I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Due to the low prices, a black market naturally emerged.

This is also one of the reasons the ancient cultivators were dissatisfied with the Alliance, believing that the Alliance used the human crisis as an excuse to arbitrarily encroach upon the rights of cultivators.

Zhou Yi showed a puzzled expression, "Beasts are stimulated by elixirs, their aura chaotic and mottled. Their corpses are not comparable to the flesh of demon tribes. Ancient alchemy rarely has use for it, so what is it collected for?"

"Not sure about the specifics."

Shen Cheng said, "The most common items in the black market are the corpses of beasts. Conversely, elixirs are expensive. Han Chao exchanged for a considerable number of corpses, yet they soon disappeared without a trace."

Zhou Yi asked, "After the corpses disappeared, was there any change in Han Chao?"

"I haven’t paid attention to that..."

Shen Cheng frowned slightly, carefully reviewed all his memories, and after comparing past and present, said, "It seems there was a change, either an advancement in mana, a strengthening of divine sense, or even a breakthrough in alchemy techniques."

Zhou Yi’s mind raced with various thoughts, and he said, "Let’s leave the matter here. Be more intimate with Han Chao in the future; it will surely benefit your path in cultivation."

Shen Cheng agreed repeatedly, gulping down several bowls of tea until his body was filled and expanded with spiritual energy, before taking his leave to continue cultivating the martial path.

Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, took out a tablet, and turned on the internal office platform.

He clicked ’Agree’ to Han Chao’s application.

"A sacrifice, or an exchange? It’s most likely a sacrifice. As long as it’s not something demonic, this poor Daoist will lend you a helping hand!"

…

The next day.

Following the information sent from the office platform, Han Chao arrived at the office on time.

"Greetings, True Monarch."

"Here is a bottle of Foundation Establishment Pill. With your aptitude, it is enough to break through."

Zhou Yi scanned with his divine sense, thoroughly viewing Han Chao inside and out. His soul had reached the limit of the Qi Refinement Realm, and the mana in his Dantian was as thick as liquid, comparable to Zhou Yi’s own after several reconstructions.

A mana so dense that he had to reconstruct five times to achieve was now found within the mere body of someone with a double Spirit Root.

Moreover, Han Chao had also cultivated body refinement techniques. Even though it was not complete, his body was almost comparable to that of a fierce beast!

"This poor Daoist wandered in the Qi Refinement Realm for hundreds of years before reaching such a realm. Han Chao, at only twenty-three years old, is comparable to the reincarnation of an Immortal..."

Zhou Yi’s divine sense swept back and forth for a long time, but still couldn’t find anything unusual about Han Chao. To have such a heaven-defying ability, surely it was not something a Golden Elixir True Monarch could discover.

Han Chao showed a look of joy, and quickly bowed in gratitude: "Thank you, True Monarch. This student will fight for humanity!"

"You rascal, don’t put on such an act anymore, saying only what pleases me."

Zhou Yi waved his hand and set up several layers of Spirit Gathering Arrays, then smashed hundreds of Spirit Crystals. The office, spanning a hundred square meters, was immediately filled with rich spiritual energy, swirling like mist, almost like an Immortal Realm.

"To reach such a level of cultivation in essence, qi, and spirit, breaking through is no ordinary matter. Go ahead and break through right here!"

Han Chao did not refuse or escape; knowing he could not hide his unusual cultivation from a True Monarch, he thanked him once again and then sat cross-legged to take the Foundation Establishment Pill.

An hour later.

Spiritual energy flocked into Han Chao’s body, his essence, qi, and spirit soared several times, and he naturally advanced to Foundation Establishment.

Even without taking the Foundation Establishment Pill, Han Chao’s mana in his Dantian had more than a fifty percent chance of successfully establishing the foundation. However, possessing a treasure that pointed directly to the Great Dao, he couldn’t afford to gamble with his life and luck.

Thus, he took a Foundation Establishment Pill and safely had a successful breakthrough.

Han Chao bowed and said, "This student has not let down the expectations of the True Monarch. In the next ten years, I will go to the front lines to fight against the ferocious beasts!"

Zhou Yi didn’t expose Han Chao’s little schemes. The front lines were filled with corpses of ferocious beasts, which suited his cultivation needs. Zhou Yi said, "Would you like to enter my tutelage?"

"A disciple?"

Han Chao was stunned upon hearing this, and after making sure that the True Monarch was not joking, he pondered for a moment before asking.

"My talents are average, far inferior to those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root. How am I worthy of catching the True Monarch’s eye?"

"Don’t belittle yourself. A double Spirit Root is already considered a high-quality talent."

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots may possess excellent bone structure and top-notch mana, and might endure the hardships and solitude of cultivation, but strong cultivators were never made through mere hardships. Each lacks a bit of the spirit of decisive action."

This reason was not simply an excuse. His senior disciple Jin Jiuxiao had already gone to the front lines and could only return after slaying ten demon beasts alone.

Han Chao asked doubtfully, "I’ve heard that those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots also often slay beasts to practice their spells."

"Indeed, they do, under the heavy protection of the military, where they overpower the beasts one-on-one."

Zhou Yi did not oppose this practice. Before the extinction crisis of humankind, those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots were the hope for the continuation of their lineage and deserved heavy protection. All they needed was to be proficient in escape skills.

"Times have changed. With Martial Saints and True Monarchs to shelter humanity now, we are unlikely to be eradicated so easily. The chance for prosperity lies with those who soar in the vast sky!"

"Thank you for your guidance, True Monarch,"

said Han Chao, having a moment of enlightenment. Knowing he had no grounds to refuse, he immediately performed three bows followed by nine kowtows and said,

"I meet my master!"

"My disciple, there is no need for such formalities. From now on, you will be my second disciple,"

Zhou Yi said, taking out a nine-layered pagoda from his sleeve. "This treasure, called the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, is an ancient Buddhist magical treasure designed to suppress all demons and specters. It is perfectly suited for your use!"

Han Chao bent down to receive the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda and felt its terrifying power after a brief period of attunement, which was exactly what he needed. Any last shred of doubt in his heart immediately dissipated.

"Master, did the eldest disciple join your sect because he was innately unparalleled in slaughter?"

Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, "I have a connection with those of the Jin name, that is all."

Han Chao couldn’t help but admire the True Monarch’s way of doing things, following his heart’s desires. He made a note to help anyone with the Jin surname when possible.

...

Boom boom boom...

The continuous bombardment had lasted all night.

Mountains ten miles ahead were halved in height, and the Black Wind Cave in particular received special attention, turning its fierce beast inhabitants into pools of blood and mud.

The beasts had thick hides and were protected by chaotic mana, so normal cannons could only injure them.

The Alliance Army’s cannons were different. They were engraved with armor-piercing, penetrative, and demon-slaying inscriptions, and the explosions didn’t just produce shrapnel and blast force but also invoked the Lightning and Fire Techniques.

The ancient cultivators were discontented with the Alliance but still respected by it—this was why!

"Attack... attack..."

"Take down Black Wind Mountain, and tonight we feast on bear meat..."

"Jin Jiu, speed up, press the throttle all the way down!"

At dawn.

Under the cover of artillery fire, ground troops formed units of thirty to forty men and began their assault on Black Wind Mountain.

Martial Artists’ powerful Qi-Blood energy, combined with sturdy engraved armor and fully armed heavy firepower, made each soldier akin to a walking mech.

Finally.

Just before sunrise, Jin Laojiu led his troops to plant the Alliance flag atop Black Wind Mountain first.

Fierce beasts along the path, ferociously attacking despite their wounds, met their end under the spray of six-barrel heavy machine guns, becoming corpses.

"Haha, I’ve earned another merit!"

Jin Laojiu and his men stood under the flag, operating a drone to take photos, to reminisce in old age, or if dead, to be honored on a tombstone for posterity.

The troops that arrived later were helpless, cursing themselves for not having pressed the throttle harder and not having taken photos to remember the moment, but there would be another chance next time! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The drive to be number one, to be the leader, was deeply ingrained in the blood of humanity, with no satisfaction in settling for second place.

After an intense battle came cooking over the fire, with no need for the bland, dry Marching Pills—ingredients were everywhere on the mountain.

The cook skillfully cut off the beast meat, ignoring the head and selecting only the most essence-rich parts. The rest would be transported back to base to briefly extract bloodline essence before being sent to the rear laboratories for elixir refinement.

The essence of the beasts, particularly their mutated organs, theoretically contained their purest bloodline, making the elixirs refined from them a hundred times more effective than simply eating them.

Nevertheless, the front lines were perilous and harsh, with soldiers having one chance in ten to survive, so the Alliance allowed them to decide for themselves.

The bubbling soup in the pot, with various parts of the beast continuously turning over, looked like a messy stew.

Jin Laojiu and his soldiers circled around the pot, taking out Golden God pendants from their bosoms, placing their hands together in prayer, thanking the Golden God for his protection. Influenced by Jin Laojiu, his men did the same, believing in the Golden God whether it was useful or not.

The meat was ready.

The soldiers couldn’t wait to scoop out a beast leg, resembling a lion-tiger but with scaled skin.

Gobbling it down to the bone, three to four pounds of meat entered their stomachs, spreading a warm sensation from the gut, nourishing Qi-Blood and organs and subtly transforming their bloodlines.

Jin Laojiu wiped his mouth and took out a map, drawing a red circle on it.

The map was filled with dozens of red circles, all the way from the eastern part of the Alliance, a winding path leading ultimately to Binhai.

The reason the Alliance chose to expand eastward was to secure a passage to the Eastern Sea, transporting the human race en masse into the deep sea before either the demon or beast races could prevail.

As True Lord Tang had said, there were no demon or fierce beasts in the depths of the Eastern Sea!

Jin Laojiu gently touched the map, remembering the countless people of the God Nation who died at the claws of fierce beasts, and his eyes involuntarily moistened.

"After fighting for two years, less than three thousand li remain. If we can glimpse the sea, even in death, we’ll have the face to meet our ancestors!"