Mortal: The Path to Immortality

After returning to his cave in the Abandoned Spirit Valley, Lu Nanzhu couldn't help but feel a little resentful.

However, he also knew in his heart that it was a bit of a waste to talk about the spirit of the contract with a Core Formation cultivator. In the end, it was because his own cultivation was not good enough. If he could advance to the next level sooner, he would have room to bargain.

Now he only has two paths before him: either he should spend the last few months studying the second level of the "Controlling Meridians and Transforming Spirit Technique" to the fullest, and perhaps still have a chance to cure Xin Ruyin; or he should simply accept his fate and wait for the time to go to Jinma City to confess to Yunxiao and Ruyin.

In short, even if you are unable to help someone with something you promised back then, you still have to give them an explanation.

Several months later, with Lu Nanzhu's wholehearted dedication, the second level of the "Controlling Meridians and Transforming Spirit Technique" finally made some progress, and reshaping the branch meridians in the cultivator's body should no longer be a problem.

With the appointed day approaching, he had no choice but to take the Severing Vein Flower with him and bravely head to the Yuanwu Kingdom alone.

As they soared through the air, Lu Nanzhu suddenly had a sudden inspiration.

He had previously mastered the second level of the "Legend of the Rising Sun" technique, but had never had the opportunity to unleash its full potential.

Seeing that no one was around, he immediately used his escape technique to test how much the "Step to Heaven Song" would improve his situation, so that he could reach his destination as soon as possible.

However, what he didn't know was that, hidden by the distant clouds, Xiao Suxin, who was always "sharp-tongued but kind-hearted," was concealing herself and lagging far behind.

Seeing the sudden surge and acceleration of the azure light around Lu Nanzhu, her heart skipped a beat, and she thought to herself:

"Could it be that he discovered me? I've already increased the distance to a great extent, this shouldn't be the case. Is the amplification of divine sense by the second level of the 'Controlling Meridians and Transforming Spirit Technique' really that heaven-defying? When I cultivated it back then, I didn't notice anything so sharp."

Xiao Suxin disregarded everything else and sped up to catch up, carefully maintaining that ambiguous distance.

A few days later, the two entered the territory of Yuanwu Kingdom one after the other.

Seeing his speed and skill improve so much, Lu Nanzhu was overjoyed, and the gloom he had felt earlier vanished instantly.

His smile widened, his eyes shining brightly as he gazed toward Jinma City, before transforming into a streak of light and disappearing into the distance.

Xiao Suxin, who was behind, caught up at this time, and was also amazed: This Wind Spirit Body is too domineering. A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator has a speed so fast that even ordinary Core Formation cultivators may not be able to do anything about it.

Just as she was feeling gratified, her divine sense suddenly detected the smile that was about to burst forth on Lu Nanzhu's face.

Xiao Suxin's initial relief was instantly overshadowed by a sour feeling of displeasure. She pursed her thin lips and inwardly grumbled:

"Hmph, look at that pathetic face! We haven't even entered the city yet, and the smile on your face is already about to burst."

I knew it. This little lecher would actually put on airs like a Core Formation cultivator just to get ahead of himself.

Passing through the barrier of the nameless hill, Lu Nanzhu stepped into the house.

Besides Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruyin, he glanced around and spotted a familiar figure by the table—the man had dark skin and an ordinary appearance, but exuded a calm and composed air; it was Han Li, who had already advanced to the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Qi Yunxiao and his companion were overjoyed to see Lu Nanzhu arrive as promised and quickly stepped forward to greet him: "It's... Senior Lu! That's wonderful!"

Hearing the noise, Han Li turned around. Lu Nanzhu was slightly taken aback, then smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Senior Brother Han, how have you been?"

"Junior Brother Lu." Han Li returned the greeting, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He briefly probed with his divine sense and found that Lu Nanzhu's Foundation Establishment aura was profound, and his cultivation had improved considerably since their parting in the Blood Forbidden Land. He couldn't help but marvel at his extraordinary talent.

Qi Yunxiao and his wife then realized that these two seniors were actually old acquaintances from the same school.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Nanzhu learned that Han Li had come to pick up a set of mountain-protecting formations that he had ordered from Xin Ruyin earlier.

Upon hearing that Lu Nanzhu's trip was to fulfill their three-year agreement and heal the rare "Dragon's Roar Physique," Han Li couldn't help but feel a bit curious.

"Junior Brother Lu, I didn't realize you possessed such miraculous healing abilities."

"Senior Brother Han is too kind. I merely received a secret medical technique from an elder within the sect, but..."

Lu Nanzhu hesitated for a moment, then looked at Yunxiao and the other person, and told them the truth.

"Although this method can save lives, it is extremely ruthless. The recipient must endure the pain of severed meridians, and will suffer damage to their very essence afterward, potentially reducing their lifespan by 30% to 40%. Moreover, given my current level of skill, I have less than a 30% chance of success if I were to attempt it rashly."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned somber, and the light in Qi Yunxiao's eyes dimmed instantly.

Although Xin Ruyin was pale, she still bowed and thanked Lu Nanzhu for not breaking the agreement and for telling him the truth.

"Senior Lu, if..." Qi Yunxiao gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment, "if the senior who passed on your secret technique to you had taken action personally, wouldn't Ruyin have been saved?"

Lu Nanzhu sighed softly and nodded slightly: "If Elder Xiao were to take action, there would naturally be no chance of failure. However, she is now a Core Formation cultivator and is currently in seclusion within the sect, so I'm afraid..."

"Elder Xiao? Could it be that white-robed fairy from that day?" Qi Yunxiao's impetuousness surged, and he immediately rushed out. "I met her once, and several seniors have said that her medical skills are superb. Even if it means going through mountains of knives and seas of fire, I will go to Spirit Beast Mountain to invite her!"

"No need to invite me, I have been here for quite some time."

A clear, cold, yet somewhat authoritative female voice, accompanied by a powerful aura belonging to a Core Formation cultivator, came from outside the courtyard.

Han Li's expression hardened, and almost instinctively he flashed behind Lu Nanzhu, his divine sense warily watching the doorway.

A white streak of light pierced through the barrier and landed steadily inside the room. When the light faded, Xiao Suxin, dressed in white, was revealed.

Everyone was greatly shocked and bowed respectfully, fearing that they might offend this Core Formation expert.

Xiao Suxin first glanced indifferently at Lu Nanzhu and Han Li, then slowly walked up to Xin Ruyin, scanning her with her divine sense, and thought to herself:

This woman possesses above-average talent. Lu Nanzhu said she can restore the "Star-Pulling Array," demonstrating truly astonishing mastery of array formations. If it weren't for the deep-seated influence of the "Dragon's Roar Body," she would be an exceptional talent.

Her gaze swept over the various exquisite array plates hanging on the wall, and she spoke calmly:

"Miss Ruyin is quite proficient in the art of formations."

She approached Xin Ruyin and continued, "I can help you resolve this flaw in your constitution, but there's a condition."

Xin Ruyin was overjoyed and respectfully replied, "Please speak, senior."

"I see that you have exceptional talent, and I wish to take you as my disciple and have you return to Spirit Beast Mountain with me to cultivate." Xiao Suxin stared into her eyes and got straight to the point.

Xin Ruyin was initially delighted, then looked at Qi Yunxiao beside her and tentatively asked, "Brother Yunxiao, you have considerable experience in weapon crafting, I wonder if you could..."

"I will only accept you as my disciple on this trip," Xiao Suxin said decisively. "As for this young friend Qi, if he can pass the 'Ascension to Immortality Conference' next year, he will have the opportunity to become my disciple."

Upon hearing this, Xin Ruyin's face, which had been flushed for a moment, turned pale again.

Qi Yunxiao, however, was a sensible man. He quickly stepped forward to persuade her, "Ruyin, this is a great opportunity! Following Fairy Xiao into the sect to cultivate is a great opportunity for you to establish your foundation and even advance further. Quickly agree!"

Xiao Suxin added at the right time: "Although the secret technique will reduce your lifespan by 30%, as long as you can use it to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage and even the Core Formation stage, the lost essence can naturally be repaired, and your lifespan will be almost the same as that of an ordinary person."

Faced with this extraordinary destiny that most people could only dream of, Xin Ruyin gently bit her lip. Under Qi Yunxiao's anxious gaze, she bowed deeply, her tone resolute:

"Thank you for your kindness, senior. However, my fate is too tragic, and I cannot accept this opportunity."

"Ruyin!" Qi Yunxiao said anxiously.

Xiao Suxin seemed to have expected this, a playful smile appearing on her lips: "Oh? You really want to give up this opportunity?"

"Ruyin's life was saved by Brother Yunxiao's tireless efforts."

Xin Ruyin raised her head, her eyes clear and firm.

"We two have long ago made a vow to grow old together. If you abandon your home and leave him in order to save your own life, even if Ruyin lives for a hundred years, she will still be a treacherous person."

After listening, Xiao Suxin glanced meaningfully at Lu Nanzhu, and seeing that he was deep in thought, she looked away.

"Since you've made up your mind, I won't force you. However, there's a saying, 'The secrets of the art are not easily passed on.' Since you refuse to become my disciple, I'll exchange your inherited array formations for your life. How about that?"

Xin Ruyin hesitated for a moment, then took out the book compiled from her painstaking efforts from her storage bag and presented it with both hands.

After Xiao Suxin scanned the document with her divine sense and confirmed that it was correct, she made a copy using a jade slip and then returned the original.

Then, she took out a fragrant purple flower from her storage bag.

Upon seeing it, Lu Nanzhu's heart skipped a beat—this herb was exactly the same as the mysterious spiritual herb he had obtained from Yu Liancheng's storage bag and planted in the medicine garden.

"Although the secret technique is powerful, if you use this 'Purple Smoke Luo' to supplement it, it can protect your body's essence and keep the loss of lifespan below 20%."

Xiao Suxin explained, then took some more Extinction Flowers from Lu Nanzhu and said to Xin Ruyin, "Let's go find a secluded place to prepare to cast a spell on you."

Before long, Xiao Suxin entered the inner courtyard under Xin Ruyin's guidance.