Harder Than Ascending to Heaven

At nine, Tang Yuan had begun learning to cultivate immortality under Daoist Gou. At fourteen, he had become a spirit fishing worker for the Xi Household in the Western Spirit Ten Thousand Islands Region.

At eighteen, he had married his wife. At twenty, he had their first child. At twenty-four, he had used the Mystic Spoon to sell Red Spirit Eels in the Demon Realm, and his cultivation had reached the Qi Refining First Layer. At twenty-nine, he had become a disciple of the demonic Holy Cardamom Sect, and before entering its mountain gate, he had fled with his whole family to the northern foothills of the Dragon-Gazing Lake Desert at the western end of the Purple Mother Continent.

Now he was already thirty-two and the father of five children, yet his cultivation remained stuck at the Qi Refining First Layer.

Recalling the past, Tang Yuan could not help sighing for a few moments...

"Poo-poo...

Immortal cultivator...

Bad..." Two-year-old Tang Tianya suddenly pointed his little wooden spoon at Tang Yuan, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Black lines instantly covered Tang Yuan's forehead.

"Dad, Tianya says you're an immortal cultivator, and a bad one at that." His fourth child, Tang Tiandong, chuckled.

Bonk!

Tang Tianlan flicked Tang Tiandong on the forehead. "Who said Dad's a bad immortal cultivator?

Tianya needs to take a poo."

As she spoke, eleven-year-old Tang Tianlan picked up Tang Tianya and carried him to the little potty outside the courtyard.

"Dad, are you an immortal cultivator?" his third daughter, Tang Tianzi, asked in her childish voice.

"How could Dad be an immortal cultivator? Dad's just an ordinary hunter who knows how to fish and gather five-spirit dung." Tang Yuan gave an awkward smile.

"But I've seen the hunters in our village. They don't bring back much prey when they go out, and they can't trade it for more than a few copper coins.

And those hunters get hurt all the time. Every year, one or two of them get eaten by wild beasts.

But you've never gotten hurt, Dad, and you can bring back lots of prey and trade it for plenty of gold and silver." Tang Tianzi tilted her head, her face full of suspicion.

"Tch, everyone says you're the smartest in the Tang family, Tang Tianzi.

But if you ask me, you're the stupidest.

Dad doesn't get hurt, and he can bring back lots of prey,

because he's lucky, and because he's smart and capable." Tang Tiandong curled his lip.

Bonk!

Tang Tiandong got another flick on the forehead from his third sister.

"All right, all right.

Tiandong, go invite your grandmother and your second uncle's family over. Let's have the Tang family spend some more time together." Miao gave her son his instructions, then looked at Tang Yuan with a touch of dejection.

Tang Yuan had told his wife that this time he would only stay home for a month before going back into the mountains to hunt.

On this trip, he was going very, very far into the mountains. Tang Yuan had said he might not return for ten years...

Happy, beautiful times always flew by.

During his month at home, Tang Yuan took his wife and five children sightseeing in the mountains and by the water every day.

At night, Tang Yuan also worked hard with his wife to make little people.

Miao had said she was already nearing the age of a half-faded beauty, and ten years from now she would be old and her charms faded, so she wanted to leave Tang Yuan more descendants.

After their diligent daily tilling, Tang Yuan held his wife, his heart filled with endless melancholy. My wife is a mortal. Taking a Beauty-Preserving Pill won't help...

A month later, Tang Yuan left Dangwu Village under cover of night, stepped onto his flying shuttle, and soared into the air.

At the cost of another ten years of his lifespan, Tang Yuan had the Earth Flood Dragon use its own Essence Blood and the Dragon Skeleton Jade Mud in the Mystic Spoon to make another Replica Clone of him: Tang Yi.

Tang Yuan and Tang Yi took turns resting, riding the flying shuttle onward without stopping for a moment.

To save money, Tang Yuan did not take a Heavenly Sword Sect spirit ship to the Mystic Spirit Continent this time.

These days, on Golden Shell Island, he could catch only six hundred Red Spirit Eels each year from August through November, earning twelve hundred Spirit Stones. A round trip on a spirit ship cost twelve hundred Spirit Stones.

On top of that, the cultivation Lineages in the Western Spirit Ten Thousand Islands Region had gradually shaken hands and made peace over the past two years, reducing their demand for Spiritual Qi and low-grade pills, so Tang Yuan had not saved many Spirit Stones either.

Cultivating in the Demon Realm also required a large number of Spirit Stones to buy pills, so Tang Yuan now saved wherever he could. Selling Red Spirit Eels, pills, and Spiritual Qi brought in about two thousand Spirit Stones a year, just enough to cover his expenses in the Demon Realm.

Over the past three years, Tang Yuan had once again confirmed that this world was divided into three continents: the Eastern Heaven Purple Mother Continent in the east, the Western Heaven Mystic Spirit Continent in the west, and the Northern Heaven Nether Cold Continent in the north.

The Purple Mother Continent, Mystic Spirit Continent, and Nether Cold Continent half-surrounded a vast, boundless ocean.

Legend had it that another mysterious continent lay at the center of the ocean, called the Central Heaven Dao Origin Continent, but Tang Yuan had never found it.

As for the far south, legend spoke of a place with thousands upon thousands of islands called the Southern Heaven Chaotic Sea Island Domain. Tang Yuan had never been there, either...

The Wanglongbo Desert lay on the western frontier of the Purple Mother Continent, while the sect Tang Yuan had joined, the Holy Cardamom Sect, was in the eastern-middle part of the Western Heaven Mystic Spirit Continent.

...First, he headed northwest, flying over the dark ocean to the Nether Cold Continent.

Then he went west across the Nether Cold Continent before turning southwest and speeding over the ocean to reach the Mystic Spirit Continent.

Once on the Mystic Spirit Continent, he headed south along its eastern coastline.

After a full two months, on the fourth day of the fifth month in the year 4032 of the New Immortal Calendar, Tang Yuan finally arrived at Holy Cardamom Mountain.

After straightening his clothes and cap, Tang Yuan walked up the mountain. He climbed tens of thousands of steps before finally reaching the Holy Cardamom Sect's mountain gate.

Taking out his jade tablet, Tang Yuan cupped his fists in salute. "Registered Disciple Tang Yuan requests permission to return to the sect."

An elderly gatekeeping disciple with a blue birthmark on his forehead took the jade tablet and swept it with his Divine Sense. He snorted. "If you want to enter the mountain gate, pay the entrance fee first: one hundred and fifty spirit coins.

Without one hundred and fifty spirit coins, not only will you be barred from the sect, you'll have to leave your body and soul here as well."...

In the Human Realm's Qi Ingestion Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao, cultivators' realms, from lowest to highest, were Meridian Opening, Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Heavenly Gate, Golden Core, and Lodge Transformation.

Mortals cultivating immortality naturally began at the Meridian Opening Stage.

The Meridian Opening realm was divided into eight minor realms: Conception Vessel Opening, Governing Vessel Passage, Thoroughfare Vessel Spirituality, Girdle Vessel Qi, Yin Mystery, Yang Brightness, Linking Vessel Gathering, and Linking Vessel Origin.

Holy Cardamom Sect disciples at the Meridian Opening realm or the Qi Refining First Layer were Registered Disciples.

Those at the early Qi Refining Stage were outer disciples.

Only those whose cultivation reached the middle or late Qi Refining Stage were qualified to become inner disciples.

When Holy Cardamom Sect disciples breathed in Spiritual Qi, killed Demon Beasts, and gathered herbs within the sect's sphere of influence, they were inevitably consuming the sect's resources.

Tang Yuan did not know about other demonic sects, but Holy Cardamom Sect disciples not only received no stipends or resources from the sect, they even had to pay it a yearly tribute of Spirit Stones.

However, those at the first and second layers of Meridian Opening were the greenest of greenhorns, so the Holy Cardamom Sect offered a so-called beginner protection period: disciples below the third layer of Meridian Opening, Thoroughfare Vessel Spirituality, did not have to pay tribute in Spirit Stones.

At the same time, to prevent disciples from undermining the sect and moving their assets elsewhere, the Holy Cardamom Sect imposed a strict rule: all transactions within the sect had to be settled in spirit coins.

Spirit coins were made from a special kind of jade, and one spirit coin was worth one Spirit Stone.

Disciples reporting their departure from the sect were allowed to carry only a small number of Spirit Stones.

As for how many spirit coins they took with them, the sect paid no attention.

To other sects and immortal cultivators, the spirit coins circulated within the Holy Cardamom Sect were nothing but worthless chunks of stone.

"Junior brother, I remember that you only had to pay spirit coins each year if you cultivated within the sect's jurisdiction.

For the past three years, I've been cultivating outside our sect." Tang Yuan frowned slightly.

There was a common understanding among cultivators: regardless of the other person's age, anyone with lower cultivation could be addressed as junior brother or junior sister.

"The rules changed. You have to pay whether you're inside or outside the sect." Blue Forehead curled his lip.

"Fine, even if the sect rules changed,

I remember Registered Disciples only had to pay thirty spirit coins a year. Why do I have to pay one hundred and fifty?" Tang Yuan clenched his fists.

"Like I said, the rules changed. They changed a year ago.

Now Registered Disciples have to offer the sect fifty spirit coins a year." Blue Forehead snorted.

"Since they changed a year ago, I should only have to pay one hundred and ten Spirit Stones, or one hundred and thirty at most. Why do I have to pay one hundred and fifty?" A cold light appeared in Tang Yuan's eyes.

"You submitted your application to leave three years ago, so I'm calculating it as three years." Blue Forehead spread his hands.

Damn it, he was deliberately making things difficult.

This Blue Forehead was probably jealous of him, still being at the Meridian Opening realm at his age.

"What?

You want to fight?" Blue Forehead looked at Tang Yuan provocatively.

Although Blue Forehead's cultivation was lower than his, the man had an official post, so Tang Yuan naturally did not dare attack him.

Even if he did, he could not do it in front of everyone.

"Fine, I'll accept it.

One hundred and fifty spirit coins it is, but I don't have one hundred and fifty spirit coins on me, or one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones.

Can I write an IOU and put it on account first?

I'll pay all one hundred and fifty spirit coins within three days." Tang Yuan let out a long breath.

"No. Registered Disciples aren't qualified to put it on account." Blue Forehead was all smiles.

"Fuck you. I was already at the Qi Refining First Layer three years ago. According to sect rules, three years after reaching the Qi Refining First Layer, I'm an outer disciple and qualified to put it on account." Tang Yuan growled.

"You haven't entered the mountain gate or reported to the Registry Pavilion. You're not an outer disciple yet." Blue Forehead stroked his demonic saber.

"Fuck you, if you let me in now, I can reach the Registry Pavilion in less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn!

At worst, you can send someone to follow me, can't you?" Tang Yuan wanted nothing more than to cleave this Blue Forehead fellow disciple in two with a saber.

"We're busy guarding the mountain gate.

Tang Yuan, I'm only putting up with you because your cultivation is higher than mine.

Watch your mouth.

With the sect's formation here, I could beat ten of you!" Blue Forehead said with a sinister grin:

"And don't even think about leaving.

Like I said, either hand over one hundred and fifty spirit coins!

Or leave your body and soul behind!"

"This is going too far!

Original-body big brother, aren't you being too spineless?

Fuck him up!" Tang Yi transmitted his voice to Tang Yuan from inside the Mystic Spoon.

Tang Yuan smiled bitterly and thought to himself, *Tang Yi is still too green. He doesn't know the Holy Cardamom Sect's methods.

Never mind someone at the Qi Refining First Layer like me-even a Foundation Establishment High Person wouldn't dare make a scene at the mountain gate.

The Holy Cardamom Sect has plenty of terrifying methods that leave people unable to live or die.*

"Well, isn't this little brother Tang Yuan?"

A man's somewhat familiar laugh rang out.

Tang Yuan looked up. It was Kou Cheng, an inner disciple of the Holy Cardamom Sect, forty-three years old and at the Qi Refinement Sixth Layer. He owned a stall in the Holy Cardamom Sect's cultivator market, and he was the one who had recruited Tang Yuan on Immortal Ascension Island three years ago.

"Senior Brother Kou, it's been years. I've missed you greatly." Tang Yuan cupped his fists in salute.

"Impressive, impressive.

You dared venture outside the sect at the Qi Refining First Layer. You must have made quite a haul plundering out there.

How about it? You wouldn't mind being my first customer of the day, would you?" Kou Cheng rubbed his hands together in delight.

Over the past three years, whenever Tang Yuan occasionally returned to the sect, he sold many of the herbs and beast cores he had obtained to Kou Cheng.

After going back and forth like that, they had become somewhat acquainted.

Kou Cheng had a habit of coming to the mountain gate for a look shortly after the market opened, because most sect disciples who went out hunting and plundering passed through the gate.

By waiting there, Kou Cheng could often acquire some good merchandise.

"A haul? I certainly made one.

But the junior brother guarding the gate won't let me in right now." Tang Yuan curled his lip.

Kou Cheng asked a few quick questions, then immediately pulled Tang Yuan several steps away and put up a soundproof barrier. Frowning, he asked, "Junior Brother Tang Yuan, you know I'm a businessman.

I don't release the hawk until I see the hare."

Tang Yuan nodded and immediately took Zhang Yang's corpse out of his Storage Bag.

"Good heavens, a body cultivator from an orthodox sect, and at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer too!

Tang Yuan, what clever trick did you use to kill this Qi Refining Fourth Layer fellow with your Qi Refining First Layer cultivation?" Kou Cheng stroked the corpse excitedly.

"Luck, nothing but luck.

Well?

How many spirit coins is this body cultivator's corpse worth?

If the price is fair, I also have two fine sabers of his." Tang Yuan put the corpse away.

Kou Cheng stroked his full beard and pondered for a moment. "Two hundred and thirty spirit coins."

"Good!

Today is the day the sect hands out Qi Refining Stage Cultivation Methods for the year.

How about you pay my entrance fee for me first, and after I've been to the Registry Pavilion and collected my Cultivation Method, I'll meet you at the market to complete the deal?" Tang Yuan said seriously.

Snap!

"Deal!

Given our friendship as fellow disciples, I trust you completely." Kou Cheng snapped his fingers, but a moment later he sighed softly.

"Tang Yuan, you probably won't be able to collect a Cultivation Method book today.

Getting a Cultivation Method book from our Holy Cardamom Sect...

It's hard!

Harder than ascending to heaven!"...