The Modern Martial Immortal

”As long as we grow fast enough, then when the time comes that we can resolve dangers with ease, we ourselves will be the danger...” Li Hanqiu kept repeating Yaoguang’s words under his breath.

Only after a long while did he finally say, ”Well said.”

To calmly declare that he himself would become the danger... What kind of confidence did one need to have to say that?

And yet, when Li Hanqiu thought of all the miracles Yaoguang had created over the years within the Nine Cauldrons Sect, another thought arose in his mind.

If Yaoguang’s progress had not been delayed by artifact refinement and array arts, and had instead been focused entirely on cultivation, just how terrifying would his growth have been?

In Li Hanqiu’s understanding, cultivation bottlenecks seemed not to exist for Yaoguang at all.

What truly slowed him down were the stages that required careful polishing and massive amounts of resources.

But on the North Sea Star, resources were abundant, and top-tier treasures such as the Pure Yang Grand Pills and Void Dao Pills existed in great numbers. Those could easily carry a cultivator through stages that would otherwise require long periods of tempering and accumulation.

If Yaoguang could truly gain access to those resources, how fast would he grow?

At this thought, Li Hanqiu thoughtfully looked at Yaoguang and said apologetically. ”It seems like I’ve grown old and lost my drive. I actually started thinking in a way that was too conservative...”

”It was only because the upheaval in the Nine Cauldrons Sect during this period was so great that you chose the safer course,” Yaoguang said, hearing the meaning in Li Hanqiu’s words. ”In this world, nothing can be predicted with absolute certainty, and nowhere can truly be called absolutely safe. But as long as we become strong enough, the people, matters, and things that can threaten us will naturally become fewer and fewer. So what I need to do now is simply become strong as quickly as possible.”

Li Hanqiu nodded. ”You have always been someone with ideas, and the facts have proven that your ideas were always right. So do as you said. Go all out. If there is anything you need support with, just say it.”

”At first, I considered selling a batch of great divine abilities, but after thinking it over, selling a batch of great divine abilities would be inferior to selling a single supreme divine ability,” Yaoguang said. ”The value of one supreme divine ability could be dozens of times greater than that of a great divine ability. If we sell seven or eight great divine abilities, doing it that many times will inevitably attract attention. But a supreme divine ability... Although it would cause a massive stir, if we act quickly, complete the sale, and then disappear as quickly as possible, we can exchange it for enormous profit in a single transaction.”

”A supreme divine ability?!” Li Hanqiu was inwardly shocked.

He had not expected that Yaoguang even possessed an inheritance of that level.

But then he thought of the Primordial Creation Art... The value of that art was likely no lower than that of a supreme divine ability.

At that, he immediately agreed. ”This is the North Sea Star. Since we’ve already come here, can we really expect to live peacefully and steadily? Whatever we do will involve danger. We’ll do as you say!”

Yaoguang nodded. ”Before that, we need to make thorough preparations. First, you need to fully refine the World-Stabilizing Ring and the Void Disk. Second, I have a secret art to share with you. If you can master it, you will be able to completely conceal the traces of your battle immortal path and be mistaken for a genuine Void-Piercing Realm cultivator. Third, I will modify the Void Disk again to restrain the Dao resonance of this Dao Artifact, allowing its divine nature to remain hidden...”

He smiled. ”The danger of selling a divine ability usually comes after the transaction. If you can disguise yourself as a genuine Void-Piercing Realm expert, and in the end rely on a ‘spirit treasure’ to distort space and perform void traversal on the North Sea Star, then I believe those methods will absolutely frighten off anyone harboring ill intentions.”

”A genuine Void-Piercing Realm expert...” Hearing that, Li Hanqiu finally set aside the worry in his heart.

A true Void-Piercing Realm expert would qualify as an elder-level figure even in one of the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects.

A combat power between ten million and twenty million was vastly more intimidating than one between one and ten. That level of deterrence was enough to suppress the consequences of selling a supreme divine ability.

As expected, Yaoguang’s planning had always been comprehensive. He never got himself into danger without sufficient confidence.

They really should have given him more trust.

”I’ll follow your arrangements,” Li Hanqiu said.

”The East Sea Immortal Market, which is supported by the Great Shang Immortal Dynasty, has a fairly good reputation. Petty issues exist, of course, but at least they still care about appearances. That immortal market holds an auction every ten years, and the next will be in a year. That is where, and when, we will sell our supreme divine ability,” Yaoguang said.

”You want to hand the supreme divine ability over to the East Sea Immortal Market for auction?” Li Hanqiu frowned.

”Of course not. Though the East Sea Immortal Market still cares a little about its reputation, that only holds as long as the profit at stake is limited. If we let them put this supreme divine ability up for auction, the probability of it being switched out would be quite high, at least seventy or eighty percent,” Yaoguang said directly. ”The East Sea Immortal Market’s auctions are large in scale, and something worthwhile always appears each time. We can choose one item there and bid on it. Then, using the excuse that we lack sufficient funds, we can produce this supreme divine ability and openly auction it on the spot. That way, they will have no time to tamper with it. To obtain a supreme divine ability, plenty of people will surely respond.”

”That’s the safest method for sure.” Li Hanqiu nodded. ”There is only one year left to prepare, so there is no time to delay. I’ll go refine the World-Stabilizing Ring and the Void Disk immediately.”

At this point, he sighed with emotion. ”For a Void-Piercing Realm battle immortal like me to use these two treasures really is a waste...”

”At present, having you use these two treasures gives the greatest value for the cost.” Yaoguang smiled as he spoke. ”I’ll wait for your good news.”

Li Hanqiu nodded.

Yaoguang then instructed Li Qingshan, ”During this period, choose a group of people carefully. When the time comes, they will be the key figures getting the most resources for training. As for the others, they can only wait a little longer, or else follow their own path.”

”Alright,” Li Qingshan replied.

After discussing some more details, Yaoguang also departed.

But once Yaoguang had left, Li Hanqiu suddenly said, ”For those with only average talent, I think they should take the battle immortal path.”

”The battle immortal path?!” Li Qingshan was startled. ”Those people followed us all the way from Cangwu to the North Sea Star...”

”Even in Cangwu, the battle immortal path was the only road available to them.” Li Hanqiu paused, then continued, ”You should have noticed it. After this transaction, Yaoguang intends to use some pills to nurture that group. But that supreme divine ability belongs entirely to Yaoguang and has no connection to our sect. Although I contributed labor, and taking a share of the pills would not be unreasonable, our sect cannot rely entirely on Yaoguang alone. Otherwise, how would that be any different from clinging to him and feeding off his blood?”

His expression gradually turned serious. ”If we let some of them take the battle immortal path... then at least they can quickly form combat power and help Yaoguang to some extent.”

”I understand.” Li Qingshan nodded solemnly.

”And don’t tell Yaoguang about this either, lest he blame himself,” Li Hanqiu said. ”Besides... if these people take the battle immortal path and later prove capable of bringing out their own talent, then at worst they can switch back from the Nine Refinements of Star Ring. It may be more troublesome, but that is still better than living out their lives in mediocrity, doing nothing and waiting for death.”

”I understand,” Li Qingshan repeated.

The two soon began discussing the first batch of candidates to nurture.

Without needing to say it aloud, three whose abilities were clearly a little weaker, Lin Xia, Su Yaoxue, and Leng Jun, were still included on that list.

***

Yaoguang returned to his residence.

As the second most important figure after Li Hanqiu, he naturally had a mountain peak of his own within the Cloud Sword Sect.

Several hundred members of the Su family had also settled there.

Since this mountain had originally belonged to one of the four Crimson Golden Core elders of the Cloud Sword Sect, and its former owner had held immense authority within the sect, the mountain was filled with countless pavilions, courtyards, and palaces. It could have housed even tens of thousands without difficulty, so a few hundred people were nothing for its size.

Under those circumstances, having it inhabited only by the Su family felt especially empty and desolate.

When Yaoguang returned to his courtyard, his psychic thought swept out casually.

Su Yaoyu was recording something and looked extremely busy. Su Yaoxue was still cultivating diligently, occasionally asking Lin Xia for guidance.

Because of the gap in talent, Lin Xia had already reached the peak of the Unity Realm, while Su Yaoxue had only just barely broken through to it.

As for Su Yaoshuang, she sat alone in her room, occasionally raising her head to look outside, her expression filled with loneliness and sorrow.

She was not the only one. Even Su Yaoqin, who was usually so carefree, was the same.

Yaoguang quietly looked at the scene.

The destruction of Yaoguang World had not hurt him the most. It had hurt Su Yaoyu, Su Yaoxue, and the others far more.

The usually strong Su Yaoyu had numbed herself with nonstop work and revealed none of it.

Su Yaoxue, meanwhile, had only begun cultivating even more desperately.

With a single sweep of his spiritual consciousness, Yaoguang could tell that hidden injuries had already formed in many parts of her body.

She had trained so hard that she had ruined her body and her potential. Without being given pills to regulate her condition, as soon as she ignited the Fission Fire and reached the Heavenly Fire Realm, she would inevitably burn herself alive and perish.

And the reason she had pushed herself this far was obvious. The destruction of Yaoguang World had shaken her deeply and made her realize just how weak she was.

As for Su Yaoshuang and Su Yaoqin, they lacked both talent and capability.

Faced with a calamity that had destroyed an entire world and forced even the Nine Cauldrons Sect into flight, there was nothing they could do except suffer in silence.

They did not even dare to show it openly.

Once again, the scene of Yaoguang World’s destruction flashed through Yaoguang’s mind.

That radiance filling the heavens had been so dazzling. But...

It will be soon. Yaoguang said to himself. That day will come soon.

As for what exactly he meant by ”that day”, it was something only he knew.

He went directly to the cultivation room that had originally belonged to a Crimson Golden Core elder of the Cloud Sword Sect and converted it into a space that also served as a workshop.

In any case, the cultivation room was enormous. There was more than enough space to modify it.

Once the room had been refitted, he took out all the remaining spirit treasures and materials he had.

If he left those spirit treasures and materials unused, they would only go to waste. He might as well try again and see whether he could forge another Dao Artifact.

If they had even one more Dao Artifact, they would gain another hidden trump card. And when danger came, their chances of turning the situation around would be higher.