novelHire Chapter 837: The Meaning of Cultivating Immortality?
Chapter 837: The Meaning of Cultivating Immortality?
On the other side.The Immortal Bridge carried Spirit Void Old Ghost through layers of clouds and mist. Celestial music lingered in his ears, Radiant Glow swirled around him, and his heart was filled with longing for the Immortal Realm.
Five thousand years of cultivation, he had heard the ancient legends countless times—the Immortal Realm should have Jade Palaces and Towers reaching the heavens, golden steps and jade pillars connecting to the clouds, spiritual rivers murmuring around immortal mountains, rare flowers and exotic grasses vibrant in all seasons, with immortal maidens dancing gracefully and immortal elders playing chess. The Immortal Qi should be so dense it could condense into substance; a single casual breath would be worth a hundred years of bitter cultivation in the Cangyun Realm.
At this moment, he felt the immortal spiritual power surging through his entire body. His severed limbs had long since healed, his withered frame had become straight and tall, and even his hair strands shimmered with a faint golden light.
He only hoped to step into that legendary land of bliss as soon as possible, to share drinks and conversation with the various Immortals, to recount the hardships of his years of cultivation.
But just as he was lost in reverie.
Boom—!
The Immortal Bridge beneath his feet suddenly began to tremble. The seven-colored Radiant Glow receded like a tide, and the Immortal Qi surrounding him instantly thinned by more than half.
The Celestial Music lingering in his ears abruptly ceased, replaced by a deathly silent cold wind that whipped his robes, producing a rustling sound and actually giving rise to a biting chill.
This severe contrast before and after made Spirit Void Old Ghost's heart sink.
He looked down and saw the originally dazzling Immortal Bridge dissolving into points of flowing light, dispersing into the vast void.
"How could this be?" He exclaimed in surprise, his body involuntarily continuing to ascend.
But the scene before his eyes completely overturned his understanding.
The gorgeous, colorful clouds from his arrival were long gone, replaced by a gray, deathly silent expanse of empty space.
The distant "immortal mountains" were actually bare rocks, devoid of any vegetation, their surfaces covered with hideous cracks as if they had experienced a world-shattering war.
The so-called "spiritual rivers" were nothing more than dried-up gullies. At the bottom of the valleys lay scattered fragments of broken immortal jade and rusted remnants of treasures, emitting a faint aura of death.
Further away, the ruins of several dilapidated palaces floated in the void. Their colored glaze tiles had long since faded and peeled off.
Palace pillars were broken, and upturned eaves had collapsed.
Only a few strands of the setting sun pierced through the thick cloud layer, casting a layer of desolate, dusky yellow over this barren land.
Where was this the prosperous Immortal Realm of legend?
This was clearly a ruin that had undergone a great catastrophe!
Spirit Void Old Ghost's heart was shaken; his five-thousand-year understanding collapsed in an instant.
"This... this is the Immortal Realm? This can't be right..."
"Where is Real Person Jade Compassion?"
"Where is that fox Tu Shan Yue?"
He instinctively released his immortal sense to investigate, only to find this expanse of space terrifyingly dead.
Apart from his own immortal spiritual power, he couldn't sense even a trace of other immortal beings' auras. Even the heaven and earth's Spiritual Energy was so thin it was almost nonexistent.
Only a faint, almost imperceptible sense of desolation and majesty permeated every inch of the void.
Just as he was bewildered and unsure where to go.
Dense mist suddenly churned ahead, a bluish-gray color like solidified tidal water, blocking his path.
As the mist rolled, there wasn't a hint of Immortal Qi. Instead, it carried a sharp, keen Sword Intent, making even him, a newly ascended immortal, instinctively tense his nerves.
He tentatively took a step forward, and the mist automatically parted, revealing a passage.
At its end, a figure in white stood quietly in the void.
That person's figure was tall and straight, his white clothes spotless and unstained. Even in this barren place, it couldn't conceal his transcendent aura.
He had his back to Spirit Void Old Ghost, holding a long sword in his hand. The Sword Sheath was ancient and simple, shimmering with a faint blue light. Although the blade was not drawn, Spirit Void Old Ghost could sense a familiar, sharp Sword Intent. It was completely different from Chen Huaian's carefree Sword Intent, yet equally heart-stopping.
What surprised him even more was that the outline and posture of that back figure seemed vaguely familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before...
But when he tried to look carefully, that back figure appeared ethereal and elusive, and he simply couldn't remember who it was.
Spirit Void Old Ghost suppressed the doubts and wariness in his heart, clasped his hands, and said loudly, "I am Spirit Void, having just ascended from the Cangyun Realm. May I ask who you are, fellow immortal? Why is this place so desolate? Have I not yet reached the true Immortal Realm? If so, could I trouble you, fellow immortal, to show me the way?"
His words echoed in the mist, but received no response.
The white-clad figure remained with its back to him, motionless as a solidified statue, only the hem of his clothes fluttering gently in the cold wind.
Spirit Void Old Ghost's temper wasn't exactly great.
He felt this white-clad Sword Immortal before him was putting on a bit of an act.
But after all, he was the junior, and the other was the senior. He could only endure it and waited for a long time.
Thirty seconds later, he finally couldn't hold back.
"Are you deaf? Can't you hear this old man speaking? If you're deaf, should this old man give your ears a poke with the Human Emperor Banner?"
The moment Spirit Void Old Ghost uttered these words, the air instantly solidified.
The originally motionless white-clad figure finally stirred.
His shoulders sank slightly, and he slowly turned around.
As he turned, Spirit Void Old Ghost's gaze was instantly drawn to the silver fox mask on the other's face—the mask was carved with intricate cloud patterns. The eye sockets were deep, dark holes, as if they could swallow all surrounding light, exuding an indescribable sense of eeriness and majesty.
It looked... somewhat similar to the fox mask of that Nine-Tails Heavenly Fox, Tu Shan Yue, with a string of peach blossoms adorning the cheek area.
Before he could ponder why this mask looked somewhat familiar.
A violent, extreme pressure suddenly erupted from the white-clad man, like a celestial river pouring down from the Nine Heavens, instantly enveloping Spirit Void Old Ghost.
"Thump!" Spirit Void Old Ghost didn't even have time to form a thought of resistance before his knees slammed heavily into the void.
The entire person was pinned in place by this pressure. It felt like a million-zhang tall immortal mountain was crushing his back; his bones creaked, and blood uncontrollably spilled from the corner of his mouth.
This pressure was completely different from the Heavenly Dao power of the earlier heavenly tribulation.
This was pure, absolute power that transcended all Immortals.
It was like the chasm between immortal and mortal, making him not even have the courage to lift his head. Only boundless despair remained in his heart.
"F-forgive me, senior!" Spirit Void Old Ghost instantly changed his tune. The arrogance from moments ago vanished without a trace, his voice carrying an obvious tremble. "I was blind and spoke recklessly! You are magnanimous, please don't stoop to my level!"
He never expected this white-clad man to be so terrifying. He had just ascended and become an Immortal, yet in the other's eyes, he was no different from an ant.
The white-clad man slowly spoke, his voice cold as ice, devoid of any emotion: "This place is the Immortal Realm. I am White Sword, the Sword Bearer of the Immortal Realm, and also the master of this Immortal Realm."
"Master?!" Spirit Void Old Ghost's heart shook, then he quickly fawned, "So it's the Immortal Emperor, Your Lordship! This old man is Spirit Void, just ascended from the Cangyun Realm. I know nothing about the Immortal Realm. If I could serve under you, I would definitely work diligently before and behind you, absolutely without a second thought!"
In his heart, however, he was calculating: What are the chances of encountering the Immortal Emperor right after ascending?
Wasn't the other just giving himself a grand title to recruit followers?
The Immortal Realm was so vast; there must be factions. Regardless of which faction this White Sword belonged to, it was better to follow him for a meal than to wander aimlessly in this barren place.
White Sword, however, glanced at him indifferently. That gaze, even through the silver fox mask, still made Spirit Void Old Ghost shiver all over: "You are not qualified to follow me."
He paused briefly, then continued, "Just now, you spoke disrespectfully and angered me. That should be a capital offense. Considering you are new to the Immortal Realm and don't understand the rules, I will give you a chance."
Spirit Void Old Ghost cursed inwardly.
You didn't say a word for half the day earlier, acting like a mute. How was anyone supposed to know you had such a terrible temper?
Isn't this just setting people up?
But on the surface, he could only nod repeatedly: "Thank you for your mercy, Immortal Emperor, Your Lordship!
This old man will definitely watch his words and actions in the future, and never offend again!"
White Sword said no more. He reached out, and an invisible force lifted Spirit Void Old Ghost.
Immediately after, he raised his hand and tore at the void. A pitch-black spatial rift instantly appeared, from within came the sounds of violent spatial turbulence.
Before Spirit Void Old Ghost could react, he was grabbed by White Sword and stepped directly into the rift.
In the blink of an eye, the two traversed endless space and landed in a dim place.
There wasn't a shred of light here. One could only vaguely see towering black rock walls surrounding them. The air carried a faint metallic scent.
Beneath their feet stretched intersecting veins of ore. The ore contained within was snow-white throughout, like high-quality white jade.
Looking closely, fine golden threads slowly flowed within the ore, emitting a faint glow.
Spirit Void Old Ghost's heart stirred.
This ore looked extraordinary; it must be a top-tier immortal material that could aid cultivation!
It seemed this White Sword wanted to put him to good use, to have him guard this ore vein?
He was just about to open his mouth to pledge his loyalty when he heard White Sword say coldly, "From today onwards, you will mine ore here."
"Mine ore?" Spirit Void Old Ghost was utterly dumbfounded and instinctively asked, "Im-Immortal Emperor, Your Lordship, is this ore perhaps an immortal material that can enhance cultivation?"
White Sword glanced at him, his tone without the slightest fluctuation: "This is Cloud Pattern Steel, used for building palaces.
And you, are the miner here!"
Spirit Void Old Ghost instantly froze in place, the smile on his face solidifying.
He had calculated a thousand things, but he never expected that upon just ascending to the Immortal Realm, instead of becoming an immortal gate disciple, he had become a rock-digging laborer!?
Then what was the meaning of his five thousand years of cultivation?
What was the meaning of attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal?
Was it just to come to the Immortal Realm to mine ore?!