Not Even Envying the Immortals

She said, firstly, we were almost one entity.

If I died, her soul would scatter and perish as well.

Secondly, she hoped that when I achieved success in my cultivation in the future, I could forge a new physical body for her.

Under such a division of labor, I actually started to resemble the protagonist of a mortal world's storybook.

My cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and I even began to kill enemies above my own level!

But it wasn't completely smooth sailing.

Although there were obstacles, they were harmless in the grand scheme of things.

There were always endless talismans to squander and inexhaustible pills to consume.

Even at the most critical moments, she could risk the price of weakening her own soul to intimidate the enemy's soul for a split second, giving me the chance to deliver a fatal sword strike.

As a result, I began to make a small name for myself among the rogue cultivators.

Seven years passed like this, with scares but no real danger, with ripples but no huge waves.

I reached the Foundation Establishment realm.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator at nearly thirty years old.

To be honest, it was very average.

Perhaps my horizons had broadened.

Killing amidst the mortal dust, escaping from the flashing blades.

Where was the immortal bearing and Daoist bone?

It was nothing more than a desperate death struggle to break free from the current predicament.

The longer one walked on the path of cultivation, the more greed grew in one's heart.

Initially, I just wanted the sword in my hand to drink the blood of a great demon once, to bring honor to my ancestors.

Now...

I wanted to enter the Golden Core realm, to no longer be easily seen as an ant by others.

I wanted to enter the Golden Core realm, to storm the Blazing Fire Sect alone with my sword, and demand justice for myself.

I wanted to enter the Golden Core realm, to forge a new physical body for her.

I wanted to enter the Golden Core realm, to kill every single person who had bullied me along the way!

I wanted to enter the Golden Core realm, to add hundreds of years to my lifespan!

I wanted to swallow a Golden Core into my belly!

...

Another twenty-five years passed.

With the accumulation of time, her proficiency in various skills became increasingly masterful, and her help to me became more and more obvious.

Perhaps she had an innate talent for this.

Or perhaps, after casting aside the burden of cultivation, she surpassed ordinary cultivators by far.

In short, she was very formidable.

Even if placed in some large sects, she could easily secure an elder position.

And me.

A Golden Core cultivator in his early fifties.

Not bad.

Alone with my sword, I stormed the Blazing Fire Sect.

I forced their sect master to kneel before me, making him hand over those five people from back then.

Who could have thought...

That sect master summoned the entire sect.

And flipped through the rosters of disciples.

Finally, with a miserable face, he told me, "There are no such people in my sect..."

As it turned out, they had long died in some unknown corner.

The deaths of a mere few Qi Condensation cultivators couldn't even alarm their sect's elders.

Let alone the sect master.

It was laughable, really.

These five cultivators who had stirred up a storm in my life.

Had died silently like ants.

Other than her and me, perhaps no one cared.

...

Never mind.

To gain wealth and rank but not return to one's hometown is like walking in the night wearing brocade garments.

It was also time to go back and take a look.

The three-foot green blade in my hand had long happily drunk the blood of a great demon.

When I returned to that familiar yet unfamiliar small town.

When I stood before that familiar yet unfamiliar courtyard.

The one who opened the door was a somewhat unfamiliar boy.

"Who are you?"

In his hand, he held a brand new wooden sword.

The chirping of the cicadas in the trees was very loud.

The scolding voice from inside the house was even louder.

"Li Wangxian, are you slacking off on your sword practice again?"

"Have you forgotten the ancestral teachings?"

I had once faced a Golden Core realm great demon head-on.

But I had never experienced the suffocating feeling of this moment.

To be honest.

At that moment, even a tiny bit of what leaked from my fingertips would be enough to bring honor to his ancestors.

But I left nothing behind.

Too many people had died on this path.

Without talent, one shouldn't step into this sin.

"Sorry, I haven't been back in too long, it seems I've got the wrong door."

I left these words and turned to leave.

After that, it was just some stories with no real substance.

Victory and defeat.

Pursuit and escape.

Killing and being killed.

"This item has an affinity with me," or "Junior, put down that opportunity."

I had long been unable to extricate myself from this giant vortex.

...

Li Xianxian fell into a daze.

Without knowing when, he had already walked to the front of two lonely graves.

Traveling a thousand miles a day was not difficult for a Golden Core cultivator.

This was a mountainside next to the small town where he was born.

Two low mounds of graves appeared before him.

Tomb of Li Chengxian

Tomb of Li Dengxian

Without a word, holding the broken crimson sword that had lost all its sharpness, he walked under a willow tree not far away.

He sliced off a long block of wood.

Then, holding that block of wood, he returned to the two graves.

Using the edge of the broken sword, stroke by stroke, he slowly whittled it.

No one knew how much time had passed.

The rough shape of a wooden sword finally appeared.

He continued to whittle with focus, stroke by stroke.

This was exactly how his father used to whittle wooden swords for him back then.

A nearly transparent soul body beside him just watched him in silence.

Finally, she let out a long sigh.

And blew away the wood shavings on the wooden sword.

Li Xianxian stood up and patted the wood chips off his body.

He hung the brand new wooden sword at his waist.

As for the broken crimson sword, a piece was planted on each of the two grave mounds.

He knelt down and kowtowed.

"This sword has already drunk the blood of a great demon."

"I wonder if this fulfills the wishes of you two elders."

He looked at the soul body beside him.

"Help me set up a concealment array, this sword will be left here."

"Oh right, and set up a grave for me too."

Thus, a third grave mound was erected.

Tomb of Li Xianxian

"Let's go."

He turned and took a step forward.

The wooden sword at his waist swayed gently as he walked.

Engraved on the sword were three words.

Envy Not Immortals.

...