Chapter Three: Masters in the Immortal Realm

"Master, please don’t be so stingy. Just one more pill, just one!" Li Chengzhu pleaded pitifully, clutching the corner of the Guiding Immortal Envoy’s robe.

"Ah, my disciple, it’s not that I’m stingy. This Nourishing Essence Pill is a wondrous elixir for stabilizing one’s Nascent Soul. You’re only at the middle stage of Fasting; taking one pill is already your limit. Any more and you’d explode from within," the Guiding Immortal Envoy said, blinking with a hint of mischief. "Do you understand?"

Just a few days ago, after successfully taking a master, Li Chengzhu had, with the help of the Guiding Immortal Envoy, entered his first cultivation. A single Nourishing Essence Pill had propelled his cultivation directly to the middle stage of Fasting. Today, he had just awoken from meditation, feeling light as a feather and invigorated, his strength greatly increased. Naturally, he pestered the Immortal Envoy for one more pill.

Seeing the playful glint in the Immortal Envoy’s eyes, Li Chengzhu sighed helplessly. "Alright, what do you want in exchange for the pills?"

The Immortal Envoy stroked his beard. "Oh, how can a master bargain with his disciple? If word got out, where would I put my dignity? But... while you were meditating, I noticed you have something called a digital camera in your bundle. It seems rather interesting..."

"You went through my things!" Li Chengzhu cried out.

The Immortal Envoy’s beard bristled as he put on a righteous face. "What do you mean went through? We’re family. I just picked it up to have a look. That’s all!"

"And that’s not called stealing?" Li Chengzhu groaned. "Fine... five Nourishing Essence Pills."

The Immortal Envoy pursed his lips. "One at most!"

"Four!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"Deal!" Li Chengzhu gritted his teeth, snatching two Nourishing Essence Pills from the Immortal Envoy’s hand, muttering under his breath, "You old skinflint!"

The Immortal Envoy ignored him, delightedly grabbing the digital camera and dashing off into the distance.

Li Chengzhu took the Nourishing Essence Pills and made his way to the Spirit Gathering Array set up by the Immortal Envoy. With the array and the 'Collection of Spirit Gathering' manual, the speed at which spiritual energy amassed could only be described as astonishing.

Sitting cross-legged within the array, he glanced at the old northern farmer not far away, who was drooling as he fiddled with his newly acquired digital camera. Li Chengzhu swallowed a Nourishing Essence Pill and began cultivating according to the routes detailed in the 'Collection of Spirit Gathering'.

He had no worries about safety; with his master, the Immortal Envoy, watching over him, there should be no problems. After all, the Immortal Envoy was already a late-stage Grand Ascension expert. He might not be an immortal yet, but he held an official post as well. Ordinary immortals would never dare disturb him.

Every Immortal Envoy was chosen from among the Grand Ascension experts of the Immortal Realm. The closer one was to the Pool of Immortal Birth, the denser the spiritual energy in the air—a great boon for those yet to become immortals. True immortals, however, cared little for this extra energy, as the Immortal Realm was already saturated with it. Thus, the position of Immortal Envoy was hotly contested among Grand Ascension experts. Once every century, the Immortal Realm held a grand tournament, with all competitors being Grand Ascension experts from various sects. Only the champion won the right to serve as Immortal Envoy.

Therefore, the Immortal Envoy was also the foremost Grand Ascension expert in the Immortal Realm, making him a figure all major powers sought to befriend.

An immortal’s strength, to put it plainly, depended on the quantity and quality of immortal spiritual energy stored in one’s body before the Guiding Immortal Light forged the immortal golden body. So, if a cultivator could accumulate enough high-quality immortal spiritual energy before ascension, he could become a High Immortal, a Golden Immortal, or even a Grand Supreme Golden Immortal—no longer an ordinary immortal. That’s why legends tell of mortals achieving the Grand Supreme Golden Immortal’s body through sheer cultivation.

According to his boastful and stingy master, every Immortal Envoy has at least become a High Immortal upon ascension; none has ever become a mere common immortal. The most outstanding was the third Immortal Envoy, who directly achieved the rank of Grand Supreme Golden Immortal and now holds the title of Immortal Lord—a rank of which there are only ten in the entire Immortal Realm.

The Immortal Envoy was, thus, accorded the utmost respect and even indulgence throughout the Immortal Realm.

Watching that old, deeply wrinkled face twist into a lecherous grin as he recounted these tales, Li Chengzhu couldn’t help but feel nauseated.

Cross-legged in the Spirit Gathering Array, Li Chengzhu felt spiritual energy surging into his body, while the power within the Nourishing Essence Pill rampaged inside, fusing with the spiritual energy from the air, breaking through and refining his rather narrow meridians. With every circuit, his meridians widened, allowing more spiritual energy to flow and be stored for future use. Although there was occasional stabbing pain, Li Chengzhu knew it was the process of spiritual power transforming his body.

When the power of the first pill was exhausted, he popped the second one into his mouth and continued his regulated breathing.

This round of cultivation lasted more than ten days, as his wristwatch informed him.

When he finally finished, Li Chengzhu opened his eyes, instantly sensing a dramatic transformation. If his meridians had once been trickling streams, they were now mighty rivers. His skin had become delicate and ruddy, so fair he could almost see the veins beneath. Even the slightest movement made his bones crackle and pop.

Delighted, Li Chengzhu exclaimed, "Ha! Now I’m a real master! When I return to Earth, I’ll just straighten my back and let my kingly aura sweep the land. Every petty villain will bow his head, beauties from all walks of life will flock to me..."

"That’s just the stench of not bathing for dozens of days," the Immortal Envoy’s voice sounded behind him at just the wrong moment.

Li Chengzhu didn’t retort, but smiled gleefully. "Master, what stage have I reached now?"

The Immortal Envoy examined him carefully before answering, "Not bad. In such a short time, you’ve reached the early stage of Spiritual Awakening. Congratulations..."

"I’m already a master?" Li Chengzhu exclaimed in surprise.

With a faint smile, the Immortal Envoy replied, "You’ve officially entered the path of cultivation."

...

Li Chengzhu curled his lip. "So, can I defeat that so-called Vinous-throated Parrotbill now?"

"In theory, you should be able to..." the Immortal Envoy said, stroking his beard.

"I’m off to get my revenge!" Li Chengzhu declared joyfully, leaping into the forest behind them.

The Immortal Envoy smacked his lips as he watched Li Chengzhu’s retreating figure. "But... the Vinous-throated Parrotbill is a gregarious creature, isn’t it? Didn’t I mention that? I’m sure I did." Shaking his head, he took out the digital camera, flipped to a photo of a beautiful woman, and chuckled salaciously.

Meanwhile, not too far off in the woods...

"Ah! Help! Damn, there are so many... Master!"