Proving Immortality Starting with Hextech Runes

In late spring, the plum rains continue.

But for a seasoned angler, it is a rare golden period.

After resting during the winter and spawning in early spring, the fish are now very hungry and eager to bite, so there is absolutely no chance of coming home empty-handed.

"Sigh...why isn't it taking the bait yet?"

A boy wearing a straw raincoat put away his bamboo pole, looked at his empty fishing basket, and looked sullen.

Then he raised his hand and guided the surrounding raindrops into lines, pulling a small black fish from the pond.

The fish is about 20 centimeters long and weighs 8 ounces.

Chen Xu picked up the small black fish, weighed it in his hand, and tossed it into the fishing basket, a satisfied smile on his face.

After all, what fisherman would leave empty-handed?

After returning to the cabin with the fish basket, he started a fire and began processing the small black fish.

If it were any other menial disciple, they certainly wouldn't be so extravagant.

Because the little black fish of the Cold Pine Sect all contain spiritual power.

Although it wasn't of high quality, it wasn't something a lowly disciple would dare to enjoy easily.

People like Chen Xu, who were handing over the fishponds, had to hand over a certain weight of small black fish every year in order to receive a share of cultivation resources.

For every ten catties handed over, one more grain of spirit sand can be received.

However, if even one pound is less than the allotted amount, the entire year's cultivation resources will be halved.

This isn't because Han Song Sect is stingy. To put it bluntly, most of the sect's menial disciples are useless individuals with four or five spiritual roots.

Let alone the Foundation Establishment stage, even reaching the late Qi Refining stage is extremely difficult.

As the only sect in the Nanjiang area willing to recruit disciples with four or five spiritual roots, Hansong Sect was already a rare opportunity for these menial disciples.

At least here they can touch the threshold of cultivation, so they won't spend their lives mediocre in the mortal world.

Of course, many disciples who were doing menial tasks had their aspirations for cultivation worn down by reality and wanted to return to the mortal world to enjoy a life of luxury.

However... the Cold Pine Sect isn't a charity; do you really think you can just leave after receiving their martial arts techniques?

There's no such thing as a free lunch!

……

"Mmm~ Delicious!"

Chen Xu swallowed the cooked blackfish in one gulp, looking completely satisfied.

After finishing the small black fish, Chen Xu drew the bamboo curtain and lay down on the bed to rest, showing no intention of cultivating at all.

"The three-year period is almost up, and I'll soon be able to enter the outer sect. It's really something to look forward to..."

Chen Xu stared at the panel in front of him, a panel that only he could see, and muttered to himself.

He was a transmigrator who came to this world by sheer luck.

In my past life, I was an art student who failed the college entrance exam, but that doesn't matter anymore.

After transmigrating, he joined the Cold Pine Sect and awakened the Hextech Rune System after reaching the first level of Qi Refining.

Each time you break through a bottleneck, you can choose one of three runes.

The three runes that appeared at that time were:

[Far Ahead: You will no longer gain cultivation points through cultivation, but you will receive 100 spirit stones per year]

[Demon Pact: Consumes 10% of lifespan to advance to a minor realm]

[Opening Remarks: You will be unable to gain any cultivation points for the next three years. However, after that, you will directly advance three minor realms and receive 20 spirit stones.]

There seem to be three options, but in reality there is only one option: open for business.

This "far ahead" is obviously a scam. If you can't even gain cultivation through cultivation, what's the use of those spirit stones?

In the early stages, one might be able to increase their cultivation level by consuming elixirs.

However, as one's cultivation level increases, the spirit stones consumed in purchasing pills will increase exponentially, making it a losing proposition.

Chen Xu found the second demonic contract even more amusing.

Even Satan wouldn't say something like, "I'd expend one-tenth of my lifespan to advance from the first level of Qi Refining to the second level of Qi Refining."

Therefore, Chen Xu decisively chose to open the shop.

If you work diligently in this fishpond for three years, you can reach the fourth level of Qi Refining and enter the outer sect.

The fourth level of Qi Refining marks the threshold of the mid-stage of Qi Refining, representing a breakthrough from a bottleneck, which is just in time for the next rune selection.

You can also get 20 spirit stones.

The cultivation supplies for a menial disciple each year are worth only about fifty spirit sands, which can only be exchanged for half a spirit stone.

However, Chen Xu was lucky. Not long after taking over the fishpond, he discovered a golden loach that had not yet been approved for quality.

If he didn't need to cultivate and instead spent his free time fishing, he really wouldn't have discovered it.

This loach is not well-known in the cultivation world, but in Chen Xu's previous life, it had another name: "Fallen Dragon".

A fallen dragon, as the name suggests, is a dragon that is punished by being cast into hell.

It has the nature of a dragon, but not the form; it has the fortune of a dragon, but not the destiny; it has the bones of a dragon, but not the appearance.

Once it recognizes its master, it can transfer the energy it cannot use to its master, making it a top-grade spirit pet.

Getting it to recognize you as its master is simple.

Simply recite a passage from the Diamond Sutra to it each day to help it develop spiritual awareness.

The rest depends on luck.

Although Chen Xu did not know the Diamond Sutra, this was the world of cultivation, where a low-level beast-taming ring was only worth half a spirit stone.

So he worked diligently at the fishpond for a year, saving all his savings to buy a beginner-level beast-taming ring, tamed the loach, and named it Little Gold.

In the days that followed, since Chen Xu himself was unable to cultivate, he simply devoted all his resources to nurturing Xiao Jin.

Little Jin lived up to expectations and quickly reached the first-tier level, becoming a first-level demon beast. He managed the small black fish in the fishpond very well, increasing the yield by 30%.

This is why Chen Xu was able to catch a few fish to eat regularly.

……

The rain has stopped for a while now.

A sudden knocking sound woke Chen Xu.

"Who is it?" Chen Xu got up with displeasure and opened the door.

"Hey Chen Xu, why haven't you opened the door after I've been calling you for so long?"

Outside the door stood a lean man, dressed in a servant's gray robe, his face somewhat gloomy.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Chen Xu's gaze turned cold, and his tone remained indifferent: "Is there something you need?"

The newcomer was named Zhang Erniu. He had joined the Hansong Sect with Chen Xu years ago and now possessed the cultivation level of the second stage of Qi Refining.

In fact, most of the miscellaneous disciples who entered the sect in the same year as Chen Xu stopped at the second or third level of Qi Refining, and there were a few who stopped at the first level of Qi Refining, but very few.

As for those who reach the fourth level of Qi Refining and enter the outer sect, there are only a handful of them.

This shows how difficult it is to cultivate with four or five spiritual roots.

"I'm currently preparing to break through to the third level of Qi Refining. However, I'm still short of some Lesser Spirit Gathering Pills."

Zhang Erniu chuckled and rubbed his fingers together:

"I heard you don't like cultivation, so the resources are useless to you. Why don't you lend them to me? Once I enter the outer sect, I will definitely remember your favor and you will benefit from it in the future."

Chen Xu sneered inwardly upon hearing this, and decisively refused: "I won't lend it to you."

"What do you mean by this?!" Zhang Erniu's face darkened, his voice carrying a threat.

"If you're not going to cultivate, what do you need so many resources for? Why not lend them to me so I can improve my cultivation?"

"Wouldn't it be better for you to be protected once I'm in the outer sect than you are now?"

Chen Xu still refused: "No, get lost!"

Seeing Chen Xu's arrogance, Zhang Erniu's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he roared, "Chen Xu, are you looking for death?!"

Just as Zhang Erniu stepped forward, Chen Xu suddenly pulled out a communication talisman from his pocket, his voice sharp and stern:

"You dare to attack your fellow disciples? Aren't you afraid of having your cultivation abolished?"

Looking at the communication talisman in Chen Xu's hand, Zhang Erniu ultimately didn't dare to take another step forward.

The Cold Pine Sect has strict rules, and killing among fellow disciples is strictly prohibited.

He originally intended to teach Chen Xu a lesson, since the other party had no evidence and nowhere to reason with him.

However, if Chen Xu activates the communication talisman now and alerts the enforcement team, then things will get complicated.

"Hmph, just wait until I enter the outer sect, you'll be in for a world of hurt!" Zhang Erniu glared fiercely at Chen Xu, then turned and strode away.

After watching Zhang Erniu walk away, Chen Xu put the communication talisman back into his pocket.

I would never lend anything to someone like that, let alone shamelessly ask for it.

His past life experience taught him that once he backed down the first time, there would be a second and a third, bringing him countless troubles.

In the dog-eat-dog world of cultivation, especially among the resource-scarce and fiercely competitive menial disciples.

Showing weakness and compromising will only attract more covetousness and bullying.

Chen Xu chose to "open up" in order to accumulate strength and soar to great heights, not to be a pushover for the next three years.

With only a few days left until the three-year deadline, I wonder what Zhang Erniu's expression will be when he sees me enter the outer sect...