What if I don't want to ascend to immortality?

Chapter 14 was rejected.

Spiritual practitioners who have reached a certain level of cultivation generally no longer need to sleep. However, no one in this world has yet reached that level of cultivation.

Considering that the longest-living spiritualist in the world is less than two hundred years old, Han Jie is probably the only one with that ability.

But as the saying goes, nothing tastes better than dumplings, and nothing beats lying down. With that soft, comfortable mattress, he was more than willing to adjust his meditation posture to lying down.

He didn't truly enter a meditative state. While continuously processing and digesting the information in his mind, he also kept a sliver of his attention on the movements of his companion opposite him.

After all, overdrawing one's soul is not a cultivation method without risks.

Just as excessive muscle fatigue can cause injury, so too can the mind and soul.

However, Meng Qingtong had clearly used her years of experience to get the timing right, and after more than an hour, she finally dragged her extremely tired body to take a shower and go to sleep.

She not only has a good grasp of the intensity of her workouts, but also of the intensity of her rest.

About three hours later, she got out of bed, took out a futon with spirit patterns from the cupboard, opened the window, and sat cross-legged to cultivate. Her naturally restored spiritual power was just full by this time, and she used all the absorbed spiritual energy to push her spiritual power limit to the limit.

Han Jie nodded approvingly, quite satisfied with his partner.

This two-pronged approach has effects far beyond a simple additive combination. Ordinary cultivation methods, while enhancing spiritual power, also strengthen control over external spiritual energy. However, overdrawing one's soul, in addition to drawing deeper into one's potential, also continuously tempers the strength of one's soul and body, and the speed at which spiritual power is restored will become increasingly faster.

If an ordinary cultivator had overexerted themselves to the extent she did last night, they probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed even after sleeping for thirty hours.

Her tight, strong, and resilient figure must have been thanks to this.

He was quite curious about her. As he headed towards the place called the train station against the morning light, Han Jie used his phone to call out to her spiritual sense and asked, "Your training method last night was quite peculiar. Did you figure it out yourself?"

Meng Qingtong, holding a vegetable pancake and a milk straw, with a bulging backpack in her arms, replied while eating: "It's nothing particularly confidential, no need to hide it like this. I taught my roommates when I was in the introductory class, but they all complained that it hurt, was tiring, and troublesome. Later, they even complained that I was disturbing their rest, which made me have to practice in the washroom back then."

Perhaps thinking that chatting like this was tiring but wouldn't interfere with eating breakfast, she continued while wolfing down her food without any regard for appearances: "No one taught me, I figured it out myself. I can't help it, the beginner techniques are too slow to improve. At that rate, when will I be able to seal that strange constitution on my own? Dean Fang and Aunt Huang don't owe me anything, I can't keep bothering them, I have no shame."

In the midst of her busy schedule, she still managed to pat the back of the driver's seat and mumbled, "Driver, please hurry up, we need to catch the train."

Han Jie pondered for a moment and said, "Even after you've sealed it enough, you haven't stopped."

"Because I'm not strong enough. If I'm not strong enough, I have to work harder. What right do I, a child with no parents and no one to care for me, have to stop? Besides... I owe this wonderful world so much, and if I don't work hard, I won't be able to repay it."

"Don't you feel any pain?"

"I'm not afraid. I have a high pain tolerance. I can bear it. Oh, women are naturally better at enduring pain, you men who can't have children wouldn't understand." Her response was casual, and she even made a little joke, but her clear eyes clearly flickered a few times.

She doesn't seem to be very good at lying.

Her strength lies in perceiving the thoughts of others.

She glanced at Han Jie, her eyes and expression conveying her confusion: "What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?"

Han Jie picked up his breakfast—the bread he had chosen—and took a bite. The chocolate cream filling was sweet with a hint of bitterness, then sweetness again—a taste unlike anything he had experienced in his time. "Once upon a time, I worked just as hard as you..."

Unconsciously, he began to slowly recount his past, shielding others' hearing within the frequency of his divine sense, speaking only to Meng Qingtong, concisely and eloquently.

The story is long, yet it feels short when told. Countless twists and turns, and looking back now, it is truly monotonous to the point of despair.

"...After that, I was in that cave, seemingly endlessly, slowly, slowly rebuilding and forging my body. Until your senior brother came to explore and woke me up."

As expected, after telling the story, Han Jie felt a subtle sense of relief, as if some of the small burden weighing on his heart had been lifted.

Meng Qingtong listened silently, stuffed the leftover breakfast wrappers into a trash bag, tied it tightly, took out a small lip balm from her backpack, applied a little, and pursed her lips. Then, a thought flashed through her mind, almost like a sigh: "You...so you're not from this world after all."

"How should I calculate it?" Han Jie's response still revealed a sense of bewilderment. "I've been in that cave for over 1,800 years, which is... more than ten times my original lifespan. And I'm afraid I can never go back."

Given the level of spiritual energy in this world, even if he were to recover to his peak, it would be difficult for him to cleave the heavens with a single sword strike. Moreover, even if he were able to cleave the heavens and break through realms, judging from the incomprehensible words of the celestial beings from the upper realm, he would have absolutely no chance of finding his way back on his own.

However, he didn't have much attachment to his original world. Recalling those hundred-plus years of almost numb repetition, he only felt an indescribable weariness. If he hadn't seen the possibility of truly seeking revenge by tracing back to the source in Meng Qingtong, he probably wouldn't have even had the energy to leave that mountain after emerging from seclusion.

Meng Qingtong breathed a sigh of relief. "If we can't go back, we can't go back. What was so great about the past? Did we have flush toilets, air conditioners, washing machines, and toilet paper? Life is so convenient now. If it were me, I wouldn't even do it if you begged me to ascend to immortality. Besides, you're so powerful. It's her blindness if that fairy doesn't like you. She ignores you, but you'll make her regret it later."

Han Jie gazed at the buildings flashing past the car window and remembered what he had initially planned to say: "Qing Tong, I fought so hard back then because I was burdened with a blood feud. Now that you have the ability to protect yourself, why are you still unwilling to slack off even a little?"

“Then I’m exactly the opposite of you.” A subtle emotion mingled in her thoughts, as if she felt a little ashamed of what she was about to say. “It’s because I love this world. I want to become stronger so that I can do more and make the world a better place. So, I’ll definitely work harder than you.”

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

“Because love is more powerful than hate.” Her face suddenly flushed slightly. “Don’t say I’m being cheesy, I genuinely believe this.”

Han Jie didn't believe that. But he just shook his head inwardly.

He felt that he didn't have to believe it, but he should respect those who did. As for the reason for not believing it... he knew exactly how strong the sword of hatred hidden in his heart truly was.

The highest-grade weapon ever produced by Sanxing Guayue Mountain over the centuries is the Immortal Sword, while the Great Hatred can already be called a divine weapon.

Love is far more common than hate. Even setting aside the factor of talent, among his many fellow disciples back then, there must have been one or two immortal swords that were the embodiment of love, right?
Unfortunately, as far as he could see, none of the heart-swords wielded in the name of love were usable.

He couldn't help but think that since the Heart Sword didn't require much spiritual energy from heaven and earth, perhaps he should find an opportunity to teach her in the future and see if she could really forge a Heart Sword that would impress him.

Before that, we need to help her lay a more solid foundation.

"Qingtong, I have a cultivation method that is more suitable for you. Would you like to learn it?"

Even if Sanxing Guayue Mountain doesn't emphasize spiritual energy cultivation, it's still far superior to this barren world that has never accumulated any foundation since ancient times. The introductory cultivation technique he took out was stronger than the one Meng Qingtong was currently using. If he were to teach her everything he knew, even if she couldn't unleash its original power due to the limited spiritual energy environment, he could still increase her conversion efficiency by at least 20%.

Unexpectedly, Meng Qingtong pondered for a moment and shook her head, "Let's not do it for now. With your strength, that cultivation technique must be extremely valuable. If I want to cooperate with you long-term, splitting the profits 50/50 is already considered me taking advantage. I can't owe you more. I hate the feeling of not being able to repay favors, I really hate it."

"Besides, if you teach me, wouldn't you become my teacher? We're from completely different generations, it's so awkward. No, no, absolutely not."

Han Jie was quite curious, "When you met me, you seemed quite happy. Wasn't it because you wanted to learn a better cultivation method?"

"No, I've already explained why I'm happy. First, I need a strong enough partner who's willing to cooperate with me; second, I like your looks. It's rare for me to meet a handsome young man in real life whom I can see every day, someone whose ancient style perfectly matches my aesthetic. And you're actually planning to have me serve you tea and call you 'Master'?"

He did not deny it, saying, "I do have this plan. I admit that you are truly a gem. I never intended to take on any disciples, but I'm making an exception for you. If you are willing, you will be my only disciple when I open my school."

"No, I have absolutely no intention of doing so." Meng Qingtong refused without hesitation. "You should leave your sect open for others to open. Hmm... no, it's best to give up on this plan. Sectarianism has been quite taboo these past few decades, and sectarianism is the most detrimental thing to the development of the world. If you want to spread your teachings, either contribute to the research institute to see if it can be popularized, or go to an academy to become a teacher, and when you teach, show some favoritism to the disciples you like, give them extra tutoring or something."

Was her resistance due to a mindset formed since childhood? Han Jie was puzzled, feeling that it was more than that, but he couldn't figure it out for the moment, and just felt quite sorry.

After getting out of the taxi, looking at the station entrance which was quite far away, Han Jie glanced at the huge backpack in Meng Qingtong's hand and couldn't help but reach out and lift it for her.

She paused, just as she threw the trash bag into the bin, and exclaimed, "Huh? What do you need? I'll get it for you."

"I'll help you carry it, you're working hard." He frowned slightly; the bag was heavier than he had imagined, and he wondered how much she had stuffed inside.

"No need, no need, I'm your business partner, not your girlfriend." Meng Qingtong quickly took it back and put it on her back. "Besides, all my emergency savings are in there. If something really happens, it would be a waste of my time to ask you for help."

She took two steps, then suddenly turned her head and looked at him suspiciously. "Han Jie, how did you, a reclusive master, suddenly learn this?"

He raised his phone and waved it, using this modern tool to conceal the secret in his mind. It wasn't that he was particularly wary of Meng Qingtong, but rather that he discovered the pile of things he had swallowed whole contained a real mix of everything, a chaotic jumble of good and bad, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake, which made him ashamed to talk about it.

Anyway, the information source accessed by the phone and the lump in his mind were originally the same thing, different paths leading to the same destination, so he didn't think it was a lie.

Sure enough, Meng Qingtong immediately warned him earnestly: "You're new here, so you need to learn to discern things online and not believe everything. There was a news story recently about someone who was past the best age for cultivation but bought an online 'ancestral manual' and insisted on starting his cultivation. As a result, he went into a qi deviation and had to be hospitalized, and they even had to ask a spiritualist to come and treat him."

Han Jie nodded, but seeing her carrying a large bag, he still felt displeased.

This is his first partner in his life. Can't he even handle such a small matter?
However, his attention was soon drawn to the high-speed train in front of him.

It can carry so many mortals, travel at a speed that is like flying through the clouds, and cover almost all settlements in the nine major regions. It can even operate without the assistance of spirit runes, only with slightly reduced safety and slower speed.

Once he was seated and snapped out of his reverie, Han Jie glanced at Meng Qingtong—her backpack wasn't on the luggage rack, but rather she was clutching it tightly; she really didn't leave it behind unless absolutely necessary.

Meng Qingtong took out a bag of sunflower seeds, placed it on the flip-top table, grabbed a small handful and put it in front of him, saying, "If you want to learn useful common sense, you mainly have to rely on life. Look, you have to prepare snacks like this before you get on the train because they are very expensive on the train. One bag can almost buy three bags online."

Han Jie paused for a moment to prepare his words, then said calmly, "I cannot accept undeserved rewards. Miss Meng, the cooperation has been agreed upon. I will do my best to assist you with what you need to do. You can take care of my food, clothing, and lodging. As for the rest, just keep things clear as you wish."

"Huh?" She was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Are you angry? Because I won't carry your bag? Or because I don't want to become your apprentice?"

"I just think you're being too formal."

"Huh?" She was even more surprised. "We only met yesterday, right? Is this considered being a stranger?"

"Giving without expecting anything in return is just another way of being distant, isn't it? Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. You're afraid you can't pay me back, and you don't even dare to ask me to carry your bag. You've calculated everything so clearly, how could I dare to eat your sunflower seeds?"

She blinked her big eyes, a rare look of bewilderment on her face.

But she was indeed perceptive and quickly realized something. She bit her lip and said, "Anyway, I'm not going to become your apprentice. If you really want to teach me something, I'll see how it goes, okay? Don't bite off more than you can chew. I haven't even finished learning all the general courses in the Second Academy yet."

"No rush." ​​Han Jie's gaze shifted to the large backpack, and he said, "I have another method that can help you immediately, but the process will be a bit painful. Are you willing?"

"You have to tell me what you're going to do to help me first, right?" Meng Qingtong shrank back. "Just from your description, I think you're up to no good."

He said slowly, "I need to open a hole in your soul. After that, you can put anything in your backpack, as long as it's not a living thing. If you want to put more, you can either do it yourself or I can help you expand it."

Meng Qingtong licked her lips, her face slightly flushed, and muttered, "I suspect you're making a suggestive joke..."

(End of this chapter)