Chapter 2

The path of cultivating immortality is complex and diverse, with countless schools, but fundamentally it can be divided into two main paths: cultivating qi and strengthening the body.

Cultivating qi involves practitioners of qi, who transform their bodies by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, defying the natural order. Their cultivation can be divided into various realms such as Postnatal, Prenatal, and Ethereal.

When qi practitioners reach a certain level, they can use magical powers, control talismans and beasts, manipulate puppets, and wield magical weapons and flying swords.

They can even project their souls, roam the nine heavens, and after passing through several heavenly tribulations, ascend to the immortal realm, truly transcending the three realms and the five elements, becoming true immortals.

On the other hand, strengthening the body through cultivation is a legacy of ancient gods and demons. These ancient beings were born from the essence of heaven and earth, naturally possessing powerful bodies. For example, the great god Pangu, who opened the heavens and the earth, had an extremely strong body. Therefore, the great immortals of the immortal realm explored methods for ordinary people to strengthen their bodies like gods and demons. Through this path, one can achieve an indestructible body, boundless strength, multiple heads and arms, and the ability to regenerate from a single drop of blood, ultimately achieving immortality.

Cultivating qi and strengthening the body are both methods of immortality cultivation, and it is difficult to determine which is superior. However, both paths involve defying the natural order and are extremely challenging.

For ordinary people to cultivate immortality, it is a matter of the heavens showing mercy and leaving a sliver of hope for mortals.

For ordinary cultivators, achieving the Prenatal realm is already a one-in-ten-thousand feat. As for the higher realms such as Ethereal, Ten Thousand Years, Tribulation Crossing, and Earth Immortal, they are even more difficult to attain, and some are merely legendary.

Zhu Yu spent three days intensively studying the knowledge of immortality cultivation. It must be said that he broadened his horizons and gained a lot of insight.

He realized that he was facing a completely new world, one entirely different from Earth. On Earth, although his body was disabled, his intelligence was exceptional, making him a formidable figure.

But in this vast world of cultivators, with his strong body and unchanged intelligence, could he still stand out and become a powerful figure in this era?

Zhu Yu had the heart of a strong person. As a super student at South China University, he pursued perfection, excellence, and being the best in everything he did.

It was precisely because of this mindset that he became a super student.

...

In the early morning, as the sun rose, Zhu Yu held a small wooden sword in his hand, squinting to examine it carefully in the sunlight.

This small sword is called a "Peach Wood Talisman Sword." Along with the black robe he wore and a small black bag, these are the only few items of immortal cultivation he possesses.

The "Peach Wood Talisman Sword" is a magical tool, an essential item for every cultivator. In simple terms, it is a must-have for fighting, robbing, and raiding.

The black robe is called a "magic robe," which is impervious to water and fire and resistant to blades and swords, serving to protect and save one's life.

The small black bag is called a "storage bag." Despite its small size, it has a cubic meter of space inside, allowing cultivators to carry all their necessary items with them.

In addition to these three items he carries with him, Zhu Yu found a book called the "Longevity Sutra" on his bedside table. This is the secret of cultivating qi. By practicing the Longevity Sutra, one can improve their cultivation and lay a solid foundation for cultivation.

Zhu Yu has been practicing the "Longevity Sutra" for three years, and his current cultivation is at the Second Level of the Postnatal realm, which is quite low. He can only faintly feel a warm sensation in his lower abdomen.

He cannot even determine whether this warm sensation is the result of cultivation or a side effect of excessive hormone secretion.

Currently, the disciples of the South China Cultivation Academy are roughly divided into three levels.

The lowest level is where Zhu Yu is, with cultivation below the Fourth Level of the Postnatal realm. These disciples live in Building 103, and Zhu Yu estimates that there are nearly ten thousand low-level disciples.

The second level is those with cultivation below the Seventh Level of the Postnatal realm. These disciples live in the Red Dust Apartments and are the backbone of the South China Cultivation Academy, numbering in the thousands.

The third level is the elite disciples, who live in the Tiger Mountain Apartments on the back mountain. Some are said to have reached the quasi-Prenatal realm. There are 108 elite disciples, each of whom is a cornerstone of the South China Cultivation Academy.

From Zhu Yu's perspective, Building 103 is a concentration camp for low-level disciples. As low-level disciples, they have to undertake almost all the labor work of the academy, with very few cultivation resources and almost no attention from the academy.

The fate of most low-level disciples has nothing to do with the path of immortality. Their basic path is to spend a certain number of years at the academy, learn a skill, and then find a job related to cultivation, get married, have children, and spend the rest of their lives.

From this perspective, this world is not much different from Earth.

Dreams always exist and are beautiful, but they belong only to a few. Most people are busy and tired for their livelihoods, and life is not easy...

The Spirit Talisman Hall where Zhu Yu is located specializes in talismans. In the world of cultivation, talismans are the foundation of immortals, and there is a high demand, so the Spirit Talisman Hall has many disciples. To put it in Earthly terms, this major is very popular.

In the past few days, Zhu Yu has also seen some new things. For example, he saw a disciple take out a paper crane from a storage bag, with runes flashing.

The disciple chanted some words, and the paper crane grew in the wind, capable of carrying a person to fly.

On the main road of the academy, one can occasionally see disciples holding a jade base with a rotating disk, runes flashing, and a voice coming out. This is called a Sound Gu.

There are also magical jade screens for communication, storing real-life illusions, called Message Gu.

These various immortal talismans are all related to the Spirit Talisman, and even items like the Sound Gu and Message Gu can be made by the Spirit Talisman Hall of the South China Cultivation Academy.

The opening of the "Comprehensive Spirit Talisman" states: "The way of the spirit talisman is profound and vast. Knowing just a little can take you everywhere in the world!"

...

Slowly closing his eyes, Zhu Yu's breathing instantly became extremely peculiar. The "Dragon Breath" breathing technique recorded in the "Longevity Sutra" had become a conditioned reflex.

Closing his eyes and entering a meditative state, the cultivation method of the "Longevity Sutra" began to slowly operate.

However, Zhu Yu's attention was focused on the strange picture in his mind.

This picture is the "Pangu Map," which he was still seriously pondering in the last moments of his previous life.

The Pangu Map is the treasure of the South China Museum, said to be left by the ancient god Pangu. The map is simple in structure, consisting of two symbols: small circles and small triangles.

However, the simple symbols form an extremely complex and profound pattern. Zhu Yu first noticed this map because whenever he looked at it, he could temporarily forget his physical pain and enter a very mysterious world, with a strange sense of separation between his body and consciousness.

In his previous life, he suffered from illness and pain. Whenever he was in the most painful and helpless moments, he would go to the museum to contemplate this map.

He never expected that after coming to this world, the "Pangu Map" he had been contemplating would be deeply imprinted in his mind.

Through years of contemplation of the "Pangu Map," Zhu Yu had grasped some of its secrets.

His consciousness would follow a certain pattern in the map, and the map would seem to slowly rotate, leading him into a very wondrous state.

Everything was familiar.

Zhu Yu's body, now fused with two souls, was practicing the "Dragon Breath" technique, and the cultivation method of the "Longevity Sutra" had already begun to operate.

However, his attention was on the "Pangu Map." The circular picture slowly rotated, and Zhu Yu could clearly feel the spiritual energy around his body forming a vortex and beginning to flow into his meridians.

This feeling was extremely mysterious and wondrous.

Zhu Yu felt his body gradually becoming lighter, and his consciousness becoming unprecedentedly free.

Sitting in the cultivation room, his consciousness could easily leave his body. Not only could he clearly "see" every table and chair in the room, but he could also "see" the people on the main road of the school if he wished.

His body seemed to no longer exist, and only his consciousness was roaming in the void. This feeling was not recorded in any of the cultivation classics he had recently read.

It was somewhat similar to the legendary soul projection.

However, the comfortable and free feeling did not come with the weakness, pain, and fragility of soul projection. Instead, he felt everything was very comfortable and relaxed...

A single cultivation session in the vast world of China is one hour. However, Zhu Yu remained in a meditative state for two hours before he suddenly regained consciousness.

His consciousness quickly returned, and his body reappeared. His limbs became more flexible, and he opened his eyes and stood up.

He felt light on his feet, and his body was much lighter than before. He was overjoyed, walked to the window, and pushed it open. His vision became clearer, his hearing more acute, and his body felt as if it had undergone a complete transformation.

Is this what cultivation is?

The sense of well-being and ease throughout his body made Zhu Yu experience a sense of fulfillment he had never felt before.

After all, he had spent over a decade in a wheelchair. Now, with a healthy body, he was already overjoyed, and the wonders of cultivation brought him a joy and happiness he had never experienced before.

He excitedly walked around the cultivation room for a long time before he suddenly realized that his body was drenched in sweat.

His entire body emitted a putrid smell.

Zhu Yu understood that in the Postnatal realm, the body's impurities need to be expelled.

Zhu Yu lightly performed a simple "Cloud Rain Spell" to cleanse the dirt from his body. The magic robe, impervious to water and fire, and free from dust and grime, made him feel refreshed and invigorated.

He examined his own cultivation and was surprised to find that the spiritual energy in his dantian had increased significantly, almost touching the barrier of the Second Level of the Postnatal realm. With just a little more effort, he could smoothly enter the Third Level of the Postnatal realm.