Cultivation: Being Immortal Chapter 787

Huaxia, Haigang City.

Lin Jiang was deep in thought, his senses heightened. Every single interaction with Xia Qingshan demanded his full focus, as he desperately tried to extract vital secrets from the man's cryptic remarks.

"Is it possible for technological advancement to eventually eclipse the cultivation world?"

"That is unclear. I have never encountered a world entirely driven by technology, yet if a planet truly possessed the Dual Vector Foil you described, it would certainly surpass any cultivation realms I have witnessed. Such an object is a weapon of the Dao—even I lack the capability to forge it at this moment."

"Don't mind me, that was just science fiction banter."

"Whether you call it science fiction or fantasy, it remains nothing more than a delusion without a grounding in fundamental theory."

"Haha, you hit the nail on the head! I only hope such a world stays away, or Blue Star would be defenseless against a Dual Vector Foil."

"That is not necessarily true. Just because I cannot produce it does not mean I am unable to neutralize it. I simply need to reach a higher state of power.

"Are you planning to consume the cultivators?"

"For now, I can exercise restraint. There are currently fifty-eight cultivators on Blue Star who have achieved the Tao, and the number remains well under a hundred. I have no intention of targeting them, as your role in plundering resources from other planets remains essential. You may rest easy on this count."

"Fifty-eight already? The demon race's strength is truly alarming."

Lin Jiang was stunned. He was fully aware that the Ying Continent boasted only four such masters, while Huaxia had twenty-eight. Does this mean the demon race currently commands twenty-six beings who have surpassed the Demon Emperor rank?

"Regardless of their power, the demon race will not initiate a war. Their interests and yours are currently aligned."

"Heh, I once gave the Demon Queen my word that I would consider granting her a planet. I assume you have been making your own promises?"

"Indeed. Is there an issue?"

"None at all. It is perfectly fine."

Lin Jiang fought the urge to ask who this man thought he was, but he swallowed his pride. This individual clearly treated Blue Star as his private backyard; there was little point in disputing it.

"That is enough for today. It is time for me to depart."

"Wait! Please, return the teachings you once shared. You know better than anyone that much of our heritage has been lost following the recovery of spiritual energy."

"Very well. The data will be transmitted to your computer terminal."

Xia Qingshan gave a brief nod before vanishing from sight.

Lin Jiang immediately accessed his computer and discovered a vast repository of information. It contained a comprehensive collection of cultivation techniques, secret arts, recipes for pills, talisman crafting, artifacts, and complex formations.

He promptly summoned Cao Ying, instructing her to fetch blank jade slips for transcription.

"This is the Taixu Divine Light, an alchemy legacy from the ancient Danxia Sect! The treasures here are incredible. Where on earth did you get this?"

Cao Ying's eyes gleamed with excitement. Within the files lay ancient techniques and secret arts dating back to the Green Emperor's era.

"It was a gift from Xia Qingshan."

"He has surfaced again?"

"Yes, look at this! The Primordial Thunder Technique from the Thunder Emperor's era has resurfaced. This manual has been extinct for hundreds of thousands of years. It seems the entire lineage of the cultivation world stems from him."

Lin Jiang noted that the Primordial Thunder Technique was legendary, a hallmark of the Thunder Emperor's influence.

"I have a strong suspicion that both the Thunder Emperor and the Green Emperor were acquainted with Xia Qingshan."

"There is no doubt in my mind. He is clearly orchestrating a plan to maintain the balance between the cultivators and the demon race to satisfy the laws of heaven."

"You should only trust perhaps thirty percent of what he says."

"Even that is being generous."

Lin Jiang shook his head. "Three percent is way too high; two percent is gibberish; one percent is already more than he deserves."

Cao Ying went silent. Was it truly wise to doubt Xia Qingshan so openly? Was she not afraid of him hearing them?

"I intend to master these secret arts."

"By all means. Organize this data and spread the knowledge to others. I have been awakened for over a thousand years, watching the spiritual energy recovery unfold alongside the rise of technology and civilization. While our modern world is advanced, our study of the Immortal Language has stagnated. It is time we made further strides."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Few words, but they were critical. We must prepare for an interstellar war; it is an unavoidable fate."

"We are actually going to fight? Who is the adversary?"

"That remains unknown for now, but as we expand into the depths of the universe, we will inevitably cross paths with them."

Lin Jiang added, "We already know of several alien civilizations. His origin, Yang Luo’s homeworld, and Xia Qingshan’s background. That makes at least three potential players."

"The outcome is unpredictable. If we face a superior foe, we might be destroyed."

"There is no sense in dwelling on 'what ifs.' We will take it one step at a time. No need for haste; time is on our side."

Lin Jiang stated firmly, "Ignore the pessimism. We must stay positive."

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"With these jade tablets, our archaeologists can finally stop their frantic excavations. Digging up the entire landscape is just causing unnecessary agitation."

Cao Wang held the jade slips Lin Jiang had provided. "The Huaxia archaeological units have been scouring the lands of the Five Allied Nations for years, desperate to uncover sect ruins from the Age of Cultivation. It has been a constant headache, especially since Huaxia refuses to share their discoveries."

"Why haven't you asked about the origin of these materials?"

"When Ancestor Lin is calling the shots, who would dream of questioning him? We simply act on orders.

"You are certainly a dependable subordinate."

"Ha, I try my best."

"Let us discuss the state of our civilization."

"Ancestor Lin, you have a question?"

"I want to know about the tiers of civilization."

"According to our scientists, there are ten levels. The first is planetary, capable of utilizing all resources within one world. Second is stellar, where we can traverse space and harvest from other planets. Third is interstellar, allowing for travel between galaxies. Beyond that, the fourth level transcends galactic boundaries, and anything higher remains purely theoretical."

"Classifying us this way, we are slightly above the third level, though we haven't quite reached the fourth. This is strictly from a technical standpoint. If we factor in our advancement in the Immortal Language, we might be slightly more formidable."

Cao Wang explained that while researchers had various theories on extraterrestrial life, a tenth-level god-like civilization was merely a scientific fantasy.

"If we assess us strictly through our mastery of the Immortal Language?"

"That is difficult to quantify. In terms of pure cultivation, not even a second-level civilization would struggle. Given the current speeds of the Tao Achieving and Transmigration stages, interstellar travel remains a monumental task."

"No, you underestimate the potential of the Immortal Language. Look at these jade slips. If we master these techniques, reaching a second-level civilization is well within our grasp, especially for the demon race. Their natural affinity and flight capabilities significantly boost our mobility."

Lin Jiang mused, "Take the Demon Queen. With the bloodline of the Peng Bird and the Aurora Falcon, her speed is staggering. Leaving the solar system is trivial for her. And while our current pills, talismans, and formations are lagging, a more advanced civilization likely possesses far greater wonders—perhaps even those abandoned flying boats we've heard rumors of, which could be capable of traversing the stars."

"Are you suggesting there are vastly more efficient ways to utilize the Immortal Language?"

"Indubitably. Don't you find our current practices to be somewhat archaic?"

"To be honest, I hadn't truly considered it."

"We are falling behind. Moving forward, the Spiritual Energy Research Institute must prioritize improving our mastery of the Immortal Language."

"That is a massive undertaking. To innovate a technique requires a master, followed by generations of cultivators to refine it and iron out the flaws. It is an incredibly lengthy process."

"We possess the time, the resources, and the personnel. We will experiment."

Lin Jiang knew all of this well. Be it cultivation manuals or elixirs, true perfection requires the work of many generations, but that is never a reason to quit.

"Since you are determined, I have no objections. However, I cannot lead this project; my current workload is unsustainable."

Cao Wang admitted he was already drowning in his current duties.

"Very well, I will find someone suitable. But I need you to keep a watchful eye. The Spiritual Energy Research Institute is our most critical asset; the finest minds of our nation are gathered there."

"Of course. As the first vice president, I will see that it remains a priority."

"Excellent. Keep these jade slips and arrange for their replication. Exercise caution with who gains access to these skills, and please finalize the arrangements for the Five Elements Bead."

"Understood. By the way, will the Five Elements Bead truly have no impact on our spiritual energy flow?"

"That remains to be seen. We will verify it through experimentation."

"If this proves successful, we could essentially create a self-sustaining world within a space ring. We would be independent of the main world entirely."

Cao Wang noted that he had previously tried inserting spirit veins into space rings, but they eventually withered without a circulatory system. The Five Elements Bead could be the key to a breakthrough, potentially solving environmental issues that have plagued them for centuries and perhaps even terraforming barren planets into habitable ones.