Exploring Immortality Cultivation

The Seed Life Banquet began at dusk. Each Seed Life Banquet was held on a twilight after the Autumn Equinox but before the Frost Descent. This was a highly classic metaphor. On this day, farmers harvested crops, selected seeds, and then waited for the following year.

After a season of dormancy, the seeds would sprout. Ten years later, at the next Seed Life Banquet, theories and problems termed "Great Dao Seeds" would grow into new branches on the Immortal Dao Technology Tree, and their discoverers would become new Primordial Spirit Cultivators. Thus, for Tianling Ridge, this should have been a festival that occurred once every decade.

Well, it should have been.

The atmosphere of this Dao Seed Award was not so jovial. Many disciples of Tianling Ridge arrived with unexpectedly solemn expressions. Tables were filled with freshly picked fruits and vegetables, all special high-quality, non-resistant to disease or floods, low yield, but with exceptionally good taste. There were also opened bottles of Spiritual Wine, its fragrance wafting through the air. High-sugar fruits and crops paired with quality yeast made fine wines easily attainable. Additionally, free-range Spirit Birds were roasted and piled up on tables. Molecules vibrated in the air, carrying the fragrance of food. However, few people went to touch this bounty of table delicacies. Everyone was whispering among themselves. The high-order cultivators who came to observe the ceremony also wore serious expressions, subtly displaying their dissatisfaction.

Zhang Fengchun, upon entering the fragrantly ethereal spirit world, was met with this scene.

He was sweating profusely. The look from Wang Qi just now was no less potent than a Soul Shaking Spell from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, leaving him stunned in place for a long time before he recuperated his ability to control swords.

At that moment, a sneering voice approached him, "Hey, Fengchun, didn't you say you were going to beat up that arrogant guy to let off some steam? Looks like you're pretty clean, didn't manage to do it?"

Zhang Fengchun forced a smile, "Yes, that Chen Feng knew this area surprisingly well... Too cunning!"

He subconsciously hid the conflict that just occurred. If the person who defeated him with a look was Chen Feng, it wouldn't be so shameful. But to be devoured of vitality by a Wanfa Sect disciple of the same rank and then be instantly killed by a soul attack — saying this would be a disgrace to the sect!

It was known that the strengths of Tianling Ridge disciples were their robust foundational qualities, sustained vitality, adeptness at refining external forces, growing through combat, and advancing amidst fights. And now, he had been utterly crushed by a Wanfa Sect disciple in the use of soul power and Negative Entropy Force, his signature strengths!

Another person sighed, "It's a pity. I heard he was nominated for a Dao Seed Award this time."

"Hmph, there aren't few senior brothers who have had nominations, right?" another person disdainfully said.

"Every ten years, only five to seven get nominated." Another disciple joined the conversation, "He does stand out a bit."

"Heh, I've seen Chen Feng's results," the first person to speak with Zhang Fengchun said. "Too opportunistic. His intention might be unprecedented, but that's pretty much it."

Zhang Fengchun downed a cup of low-alcohol fruit wine. To prevent any potential belligerent drunken outbursts or vindictive actions in secret, high-degree spirits weren't served at such events. After mixing some ratio of alcohol in his drink, Zhang Fengchun's slightly trembling heart finally settled down. After some thought, he spoke in a mainstream appropriate tone, "The senior who made this decision this time was a bit too hasty in giving out nominations just based on the novelty of the idea."

From a distance, another female cultivator who was voraciously eating meat scoffed, "You guys are just sour."

Zhang Fengchun's annoying friend retorted unhappily, "What do you mean?"

"If they can't get it, they're just sour," the woman, who was noticeably older than the others and whose clothing bore the double helix insignia of Jiyin Valley, said.

Zhang Fengchun had already shaken off the influence brought by Wang Qi. He shouted at the woman, "Senior sister, you are wrong. It's just a Dao Seed Award nomination; I wouldn't be jealous of that trash."

"The results haven't come out yet; maybe he is the winner."

Another disciple sneered, "You people in Jiyin Valley just like this kind of new stuff without caring whether it's really true."

The group surrounding Zhang Fengchun seemed to regain its rhythm, chiming in, "Exactly. It's just linking some phenomena with pretentiously profound mathematics which gives everyone a headache."

"It's clearly not in line with the Life Path."

The woman became defensive, "What are you talking about? How is it not in line with the Life Path? The 'What is the Origin of Life' book mentioned that one should seek the Life Path through the thinking of Heavenly Material Circulation or the Transformation Skill."

"'What is the Origin of Life' is authored by Wave Motion Lord, he's from the Guiyi Alliance."

"That book might not be entirely right anyway."

Zhang Fengchun also nodded, "Life can't be pieced together just by some arithmetician crunching numbers! This is a Dao Seed Award, not a Dao Artifact Award!"

When he spoke these words, Zhang Fengchun felt a different kind of exhilaration.

This was Tianling Ridge, after all, not Wanfa Sect.

"Thinking mere computational tricks could win the Dao Seed Award, they're really underestimating Tianling Ridge!"

"That's right!"

This comment somewhat ignited a sense of shared outrage. There's no real way to compare different research fields among different Modern Sects; those studying celestial bodies might not necessarily be higher-end than those studying microorganisms. But, the lower-ranking disciples still had some competitive spirit.

Meanwhile, on the other side was a slightly more core circle. These individuals were mostly mid to late Golden Core True Disciples, who had already started doing research with their masters and even attempted to lead small empirical groups. Not all true disciples could reach this stage during the Golden Core Stage.

One pointed towards Zhang Fengchun's group, saying, "Judging by their talk, did Junior Brother Chen Feng return? Why haven't I seen him?"

"Probably hiding," another scoffed, "If I were him, I'd hide too."

"No, if I were him, I wouldn't have come back at all—it's just a nomination."

"Haha, indeed. It really is a pity for Junior Sister Ai."

"He was once a favored disciple of the Carefree Practitioner; he actually left the sect out of spite."

"Imprudent."

"He might still think he could win an award. Hehe, if he did win the Dao Artifact Award, what would the national player who first proposed the Yitian Calculation in Cangsheng have to say?"

Brothers in arms yet rivals indeed. It's normal for fellow sect cultivators to compete over funds and even research. However, a common target can really bring them closer together. Amidst a chorus of criticism, the atmosphere grew even more lively.

Until an old man stepped onto the grand podium.

Behind the grand hall, Wang Qi and Chen Feng were brought before the Heavenly Selection God Monarch.

Wang Qi was not interacting with a Carefree Practitioner for the first time. Apart from those he had only contacted through their incarnations, like Feng Luoyi, he also knew Master of Calculation Xi Baiche and Mathematics Lord Pang Jialai. However, it was his first time seeing a Carefree Practitioner from Tianling Ridge.

Every Carefree Practitioner has a unique Qi Intent. They could condense what they learned into a simple formula, which could then be used to deduce endless laws. However, the same formula could lead to different outcomes in different hands.

In the Heavenly Selection God Monarch, Wang Qi saw "accumulation."

Wang Qi could easily sense the elder's immense strength. This strength wasn't daunting, wasn't unchanging. The Heavenly Selection God Monarch's Qi Intent was flowing, was transforming. With each breath, the elderly would become stronger. Although the increase in strength with each breath was minuscule, a millennium of accumulation was enough to allow him to defeat any life being.

Mutation, pluralism, opportunity, uncertainty, purposive programs, historical data... These were elements not found in the initial system of the Yuanli Master. Yet lately, they had become indispensable concepts within the Modern System.

And the creator of these concepts was this old man.

Facing this elder, Chen Feng also showed appropriate respect. The elder did not look down on them because of their youth but gave them some encouragement: "You two, have done very well. When I was young, I was not nearly as impressive as you."

"Do not dare, you are..."

Chen Feng was about to be modest when he was interrupted by the Heavenly Selection God Monarch, "A height is a height. Even if you are standing on the shoulders of others, you still see further than them. Honestly, I don't quite understand that proof you all worked on, especially the Xiangyu Calculation part, but well done."

After a few encouraging words, the Heavenly Selection God Monarch went ahead of the two onto the grand podium.

As the old man took his place on the podium, the discordant voices in the crowd gradually faded away.

The Heavenly Selection God Monarch smiled and addressed the many disciples of Tianling Ridge, "Ten years have passed since I last stood on this podium."

"In these ten years, the Life Path and Heavenly Spirit Immortal Skill have developed so quickly that even I find it disorienting. I'm still familiar with drug extraction, populations, and ecology, but they too are getting strange to me. The use of Life Source Material changes every day, and there are new plagues. Sometimes, I worry that you cultivators of Tianling Ridge might cause a world-ending pandemic."

"As for the analysis of bloodlines, it's getting faster by the day. Indeed, when the double helix structure of the Bloodline Root first came out, this old man started losing grasp of life beings. When I went to study Geometry intensively with friends from the Wanfa Sect, a lot of the Bloodline Root fragments had already been analyzed."

"Every day, new fragments of Bloodline Roots are analyzed. Now, cultivating new Spirit Beasts and Spirit Plants takes only days, unlike in ancient times when it required hundreds of years."

At this point, the Heavenly Selection God Monarch's face revealed a sincere smile, "For this, I genuinely rejoice. Survival of the fittest, indeed! If you are making this old man feel increasingly unfit, doesn't that prove you are stronger than me? This is the Heavenly Calculation of the Human Dao!"

A surge of pride rose amongst everyone. It was the pride confirmed by the elder, and the pride in their pursuit of the Dao.

However, some also faintly felt something amiss.

"The Human Dao"?

Immediately after, their suspicions turned into the most dreadful reality.

"This year, two young individuals have cleverly revealed patterns to us. This is undoubtedly a new chapter in the Life Path and Human Dao!" said the Heavenly Selection God Monarch. "Tianling Ridge's Yangshen Pavilion disciple, Chen Feng, and Wanfa Sect, Geting faction disciple, Wang Qi, come up on stage!"

In a dead silence, Wang Qi and Chen Feng ascended the stage.

The Heavenly Selection God Monarch brought out two jade boxes and presented them to the two, "With these seeds as gifts, I honor your virtues of seed burying."

After completing the award presentation, the Heavenly Selection God Monarch asked, "You two, would you share your thoughts?"

Chen Feng was about to step forward, but Wang Qi took the lead. He took out a piece of paper from his chest, gave a slight cough, and said with a smile, "Actually, as a Wanfa disciple receiving the Dao Seed Award, I am quite thrilled and have written much I wanted to say, but..."

Suddenly, the piece of paper ignited without fire.

"Some pretty words are just a waste if addressed to certain people!" (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com) using recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)