Forty-nine days later.
The countless blood centipedes in the Blood Centipede Cave mysteriously disappeared, leaving only the skeletal remains and a few swords and knives behind that seemed to bear witness to the past vicious reputation of the cave.
Chen Dengming, who successfully refined the Blood Centipede Gu, had completely taken care of all his worldly affairs in Nanxun Kingdom.
Equipped with everything he prepared for the Immortal Ascension Conference, he disguised himself and embarked on his journey in a modest horse-drawn carriage.
Around the time of his departure, people from the recluse large families of Nanxun Kingdom, as well as old hermits of the deep mountains and forests, began to emerge.
Even within the royal palace, an old eunuch left with two princes.
Despite setting off from different locations, they were all bound for one destination - the Misty Cliff in the Ice Wind Forest to the North.
...
The century due term of the Immortal Ascension Conference was nearly upon them. Dark undercurrents were brewing in both the court and the world of martial arts, but this was, after all, a realm that only a scarce few could reach.
The common folks still ended their day with the sunset and started their work with the sunrise, as unchanging as the ebb and flow of the tides.
When a wave rolled with the wind towards the big river, a group of fishing boats also launched on the strong currents, vying for speed.
Chen Dengming, donned in a wide straw hat and a black cloak and carrying a large sword on his back, blended with the fisherman's boats on a trading ship.
There were still three months left until the official start of the Immortal Ascension Conference.
But he would only take a month or less to reach the Ice Wind Forest, thus he was not in a hurry.
Standing alone at the stern of the ship, bracing the north wind, he looked at the distant and disappearing dock and choppy river waters, filled with various emotions which finally solidified to determination.
'Rustle—'
A blood-colored centipede the size of a baby's finger peeked out from his sleeve and crawled along his arm. Its black eyes gleamed eerily in the pale green light. With dark red color on its back and pale red belly, its hundred tiny feet tickled as they moved on Chen Dengming's arm.
This was the Blood Centipede Gu that Chen Dengming had successfully refined in the Blood Centipede Cave.
Although it appears to be no different from an ordinary centipede - just a bit more threatening with four wings - its whole body is immune to weapons, resistant to fire and water, and extremely vital.
Besides, its crescent-shaped fangs contain deadly venom, and its tail needle and poison sac can release toxins with incredible destructive power.
Watching the Blood Centipede Gu emerge, a smile graced Dengming's face as he took a piece of meat from his Gu pouch and handed it over.
The poisonous creature gripped the meat with its fang-like jaws and darted back into his sleeve.
"Forty years to cultivate one Gu, the Gu's success marks the day of accomplishment.
Refining this Blood Centipede Gu...finally made my Gu Refining Section, which has been stagnant for a long time, break through from the Proficient Stage to the Mastery Stage..."
Chen Dengming's expression revealed a sense of sentiment.
"Worthy of a Daoist technique far more profound than martial arts. I only extended my lifespan by two years when I broke through the ultimate level of the Innate Gang Qi technique.
But the Gu Refining Section, merely advancing from proficiency to mastery, increased my lifespan from 132 to 135 years. I've gained an extra three years of life..."
Chen Dengming was quite pleased. His mind focused slightly and a panel appeared in his consciousness.
"Innate Seventh Stage Martial Warrior[Chen Dengming]
Life span: 82/135
Martial Arts:"Chen Family Martial Arts Compendium"(Great Success 89/100)
Gui skills: "Gu Refining Chapter"(Master 0/100)"
This panel that appeared in his mind was the golden finger Chen Dengming acquired after crossing to this world.
Before crossing, he was playing a game called "Health Cultivation to Immortality".
As a result of the accidental crossing, he activated the special cultivation panel in "Health Cultivation to Immortality".
However, the panel was different from what he had imagined. He couldn't enjoy the pleasure of adding blue points. He had to cultivate each technique himself to improve them, and each time he learned a new technique or improved an old one, his lifespan would increase.
Although the panel couldn't directly add points to his martial arts or Daoist skills, as long as he practiced diligently, his proficiency would increase by one point each time he practiced.
This seemed like a reward system in a game, where effort would directly lead to rewards. It naturally strengthened his enlightenment, allowing him to have many insights and experiences during cultivation. As he rapidly improved his cultivation technique, he also extended his lifespan. Indeed, by practicing, one could prolong life and potentially even reach immortality.
Therefore, in the past eighty years, Chen Dengming could indeed boast that his accomplishments today were entirely thanks to his own diligent self-cultivation.
Unfortunately, no matter how many different martial arts of the same ranking he practiced, he could only prolong his life once, both at the start of learning and at each breakthrough in his level. The effectiveness of life extension would not stack up with the practice of different techniques of the same layer.
For many years, Chen Dengming had been pursuing higher and more profound martial arts, as well as hidden techniques, in order to extend his lifespan through increasingly advanced martial arts.
This perfectly aligns with the profound state of martial arts: it is not the wind flag nor the heart, but the relentless pursuit.
Like a cloud that leaves no trace, it falls into the abyss, deeper and deeper.
With or without his heart, his state of mind was like that of a cloud, naturally falling into the abyss, seeking a more profound realm deeper than the cliff itself.
To this day, he has combined all the martial arts he has learned to perfection, integrating punches, palms, fingers, legs, claws, knives, swords, and spears, to create the Chen Family Martial Arts Compendium.
At this point, no martial arts in the world, even the exotic and highest Nine Yin Nine Yang Secret Canon, wouldn't be helpful to him in extending his lifespan through cultivation.
This is because the Chen Family Martial Arts Compendium he created includes the Pure Yang Ultimate Skill, Innate Gang Qi, and Diamond Vajra Zen Dharma of the same level.
It could be said that among the eight innate level martial artists in the world, Chen Dengming's power level may not be the strongest, but he has definitely mastered a wide range and depth of martial arts skills. His skills range from the ability to create barriers of Gang Qi, perform delicately precise movements, and execute large-scale attacks with great power.
However, now that the True Immortal is coming, the so-called martial arts cannot compete with divine skills. No matter how strong the Innate level is, it could still be like a mere ant, and Chen Dengming didn't dare to be careless at all.
At this moment, very faint footsteps approached from behind.
The person who came was a master.
If Chen Dengming could only hear faint footsteps, then beside the Innate Grandmasters, no one else in the world would be able to sense them.
Chen Dengming did not turn around.
For with a slight 'thud', the visitor had already knelt halfway on the ground, and reported respectfully.
"Master, the first batch of Shadow Eighteen Guards arrived at the Ice Wind Forest more than a month ago. After searching the Ice Wind Forest for more than a month, we found no trace of any celestial presence, not even the Misty Cliff. We failed you, and ask for your punishment."
"Has it still not appeared?"
Chen Dengming pondered quietly, weighing his options in his mind.
He had gone to the Ice Wind Forest many times in his early years but had never found any clues to celestial traces.
He had suspected that the area was obscured by a formation laid down by cultivators, which could not be broken through by those who were not true cultivators.
This so-called Misty Cliff, was probably a metaphor for the elusive and difficult to find cliff, with the intention of cultivators mocking ordinary people from above.
Chen Dengming had believed that with the impending commencement of the Ascension Conference, the Ice Wind Forest would exhibit some special phenomenon, but there still seemed to be no movement.
"Anything else discovered?"
"Master, as you have predicted, indeed more than a dozen other forces have appeared near the Ice Wind Forest, also investigating and searching for the location of the Misty Cliff.
The eighteen guards have been following your instructions, keeping a low profile, not causing any conflict. Any master who tried to follow the eighteen guards to investigate your identity has been dealt with by the snake Gu you bestowed."
"Hmm..." Chen Dengming pondered for a moment, and said lightly, "Were you able to find out their identities?"
"So far, we have only found out about a few of them, which are the Nangong Family, Shaoyu Family, Wu Family, and one that appears to be from the royal palace."
"Oh?"
Chen Dengming's eyes gleamed with a rare intensity, and he chuckled, "These old foxes, just as I suspected... They also hold invitations. Tell the eighteen guards to keep a low profile for now, stay hidden, and wait for my next orders."
After dismissing his subordinate with a wave of his hand, Chen Dengming quietly returned to his bedroom on the merchant ship, familiarizing himself with the Blood Centipede Gu, lying low, refining his skills, and continuing his journey.
He knew well that this was a dangerous time, and he must not rashly reveal that he held an invitation, to avoid unnecessary troubles.
Because these invitations were not named.
Once the Ascension Conference began, no matter who you were, if you held an invitation, you could participate. If you didn't, even if you were the emperor himself, it would be useless.
So this invitation was extremely important, and as the eighth Grandmaster to enter the Innate realm, Chen Dengming may seem very vulnerable.
Despite being proficient in Gu skills and not fearing a fight against any Innate Grandmaster, there was no need to be high-profile and invite trouble. The lower you keep, the safer you are... it was the rule of the game.