57: Chapter 57 What kind of immortality can one cultivate if they weren't born with a noble birth?

[Chu Sheng packs his bags, leaves Ferry Town, and heads north.]

[After walking for three days, a continuous mountain range appears before his eyes.]

[The mountains are steep, the forest is dense, and occasionally the roar of demon beasts can be heard from afar.]

["This should be the place."]

[Chu Sheng compares it with the map he bought, "The Beast Sect's territory spans three mountain ranges. It is said that the mountain gate is on the highest peak."]

[He takes a deep breath and steps into the mountains.]

[After walking for half an hour, shouts come from ahead.]

["Run! The white tiger has gone mad!"]

["Help! Elder! Elder!"]

[Chu Sheng raises an eyebrow and quietly sneaks over to take a look.]

[In the valley, seven or eight young people wearing Beast Sect disciple robes are fleeing in a sorry state, chased by a giant pure white tiger.]

[The white tiger is the size of a small elephant, its eyes are crimson, and it spits a foul wind from its mouth. It swipes and sends a disciple flying with every strike.]

["Qi Guiding Rank 8."]

[Chu Sheng narrows his eyes, "Not to mention that demon beasts are naturally thick-skinned and fleshy; the highest of these disciples is only Qi Guiding Rank 7. No wonder they are being beaten and running for their lives."]

[He originally wanted to take a detour, but this is an opportunity.]

[If the Beast Sect disciples are in danger and he steps in to help, wouldn't he be able to blend in?]

["Just right to test my sword technique."]

[He draws his qing feng sword, "I've been practicing the Sixteen Swords of Yan Yun for a few months. Aside from defeating Han Li in an instant last time, I haven't really used it in actual combat."]

Chu Sheng watches this scene, his mouth twitching.

This kid, showing off again.

He can't even empathize with himself in the simulation.

But it should be fine this time, right?

The opponent is only Qi Guiding Rank 8, and he is Qi Guiding Rank 6 with the Strong Luck trait, he should be able to fight... right?

[Chu Sheng leaps out, his long sword trembling as he aims directly at the white tiger!]

["Stop your wild behavior, you beast!"]

[The white tiger turns its head abruptly, its crimson eyes locked onto him!]

[A gust of wind rushes toward his face. Chu Sheng is almost blown away, hurriedly stabilizes his footing, and thrusts his sword.]

[The first stance of the Sixteen Swords of Yan Yun, Swallow Returns to the Nest!]

[The sword light surges like a sea of clouds, enveloping the white tiger's tail!]

[The white tiger neither dodges nor evades, instead swatting over with a claw!]

["Clang—!"]

[Sword and claw collide, sparks flying everywhere!]

[Chu Sheng's hand goes numb, the qing feng sword almost slipping from his grasp. He flies backward, crashing into a large tree.]

[He struggles to climb up, "Why is this thing so strong!"]

[The white tiger has already pounced over, its bloody mouth inches away!]

Chu Sheng covers his face.

"Failure to show off. I knew it, fighting a Rank 8 with Rank 6 Qi Induction is still too much of a stretch. Besides, this white tiger is clearly in a rage state, its combat power even fiercer than usual."

[Chu Sheng rolls on the ground, dodging in a sorry state, and takes out the demon refining pot from his bosom, flipping open the lid!]

["Come out and eat!"]

[A puff of black smoke erupts from the pot, transforming into the Remnant Soul of the Red Python, opening its huge mouth to face the white tiger!]

[The white tiger sees the phantom of the Crimson Python, its body stiffens, and the fierce light in its eyes instantly turns to fear.]

[It slams its front paws to a halt, lets out a terrified whimper, and then—]

[It lies down.]

[Its massive body sprawls on the ground, tail tucked between its legs, shivering.]

[Chu Sheng is stunned.]

[The Remnant Soul of the Red Python is also stunned. It thought it was coming out to fight, but the opponent surrendered directly?]

["Uh..." Chu Sheng scratches his head, "Is it that cowardly?"]

[He tentatively takes a step closer. The white tiger shakes even more violently, making ingratiating whimpering sounds in its mouth, and even rubs its head against his leg.]

[Chu Sheng: "..."]

Chu Sheng is also stunned, then reacts.

"The demon refining pot! A Heaven-grade magical treasure, truly terrifying. It has bloodline suppression over low-grade demon beasts! This white tiger is only Qi Guiding Rank 8; in front of a Condensing True Great Demon's remnant soul, it's like a mouse seeing a cat."

[Those few Beast Sect disciples are also dumbfounded, their mouths wide open, unable to close them for a long time.]

["He... he subdued Brother Tiger?"]

["Impossible! Brother Tiger is Qi Guiding Rank 8. Even Elder Sun trained it for half a year before it barely listened!"]

[Just then, a powerful aura sweeps in from the horizon.]

[A gray-robed old man walks through the air and lands in the valley.]

[His hair and beard are white, his eyes like lightning. He glances at the white tiger lying on the ground, then looks at Chu Sheng.]

["Who are you?"]

[The old man says in a deep voice, "Why do you possess a Profound-grade sword technique?"]

[Chu Sheng's heart tightens.]

[Walking through the air—Gu Zhen Realm!]

[He hurriedly puts away the demon refining pot, "Junior Chu Sheng, passing through this place, saw that several seniors were in danger, so I came to help."]

[The old man doesn't speak, looking him over, and his gaze suddenly lands on the qing feng sword in his hand.]

["The sword technique you just used..."]

[The old man narrows his eyes, "Sixteen Swords of Yan Yun?"]

[Chu Sheng is stunned.]

["You know Li Chunfeng?" The old man's voice trembles slightly.]

Chu Sheng's mind races.

Old Man of the Pavilion Guard, Li Chunfeng, Yan Kingdom undercover agent.

This old man knows him?

[He hesitates for a moment, then nods: "I know him. He taught me sword technique."]

[The old man is silent for a moment, then sighs heavily.]

["Li Chunfeng..."]

[He mutters, "He's been missing for nearly twenty years. I thought he was dead. I didn't expect him to have taken on a disciple."]

[The look in his eyes as he watches Chu Sheng becomes complex.]

["Kid, since you are his disciple, you can be considered to have a connection with the Beast Sect."]

[The old man pauses, "I am Sun Xing, an elder of the Beast Sect. Are you willing to join our Beast Sect?"]

Chu Sheng's eyes light up.

He was just worrying about how to get in, and now it's handed to him on a silver platter?

["This disciple is willing!"]

[Sun Xing nods, looks at the demon refining pot in his arms, wanting to say something but stopping, "Let's go, follow me back to the mountain gate."]

Chu Sheng watches this scene, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Finally managed to blend in.

But this Elder Sun seems to have ideas about the demon refining pot?

Well, it's a Heaven-grade magical treasure; who wouldn't be jealous.

The Qinglan Sect leader didn't see it, so he shouldn't be able to tell either, right?

Hope he doesn't have ulterior motives.

He suddenly remembers that detail just now—Elder Sun's reaction when recognizing the Sixteen Swords of Yan Yun.

"Missing for over a decade..."

Chu Sheng thinks thoughtfully, "This old guy seems to be quite famous in the Yan Kingdom?"]

[Chu Sheng follows Sun Xing toward the mountain gate. Along the way, Sun Xing doesn't say much, only occasionally turning back to look at him, his eyes filled with reminiscence and emotion.]

[Walking halfway up the mountain, Sun Xing suddenly speaks: "Li Chunfeng... is he okay?"]

[Chu Sheng is silent for a moment, then shakes his head: "He died."]

[Sun Xing's footsteps pause.]

["How did he die?"]

["Killed by the Qinglan Sect leader."]

[Chu Sheng's voice is low, "He was undercover for twenty years, and his identity was eventually exposed..."]

[Sun Xing listens, remaining silent for a long time.]

[After a long while, he sighs.]

["This old fellow, he loved to stir up trouble his whole life."]

["Back in the Yan Kingdom, he was a famous hero. With a long sword, he traveled through all four borders, and I don't know how many people he saved. Then he suddenly disappeared, and I thought he had retired... I didn't expect him to have gone to the Tianfeng Kingdom to go undercover."]

[He looks at Chu Sheng, his gaze complex: "He passed the Sixteen Swords of Yan Yun to you; it seems he considered you his successor."]

[Chu Sheng says nothing.]

He knows clearly in his heart that Li Chunfeng taught him sword technique because he mistook him for someone from the Yan Kingdom.

But he accepts this favor.

["Let's go."]

[Sun Xing waves his hand, "In the future, cultivate well in the Beast Sect. If you don't understand anything, you can come and ask me."]

[Chu Sheng bows: "Thank you, Elder Sun."]

[That night, he is arranged to stay in a guest house.]

Watching the simulated scene, Chu Sheng is also thinking.

"This thread of Li Chunfeng actually still has warmth in the Yan Kingdom. This old man Sun Xing clearly cherishes old feelings; I can visit him more in the future."

"However..."

He suddenly remembers one thing.

"The Many Children, Many Blessings thread can also be considered."

Li Zhiyi is in Tianfeng, thousands of miles away; he definitely can't contact her in the short term.

But the matter of a dao companion cannot be rushed, nor can it be arbitrary.

If an ordinary person marries a bunch, the children born will have mediocre spiritual roots, and the feedback will be limited.

Just like Xiao Huan in the first simulation, the child born was also a waste spiritual root.

He must find high-quality ones, at least starting with Yellow-grade spiritual roots.

But high-quality dao companions, where are they so easy to find?

Brothels? It's not even certain if the children are his own.

Daughters of the Four Great Families? That's for their marriage alliances.

Female disciples of the Beast Sect?

Maybe that's a direction...

He shakes his head, temporarily suppressing these thoughts.

Can't waste the traits, right?

Generally speaking, for all immortal cultivators, there are three opportunities to change fate...

Each one can potentially change a person's fate.

The first is amniotic fluid.

Being born into what kind of family, having what kind of bloodline spiritual root, almost determines ninety-nine percent of the path of cultivation.

Those darlings of Heaven-grade or Earth-grade spiritual roots, or the offspring of Spirit Sea or Dao Palace Realm powerhouses, stand at the finish line that others can never reach in their entire lives the moment they are born.

For the vast majority of immortal cultivators, it's just one sentence.

Without a background, why cultivate immortals?

The second is relationships.

Worshipping a good master, taking a good dao companion, can all potentially defy the heavens and change fate.

A master passes on techniques, a dao companion gives resources, and even through dual cultivation feedback, it can allow a mediocre person to soar.

The third is good fortune.

Illusory and mysterious.

Some fall off a cliff and get a legacy, some pick up trash and get an artifact, some are just lucky and can't die no matter what.

Chu Sheng looks at the simulator in front of him, a smile curving on his lips.

"I am the favored one of the third path. Talents that others dream of but cannot get, I can possess by just rolling a few traits."

"Effort? Talent? Background? In front of good fortune, they are all floating clouds."

He looks at himself in the simulation screen.

Although he in the simulation is fake no matter how powerful, it can indeed provide feedback to reality.

And this kid now has Many Children, Many Blessings, Sword Saint, Duobao Heavenly Venerable, Strong Luck, and the demon refining pot.

The first path is no good, the second can be managed slowly, and the third is already maxed out.

As long as he doesn't court death, he will take off sooner or later, right?

[Chu Sheng takes out that jade pendant from his bosom.]

[The crown princes token, with the character "Yan" carved on the front, and "crown princes token" on the back.]

["This thing..."]

[He mutters, "Should I give it to Elder Sun?"]

[Sun Xing is clearly a high-level member of the Beast Sect and should have dealings with the royal family.]

[Giving the jade pendant to him might allow him to connect with the crown prince's line.]

[But what if Sun Xing is someone else's person?]

Chu Sheng also falls into deep thought.

The tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

But similarly, showing talent also has benefits.

Those random nobodies won't come to bother you, and it's easier to obtain resources instead of living a stifled life.

This jade pendant is a stepping stone.

If he uses it, he might rise to the sky in one step, or he might be doomed forever.

If he doesn't use it, it's safe, but he also misses an opportunity.

[Triggering a key choice: Whether to show the crown princes token to Elder Sun?]

[1. Show it. Bet that Sun Xing is the crown prince's person, and use this to connect to the royal line, but the risk is extremely high.]

[2. Hide it. Continue to lie low, develop slowly in the Beast Sect, and wait for a better opportunity.]

Chu Sheng stares at these two options, remaining silent for a long time.

"Should I choose 2?"

He knows that this choice might determine his fate in the Yan Kingdom.

The choice is in his hands.