Chapter One: There is Always a Way

Drip… drip… Lin Jing’s consciousness gradually cleared. He opened his eyes, and a damp, cold air rushed toward him.

Where is this?

The air was filled with an indescribable musty smell, mixed with the scent of damp earth. The surrounding walls were covered with moss and dark mold. The sound of dripping water from an unknown source made the place feel even colder and more terrifying.

A prison cell?

After observing the dim surroundings, Lin Jing came to a conclusion, feeling it was absurd in his heart.

He had just passed the Immortal’s assessment and was preparing to follow the Immortal to Cultivate and pursue longevity. How could he end up in a place like this?

“Awake?”

A sharp pain shot through his brain. Before he could make any further assessments, a weak voice came from nearby. Only then did Lin Jing realize he seemed to have a neighbor.

He tried to struggle but found he couldn’t get up; his body was incredibly stiff.

“Don’t waste your energy,” the voice spoke again. “We’ve both been placed under a Body-Binding Technique.”

“Who are you?” Lin Jing asked.

“Just like you, I was kidnapped by Immortal Traffickers,” the person replied.

“…”

Immortal Traffickers?

What on earth?

Hearing this, Lin Jing quickly began to reminisce.

He was a transmigrator from a pale blue planet.

After arriving here, he discovered that Immortals and gods actually existed.

Since he was already here, Lin Jing soon found a new motivation.

He wanted to Cultivate!

His memory stopped at the point where, after much hardship in seeking Immortals, he had passed the entrance exam of a cultivation force called “Green Ox Daoist Temple” with his startling talent and Heaven-Defying Physique.

Then, everything went black, and he couldn’t remember anything else until he was locked up here.

“Immortal Traffickers?” Lin Jing was speechless.

Don’t tell him that the cultivation force he worked so hard to find was actually a human trafficking den… Damn it all!

The weak voice spoke again.

“By the way… brother, what kind of Physique do you have?”

“To be targeted by the Yin Corpse Sect means you must be a cultivation Genius just like me.”

“Me? A Genius?” Lin Jing didn’t know whether to be happy or melancholy.

Hearing the other party say so, it seemed to be true. Perhaps he really did possess some talent for cultivation; otherwise, he might not even have had the value to be trafficked.

However, this sole advantage after his Transmigration now seemed to have become his death warrant.

“Brother, don’t panic yet. Being kidnapped and brought here doesn’t mean we’re finished.”

“I’m not panicking. So, what happens to us next?” Lin Jing took a deep breath.

He was an optimistic person.

During a period of serious illness, encouraged by friends and family, he had developed a positive and optimistic mindset.

With a good mindset, luck wouldn’t be bad.

Look, didn’t he survive and transmigrate?

He had gained a life for free.

“…The Yin Corpse Sect is one of the three major Demonic Sects in the Immortal Cultivation World, specifically engaged in the illegal business of human trafficking.”

“They kidnap low-level Cultivators or Mortals with rare Physiques and sell them to Advanced Cultivators to be used for Possession or as resources for practicing Demonic Techniques.”

“Normally, our end is obvious: we’ll either become a vessel for some Cultivator to possess and restart their cultivation, or we’ll be refined into a Human Pill.”

“But brother…” the person said, “it’s not like we have no way out at all. The reason I asked about your situation is that some special Physiques aren’t destined for a miserable death.”

The weak voice said, “For example, I possess a Yuanyang Body, which is the best Cauldron for Dual Cultivation. Even if I die, it will only be from exhaustion amidst pleasure. If I’m lucky and the buyer is a kind female Cultivator, I might not even die… That’s the silver lining I mentioned.”

Lin Jing fell silent.

No wonder you’re not panicking.

Why does it feel like you’re actually looking forward to it?

“So, what about you, brother? I’ll help you analyze your situation.”

“Me…”

What kind of cultivation Physique did he have?

From what he knew, over 99% of Cultivators in this world started with a Mortal body. However, a small number of lucky individuals were born with various elemental spirit bodies or special Physiques, allowing them to go much further on the path of cultivation.

When he was entering the “Green Ox Daoist Temple,” that Daoist Green Ox had said he possessed a one-in-a-hundred-million cultivation Physique: the Chang Sheng Body!

A short-lived ghost paired with a Chang Sheng Body—even he found it surprising.

The other party claimed that after stepping onto the path of the Immortals, his lifespan would be at least ten times that of Cultivators in the same Realm!

The effect of the Physique seemed simple, but it was better than a Mortal body. Lin Jing had already decided to lay low in the Daoist temple for a few thousand years, cultivating until he was invincible before revealing himself.

But who knew? Before he could be happy for long… So, was this Chang Sheng Body of his actually real?

“If I am a Chang Sheng Body, what will my end be?” Lin Jing asked.

“Huh? Chang Sheng Body?!” The Yuanyang Body was stunned, then spoke in shock, his voice becoming firm and no longer weak.

“You’re actually a Chang Sheng Body!”

“Then you’re finished.”

Lin Jing:?

“Rumor has it that although Cultivators with a Chang Sheng Body have long lifespans, their flesh is said to grant ‘immortality’ if eaten. I’ve heard that the flesh of a Chang Sheng Body is a great supplement for monsters and holds an unimaginable temptation for Yao Beasts.”

“You’ll probably… be sold by the Yin Corpse Sect to some Demon King to serve as blood food!” The Yuanyang Body sighed with regret.

Lin Jing:?

Like Tang Monk’s meat, huh!

“That’s not so bad then.” But in the next moment, Lin Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

“I still have a silver lining.”

“Why do you say that?” The Yuanyang Body was stunned.

“Although I don’t know much about the Chang Sheng Body, based on my deduction, the higher the Realm of a Chang Sheng Body Cultivator, the better the consumption effect must be,” Lin Jing analyzed.

“In other words, after I’m sold, I won’t necessarily be eaten right away.”

“It’s possible the Demon King will forcibly raise my Realm before consuming me.”

“Furthermore, eating me all at once would be too extravagant. If I were the Demon King, I’d slowly improve the quality, taking blood and cutting flesh every day for cyclical consumption to maximize value. When the time comes, I’ll suggest this to the Demon King; maybe we can even have a long-term cooperation.”

“It’s better than being directly possessed, right?”

“Huh?” The Yuanyang Body let out a sound of utter shock.

He really wanted to ask: Are you a normal Mortal? Just what have you been through?!

But in the end, he didn’t ask… The two fell silent.

Lin Jing once again looked up at the ceiling in silence… After an unknown amount of time.

With a loud “boom,” the prison cell shook.

Lin Jing, who had been closing his eyes thinking about who-knows-what, and the Yuanyang Body both opened their eyes at the same time.

A massive commotion came from outside; it seemed someone was fighting.

Hearing the noise, Lin Jing suddenly thought of some keywords and said, “Brother Cauldron, didn’t you say before that the Yin Corpse Sect is involved in illegal activities and is a Demonic Sect?”

“That means there must be ‘Righteous Path Law Enforcement Organizations’ in the Immortal Cultivation World, right?”

“If that’s the case, then don’t we have another way out—being rescued by righteous people before we’re sold?”

The Yuanyang Body poked his head out. He hadn’t expected this Mortal to be so quick-witted, but most importantly, his emotions were too stable.

However, his surname wasn’t Cauldron either.

“Isn’t it!” Lin Jing’s mindset was peaceful. He knew there was always a way.

This commotion… maybe a Righteous Path Fairy has come to save us!

As soon as he finished speaking, the stone wall cracked, and the huge prison cell was smashed open. Amidst the flying debris, a massive Black Bear Monster, standing two people tall, stepped over the ruins and appeared before Lin Jing’s eyes.

This Black Bear Monster’s muscles were bulging, and its eyes were bloodshot. As it looked at Lin Jing, saliva constantly dripped from its fanged mouth, and it spoke in human tongue:

“I smelled the fragrance from far away…”

“I’ve hit the jackpot! To think I’d find a ‘Chang Sheng Body’ in such a small place, guarded by only a few weak Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators.”

“It looks like I can have a great feast…”

As the bear finished speaking, Lin Jing’s smile faded. Wait, where the hell did this monster come from?