Chapter 1: The Crisis Emerges

The night was dark and the wind high, with all creation sunk in silence. Li Ji’an and the others sat cross-legged on the flying vessel; outside, apart from a few scattered stars not obscured by the drifting clouds, nothing could be seen. Within the vessel, however, it was as bright as midday.

Though their speed was not slow, there wasn’t the slightest jolt—everything was comfortable, and not even the faintest sound of wind could be heard at their ears. This left Li Ji’an full of praise for the “flying vessel,” and equally filled him with anticipation for the real cultivation world they were about to enter.

At the very least, this “flying vessel” allowed Li Ji’an to glimpse the “level of technology” in the true cultivation world; it was certainly superior to those fantasy worlds he’d read about in novels before, where flying swords even needed railings installed.

“Immortal Master, are all the immortals in the Celestial Realm as handsome as you?” Sensing a subtle shift in the Immortal Master’s demeanor earlier, one of the young women among the chosen cultivators seized the chance to probe, hoping to curry favor.

“Hmm?” The young Immortal Master was taken aback for a moment.

Yet he couldn’t suppress the hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.

“Heh… Handsome, you say? I never paid it much mind; looks are but a shell, a gift of birth—there’s no need to dwell on them.” Compared to the sharpness he’d shown in the Immortal Palace, the young Immortal Master now appeared much more amiable.

This immediately enlightened the chosen prodigies from the Celestial Dynasty, who had already regarded Li Ji’an as their senior brother. Now, seeing this change, they dared to speak up, each hoping to glean more information about the Celestial Realm.

“So that’s how it is—how shallow I must seem. No wonder you are so approachable, despite being so remarkably handsome. I am enlightened, thank you, Immortal Master.” The young woman offered a graceful bow.

Li Ji’an raised an appreciative brow at her. Among this year’s chosen, aside from Zhao Shuyao, nearly all had long since acknowledged Li Ji’an as their leader, following his lead within the Immortal Palace—not only because he was the top disciple of the Masters’ Roll, but also because his strength earned their respect.

He knew this young woman well: shrewd and calculating, she was a branch daughter from a great family, who had risen against all odds. Not only her peers—even some old veterans might not match her cunning.

With a few words, she elevated the young Immortal Master, laying a solid foundation for the conversation to come.

“However, the Celestial Realm isn’t quite as you imagine—not everyone is stunningly beautiful. It’s true, there are immortal arts to alter one’s appearance, but such things are illusory. A person’s bone structure is innate and cannot be changed; tampering with it essentially puts an end to the path of cultivation.” Seeing the chosen no longer pursue the topic, the young Immortal Master added this on his own.

“Cultivation? May I ask, Immortal Master, how does one cultivate in the Celestial Realm? Is our physical vitality the foundation for cultivation?” Another youth quickly picked up the thread.

The young Immortal Master looked somewhat displeased, but recalling the young woman’s flattery, forced himself to remain “approachable.” “You’ll learn about cultivation in the Celestial Realm. As for physical vitality… it’s of little consequence.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t matter?”

The chosen were stunned by this answer.

“If physical vitality has nothing to do with immortal cultivation, then why select the chosen based on their martial prowess?” Zhao Shuyao, who had been barely restraining her anger, couldn’t help but ask with some emotion.

In an instant, the young Immortal Master’s expression changed, and he glared sharply at Zhao Shuyao.

He didn’t know how to answer that question.

At that moment, he also realized he’d violated his elders’ admonition—not to converse too freely with these “ants.”

Under the Immortal Master’s fierce gaze, Zhao Shuyao’s heart tightened, and she regretted her impulsiveness.

“It’s naturally to temper our disposition, strengthen our resolve, and reinforce our yearning for immortality…” In the critical moment, Li Ji’an spoke up.

The young Immortal Master paused, then looked at Li Ji’an with newfound appreciation. “Indeed, in cultivating the immortal path, talent, character, and fortune are all indispensable, and of those, character is paramount!”

With that, he closed his eyes, unwilling to speak further.

Yet the minds of the chosen were in turmoil.

Physical vitality was irrelevant to immortal cultivation?

On one hand, it seemed their years of effort had been a joke. On the other, there was a faint delight—especially for the two whose martial prowess was lagging. They’d feared that, once in the Celestial Realm, their lack of talent would see them left behind forever. Now, things might not turn out that way.

Several of them glanced at Li Ji’an, curious to see how their leader would react. As the foremost martial cultivator, Li Ji’an had always been their standard-bearer; they’d assumed he would continue to excel in the Celestial Realm. Now, perhaps things would be different.

Dong Jiangling, who had always sat behind Zhao Shuyao, could not conceal his joy; gazing at Zhao Shuyao’s back, his eyes shone with hope. Ten years ago, upon seeing Princess Zhao Shuyao for the first time in the Immortal Palace, he’d been captivated, watching her silently ever since. It was only the presence of the extraordinary Li Ji’an that had held him back.

Now, things had changed.

“No matter how formidable martial arts may be, how could they compare to the immortal arts?”

Unbothered by others’ opinions, Li Ji’an kept his focus on the young Immortal Master, noting every detail—including the phrase “land abandoned by the heavens” spoken in the Immortal Palace.

Everyone else believed this “Immortal Master” to be a true deity, lofty and untouchable, but Li Ji’an was certain they were merely cultivators, and not of particularly high rank.

And when the flying vessel set out, he’d keenly observed the young cultivator take a quail-egg-sized, jade-green, faintly glowing stone from his storage pouch, and fit it precisely into a small slot on the vessel’s helm.

“A spirit stone…”

“If only Ning Sujin were here—at least we’d know if fortune or disaster awaited.” As time wore on and the vessel flew silently through the night, Li Ji’an, who had been on high alert, began to tire.

Ning Sujin, all those years ago, had sensed great misfortune when her cousin ascended to the Celestial Realm, and again when Ning Yutan did the same. This had left Li Ji’an extremely wary of his own journey.

Was the ominous sign pointing to the Celestial Realm ahead, the journey itself, or perhaps this Immortal Master before them?

As the sun rose and set, five days passed without their notice.

Sitting inside the vessel, they could only watch the changing sky, unable to see the ground or tell where they were. Still, by the stars at night and the position of the sun, Li Ji’an deduced that the vessel had been flying steadily northward.

Five days on, at the speed of the vessel, they must have covered at least thirty thousand miles.

“As expected, the so-called Celestial Realm is but another part of the continent, not some mystical domain above the heavens…”

Suddenly, the vessel, which had been so steady, shuddered violently.

Several chosen, who had not mastered the art of channeling their vitality, were thrown to the deck.

Li Ji’an, Zhao Shuyao, and the three others who had trained in external martial arts and mastered the art of vital energy, responded instantly, channeling their power to their feet and standing firm.

But this only made Li Ji’an more apprehensive. “Could this be the great misfortune Ning Sujin foresaw?”

In the next instant—

“Do not panic. We are about to pass through a sandstorm zone; a little turbulence is nothing to fear.” The young Immortal Master hovered in mid-air, drew a yellow talisman from his storage pouch, and activated it. Instantly, a blue-green water curtain enveloped the entire vessel.

The vessel’s motion stabilized.

The miraculous water curtain left the chosen in awe once more, but this time, the young Immortal Master gave them no chance to speak.

Li Ji’an, however, keenly noticed a flicker of unease cross the Immortal Master’s face—as if the sudden jolt had caught him off guard as well.

Before the shaken chosen could regain their footing, an even greater shock struck.

“Who dares launch a sneak attack?” The young Immortal Master, finally sensing a hostile presence, flew into a rage. From his pouch, a stone seal flew out and began circling him in defense.

Li Ji’an tensed, his entire being poised for action. “So the great misfortune was on this journey, after all?”