Cangwu

At the military airfield at the foot of Mount Yuhuang. Su Chiming, Su Huaigu, Su Huaiyue, Lin Xia, Su Yaoyu, Su Yaoxue, Kong Fang, and everyone else had gathered across the tarmac. They looked at Yaoguang, who stood fully prepared to depart, and not a single person spoke up to hold him back. They knew that only by going to the Cangwu Realm could Yaoguang find a greater future. Only a stage like that could truly allow his talent to unfold. Moreover... Only once he gained a firm foothold in that wider world—and went on to become a Great Cultivator—would the Su family truly possess the right to reign supreme over their own world. Thus, whether out of public duty or personal feeling, none of them had any reason to stop him. "Take care on your journey," Su Chiming said solemnly. "Rest assured. Under your dedicated cultivation, our Su family's strength is completely transformed from what it used to be. I will keep a close eye on the situation here and make sure nothing goes wrong. Once you arrive in the Cangwu Realm, you need not worry." "I understand." Yaoguang gave a slight nod. Su Yaoyu stepped forward, doing her best to muster a smile. "Yaoguang, no matter what happens, this is your home. If you ever grow truly weary out there, just come back. Worst comes to worst, we can destroy the Star Gate, sever all ties with the outside world, and live our own lives." Yaoguang looked at her... After more than a year, she was still so naive. Completely beyond hope. Even so, he said nothing more and merely nodded. Immediately after, he shifted his gaze toward Su Yaoxue, whose slender frame was accentuated by her form-fitting outfit. As if she already knew what Yaoguang meant to say, Su Yaoxue nodded back at him. Seeing that, Yaoguang saw no need to waste his breath. Out of everyone in the Su family, Su Yaoxue was the only one who was even remotely reliable. She just suffered from a tiny touch of persecution mania. Still, that was hardly a bad thing. Planning for a rainy day meant never being caught off guard. His eyes swept over Su Yaoshuang and Su Yaoqin once more. Over the past year, their attitudes toward him had altered significantly, shifting from fear to genuine respect. Turning back from the family, he glanced at Kong Fang. "I'm off. Keep a close eye on things here. Once the situation over there settles, I'll bring you all across." Kong Fang was sorely tempted. In the end, however, he sighed. "Never mind. I'm content guarding my little acre of land here and being one of the world's top ten experts." He glanced at Kong Xuan, who stood just behind Yaoguang. "It will be enough for him to see the sights of the Cangwu Realm in my place." Yaoguang did not press him. Dwelling on goodbyes served no purpose. With that, he simply waved his hand. "I'm leaving." Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he strode toward the transit vehicle waiting outside. The crowd stood watching, seeing him off. Their hearts were filled with blessings, expectations, and yearning. It was easy to foresee that what awaited him was bound to be an entirely new chapter. They were eager to know what kind of tempest he would stir with his talent upon that far grander stage of the Cangwu Realm. *** The Star Gate at Mount Yujing. A sizable crowd had already gathered here. The Snow Dragon Federation, Lihuo, the Jishi Society... Well over a hundred people in total. Given this rare opportunity, every Martial Saint who met the criteria hoped to make a foray into the Cangwu Realm. They already knew that even as mighty as a Martial Saint was, if they could not refine qi into spirit to work within the energy sectors, they would be no different from ordinary people over there. Far from achieving longevity or glimpsing a vaster horizon, the exalted identity and prestige they enjoyed on this side would vanish into thin air. Yet knowing was one thing; experiencing it in person was another. Without testing it for themselves, they could never be reconciled to staying behind. Seeing Yaoguang arrive, everyone stepped forward in unison to bow and offer greetings. "Holy Lord Yaoguang." "We welcome the Holy Lord." Yaoguang nodded to the crowd. Yet he keenly noticed that the gazes of certain individuals seemed to hold... a hint of arrogance? Evidently, they imagined that upon reaching that broader stage of the Cangwu Realm, boundless futures would open to them as well. They would join the Nine Cauldrons Sect, become Great Cultivators, take dominion over worlds from then on, and rise to the pinnacle of life. He could not be bothered to drag them out. "The calibration of the Star Gate has entered its final phase. It will open shortly," Xie Yushu said as he approached. Yaoguang nodded, then glanced at Xie Yier standing behind him, surprised. "She's going too?" "Outsiders who are under thirty-five and have cultivated body refining, qi refining, or spirit refining to the sixth heaven are also eligible to take the Nine Cauldrons Sect's assessment. I plan to give it a try," Xie Yier said with a bow. Hearing that, Yaoguang understood. While Xie Yier's talent was not the absolute best among the royal family's younger generation, it certainly ranked among the finest; otherwise, she could never have secured the title of Eldest Princess. She was thirty-two this year, and under Xie Yushu's tutelage over the past year, her strength had reached the level of a Spirit Intent Martial Saint. If she could cultivate a flawless true body within the next three years, she would indeed qualify to become a disciple of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. "Does Holy Lord Yaoguang plan to take the disciple assessment, or..." Xie Yushu asked with a smile. "With your talent and seventh-layer body refining strength, Holy Lord Yaoguang, you likely won't even need an assessment to directly obtain the title of a formal disciple. After settling in for a short while, you could even compete for the status of a core disciple." "We'll see when the time comes," Yaoguang said. Seeing his reaction, Xie Yushu tactfully dropped the subject. *** A day later, the activation of the Star Gate was complete. Visible streamers of light surged ceaselessly from the hundred-meter-tall gate. Without the slightest hesitation, several people rushed forward, unable to contain their impatience... Over a hundred figures stepped into the Star Gate one after another. Surrounded by Zong Yan, Xie Yushu, Xie Yier, Kong Xuan, and the rest, Yaoguang also stepped through. The instant he crossed the threshold, his surroundings were completely replaced by rushing streams of light. Yaoguang felt himself sink into a strange state of weightlessness. It was as though he had been cast into deep space in an instant; perception in every direction blurred and dissolved into confusion. Suspended without sky above or ground below, the sensation was deeply disorienting. This state persisted for quite some time. Only after a full ten-odd minutes did the sensation of gravity return to Yaoguang's senses. A moment later, the rapidly fleeing streamers gradually solidified, and an aged, weathered plaza appeared before the crowd. Numerous mechanical guards stood stationed around the perimeter. Further out stood more than a dozen towers exceeding a hundred meters in height. Powerful ripples of energy radiated from them, so potent that merely sensing them sent a chill down one's spine. It felt as though the energy stored within could effortlessly wipe everyone present from existence. Ahead of them, a projection cast by virtual imaging technology materialized before the group, resolving into a man in his forties. Zong Yan stepped forward promptly and produced an electronic device resembling a wristwatch. "Ah, Sect Master Zong's people." The man took a glance and smiled. "You may pass, though you must still go through the standard inspections." "Of course. I will escort them to the Demon Discernment Platform at once," Zong Yan said, promptly leading the group toward a platform more than ten meters wide not far away. By then, a faint blue glow had begun pulsing from the high towers. Zong Yan's eyes immediately fell upon Yaoguang. Not just his—Xie Yushu and the others turned their gazes toward him as well. Seeing this, Yaoguang did not hesitate, stepping calmly onto the platform. Below... The blue light showed not the slightest fluctuation. At this sight, Zong Yan exhaled in profound relief. Many of the Martial Saints who knew what this meant sucked in a sharp breath of astral qi. Xie Yushu's eyes filled with excitement as he turned to Xie Yier beside him. "A twenty-year-old Heavenly Being! Even if you successfully enter the Nine Cauldrons Sect, it might not compare to such an opportunity! Do you want to reconsider? Becoming a maidservant to someone with such a high prospect of entering the realm of Great Cultivators would never disgrace your standing." "I..." Xie Yier bit her lip. "I still want to try for the Nine Cauldrons Sect." Seeing her resolve, Xie Yushu sighed and said no more. After all, he had tried to persuade her more than once during this period. "Good! Good! Good!" Watching Yaoguang step down safely from the Demon Discernment Platform, Zong Yan could not help but voice three praises in a row. Once the core figures had completed their processing, Zong Yan said immediately, "President Ji is already waiting for us outside. I'll take you to the Hundred Refinements Sect first." Yaoguang nodded. Leading Kong Xuan and the others, he bade farewell to Xie Yushu's group and departed the area. Only after putting some distance behind them did Yaoguang discover that the place was not nearly as desolate as he had imagined; outside, it was remarkably bustling. Although there were few buildings in the immediate vicinity, many hover cars were parked around. Indeed, hover cars. "This..." "Under the impact of the Moon Demon Empire's technology, transformations began two hundred years ago. Chixing and Snow Dragon only spread scientific technology because they were influenced by this side. Of course, due to delays and other factors, the technology of the Cangwu Realm is roughly fifty years ahead of our Artifact Nurturing Realm," Zong Yan explained with a smile. Though Yaoguang had prepared himself mentally, a strange feeling still welled within him at this moment. "Over here!" Just then, Yaoguang heard someone calling out beside a hover car. It was none other than Ji Pingtian. Leading Yaoguang and his companions, Zong Yan quickly approached and climbed into the vehicle. "Let's go. I'll take you to meet Twelfth Grandfather first—the sect master of the Hundred Refinements Sect," Zong Yan said with a smile. Yaoguang glanced at Ji Pingtian, who was driving, and asked with some surprise, "You didn't go to the Nine Cauldrons Sect?" After all, the people of the Jishi Society had longed to become members of the Artifact Sect with every fiber of their being. Now that the Artifact Sect was gone, joining the Nine Cauldrons Sect should have served a similar purpose. "I don't qualify," Ji Pingtian said with a wry smile. "The Nine Cauldrons Sect does not recruit disciples over thirty-five—not even registered disciples. Unless we can attain the realm of a Heavenly Being and apply to become an outer sect steward, we have no hope of entering the Nine Cauldrons Sect at all." "Thirty-five..." The human body generally ceased growing around the age of twenty. It maintained its peak between twenty and thirty, and after thirty, it began a gradual decline. If one failed to reach the ninth heaven by fifty, Foundation Establishment was hopeless. And if one had not established a foundation by sixty, they essentially lost all qualification to become a Great Cultivator for the rest of their days. This was the physical limitation of the human form. Because of this, the Nine Cauldrons Sect limited its academy recruitment to twenty-two years of age, while external recruitment was capped at thirty-five. The hover car moved swiftly. Its speed was easily over two hundred kilometers per hour. Furthermore, since the transport hub was not far from the city, a massive metropolis came into Yaoguang's view in less than half an hour. Yet what met his eyes was not some blessed fairy realm, but towering skyscrapers rising from the ground, many of them ablaze with vibrant neon lights. Virtual projections, electronic billboards, and floating banner balloons filled the city's airspace. Staring at this scene, Yaoguang completely abandoned his fantasies. What happened to the immortal cultivation realm he had envisioned? Shouldn't immortal cultivation be about archaic elegance, misty mountain peaks, and secluded pavilions? What was with this overwhelming wave of modern technology?! Then what did that make them? Immortal cultivators in a modern world?