Chapter 768: Advancing to Xuanxian

After amassing 8,000 Xuanxian-level Immortal Infant Fruits, Su Che’s subordinates at the Golden Immortal level would say the same words to every Golden Immortal in the later stages who came to deliver the fruits:
“From now on, Xuanxian-level sacrifices are no longer needed. Please return here in a hundred years, and we will have another business deal to discuss with you.”
Since this was said to everyone, why did Su Che make such a decision?
Firstly, having 6,000 Xuanxian-level Immortal Infant Fruits was sufficient for Su Che to quickly advance to the early Xuanxian stage. But after reaching Xuanxian, consuming more of these fruits would lose their effectiveness, at which point he would need to use Golden Immortal-level Immortal Infant Fruits instead.
The remaining 2,000 Xuanxian fruits served as a backup, possibly to be given to relatives and friends in the Immortal Prison in the future, though not in large quantities—these were enough.
Secondly, the reason for asking these Golden Immortals to return in a hundred years was due to another plan.
A hundred years of cultivation could pass in the blink of an eye, and the answer to this would soon be revealed…
The days of continuous cultivation began, with Su Che consuming one Xuanxian fruit every six or seven days, causing his cultivation level to rise at an astonishing pace.
At the same time, he needed to integrate a large amount of pure soul energy to strengthen his primordial spirit. The Immortal Essence realm and the primordial spirit realm had to progress together; neither could be neglected.
The cultivation methods of the Path of Shadows were transmitted to various planets in the Immortal Prison through ingenious means. More and more ordinary beings began to practice these accessible techniques, allowing everyone to gain the opportunity to cultivate.
Through cultivation, ordinary beings could prolong their lives and strengthen their bodies and minds. After generations passed and those whose natural lifespans ended died, the soul energy accumulated from their cultivation dissipated into the Immortal Prison space, turning into pure soul energy needed by Su Che, the ruler.
This mutually beneficial cycle would continue to expand.
One year, ten years, twenty years…
The days of cultivation were peaceful and monotonous, but Su Che never found them dull. With his clones living in seclusion on Qiyuan Star, family ties, friendships, and sect bonds made each day fulfilling for him. Moreover, as the ruler of this world, he enjoyed a higher level of spiritual satisfaction.

Today, I am still just a minor outer disciple of the Tianxuan Sect on Qiyuan Star. Tomorrow, I can disguise myself as a powerful being at the Mahayana stage and go to other planets to bully those who seem annoying. The day after that, I might even replace some foolish ruler in the mortal world, enjoy a period of chaotic indulgence, and then hand over that great realm to someone more worthy of the imperial throne.
Any kind of life, any identity—anything can be tried. Not just for fun, but more importantly, by experiencing all aspects of life, one’s spiritual realm will inevitably change.
Whether good or bad, everything becomes a memory stored in the mind, turning into a precious asset.
There’s insight every day, gains every day. The elevation of the spiritual realm progresses no slower than the improvement of cultivation strength. There’s no real barrier when advancing from the early to the middle stage of an immortal—it’s a smooth transition.
For the creator of a universe, the supreme ruler—his will is the will of heaven, and the rules he sets are the laws of heaven. So what kind of barrier could possibly stop his progress?
Not that there isn’t any, but they’re not worthy!
Those so-called barriers simply don’t deserve to be obstacles to him.
More than forty years later, one day…
“Senior sister, you really should enter seclusion.”
The fifteen-year-old Su Che said to Linglong, “What’s wrong with advancing to the Huashen stage? Why keep delaying?”
“Is the Huashen stage any different from what we have now?” Linglong replied indifferently.
With him around, it’s enough. The level of cultivation doesn’t matter.
“I’ve never seen such a lackluster cultivator before—really!” Su Che tapped his forehead in admiration. “In the whole world, you’re the only one like this.”
“That’s exactly why I’m worried I might not pass the Huashen stage,” Linglong replied softly.
“What’s the Huashen stage anyway? How could you not pass? You underestimate me too much!”
Su Che, dressed in the outer disciple robes, looked youthful. Judging by his appearance, his bold claims seemed unlikely to be true.
Linglong sized him up and, holding back a smile, said, “Go advance to an inner disciple first, then come back and brag.”
Su Che chuckled and pulled at his sleeves. “It’s still comfortable wearing these clothes.”
“I’ve never seen such a lazy Tianxuan disciple before—within the sect, you’re the only one like this!” Linglong retorted immediately.
But moments later, she casually asked, “When will your next advancement be?”

“Another fifty years.” Su Che was referring to advancing to the Xuanxian realm.
Linglong nodded and said, “I’ll be with you.”
“Very well then.”
Facing such an outstanding senior sister, Su Che had no choice but to yield.
……
Fifty years of peace finally passed. In total, Su Che’s true body had spent nearly a hundred years in the Realm of Punishment.
One day, Linglong was about to enter seclusion to strive for the Huashen stage, while Su Che faced the challenge of advancing to the Xuanxian realm.
“If I die in there, I definitely won’t let you go!”
Before entering the seclusion cave, Linglong waved her tiny fist at Su Che fiercely.
“What’s there to fear? I’ll go in with you. If we die, we die together.”
Su Che chuckled, able to see her nervousness and unease. Failure to reach the Huashen stage meant certain death, and she was still worried.
The cave door slowly closed, locking Su Che’s clone along with Linglong inside.
Just half a month later, the stone door opened again, and the two emerged together.
Linglong had successfully reached the Huashen stage. For Su Che, taking care of someone in the Immortal Prison as they strived for the Huashen stage was not difficult at all.
Linglong didn’t feel any major changes in herself and had no intention of studying the spells required for the Huashen stage. She simply asked concerningly, “What about you?”
“I still need another two or three months,” Su Che replied softly.
With his true body advancing to the Xuanxian realm, he could still spare the time to control his clone and spend affectionate moments with his senior sister, showing just how confident he was in this advancement.
Indeed, his true body’s progression was quite smooth. Although the Realm of Punishment lacked sufficient immortal energy to absorb, Su Che didn’t need it at all—eating a few more Xuanxian fruits was sufficient.
Just as they returned to Linglong’s small wooden house in the spiritual herb garden, the senior sister grabbed his collar tightly, bringing their faces close together, and said fiercely, “I don’t care about anything else. This clone of yours must stay with me forever!”
Su Che was stunned and replied pitifully, “Senior sister, don’t scare me. My true body is in a very dangerous advancement process and can’t handle such stress.”
After all, she had been with him for so many years, and today was the first time she had openly acknowledged the existence of his “clone.”
“That’s right! I’ll take this opportunity to force you to swear!”
Linglong held his collar with her right hand and gripped his arm tightly with her left, as if she might let go and he might run away: “If you refuse, we’ll just die together.”
“There’s no need to be so harsh. It’s just a swear.”

Su Che raised his right hand and swore to the heavens, “I, Su Che, will forever accompany my dear Linglong sister with this body, never leaving her side, and will never disappoint her… If I break this vow, may the heavens punish me.”
In his heart, he smirked: The heavens of the Immortal Prison were none other than himself. Punishing himself—haha, the severity could be as light or as severe as he wished…
Linglong, unaware of this guy’s true identity, was naturally overjoyed to see him willing to make such a vow for her. She loosened his collar and gently stroked his face a few times. “Such a good boy! Tonight, your sister will prepare something delicious for you.”
Then, hand in hand, she led the young junior brother inside…
Two months later, in the valley of the Realm of Punishment, Su Che’s true form slowly emerged from the Qianyuan Xuan Formation.
“Come on! Late-stage Golden Immortals pose no threat at all—no matter how many come, I’ll eliminate them all!”
Having successfully risen to the early stage of Xuan Immortal, coupled with a hundredfold enhancement, could he kill a late-stage Golden Immortal in one strike? Su Che had no doubts about it.
“Congratulations, master, on ascending to Xuan Immortal!”
Dozens of Golden Immortal subordinates who had been guarding outside the formation stepped forward to offer their congratulations in unison.
On the mountain peak to the left, the Yin and Yang Fiends were utterly astonished, hardly believing their eyes: “Rising directly from the early stage of Heavenly Immortal to Xuan Immortal? Did they come here to refine pills or to hunt people?”
Su Che asked in a deep voice, “Is anyone here?”
One of the Golden Immortal subordinates replied, “The hundred-year deadline hasn’t arrived yet. Only a dozen late-stage Golden Immortals came early and have been waiting on the plain outside the mountain.”
“Not bad,” Su Che nodded indifferently. “Go meet them.”
Upon arriving on the plain outside the mountain, he used his divine sense to see that a dozen late-stage Golden Immortals were scattered over a vast area, all sitting in meditation and waiting.
When they saw Su Che appear, they gathered around him without being summoned.
Their purpose was simple: they hoped Su Che would issue another order to capture Xuan Immortal prisoners and earn more Immortal Crystals.
A hundred years ago, through that deal of capturing prisoners, they each earned millions of Immortal Crystals, which was more than enough to sustain their cultivation in this Realm of Punishment for hundreds of thousands of years. Having tasted success, they wanted to earn even more, which was why they had come early and waited patiently.
After ascending to Xuan Immortal, these late-stage Golden Immortals were now considered enemies who could be killed in one strike in Su Che’s eyes. But for now, he had no intention of attacking them—instead…
“A chance to earn more Immortal Crystals has arrived,” Su Che said to them with a smile. “Fifty thousand Immortal Crystals for one early-stage Golden Immortal.”
“A Golden Immortal prisoner?”

More than a dozen late-stage Golden Immortals were stunned. Someone said, “Lord, there are too few early-stage Golden Immortals to capture easily… Do you really not need those Xuan Immortal prisoners?”
They had long regarded Su Che as an alchemy envoy sent here by the Evil Emperor Immortal Lord, which was why they addressed him as “Lord.”
“Not a single Xuan Immortal prisoner!”
Su Che shook his head and said, “The method to capture early-stage Golden Immortals is very simple. If you all work together, dividing the obtained immortal crystals equally… Is there still any difficulty in that?”
“Well…”
The dozen or so late-stage Golden Immortals exchanged glances and agreed among themselves that this method was indeed feasible.
It would be extremely difficult for a late-stage Golden Immortal to capture an early-stage one one-on-one, but with a dozen late-stage immortals going after just one early-stage one, it would be a piece of cake.
Su Che remained aloof, issued the capture order, and left without further words.
Lao He sneered and said, “Master, your strategy is simply too cunning, too vicious—utterly malicious!”
Lao He had already understood Su Che’s plan; it was far more than just capturing early-stage Golden Immortals…