134: Twenty Thousand Paths to Immortality

Lu Chen asked, "Is the Martial Arts Academy very powerful?"

The Village Chief replied, "Of course! As long as you enter the Martial Arts Academy, they will provide Cadets with unique transcendence pills for free, which are 100% guaranteed to help you Cultivate to the Transcendence Realm. Furthermore, there is the only spirit testing platform within a thousand miles, for testing Spiritual Roots. If your Aptitude is good, you can be recommended to Immortal Cultivation Sects to learn Immortal Cultivation."

"Wow! I want to sign up!" Lu Xiaohu exclaimed excitedly.

Lu Xiaoyu also wanted to sign up, but there were only two spots, and she knew it wouldn't be her turn, so she looked wronged.

Lu Chen said calmly, "Xiaoyu, I'll give you my spot. You should go."

The Village Chief exclaimed, "Nonsense! Do you think this spot can just be given away? You still have to spar with the aspiring Martial Artists from other villages. Although there will be Martial Artist adults from the city watching, injuries and disabilities are common. So, this time I only plan to send you, Lu Chen. Xiaohu and Xiaoyu are too weak; they would only be cannon fodder if they went."

Lu Xiaoyu, scared, said, "Alright, then I give up."

Lu Xiaohu, however, insisted, "Village Chief, I want to participate! Even if I get injured, I'll still participate. If I'm even afraid of this, how will I wander the world, uphold justice, and become a great hero in the future!"

The Village Chief had no choice but to agree to Lu Xiaohu's participation.

It was finally decided that Lu Chen and Lu Xiaohu would participate.

The Village Chief said, "Among the ten surrounding villages, Lin Family Village, Heishui Village, and Shizhai Village usually take the top three spots in every selection competition.

Especially Lin Family Village, they breed Wind-Chasing Hounds, which are very famous throughout the Tianwu Dynasty.

It is said that twenty years ago, an Immortal was born in the Lin family, whose Cultivation reached an astonishing Qi Refining third layer. He joined the Heavenly Sword Sect, one of the ten great Immortal Cultivation Sects, and even the city lord dared not provoke Lin Family Village."

Lu Chen was speechless. Is even Qi Refining third layer that amazing in this world?

Heavenly Sword Sect? That name sounds familiar.

The Village Chief continued, "Moreover, the Lin family doesn't Cultivate the Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth!"

Lu Chen's eyes widened. "Ah? Village Chief, didn't you say that practicing martial arts must involve choosing one of the Five Elements?"

The Village Chief replied, "Yes, most people practicing martial arts must choose one of the Five Elements. However, in the Immortal Realm, besides the Five Elements, there are also the eight gates, twelve zodiac signs, and twenty-eight mansions. The Cultivation difficulty for these is very high, and only Cultivators choose them. It's rare for a Martial Artist to choose a path outside of the Five Elements.

Lin Family Village is quite special; they directly Cultivate the Dog Dao of the twelve zodiac signs.

Therefore, they have a great advantage; they can achieve both martial arts and Immortal Cultivation in one go."

Good heavens.

Why is it so complicated? I asked mechanical girl zero to randomly generate a Cultivation system, the more complex the better, and this is what mechanical girl generated?

Four major Immortal Cultivation pathways, freely combined, adding up to at least twenty thousand different paths to Cultivation.

The Village Chief encouraged them, "There's still one month left, Lu Chen and Xiaohu, you must work hard! I will take one-fifth of the village's savings to Feiyun City to buy some supplements so that you two can make a final sprint, especially Lu Chen, see if you can reach Body Tempering Stage eighth layer."

Lu Chen replied, "I'll do my best."

... The afterglow of the setting sun cast a golden-red hue over the training ground behind Lin Family Village. Fourteen-year-old Lin Han stood in the center, eyes closed, adjusting his breathing.

His Internal Energy surged, and three grayish-green wolf-like phantoms circled around him. This was the mark of the Lin family's ancestral "Azure Sky Wolf Shadow Art" Cultivated to the Meridian Opening Realm third layer. Among the younger generation in all of Lin Family Village, Lin Han was the only one to reach this Realm.

"Han'er, the selection competition is imminent, yet you remain so calm." Lin Changyuan, the Village Chief of Lin Family Village, slowly approached, leaning on a dragon-entwined wooden staff.

The old man's face showed a hint of relief, yet also a touch of worry, "This selection competition, I'm afraid, won't be as simple as you imagine."

Lin Han slowly opened his eyes, and the three wolf shadows immediately retracted into his body.

He turned to face the Village Chief, a confident smile playing on his lips: "Village Chief Grandpa worries too much. I am determined to win the first place in this selection competition. With my current Cultivation, taking first place is as easy as picking something out of a bag."

Lin Changyuan shook his head: "Do you know that Blackwater City has produced a Genius rarely seen in a hundred years? That child is named Zhang Xuan; he not only possesses an Innate Spiritual Root but has also Awakened the injury gate among the eight gates, and simultaneously Cultivates the Fire-elemental Cultivation Technique of the Five Elements, treading a very rare path of Fire-Injury Dual Cultivation."

Lin Han frowned slightly upon hearing this, but quickly relaxed: "What if it's Dual Cultivation? It's just more effort, that's all."

"Not only that." Lin Changyuan sighed, "That child's talent alarmed the City Lord of Feiyun City, who personally went to Blackwater City to investigate. After confirming, the City Lord spared no expense to purchase the Fentian Art, a top-tier Cultivation Technique, for him. Now, the entire Feiyun City is abuzz with rumors that Zhang Xuan has already secured a spot for ascending to Immortality, and it's even said that the Immortal Cultivation School Fentian Sect has already pre-booked him."

A gust of strong wind suddenly swept across the training ground, making Lin Han's robes flutter.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he sneered, "So what? No matter how good the talent, ultimately, they are just Hua Duo (Flower) raised in a greenhouse. Although the Azure Sky Wolf Shadow Art I Cultivate is not of high grade, its practicality is strong, and challenging those above my Realm is commonplace for me."

The Village Chief looked at the confident young man before him, wanting to speak but hesitating.

He knew Lin Han's unyielding personality since childhood, and he was even more aware of how much hardship this child had endured for his Cultivation.

"Han'er, how about I go to Feiyun City to buy some Spell Talismanic Incantations? They could be used for a sneak attack at a crucial moment..." Lin Changyuan's eyes were cold.

But Lin Han raised a hand to interrupt him: "Village Chief, I, Lin Han, am upright and disdains using such underhanded tactics. Winning is winning, losing is losing; Village Chief needs not say more."

Lin Han turned to face the sunset, and the three wolf shadows reappeared around him: "My path, Lin Han's path, has always been forged with my own two fists. What Genius, what pre-determined spot, none of it counts for me. In the selection competition, I will let everyone know that practical combat is the only standard for testing strength!"

... In Lu Family Village, Village Chief looked at the two young men standing before him—Lu Xiaohu was excitedly rubbing his hands, while Lu Chen kept his head down.

"According to our village's rules, at twelve years old, you are no longer children. Starting tomorrow, both of you can follow the hunting team into the mountains."

Lu Xiaohu immediately jumped up upon hearing this: "Great! I can finally join the hunting team! My dad promised to teach me how to use a hunting fork!"

Lu Chen said seriously, "I don't want to participate."

"Ah?" Village Chief's pipe nearly fell from his hand, his face filled with disbelief that this young man, on whom the entire village had placed high hopes, would give such an answer.

"Why?" Village Chief's voice rose by an octave, causing passing villagers to stop and look.

Lu Chen's gaze was calm: "I want to focus on Cultivating."

The air in front of the ancestral hall solidified.

Village Chief took a deep breath, the fire in his pipe flickering: "I can understand that your father died in the mountains, and you don't want to go up the mountain."

"The village used so many resources to train him, and we ended up with a coward."

"Exactly, his father, Lu Dashan, was so brave. He dared to fight a wild boar alone back then. Who would have thought his son would be such a wimp?"

Just then, Liu Xiaohua rushed over: "Who said Lu Chen was scared? He's still young and needs time to grow. Are there so many people in the hunting team that they're short a child?"

"What child!" Aunt Li retorted sharply, "He's already twelve! In two more years, he'll be able to marry and have children!"

"Exactly, our Lu Family Village lives by hunting. Except for those with Innate disabilities, no man has ever refused to join the hunting team!"

Liu Xiaohua, with tears in her eyes, hugged Lu Chen, covered his ears, and gently said, "We won't listen, we won't listen..."