The ancient giant bear hiding in the world of immortal cultivation

Chapter 353 Immortals Never Ascend
"A world where immortals exist is an absolute tragedy for ordinary living beings."

This is Wang Wu's understanding, and it can be considered the conclusion he can give at present.

Putting aside the reasons he didn't understand, the Spirit Network was indeed turning lower-level cultivators into magicians.

At this moment, Wang Wu continued to try to connect to the Spirit Network. Now that he had an identity, it was equivalent to opening an account on the Spirit Network. The first thing he needed to do was verify the golden seal on his back, which was equivalent to facial recognition.

The small gray mark is equivalent to a receiving terminal.

But this receiving terminal can also be shared with five living beings.

This is why the Two-Eyed Fish can allow thousands of large fish to simultaneously master the Wave-Riding Technique; it has higher authority, and the receiving terminal can be shared with more living beings.

However, Wang Wu, as a ninth-rank official, didn't seem to have very high authority. When he tried to access the Spirit Network with the gray seal, he found that he could only activate three Daoist spell slots.

Yes, that is, a spell slot.

See, great minds think alike.

It's unbelievable that even this kind of setting exists.

Wang Wu then applied to activate the Dao technique. In that instant, the golden seal on his back became scorching hot again. This was the Spirit Network conducting facial recognition and identity verification once more.

After passing through, a golden spiritual mist area, roughly ten square kilometers in size and centered on him, appeared before his eyes.

This golden mist area is the maximum range that his gray seal can expand to.

Beyond this area, there is no signal.

His shared beings also cannot leave this area; if they do, they cannot activate their Taoist magic or surf the internet...

This is somewhat similar to the effective area of ​​a wireless WiFi connection.

At this moment, Wang Wu moved slightly and discovered that the golden spiritual mist area would move with him.

Very convenient.

At the same time, within this golden spiritual mist area, ten even brighter golden lights were also faintly visible, rising and falling.

It's easy to sense that these are ten kinds of Taoist methods.

There are three types in total.

The first type is Earth Escape Technique, Water Escape Technique, Fire Escape Technique, and Wood Escape Technique; these are the four escape methods.

The second type is the method of controlling the earth, the method of controlling the water, the method of controlling the fire, and the method of controlling the wood; these are the four controls.

The third type is the Daoist method of immobilization and the Daoist method of seeing the subtle.

There wasn't even a Wave-Riding Dao Technique or a Wind-Riding Dao Technique.

Wang Wu tried it out briefly, silently reciting the four syllables of the Wave-Treading Technique. Sure enough, the key to the technique was correct, but it didn't match the receiving terminal, and he didn't have the necessary permissions. The Spirit Network completely ignored him.

This is hilarious! He's become a banned, useless mage, hahaha!

"It seems my permissions are still too low, but for me, this is actually a good thing."

Wang Wu smiled slightly. He noticed that although he could only activate three of the ten Dao techniques at a time, he could switch between them at any time depending on the situation, and each time he only needed to pay a small fee.

Hmm, it only requires 100 points of spiritual energy each time...

At that moment, Wang Wu made no choice but to activate the three basic Dao techniques: Earth Escape, Water Escape, and Fire Escape. Although he had mastered them all, considering that these might be profound teachings created by immortals, even if their original intention was to exploit the lower classes, it was no less than becoming an immortal's disciple to him.

It's a profound statement in a few words.

Consider his immense gains in the Daoist arts of riding the wind.

Huh? Wait a minute, why do I have to pay extra each time I activate it? Activating it costs 10 points of spiritual energy, and it's free for the first three minutes. After three minutes, it charges an extra point of spiritual energy per second?
There are also initial activation fees and network access fees.

Grass!
Wang Wu was dumbfounded, especially when he saw that his account balance was zero. He couldn't even recharge his spiritual energy, because that might trigger the Anti-Spiritual Energy Cleansing Act, which would charge him with a huge amount of unexplained wealth, and he would be unjustly executed.
Recalling the difficulty Old Zhou had faced in getting spiritual energy stipends from the big monkey, Wang Wu's expression gradually turned grim.

If he has to get paid by the big monkey in the future, damn it!
Also, if he gains a lot of spiritual energy from the battlefield, does he also have to pay the accidental income tax for cultivators?

Damn it, in this cultivation world, whoever wants to come can come, he doesn't want to stay anymore!
The immortals are too powerful, why not banish them to the immortal realm? Why doesn't the immortal realm exist?
Why……

Wang Wu was somewhat desperate; he didn't even dare to complain in his heart anymore.

"Perhaps immortals ascend to the immortal realm, but that's just a storyline imagined by desperate cultivators, right? It's like how poor people fantasize about becoming millionaires, or how simps fantasize about goddesses suddenly opening their hearts to them and answering their questions!"

"Perhaps, immortals will never ascend to the immortal realm, the poor will always be poor, and sycophants will always be sycophants!"

"Stop talking, stop talking..."

Wang Wu was afraid that he too would break down.

After a long while, he calmed down and recalled everything in the Great Wilderness Prison of Sin. Was it really a prison of sin? It was clearly paradise. It might even have been an experimental field, a miniature utopia, set up by some immortal who still had a conscience.

But as it turns out, the immortals won again.

Even if someone were to say something like, "It's misleading people and confusing cause and effect," what would be the point?

Meaning only applies to the strong.

What meaning does the weak hold?

"Stop! Don't think about it anymore, don't think about it anymore!"

Wang Wu interrupted himself in shock. He saw black energy emanating from his body. Although it was only a little bit, it was enough to prove that the Spirit Network's function was not only to maintain a large group of magicians, but also to monitor them.

Was his idea just now considered outrageous?

He had some idea, but it was just a thought. As a result, the Spirit Network marked him as going astray, and if he continued, they might just cut him off!
Therefore, it's good to be a beneficiary of the system.

rebel?

What kind of rebellion is this!

Even if I, Wang Zhige, were to jump from here, even if my conscience were tormented, I would never rebel in my entire life!

The next moment, Wang Wu felt refreshed and energetic, and continued to pretend to circulate his blood and qi. The first step was to get the big monkey to pay him.

As evening approached, Big Monkey, Old Zhou, and that Jia Ding Monkey finally finished their rainmaking ritual. They all looked exhausted, but they still came together. Jia Ding Monkey even managed a couple of smiles.

"Brother Er Gou, we've heard so much about you. Welcome to Bear Ridge! From now on, Bear Ridge is your home, and we are your family..."

"Stop arguing! Er Gou, bring out your vassal seal. I'll give you your salary for this month. Now, quickly inscribe earth escape techniques, water escape techniques, and water control techniques from the spirit network. Starting tomorrow, I want this spring to produce one hundred vats of water every day!"

As he spoke, the big monkey pointed to the distance, where there were indeed ten large vats, each capable of holding at least five cubic meters. Good heavens, that means they could produce five hundred cubic meters of water a day!
You're paralyzed!
However, you can tolerate it, but only if you offer enough spiritual energy as a stipend.

Wang Wu directly spat out a small gray seal, and the big monkey immediately took out a gourd and poured out half a drop of spiritual liquid, which is about 5000 points of spiritual energy.

Hey, a monthly salary of 5000, right? Not bad.

However, Wang Wu couldn't speak, nor could he express anything. He withdrew the small seal and decisively recorded the Earth Escape Technique, Water Escape Technique, and Water Control Technique, deciding to make a quick profit first.

As for a hundred tanks of water, bah, there will only be ten tanks tomorrow!
Trying to squeeze the last drop of value out of me... Hmm, fine, considering my monthly salary of 5000 points, fifty cylinders it is.

Wang Wu was still kind-hearted, because he wanted to take advantage of the immortal's profound words.

At this moment, the three fellows, Big Monkey, Old Zhou, and Jia Ding Monkey, did not linger at the spring. Instead, they went to a hill a few miles away. There was a crooked tree there, and under the tree was a stone table. The three of them sat down there, each with a worried look on their face.

The monkey named Jia Ding spoke first.

"Grandpa, Uncle Zhou, here's the money we spent on fetching water. Take a look. If this continues, we'll be living beyond our means."

“We’re already running a deficit,” Old Zhou sighed. “Only the Wild Boar Forest area is relatively kind; they’ve always agreed to let us fetch water and haven’t raised prices. But this time, your grandpa offended Fish Two Eyes, so it’s no wonder it’s causing trouble.”

"Master, do we have any plans?" Jia Ding Monkey looked expectantly at Big Monkey, while Big Monkey looked at the crooked tree, perhaps conjuring up some poetic thoughts? "There is no road in this world, so why not hang yourself from the southeast branch?"
"It would be great if Master Mu could emerge from seclusion soon."

After pondering for a long time, it finally uttered this sentence.

“I think it’s unlikely. There won’t be any movement for three to five years. Big Monkey, I’m not blaming you for being reckless, but you must understand that according to the rules of the Jade Cauldron Immortal Alliance, the three thousand mortals in my Zhouzhuang Town must be supported. Although they are all mortals from the Gray Mist Zone, they are the most important standard for the Jade Cauldron Immortal Alliance’s assessment. Only if the weather is good, there are no major disasters or epidemics, and they are not harmed by evil demons, can we protect Zhouzhuang Town. Only then will half of our annual fiscal budget for Bear Ridge be allocated.”

Old Zhou said seriously.

"I know, I know. Didn't I send half of the rainwater to Zhouzhuang Town this time? But we also need to take care of the plants and animals in Bear Ridge. Let's see if Er Gou can give us a surprise tomorrow. I'm willing to offend Yu Er Mu to dig it up. It's not meant to be idle. If it really doesn't work, we'll just kill it and make braised carp!"

"The big monkey said fiercely."

"No way! Even if it's made into braised carp, it won't be able to win back Yu Ermu's favor. We've already tricked him into coming back, so it should still be of some use, right? As long as it can take out fifty large tanks of water every day, it can prioritize protecting the forest within a ten-mile radius and keep the plants alive. Sigh!"

This time, it was Old Zhou who quickly spoke up for them.

Wang Wu listened from afar and found it quite curious. It was understandable to bring rain to mortals, but to bring rain to a small forest within a ten-mile radius, was it to maintain the green coverage rate?
Is water really that indispensable for cultivators?
Is it really that difficult to steal a few thousand or tens of thousands of cubic meters from a tributary of the Xijiang River?
Something feels off because the logic doesn't seem to fit.

However, at this moment, the four clowns suddenly gave their conclusion.

"Grandpa Tree's Information Database: The reason you feel something is wrong is because you have never considered it from another perspective, which is to maintain stability. There will always be cultivators who don't want to be magicians and want to take the path of cultivating demon cores and spirit cores. What should you do? If you don't provide them with opportunities, they will find opportunities on their own."

"Bear Clan Information Database: Yes, you think the fiefdom of Bear Ridge is absurd, but you don't know that it is precisely because of Bear Ridge, Big Monkey, Zhou Jun, Mu Zhenren, and Jia Ding Monkey—four cultivators with good potential and aptitude—that they have the pretext to pursue the pragmatic path of cultivation and exploit other lower-level cultivators. In a sense, this is an exchange. The Jade Cauldron Immortal Alliance uses this method to exchange: you can cultivate demon cores and spirit pills, but you must become lords and vassals in Bear Ridge and must support the rules of this system."

"Peacock Family Information Database: Yes, this kind of exchange also comes with conditions. For example, you have to protect a small town with three thousand mortals, or ensure that the ecology of Bear Ridge does not collapse. You may think that these are boring and meaningless things for cultivators, but in fact, these are just the conditions of the exchange. Your superiors pay you a certain amount of spiritual energy every month, and you only need to do some meaningless things, even things like urinating in the mud or farting and causing a hole to collapse. As long as it fits into this system, it is reasonable."

"Attribute bar: A grain of sand in the era, but for every cultivator, it is a mountain. The rules set by the Jade Cauldron Immortal Alliance have their advantages, but the Jade Cauldron Immortal Alliance is so powerful that, under the open and covert struggle between the Lord of Muyang Mountain and the King of Xijiang, Bear Ridge became a sacrifice, and thus the absurd scene you see came about."

(End of this chapter)