Exploring Immortality Cultivation

"The many heavenly phenomena they've recorded should either have not been observed by this planet or occurred millions of years ago..."

Ai Changyuan's statement seemed absurd to Wang Qi.

In the starry sky of Shenzhou, countless stars were twinkling. However, the people on this planet were only seeing those stars as they had been thousands, tens of thousands, or even millions of years ago.

When a supernova explosion occurring tens of thousands of light-years away was observed in Shenzhou, that supernova explosion had already taken place tens of thousands of years ago. If an Immortal ten light-years away saw the destruction of Shenzhou, even if he delighted in saving the green hills as a "Merciful Sect" member, it would be futile—because by the time he witnessed this event, Shenzhou had already been destroyed for ten years.

If another Immortal left Shenzhou at superluminal speeds the moment it was destroyed, arriving a quarter of an hour before another Immortal, to point at Shenzhou and say, "That realm will perish in one minute," then, in one minute, they would inevitably witness the destruction of Shenzhou. Nothing could change that.

The event's light cone is the light cone of fate.

And if you want to predict the starry sky a million years from now, all you need to do is travel to a place a million light-years away. If you want to know about something that happened a million years ago, you just need to teleport a million light-years in the direction of the light.

"Did the Immortal Alliance establish an observation post a million light-years away?" Wang Qi pondered and then dismissed the idea.

Even if quantum entanglement could indeed break the speed of light to transmit information, the Immortal Alliance would still need to launch a particle at light speed to reach a million light-years away; tachyon-like braggadocio? Under the existing theoretical framework, is there any way to observe superluminal tachyons? They would not have any impact on the world slower than light speed!

Ai Changyuan shook his head, "It's completely a mystery. Based on what I know, even Carefree Stage Cultivators who can alter space and transcend the speed of light using Taiyu Skill can't sustain it, mana won't last—and besides, don't tell anyone about this. I merely revealed that I'm pondering the source of these data. Some 'Dark Department' Cultivator restrained me."

"Damn, talk about undeserved disaster. Is that how you got mixed up in this?"

"According to my thinking, it would have been sooner or later that I'd think of the 'Immortal's true nature." Ai Changyuan shook his head, "But ask me to stop thinking? Impossible.—Let's not talk about that anymore. How's your recovery?"

Wang Qi flexed his arms, "Pretty much all good."

"The Life Flame is impressive!" exclaimed Ai Changyuan. "Can you try casting a Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword on me now?"

Wang Qi shook his head, "Absolutely not. You would surely die. I can control the power of the Indeterminate Cloud Sword, but not its trajectory. It's destined to hit your most vulnerable spot, your deepest weakness. Without the Life Flame or similar divine skills to protect you, you would certainly die."

Ai Changyuan shook his head regretfully, "Then forget it."

The two of them returned to shore together. By now, the harbor had become unusually crowded, filled with Cultivators who had come to watch the battle. Ai Changyuan laughed and said, "Old Wang, you've taken a loss this time. Believe it or not, by tomorrow, rumors of 'Guiyi Alliance's Star of Tomorrow's Successful Revenge' will spread everywhere."

"It's just a spar. The Forbidden Techniques I command in my capacity as a martial master aren't limited to one and are inappropriate for such occasions," Wang Qi communicated secretly through telepathy.

He was telling the truth. On this planet, not many life beings could withstand the Heart Demon Curse while it's still a secret and not yet widely disseminated. The Divine Plague Curse Technique is even more unspeakable; with a well-formulated virus, even Immortals could be trapped. But these two Forbidden Techniques were too anti-human. Should he dare to release the Heart Demon Curse in the West Sea, Feng Luoyi might drop another Heavenly Sword on him without warning—and this time, there would be no advance notice.

"How about I treat you to a nice meal as consolation?"

"Just remember to loan me that boat, and you can come along too, preferably with a few Primordial Spirit Stage experts," Wang Qi glanced at his clothes, changed his mind, and grabbed Ai Changyuan, "First, you should compensate me for this robe. I don't have many good clothes, and now you've wrecked another one. I've been at the West Sea for half a year and not even once have I lost my image during a battle with a Transformation Stage Demon Beast!—Speaking of which, your family must have a designated tailor, right?"

Zhen Chan cursed inside the ring, "Apart from Wanfa Sect uniform, what other clothes do you have?"

"Before discussing compensation, shouldn't you pay off your fines first?"

A cool figure called out to them. Wang Qi turned around and saw a girl with a high ponytail standing behind them, her face with a teasing smile. Wang Qi exclaimed in surprise, "Shiqin!" As he was about to greet her, Ai Changyuan sharply pulled him back a step, "Careful, Old Wang! She's a 'black skin' now! She's here to cause trouble!"

"Black skin" is a joking term for 'Law Enforcement Officer' in Chinese. Upon closer inspection, Wang Qi realized that the person was indeed not wearing the silver vestment robe of the Guiyi Alliance, but rather a black Law Enforcement uniform embroidered with a silver Bi'an.

Wang Qi raised his hands to show he had no intention of resisting the law and wondered, "I've been living a life strictly adhering to Immortal Alliance Law for years!"

Although he had accidentally caused Divine Capital to explode six months ago, he hadn't broken the law! Immortal Alliance Law does not protect Ancient Method Practitioners and Immortals; they don't count as people, so while he had violated the spirit of scientific research, he hadn't committed a crime!

"A sudden tide overturned the fishing boats of a nearby fishing village. Compensation, fines, and time-out to reflect," she instructed.

The Immortal Alliance has always been strict with Cultivators who unwittingly hurt Mortals—obviously thinking of how Immortals treat Cultivators, right?

Ai Changyuan felt like his head was about to explode, "I'm telling you, Junior Sister Wu, the Immortal Alliance Criminal Law Department needs evidence..."

Wu Shiqin raised her calculator, which was playing a video of the recent fight between Ai Changyuan and Wang Qi, "There's a live broadcast record. When you compare the time of the tide with the evidence and eyewitnesses, everything is there. The case hasn't been filed yet, so if you turn yourself in to the Criminal Law Department now, you can avoid being confined to face the wall."

"I must have stepped in dog shit when I left the house today!" Ai Changyuan lamented before tossing a jade pendant to Wang Qi, "Old Wang, this jade pendant contains a map to one of my other mansions. If you need anything, just speak to my steward, he'll find you a good tailor. Let's have lunch together at noon; we'll continue discussing the matters of cultivation—Junior Sister Wu, feel free to join if you like."

As Ai Changyuan's figure receded into the distance, Wang Qi suddenly realized something, "Shiqin, if the Criminal Law Department hasn't filed the case, how did you find out?"

Wu Shiqin gave a little wave with her calculator in hand, "I was watching the live broadcast—this type of event organized by the West Sea Fighting Fish Sect is pretty famous. I happened to see the two of you, then I saw in the 'Criminal Law Realm' that a fishing boat overturned due to abnormal tides, and there was an announcement searching for the culprit."

"Realm" refers to what is known as the "intranet," which only specific calculators can access. Wang Qi was still puzzled, "Law Enforcement Officers usually return to their birthplace or a location designated by their sect, right? How come you're here in the West Sea?"

The Guiyi Alliance is to the west of Kunlun but still a distance away from the Western Border, at the junction between the central and western regions. Law Enforcement Officers from the Guiyi Alliance origination would normally operate there.

Law Enforcement Officers like Xiang Chenfeng, who have such a high degree of freedom, are rare because that guy is also a top-tier genius.

Wu Shiqin spoke with a smile, "The West Sea has demon beasts to fight, which is suitable for venting one's self."

... I knew it. But seriously, don't smile so sweetly while discussing such violent topics! How has your character become so weird after five years?

Wu Shiqin burst into laughter, "Just kidding. You actually believed me... Haha, Wang Qi, you can't be that easy to fool, right?"

"I really thought it was believable..." Wang Qi shook his head, "What are you here for?"

Wu Shiqin flew up into the sky and pointed toward the city, "Look over there. The newly established Zhenhai Navy."

Following Wu Shiqin's pointing finger, Wang Qi saw an open space to the north of Langde City transformed into a military camp, where a brand new army was training. What was strange was that even though the soldiers clearly possessed mana, they were practicing military boxing at a mortal level.

"I heard it's the New Army, established three months ago with 30,000 people, and it's the first army of the Immortal Alliance," Wu Shiqin said, "The average level is at Foundation Establishment, slightly stronger than those quickly trained, though not as strong as cultivators who use the Ancient Method Foundation Establishment. However, their combat power is skyrocketing every day. If they engage in actual combat, their growth will probably be even faster, soon surpassing cultivators of the same stage using the Ancient Method. Plus, just three months ago, all of them were mortals."

"Mortals?"

"The great snow disaster five years ago left countless refugees. Some of them had no homes and were enrolled in the New Army. They were initially studying Modern methods, trying to achieve Heavenly Communication, but most of them already had set mindsets, making breakthroughs difficult," Wu Shiqin explained. "But three months ago, the Immortal Alliance's technology made a breakthrough, allowing those without hope of achieving Heavenly Communication to also possess mana. However, they haven't had time to learn the rules of the Immortal Dao, and the higher-ups were afraid of disorder, so they called over many Law Enforcement Officers... Wang Qi, why do you look so puzzled?"

Wang Qi turned around with a complex expression and laughed, "Do I look puzzled? Hahaha..."

Wu Shiqin frowned, "You're not one of those who resent mortals for easily gaining cultivation, are you?"

"How could I?"

Yeah, how could I? All the mana in that army of mortals was based on the concepts he proposed, created with the technology he invented.

Even from across half the city, Wang Qi could feel that it was the power of the Heart Demon Network.

"Provided the Heart Demon Curse and the Divine Plague Curse Technique are matched properly, their combination can eliminate infectiousness, and the negative effects no longer exist," Feng Luoyi's voice came into Wang Qi's mind at the right time. "Moreover, the Divine Plague Curse Technique can manipulate mana, giving those people law-like Divine Skills—temporarily named 'superpowers' by the Immortal Alliance. And their Magic Foundation is also based on your Artificial Law Foundation technology."

"Isn't this the same as my method for transforming Cultivation Technique?"

Translate the Cultivation Technique into Bloodline Spirit Rhinoceros, recorded in the Heavenly Calculation Atlas, creating in the body Divine Skills of the Heavenly Calculation identical to those Cultivation Techniques.

Translate Spells into Path Rank data, recorded in the soul, making those people possess superpowers identical to those spells.

Feng Luoyi nodded, "While I was helping you perfect the Core Formation Method, I was also communicating with 'that side.' In a few days, 'that side' will compile detailed papers, which I will send to you directly."

Wang Qi asked in his mind, "Teacher, does this mean that all the armies of the Immortal Alliance rely on my technology?"

The Immortal Alliance is a research institution, an academic organization; all cultivators there are scientists, inventors, engineers, and even Law Enforcement Officers are part-time, with no professional soldiers. That's why Wu Shiqin said "the first army."

"Do you want a reward?" Feng Luoyi laughed, "Don't worry, I'm not so petty as to steal from a kid."

(To be continued. If you like this novel, I invite you to come to qidian.com to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and offer your support, which is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)