Who Let Him Cultivate Immortality

The Fifth Elder glanced at the Second and Eighth Elders, calling them “two troublemakers” and asking, “You two came up with something new and want me to apply for a patent?”

In his mind, the Second Elder was someone who spent all his days tending the herb garden, practically already retired. If it hadn’t been for his sudden burst of energy recently, the Fifth Elder would have thought he had gone moldy.

As for the Eighth Elder, he had been hiding within the sect recently, likely avoiding trouble he caused outside.

“It wasn’t the two of them; it was Peach Blossom Leaf who came up with the idea, and the Second and Eighth Elders helped bring it to life,” explained the Sixth Elder.

The Fifth Elder nodded. That made much more sense.

“Disciple Peach, what have you invented?” The Fifth Elder spoke kindly. He encouraged disciples to think creatively and push the boundaries of conventional thought. In this area, he had high hopes for Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, though Li Haoran needed a bit more effort in that regard.

“It’s a combination of formations and talismans that can lead someone into an illusion… Oh, Senior Brother Lu, what brings you here?” Peach Blossom Leaf was just about to explain when she noticed Lu Yang approaching leisurely.

Seeing how lively the scene was, Lu Yang quickly guessed what they were doing and smiled, asking, “Junior Sister Peach, have you completed the illusionary realm?”

“With the help of the Second and Eighth Elders, the initial version is complete. I was just about to demonstrate it to the Fifth Elder. Would you like to try it too?”

Lu Yang readily agreed. He was also curious to see how Peach Blossom Leaf’s “movie” production had turned out.

Peach Blossom Leaf took out two talismans from her identity jade token, handing one to the Fifth Elder and the other to Lu Yang.

Then she unrolled a scroll inscribed with a formation that Lu Yang couldn’t quite understand.

“Is this the talisman designed by the Eighth Elder? And the formation drawn by the Second Elder?” The Fifth Elder recognized their handiwork. Both the talisman and the formation were designed with impressive simplicity.

“Fifth Elder, Senior Brother, please stand on the formation. Once you’re in place, tear the talisman in half. You’ll feel a slight pulling sensation—that’s the sign that you’re about to enter the illusionary realm,” Peach Blossom Leaf explained. This illusion was crafted for mortals and low-level cultivators, so she worried that if either of them resisted the pulling sensation, the talisman would be rendered useless.

Following the instructions, Lu Yang tore the talisman in half. He felt a gentle pull on his consciousness, and without resisting, his mind was soon drawn into another world.

Boom!

The moment he entered this new world, Lu Yang was greeted by the deafening roar of countless thunderclaps, as if the very heavens were filled with nothing but the sound of thunder.

Amid the flashing lightning and booming thunder, a lone figure stood majestically in the sky, unafraid of the relentless barrage of thunderbolts striking him.

“This looks like someone is about to ascend to the Tribulation Crossing Stage. It’s pretty accurate,” Everlasting Fairy whispered in Lu Yang’s ear, startling him.

Lu Yang glanced quickly at the Fifth Elder, who had also entered the illusionary realm with him. He whispered, “Fairy, why are you here? What if someone notices?”

Everlasting Fairy smiled smugly. “This illusion is so simple that I can come and go as I please. As for being discovered, my ability to hide is unparalleled in the world—no one could possibly notice me!”

Relieved, Lu Yang remembered what Everlasting Fairy had said earlier. “Fairy, you mentioned this is the scene of someone becoming a Tribulation Crossing Stage cultivator?”

“That’s right. This is the Ninefold Celestial Lightning Tribulation, the test one must face to reach the Tribulation Crossing Stage. Ying Tian Immortal designed this tribulation, and whoever created this illusion must have witnessed it firsthand.”

Amid the thunderous storm, Sky Encompassing True Lord threw back his head and laughed, choosing to face the terrifying tribulation head-on with his most powerful sword techniques. One after another, the bolts of lightning were cleaved by the True Lord’s sword, leaving him completely unscathed.

Gradually, as the lightning struck again and again, Sky Encompassing True Lord became exhausted. When the final bolt of lightning descended, his swordsmanship shattered, and the lightning struck his body directly.

The thunderstorm subsided, and Sky Encompassing True Lord fell from the sky.

Boom—

He crashed into a mountain, leaving a large crater. Before losing consciousness, Sky Encompassing True Lord muttered to himself:

“How hateful! I, Sky Encompassing True Lord, have cultivated for over two thousand years and was just a step away from reaching the Tribulation Crossing Stage. But I failed, my swordsmanship shattered, and my cultivation has been sealed by the heavenly lightning, rendering me powerless!”

No one knows how long had passed before a young woman from a nearby village, with great courage, approached the crater. Seeing someone inside, she daringly brought Sky Encompassing True Lord back to her home.

When Sky Encompassing True Lord awoke, he had lost all his memories. He didn’t know who he was, nor did he understand cultivation.

The woman who saved him was named Xiu Xiu, and since Sky Encompassing True Lord had lost his memory, she gave him the name Ah Lei.

The villagers considered Ah Lei an unlucky person and wanted to drive him away. Xiu Xiu, however, insisted that he could stay until he regained his memory.

Ah Lei and Xiu Xiu lived in the mountains, helping with farming, fishing, and hunting. During an attack by a demon beast, Ah Lei displayed extraordinary strength.

“Ah Lei, what… what was that?” Xiu Xiu was stunned. The seemingly ordinary Ah Lei had just killed a Foundation Building Stage demon wolf with a single punch.

“I-I don’t know what’s going on either,” Ah Lei replied, equally bewildered.

Half a year later, demonic cultivators placed a magical treasure in the mountains, ordering their minions to capture all the villagers for sacrifice to enhance the treasure. Xiu Xiu was among those taken.

When Ah Lei returned to find Xiu Xiu missing, he went mad, frantically searching for her.

He eventually found the demon cultivators’ hideout and killed several of their minions in an attempt to rescue Xiu Xiu. Unfortunately, it was too late—Xiu Xiu had already been sacrificed, and the magical treasure had increased in power.

The demon cultivator laughed arrogantly, boasting that with the power of the treasure, he no longer feared the Righteous Path and could now roam the world freely.

In his fury, Ah Lei’s emotions triggered the unsealing of the lightning that had bound him. His shattered swordsmanship reformed, and lightning gathered once again, threatening to strike him down. But the brilliance of his swordsmanship pierced the sky, scattering the heavenly lightning.

He regained his original strength and his memories.

Ah Lei, now restored to his identity as Sky Encompassing True Lord, erupted in rage. His swordsmanship enveloped the entire Hundred Thousand Mountains, and with each step he took, another layer of seal broke. Accompanied by endless spiritual energy, his presence surged like a heavenly demon descending to destroy the world.

“You… are dead!”

The demon cultivator collapsed in terror, finally recognizing Ah Lei’s true identity.

“Sky Encompassing True Lord… the strongest swordsman below the Tribulation Crossing Stage… We should have never provoked him!”

“No, no, no! With this magical treasure in hand, I am no longer the same as before!” The demon cultivator activated the treasure, and a fierce wind arose. The earth quaked, as if trying to bury the Sky Encompassing True Lord.

But a single strike of sword light descended like divine punishment, splitting the treasure and the demon cultivator in two, turning them to dust.

“Xiu Xiu, I have avenged you…” Sky Encompassing True Lord murmured, holding Xiu Xiu’s lifeless body as a single tear rolled down his face.

The illusion ended.

“So, what do you think? How’s the script this time?” Peach Blossom Leaf was brimming with excitement, eagerly awaiting Lu Yang’s feedback. She had taken his suggestions to heart and added much more detailed plot development.

The story had a male protagonist who, after losing his memory and powers, lived a peaceful life with a gentle village girl. When the girl was killed, the protagonist’s rage broke his seal, allowing him to exact revenge with a single, mighty strike. Just imagining the scenario was thrilling.

Lu Yang, however, looked conflicted, unsure how to respond. “The script is great, but… why does the male lead have my master’s face the entire time?”

While his master was indeed dignified and handsome, Lu Yang had known him for so long that seeing his master’s face on the male lead made it impossible to immerse himself in the story.

The Fifth Elder wholeheartedly agreed.

What should have been a poignant scene—Sky Encompassing True Lord holding Xiu Xiu’s lifeless body—nearly made the Fifth Elder burst out laughing, all because the male lead looked exactly like the Ninth Elder.