Cultivation: Being Immortal Chapter 789

Xia Calendar, Year 7090, Huaxia.

Lin Jiang wandered through a desolate corner of the Cloud Mountain Range, his gaze fixed upon the brittle, dying trees that cluttered the landscape. He let out a weary sigh, lamenting that the spiritual energy of this land had been severely depleted for many years due to the ongoing influence of the Five Elements Bead, leading to a significant degradation of its quality.

"Ancestor Lin, the depletion of the spiritual energy in Cloud Mountain has finally ceased and signs of recovery are emerging. However, because the Five Elements Bead is drawing such vast amounts of energy toward itself, the overall rejuvenation remains quite sluggish," Zhu Bin reported to Lin Jiang.

Zhu Bin continued, his tone pained: "The damage to the spirit vein of Cloud Mountain is a critical issue. This mountain is vital; countless massive cities along its range depend entirely on its spirit vein for nourishment. Furthermore, the mountain houses various high-grade spiritual herbs and several esteemed branches of cultivation academies."

"Bear with it for a few more decades. Time passes in the blink of an eye," Lin Jiang replied.

Lin Jiang elaborated, "The Five Elements Bead requires exactly one hundred years of nourishment from the spirit vein. It has only been sixty years, meaning we have forty left to endure."

"If I may ask, Ancestor, what exactly is the true purpose of the Five Elements Bead?"

"It is a secret technique unearthed from ancient texts, capable of allowing Jiang Star to cultivate its very own spirit vein."

"Is that so? Why have I never heard even a whisper of such a thing?"

"There are many mysteries you have yet to encounter, and there is no need to pry further. Just remain vigilant and safeguard the Five Elements Bead." Lin Jiang felt that discussing Xia Qingshan would be unwise, so he chose a vague excuse to deflect the inquiry.

"Understood, Ancestor."

"Zhu Bin, you are nearing the breakthrough to the Transmigration Stage, are you not?"

"Not quite, Ancestor. I still linger in the middle phases of the Tao Achieving stage."

"Then you must redouble your efforts!"

"Yes, thank you for your concern, Ancestor."

Zhu Bin knew all too well that while the path of Tao Achieving seemed straightforward, true breakthroughs never came quickly. It had taken Lin Jiang four hundred years to reach the pinnacle of the Tao Achieving stage, and given their limited access to resources compared to him, their progress would inevitably be even slower.

Lin Jiang and Zhu Bin shifted their discussion to the Interstellar Teleportation Array. Although Zhu Bin had previously calculated that the limit of the array was ten billion kilometers, the ancient secrets shared by Lin Jiang led him to believe that this barrier could surely be shattered.

Zhu Bin had yet to master a more advanced form of the teleportation array, but he possessed immense confidence that, given adequate time, he would achieve a breakthrough.

After offering a few words of encouragement, Lin Jiang departed for the Spiritual Energy Research Institute, prompted by word from Cao Wang that fresh intelligence had arrived from Jiang Star.

"Reports from Jiang Star have been streaming in for over seven years, and the pace has not slowed. According to the latest update, Liang Long has successfully established a survival base on the surface. They are utilizing cutting-edge technology, and beyond Jiang Star itself, seventeen outposts have been set up in space."

"How are the scientific trials progressing?"

"All experiments are underway. Providing provisions for the incoming immigrant ships will be manageable, but transforming the entirety of Jiang Star into a world akin to Blue Star will demand significantly more time."

"Keep a close watch on the developments."

"Understood, Ancestor Lin. May I ask when the second wave of immigration ships will depart? I find myself growing impatient."

"We must wait at least forty more years for the Five Elements Bead to stabilize, and Jiang Star must have sufficient infrastructure to accommodate them. We cannot risk the lives of millions prematurely."

Lin Jiang remarked that even the first ship, carrying five hundred thousand souls, represented a massive gamble. Sending millions more prematurely would invite catastrophe. He was well aware that Huaxia was locked in fierce internal contention over the benefits of Jiang Star. Those sent in this first wave were largely drawn from powerful families; while perhaps not direct heirs, they were certainly no mere cannon fodder.

"Ancestor, the voyage spans two hundred years. We could launch sooner, and they would arrive exactly once the two-hundred-year travel period concludes."

"You must find a way to expedite the transit. We cannot allow Zhu Bin to outpace us permanently."

"The propulsion speed has hit a ceiling. Reaching even one-tenth of light speed is a daunting challenge."

Cao Wang added, "Our current velocity is roughly one-third of the speed of light, which represents the absolute limit of our current technology. We are stuck at a bottleneck. To push past this, we need a monumental breakthrough in scientific knowledge. Gaining even a marginal increase in speed is incredibly taxing."

"I have already secured funding for Zhu Bin. We will proceed with constructing three more teleportation arrays on Cape VII Planet. Our current budget allows for one array every fifty years. Anything beyond that rests on your shoulders," Lin Jiang stated.

Lin Jiang knew he had to apply pressure to Cao Wang; he could not afford to let him rest on his laurels. Furthermore, funds should not be monopolized by Cao Wang alone; the resources must be distributed properly.

Thus, every fifty years, a new teleportation array would be completed and integrated. This would shift the launch point significantly, drastically reducing travel time. Even with established technology, ten billion kilometers took twenty days at light speed; three arrays would span one-sixth of a light year.

This meant the next Space Mother Ship could potentially arrive twenty years earlier. Consequently, Zhu Bin and his engineers would rightfully claim the lion’s share of the credit for the Jiang Star endeavor.

"Ancestor, are you not simply forcing us into a corner?"

"You are provided with the finest resources and treatment available. If I do not goad you, you are liable to grow complacent."

"We are far from lazy; we are focused on the advancement of civilian technology. You cannot blame us for that."

"I care nothing for excuses. Healthy competition within your ranks is necessary. Very well, I have reviewed the data."

Lin Jiang prepared to depart. He had absorbed all the intelligence from Jiang Star. Liang Long had performed admirably; choosing him had been correct.

Now it was time to return. Xia Qingshan had gifted him a trove of potent techniques, and he had already selected a few that were perfectly suited to his style. Lin Jiang needed ample time to master these secrets. The more skills he added to his arsenal, the greater his combat prowess would become. Once skilled, he would be confident enough to burn a portion of his lifespan to challenge rivals even at the Transmigration Stage.

His transition to the Transmigration Stage had been stalled by the sudden arrival of Xia Qingshan, and he now required a period of seclusion to finally cross that threshold.

········

Year 7100 of the Blue Star Xia calendar, Jiang Star.

Liang Long stepped out of his office and materialized within a secure warehouse, where a group of managers were already assembled in anticipation.

"My respects, sir."

"Skip the formalities and give me the report."

"Yes, sir. Please, observe this. We cultivated this spiritual rice using soil-less methods and spirit stones here on Jiang Star. At harvest, the grains were plump and teeming with energy. However, shortly after, all the spiritual essence vanished into thin air."

"What of the status back on Blue Star?"

"It is stable. While there is minor dissipation, it remains within normal parameters."

"This implies that, even if we expend spirit stones to nourish plants here on Jiang Star, we cannot retain the resulting spiritual essence."

"The situation is identical, though the herbs have not yet succumbed, as they have not been harvested."

"Let me see for myself."

Liang Long vanished, instantly appearing within the base’s herb garden to pull up a single specimen. Just as he suspected, once removed from the nutrient solution, the spiritual energy plummeted at a rate hundreds of times faster than on Blue Star. It was highly likely that within a month, even these rare herbs would wither into flavorless weeds.

A storm of thoughts raced through Liang Long’s mind, specifically regarding the recovery of spiritual energy. Before the great restoration, no spiritual herbs existed on Blue Star. According to Cao Wang’s data, the Heavenly Way of Blue Star had been submerged in a deep slumber, rendering the birth of herbs and cultivators impossible.

"It appears the secrets of Blue Star run deeper than I dared imagine. This 'Heavenly Way' is far more complex than I once assumed." A cold sneer played on Liang Long’s lips. He had once believed he held dominion over all of Blue Star’s secrets, but now it seemed there was much he had yet to uncover.

Returning to the warehouse, the managers asked, "Sir, what are our next orders?"

"Cease all cultivation and research of spiritual items immediately. Secure the remaining spirit stones."

"And the continued expansion of Jiang Star, sir?"

"That is not your concern. Simply ensure the preservation of our current supplies."

"As you command, sir."

"I have business elsewhere."

Liang Long retreated to the sanctuary of his office, falling into deep contemplation. He had intended for Jiang Star to serve as the critical launchpad for his grand vision across the stars, but it seemed he would have to exercise patience. First, he had to uncover the most guarded truths of Blue Star to ensure his eventual triumph would be absolute.