The Modern Martial Immortal

Chapter 259: Immortals

"Elders." Johan, Janko, and the others stepped forward, greeting them with smiles and fist-and-palm salutes.

"It’s you guys." Susan, Hera, and Yang Han looked at them and smiled in return.

Strictly speaking, they all belonged to the same generation, but later took on different roles. Some chose to head to the North Sea Star in search of opportunity, while others stayed behind to guard their sects. Johan and the other eleven Golden Core cultivators were among those who remained.

In truth, the number of Golden Core cultivators in the Infinite Star Palace and other sects had once been far greater. However, the desperate counterattack of the Lunar Fiend Empire at the end of the war had claimed many lives. Others had perished due to reaching the end of their lifespan or because of the instability in their Golden Cores.

That was how the entire Great Cangwu World had been left with only thirty-four Radiant Sun Golden Core cultivators to stand guard.

"It looks like your Golden Core states have been maintained quite well." Susan examined them as she spoke.

"With the help of array art suppression, things have remained stable for now." Johan replied, then looked at Susan with excitement. "Elders, did you come from the North Sea Star?"

"Indeed." Susan nodded, without concealing anything. "I know what you want to ask. The situation on the North Sea Star is far more complex than you imagine. That world is also far more extraordinary. After a hundred years of fighting side by side on the North Sea battlefield, along with over a century of development there, our Cangwu lineage has finally gained a foothold..."

"Then... have you obtained the complete inheritance?" Johan asked with anticipation.

"A complete inheritance exists, but..." Susan glanced at him. "I do not recommend that you fully switch to the cultivation system of the North Sea Star."

"Why?" Johan was slightly stunned.

"Strength," Susan said with emotion in her eyes. "On the North Sea Star, strength is more important than a complete cultivation system."

"Because of the Lunar Fiend Empire? No... the Heavenly Fiend Empire?" Johan quickly made the connection.

"The Lunar Fiend Empire and the Heavenly Fiend Empire are only part of the reason." Yang Han stepped forward. "The North Sea battlefield does not only refer to conflicts with civilizations like them. It encompasses the entire North Sea Star. Far too many forces want to enter that world!"

He sighed softly. "You have no idea what it means for our Cangwu lineage to establish a foothold there. That alone means we have surpassed over ninety-nine percent of civilizations in the cosmos."

He paused, then looked at Johan. "And I am not referring to vassal worlds, but civilizations on the level of the Great Cangwu World."

"W-Why is that?" Johan asked, utterly confused.

"Why?" Hera smiled faintly. Her tone was calm, yet her words revealed a secret so profound that everyone felt their hearts slow. "Because the North Sea Star contains the secret to becoming an immortal."

"Becoming... an immortal?!" Johan’s eyes widened.

"That’s right. Becoming an immortal." Hera nodded. "Exactly the kind of immortal you are thinking of."

Immortals. In the present world, countless beings called themselves immortal cultivators. Their goal was to become immortals.

Since ancient times, legends of immortals had circulated across the vast cosmos. They were beings who were deathless and indestructible. The sun and moon might decay, yet they would endure. The stars might perish, yet they would remain.

They had truly attained eternal life, existing forever without destruction. Eternal and indestructible. What kind of greatness was that?!

Beings comparable to the sun, moon, and stars were beyond imagination to ordinary humans4. The lifespan of stars was measured in billions of years. Billions, tens of billions, or even hundreds of billions!

Yet the recorded history of civilization in the Great Cangwu World spanned only thirty thousand years. Thirty thousand years, compared to hundreds of billions, was not even worth mentioning!

They could not even begin to comprehend what it meant for a being to live that long. And yet now, according to Hera, the North Sea Star contained the secret to becoming an immortal!

"H-How is that possible?!" Johan felt his entire worldview collapsing. "Do such beings truly exist?"

"Of course they do. Otherwise, how could the North Sea Star attract nearly every civilization in this region of the cosmos, all rushing in to claim a place there?" Susan answered firmly.

She looked at Johan. "There's constant competition between countless forces and sects! Martial emperors, immortal kings, fiend sovereigns, buddhas, demon paragons, heavenly gods, human emperors... Innumerable peak existences all walk the path toward immortality! That is the true state of the North Sea Star!"

"On the North Sea Star, in pursuit of that ultimate dream, countless cultivators die every day. Powerful families are wiped out. Even sects that have stood for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years cannot guarantee their continued survival," Yang Han said slowly. "So unless you want to remain in the Great Cangwu World, without seeking longevity or immortality, you must first ensure that you have sufficient strength. Only with enough strength to survive on the North Sea Star can you even begin to look toward longevity... and toward the path of immortality."

Hearing the words of the two elders, Johan’s excitement and shock gradually calmed.

Immortals were such a great existence! Without even thinking, one could imagine how difficult it would be to achieve such a state! What kind of competition must one endure to reach that level?

So yes, the North Sea Star held the secret to immortality... But no matter how tempting it was, one first had to be qualified to grasp it.

"Alright. In the Great Cangwu World, I will leave behind a legacy. However, it will not be the complete inheritance of the North Sea Star. We already discussed this before coming. In the entire Cangwu, only the most exceptional geniuses, those with hope of achieving longevity, are qualified to walk the orthodox path of the North Sea Star. As for the others, they will follow the battle immortal inheritance." Susan said.

"This inheritance is somewhat similar to your current, rather extreme cultivation system, but the transition is much smoother. It can push the potential of Cangwu cultivators to the limit, nurturing Crimson Golden Core, Radiant Sun Golden Core, and even Blazing White Golden Core cultivators! They will fight to secure our Cangwu lineage’s foothold on the North Sea Star!"

"Battle immortal..." Johan vaguely understood its purpose.

They were resources to be expended so that a select few geniuses could walk the path to longevity.

"Don't think this is cruel. If the Cangwu lineage wants to survive and establish itself on the North Sea Star, and to nurture individuals capable of pursuing longevity and immortality, this is necessary. Sacrificing some so that others may have hope, and in turn those who succeed will protect the rest. Only then can a civilization and a faction endure."

As she spoke, Susan took out a jade talisman. "Inside this is a secret art. It is an art all battle immortals must cultivate, the Nine Refinements of Star Ring. It can stabilize your Golden Core state. Let me check your combat strength..."

She produced another item, a monocle-like instrument. "110,000. Not bad. Once you cultivate the fourth refinement of the Nine Refinements of Star Ring, you will be able to suppress your combat power down to ten thousand. At that point, you can cultivate and act freely like ordinary cultivators, instead of staying inside arrays all the time, afraid that your Golden Core might collapse."

Johan glanced at the device in Susan’s hand. He guessed it was a tool from the Lunar Fiend Empire used to measure combat strength.

He did not ask further. He silently accepted the jade talisman. He still had not fully processed these changes.

"You do not need to feel too stifled. The battle immortal path is not hopeless. If you can reach the Blazing White Golden Core and fully master the Nine Refinements of Star Ring, you will also be treated as a potential immortal and receive focused cultivation." Susan paused slightly. "These are the sect’s rules."

"The sect?" Johan raised his head slightly. "The rules set by the Infinite Star Palace's supreme elders?"

"The Infinite Star Palace?" Susan let out a self-mocking laugh. "What makes you think that the Infinite Star Palace alone could establish a foothold on the North Sea Star, where countless sects compete?"

"All forces of Cangwu have already joined together as one lineage and merged into the Taiyi Immortal Sect. The Taiyi Immortal Sect has six halls, nine lineages, and one hundred and eight true inheritances. Each one can stand as an independent power." Hera explained from the side.

Six halls. Nine lineages. One hundred and eight true inheritances. All the powers of the Great Cangwu World combined had formed only one lineage within the North Sea Star?

"Alright. Now you must make a choice. If you want to go to the North Sea Star, you must convert to the battle immortal path. Only after demonstrating sufficient potential will you receive focused cultivation from our lineage. Of course, if you choose not to go, then remain in the Great Cangwu World and guard it well," Susan said.

"This is not necessarily a bad thing. If among your descendants there are geniuses capable of forming a Golden Core before the age of thirty, they may be sent to the Taiyi Immortal Sect as outer or inner disciples, then rise to true disciple status, and eventually compete for positions such as vice sect master or sect master..."

As she spoke, her eyes shone brightly. "Moreover, if you guard the Great Cangwu World well, when that nostalgic true disciple of the Artifact Sect rises to power, all of you will be rewarded. Even if you cannot reach the Void-Piercing Realm, obtaining a Longevity Pill and enjoying a lifespan without end will not be out of reach."

"Longevity Pill?!"

"True disciple?!"

Johan and Janko were both startled.

Only then did they recall the true purpose of these elders returning early...

"So the elders did not come to bring us the inheritance of the North Sea Star, but to..."

Susan replied, "The unparalleled prodigy of the Artifact Sect has condensed an Azure Golden Core and has been accepted as a direct disciple by the Supreme Jade Emperor. His future is limitless. He may even become the first true Void-Piercing Realm powerhouse in our lineage.

"Naturally, we must find a way to build goodwill. However, when he was accepted as a direct disciple, countless rare treasures had already been sent by other factions. Some of those gifts were valuable enough to buy the entire Infinite Star Palace. Since we cannot match such offerings, we must take a different approach."

She looked into the distance. "The Artifact Sect suffered heavy losses in the war against the Lunar Fiend Empire. That true disciple values loyalty deeply. It is said that after becoming a disciple, he intends to return home to honor his ancestors. His attitude has earned unanimous praise from the sect’s higher-ups. So we decided to rebuild the Artifact Sect before he returns, allowing him to honor his predecessors in glory."

"Enough talk. We should not waste time. Does the Artifact Sect still have any cultivators left? If so, we should meet with them." Hera interjected.

At the same time, she warned Johan and Janko, "Remember this. From today onward, the Great Cangwu World will belong to the Artifact Sect. It will belong to Heavenly Venerable Jiang. Perhaps, it should even be renamed the Heavenly Venerable World."