The male supporting character was actually myself.

“Alright, it would be interesting to take the opportunity to observe the local customs and culture.” Jiang Chen nodded in agreement.

Master Ruishi was overjoyed and hurriedly led the way to invite the young man to stay at his family's residence. He had already thought of a suitable candidate, determined to take advantage of his proximity to the family and have his own great-granddaughter serve as a maidservant to the High God.

If a family can seize this rare opportunity, and a descendant of the family is chosen by a god and taken away directly, then all the major sects will have to give their family some face!

He was extremely respectful and attentive, fearing he might be impolite. Seeing that this gentle and refined deity was quite easy to talk to, Daoist Ruishi tentatively asked, "Deity, could you tell your disciple what it would be like if he were to ascend to the Upper Realm?"

Despite the fact that all the cultivators here are dedicated to their cultivation, no one knows what it will be like to actually reach the upper realm.

Rui Shi Dao Ren has now cultivated to the Nascent Soul Realm, which puts him among the strongest in the Lin Dynasty. However, he has no fortuitous encounters that would allow him to advance further. If he cannot successfully advance to the Dao Integration Realm in a few years, his lifespan will run out, and he will die and disappear completely.

That's why he wanted to seize the opportunity of the god descending upon him and rush out to greet him immediately.

It won't differ by more than a few years, and if I'm unlucky, I'll just die.

If you're lucky, you might even be able to seize an opportunity and soar to great heights!

"The Upper Realm?" Jiang Chen thought for a moment and realized there was no taboo against telling others, so he simply explained, "After ascending to the cultivation world, you will arrive at the corresponding ascension platform, at which time the Chaos Bell will ring according to the talent of the person ascending."

The more times the Chaos Bell is rung, the better the talent. Various sects in the cultivation world will accept disciples based on the different cultivation techniques and talents the disciple cultivates.

After undergoing tribulations to refine their spiritual energy and purify their bodies, they arrive at the Upper Realm.

Compared to newcomers who join sects from within the cultivation world, there isn't much difference, except for some experience and existing cultivation techniques; they still have to start their cultivation as entry-level disciples. However, cultivators in the cultivation world have very long lifespans, with many living for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

A lifespan of thousands or tens of thousands of years?!

Daoist Ruishi blushed slightly with excitement. He knew that the most skilled cultivators he knew across the entire Yonghe Continent, those with unique cultivation techniques, had lived to be no more than eight hundred years old. For ordinary cultivators who couldn't ascend to the upper realms, three to five hundred years was the maximum they could hope for…

If I can gain immense benefits from this extraordinary encounter, I might be able to break through to the Dao Integration Realm, ascend to the Upper Realm, and live for thousands or tens of thousands of years!

Seeing his anticipation for ascension, Jiang Chen remained silent.

Ascension and such? Aside from the protagonist having extraordinary luck, aren't the others just captured and forced to work as laborers mining?

The mission world setting is no different from those cultivation stories; it's just a nested set with different maps.

It takes hundreds of years to ascend from the lower realm, but once you arrive in the cultivation world, you have to compete on the same starting line as teenagers from the original inhabitants. Without the protection of predecessors who have ascended earlier, and with no one to rely on and no strength, being selected to do hard labor in a major sect is considered lucky.

Similar to the fish that strives to leap over the Dragon Gate but ends up being just a dish, most of the nameless rogue cultivators who ascend from the lower realm are old and weak, even disliked for mining, and ultimately can only become rogue cultivators.

In the setting, the cultivation world, where the strong dominate, follows the law of the jungle. If you're unlucky, those down-on-their-luck cultivators will soon become mere passersby who are killed and robbed.

However, for cultivators, if they do not ascend to immortality and remain in the lower realm where spiritual energy is scarce, their lifespan will not exceed one thousand years.

The longer one lives, the more afraid of death one becomes, and the more desperate one will be to ascend to the upper realm at any cost, hoping to live for thousands more years in a world rich in spiritual energy. Even those old monsters of the Free and Unfettered Sect who remain in seclusion rack their brains to ascend to immortality, don't they?

Given the scriptwriting team's tendency to be lazy and not put in much effort, it's highly likely that after ascending to immortality and arriving in the celestial realm, it will be another new cycle, just a series of nested dolls.

With that thought in mind, Jiang Chen became too lazy to cultivate and ascend to immortality...

"Have you heard? The Li family of Tianshui Town has gone ahead to welcome that young master!"

"So it was Daoist Ruishi? That old fellow is really lucky. How did a deity end up in Tianshui Town?"

"Tch~ Even if you were to descend upon your Phoenix Cry Valley, would you dare to show your face?"

"Do you know what that great one is doing down to the mortal realm? Daoist Ruishi got a huge advantage, so we should all get a share, right?"

"That old bastard wouldn't reveal any information! But I heard he contacted the Divine Mechanism Pavilion immediately, seemingly to discuss using the Immortal Ship?"

"Tsk, the Li family is really stingy; they even have to borrow a decent immortal boat?"

"Are you stupid? How could that be borrowing a celestial vessel? It's clearly extending an olive branch to seek cooperation from powerful individuals, while also showing off that your family has received a divine blessing!"

"I heard that Daoist Ruishi has obtained a magic pill and is preparing to attempt to transcend the tribulation..."

…………

As soon as Jiang Chen arrived at the large village of Ruishi Daoren in Tianshui Town, rumors began to circulate through various channels.

He listened in secretly and not only did not stop it, but also spread the news about Lin Xucheng.

Sure enough, when the immortal ship set sail that afternoon, the radiant Rui Shi Daoist brought several beautiful girls from his clan over, saying they wanted to serve him as maids.

"These young ladies have good talent, but their cultivation techniques are a bit lacking." Jiang Chen was reclining on the couch, holding a manual in his hand and studying it seriously. He glanced up and flicked his finger, sending several items flying from his storage ring into their hands. He smiled and said, "I'm not used to having people serve me, so you don't need to bother."

The elixirs and cultivation techniques were considered a gift to the younger generation to establish goodwill.

"In the future, perhaps one or two will be able to ascend to the upper realm. They can then seek me out at the Free and Unfettered Sect, where they will have a place of refuge."

Several seventeen or eighteen-year-old girls were excited and hurriedly bowed and thanked the girls as they received the gifts.

He waved his hand, signaling everyone to step back. Daoist Ruishi hurriedly nodded and bowed in thanks. "If you need anything, just give the order. The immortal boat is traveling at full speed and will arrive at its destination in about two days!"

In addition, several cultivators requested an audience, saying they... knew some things about Linxu City.

Rui Shi Dao Ren gained a lot of benefits, but he still felt something was missing. After all, the Supreme God clearly wanted to find out the details of that kid Lin Xu Cheng. Unfortunately, he was far from the Lin Dynasty and knew too little information. He could only ask other gossipy old monsters for help.

"Let them in to talk." Jiang Chen put away his book, intending to hear what astonishing past Lin Xucheng had to offer the other cultivators.

As the cultivators filed into the inner hall of the immortal ship, they were all amazed at how well Daoist Ruishi had managed to curry favor with such a powerful figure! The deity's imposing presence and overwhelming aura suggested he was a dominant force in the Upper Realm.

If something good could slip through his fingers, he'd be rolling in money!

"You know Lin Xucheng?" Jiang Chen looked at them with a mixture of awe and excitement, as if they regarded him as a generous benefactor. So he took out the bronze mirror "Zhi Fan" from his storage ring to verify whether what they said was true or false.

The first man, a gaunt, bloodshot-eyed middle-aged man, bowed and said, "Your Excellency, I had a brief encounter with Lin Xucheng many years ago. This young man is extraordinary, broad-minded, and exceptionally intelligent..."

This person immediately showered Lin Xucheng with praise, offering nothing but empty compliments.

"Nonsense! I don't have time to listen to your praises. If you can't offer any useful information, you'd better leave now. Don't think I'm easy to fool." Jiang Chen glanced at the bronze mirror's "knowing to turn back" response and waved for him to leave.

The middle-aged man panicked. He had thought that the young man was there to conduct a background check, and he was even willing to flatter him to get some good luck. However, he was kicked out before he could finish saying all the nice things he had prepared.

"Tch!" The Shenji Pavilion disciple, who had reached an agreement with Daoist Ruishi to take control of the immortal ship, spat and kicked him off the ship, cursing, "If you want to die, don't drag others down with you. The High God is too busy to listen to your nonsense!"

The second person became much more nervous upon seeing this. He stepped forward to pay his respects and stammered, "I...I heard my late master mention before his death that Lin Xucheng, who ascended to the upper realm, seemed to have dealings with the evil demon lord!"

Upon hearing this, the inner hall fell completely silent.

Jiang Chen, who had been reclining on the couch with an air of nonchalance, raised his head and stared intently at the old woman, pressing her for details: "Tell me everything you know."

The old woman thought carefully for a moment and replied seriously, "About six years ago, a secret realm opened within the territory of the Great Rock Dynasty. My master risked her life to go there in order to seek a breakthrough opportunity. When she returned, she was already seriously injured and passed away two days later."

Before his death, the master murmured to himself: "It is truly unjust to die at the hands of that brat. He actually made a deal with the evil demon lord. Heaven is unjust, allowing such a heartless villain to attain enlightenment."

After repeatedly pressing my master to find out who had injured her, I realized that I had originally intended to avenge her.

However, my master only said three words: Lin Xucheng, and warned me not to get close to him. A Dao Integration Realm cultivator who can make deals with the evil demon lord is definitely not someone an ordinary cultivator can provoke.

Not long after he finished speaking, his master passed away.

I am ashamed to say that although I have the will, I am powerless to avenge her. At that time, Lin Xucheng was only twenty years old and had already entered the Dao Integration Realm. As a Golden Core Realm cultivator, he could not even find the other party's whereabouts. Later, I heard that the Great Yan Dynasty had been destroyed, and Lin Xucheng also disappeared.

Until three years ago, when he suddenly transcended tribulation and ascended to the upper realm, that was the last time I heard his name.

The bronze mirror's "return to the source" provided positive feedback, indicating that the old woman's words were true.

Jiang Chen frowned slightly upon hearing this. "The Demon Lord of the Evil Path? Does anyone know where he is now?"

"The evil demon lord has never appeared again since the fall of the Great Rock Dynasty." The old woman said through gritted teeth, "Everyone says that he is preparing to break through to the peak of the Dao Integration Realm and undergo tribulation, so he has gone into seclusion."

Oh? What a coincidence?

It's likely that there was no seclusion at all, and she simply became a stepping stone for the male protagonist, Lin Xucheng...

He flicked his fingers and gave the old woman some pills as a token of his gratitude.

The other party respectfully raised both hands above his head and said slowly and deliberately, "Thank you for the gift, God, but my ambitions are not in this regard!"

"Oh? What do you want?"

"I beg the gods to tell me Lin Xucheng's whereabouts. One day I will definitely chase him to the upper realm and kill him with my own hands to avenge my master!"

The old woman spoke with a strong and resonant voice, and for a fleeting moment, Jiang Chen even saw a faint halo of cause and effect flash across her body during his "Return to the Source" meditation.

He didn't know what the halo meant, so he frowned slightly and pondered for a moment before instructing, "You stay here for now, and we'll talk in detail after I finish my business. Some of these pills can replenish your qi and blood, while others can increase your chances of successfully transcending tribulations. They'll all be useful to you, so keep them. Even if you want to go to the Upper Realm to avenge your master, you'll need to have enough strength first."

The others looked on with envy, wondering if Lin Xucheng had offended this god after his ascension, otherwise why would the god descend from the upper realm specifically to investigate his background?

Having made deals with the evil demon lord—ha, that's an indelible stain on the reputation of a righteous cultivator.

Lin Xucheng is probably doomed!

"Replying to Your Majesty, I was originally from Tonghua City of the Great Rock Dynasty, and I am from the same hometown as Lin Xucheng, who ascended to the Upper Realm three years ago."

As soon as a man in his thirties spoke, Jiang Chen's eyes lit up!

Oh wow, the news has spread throughout the cultivation world and finally found the person who knows the truth.

Chapter Fourteen: The Power of the Cat Bomb

News travels fast in the cultivation world, but only about ten cultivators came to provide clues, and Jiang Chen had a bad feeling.

Aside from those who, like the first one, fabricated stories to curry favor, how many people could offer any valuable information?

Few people know about the past of a dignified ascendant; it seems that the secrets of this person are not easy to uncover.

Do you know Lin Xucheng?

The other party shook his head and replied, "We don't know each other, but I've heard of his great reputation. Lin Xucheng comes from a family of cultivators and is the second son of the family head. However, he is the only one in the family who is a good-for-nothing who cannot cultivate."

The Supreme God should know that there are many people in the Eternal Continent who cannot cultivate. Even though Lin Xucheng cannot cultivate, no one laughs at or looks down on him. On the contrary, he is even more favored by his father, the head of the family, who cherishes and protects him.

Everyone in the city thought that Lin Xucheng would be a wealthy man who would live a life of ease and comfort under the protection of many cultivators in his family. Unexpectedly, when he was ten years old, a great change occurred in the famous Lin family in Tonghua City!

Overnight, all but one of the more than three hundred members of the Lin family died suddenly.

The city lord only discovered that the entire Lin family had died from exhaustion, but there was no clue as to who had committed the murder. Everyone in the city said that the Lin family had probably offended some other power and suffered retaliation, and that Lin Xucheng had escaped this calamity because he had no talent for cultivation.

Yet, this ten-year-old child handled the aftermath with terrifying calmness. After burying the entire clan, he immediately sold all the family's assets and went far away. And... for some reason, he suddenly gained the talent for cultivation and embarked on the path of cultivation!

Not long after the Lin family's misfortune, the next family moved away from Tonghua City and settled in the Yanhai Dynasty for some reason.

I saw Lin Xucheng once from afar in a secret realm at sea when he was about fifteen or sixteen years old. At that time, he had already achieved the Golden Core stage. In just five or six years, he went from an ordinary person who could not cultivate to a master of the Golden Core stage. His cultivation speed was truly amazing.

Later, I heard that he seemed to have a very mysterious master who appeared and disappeared without a trace and often helped him deal with some tricky situations, but it was unknown who he was a disciple of.

I have no connection with him. I only paid a little attention to Lin Xucheng because of the tragic massacre of the Lin family back then, and I haven't seen him since.

Was he the only one in the entire clan to escape?

Jiang Chen looked at the positive feedback from the bronze mirror and his expression turned solemn.

A useless person who cannot cultivate happens to receive the powerful assistance of a mysterious master, a classic and standard underdog-to-hero story. But after his entire clan dies suddenly, he gains the ability to cultivate. Such a coincidence cannot possibly be unrelated to Lin Xucheng!