Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

"Su, uninvited, would you please grant me the honor of meeting you, Palace Master Fan?" Master and disciple traveled millions of miles, using teleportation arrays between cities and flying when those weren't available. Even with a great cultivator guiding them, it still took them nearly two years to reach Guanghan Palace in the far north.

Liu Xing witnessed the beauty of a world covered in ice and snow. It reminded him of the scenes of Antarctica and the Arctic he had seen on television in his previous life on Earth.

Fan Suzhen was the Palace Master of Guanghan Palace and a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. She was in seclusion in a crystal-clear ice palace. Her eyelids twitched, sensing the presence of a master of her level. She opened her eyes slightly and heard Su Xingchen's call, feeling quite surprised.

"My palace is millions of miles away from Qianji Sect. Why did Old Ghost Su suddenly come to visit?" Palace Master Fan wondered in his heart, but he was too lazy to guess. He would know after asking when they met, so he appeared outside the palace to greet him.

"Elder Su has come to visit. I am sorry for not welcoming you in person. I hope you will forgive me." Palace Master Fan's words were as cold as the extremely cold environment, with an attitude that kept people at a distance.

Along the way, Su Xingchen had told Liu Xing about Guanghan Palace. The Guanghan Palace's disciples had established their sect in this extremely cold land, presumably exploiting the extreme weather to cultivate their skills. This made it ideal for ice-based techniques, and particularly for women. Therefore, the majority of Guanghan Palace's disciples were female, with only a very small number of males. Furthermore, due to their training methods, their temperaments were cold and aloof, like lumps of ice.

Therefore, facing Palace Master Fan's attitude, the master and disciple did not care, but felt that it was as it should be.

"Palace Master Fan, you are too polite. I am visiting today to ask for an opportunity for my disciple Liu Xing to study in your sect's Sutra Library. I hope Palace Master can make it convenient for me." Su Xingchen didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"Oh, is this the Master Liu of Qianji Bank who brought the treasure pot to Qianji Sect? He just broke through the Jindan stage not long ago, and in a short time he has reached the middle stage of Jindan. His talent is really amazing. Moreover, his magic power and spiritual awareness are so profound. It seems that he has also achieved great success in body refining and the three cultivations of essence, energy and spirit! Elder Su, you have accepted a good disciple. Once he grows up, Qianji Sect will rise!" Fan Suzhen looked at Liu Xing carefully. The more she looked, the more surprised she was, and she felt wary.

"Palace Master Fan, you are too kind. My disciple has made some small achievements. However, with your and my experience, we have seen so many geniuses, and countless people died prematurely. And how many of them have truly reached our level of cultivation? Not to mention the dream of becoming a god, the road is still very long." Su Xingchen shook his head and said calmly.

"The various sects haven't sent students to each other for many years. Does Elder Su want to bring up this matter again? Why waste time and energy? It would be better to concentrate on studying the secret manuals of your own sect's skills, which will be more effective." Fan Suzhen was a little confused.

"I don't have the time for that. My disciple is a bit special. He's drawn to Taoism through books and is determined to read every book in the world. And the largest collections of books in the mortal world are undoubtedly held by our ten great sects. That's why I've shamelessly come to each sect to ask for help, hoping to help me, his last disciple, before he passes away. Palace Master Fan is willing to grant me an elder's token, allowing me to study in the Sutra Library for a year or two. I'm willing to discuss the path to Divine Transformation with the Palace Master and share all my insights over the years." Su Xingchen knew that without some sincerity, the great elders of the sects wouldn't easily agree. So he had already prepared his bargaining chips. No great cultivator could resist the allure of Divine Transformation.

Although he hadn't shown any signs of a breakthrough in recent years, he had accumulated some experience and insights from centuries of contemplation. Perhaps some of his insights, even a casual remark, could touch other great cultivators. Therefore, they were eager to obtain the experience of achieving the Divine Transformation stage and would never let it go.

"Are you really willing to share your experience of becoming a god with me?" Palace Master Fan raised his eyebrows, obviously finding it incredible.

"That's right!" Su Xingchen said firmly.

"Okay! Keep this elder token. I will greet the elders of Shoujing Pavilion. You will be in there for a year and a half. How much you can see depends on your ability." Fan Suzhen was also very decisive. She immediately threw an elder token to Liu Xing.

"Thank you, Senior Fan, for the order!" Liu Xing hurriedly took it with both hands and bowed respectfully to the other party.

"You go in." Fan Suzhen was very satisfied with Liu Xing's attitude. The palace guard formation behind her automatically opened a door, which led directly to the Sutra Library. Liu Xing bowed to his master and walked in calmly.

"This boy is extremely brave! Elder Su, would you be so kind as to come to my palace and let me show my hospitality?" Palace Master Fan saw Liu Xing walk in without any fear, nodded in appreciation, turned around and invited Su Xingchen into the palace.

"Palace Master Fan, you are too polite. I won't go into the hall. How about we go to that mountain to play a game of chess and exchange experiences on the transformation into a spirit?" Su Xingchen did not follow her into the hall, but pointed to a high mountain dozens of miles away and said with a smile.

"Hahahaha, Elder Su, are you worried that Guanghan Palace will harm you and your disciple?! Since you insist, let's go to that mountain peak." Fan Suzhen seemed to have expected this, so she laughed and said sarcastically, then flew off to the distant peak first. Su Xingchen ignored her sarcasm and followed with a smile.

As the saying goes, one should not harbor the intention to harm others, but one must be on guard against them. Once Liu Xing entered, Su Xingchen would have to meet him outside the palace. Outside the formation, no one could stop a great cultivator unless they were at the Divine Transformation stage. However, once inside the sect, with the aid of the formation, it was possible to kill a great cultivator.

As long as Su Xingchen was outside, Liu Xing would be absolutely safe inside. Although Liu Xing was a rising star, he was only at the middle stage of the Core Formation stage. To the Nascent Soul elders, especially the late Nascent Soul cultivators, he was still as weak as an ant and could be easily killed, so they didn't take him too seriously. If Liu Xing were killed in front of Su Xingchen, he would risk the retaliation of a great cultivator, which would be more trouble than good.

Su Xingchen and Fan Suzhen were engaged in a fierce battle on the mountain outside, while Liu Xing was also frantically reading in the Sutra Library. With his vast spiritual awareness and the speed of a scanner, the vast collections of the ten great sects were no match for Liu Xing's swiftness, like a silkworm devouring mulberry leaves. Liu Xing, already a learned man, chose books he had never read before, skimming through them, forcing himself to memorize them without seeking to fully understand them. After a year and a half, he had thoroughly read the Sutra Library's treasures, and then he left Guanghan Palace in a slovenly manner, his eyes glazed over.

Su Xingchen met Liu Xing and saw that he looked lost in thought. Without saying anything, he bowed to Palace Master Fan and quickly left with his disciple. A day later, they opened a cave in the wilderness far from Guanghan Palace. The master and disciple entered the cave for a short retreat.