I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

The Scripture Pavilion held an immense collection of cultivation techniques.

From the Great Founding Ancestor who swept across the land, to the subsequent generations of military leaders who traversed the martial world—one after another—they gathered cultivation techniques without cease for hundreds of years.

From the rustic Iron Leg Skill of the peasants to ancient tome of sects that had been extinct for a century, there was nothing they did not have; it could be said that they amassed the martial knowledge of past and present.

Zhou Yi originally knew his own aptitude and did not bother seeking complex methods, but instead focused on the straightforward and brutal Vajra Indestructibility Divine Skill.

Now that his talent had surged, even if it was not an entirely favorable situation, he had to first increase his own strength.

"No matter what lurks behind the scenes, be it an Immortal God or demon, I'll strike down with my halberd..." Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Zhou Yi's eyes lowered, his fists clenched tight, like a tiger that could choose its prey at any moment.

Xiao Liangzi was only a step away from achieving Innate status and was extremely sensitive to the flow of qi, perceiving the terrifying and ferocious killing intent emanating from his superior. His hunched body shrank even further as he lifted a dozen or so books over his head.

"Godfather, these are all the top-tier divine skills from the pavilion."

Zhou Yi flipped through the books one by one; the Epiphyllum Treasure Tome, Vajra Indestructibility, and Heavenly Sword Technique had already been mastered, and the Heartless Sword Art was also top-tier, but it had not been handed over that year.

Xiao Liangzi mustered his courage and said, "Among them, the Buddhist Great Sun Fist Scripture is the most effective at vanquishing demons and ghosts, while the Taoist Five Thunders Palm is the utmost yang and utmost rigidity, but no one has succeeded in cultivating them for hundreds of years."

Zhou Yi said indistinctly, "You sure know a lot for a little guy."

"I wouldn't dare to deceive godfather."

Xiao Liangzi knelt on the ground and said, "Five years ago, a malicious spirit came knocking, tempting me with a method to break through to the Innate level if I betrayed my ancestors, but I firmly refused!"

"Oh, such a thing happened..."

Zhou Yi believed only half of Xiao Liangzi's words; perhaps he did refuse the old deer, but not out of filial piety.

Having been tossed about in the imperial court for more than thirty years, the eunuchs who could truly be considered loyal and filial could be counted on one hand; ninety-nine percent of them were drawn together solely by interests.

This was also the reason why eunuchs could never compete with the Officials—they sought private gains and did not form factions.

Zhou Yi tucked the booklets into his bosom and asked curiously, "How did the old deer know that you were about to break through to Innate?"

Xiao Liangzi replied, "I'm also curious about this matter. According to what the old deer said, he attained insight into a method of Qi Observation from reading Taoist scriptures, which allows him to discern a person's cultivation level through their qi."

"Qi Observation?"

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow; he had met many genuine Taoist immortals while roaming the martial world, and none possessed such a secret technique. It was more commonly used by street charlatans to swindle money.

Xiao Liangzi continued, "I didn't believe it either at first, but then the old deer demonstrated Artifact Refining, claiming to have realized the cultivation methods of a Ghost Immortal, which would eventually grant him eternal life..."

As he spoke the words 'eternal life', Xiao Liangzi's voice trailed off, not daring to continue.

"Artifact Refining, pursuing immortality? Hmph, delusional fantasies!"

Zhou Yi scoffed verbally, but he took the old deer's abilities more seriously; if it hadn't been for the five skull block during the close combat assassination, his soul would surely have been obliterated completely."

"The old deer in life had not cultivated martial arts, yet in death, he spontaneously comprehended the methods of a Ghost Immortal, with an insight that's shocking to hear of, slightly reminiscent of my own innate talent..."

After a long while...

Xiao Liangzi heard no more sound and carefully raised his head to look, only to find the military leader's figure was gone.

...

The sixteenth year of Emperor Taichang's reign.

Winter Solstice.

The Officials left the court.

Zhou Ping'an walked and chatted with colleagues until they exited the imperial gates, where they bid each other farewell with a bow.

He then boarded an eight-bearer official sedan and ordered his servants to proceed to Tai Bai Tower, where he had arranged a meal with General Xu of the Capital Garrison and others to discuss smuggling salt and iron businesses at the Northern Border.

"Young man, that official robe of yours looks quite imposing," a voice suddenly sounded in his ear, familiar, Zhou Ping'an suppressed his alarm and lifted his eyes towards the roof of the sedan in the direction of the voice.

On the two-foot-square pointed roof of the sedan, an unbelievable sight—a youth of about one meter in length was hanging upside down. Observing more closely, the features of his face bore a resemblance to Ping'an's sworn father from memory.

Putting together rumors from the court and the martial world, Zhou Ping'an had a guess in his heart and bowed respectfully.

"Is it really father before me?"

"It is I," Zhou Yi replied. "It's been over twenty years, and you've grown into an adult."

Since the palace coup in the sixth year of the Orthodox era, Zhou Yi devoted himself to practicing the Heartless Sword Art, deliberately distancing himself from and gradually forgetting about the Zhou Clan, and had not seen his adopted son Zhou Ping'an since.

"Father, I pay my respects."

Zhou Ping'an confirmed the identity of the visitor, stood up in the sedan chair, and knelt to pay homage, saying reverently, "My achievements today are all thanks to Father's illustrious reputation, unbeaten in all the land!"

Zhou Yi asked, "How has the Zhou family fared in recent years?"

"Reporting to Father, ever since you left, there have often been vicious characters from the Jianghu coming to our door attempting to kidnap Grandfather and Uncle, but then there would be another group of unknown experts secretly protecting us..."

Zhou Ping'an briefly recounted the Zhou family's experiences over the past years, initially living in fear and trepidation until he passed the imperial examinations. Later, relying on the Inheritance from the overseer to rise rapidly through the ranks, he then deterred the common riffraff.

Now he held the position of Minister of War, in the prime of his life, and was certainly destined to enter the Imperial Court as a Chancellor.

The young generation of the Zhou family, having experienced the family's rise and decline from a young age and with high-paying tutors hired to teach them, were no longer like the useless generations before them; most had some competencies.

Some served in the Capital Garrison, others as local military inspectors, virtually forming a faction centered around Zhou Ping'an.

Zhou Yi, listening to Zhou Ping'an's recounting of taking charge of the Ministry of War in the fourteenth year of Emperor Taichang's reign and taking the critical step on the ladder of promotion, keenly sensed that something was amiss with the affair.

"Is the military defeat at the Northern Border in any way related to you?"

"I can't hide it from Father."

Zhou Ping'an, with a startle at the heart, dignified his expression before speaking, befitting the son of the head of the Eastern Depot.

"Having received Father's Inheritance, I have befriended the eunuchs in the palace, learned that His Majesty ordered them to supervise the military and urge the frontline to rashly attack, and immediately conveyed this information to the King of the Northern Defense!"

Zhou Yi asked with suspicion, "You have a blood feud with the King of the Northern Defense, why would you help him?"

Zhou Ping'an was originally the legitimate son of the Tang Clan from the Northern Border, with his entire clan slain by the King of the Northern Defense, a deep and irreconcilable blood vendetta.

"Once I entered Father's tutelage, naturally, I took the surname Zhou before Tang."

Zhou Ping'an stated solemnly, "The rise of the Xie family was all thanks to Father's support, yet when Father was besieged by Grandmasters, Marshal Xie ignored it; such treacherous behavior deserved to encounter calamity!"

The military defeat at the Northern Border resulted in heavy losses for the Imperial Court.

The Three Departments concluded that Marshal Xie was guilty of overreaching for achievements and attacking rashly, and requested that the Xie family, for three generations, be exterminated.

Emperor Taichang, remembering Marshal Xie's sacrifice for the country, spared the Xie family from the death penalty, only reclaiming all official positions and rewards, and with Tang Mingyuan intentionally making concessions, took complete control of the military power after several maneuvers.

Zhou Yi felt no sympathy for the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers, clapping his hands in approbation, saying, "Ping'an has done very well!"

"Father flatters me."

Zhou Ping'an asked with confusion, "Why does Father look like this?"

Zhou Yi said, "Our family has cultivated the Divine Skill in reverse, which allows us to shrink our bodies."

In the few months since he left the Scripture Pavilion, Zhou Yi secluded himself to comprehend all the Cultivation Techniques, achieving a deeper understanding of the Vajra Indestructibility Divine Skill, and the ability to freely control his body size by both orthodox and reverse cultivation.

Zhou Ping'an exclaimed, "Father's martial path is nearly that of an Immortal God."

Hearing the words "Immortal God," Zhou Yi for some reason felt averse and quickly changed the topic, "Do you know how Gu Xiao climbed to the position of Commander?"

"Others might not know the inside story if Father asked them, but I happen to know it clearly."

Zhou Ping'an said, "When the Gu brothers were wandering the Jianghu, they encountered a woman searching for relatives and helped her out of righteousness. After several twists and turns, they unexpectedly traced it back to His Majesty."

"After the woman recognized His Majesty and left, Gu Xiao secretly attacked and killed his junior brother, monopolizing the credit to become the Commander of the Defense Division!"

As he spoke, he carefully measured his words, fearing to stir up Zhou Yi's annoyance.

Rumors in the Jianghu suggested that the head of the Eastern Depot had become the Misty Wave Angler and taken the Gu brothers as disciples, only to inexplicably take action to clean house later.

Zhou Yi inquired, "How many people know about this affair?"

"Very few, and all are His Majesty's confidants."

Zhou Ping'an added, "I heard some fragmented news from the Internal Service, and after investigating the woman looking for relatives, putting the pieces together, I suspect that His Majesty might really not be of the Imperial Clan's bloodline!"

Zhou Yi detected a hint of excitement in Zhou Ping'an's voice and gave him a sharp glance, saying,

"Of course, His Majesty doesn't bear the Zhao surname, as it was our family who personally swapped the Crown Prince!"

"Hiss!"

Zhou Ping'an gasped, feeling an increased mixture of respect and fear towards Zhou Yi. He patted his chest to steady his emotions, and cautiously probed,

"Why didn't Father switch to someone with the Zhou family's bloodline?"