Immortality Simulator-Chapter 11: Cultivating Immortality, Yet Toiling Like Cattle

“In today’s cultivation world, a mortal seeking to cultivate immortality only has a few choices,” Kou Hong explained patiently.

“First, joining the Myriad Immortals Alliance. The alliance is a loose coalition formed by numerous cultivators. Within it, one can earn contribution points by completing tasks or trading with others. These points can then be exchanged for cultivation techniques and resources.

“Second, joining the Five Elders Council. This is an organization with immense influence, founded by five top-tier powerhouses. As long as you have the aptitude for cultivation, you can join them and select a technique to practice. The cost? You must sign a soul contract, pledging service to the Five Elders Council for a set period.

“Third, joining local factions. Though these factions can’t compare to the two behemoths above, they tend to be tight-knit and rarely assign dangerous missions. They’re more suited for those with a lazy or indifferent temperament. As for other dubious organizations...well, they’re hardly reliable, so let’s not waste words on them.” Kou Hong laid out the general state of the cultivation world.

Li Fan frowned, puzzled. “From your description, it seems that cultivation techniques aren’t all that scarce.”

Kou Hong snorted. “That’s because the techniques obtained through these methods are all incomplete.”

“Incomplete?” Li Fan was taken aback before realization dawned. “So you must keep laboring to acquire the next level of the technique?”

“Exactly!” Kou Hong said bitterly. “These techniques are newly compiled by the major factions in recent years. Reaching the final-stage Qi Refinement realm is the limit. To advance further and lay a Dao Foundation, you must switch to a new, higher-level technique. The same applies beyond the Foundation Establishment realm.”

“Switch techniques? If you have to start over with a new technique whenever you break through to a higher realm, doesn’t that render all your previous efforts meaningless?” Li Fan was shocked. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“Not quite.” Kou Hong shook his head. “All cultivators must practice the Taishang Primordial True Scripture. Legend says this scripture was the supreme canon of the ancient Taishang Sect, their greatest treasure. After the Great Reformation, the sect was annihilated, leaving only a fragment of the scripture behind. It isn’t a cultivation technique but more of an esoteric method. Its function allows a cultivator to disperse their cultivation and realm at will without severe backlash. After dispersing one’s power and switching techniques, one can quickly regain their former strength.”

“Such a miraculous method,” Li Fan marveled. “But how convenient that only this fragment survived, just enough to make constant technique-switching palatable for cultivators.”

He then smirked coldly. “In my opinion, this fragment of the Taishang Primordial True Scripture shouldn’t be the only part that was uncovered. More likely, those pulling the strings only released the part about dispersing and restarting cultivation.”

Kou Hong sighed deeply. “Who doesn’t know that? But what can we do? True techniques are hard to come by. Though it’s frustrating to be bled dry, at least there’s a visible path forward. With effort, you can still reach your goal. Few are willing to risk their lives in ancient sects or secret ruins for a chance at freedom.”

Li Fan nodded, now grasping the state of the cultivation world. It was nothing like the unfettered path of immortality he’d imagined. Instead, it bore an unsettling resemblance to the world he’d left behind when he transmigrated.

The thought drew a silent, cold laugh from him.

Unaware of Li Fan’s dark amusement, Kou Hong sighed again. “Dao Xuanzi died without ever knowing why I snatched that technique and fled... It isn’t a core formation method; it is a technique that leads to the Nascent Soul realm!

“If it had merely been a core formation method, I might’ve restrained myself. But a Nascent Soul technique...” Kou Hong muttered.

Hearing this, Li Fan instinctively brushed a finger against the ring on his hand.

He had confiscated all of Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi’s belongings, storing them inside this storage ring. Perhaps due to living through multiple lifetimes, his mental power far surpassed an ordinary man. So, despite normally requiring divine sense at the Qi Refinement level to use this storage ring, he could use it effortlessly.

Still, unless he found a way out of this Immortal Forsaken Land, these treasures were useless to him. He hadn’t bothered inspecting them yet.

Kou Hong proceeded to explain some common cultivation knowledge, such as how a cultivator’s death could trigger phenomena in the sky, before returning to Li Fan’s theory about flying vessels being used during the Great Migration Era.

“Perhaps... there’s some truth to it,” Kou Hong mused after a long silence.

“I’ve heard rumors that some mortals exiled to the Immortal Forsaken Lands have secretly returned to the cultivation world over the past thousands of years. Most were just tavern gossip though; there’s no solid proof.”

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Sometimes, rumors are the truth.” Li Fan’s spirits lifted. “After all, mortals and cultivators are bound by countless invisible threads, and their lives are deeply intertwined. It’s only natural that some cultivators left escape routes for their mortal families. Those who returned must’ve used those backdoors.”

Kou Hong remained skeptical. “Even so, thousands of years have passed. This world is vast. The odds of finding one are slim.”

“So long as there’s a sliver of hope, I won’t give up,” Li Fan declared resolutely.

“Honestly, for a withered old man on death’s doorstep, you’re ridiculously stubborn...” Kou Hong muttered under his breath.

Li Fan pretended not to hear him. Instead, he solemnly vowed, “Help me find a way back to the cultivation world, and I’ll not only release you, I’ll take you with me. I’ll return everything I took from you and Dao Xuanzi.

“Including that Nascent Soul technique.”

“You swear?!” Kou Hong’s head snapped up, sudden hope blazing in his eyes.

“Naturally.” Li Fan nodded.

“Fine... Then I’ll aid you with everything I have.” Kou Hong gritted his teeth, resolve hardening.

Though Li Fan had deceived him multiple times, making Kou Hong question the man’s promises, he was like Li Fan, unable to abandon even the faintest glimmer of hope.

To rot here for decades, then die of old age? Kou Hong refused such a fate!

Thus, with Kou Hong’s assistance, Li Fan scoured historical texts throughout the world, hunting for fragmented clues about the Great Migration Era.

At the same time, Li Fan mobilized armies to excavate ancient tombs on a massive scale, hoping to uncover traces. Though this stirred public outrage and daily petitions from officials urging restraint, he forcibly suppressed every objection.

Yet, too much time had passed since the Great Migration Era, and his remaining years in this lifetime were far too short.

Sixteen years later, in Anchor Year 66, Li Fan’s end was near, and still, he had found nothing.

After ordering Kou Hong’s release, Li Fan went to the underground chamber beneath the Grand Preceptor’s estate alone.

With a thought, he emptied the contents of his storage ring, laying them out one by one.

His gaze immediately locked onto a jade slip that pulsed faintly with golden light.

This was the very Nascent Soul technique that had caused Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi to turn against each other.