I Secretly Cultivate Immortality in the Martial Arts World

Ji ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Xuanjun took a deep breath and cupped his fists. “Good! Then this poor Daoist will experience fellow Daoist’s profound techniques!”

As ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his voice fell, he stepped back and flipped his right hand.

A ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍long sword appeared out of thin air.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sword was entirely emerald-green, and a thumb-sized lightning-attributed spirit stone was embedded in its hilt.

It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a supreme-grade magic treasure, the Thunderbolt Sword.

Ji ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xuanjun stood with the sword in hand, and the aura around his body suddenly surged.

Peak of Great Ascension!

That pressure was like a tangible force, instantly enveloping a hundred-li radius.

Birds in the mountains took flight in fright, beasts in the forest fled in panic.

Even thirty li away at the Azure Wave Sect, quite a number of disciples sensed that pressure, raising their heads toward this direction with fear on their faces.

Holding the Thunderbolt Sword, Ji Xuanjun looked at Nether Soul and said in a deep voice, “Fellow Daoist, please!”

Nether Soul looked at him and nodded.

He raised his right hand.

No hand seals.

No incantations.

No use of any grand divine ability.

He simply raised his right hand plainly, his five fingers slightly spread.

In the next instant, a ray of light emerged from his palm.

That light flowed with five colors, yin and yang interweaving.

It was precisely the technique his true body, Gu Yan, had once learned from the Grand Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture—the Little Five Elements Yin-Yang Primordial Magnetic Divine Light.

Back then, it was also this move that had destroyed Ling Wuchen’s physical body.

Now, Nether Soul used this move once again.

The same technique.

The same casual ease.

And this time, he did not even use a fraction of his strength.

Yet in that instant, Ji Xuanjun’s expression changed drastically.

He felt his sword, his magic power, his divine soul—all locked onto by an invisible force.

That force was everywhere.

It was as if heaven and earth themselves were rejecting him.

He wanted to raise his sword to defend, but found that he did not even have the strength to lift it.

He wanted to circulate his spiritual power, but discovered that the spiritual power within his body had frozen, completely unresponsive.

He wanted to open his mouth to admit defeat, but no sound came out.

He could only watch helplessly as that five-colored light drew closer.

Closer and closer.

Until it finally stopped in front of him, less than three inches from his forehead.

The light dissipated.

Nether Soul withdrew his hand and smiled. “You concede.”

Ji Xuanjun stood where he was, completely motionless.

A fine layer of cold sweat seeped out across his forehead.

His back was already soaked through.

In that instant just now, he had truly felt death.

He felt as if his divine soul was trembling, as though in the next moment it would completely dissipate between heaven and earth.

If that five-colored light had advanced another inch, he would undoubtedly have died.

No—both body and soul would have been annihilated, leaving nothing behind.

Ji Xuanjun took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart. He cupped his fists and gave a deep bow. “Many thanks, Senior, for showing mercy!”

His voice carried a trace of trembling, his tone incomparably respectful:

“If Senior had not withdrawn in time, this poor Daoist would either have died today or been gravely injured. This great kindness, I will remember in my heart!”

At the side, Ling Wuchen was already completely stunned.

He stared blankly at Nether Soul, then at Ji Xuanjun, his mind utterly blank.

That scene from back then surfaced once more before his eyes.

The same five-colored light.

The same casual ease.

The same descent of death.

Only, back then, he had not had Ji Xuanjun’s good fortune.

That move had directly destroyed his physical body.

If not for a life-saving secret technique, he would have long since died beyond all doubt.

Ling Wuchen subconsciously touched his chest.

Although it was now a new body, that fear, that despair, that moment of death descending—remained etched deep within his soul.

The way he looked at Nether Soul became even more complex.

There was reverence.

There was fear.

And a trace of something indescribable... relief?

Nether Soul glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, “You may go back.”

“Do not speak of this matter to others.”

“I will not speak of it either.”

“This level of sparring holds no interest for me.”

After speaking, he turned and prepared to leave.

That back figure, in the eyes of the two, was like an insurmountable mountain.

As Ji Xuanjun looked at that figure, a sudden impulse surged within him.

He gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and bowed as he asked:

“Senior, please wait!”

Nether Soul paused, but did not turn back.

Ji Xuanjun took a deep breath and said in a solemn voice, “May I ask, Senior... what is your true identity?”

“Could you inform me of your true title?”

Nether Soul was silent for a moment, then continued walking forward without turning his head.

Only one sentence drifted back on the wind:

“Nether Soul.”

Ji Xuanjun stood frozen in place, repeatedly muttering those two words, “Nether Soul... Nether Soul...”

He frowned, searching through all the memories in his mind, yet found no information about this name.

All the renowned great powers in the Spirit Realm—he had heard of them.

Those old monsters at the Tribulation Crossing Realm—he had more or less interacted with them.

But Nether Soul?

Never heard of him.

Could it be some reclusive senior who never emerged?

Or someone who had descended from the Immortal Realm?

As Ji Xuanjun was thinking, Ling Wuchen walked over beside him.

“Senior, don’t think too much about it.”

Ji Xuanjun turned to look at him.

Ling Wuchen gave a bitter smile. “Back then, I had it even worse than you.”

“I was directly killed in one move by this Senior, my physical body completely destroyed.”

“Yours is already fortunate—you at least weren’t injured.”

Hearing this, Ji Xuanjun’s mouth twitched.

He looked at Ling Wuchen and gave a bitter smile. “Hearing you say that, I do feel a bit more balanced.”

“But I am, after all, at the peak of Great Ascension. I thought that even if I were no match, I could at least exchange a few moves.”

“In the end, I couldn’t even withstand a single move, nor could I even defend...”

He shook his head, his tone complicated:

“I have cultivated for three thousand years, and have always believed my sword dao to be accomplished.”

“Only today do I understand what it means that there is always a higher heaven beyond heaven, and stronger people beyond people.”

Ling Wuchen was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Senior need not belittle yourself.”

The two looked at each other and both gave bitter smiles.

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