Chen Chao looked at the man and asked very seriously, "So according to Senior, martial artists can actually cultivate daoist techniques too, but they lack the corresponding daoist techniques to cultivate, is that right?"
The man furrowed his brow, asking, "What corresponding daoist techniques for cultivation?"
Chen Chao also looked at him, equally puzzled.
The man sneered, "Are you saying that in today's world, martial artists are no longer able to cultivate daoist techniques?"
Chen Chao looked at the man and nodded his head.
In the present day, although martial artists could still train, but they were limited to using their qi to fight with people. They had never been able to convert qi into the formidable and lethal abilities of daoist techniques.
The man shook his head and said, "What kind of era is this?"
However, he smiled again and said, "You're also a martial artist. If you play a game of chess with me, I'll take you to the scripture pavilion to see the daoist techniques there. So what even if you're a martial artist? You can still cultivate."
Chen Chao looked at the chessboard in front of him, at the black and white pieces, but still did not take a step forward.
The man became angry and said, "Why are you still on guard? Know that if I wanted to kill you, with your cultivation realm, you wouldn't have a chance to resist."
Chen Chao remained unmoved, just looking at the man, still gripping his saber tightly.
Even though the man had shown an extremely gentle temperament right from the beginning, and also gave people a genuine feeling of etherealness, for some reason, it was still difficult for Chen Chao to believe that the man had no ill intentions.
There was one question the man could not convince Chen Chao about.
Which was how he escaped the calamity while he was in closed-seclusion. Chen Chao did not quite believe him.
The moment that person attacked, the entire Rongshan Sect was exterminated. Logically speaking, regardless of whether the man was in bitter cultivation or doing something else, he would have no way of escaping that annihilation. Unless his cultivation realm was much higher than the attacker. But if that was the case, how could he not sense it when that person attacked?
A powerhouse of that cultivation realm should not have been unaware.
So no matter how you looked at it, the whole thing did not make sense.
Chen Chao looked at the man in front of him, not voicing these doubts but feeling that everything was somewhat unreal.
The man furrowed his brows and said, "You, young man, know not what's good for you. Since that's the case, then leave!"
The man seemed very angry and was very unhappy with Chen Chao's reaction. Now, he was driving Chen Chao away.
Chen Chao's feet seemed to take root and he showed no intention of leaving. He just looked at the man and took a step forward.
This step seemed ordinary, but it made the man furrow his brows.
Chen Chao looked at him and shook his head, saying, "You are not a cultivator of the Rongshan Sect."
The man became furious and said, "What nonsense are you spouting!"
Although he reacted this way, Chen Chao remained unmoved. He even saw a trace of panic in the man's eyes.
"If you really are a cultivator of the Rongshan Sect, shouldn't you ask how an outsider like me managed to come here? With your nonchalant attitude, do you know how I got here?"
Chen Chao said calmly, "If you really have this capability, why are you panicking at this moment?"
The man said in a cold voice, "You young man, I merely thought you were fated to have come here, which could be considered my Rongshan Sect passing down its legacy again. If you insist on spouting nonsense here, then don't blame me for being discourteous!"
As he spoke, an endless vitality surged from the man's body, filling the space around them. In an instant, it felt like being immersed in the vibrant spring of all living things. This feeling might excite even the veteran cultivators who had cultivated for countless years and were approaching the end of their lifespan.
That was life force, also the power of life.
But Chen Chao remained unmoved. It was not just because he was still a teenager. The real reason he was not moved was that even though the man became angry, it was endless vitality that was emanating from his body. While this vitality could indeed showcase a cultivator's level, it was evident that if the man were truly furious, an overwhelming pressure would accompany it, making people feel asphyxiated A peerless expert of this cultivation realm should be like that, not still maintaining such a gentle demeanor now.
Abundant vitality was suitable elsewhere, but not here.
Chen Chao took another step forward and said calmly, "If you can really kill me, you can do it now!"
The man looked at Chen Chao, at this young martial artist, and his voice turned cold. "I don't want to see you again. I'll give you one last chance, leave this place immediately, or I will kill you!"
Chen Chao took another step forward and shook his head, saying, "You can't kill me. You don't have that ability. You aren't even human."
Chen Chao's words were spoken in a calm tone, but in the man's ears, they seemed to explode like thunder, ringing through his mind.
The man's expression changed drastically, but he could not say anything.
Observing his reaction, Chen Chao already realized that his conjecture was indeed correct. The man in front of him had been trying hard to pass himself off as a cultivator, but in reality, he did not behave like one at all. He did not even seem human. Having spent years dealing with demons in the mountains, Chen Chao naturally understood the differences between demons and humans.
The man in front of him did everything like a human, but it just resembled a human, nothing more.
Resemblance and reality were very different.
Chen Chao stared at him and asked, "What kind of demon are you?"
He did not sense any demonic qi from the man, perhaps due to the gap in their cultivation realms. But Chen Chao felt it was not the reason. The man was likely not a demon.
Even if it were a powerful demon, it would still have distinct features, but the man before him did not.
When the man heard the word demon, he suddenly jumped up from the Dao Enlightenment Platform as if he had been insulted, and he scolded, "Young man, what kind of eyes do you have to compare me to demons?!"
Chen Chao looked at him indifferently. He was now certain that the other party was nothing but a paper tiger, so he was no longer afraid.
He took another step forward and was about to approach the man, coming within a yard of the Dao Enlightenment Platform. The man's expression turned ugly, and he warned in a threatening manner, but inwardly shaky, "Don't come any closer!"
Chen Chao looked at him without saying a word.
"You can't leave this place because something is trapping you. If you can tell me the truth, I might consider helping you," he said.
Chen Chao looked at him and slowly spoke. Although he was already certain that the guy in front of him posed no threat, he was still eager to know what exactly the man was.
The man retorted coldly, "Do you think I'll believe you? You humans have always been the most shameless. If I were to tell you my true identity, you'd definitely go back on your word."
Chen Chao smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true. I'm known for being reasonable. If you don't believe me, you can ask around."
The man cursed, "You are talking nonsense. There are only the two of us here. Where am I supposed to ask around?"
Chen Chao said an "oh' in hindsight, then took another step forward, saying with a smile, "Well then, I'll just have to eat you."
When the man heard the word "eat," he suddenly became nervous, took a step back, and leaned against the trunk of the withered tree, staring wide-eyed. "You knew my identity long ago! You truly are a shameless human!"
His voice still sounded ethereal, but now he was extremely nervous, far from the nonchalance he had shown before.
Chen Chao said, "I had no idea you were an immortal medicine!"
"How hypocritical!"
The man cursed, "You're the most hypocritical human I've ever met!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Chao knew that his insight was completely correct. The man in front of him was an immortal medicine that took human form. He was not a demon or a monster; he was a mature immortal medicine. Chen Chao had suspected this when he sensed the overwhelming life force earlier. Later, he even remembered the records he had seen in the academy, which contained a lot of information about immortal medicines.
In this era, there were also legendary immortal medicines, which were a collective term for top-grade spiritual medicines. The growth time of these immortal medicines was extremely long, but once matured, they could have great uses. If an old cultivator at the end of their life were to consume an immortal medicine, it could extend their lifespan by decades or even a hundred years. Therefore, when these immortal medicines matured in the major sects, they would be carefully harvested and preserved. They would be brought out for the senior cultivators when they were unable to surpass the threshold of life and death.
However, the rarity of immortal medicines was truly remarkable. Even the super major sects of the current era might not possess too many of them. Therefore, existences who could consume immortal medicines must have made significant contributions to the sect or have sufficiently profound cultivation realms.
If the immortal medicine in front of them were to be discovered by outsiders, it would likely cause a mad scramble.
It was precisely because of this that Chen Chao had not considered this possibility earlier. But at this moment, he had already realized the truth.
"I really regret it. I should have left with it back then. I shouldn't have come here out of curiosity. Now, even if I want to leave, I can't!"
The man looked at Chen Chao, his face filled with regret. After maturing, it had gained intelligence. At that time, there was another immortal medicine that matured alongside it, but that immortal medicine had left on its own after maturing, without any curiosity or attachment. However, it was different. After leaving the medicine garden, it did not depart immediately but instead came to the rear mountain and onto this Dao Enlightenment Platform. By chance, it went up there and then became trapped, unable to leave for countless years.
Chen Chao looked at it and smiled, "There's no need to worry now. If I eat you, you'll be liberated."
He did not actually intend to eat it, he was just scaring it.
The immortal medicine sneered and said, "Don't think too much. With your cultivation realm, if you consume me now, your body will definitely explode and you'll die!"
As the most powerful existence among spiritual medicines, even the average Nepenthe Realm powerhouse would not dare to easily attempt that. It was because a single misstep and the endless medicinal power would collide within the body. If not properly guided, exploding and dying was certain to happen.
Chen Chao was currently just at the Bitter Sea Realm Realm. If he consumed this immortal medicine and could absorb its medicinal power, he might break through the Bitter Sea Realm in a very short time, arriving at the Great Beyond Realm, and even directly becoming a Nepenthe cultivator.
But this was only under the prerequisite that he could absorb the medicinal power.
The greater possibility was that he would not be able to absorb the medicinal power at all, his meridians would be ruptured, and he would die right then and there!
Chen Chao looked at the immortal medicine and said without emotions. "Why do you care if I die? Either way, I'm going to eat you!"
Chen Chao looked at the man and asked very seriously, "So according to Senior, martial artists can actually cultivate daoist techniques too, but they lack the corresponding daoist techniques to cultivate, is that right?"
The man furrowed his brow, asking, "What corresponding daoist techniques for cultivation?"
Chen Chao also looked at him, equally puzzled.
The man sneered, "Are you saying that in today's world, martial artists are no longer able to cultivate daoist techniques?"
Chen Chao looked at the man and nodded his head.
In the present day, although martial artists could still train, but they were limited to using their qi to fight with people. They had never been able to convert qi into the formidable and lethal abilities of daoist techniques.
The man shook his head and said, "What kind of era is this?"
However, he smiled again and said, "You're also a martial artist. If you play a game of chess with me, I'll take you to the scripture pavilion to see the daoist techniques there. So what even if you're a martial artist? You can still cultivate."
Chen Chao looked at the chessboard in front of him, at the black and white pieces, but still did not take a step forward.
The man became angry and said, "Why are you still on guard? Know that if I wanted to kill you, with your cultivation realm, you wouldn't have a chance to resist."
Chen Chao remained unmoved, just looking at the man, still gripping his saber tightly.
Even though the man had shown an extremely gentle temperament right from the beginning, and also gave people a genuine feeling of etherealness, for some reason, it was still difficult for Chen Chao to believe that the man had no ill intentions.
There was one question the man could not convince Chen Chao about.
Which was how he escaped the calamity while he was in closed-seclusion. Chen Chao did not quite believe him.
The moment that person attacked, the entire Rongshan Sect was exterminated. Logically speaking, regardless of whether the man was in bitter cultivation or doing something else, he would have no way of escaping that annihilation. Unless his cultivation realm was much higher than the attacker. But if that was the case, how could he not sense it when that person attacked?
A powerhouse of that cultivation realm should not have been unaware.
So no matter how you looked at it, the whole thing did not make sense.
Chen Chao looked at the man in front of him, not voicing these doubts but feeling that everything was somewhat unreal.
The man furrowed his brows and said, "You, young man, know not what's good for you. Since that's the case, then leave!"
The man seemed very angry and was very unhappy with Chen Chao's reaction. Now, he was driving Chen Chao away.
Chen Chao's feet seemed to take root and he showed no intention of leaving. He just looked at the man and took a step forward.
This step seemed ordinary, but it made the man furrow his brows.
Chen Chao looked at him and shook his head, saying, "You are not a cultivator of the Rongshan Sect."
The man became furious and said, "What nonsense are you spouting!"
Although he reacted this way, Chen Chao remained unmoved. He even saw a trace of panic in the man's eyes.
"If you really are a cultivator of the Rongshan Sect, shouldn't you ask how an outsider like me managed to come here? With your nonchalant attitude, do you know how I got here?"
Chen Chao said calmly, "If you really have this capability, why are you panicking at this moment?"
The man said in a cold voice, "You young man, I merely thought you were fated to have come here, which could be considered my Rongshan Sect passing down its legacy again. If you insist on spouting nonsense here, then don't blame me for being discourteous!"
As he spoke, an endless vitality surged from the man's body, filling the space around them. In an instant, it felt like being immersed in the vibrant spring of all living things. This feeling might excite even the veteran cultivators who had cultivated for countless years and were approaching the end of their lifespan.
That was life force, also the power of life.
But Chen Chao remained unmoved. It was not just because he was still a teenager. The real reason he was not moved was that even though the man became angry, it was endless vitality that was emanating from his body. While this vitality could indeed showcase a cultivator's level, it was evident that if the man were truly furious, an overwhelming pressure would accompany it, making people feel asphyxiated A peerless expert of this cultivation realm should be like that, not still maintaining such a gentle demeanor now.
Abundant vitality was suitable elsewhere, but not here.
Chen Chao took another step forward and said calmly, "If you can really kill me, you can do it now!"
The man looked at Chen Chao, at this young martial artist, and his voice turned cold. "I don't want to see you again. I'll give you one last chance, leave this place immediately, or I will kill you!"
Chen Chao took another step forward and shook his head, saying, "You can't kill me. You don't have that ability. You aren't even human."
Chen Chao's words were spoken in a calm tone, but in the man's ears, they seemed to explode like thunder, ringing through his mind.
The man's expression changed drastically, but he could not say anything.
Observing his reaction, Chen Chao already realized that his conjecture was indeed correct. The man in front of him had been trying hard to pass himself off as a cultivator, but in reality, he did not behave like one at all. He did not even seem human. Having spent years dealing with demons in the mountains, Chen Chao naturally understood the differences between demons and humans.
The man in front of him did everything like a human, but it just resembled a human, nothing more.
Resemblance and reality were very different.
Chen Chao stared at him and asked, "What kind of demon are you?"
He did not sense any demonic qi from the man, perhaps due to the gap in their cultivation realms. But Chen Chao felt it was not the reason. The man was likely not a demon.
Even if it were a powerful demon, it would still have distinct features, but the man before him did not.
When the man heard the word demon, he suddenly jumped up from the Dao Enlightenment Platform as if he had been insulted, and he scolded, "Young man, what kind of eyes do you have to compare me to demons?!"
Chen Chao looked at him indifferently. He was now certain that the other party was nothing but a paper tiger, so he was no longer afraid.
He took another step forward and was about to approach the man, coming within a yard of the Dao Enlightenment Platform. The man's expression turned ugly, and he warned in a threatening manner, but inwardly shaky, "Don't come any closer!"
Chen Chao looked at him without saying a word.
"You can't leave this place because something is trapping you. If you can tell me the truth, I might consider helping you," he said.
Chen Chao looked at him and slowly spoke. Although he was already certain that the guy in front of him posed no threat, he was still eager to know what exactly the man was.
The man retorted coldly, "Do you think I'll believe you? You humans have always been the most shameless. If I were to tell you my true identity, you'd definitely go back on your word."
Chen Chao smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true. I'm known for being reasonable. If you don't believe me, you can ask around."
The man cursed, "You are talking nonsense. There are only the two of us here. Where am I supposed to ask around?"
Chen Chao said an "oh' in hindsight, then took another step forward, saying with a smile, "Well then, I'll just have to eat you."
When the man heard the word "eat," he suddenly became nervous, took a step back, and leaned against the trunk of the withered tree, staring wide-eyed. "You knew my identity long ago! You truly are a shameless human!"
His voice still sounded ethereal, but now he was extremely nervous, far from the nonchalance he had shown before.
Chen Chao said, "I had no idea you were an immortal medicine!"
"How hypocritical!"
The man cursed, "You're the most hypocritical human I've ever met!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Chao knew that his insight was completely correct. The man in front of him was an immortal medicine that took human form. He was not a demon or a monster; he was a mature immortal medicine. Chen Chao had suspected this when he sensed the overwhelming life force earlier. Later, he even remembered the records he had seen in the academy, which contained a lot of information about immortal medicines.
In this era, there were also legendary immortal medicines, which were a collective term for top-grade spiritual medicines. The growth time of these immortal medicines was extremely long, but once matured, they could have great uses. If an old cultivator at the end of their life were to consume an immortal medicine, it could extend their lifespan by decades or even a hundred years. Therefore, when these immortal medicines matured in the major sects, they would be carefully harvested and preserved. They would be brought out for the senior cultivators when they were unable to surpass the threshold of life and death.
However, the rarity of immortal medicines was truly remarkable. Even the super major sects of the current era might not possess too many of them. Therefore, existences who could consume immortal medicines must have made significant contributions to the sect or have sufficiently profound cultivation realms.
If the immortal medicine in front of them were to be discovered by outsiders, it would likely cause a mad scramble.
It was precisely because of this that Chen Chao had not considered this possibility earlier. But at this moment, he had already realized the truth.
"I really regret it. I should have left with it back then. I shouldn't have come here out of curiosity. Now, even if I want to leave, I can't!"
The man looked at Chen Chao, his face filled with regret. After maturing, it had gained intelligence. At that time, there was another immortal medicine that matured alongside it, but that immortal medicine had left on its own after maturing, without any curiosity or attachment. However, it was different. After leaving the medicine garden, it did not depart immediately but instead came to the rear mountain and onto this Dao Enlightenment Platform. By chance, it went up there and then became trapped, unable to leave for countless years.
Chen Chao looked at it and smiled, "There's no need to worry now. If I eat you, you'll be liberated."
He did not actually intend to eat it, he was just scaring it.
The immortal medicine sneered and said, "Don't think too much. With your cultivation realm, if you consume me now, your body will definitely explode and you'll die!"
As the most powerful existence among spiritual medicines, even the average Nepenthe Realm powerhouse would not dare to easily attempt that. It was because a single misstep and the endless medicinal power would collide within the body. If not properly guided, exploding and dying was certain to happen.
Chen Chao was currently just at the Bitter Sea Realm Realm. If he consumed this immortal medicine and could absorb its medicinal power, he might break through the Bitter Sea Realm in a very short time, arriving at the Great Beyond Realm, and even directly becoming a Nepenthe cultivator.
But this was only under the prerequisite that he could absorb the medicinal power.
The greater possibility was that he would not be able to absorb the medicinal power at all, his meridians would be ruptured, and he would die right then and there!
Chen Chao looked at the immortal medicine and said without emotions. "Why do you care if I die? Either way, I'm going to eat you!"
