Exploring Immortality Cultivation

Under the guidance of Su Junyu, Wang Qi quickly left his mark on several beginner magic artifacts.

Wang Qi was somewhat impatient, "Brother Su, if there's nothing else, take me to the Transmitting Technique Hall!"

The Transmitting Technique Hall of the Immortal Institute was specially designated for the newly initiated disciples to practice cultivation techniques. This included the cultivation techniques of the first level from all sects, including the Great Sects — even those as supremely directed towards the Carefree Path as the "Heavenly Calculation Atlas," "Elephant Phase Wave Skill," and "Heavenly Entropy Technique."

Of course, it was limited to the first level.

If his assumptions were correct, then these techniques would be equivalent to the highest scientific achievements of this world, encompassing the exploratory achievements of the Modern Cultivators! Even just the first layer was sufficient to help him identify the differences between the two worlds and seize the path forward.

Su Junyu said, "What's the rush? There's one last step."

Saying this, he fetched a bamboo tube from the storeroom, "Stretch out your arm."

Wang Qi, puzzled, rolled up his sleeve and held out his right arm towards Su Junyu. This odd action made Wang Qi think that the scene somehow resembled a nurse on Earth vaccinating unruly children.

Su Junyu quickly shattered the bamboo tube. It contained a five-inch-long needle made of an unknown material. Before Wang Qi could react, Su Junyu swiftly inserted the needle into Wang Qi's arm.

"Hisss!" Wang Qi winced in pain — it really was like getting vaccinated!

Zhen Chan suddenly warned, "The needle is poisoned!"

Poisoned?

Wang Qi felt a strange mix of tingling, numbness, itchiness, and heat spreading from his arm, and couldn't help saying, "Brother Su, explain this."

"Thousand Plagues and Ten Thousand Poison Needle, a thousand types of plague curses, ten thousand kinds of poison techniques, all combined into one needle."

Zhen Chan expressed doubt, "Impossible, the needle isn't that poisonous."

Su Junyu laughed, "The types of plague curses and doses of the poison are precisely calculated; they counteract each other and can't kill anyone. In a few days, these forces will integrate into your meridians and enhance as your cultivation increases. Although this won't increase your cultivation or divine skills, it has one advantage — ninety-nine percent of plague techniques in the Ancient Method are ineffective against you, seventy percent of the Gu worms can't enter your body, and fifty percent of sedatives will have no effect on you."

Wang Qi shook his head, looking at his arm, "No. What I meant was... why is my arm bleeding non-stop…"

Su Junyu awkwardly scratched his head, "My hand slipped; I hit the main artery."

"Isn't it supposed to go into the blood vessel…"

"Just piercing the flesh is enough."

Wang Qi twitched the corner of his mouth, holding back an outburst, "I can't move my right hand; please help bandage it."

Su Junyu removed the needle and chuckled, "This kind of needle is not cheap, really. Only the geniuses from the main branch and several major sub-branches of the Immortal Institutes are entitled to use this for free. Other disciples only get the 'Ten Plagues Hundred Poisons Needle' after joining the sect. It can defend against the most common plague curses and the most mundane sedatives used by Ancient Method Practitioners."

Even vaccines have been developed. He wondered about the principles of diseases and immunity in this world.

Wang Qi thought divergently, then asked, "The Modern Path should have its own plague and poison techniques, right?"

Su Junyu shivered, "'Plague God Forest' is one of the branches of Tianling Ridge, and no one has seen those freaks in action. They say that if one of their spells goes out of control, they would bring down the entire Human Clan with them. As for poison techniques, both Spirit Beast Mountain and Wanhua Valley study them. Additionally, Burning Gold Valley has some mastery in Poison Skill, and one layer of transformation of 'Heavenly Order Sword Disk' is deadly poison. Furthermore, although the poisons from Burning Gold Valley aren't as mysterious as those from many branches of Tianling Ridge, they are impossible to build resistance against, most without an antidote, relying solely on mana to gradually wear down the poison — you aren't planning to develop in this direction, are you?"

Wang Qi shook his head, "Just curious. Can my resistance hold up against the plague and poison techniques of the Modern Path?"

A joke, his path could only lie in either theoretical physics or mathematics. He was just curious to see how extensive his poison resistance was.

Su Junyu said, "The Thousand Plagues and Ten Thousand Poison Needle induces targeted resistance. Plague God Forest comes up with dozens of new types of plagues each year, and you should never test these with your body!"

Wang Qi nodded. Then, the effects of the Thousand Plagues and Ten Thousand Poison Needle kicked in, causing Wang Qi to feel dizzy and nauseous. He couldn't help asking, "How long will this discomfort last?"

"Two to three days."

Wang Qi's face darkened instantly, "I can't properly meditate in this state. Does that mean I have to wait two more days to study the cultivation techniques?"

Su Junyu's expression suddenly became serious. He looked directly at Wang Qi and said, "Brother, there's something you must be reminded of. You need to change this Ancient Method Cultivator mentality of 'must use every moment for cultivation.'"

"Ah? No, you misunderstood…"

Su Junyu grasped Wang Qi's shoulder, pressing down his words, "Modern Cultivation doesn't rely on resources, and mana comes from the breathing of Heaven and Earth. With sufficient understanding of the laws of Heaven and Earth, you can continuously draw mana from the Void. Moreover, centuries of summarizing cultivation experiences have eliminated most of the bottlenecks in the three realms of the human world. Up to the Golden Core Stage, Modern Cultivation has no bottleneck!"

Wang Qi felt nothing yet, but Zhen Chan was already overwhelmed with shock. Even true inheritors of great Ancient Method Sects had to face numerous hardships before reaching the Core Formation stage!

"But, due to rapid advancement in cultivation, there is a high risk that one's temperament or knowledge might be unable to control their power. If knowledge can't control the power, at worst, they're deprived of reaching the Primordial Spirit Stage or ascending to Grandmaster status. But if temperament can't control the power, they might lose themselves and stray into the Evil Path! Modern Cultivators in the Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core stages often intentionally slow down their cultivation progression, choosing to gain experience in the Human World or to ponder the Great Dao in solitude."

Is this suggesting a scientific approach to cultivation, balancing work and rest? But I was just looking to understand the theories of this world, not start cultivating right away! Wang Qi couldn't help but laugh and cry at his situation.

"Anyhow, I'll take you to the dorms first," Su Junyu said. "If you feel up to it in the next couple of days, you can review the textbooks I just gave you. The foundation of Modern practice is a summary of the Great Dao. That knowledge will help you in your future cultivation."

At this point, Su Junyu's eyes shifted as he lowered his voice and whispered, "I'll let you in on a secret; the final entry trial's assessment of cultivation progress carries less weight compared to knowledge and solving problems."

At the Immortal Institute's Quiet Room, Jingyun Chen, wearing a new blue robe and carrying a long sword on his back, coughed twice and said to Chen Jingyun, "I believe I've explained the matters concerning the Immortal Alliance clearly, just some minor issues at the institute left. If you like mentoring juniors, just show your face here... uh, but it's fine if you stay at the mountaintop as you don't talk much."

Chen Jingyun just nodded.

"Other matters at the institute, just follow the rules. Uh, the only thing to be wary of this year is a kid named Wang Qi. He possesses a Residual Soul of an Ancient Cultivator in the Mahayana Realm."

Chen Jingyun nodded again. "Zhen Chan sacrificed himself to save him. I remember."

Deng Jiaxuan frowned. "You're not emotional about this, are you?"

Chen Jingyun shook his head. "I just happened to be at the door. Like Zhen Chan, a Late Stage Mahayana Cultivator from Luofu Xuanqing Palace, exactly as reported. Even if he fully recovered his cultivation, he couldn't withstand a hundred moves under my sword."

The Bright Pearl Calculation was only one step away from reaching the Daisu Technique's "one plus one" ultimate form. After integrating this layer into his swordsmanship, Chen Jingyun had become one of the rare Sword Dao masters of the age.

Deng Jiaxuan held his forehead. "How should I put this? I don't want you to be on guard, just keep an eye out so he doesn't get led astray by the Ancient Method Practitioners."

Chen Jingyun nodded. "I understand."

At that moment, Deng Jiaxuan's Communication Magic Artifact vibrated twice. He smiled and said, "Seven days from now, Southern Sea, Luo Island. Bai Ze God Monarch has already calculated it. Master Hai, along with Master Po Li and Xiao Qian, have clashed more than ten times in the last few days and have been forced onto a predetermined path."

Chen Jingyun frowned. "That old dragon."

Deng Jiaxuan smiled. "Brother Bingqiong will handle it."

Qian Bingqiong, a Tri-Victorious Sword Sage known for his powerful sword Qi, swordsmanship, and sword momentum, hence the "Tri-Victorious," was managing most of the external affairs of the Heavenly Sword Palace while Deng Jiaxuan, long weakened by illness, took a step back.

The "old dragon" Chen Jingyun referred to was the oldest living creature of this cosmos, the Dragon Clan King, and sovereign of the Sea Demons. The Dragon Clan is a naturally belligerent race, and the Ancient Dragon King was among the very best of them. Sixty thousand years ago, during the prosperity of the Ancient Method Immortal Path, he came ashore, challenging and defeating all Human Clan Mahayana, forcing the human clan not to approach the coast within a hundred miles for a millennium. Later in the sea, he fought and killed most of the sixteen Mahayana he used as a warm-up.

However, Deng Jiaxuan thought that the Tri-Victorious Sword Sage should be enough to deter this Great Demon. Even if Qian Bingqiong couldn't defeat the Dragon King, he could fight it for a while. And the Dragon King would have to consider how to face the wrath of hundreds of Carefree Human Clan cultivators after killing one.

Chen Jingyun clasped his hands. "May your brother achieve victory in battle."

Deng Jiaxuan returned the gesture, gave a loud laugh, and transformed his sword into a rainbow and departed.

Wang Qi lay in the dormitory, wrapped in blankets, sweating profusely.

Dorms at the Xinyue Immortal Institute were private, single-occupant rooms. Recently injected with the Thousand Plagues and Ten Thousand Poison Needle, Wang Qi felt unwell and stayed indoors.

Unlike regular branches that hold lectures by Low-Level Cultivators for Seekers of Immortality, who study on their own using textbooks, the Immortal Institute offers full-time teaching for a period of more than a year. Aside from the arrival times of talented disciples, which are unspecified, most noble family disciples register between March and April. Therefore, the dormitory was still mostly empty, which temporarily spared Wang Qi the hassle of meeting neighbors.

His head throbbing, Wang Qi did not study the Cultivation Technique. As for the textbooks, high school science to freshman engineering introductions? What hadn't he mastered?

Therefore, he was now engaging in a different activity. He was extracting famous figures from the Modern Immortal Path from the history textbooks, arraying them on a timeline, and comparing the differences with Earth's history of science. The more names of seeming Carefree Practitioners appeared, the more he suspected a connection between the two worlds.

"Indeed, most of Earth's great scientists seem to have equivalents in this world," Wang Qi muttered, biting on his pen with a mischievous thought. "Saying it's a mass transmigration doesn't make sense... let's call this phenomenon 'Otherworldly Analogues'!"

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I apologize to everyone here—I had more odds and ends to handle before the new year than I thought, so these past few days there's only been one update per day. Sorry.

Also, thanks to book friend shifan3 for the reward—it's the first time I've been rewarded!

Finally, a question: how was everyone's Barbecue Festival? How many pairs did you grill?