107: Seeking immortal seeds and meeting old friends

Three years have passed since the auction, and as his cultivation advanced, Chen Cuo felt the opportunity for Spiritual Qi absorption drawing nearer.

Martial Dao is Immortal Dao, and only Immortal Dao offers eternal life, but for Chen Cuo, these were minor issues; longevity was already within his grasp, so there was no rush.

He had originally intended to seek a Breakthrough to the Martial God Realm before Undergoing Tribulation, but his extensive search for historical records of Martial Artists achieving a Breakthrough to the Martial God Realm yielded only a few vague sentences, mostly describing things like Undergoing Tribulation and Ascension, or Dao Comprehension and Ascension—specious claims.

Searching everywhere, he found no practical techniques, such as how to achieve a Breakthrough to the Martial God Realm.

Therefore, Chen Cuo dared not act rashly. He had consulted several Innate Great Perfection Grandmasters and several Perfected Person about the matter of achieving a Breakthrough to the Martial God Realm, and each one said that Martial Artists in the Martial God Realm were rare even in the Immortal Realm.

Although he received no substantial advice, he did learn that the Martial God Realm, and Martial Dao cultivation, focused on the Divine Soul and will. Martial God, Martial God, Martial Dao preserves the spirit; this 'spirit' does not refer to gods, demons, immortals, or ghosts, but to the Divine Soul, to the Divine Will.

Martial Arts communicate with the divine, and the divine possesses spirit. Achieving the God Realm in Martial Dao means imbuing martial arts with divine will, capable of turning decay into wonder. It is probably the Concept of 'mountains are still mountains, water is still water,' reaching the essence of Martial Dao.

For example, Chen Cuo's Spirit Demon Five Animal Play: using the tiger form boxing was like a real tiger, and using the crane form boxing was like a true Immortal Crane.

Comprehending the True Meaning of Martial Dao was the key to the Martial God Realm. Chen Cuo's Five Spirits True Meaning talent remained, and the Five Elements Five Spirits Art was formed through the Fusion of Cultivation Techniques, so the talent for Cultivation Technique Fusion had not disappeared!

"Perhaps the Five Spirits True Meaning will be the key to my Breakthrough to the Martial God Realm. So many records indicate that a Martial Artist's Breakthrough to Martial God will involve realm-breaking Ascension. Could it be Ascension to the Immortal Realm? But what if it's not? I still can't take the risk!"

Or perhaps the records of Martial Gods in this Jueling Realm were too peculiar, and even if Chen Cuo truly wanted to achieve a Breakthrough to Martial God, it would still take some time. There were some bottlenecks he hadn't understood, and a forced Breakthrough would be counterproductive, so it would be better to wait until after Undergoing Tribulation.

"It should be almost time, right?" Chen Cuo heard continuous noise from the courtyard and estimated the time. There were less than two years until Undergoing Tribulation, and another grand event in Xueshan City had already begun!

That was, descending Xueshan City to seek Immortal Seeds.

Some forces had even already descended the mountain!

White Egret had invited him a month ago, and Chen Cuo naturally intended to go. Hearing the commotion outside, he understood that the time had come.

Seeking Immortal Seeds takes a lot of time; it's common to stay in various countries for a year and a half!

Below the Great Snow Mountain, there are many countries to the southeast, northwest. The original Qian Country and Yan Yun Country were both to the north of the Great Snow Mountain. Besides these, in more distant regions, there were also many countries, such as the Yue Country and Qing Country at the southern foot of the Great Snow Mountain.

Chen Cuo had also had heartfelt conversations with many Innate Martial Artists from other countries. In short, based on estimated locations, the Yue Country was tens of thousands of miles away from the original Qian Country!

Hongguan Shangren and Yuanfu Shangren had both participated in the Immortal Seed seeking activities a hundred years ago, which took place in the former Qian Country and Yan Yun Country.

They were Innate Martial Artists a hundred years ago and were also disciples cultivated by the previous generation of managers of the two sects. But now, even with various excellent remedies, they could barely move freely, let alone go down the mountain where there wasn't even a trace of Spiritual Qi.

"Chen Cuo, Chen Cuo, are you ready?"

White Egret rushed into Chen Cuo's courtyard, wearing thick clothes and, unusually, her long whip weapon hanging at her waist.

Her entire demeanor was heroic and striking, making Chen Cuo's eyes light up.

"Ready for what?"

Chen Cuo looked up, his eyes like stars, deep with a hint of calm, always exuding an extraordinary aura.

"Aren't we going to cross the fierce winds later? Don't you need to bring equipment? At least prepare some Talismans!"

Chen Cuo replied, "I don't need to; the Shopkeeper just needs to be prepared. Is it just the two of us?"

"Yes, Master Dai is old and has difficulty with his legs, so he won't be going!" White Egret hesitated, as if wanting to persuade Chen Cuo.

"Then let's go!"

Chen Cuo was very decisive. He casually scattered Spirit Stones and set up a Geomagnetic Primordial Spirit Array in the backyard. Under White Egret's surprised gaze, the two floated away.

At the summit of the Great Snow Mountain, Yue Wudao was with a man in a purple long gown, waiting for Chen Cuo and White Egret.

As the two approached, Chen Cuo immediately recognized the purple-clad man as Huang Chenyi, an Innate Expert from the Huang Family!

The Huang Family was a Talisman Dao Family, but it was not an enterprise under the Yuanfu Sect. Their entire Family was a second-tier force, quite famous even in the West Sacred Continent.

Yue Wudao's talent for drawing Talismans was indeed good, and he knew how to seize opportunities, collaborating with Chen Cuo to gain a lot of Spirit Stones. When he auctioned off the Undergoing Tribulation slots, he grandly bought two slots, then immediately gave one to Huang Chenyi, who had a good relationship with him in the Huang Family. With his recommendation, he officially joined the Huang Family as a consecrated Talisman Master, not a Family servant!

You might ask why a Talisman Master Family would still recruit external Talisman Masters? Firstly, not every Family disciple possesses the talent for drawing Talismans like Yue Wudao. Secondly, even a Talisman Master Family often needs an influx of new blood from external Talisman Masters to prosper continuously; self-imposed isolation would only lead to self-destruction.

However, as a mere consecrated member, there was no opportunity to obtain the Huang Family's true Legacy!

Yue Wudao had chatted with Chen Cuo a while ago. He was an ambitious person. After Undergoing Tribulation, he would strive for Foundation Establishment and would not be bound by the Huang Family for life. After all, he was only a consecrated member, not a bondservant.

Joining a force has its advantages, and being a Loose Cultivator also has its advantages; it all depends on one's choice.

It was during that conversation, when the matter of seeking Immortal Seeds was discussed, that the two made an appointment, leading to this meeting.

The Huang Family alone occupied thirty slots and sent out many Immortal Seed seeking teams, with Huang Chenyi leading just one of them.

Although the two waited for a while, Huang Chenyi showed no displeasure. Instead, he greeted them warmly: "So it's Fairy White Egret and Great Master Chen! It's truly an honor to meet you!"

His Talisman drawing skills were not refined; in terms of skill alone, he was even inferior to Yue Wudao. However, he was one of the Huang Family's management, with a richer background, so he naturally recognized Chen Cuo, the Artifact Refining Great Master. Even the Jade Spirit Belt on his waist was Chen Cuo's work.

The Jade Spirit Belt was used to purify magical power, which could assist in achieving a more harmonious integration of essence, Qi, and spirit during Spiritual Qi absorption. Its effect was far less than that of a Spiritual Qi absorption Talisman, but its advantage lay in its durability. Even without Spiritual Qi absorption, it benefited a Martial Artist who wore it long-term.

Huang Chenyi also admired Chen Cuo greatly. When Yue Wudao frankly stated that Chen Cuo was his good friend, he had the idea of bringing him into his own lineage. Just then, Yue Wudao offered a Undergoing Tribulation slot, making it a matter of course.

"Not at all, not at all, greetings, Fellow Daoist Huang!" After exchanging greetings, the four were officially acquainted.

Seeking Immortal Seeds entirely depended on luck. No one knew if there would be any harvest. Some members of forces might stay in the countries below the Great Snow Mountain for one or two years and still not find a child with Immortal Bones who hadn't died young!

After a brief gathering, the four finally took action. Huang Chenyi led Chen Cuo and the other two to a path where a chain hung straight down.

This made Chen Cuo and Yue Wudao sigh with emotion; they had climbed up to Xueshan City, and it turned out there was such a shortcut.

"The history books of the Qian Country didn't record this!"

Yue Wudao whispered, then affixed a Talisman to his body and descended along the ropeway.

White Egret followed suit, and soon, the group reached the foot of the mountain!