Stealing Immortal

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Sixty Years

In the twilight. Pavilions and halls coiled up the mountainside of the Tai Xu Sect’s Four Golden Peaks, resembling a long dragon.

In the small courtyard, the evening mist was thick, and a purple vapor rose. Under a large locust tree, four people in moon-white robes sat at a bluestone table and chairs.

At this moment, every one of them wore a bitter expression.

”Sigh!”

The one who let out a long sigh was Liu Jinyuan, his tone thick with helplessness. ”To think that Senior Brother Zhao and I have pursued Cultivation in the same Sect for over twenty years. After we part tomorrow, I’m afraid we won’t see each other again until the next life!”

”Sigh, you’re right...”

Besides sighing, Xu Yong’s expression clearly held a trace of confusion. ”But Senior Brother Zhao has only just reached Fifty Years of Age. According to the Sect’s rule of not keeping anyone past sixty, he’s far from the time he should be sent down the mountain. Could it be that the Steward made a mistake?”

”Ahem...”

Liu Jinyuan gave a few dry coughs and followed his pointed finger. A gray-robed old man stood at the cliff’s edge with his back to them.

Looking closely, the man was no longer young. His long hair was streaked with gray and was a mess no matter how he tried to tie it. His back was stooped, and the skin on the hand resting at his waist was wrinkled and covered with age spots.

”Hmph, what’s there to not talk about!”

Lü Yunshen had the most intense reaction of all. ”I say, as long as you latch onto a True Disciple, you can ignore the Sect’s laws and collude with the Stewards! When it’s your turn to be sent down the mountain, you just make someone else go in your place. Does that mean someone else’s Immortal Path deserves to be blocked by him?”

It turned out that the Tai Xu Sect opened its gates wide every three years to recruit fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds for Miscellaneous Tasks. Once they broke through to Qi Refining, they would officially enter the Outer Sect to practice Immortal Techniques.

However, talented individuals in this world were few. The vast majority would face the prospect of languishing until they were past sixty, only to be cut off without exception.

By the time they were sent down the mountain, their ties to the Red Dust would have long been severed. They were far less fortunate than their peers who enjoyed the pleasures of mortal life. A lonely wait for death was the norm.

Besides, which of those who sought immortality wasn’t proud and arrogant? Who among them didn’t feel they were just one breath away from success?

The old man they were talking about looked well past sixty, yet he was still able to remain here. It was because he had connections, blocking another’s Immortal Path so he could continue to waste away here.

”Sigh!”

The most upset, naturally, was Senior Brother Zhao, who was about to be sent down the mountain. ”I originally thought that after living in the same courtyard for so many years, there would at least be some camaraderie. But now I’ve been made the scapegoat... What a joke!”

Their gazes once again fell upon the gray-robed man.

This man’s name was Chen Qingyang. A Hundred Years ago, he had entered the Sect with the Tai Xu Sect’s heaven’s chosen daughter, Li Qianxue. Rumor had it that he was Li Qianxue’s childhood sweetheart, to whom she was betrothed. They came from the same village and were the same age, and it was only through her blessing that he was able to enter the Immortal Sect.

But he was a complete disappointment. His aptitude was too poor, and he was eventually kicked out, becoming the oldest disciple doing Miscellaneous Tasks on Four Golden Peaks.

That should have been the end of it, but there were always some Stewards who wanted to curry favor with Li Qianxue. Every year, they would tacitly arrange for someone else to be sent down the mountain early, allowing this old disciple to remain until the age of one hundred and twenty.

Such actions naturally caused widespread anger and resentment. And since it was now someone from their own courtyard’s turn, he was naturally scorned and despised!

Hearing the discussion of the four people behind him, Chen Qingyang couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile.

’It’s completely unfair to pin the blame on me. After all, just two days ago, I was on vacation when I was inexplicably transported into the body of this person who shared my name.’

’It’s one thing to have transmigrated, but this body is a full one hundred and twenty years old! And it’s the body of a mortal who hasn’t even reached Qi Refining, kept alive only by the Elixirs Li Qianxue gave him all those years ago. Its physical functions have degenerated severely. This morning, I woke up with such a tight chest that I almost passed away.’

’A dying body, the status of a miscellaneous task disciple, unable to achieve Qi Refining even at one hundred and twenty, and despised by everyone... There’s almost nothing good about this situation!’

’This person was tied to the Tai Xu Sect’s number one prodigy; he originally had a chance. But fate played a cruel joke on me, waiting until now to let me transmigrate. The situation is completely hopeless!’

Chen Qingyang slowly shuffled over, set down a teacup, and said to Junior Brother Zhao, ”I’ve saved up some gold and silver. Take it with you when I see you off the day after tomorrow... The road ahead is long. Take care!”

In his memories, these were things that Junior Brother Zhao had given him when he first came up the mountain. ’Returning them now is just giving them back to their rightful owner.’

Junior Brother Zhao slammed his fist on the table, his face flushing red as he remained silent. The other two were lost in their own thoughts, some mocking, others sneering.

’What can be done about it?’

Two days had been enough for Chen Qingyang to understand. This was a world of Immortal Cultivation. Disciples regarded the Sect as a Divine Spirit, while the Sect regarded its disciples as ants. Not only was the Immortal Path narrow, but there wasn’t even enough Spiritual Qi to be shared with one extra person.

’Relying on Li Qianxue is just like grabbing a piece of driftwood on the Immortal Path; it only lets you catch a couple of extra breaths. If that driftwood belonged to someone else, it would never have floated his way.’

Ignoring all the talk behind his back, Chen Qingyang returned to his room alone to sleep. ’If I can nurse this broken body back to health, I might still have a chance.’ Behind him, the four others commiserated for a while longer before dispersing.

*

*

*

The mountains glowed like fire as a golden line leaped up from behind the distant peaks.

Chen Qingyang pushed the window half-open, letting in some of the cold air and light. The mountains silhouetted in the distance all belonged to the Tai Xu Sect.

Four Golden Peaks, its name taken from the gold of the four cardinal directions.

It belonged to the Sect’s Kunyu Workshop and was responsible for the important tasks of excavating Spirit Stones, mining Spirit Iron, and performing preliminary refining and processing.

The Hongling Token workshop under its jurisdiction was located on the mountainside and was responsible for crafting the Dao Rhyme Patterns on Flying Swords.

This object was small, about two inches long, and shaped like an auspicious cloud. It was engraved with complex patterns used to carry a cultivator’s True Essence Will.

As a miscellaneous task disciple, Chen Qingyang had to work here every day and complete the crafting of four Dao Rhyme Patterns, or else he too would be driven down the mountain.

But ever since waking up the day before yesterday, Chen Qingyang found that he simply couldn’t do this work. His hands trembled uncontrollably. The only reason he had been able to get by for so long was again because of Li Qianxue’s reputation.

In his memory, she was a beautiful young girl who liked to wear green robes and always carried a Sword. Her eyebrows were very straight, which ruined the gentle look of her entire face.

She spoke bluntly, as sharp and direct as the Sword in her hand.

The last time he saw her was seven years ago. She had given him a number of Elixirs, but after that, there was no news. Or perhaps it was simply that they were worlds apart.

”Junior Brother Chen, if you’re tired, just take a break. If you can’t finish your work, I can assign it to the younger ones!”

The Steward here was named Wu Boyou. He had always taken special care of Chen Qingyang but never showed a pleasant expression to the other disciples, which spoke volumes about his character.

’On second thought, this kind of relationship won’t stand up to scrutiny. If the Steward ever realizes I haven’t seen Li Qianxue in seven or eight years, all the favor he’s shown me will turn into resentment.’

”Don’t worry, Senior Brother Wu, I will definitely catch up!”

Wu Boyou was a dark-faced, fat man. When he smiled, his eyes would squeeze into two thin slits. ”Why work so hard? If you’d like, I can make a trip to the Tai Hao Sword Institute for you and look for Senior Sister Qianxue?”

’She should still have some affection for me.’ Chen Qingyang had been thinking about it for two days, and this was the best way to break the deadlock.

’I’ll ask her for some Elixirs to stabilize this body first. Then, in the future, I can slowly improve my constitution through Qi Refining and truly step onto the Immortal Path. I wonder if this body with its abysmal aptitude will change now that it has a new soul!’

”Thank you, Senior Brother Wu. I will consider it carefully.” ’How can I ask someone else to get Elixirs for me? I still have to find a way to go myself. If that’s really not possible, I’ll have someone deliver a letter.’

He tried his best for a long time, but his hands remained uncontrollable. For a college graduate in the prime of his life to suddenly be saddled with such a body, even if he was mature and level-headed, he was bound to grow anxious.

Just then, his consciousness plunged into darkness. Before his eyes, an emerald-green Jade Talisman was emitting a golden light.

”This thing is called a Stealing Immortal. It’s an unearthed antique, fresh as can be. I’ll give you a deal, eight thousand eight hundred...”

It was when he touched the Jade Talisman at an antique stall while visiting Xian’er Mountain that he had transmigrated.

He was certain that this was what had brought him here.

Because on the night he arrived, Chen Qingyang had a very long dream.

In the dream, countless faces cursed him, spat at him, and spoke words of unwilling resentment...

He had counted them carefully. There were exactly fifty-nine faces, corresponding to the fifty-nine junior brothers and sisters who had been sent down the mountain because of him over the years. But despite racking his brain for a long time, he couldn’t figure out what it meant.

He had muddled through the day at the Hongling Token workshop, ultimately accomplishing nothing. The only good thing that came of it was that his breathing had evened out slightly.

「The next day.」

The morning dew had not yet dried, and a cold chill enveloped the world.

The red sun climbed to the top of the large locust tree. A few people gathered in the small courtyard to give Senior Brother Zhao a final farewell.

”Senior Brother Zhao, take care. Hide your money well after you leave the mountain. The women outside can’t be trusted; they’re just waiting to prey on us who have no family left...”

”That’s right. You’re getting old anyway. Just buy a few acres of land and live out your days in peace!”

”Sigh, I heard the price of paddy fields outside the mountain has skyrocketed. I’m afraid things don’t look good... You’re being sent down in your fifties. I’m really worried I’ll be in my forties when it’s my turn. Some people... it’s just not fair...”

As they spoke, they started making sarcastic remarks about Chen Qingyang again. Liu Jinyuan, in particular, was forty-six this year. Besides Chen Qingyang, he was the oldest in the courtyard, and his hostility toward him was the greatest.

Whenever someone from the courtyard left, everyone had to see them off. Chen Qingyang followed the tradition, pulling out the gold leaf from his robes. ”You’ll have use for these after you leave the mountain. Keep them safe.”

Senior Brother Zhao gritted his teeth and, in the end, did not accept the gold leaf. ”I was so close, just a hair’s breadth away! If I had another sixty years like you, I might have reached Qi Refining! If you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you be resentful?”

Chen Qingyang felt nothing. He just didn’t want to owe the man a favor for the gold leaf, so he forcefully stuffed it into his hands. In the end, Junior Brother Zhao accepted it.

At that moment, Lü Yunshen, standing beside them, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. ”Senior Brother Zhao, don’t be too angry. I heard from a Steward yesterday that the Tai Hao Sword Institute disciple, Li Qianxue, was attacked by the Yu Xiao Demon Sect. She’s been in a coma ever since. Even if she wakes up, she’ll be a cripple. Her status has already plummeted...”

’I don’t know how the others reacted, but those words struck me like a clap of thunder. If that’s true, isn’t my last hope completely gone?’

This body was simply too weak. His head was ringing as his consciousness once again plunged into darkness. The Stealing Immortal had appeared again.

Along with it appeared sixty faces and sixty figures, with the just-departed Junior Brother Zhao prominently among them. The Stealing Immortal hovered over each person’s head, absorbing a wisp of white flame from above them.

Then, small golden words formed and floated before his eyes.

[Chen Qingyang]

[Yet to Reach Qi Refining]

[Tai Xu Energy-Introducing Technique: (99/100)]

[Available Immortal Seedlings: 60]

Obstruct the Immortal Path, steal the Immortal Seedling; with a sixty-year cycle’s Perfection, the Great Dao itself can be stolen...

A phrase of sixteen characters echoed endlessly in his mind.

Chen Qingyang gradually came to an understanding. Sixty junior brothers and sisters—sixty people whose Immortal Paths had been obstructed—corresponded exactly to sixty Immortal Seedlings.

Hope was rekindled, but he didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.