Exploring Immortality Cultivation

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Lunar Calendar June 6, the start of the hot season. Except for the region near the Ice Sea in the Northern Territory, the entire Shenzhou was in the grip of scorching heat.

However, no matter how hot the earth's surface was, the skies of Shenzhou always remained cool. Bao Xiaoya stood on the deck of the Spirit Boat, her hands bracing the railings, letting the high-altitude wind brush her face.

Her brother, Leiyang Immortal Institute Teaching Assistant Bao Xiaofeng, emerged from the cabin and asked, "Sister, won't you take a rest or review your lessons?"

Bao Xiaoya's clear eyes brimmed with impatience, "Brother, this is just the unified trial, a mere Written Test won't stump me."

"Alright, alright, my sister is the strongest and most formidable," Bao Xiaofeng replied with a helpless and wry smile.

However, upon hearing her brother's flattery, Bao Xiaoya was not pleased and instead responded angrily, "Brother, are you an idiot? I've only lost once."

"It's been four months and you're still holding on to that?" Bao Xiaofeng sighed, "Speaking of which, isn't your target that Wang Qi from Xinyue Immortal Institute?"

Bao Xiaoya stated indifferently, "You have heard as well. A month ago, at Heart Inquiry Pass, Yangshen Pavilion determined through the Soul Origin test that he is a 'Banished Immortal'."

Bao Xiaofeng corrected her, "Statistically speaking, there's only a fifty percent chance he's a 'Banished Immortal'."

"Still, you should be aware of the Immortal Alliance's stance on this matter, right?" Bao Xiaoya replied with disbelief, "Better to kill the wrong than let one slip... A Grandmaster on the verge of Carefree level, and an experienced Carefree Great Cultivator. The pressure from these two should have been enough to break him, right? To suffer such a blow a month before the unified trial, I almost feel sorry for him."

Bao Xiaofeng let out a sigh, "Actually, I hope he can pull himself together."

Bao Xiaoya feigned annoyance, "What exactly are you thinking, brother?"

Bao Xiaofeng, leaning against the railing beside his sister, explained, "Originally, it was Senior Brother Li Ziye who gave his life to save him. If he cannot recover, I would feel that Senior Brother Li's sacrifice was in vain. That's one reason."

"Additionally, Su Junyu values him greatly... After so many years as fellow disciples with Su Junyu..."

Bao Xiaoya interrupted, "You just can't beat him."

"Looking at the score, we're about even—no, actually, your brother is clearly superior!" Bao Xiaofeng protested and continued, "Anyway, this is a comparison of insight between Su Junyu and me. That's the second reason."

"As for the third... I'm an Arithmetician after all, seeing a junior with such talent in Mathematics falter, I can't help but feel somewhat saddened."

After chatting for a while longer, someone on the deck called out, "We've arrived at Xinyue Immortal City!"

In the distance, a lone peak was enveloped in swathes of cloud and fog, its contours shrouded in obscurity.

The Immortal Alliance Main Temple, the Capital of Immortal Dao, Xinyue Immortal City, was also the place where the annual unified entrance trials were held.

After circling the Outer City for two laps, the ship from Leiyang Immortal Institute slowly steered towards the Cloud Mountain Mist Shield Array at the back of Xinyue. The clouds and fog in the sky automatically parted to reveal the true face of the premier Immortal City.

Several Spirit Boats were already docked in the sky port, each bearing the insignia of the various major Immortal Institutes.

Those who could enter an Immortal Institute were at least one in a hundred when it came to Talent. In other words, this was a convention of geniuses from all over Shenzhou!

Bao Xiaoya had been idly watching the scenery, but as the Spirit Boat approached the dock, her gaze suddenly sharpened, and her spirit tensed!

She saw someone on the dock. A young man wearing the golden uniform of Lijing Immortal Institute.

"'Little Thunder Emperor' Fa Xiong!"

Bao Xiaofeng lightly tapped his sister on the head, "Don't learn from the adults and start giving out nicknames. Even I don't have an official nickname yet."

"'Demoness' Ai Qinglan is three terms junior to you!"

"Cough, cough." Bao Xiaofeng pretended to choke, "I'm not comparing myself to that kind of freak."

On the dock, Fa Xiong, who had been talking to another disciple from Lijing, noticed Bao Xiaoya's gaze. His face, which bore a light smile, suddenly turned, and he glared at Bao Xiaoya with eyes full of immense pride.

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Bao Xiaoya refused to show weakness, locking eyes with the gaze before her.

In the moment their eyes met, a smile cracked through the air!

Pop! Snap!

Bao Xiaoya lowered her eyelids and said indifferently, "Fierce as Thunder in wrath, steadfast as a magnet in repose… a worthy opponent."

Bao Xiaofeng clicked his tongue in wonder, "The foundational mental method is Heavenly Song, complemented by the cultivation of the Thunder Battle Body. Seems like a good fight."

Fa Xiong's momentum waned as he spoke aloud, "Mana, ethereal and ever-changing, not confined to any form… Is that Miss Bao Xiaoya of the Bo Family up there?"

There was a hint of eagerness in his tone.

"Please," scoffed Bao Xiaoya, a natural beauty who had seen too many like him and suddenly lost interest in engaging further.

Just then, another Spirit Boat from the Leiyang Immortal Institute brushed past them; a calm voice reached Bao Xiaoya's ears, "Miss Bao, half a year has passed, yet your grace remains the same."

A young man in a blue uniform stood on another Spirit Boat, his Qi Mechanism firmly fixed on Bao Xiaoya.

Sun Sheng, Mid-Stage Qi Refining, basic mental method, the Heavenly Calculation Atlas.

"Sigh, you didn't get beaten into submission in December, huh!"

Bao Xiaoya snorted coldly, her Mana Power Intent blossoming forth.

The fierce Qi Intent collided in mid-air, and ordinary disciples caught in between struggled to cope, quickly retreating.

"My God, who are these people? Are they really in the same cohort as us?"

"Only those are qualified to compete for the five True Inheritor spots, right?"

"Oh heavens… so daunting!"

As the Spirit Boat docked, the clash of their Qi Mechanisms also reached the shore, causing many onlooking disciples to flee the scene in panic. Only Fa Xiong stood still, chuckled coldly, and then released his own aura as well!

Provoked by the three, the elite students of the Immortal Institute who had already arrived began releasing their own auras. They were all geniuses amongst Emperors, none willing to be outdone.

Bao Xiaofeng shook his head, preparing to intervene and stop the young hotshots from their foolishness. Suddenly, he sensed something, looking up into the sky.

Another Spirit Boat entered the domain of the Cloud Mountain Mist Shield Array. Soon, something floated down from it.

A melodious whistle resonated from the sky. Whether it was the disciples vying for strength or the panic-stricken ordinary ones, they all involuntarily looked up.

A youth with pale-colored hair descended with a sullen-faced girl from a Spirit Boat bearing the insignia of the Langde Immortal Institute.

Bao Xiaoya's pupils narrowed: "Ai Changyuan!"

A genius among geniuses, offspring of Yuanli Master, Ai Changyuan!

Fa Xiong furrowed his brows, somewhat disbelieving that the lethargic guy floating down could be the legendary opponent. Sun Sheng, on the other hand, excitedly gazed at the youth.

I must defeat you!

In that instant, nearly all hostility honed in on Ai Changyuan.

It had to be said, that one defeat in December had given him an "exceptional" air in the eyes of many.