First achieve immortality, then cultivate immortality.

"Xu Mu, adult bone age, Qi Refining Level 3, low aptitude."

On a sacred mountain far removed from the mortal world, Xu Mu was standing obediently before an elderly cultivator, undergoing an "interview."

Things like bone age, cultivation level, and spiritual root aptitude have all been checked, but because the evaluation was too low, this final step is necessary.

This elderly cultivator, who called himself "Du Guan Shang Ren," appeared to be around sixty or seventy years old. He wore a blue robe with cloud patterns, had a long beard, and possessed a refined and otherworldly air.

He looked at Xu Mu and pondered for a moment before saying, "To be honest, with your spiritual root aptitude, it really surprises me that you have been able to cultivate to the third level of Qi Refining at this age."

"Reporting to Your Excellency, this disciple has encountered some fortuitous opportunities in the mortal realm." Xu Mu respectfully bowed.

"Hmm, that makes sense. It's already quite rare for a rogue cultivator like you, who has no sect or school and cultivates on your own in the mortal realm, to be able to step into the world of cultivation." Master Du Guan stroked his long beard and nodded.

He continued, "Our Qinglan Sect values ​​fate. Even if you have poor aptitude, as long as you don't have any major flaws, we will still accept you as a disciple."

However, this applies only to outer disciples. Please be aware of this.

Although it's an outer sect, you can cultivate on the sacred mountain and enjoy abundant spiritual energy. That alone is enough to make you eligible to join the sect.

He didn't show any arrogance; he simply stated a fact calmly.

He believed that Xu Mu certainly understood the importance of abundant spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy in the mortal realm is scarce, making cultivation as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Although there are cultivation methods circulating in the mortal world, which are obtained by those who are destined, countless people can only cultivate to the first level of Qi Refining at most in their entire lives.

This is determined by the Dao; the scarcity of spiritual energy is merely one manifestation of the Dao.

Those who cultivate the Tao should follow the way of Heaven. If they insist on seeking the Tao and cultivating immortality in the mortal world, they are utterly foolish.

Xu Mu was already an adult, looking like a young man in his twenties or thirties, but his cultivation level was only at the third level of Qi Refining, which was indeed very low.

Among cultivators of the same age within the sect, many at this age have already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, and some exceptionally talented individuals have even reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, if he is only cultivating in the mortal realm, then Xu Mu's age and cultivation level are truly rare in the world.

Unfortunately, it's not that they have extraordinary talent that defies the heavens, but rather that they just happened to have some kind of opportunity, so there's nothing that can be done about it.

"This disciple is willing to join the Qinglan Sect and will dedicate myself to the Dao from now on." Xu Mu solemnly cupped his hands in a salute.

"Yes, your desire to seek the Dao is excellent." Master Du Guan nodded.

He then explained, "In my Qinglan Sect, the outer and inner sects are one entity, and there is no difference in promotion or demotion, reward or punishment."

The difference is that inner disciples are usually at the Foundation Establishment stage, or will reach Foundation Establishment sooner or later, so the sect carefully cultivates them, and they only need to focus on cultivation on weekdays without having to do any work.

Outer disciples receive cultivation resources based on their contributions; the more they work, the more they receive, and the less they work, the less they receive.

In addition, outer disciples who can cultivate to the ninth level of Qi Refining before the age of eighty-one have the opportunity to establish their foundation and can apply to the sect for Foundation Establishment Pills based on their contributions.

Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you can become an inner disciple.

Xu Mu nodded after listening.

This sounds a lot like the career advancement system in my previous company, which gave the employees something to look forward to.

Having been a low-level worker in his previous life, he was already very familiar with this.

Master Du Guan then explained the sect's rules and regulations, and then summoned an outer disciple to take Xu Mu to complete the formalities and settle in. From now on, he would be a disciple of the Qinglan Sect.

Putting aside the benefits, the atmosphere of the entire sect seemed quite harmonious, which pleased Xu Mu greatly.

I have been reincarnated into this world for 150 years.

He has no cheat codes, no extraordinary talents, only a longevity fruit.

I have no other skills, except for the ability to survive.

At the same time, one can control one's own "time," and reversing aging is just child's play. One can stay young and strong forever, or age forever.

In the past 150 years, he has not had any extraordinary encounters; he has only survived and developed through hard work and struggle in the mortal world.

Now that he has entered the immortal sect, he wants to continue cultivating immortality. He doesn't have any particular strengths, so he just hopes for a stable environment where he can continue to live a quiet life until the day he attains the Great Dao.

……

The Qinglan Sect is situated atop a magnificent mountain range, with hundreds of peaks layered upon each other, forming a breathtaking panorama.

Clouds and mist surge and billow in the mountains, creating an ethereal atmosphere, as if ink had been splashed on the landscape and embellished by a master's brush, resulting in this beautiful fairyland scenery.

At this time, Xu Mu could not fly, so he was led by a senior brother who was at the high level of Qi Refining to travel between the mountains.

"Junior brother should learn the sword control technique as soon as possible, otherwise it will be difficult to move an inch here."

Mu Changfeng smiled faintly, dressed in a green robe, standing on a flying sword, with his hands behind his back, looking completely untouched by worldly affairs.

Xu Mu stood behind him, stepping on the sword, resisting the urge to grab his lower back with both hands.

The earth is beneath my feet, and the mountains stand like giants on either side, with damp clouds brushing against my face.

High in the air, with only a thin sword beneath your feet to lean on, it's like stepping on a straw on the sea, which is truly terrifying.

The surrounding winds were howling, and if it weren't for his senior brother protecting him with his magic, he doubted he would have been blown off.

Seeing that he couldn't speak for a while, Mu Changfeng laughed and said, "Junior Brother, you've been in the mortal realm for too long, aren't you still getting used to the cultivation world?"

Xu Mu calmed himself down and nodded, saying, "That's right. I've gotten used to living in the mortal realm, a place in the decline of Dharma, and I never thought I could go to heaven or earth."

"Haha, this immortal sect is not comparable to the mortal realm."

In the mortal realm, you can't fly even if you want to, but here you can soar freely—that's the benefit of abundant spiritual energy.

"But that's not the most important benefit. Do you know what the most important one is?" Mu Changfeng asked with a smile.

"Benefits...faster cultivation?" Xu Mu replied.

"Wrong!" Mu Changfeng's expression instantly turned serious.

"Let me ask you, what is the purpose of cultivation?"

"Uh... Seeking immortality and longevity?"

"That's true, but how many people can actually achieve it? With talents like yours and mine, can you even see the hope of immortality? Then what's the point of cultivation?"

These words made Xu Mu ponder: "Then, as Senior Brother says..."

Mu Changfeng didn't answer, but flew with him to a cliff and landed there. He gripped his flying sword, pointed it at the mountains and the sky, and laughed loudly:

"Riding the wind on a sword, I roam freely between heaven and earth."

Freedom! The most important thing in cultivating immortality is freedom!

Compared to immortality, things are much more tangible and attainable, and that's what we cultivators should strive for.

Upon hearing this, Xu Mu's eyes lit up: "Senior Brother is absolutely right!"

"Then, junior brother, how can we gain our freedom?" Mu Changfeng asked loudly.

Xu Mu thought for a moment: "The higher one's realm, the more freedom one can have."

"Not bad! But you haven't truly understood it yet."

"I humbly request your guidance, senior brother." Xu Mu bowed respectfully.

"It's simple. I'll ask you, are you feeling hungry right now?" Mu Changfeng asked with a smile.

"what?"

Xu Mu then realized that he had been here for most of the day. After all the qualification checks, it was well past lunchtime, but he did not feel hungry.

Mu Changfeng looked at the mountains again and laughed, "The spiritual energy here is abundant. You only need to eat one meal and sleep for two hours a day at most."

As your cultivation level increases, you will no longer be bound by the most basic laws, such as hunger, sleep, excessive sexual activity disturbing the mind, and menstruation disturbing the body.

Once you reach the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation stages, you can completely break free from the shackles of heaven and earth and cultivate a "free and unfettered body," maintaining full energy and spirit even without eating or sleeping.

But in the mortal realm, the dust and grime are too heavy, and we cultivators will feel like we are stuck in a quagmire, with everything we do restricted.

Even those at the Core Formation stage are not exempt from the mundane necessities of eating and sleeping. For those of us with lower cultivation levels, even flying on a sword is difficult.

In other words, we are still limited by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and our freedom is not true, but only limited.

Therefore, one must cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage and the Deity Transformation stage, until one can roam freely throughout the world, without any constraints! Only then can one achieve transcendence and true freedom!

Upon hearing this, Xu Mu was instantly captivated, and his understanding of the various realms became clearer in an instant.

"Senior brother is truly a great talent!" he exclaimed sincerely.

Mu Changfeng laughed loudly, introducing his junior brother while his eyes gleamed.

Although he is only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, he has a high fighting spirit and will one day roam the world!

"Changfeng, you're training newbies again."

Someone nearby laughed and said.

Mu Changfeng snapped out of his thoughts, turned his gaze over, and smiled, "That's right, this is the new junior brother."

"My name is Xu Mu, and I greet you all, fellow disciples."

Xu Mu bowed respectfully to everyone present.

This place appears to be a rest stop, where several cultivators are resting and recovering their magical power.

After all, they were only at the Qi Refining stage, and even though the spiritual energy here was abundant, they could not fly long distances. This must be the significance of the cliff.

"It's not the time for sects to recruit new members now. If you're joining now, which sect were you from before, junior brother?" one of them asked.

Xu Mu was taken aback upon hearing this.

Seeing how naturally he asked the question, as if it were nothing unusual, I was struck by how he asked it.

Mu Changfeng answered for him: "Junior Brother Li previously only cultivated in the mortal realm; this is his first time entering the immortal sect."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators present all showed surprise.

"Wow, a cultivator who can cultivate in the mortal realm is no ordinary person. Could he be the next Yan Qing?"

Mu Changfeng smiled and said, "There aren't that many Yan Qings. It's already quite an achievement for him to have cultivated up from the mortal realm. Don't put pressure on him."

"Haha, it's okay, we believe in you." The man gave Xu Mu a thumbs up.

Xu Mu nodded slightly and asked curiously, "You always say you cultivate from the mortal realm, so how did you begin your cultivation?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present laughed.

Mu Changfeng patted his shoulder: "Junior brother, many people are born into the immortal sect. I'll take you there to see for yourself. That's where you'll cultivate from now on."