Chapter 37: Immortal Technique

Chen Luo felt deeply uneasy as he was drawn towards the blue gemstone. The earlier inhalations and exhalations of ‘Invisible Touchless’ aura at the cave entrance proved effective.

The moment the blue light entered his body, these traces of aura provided a brief resistance.

This fleeting interval allowed Chen Luo to react swiftly.

He realized this force was too overwhelming for him!

Not just him, but even the ninety-nine royal brains within him could not withstand it. Only innate aptitude mattered; those with such aptitude were capable of cultivating immortality.

‘Switch to the Royal Brain.’

In that instant of clarity, Chen Luo activated the Royal Brain just in time.

As expected, upon switching, the destructive effect of the blue light vanished, transforming instead into absorbable energy akin to inner qi. However, unlike inner qi, which required active cultivation and gradual accumulation, this blue energy infused itself spontaneously without any room for refusal.

Upon absorbing the blue energy, Chen Luo felt as if he were floating amidst clouds, experiencing once again the peculiar sensation of leaving his physical form, now even more vivid than before.

He sensed an immense sense of freedom, drifting out of the mine and beyond the mountain valley.

His vision extended further, even capturing Old Man Tian and his nephew fleeing in the distance.

A profound sense of freedom and transcendence enveloped him.

Crack!!

After an indeterminate amount of time, a crisp sound echoed.

Chen Luo’s thoughts were abruptly pulled back, losing that feeling of immense freedom and ease. His mind felt extraordinarily weary, and his body became incredibly heavy, as if shackled by invisible chains.

The blue glow within the cave completely dissipated.

On the other side, Old Daoist Li Chen, who had been frozen mid-air, lost the restraint of the blue light and instantly crashed to the ground like a dead dog. With a thud, his corpse disintegrated upon impact, turning into pulp, while dark red blood seeped into the earth, absorbed without a trace, as if no one had ever been there.

“What a waste of knowledge,” flashed through Chen Luo’s mind.

He withdrew his hand, gazing at the shattered fragments of the blue crystal stone, feeling as though he had just woken from a dream.

“So this is an immortal technique? That sensation…”

Depleted of its last remnants of energy, the blue crystal stone crumbled before Chen Luo’s eyes, turning into dust and scattering away.

The sound jolted Chen Luo fully back to reality.

Attempting to move, he realized there was a strange delay between his thoughts and physical actions.

Two seconds after forming this thought, his body finally began to move.

Not only that, but the meridians within him seemed strained from absorbing excessive energy, resulting in widespread damage. Internally, several areas were bleeding profusely. From a martial perspective, he had sustained grave injuries with little hope of recovery. Yet miraculously, instead of feeling near death, he sensed an inexhaustible surge of strength.

“Must leave this place first.”

Chen Luo fought through the dizziness, unsteadily guiding his body towards the cave entrance.

He hadn’t forgotten the unusual phenomena when entering the mine; it was crucial to escape before others arrived.

Fortunately, the journey out remained uneventful.

Once outside the mine, Chen Luo oriented himself, recalling the direction where Old Man Tian and his nephew were last seen, and staggered towards them.

It was imperative to get as far away as possible. This area would soon become the epicenter of chaos.

‘Wonder where that sword-wielding Zongshi’s head ended up? What a waste.’

Despite the difficulty in moving, Chen Luo’s mind was incredibly alert. He even found himself distracted by the mountain valley scenery, contemplating what to eat the next morning.

Soon after Chen Luo left, more people arrived at the mountain valley.

A cacophony of sounds ensued, escalating into clashes of blades and fierce battles among jianghu factions.

Numerous forces engaged in a decisive confrontation.

The death toll among travelers was unknown, and it remained unclear who managed to breach the area or who emerged victorious. Eventually, the imperial court seized control, declaring the entire region off-limits with orders to kill any trespassers on sight.

Chen Luo continued fleeing eastward, unsure how long he had been walking, until he finally spotted the backs of Old Man Tian and his three nephews.

Hearing the commotion, they turned around, and Old Man Tian couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

“Great Hero?”

“How badly injured you are! Did you encounter those bandits?”

By now, Chen Luo’s vision had doubled, each step feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds. Upon hearing familiar voices, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and help him!” Old Man Tian rushed over to support Chen Luo, noticing his nephew and the Fang Shan brothers still standing idly nearby, prompting him to bellow impatiently.

“Fifth Uncle, we barely know this guy; there’s no need to get involved in such trouble.” Tian Daniu seemed reluctant to assist.

In his view, Chen Luo was nothing but trouble. The safest course of action would be to leave him behind, letting nature take its course. That way, any subsequent vendettas within the jianghu would have nothing to do with them.

“Bullshit! If it weren’t for the great hero’s protection earlier, you’d already be dead, boy! And you two, lacking even the basic gratitude for someone who saved your lives—how did you grow up so ungrateful?!” Old Man Tian unleashed a torrent of scathing words, leaving Tian Daniu and the Fang Shan brothers red-faced with embarrassment. Eventually, they joined him in aiding Chen Luo.

Despite appearing unconscious, Chen Luo observed everything unfolding before him. He wasn’t truly faint; rather, his body and spirit were severely out of sync due to the aftereffects of absorbing the blue gemstone. It would require time for recovery.

Half a day later.

With their help, Chen Luo reached a nearby small village. Using the money Chen Luo had given him earlier, Old Man Tian purchased a cow and fashioned a simple cart. They loaded Chen Luo onto it and continued towards another village.

Along the way, they encountered numerous skilled warriors from the jianghu.

As they traveled, figures moved swiftly like gusts of wind, passing overhead and converging towards the mountain valley from which Chen Luo had escaped. Occasionally, someone would stop them to inquire, but upon seeing their attire and strength level, they were promptly allowed to continue.

To these travelers, Chen Luo appeared as a gravely ill man on the brink of death, resembling a consumptive specter.

Even seasoned jianghu dwellers avoided close contact with such individuals, fearing infection.

Two more days passed this way.

The group finally left the vicinity of the mountain valley entirely and returned to Yanzi Ridge.

With familiar terrain ahead, driving the ox cart became less arduous.

“Fifth Uncle, do you think he’s already dead?” Fang Cun asked, sitting at the back of the cart and watching Chen Luo lying unconscious amidst the straw.

Since falling into his coma, Chen Luo hadn’t stirred once. Blood occasionally seeped from his mouth and nose, and if not for his faint heartbeat, they might have assumed him long gone.

“Dead or alive, we must deliver him,” replied Old Man Tian, who was guiding the ox cart.

Old Man Tian, driving the ox cart up front, heard the question and glanced back. He vividly remembered Chen Luo’s stated destination when placing his order, never forgetting it.

“As humans, integrity is paramount; one must clearly distinguish between gratitude and grievances. Otherwise, what sets us apart from heartless beasts?” As he spoke, Old Man Tian swiftly delivered a slap to his nephew’s face. Tian Daniu’s selfish remark earlier had greatly displeased him.

He felt that his elder brother hadn’t properly educated their nephew, leading to skewed values.

“Fifth Uncle, I truly know I was wrong, but any more slaps and I might lose my wits,” pleaded Tian Daniu, feeling unfairly treated. His cautionary words were meant for safety, so how did they turn into accusations of being heartless in Fifth Uncle’s eyes?

Given the situation earlier, as ordinary individuals with no martial skills, they had no means to intervene effectively. Encountering just one traveler could have put them all at risk. In such circumstances, considering their own safety was a natural response, and Tian Daniu believed he was justified in his concern.

Even now, he held onto this belief. However, he couldn’t express it to Fifth Uncle, fearing further punishment.