss.

To enter the immortal path, one needed the immortal bone to receive the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, open the Baihui acupoint at the crown of the head, and nourish the body. Thus, this realm was called the Qi Cultivation Realm.

The Qi Cultivation Realm is divided into nine levels. At the ninth level, every move carries ten thousand jin of force, and one can live past one hundred and fifty years without taking longevity elixirs.

When the body is tempered to its limit, the Dantian naturally gives rise to a gushing spring, generating Mana that can drive and activate artifacts, allowing flight through the air. This second realm is called the 'Spiritual Spring,' with a lifespan exceeding three hundred years.

Once Mana is sufficiently abundant, one can attempt to condense a Dao Foundation. This third realm is known as 'Entering the Dao.'

Only when the rooster crowed at dawn did Chu Zheng reluctantly set down the texts in his hands, his anticipation growing even stronger.

He wanted to know if the Pre-Qin Qi Refiners were the same.

Less than two days after Song Lingqing left the manor, a convoy of carriages arrived at Song Manor. The carriages bore the Zhao Character Royal Banner, laden with gold, silver, jewels, and countless rare medicinal herbs.

Zhao was the imperial surname of Great Zhou, and Wuyang Commandery was Prince Guangyun's fief. These gifts were a lavish tribute from Prince Guangyun.

When something unusual occurs, there must be a reason.

In the past, the Song Family had no dealings or interactions with Prince Guangyun. Now, this sudden lavish gift clearly indicated ulterior motives.

Hot on their heels came gift lists from the various noble houses of Wuyang Commandery and numerous sects.

The news of Song Lingqing's return home had ultimately leaked.

Regarding this Immortal Seed of the Song Family, many had initially held a skeptical attitude.

Immortals were too mysterious, and very few had personally witnessed Song Lingqing entering the Immortal Sect.

But now, things were vastly different. Song Lingqing had returned to the manor, bearing the full bearing of an immortal—a sight many had witnessed with their own eyes.