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

After over a year of fruitless searching, Liu Xing calmed down. Qing'er must be hiding somewhere, refusing to come out. This silly girl, how could she be so stubborn? He decided to contact a cultivator first, learn the immortal arts, and then search for her. So he arrived at the palace. After two years of arduous cultivation, the emperor successfully reached the Xiantian realm and was now deeply grateful to Liu Xing. Knowing Liu Xing's intentions, he cut his finger without hesitation and dripped blood into the jade pendant.

In a mountain range miles away from Shangwu Kingdom, lived the Wang family, a prominent family of immortal cultivators. One day, Wang Shen was meditating in his cave when he suddenly received a message from his father, asking him to go to Shangwu Kingdom. He said the emperor had summoned him to investigate something, as Shangwu Kingdom was under his jurisdiction.

"I haven't been to the mortal world for many years. The delicious food in Jufulou in the capital makes me miss it. This time I can satisfy my appetite again." Wang Shen came out of retreat and set off happily.

Wang Shen was only seventeen or eighteen years old, but he had reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, showing considerable talent. He was lively and active, so his father usually did not let him go out, forcing him to concentrate on his cultivation. His father was the head of the Wang family and the only master in the family who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage. His father had high hopes for him and wanted to temper his temper. However, he also knew that cultivation required both relaxation and hard work. This time, he had successfully broken through the sixth level to the seventh level during his retreat, which was a hurdle he had overcome. He needed to go out and gain some experience, which would be beneficial to his cultivation. Coincidentally, the Emperor of Shangwu Kingdom summoned him, so he sent him to take a look. He thought there shouldn't be any danger in the mortal world.

When Wang Shen arrived in the capital, he first went to Jufulou, ordered all the signature dishes, ate with relish, and then slowly walked towards the palace.

Liu Xing had been staying at the palace for the past few days, and the emperor, evidently taking great care of him, had suspended court and taken a leave of absence to spend every day with Liu Xing. Currently, the two were sitting in the pavilion, playing chess and discussing statecraft. Despite his youth, Liu Xing possessed unparalleled knowledge, drawing on his past life experiences to offer the emperor numerous insights and suggestions on statecraft. The emperor was astonished, marveling at the immortal's immense powers and omniscience.

Suddenly, Liu Xing sensed a young man in gray clothes approaching them. His figure seemed to be there and not there, and none of the eunuchs or palace maids along the way noticed him. Liu Xing was startled, sensing the surge of spiritual energy within him, stronger than his own, and knew it was a cultivator.

So he stood up and stared at the newcomer. Wang Shen obviously didn't expect to meet a fellow traveler here, so he was secretly on guard and stopped two meters away, silently sizing up Liu Xing.

"The basic water-attribute skills are at the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining and will soon break through to the seventh level. It's a good level of cultivation. It seems that if you want to find our Wang family, it won't be the emperor, but you." Wang Shen said lightly.

Liu Xing was stunned. The other party had seen through his situation at a glance. He was indeed not simple. He hadn't been able to discern the strength of the other party's skills at all. He was simply too weak. So he immediately lowered his posture, greeted him warmly, and humbly asked for advice.

"My name is Liu Xing, from Yingtian Prefecture in Shangwu Country. Please forgive me for interrupting you! I've accidentally discovered an immortal technique and have been cultivating it ever since. This is the only way I can find fellow Taoists. May I ask your name?" Liu Xing bowed and spoke frankly. This wasn't a secret, so there was no harm in sharing it. Having lived two lives, he knew that first impressions were crucial in making friends.

"So you are a casual cultivator. You have achieved such a high level of cultivation through your own efforts. You must be quite talented, fellow Daoist. My name is Wang Shen, nice to meet you." Wang Shen was impressed by the other party's sincere attitude and his guard was lowered a little.

"Brother Wang is young and handsome, which makes people envious. Your cultivation is much higher than mine, which shows that you are gifted. The path of cultivation is broad and profound. I would like to ask Brother Wang for more guidance in the future and learn from you." Liu Xing observed Wang Shen's words and expressions and found that he seemed to be inexperienced, so he began to get close to him.

"Everywhere, let's learn from each other."

"Brother Wang, how about we go to Meishixuan for a drink? I'll treat you, and we can talk while we eat. It's a newly opened restaurant, and the food there is really good~" Liu Xing and Qing'er had been to Beijing before, and they had visited all the delicious restaurants. Meishixuan was one of the most delicious ones.

Hearing about the fine wine and delicious food, Wang Shen was a little tempted. Besides, the other party's skills were not as good as his, and since they were in a public place, he was not afraid of being ambushed. So, unable to resist Liu Xing's enthusiasm, he half-heartedly agreed.

And so, the two of them departed, hand in hand. Throughout, Wang Shen never once glanced at the emperor. It seemed as if the supreme ruler of the mortal realm was no more than a pig or dog in the eyes of these cultivators. The emperor, however, bowed respectfully, daring not to express any disapproval. During their exchange, Wang Shen dared not interrupt, remaining silent as a cicada. No wonder the ancients, at the height of their power, sought immortality. Perhaps it wasn't simply a quest for immortality; it was also driven by a greater desire for power. Liu Xing observed all this, marveling at the vast disparity between immortals and mortals.

This isn't hard to understand. In the eyes of cultivators, mortals are as weak as ants, easily crushed to death with a single breath. Why would the powerful demean themselves and look down upon the weak? Furthermore, cultivators have long lifespans, several times longer than mortals. Their knowledge and insights are several levels higher, and their access to social resources is infinitely greater. It's like the disparity between a billionaire and a pauper: why would a wealthy person stoop to the poor? Mortals are to immortals like leeks planted in the field or cattle and sheep kept in a pen.

The two of them arrived at a restaurant, toasting each other. With Liu Xing's deliberate flattery, they quickly became close friends, their arms around each other's shoulders. Liu Xing took the opportunity to inquire about the world of cultivation. Besides personal secrets, Wang Shen shared all his knowledge, including common sense. It was truly an eye-opener for Liu Xing; the world of cultivation had opened up a vast and magnificent chapter for him, one completely different from that of ordinary life.

"Brother Wang, do you know where I can obtain the "Ice Water Sutra" technique?" Liu Xing first had to solve the problem of his own technique.

"Ice Water Technique is a basic technique, available in the market. All major sects carry it, including our Wang family," Wang Shen said casually. His tongue was a bit swollen from drinking too much. Liu Xing suddenly realized he was practicing a technique he'd never seen before, and he felt a little disappointed.

"Brother Liu, why don't you join our Wang family? That way, we brothers can drink together more often in the future." Wang Shen took the opportunity to invite him to join his family, which would also increase the family's strength. He then kept bragging about how powerful the Wang family was, how his father was the head of the family and the Wang family's top master, and that he would definitely be accepted.

Liu Xing was tempted. He was new to the world of cultivation and a complete novice, needing to quickly learn and improve his knowledge. Joining an organization was naturally the best option. However, he didn't agree immediately, agreeing to go with Wang Shen to the Wang family to see what they were like. It was like a job interview in his previous life, where one had to assess the company's capabilities to avoid ending up with a scam or a sinister organization, which would ruin their life.

"That's great, Brother Liu, the Wang family welcomes you to join. We will set off tomorrow, and you can come back to the Wang family with me." Wang Shen laughed and was very happy.