214: Never ascend to heaven

Upon hearing the words "Immortal Scripture," the eyes of the three women lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed again.

"This Cultivation Technique is clearly prepared for someone who Cultivates the Yin-Yang Law; only you are suited for it." Fang Ruodan's tone was somewhat disappointed.

Cao Bu looked at the three women. "That may be so, but you can still learn the sword techniques within."

"Cao Bu, don't you want it?" Zhao Wei asked in confusion. "Isn't the Yin-Yang Sword Scripture perfectly suited for you?"

Cao Bu shook his head. "I have a better Cultivation Technique than this; I have no use for it."

As he spoke, he pushed the Jade Slip into Zhao Wei's arms. "Take it and look it over. Practice it if it's useful; if not, just keep it for now."

Zhao Wei took it and began to examine it closely with Lin Rou.

At that moment, Fang Ruodan picked up the stone containing Yin and Yang Qi and handed it to Cao Bu.

"This stone contains a high-level energy that shares the same source as Yin-Yang Spiritual Qi. It seems this Senior Cultivated the Yin-Yang Law."

Cao Bu took it, and with a thought, the System's investigation function activated, causing his eyes to light up.

"You were right. This is a yin yang immortal stone, specifically for Immortals who Cultivate the Yin-Yang Great Dao."

Fang Ruodan looked at the final jade talisman. "It seems the treasures in this ruin were all prepared for you."

Cao Bu nodded, reached out for the jade talisman, and injected spiritual power into it.

Immediately, a desolate and indignant voice echoed from the jade talisman.

"Fated one, if you can hear these words, it means the Restriction left by this Immortal has dissipated with the passage of time."

"My surname is Li, my name is Yinyang, a native of the Desolate Realm. I ascended to the Immortal Realm a thousand years ago."

"I thought I would attain eternal life, but I never expected..."

The voice was filled with despair and rage.

Hearing this, Zhao Wei and Lin Rou quickly withdrew their focus from the Jade Slip and listened intently to the words coming from the jade talisman.

"The Immortal Realm is not the paradise of legends; it is a massive cage!"

"All male ascenders are reduced to mine slaves, mining Immortal Stones for those so-called Immortal Kings, never to be free for all eternity!"

"The women are even more miserable; they are used for people's amusement and eventually sold to wealthy families as Maidservants."

"This Immortal was unwilling to be a slave and escaped the mine after facing countless dangers. However, I was pursued and, while on the verge of death from heavy injuries, I used all my strength to flee to this Small World, leaving my life's Legacy, my own Cultivation Technique, and the yin yang immortal stone here."

"Remember! Remember! Do not ascend, whatever you do, do not ascend!"

"The cruelty of the Immortal Realm is far beyond your imagination!"

The voice came to an abrupt halt.

Stormy waves surged in the hearts of Cao Bu and the other three.

"Ascending only to become a mine slave... does that mean Gu Qingtian is currently mining?" Zhao Wei looked astonished, somewhat skeptical of these words.

"If what this Senior said is true, then did all those who ascended from the Spirit Realm in the past become mine slaves in the Immortal Realm?" Fang Ruodan's expression was dazed, her brow tightly furrowed.

"To be a hegemon in the Lower Realm, only to be less than an ant after Ascension... then what is the meaning of Ascension?" Lin Rou's expression was also somewhat dazed.

For a moment, the beliefs of the three women suffered a massive blow.

They had spent their entire lives pursuing Immortal Ascension, only to be told now that they would be less than ants after becoming Immortals.

Then what was the point of becoming an Immortal?

Seeing their low spirits, Cao Bu quickly comforted them. "Alright, Ascension is still far off. Thinking too much now is useless; it only adds unnecessary worry."

"Cao Bu is right; it's too early to think about these things." Fang Ruodan quickly steadied her mind.

Zhao Wei said seriously, "But Alchemy Emperor, you are already at the Ninth Level of the Great Emperor Realm. Given your current Cultivation speed, no matter how much you suppress it, you will surely become an Immortal within a hundred years, right?"

Fang Ruodan looked at Cao Bu, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes. "Cao Bu should have a way. Even if he doesn't, I'll just slash my own cultivation."

Hearing this, both Zhao Wei and Lin Rou looked toward Cao Bu.

Cao Bu said in a deep voice, "I don't have a way now, but maybe I will in the future."

He didn't care much about the matters mentioned in the jade talisman.

After all, he was a man with a System.

Of course, thinking about it was useless anyway.

He still had two major hurdles: the Yin-Yang Heavenly Emperor and Lu Chen.

Everything would wait until he cleared these two hurdles.

Moreover, there was still the reincarnated Liu Ruyan; even if the System had no way, she certainly would.

Don't forget, Liu Ruyan still owed him three things.

"By the way, wasn't there another Legacy? Why is it gone?" Cao Bu circled the lotus platform but found no sign of the so-called Legacy.

At this point, Fang Ruodan regained her composure and explained, "The Physical Body of a Great Emperor can remain incorruptible for ten thousand years after death."

"This Senior was an Immortal, yet now only a skeleton remains. It's estimated that at least a hundred thousand years have passed."

"That Legacy must have dissipated with the passage of time."

Cao Bu felt a bit disappointed, but he quickly adjusted his mindset.

If it's meant to be in your life, you'll have it; if not, don't force it.

"Alright, you all gather the resources from these people. I'll try to refine this yin yang immortal stone now."

Cao Bu picked up the yin yang immortal stone and examined it, immediately feeling a sense of craving from within his body.

Fang Ruodan reminded him softly, "The energy level in an Immortal Stone is much higher than Spiritual Qi. If you're not careful, it could backfire. With your Cultivation Technique, can you refine it?"

She paused and added, "Maybe wait until you become a Pseudo-Emperor before refining it. That would be safer."

"It's fine."

Cao Bu sat cross-legged and placed the yin yang immortal stone in the palms of his hands.

The Primal Yin-Yang Scripture operated quietly, and the spiritual power in his body created a mysterious resonance with the Immortal Stone.

"Buzz—"

The Immortal Stone vibrated slightly, black and white light flowing on its surface. A stream of Yin-Yang Immortal Force, a hundred times purer than the outside world, flowed into his Meridians through his palms like a trickling stream.

This power was extremely pure, yet vast and majestic.

As soon as it entered his body, his entire skeleton let out light cracking sounds, his pores opened, and black and white mist rose around him, even faintly manifesting the phantom of a taiji diagram behind him.

Fang Ruodan, Zhao Wei, and Lin Rou had quickly collected the storage rings of the fallen Cultivators in the hall. Now, they stood quietly by Cao Bu's side, watching the changes in him with surprise.

The power of the Immortal Stone continuously washed through Cao Bu's entire body.

The Bottleneck from Realm Venerable Third Layer to Realm Venerable Fourth Layer was instantly shattered, and his cultivation began to climb steadily.

Realm Venerable Fourth Layer Middle Stage, Late Stage... Realm Venerable Fifth Layer!

The momentum of the Breakthrough did not slow down in the slightest.

The yin yang immortal stone contained a higher level of Yin and Yang Qi, which was like a timely rain for Cao Bu.

Realm Venerable Fifth Layer Middle Stage, Late Stage... time slowly passed in silence.

The aura on Cao Bu's body rose level by level.

When the light of the Immortal Stone dimmed, his body shook, and the air vortex around him suddenly expanded, pushing away all the dust on the ground.

Realm Venerable Sixth Layer!

He didn't stop, continuing to devour and refine the remaining Immortal Stone energy.

Finally, when the entire yin yang immortal stone turned to powder, Cao Bu's cultivation successfully reached the Realm Venerable Sixth Layer Peak.

He slowly opened his eyes, and a vision of Yin and Yang rising and falling flashed briefly in his pupils.

"Not bad. If I could have over a hundred such yin yang immortal stones, perhaps I could directly achieve Immortal Ascension." Cao Bu stood up and stretched his limbs.

Fang Ruodan suddenly stepped forward, her chest pressing against Cao Bu's arm. "Cao Bu, without me, you wouldn't have gotten the yin yang immortal stone. Shouldn't you thank me?"

She could clearly feel the qualitative change in Cao Bu's aura.

Although he had only broken through three minor Realms...

...the spiritual power in Cao Bu's body was a hundred times more condensed than before.

It seemed to be transforming toward a higher level of energy.

"Cao Bu, my hands are tired from picking up storage rings. I want thanks too." Zhao Wei walked to Cao Bu's other side, a hint of flirtatiousness on her face.

Lin Rou also stepped forward. "Cao Bu, I want it too."

Cao Bu gave the three women a strange look.

These women were becoming increasingly lacking in restraint.

He was about to scold them when a voice suddenly came from the entrance of the hall. "Cao Bu."