A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Starting as a Rogue Cultivator

Wang Li smiled and said.

Only he knows what he's really thinking.

"Here, your spirit stones."

The old man squinted and tossed out a low-level storage bag.

“Elder Xu, you’re mistaken. It should be Uncle Chen’s spirit stone.”

After accepting the spirit stones, Wang Li exchanged a few pleasantries with his hands clasped in greeting, and then returned the way he came. As for the subsequent transactions between the Hidden Moon Sect's Star-Picking Pavilion and the various cultivation families of Yellow Maple Valley, he did not participate.

"Senior Brother Xu, is there something wrong with this junior?"

On the flying boat, a Foundation Establishment cultivator noticed his companion's unusual behavior and asked in surprise.

"A very interesting little guy."

Old Xu stroked his beard and smiled.

"Should we ask around?"

"This is Huangfeng Valley. What's the use of finding out anything here? Let's go and get back to our business."

On the other side, Wang Li's heart was pounding. He watched the flying boat disappear into the distance before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

After returning to the Linggu Garden cave and conducting an investigation, he felt greatly invigorated.

There were quite a few spirit stones, more than six thousand two hundred.

This will give him some more options.

More than a month after he resigned from his doorman job, his presence became much less noticeable, which led to his new actions.

First, he disguised himself, then, with the help of the spirit stone, he went to the market in Huangfeng Valley and obtained the treasure of Wanbao Tower, which was also the golden brick talisman he had been longing for! He also obtained five low-level puppets and two fragments of magic weapons.

Following that, he went to the Tianxing Sect's market in Yuanwu Kingdom, where he purchased a pair of top-tier magic artifact boots—the Swift Wind Boots—on the fourth floor of the Star Pavilion, which was dozens of meters high. He also bought four sets of small illusion array flags, several common mid-level low-grade attack talismans, and a rare mid-level stealth talisman. Once a cultivator uses this stealth talisman, even the divine sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator (mid-Foundation Establishment stage) can easily evade it, and even the Heavenly Eye Technique would find it difficult to see through its concealment. It is a relatively rare type of talisman.

The appearance of the Swift Boots greatly increased Wang Li's speed, which was already quite good at light footwork. He regularly trained his light footwork, and after obtaining these magical boots, he was like a tiger with wings.

The appearance of the stealth talisman gave Wang Li, who was almost armed to the teeth, a way to deal with unexpected situations.

Originally, he wanted to get some fragments of magical artifacts. However, the fragments here were not the two kinds of useless scraps he had obtained from the Tianque Fort market, but rather truly powerful and relatively intact treasures, which were incredibly expensive.

It's the kind of thing that even four or five thousand spirit stones wouldn't be enough to buy.

This is one of Wang Li's few regrets.

However, he accidentally discovered a new use for the few fragments of magical artifacts in his possession, especially the fragment of the handkerchief.

Besides concealing the unusual appearance of the small bottle and masking fluctuations of spiritual energy, it can also conceal fluctuations of magical power. In several experiments with a cowardly mouse and a chameleon, Wang Li was unable to sense the slightest trace of spiritual energy from either of them when they hid under this handkerchief.

On two other occasions, Wang Li brought a 300-year-old ginseng and a 1000-year-old Solomon's seal to the Qilin Pavilion to test the noses of the spirit-sniffing rats.

As a result, the jade box containing the elixir, wrapped in a silk handkerchief, inside the storage bag, did not leak out the slightest fragrance of the medicine.

This made Wang Li feel relieved at the time, and gave rise to a plan to make the Chen family continue to owe him favors, rather than him owing the Chen family favors.

Of course, this matter cannot be rushed; it requires careful consideration.

"Hoo, it's a bit of a pity about the gray-robed elder, Uncle Lin. We couldn't get the top-tier puppet beast we wanted."

Although there are many novice puppets in the market that are comparable to cultivators at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining, it is rare to see a second-level puppet beast comparable to the ninth level of Qi Refining, let alone a third-level puppet beast comparable to the peak of Qi Refining to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Originally, Wang Li intended to use Chen Shishu's connections to obtain some high-quality goods from Lin Shishu, the equipment supplier for newcomers in Huangfeng Valley, even if it meant being ripped off and paying hundreds of spirit stones. Unexpectedly, Lin Shishu treated his more than three hundred puppets like his own treasures, refusing to part with a single one in the trade, leaving Wang Li feeling helpless and regretful.

Even when Uncle Chen used the Chen family's name to intimidate others, Uncle Lin refused to back down an inch.

This person is actually quite remarkable.

He is the son of the former leader of the Thousand Bamboo Sect in the far west. He hid in Yellow Maple Valley to escape the current Thousand Bamboo Sect's pursuit. In the original story, because his cultivation technique had made a breakthrough, he needed the subsequent Great Evolution Technique for advancement, so he contacted his former subordinates in the Thousand Bamboo Sect, hoping they could steal the subsequent techniques for him.

The result was tragic: his physical body was destroyed, and his primordial spirit attempted to possess Han Laomo, who had kindly wanted to collect his corpse, but was instead captured by Han Laomo, who had a trick up his sleeve, and then turned into ashes.

In fact, his idea was a failure.

As the saying goes, "When people leave, the tea grows cold." Now that you, the young sect leader, have fallen so low, any of your former subordinates with a modicum of sense are unlikely to follow you down this path to the bitter end.

If you have any self-awareness, you should just stay in Huangfeng Valley and live out your days in peace. The Thousand Bamboo Sect might not even remember you, a wandering ghost. Or you could take a risk and offer the Great Evolution Technique and the Puppet Manual to Ancestor Linghu, hoping to gain the support of this Nascent Soul Ancestor in many ways, and then watch Huangfeng Valley and the Thousand Bamboo Sect fight each other, and then obtain the subsequent cultivation techniques from them.

Alternatively, sincerely joining Huangfeng Valley, strengthening Huangfeng Valley, and then turning around to deal with Qianzhu Sect is also an option.

As it turned out, this Uncle Lin thought he had hidden himself very well, but the Core Formation stage cultivators of Huangfeng Valley and Elder Linghu knew him inside and out. They were eagerly waiting for him to join them, but this guy was willing to be a novice equipment forger and refused to cooperate with Huangfeng Valley for mutual benefit.

He wasted several decades.

A typical example of someone who cultivated immortality to the point of becoming mentally impaired.

He played a winning hand terribly.

If Wang Li were in the position of Master Lin, who was in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, even without all his advantages of foresight, he could integrate into Huangfeng Valley within ten years, build his own team within twenty or thirty years, expand Huangfeng Valley in about fifty years, and within a hundred years he could definitely persuade Ancestor Linghu and even the seven sects of Yue Kingdom to launch an expedition against Qianzhu Sect.

Don't ask why. The Great Evolution Technique alone, which can strengthen one's divine sense several times over, is enough to warrant the intervention of Ancestor Linghu, who still has hundreds of years left in his lifespan.

The Azure Origin Sword Art and the Great Evolution Technique, these two top-tier martial arts techniques from the mortal realm, are not just empty words.

The true way to master the Great Evolution Technique is to cultivate it as a supplementary practice after reaching a certain level of cultivation. For example, if you teach it to a Core Formation stage cultivator with a lifespan of over 500 years, they can easily reach the third level within a few decades. Not to mention the Nascent Soul stage.

Once these high-ranking members of these sects have tasted the benefits, they won't even need Lin's instigation; they will find ways to form groups to hunt in order to obtain subsequent cultivation techniques.

Once sparks fly between the two sides, is it possible for one side to remain undefeated?

In terms of vision and magnanimity, this Uncle Lin is lacking.

If you fail to seize such opportunities to befriend future Foundation Establishment and even Core Formation cultivators, and instead become timid and cowardly, you are destined to achieve nothing in this life.

However, let Uncle Lin do whatever he wants. Wang Li doesn't lack a few puppets for protection. He just feels sorry for Huangfeng Valley.

I remember that day he sighed to someone:

"Uncle-Master Chen, this puppet technique is of immense benefit to our Yellow Maple Valley. It is extremely valuable for the Blood Forbidden Trial, and it is remarkably effective in various aspects such as reconnaissance, defense, and attack. How could Uncle-Master Lin be so stingy?"

“Give two or three of them to the low-level Qi Refining disciples who go to the forbidden area each time, to improve their combat power and survivability. In return, we will gain the respect and gratitude of the Foundation Establishment disciples in the future, and we will also bring benefits to the sect. It’s a win-win situation! Why is he being so stingy?”

It was absolutely not that Wang Li wanted to make things difficult for this person; it was simply that he was determined to obtain the Great Evolution Technique.

"You don't understand. Although puppetry has many wonderful uses, the more puppets you control, the greater the burden on the spiritual consciousness of us cultivators. At our level, it's already a bit difficult to control three or four magical artifacts at the same time; if we have to spare some attention to control the puppets, we won't have the energy to pay attention to our surroundings, and it's easy for someone to find an opportunity to take advantage of us."

Not worth the candle.

"Furthermore, the cultivation method that your Uncle Lin specializes in requires extremely high talent. Even with Senior Brother Lin's dual spiritual roots, he has cultivated for over a hundred years and is only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. For an ordinary disciple, wouldn't that be equivalent to being crippled outright?"

Clearly, Huangfeng Valley had also considered this point.

However, as the saying goes, one's perspective determines their judgment criteria.

Wang Li's idea was that during the initial Qi Refining stage, practicing the Puppet Manual would allow one to control one or two puppets while maintaining normal combat skills. The puppets would primarily be used for reconnaissance and surveillance, thus improving the survival rate during the Blood Forbidden Trial. Once one reached the Core Formation stage and had more lifespan, they could then attempt to supplement their training with several layers of the Great Evolution Technique.

Take Li Huayuan, who was in the early stage of Core Formation, for example.

Since there are decades to refine iron essence, it's better to use that time to cultivate the first four levels of the Great Evolution Technique. Once he masters two or three levels, Li Huayuan will definitely not be cannon fodder in the early stages of Core Formation. The significance of a multiplied or even several-fold increase in spiritual sense for a cultivator is self-evident.

Uncle Chen and the others thought, why bother if we should focus on cultivating the Great Evolution Technique from the very beginning?

See through, don’t say through.

Since the Chen family has no interest in inheriting Uncle Lin's legacy, Wang Li will not stand on ceremony.

After he completes his foundation building, he will use legitimate means to obtain the two inherited secret techniques from his senior uncle.

At the Blood Forbidden Trial registration point, Wang Li skillfully and steadily landed from the air. As he stood still, the Azure Leaf Flying Artifact was also stored in the storage bag at his waist.

"Compared to Han Laomo's class, this one is indeed much worse."

As expected, the number of disciples from Huangfeng Valley participating in the forbidden area expedition was pitifully small, with only a few scattered figures in the arena.

According to past practice, each of the seven sects can send no more than twenty-five low-ranking disciples into the forbidden area; the number can be less, not more. In previous instances, there had already been instances where low-ranking disciples were unwilling to go and risk their lives, with only twelve or thirteen disciples at most.

Fortunately, the sect reacted quickly and began to provide various benefits.

For example, those who actively participate can receive a mid-grade spirit stone and a high-grade magic weapon before entering the forbidden area.

The asking price was undeniably high.

This brought the number of applicants back to around seventeen or eighteen.

Furthermore, disciples of immortal cultivation families, as well as minor experts at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, often receive additional rewards from their families or sects; otherwise, only a madman would venture into the Blood Forbidden Land.

As one of the few participants from Huangfeng Valley at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, Wang Li naturally received additional rewards from the sect: two high-level beginner talismans, a good bottle of pills, and a designated high-level magic weapon. As a promising candidate favored by Uncle Chen, he also received several bottles of pills with different functions, a high-level defensive magic weapon, and a mid-grade wind-attribute spirit stone.

Compared to orphaned cultivators who have no one to rely on, they have a clear advantage.

In this way, he would have the following inventory:

[Ritual implements]

The set includes: a top-tier premium magic weapon, the Vermilion Bird Ring; a top-tier premium magic weapon, the Wind Chaser Sword; a common top-tier magic weapon, the Meteorite Iron Shield; a top-tier premium magic weapon, the Dust-Flicking Ring; a top-tier premium magic weapon, the Heavenly Silkworm Inner Armor; top-tier premium magic weapon, the Swift Wind Boots; and three high-tier magic weapons: a single piece of armor, a pair of gloves, and a suit of armor. Also included are several hundred low-tier Thunderbolt Pearls.

Five basic puppets and three low-level storage bags.

Five fragments of magical artifacts: a broken sword, a short rope, a handkerchief, an arrowhead, and a piece of iron about half the size of a palm.

Add four sets of small maze formation flags.

[Talismans/Trinkets]

Several basic and intermediate-level talismans, fifty-two basic and advanced-level talismans, and sixteen intermediate and basic-level talismans.

[Talismans and Treasures]

One Flying Sword Talisman and one Golden Brick Talisman.

[Essential Pills]

There are seven bottles of detoxifying pills, each with different effects.

Thirty bottles of recovery pills, of various types.

Three bottles of highly toxic pills, all identical in appearance.

[Spirit Pets]

One lark, one chameleon, and one timid mouse.

[Spirit Stones]

There are more than two thousand low-grade spirit stones and nine mid-grade spirit stones.

Five are wind-attribute, two are fire-attribute, one is water-attribute, and one is wood-attribute.