Immortality Starts With Investment

”Holy Spirits—motherless, fatherless mongrels, worse than beasts! I had planned to ascend to sainthood before killing you two. But today works just as well!”

Killing intent surged from many present. The first to step forward, a human prodigy, curved his lips in extreme cruelty, his face thick with mockery. He slowly extended a single finger, pointing lightly ahead.

In an instant, the hundred black voids behind him spun with dazzling golden light. Then sacred weapons erupted forth, cloaked in boundless chilling saintly might, like a golden torrent roaring out.

Each weapon blazed with blinding radiance, pressure rivaling the dreaded Extreme Dao weapons. Like a heaven-obscuring golden rain carrying world-destroying momentum, it hurtled toward the pair.

At the same time, the other pinnacle prodigies from various clans hesitated not at all and unleashed their strongest techniques.

”You two fiends dared slay my elder brother, leaving my sister-in-law to wash her face with tears daily, withered in grief. Today I shall obliterate you utterly, so she may smile again!”

One roared with bloodshot eyes as an Extreme Dao weapon thundered forth.

”I happen to lack a piece of Flame Heart Glazed Flame Stone!”

Another’s eyes gleamed with greed and resolve. Spiritual qi surged madly, forming ferocious spiritual beasts that pounced with bared fangs.

”Die...”

In moments, multicolored divine lights soared skyward, painting the heavens in brilliant hues like the apocalypse descending. That terrifying killing aura surged like raging waves, nearly scouring the clouds from the ninth heaven.

Oppressive might bore down like Mount Tai, leaving all present with trembling legs and quaking fear. Yet the pair before the teleportation array remained indifferent and unmoved.

Moonlight Saint gently lifted his gaze. In that instant, endless lunar radiance surged from all directions, summoned. Icy chill threaded through the moonlight like lively ice serpents.

The top-tier killing techniques hurtling forth slowed upon contact, as though mired in mud and growing sluggish. Each inch forward demanded immense cost.

As they neared the pair, speed dwindled further. At less than a meter away—whether saint-weapon radiance or destructive divine arts—all froze utterly in the void, as though bound by invisible force. As if time itself had stilled for them.

This sight widened every eye.

Flame Heart Saint, on the other side, curved his lips in a bone-piercing cold sneer. His gaze, like a materialized flame searing, swept the golden-haired man. A single meeting of eyes drained the man’s face of color, as though beholding the world’s most horrifying existence.

Before he could react, his body boomed like an ignited powder keg and exploded instantly. Then strange scorching flames raged through the void like a roaring fire python sweeping past. All in its path was incinerated to nothing.

The golden-haired man couldn’t even scream. He was utterly erased by the flames, vanishing from heaven and earth as though he had never existed.

This sight jolted every heart anew. Flame Heart Saint and Moonlight Saint spoke not, like demonic gods returned from the ninth abyss. Their forms ghosted toward the rest.

Speed defied imagination, like teleportation and traceless. Their techniques were utterly inscrutable and undefendable. Though self-severed and now peak semi-saints, the prodigies before them seemed mere ants, not of the same plane.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Full-power assaults struck them like stones into the sea, failing to scratch their true forms. Many attacks they needed not even glance at; those dissipated harmlessly. Yet their killing force chilled souls. Few among the crowd could withstand three moves.

In mere dozens of instants, the six or seven who had encircled them fell one by one with no chance to flee. This left every onlooker trembling. Though self-severed, they far surpassed ordinary peak semi-saints. Accumulated foundation and strength from saint days granted an unmatched advantage now. Their true combat power mismatched their realm utterly.

In this Immortal Path’s fourth realm, they stood as apex predators. Even the legendary Heavenly Emperor’s heir might not prevail. As the heart-pounding battle concluded, heaven and earth cleared.

The pair stood quietly, gazing indifferently around like lofty deities overlooking ants. None dared meet their eyes; all bowed heads. Soon, their gazes locked on one person.

Flame Heart Saint’s form blurred, transforming into a torrent of raging flame. With unstoppable momentum, he thundered forth.

The locked-on cultivator paled in terror and turned to flee. ”I haven’t provoked you—I did nothing...”

Despair and helplessness laced his voice.

Flame Heart Saint seemed deaf to it. In an instant, they overtook the man. Countless flames surged like overwhelming waves, engulfing him completely.

At the same time, a bone-chilling sneer rang from within the inferno. ”Your body bears an extremely faint trace of the Holy Spirit Curse mark. No doubt an ancestor of yours once slew a Holy Spirit. Today you shall repay that sin! The Holy Spirit Clan—born noble, nurtured by heaven and earth. How dare you lowly beings touch us at will? A pity our clan numbers so few. Otherwise, this world would need no human or myriad races; our Holy Spirit Clan reigning supreme alone would suffice.”

His words fell. The cultivator’s wail cut off abruptly, as though severed by an invisible hand. When the flames gradually dispersed, nothing remained, as if the man had never existed.

Chill gripped every heart present. The Holy Spirit Curse could even transmit through bloodlines, unstained even by descendants. This rendered the Holy Spirit Clan ever more fearsome.

Flame Heart Saint and Moonlight Saint swept indifferent gazes over the crowd like deities overlooking insignificant ants.

Soon, Flame Heart Saint’s lips curved in faint mockery. ”Don’t you wish to know why we entered the fourth realm? Follow if you dare.”

His words prompted exchanged glances among the crowd. Originally curiosity burned—what drew them? Thoughts of sharing the spoils. But after witnessing their terror, only deep fear remained.

None dared follow.

Suicide.

The pair glanced disdainfully.

Moonlight Saint spoke coolly. ”Let us go.”

Flame Heart Saint seemed more bloodthirsty. His gaze, like tangible blades, swept the scene. With faint regret, he said, ”That Heavenly Emperor’s heir dares slay our Holy Spirit kin—truly a heinous crime. A pity the master’s task takes precedence. Otherwise, I would leave the Immortal Path and obliterate him utterly to vent my hatred.”

With that, the pair shot westward like brilliant meteors, leaving endless shock and awe behind. The Holy Spirit Clan was truly too terrifying. Especially those self-severed from the saint realm. Utterly unassailable.

With intent, they could slaughter the entire fourth realm. Even the legendary Heavenly Emperor’s heir might fall short. Gazing in their departure direction, curiosity and anticipation swelled.

What treasure compelled two saints to self-sever for entry?

It itched unbearably. Yet against such strength, they had no chance. But a certain Unity cultivator huddled trembling in a corner, and now lifted his head. Gazing fearfully after the Holy Spirits, his unease deepened.

The Immortal Path imposed no realm restrictions for higher sections. Thus, clans stationed low-realm members at arrays for messages and supplies. Unity cultivators here numbered plenty.

The Holy Spirits headed precisely toward the divine mountain his clan labored to unseal. Though logically no leak occurred, who could guarantee the Holy Spirits lacked the means to sense kin? His clan still had two semi-saints there, heads down, cracking arrays. Encounter would mean instant death—no escape.

Panic seized him. He whipped out a special transmission artifact, voice quavering. ”Elders, flee! Holy Spirits approach—take another route, avoid them...”

After sending, he stared anxiously at the array, eyes full of hope. When would the Heavenly Emperor’s heir arrive?

Delay risked the Seven-Colored Nirvana Jade’s mishap—Lan clan’s efforts in vain. Yet even upon arrival, could he prevail? That too was the question. Two self-severed saints...

Could he truly fight them?

Time passed unknown. The Immortal Path array flared once more...

Two figures emerged calmly. The crowd, still reeling from the Holy Spirits’ shock, paid little heed initially. But upon discerning their appearances, gasps echoed everywhere.