Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Qin Qingwan and Wu Yanhan were locked in a fierce battle with the two immortal-grade weapons.

Both of them wanted to give Xu Ming the best possible gifts, intending to present the two immortal weapons to him. Whether or not these weapons would ultimately recognize Xu Ming as their master was of little importance. If Xu Ming could obtain these two weapons, he could trade them for virtually anything in the future without issue.

However, it was clear that both Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan underestimated the power of these immortal weapons.

Even though the laws of this small world within the Rootless Secret Realm severely suppressed the weapons’ full potential, they still posed a formidable challenge for the two women. Yet neither Qin Qingwan nor Wu Yanhan was willing to back down.

At this point, it was no longer just about giving the best gift to Xu Ming. It had turned into a competition to prove themselves superior to the other. After all, how could one claim the right to be the main wife without surpassing the other?

The two immortal weapons also seemed impressed by the strength of Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan. From their gazes, one could even detect a hint of admiration.

Undeniably, these two women were far more remarkable than others in terms of both willpower and cultivation level. In the eyes of the immortal weapons, both women were indeed qualified to be their masters.

However, these immortal weapons were not so easily won over. Even if the world were on the brink of destruction, they would not lower their standards.

Thus, the immortal weapons decided to subject Qin Qingwan and Wu Yanhan to an even more rigorous trial. If the women passed, the weapons would willingly follow them. But if they failed, they would die in this place, for the weapons would show no mercy.

“Don’t worry, they’ll be fine…” Xu Ming replied, though a hint of doubt crept into his voice. “Probably…”

“Roar!”

The spirits of the immortal weapons let out a thunderous cry, their forms gradually dissipating to reveal their true bodies.

One was a horsetail whisk, and the other was a pair of fingerless gauntlets.

When Xu Ming saw their true forms, he was momentarily stunned.

Qin Qingwan, being a Daoist, would naturally find the horsetail whisk an ideal weapon. Meanwhile, Wu Yanhan, as a warrior, relied on her fists. Blades and swords were of little use to warriors, who benefited more from equipment like armor.

Armor, after all, offered tremendous protection during battle. Most armored magical tools, however, were incredibly heavy.

Unlike Daoist robes, armor required the user to channel their internal energy to maximize its effectiveness. While it was possible to drive armor with spiritual energy, doing so consumed vast amounts of energy, which most cultivators could not sustain.

Thus, it was rare to see a cultivator wearing armor. Most opted for lightweight Daoist robes, which were not only convenient but also specifically designed to suit their practices.

As for why there was such a stark contrast between armor and Daoist robes, one would have to ask the craftsmen of the Mohist or Gongshu sects.

Apart from armor, weapons like knuckle dusters could also greatly enhance a warrior’s destructive power.

For warriors, their choice of weapon served one primary purpose: to maximize the strength of their fists. And this immortal-grade pair of gloves was clearly extraordinary, perfectly suited for Wu Yanhan.

In Xu Ming’s heart, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was some kind of karma or predestined connection. Perhaps, in the unseen forces of fate, these two immortal artifacts had been waiting all along for these two destined individuals.

High above in the sky, the spirits of the two immortal weapons revealed their true forms, no longer hiding. Under the restrictive laws of the Rootless Secret Realm, they unleashed their full power.

The pair of gloves, like a warrior themselves, relentlessly hammered toward Wu Yanhan.

Wu Yanhan merely sneered in response, showing not a trace of retreat.

As someone with the Martial God Physique, Wu Yanhan carried her own pride, and her talent for fist techniques was unparalleled.

From a young age, Wu Yanhan had followed one single path in her training: always moving forward.

If someone threw a punch at her, would she dodge?

Absolutely not. If she dodged, she might as well not call herself Wu Yanhan.

Her fists met the immortal artifact head-on again and again. The waves of spiritual energy shattered by the artifact and the explosive martial energy released by Wu Yanhan were so intense that others around could barely breathe.

Meanwhile, the horsetail whisk unleashed one spell after another. These spells were strange and varied, with no two alike, dazzling to behold.

Qin Qingwan responded in kind, countering spell with spell, each strike clashing midair.

The battle styles of Qin Qingwan and Wu Yanhan could not have been more different.

Naturally, their fight with the immortal weapons caught the attention of many.

Before them, others had attempted to conquer these immortal weapons, but none lasted more than ten rounds before being utterly destroyed, body and soul.

Yet now, these two women had lasted over a hundred rounds against the immortal weapons, evenly matched and locked in a fierce back-and-forth.

The onlookers couldn’t help but gulp nervously, wondering where on earth these terrifying cultivators had come from. Especially the female warrior—she was unlike anything they had ever seen.

They had encountered warriors before, and many had fallen by their hands. But never had they seen such a ferocious warrior. Some even doubted if they could withstand a single punch from her without being completely destroyed.

Many artifact spirits and cultivators instinctively moved further away from Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan, fearful of being caught in the crossfire.

As the battle in the skies grew more intense, a series of tolling bells echoed throughout the Rootless Secret Realm.

Countless people raised their heads to see the sky of the Rootless Secret Realm fracturing.

The entire sky looked like a delicate porcelain vase, riddled with cracks. It seemed that with just a single touch, the exquisite porcelain would shatter completely into fragments.

On the ground, volcanoes erupted one after another. Animals and magical beasts fled desperately in all directions, though none knew where safety might lie.

In their instincts, the entire world felt unsafe, and their primal will to survive drove them to run forward without stopping.

Birds circled endlessly in the sky, rocks tumbled down mountain peaks, and entire mountains collapsed with deafening crashes, burying countless animals and beasts beneath them.

Xu Ming glanced down at his feet. The frozen lake beneath him was cracking apart, with white fish leaping out of the water and falling back in.

The entire Rootless Secret Realm had descended into utter chaos.

Everyone could feel the laws of this world falling into chaos.

Whether it was the cultivators by Bilong Lake or those scattered throughout the Rootless Secret Realm, they all realized one thing:

The lifespan of the Rootless Secret Realm had come to an end.

This realm was gradually disintegrating.

However, no one was overly concerned. Where there is a dead end, there is always a way out—life and death are two sides of the same coin.

As expected, just as the world descended into chaos and continued to unravel, distorted portals began to appear in the sky.

These portals seemed to lead to various exits.

Some cultivators, who had already obtained their treasures and felt they had gained enough, decided not to linger any longer in this perilous place. They seized the opportunity and rushed toward the nearest portal, hoping to leave this land of disaster as quickly as possible.

But unfortunately for them…

Before these cultivators could escape, fiery rain began to fall from the heavens once again.

Blades of sword energy emerged out of nowhere in the sky, slashing through the air.

Any cultivator touched by the fiery rain was instantly reduced to ashes. No matter what methods or artifacts they used, they couldn’t extinguish these flames.

This was not the Samadhi True Flame but Chaos Fire.

Additionally, the sword energy continued to wreak havoc across the sky, tearing apart one cultivator after another into fragments.

Phantom beasts—both divine and ferocious—emerged from the heavens.

These phantoms made no distinction between ally or enemy; they attacked any cultivator they encountered.

Meanwhile, Qin Qingwan and Wu Yanhan were still locked in battle with the two immortal weapons.

But Xu Ming knew that the battle wouldn’t have a clear outcome anytime soon. By the time they resolved it, this world might already be destroyed.

“Shi Xin, stay close. We’re leaving,” Xu Ming said firmly.

“Mhm…” Shi Xin nodded.

Xu Ming gripped his longsword and flew toward one of the portals in the sky.

“Yanhan, Qingwan, I appreciate your intentions, but now is not the time. We need to leave,” he called out to them.

Both Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan felt a pang of reluctance. They were so close to subduing the two immortal spirits, yet they knew that if they delayed any longer, they might never make it out alive.

“Give me just a little more time,” the two said in unison.

Wu Yanhan took a deep breath and stepped forward. With each step she took, the martial energy around her grew more intense.

The immortal weapon before her transformed back into its spirit form.

“Roar!”

With a thunderous roar, the qilin-like spirit pawed the ground with its front hooves, charging toward Wu Yanhan.

It was clear that the spirit, too, was done wasting time and intended to settle the fight with one final strike.

The distance between Wu Yanhan and the qilin rapidly shrank.

From afar, the collision between the two looked like a clash of a crimson lightning bolt and a white lightning bolt.

As Wu Yanhan closed in on the spirit, the martial energy radiating from her body became so intense that the surrounding air visibly distorted.

When Wu Yanhan came to a halt, she lifted one of her well-proportioned yet powerfully built legs.

In front of her foot, space itself began to shatter, the fragments falling away like snowflakes.

Martial God Kick!

This was Wu Yanhan’s most powerful technique, one that embodied everything she had. If this strike failed, it would mean her death at the hands of the immortal weapon.

Boom!

With a deafening boom, Wu Yanhan’s outstretched instep collided with the qilin’s horn. The surrounding space twisted and tore apart as if unable to withstand the clash.

At the same time, on the other side, Qin Qingwan had finished chanting her spell. From the heavens descended countless silver-white chains.

These Chains of Heaven wrapped tightly around the golden ao’s neck and limbs, binding it completely.

The golden ao struggled desperately, attempting to break free from the chains.

On the surface, it seemed like Qin Qingwan had the upper hand.

In reality, it was a battle of offense versus defense. Qin Qingwan couldn’t sustain the spell for long, and on the golden ao’s head, a black sphere—resembling a Tailed Beast Bomb—was rapidly forming.

If Qin Qingwan’s spell were to break, the golden ao would unleash its strongest attack.

“Just a mere turtle!” Qin Qingwan scoffed coldly. With a fierce pull of her hands in midair, the five chains binding the golden ao tightened abruptly, snapping its limbs and neck in an instant.

Meanwhile, Wu Yanhan’s Martial God Kick landed, forcing the spirit of the immortal weapon to revert to its glove form.

Both immortal weapons transformed into streaks of light and flew into their respective hands.

Xu Ming let out a sigh of relief. Moments ago, he had almost stepped in to intervene, unable to bear the tension.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the two managed to subdue the immortal weapons.

With the immortal weapons in hand, Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan followed closely behind Xu Ming.

As waves of sword energy and heavenly flames rained down upon them, Xu Ming slashed out with his sword, clearing a path forward.

Meanwhile, Shi Xin, adept at defensive spells, chanted a series of mantras, conjuring golden light that shielded their group. Nothing could get close to them.

Leading the group, Xu Ming charged into one of the twisted portals.

As they passed through, a wave of dizziness washed over them. Instead of exiting, they found themselves in what appeared to be a void.

However, Xu Ming felt a subtle pull, as if instinctively knowing which direction to head in.

Soon, a light appeared in the distance. Just as Xu Ming was about to lead the group out of the void, a massive hand suddenly reached out toward him.

“Monk, I need some companions to join me in death. I’ll choose these few.”

A chilling voice echoed around them, reverberating in Xu Ming and his companions’ ears.