System update

Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission in the final year and breaking through to the core formation stage. Rewards: Wild Desolation True Demon Art and sword technique-Heavenly Origin Sword Art.

Alongside the system notification in Lu Shang's ears came the sound of water dripping into the pool beside him, drop by drop.

The moment Lu Shang reached the golden core stage, System Sis had begun upgrading without his knowledge.

Lu Shang was clearly unaware. Only after a long while did he speak. "Are these reddish-brown lightning bolts around my golden core really harmless, System Sis?"

A long time had passed since the lightning burrowed into his body. Although it had shown no signs of agitation or caused any other problems, Lu Shang remained suspicious.

He waited for a long time, but still received no reply.

When no answer came, Lu Shang called out a few more times.

Still receiving no response, Lu Shang opened the system panel.

Several large words appeared on the blue panel.

System updating. Estimated time: ten years.

"Wait, ten years? You've got to be kidding! Does updating a system really take that long? My phone only takes a few minutes to update, but you need ten whole years?" Astonishment spread across Lu Shang's face.

His startled exclamation echoed through the cave abode, reverberating back and forth.

Then, as though something had occurred to him, Lu Shang immediately blurted out, "Right, check the system inventory!"

Lu Shang hurried to take a look.

After fiddling with it for a while, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness. At least I can still open the system inventory while it's updating."

"If I couldn't, I'd probably have to wait at least ten years for the cultivation technique I earned by breaking through to the golden core stage."

Lu Shang hesitated for a while.

He did not know whether to learn the sword technique or the Mystic Desolation True Demon Art first. Although the latter appeared to be a demonic art, practicing one hardly mattered in A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality, especially since he was an unaffiliated cultivator.

It was perfectly natural for an unaffiliated cultivator to practice a little demonic cultivation. Even practicing both immortal and demonic arts seemed to pose no problem.

Choosing his first primary cultivation technique had left Lu Shang in a quandary.

"Sword technique, true demon art..." Lu Shang muttered.

"Speaking of true demon arts... demonic arts! That sounds a little familiar."

After pondering for a moment, Lu Shang finally recalled a cultivation technique with a similar name.

"Right! The Heaven-Supporting Demon Art, the greatest defensive art in the Chaotic Star Sea. It seems to have been passed down from the Demon Realm, and it's one of the Human Realm's top body-refining techniques."

"I remember the original protagonist seemed to have used that technique to create the Brahma Saint True Demonic Art after entering the Spirit Realm."

"Could mine be a demonic body-refining technique too? And since it came from the system, perhaps if I keep it for later, it might even rival the Brahma Saint True Demonic Art outright."

Then Lu Shang remembered another crucial matter.

"I'm already at the core formation stage, so I still need to refine a bonded magic treasure! Without a sword, I probably won't be able to bring out much power even if I practice the Heavenly Origin Sword Art. But if I practice this body-refining technique, I'll be able to put up a fight even without a magic treasure!"

Everything suddenly became clear to Lu Shang.

"All right! I'll practice the Mystic Desolation True Demon Art!"

With that, Lu Shang opened the system inventory, clicked into it, and then clicked on the Mystic Desolation True Demon Art manual.

The instant he clicked, a streak of red light appeared before him.

Slowly, the entire streak flowed toward Lu Shang's brain.

Lu Shang made no attempt to stop it, allowing the red light to enter him slowly.

Before long, Lu Shang entered a state of cultivation.

Once again, it was tedious cultivation.

Cultivation, day after day, year after year.

Without his noticing, a faint crimson layer of something resembling armor, formed from spiritual energy, had enveloped his entire body.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Shang slowly opened his eyes.

He looked at the crimson armor wrapped around his body.

A moment later, Lu Shang could not help marveling. "This is what happens when I activate the Mystic Desolation True Demon Art just a little? What an incredible effect. Having my whole body wrapped in special effects feels pretty good."

"Pfft. If you activated the technique at full power, you'd have even more to marvel at!"

A familiar voice rang out. This time, however, it lacked its former mechanical quality and sounded like a real person speaking.

Lu Shang froze for a moment before finally reacting.

"System Sis? You've finished updating?"

"Of course."

Then Lu Shang remembered something.

"Wait, didn't you say the update would take ten years? I've only cultivated two levels!" Lu Shang exclaimed in surprise.

It had never occurred to Lu Shang that this casual stretch of cultivation would take at least ten years, or that he would master only two levels.

To Lu Shang, it felt as though no more than a year or so should have passed. He had never expected so much time to slip away between closing and opening his eyes, without him even noticing.

Now Lu Shang was a little afraid that he might unwittingly use up his entire lifespan while cultivating.

Then System Sis delivered an even more explosive piece of news.

"Twenty-three years, not ten. You spent twenty-three years learning the first two levels."

Every muscle in Lu Shang's body tensed when he heard that. "What? Twenty-three years!"

"That's right. Besides, what are you panicking for? It's only a measly twenty-three years. Don't forget, you still have several hundred years left to live!"

"And the Wild Desolation True Demon Art is a top-tier cultivation technique. You can keep practicing it even after reaching the Immortal Realm, and you can use it together with other techniques. It's a genuine top-tier art. If this system hadn't upgraded your spirit root to a mutated lightning spirit root, even those two levels would have kept you struggling for ages."

Only after System Sis spent a considerable time explaining and reassuring him did Lu Shang truly accept that a casual session of sitting in cultivation could last ten or twenty years.

"Right! System Sis, why has your voice changed? And what new features did the upgrade give you? Let me take a look."

As he spoke, Lu Shang opened the system panel.

"Well? Isn't this system's voice getting more enchanting, little human brat? Don't go falling in love with me!"

Lu Shang did not take in a single word. All his attention was on the system panel.

Seeing that Lu Shang had ignored her, she seemed to lose her temper as well.

After exploring it for quite a while, Lu Shang discovered that the system panel was exactly the same as before.

"System Sis, did you really update? Why isn't there anything new? Don't tell me you just slept for ten years?"

A moment later-

"System Sis?"

"System Sis, System Sis? You're not sulking just because I ignored you a moment ago, are you?"

Again, there was not the slightest response.

"System Sis, stop messing around. I'm begging you, don't toy with an ordinary person who isn't even a hundred years old yet. I'll never do it again." As Lu Shang spoke, he raised his right hand as though taking an oath.

Seeing Lu Shang go that far, System Sis finally spoke again.

"Hmph! As long as you know you were wrong. This system isn't one to hold a grudge. As for why nothing changed, perhaps there's something wrong with your eyes. Take a good look."

During those brief moments when Lu Shang had not been paying attention, the system panel had somehow changed.

Hearing System Sis's words, Lu Shang looked back at the system panel, half believing her and half doubting.

A moment later, Lu Shang spotted the difference: at some point, the words "Super Lottery" had appeared.

Lu Shang opened it and began reading carefully.

"Super Lottery. One ticket per draw. Each ticket costs two hundred points. Ten draws make one round. A hundred rounds guarantee a minor prize, and it takes a thousand draws to win a grand prize!" His voice grew increasingly shrill toward the end.

"A thousand rounds for the major guarantee? Are you kidding me? And there isn't even any way listed to earn these points! System Sis?" With that, he questioned System Sis.

"There's no mistake. As for points, you must complete missions and reach the corresponding cultivation stage to earn them. It's also time to issue your reward for breaking through to the core formation stage."

Ding!