The Undying Immortal System

After the first man fell, several more stepped up to challenge me. They wanted to fight immediately, but I made sure that they all went through the mission hall to make sure that there would be no problems in the future. While not everyone was happy with this, the promise of ten Meridian Builder Pills if they won was more than enough encouragement to ensure everything went smoothly.

I sparred with these random cultivators for nearly half a day. None of those who stepped forward were particularly powerful, so I could have just used my higher cultivation base to suppress them, but my focus was on honing my martial skills.

A couple of times, I lost a bout because my opponent was a better fighter than me, and when the people surrounding us saw the payout these winners received, dozens more combatants stepped forward to accept my challenge. This gave me a chance to practice nearly all the fire-based martial skills I had learned, and it gave me a lot more confidence in my ability to defend myself in the future.

Finally, a group of people stepped forward to put an end to the fighting before anyone else could challenge me.

Their leader looked me up and down with a faint smirk on his face.

"Hey, are you the one looking for an escort to the inner sect?"

This question brought me out of my battle frenzy. "Oh… Yes, yes that's me. Are you ready to go?"

The leader nodded. "Let's go."

Our trip to the inner sect didn't take too long, only about 15 minutes. Earlier, the receptionist was trying to stop me from creating this mission since she must've known how short it would be. After all the sparring, it seemed less likely that anyone would cause trouble for me, so I may have been able to make the trip alone without any problems, but I didn't regret this small expenditure. My guards ensured the trip was smooth, and paying for them didn't cost me anything of real value.

When we reached the opening to the Lower Mountain, I handed them each an extra bottle of pills.

"Thanks for the help."

The leader smiled as he accepted my pills. "No problem. Let us know if you have any more well-paying jobs in the future."

The group laughed as they walked away, and I knew that they were mocking me, but really, what did it matter? I got what I needed to go, and I gave them things that I didn't.

After they left, I stepped through the opening in the wall and entered the inner sect. Like before, neither a gate nor guards checked those who entered. A simple formation controlled who was allowed to enter or leave.

However, upon entering the inner sect, I was not alone. An older servant disciple was standing there, waiting for me.

"Alchemist Disciple Su?"

Slightly confused, I nodded. "Yeah."

"Disciple Su, the elder has been waiting for you for several hours. Please follow me."

My eyes narrowed at the mention of an elder. I had no idea why an elder would be waiting for me on the Martial Peak, but I chose to follow him instead of insulting an elder by refusing.

"Which elder is waiting for me?"

"Elder Tian. He is very eager to meet you."

At the mention of Elder Tian, my mind went to TianLei. Did TianLei want to meet me for some reason? Why?

Seeing a possible gain beyond mere techniques, I walked with anxious anticipation as I was guided to our meeting.

The inner sect was quite different from those areas below it. The Lower Mountain was covered in dense bamboo forests, and as we walked, the breaks in the foliage gave me glimpses of the small cottages hidden within.

We walked along a dirt path that meandered through this overgrown bamboo, and only brief streaks of light were able to pierce through its canopy to illuminate the world around us. If someone wanted to stage an ambush, this would be the perfect place to do it. However, the serenity of the inner sect seemed to preclude any such possibility.

We took a turn onto a narrow branch path and passed under a short arch. This led us to a modest, wood-frame building with white paper walls. Its roof was covered in wooden shingles, and small gold-painted ornaments could be seen decorating its ridges.

When we reached the door, the servant disciple I was following opened it and gestured for me to enter.

The room inside was small, but it was tastefully appointed. Various poems written in a grass script were hanging on the walls, and in the center of the room, a man who looked to be the same age as me sat at a small wooden table.

The servant disciple guided me to sit and then poured a small cup of tea for both of us.

I looked at the man across from me and instantly recognized him as TianLei.

"Welcome, I am Elder TianHuo. I am glad we are finally able to meet."

Why did this man want to meet with me? I couldn't think of any reason except that I had seen him in previous loops. If he were somehow also retaining memories of those loops, this could be a disaster.

I cupped my hands to him in a martial salute. "Elder, how may I be of service?"

TianLei took a sip of tea as he looked at me.

"Elder Hu has mentioned you several times. He says that you've been able to provide a substantial number of pills to the Sect Master. From what I have been told, you are able to produce that at a rate several times that of any other disciple, and you use some of the cheapest herbs available to do so. While we wouldn't dare covet anything belonging to the Sect Master, we would be interested in having you make some pills for us as well."

This wasn't the direction I expected this conversation to take, but I wasn't completely surprised by it. While my alchemy activities had been rather private, my actions over the last 30 years could not be completely hidden. The other factions had to know at least a bit about what had been going on.

I bowed my head slightly. "Elder, I don't know if that will be possible. I have commitments to the Defenders of the Mountains. I am not against the idea of making pills for others, but my energy is limited."

This made him smile. "Of course, we can't allow you to neglect the Sect Master. However, we have a proposal which you might find interesting."

I cocked my head in consideration. "I'm listening."

While I was currently working for the Eyes, I didn't mind helping the Tigers. In truth, I was willing to help whoever gave me the most benefits. If that was the Tigers, so be it.

"Right now, you are a Martial Grandmaster 5. Due to your age, it will soon be significantly more difficult for you to advance. We are willing to help you with this… as long as you are willing to help us."

I blinked in surprise. "How?"

"Pills. We have access to a special herb, the Fire Dragon's Tongue Fruit, which will allow you to craft a Rank 3 pill capable of significantly boosting your fire affinity. The duration of this boost is rather short, but it should be enough to help you advance. This ingredient is rather rare, and the quality of our supply is quite poor, but we are willing to trade five sets of ingredients in exchange for half of your future production."

I immediately wanted to accept the offer. I saw no real downside to it. If this deal would allow me to advance to Peak Grandmaster, I wanted to accept it immediately. However, doing so was a bit problematic. I wasn't sure how the Eyes would react if I suddenly started giving the Tigers so many pills. The struggles between these two factions didn't matter to me, but pills to increase my cultivation base didn't mean much if I couldn't survive long enough to use them.

"How will the Sect Master react?"

TianLei tipped his teacup in my direction. "He has already agreed. As long as you're willing, you can accept this deal without fear of reprisal."

Did the Eyes expect my production to more than double after I reached Peak Grandmaster? That was possible. While I didn't gain much immediately after an advancement, I was able to slowly improve my efficiency over time. That was the only reason I could see for them being okay with this deal, but there could have been more going on beneath the surface. Sect politics aside, this was a good deal for me.

"I'm in."

TianLei flashed a toothy smile. "We will have the ingredients delivered to you as soon as you return home. I assume you're planning to visit the inner sect technique hall?"

"If I'm allowed."

"Of course. Please don't let me keep you."

He waved a hand to dismiss me, but this meeting presented me with an opportunity to learn more about the time loop. I didn't want to waste it.

"Before I go, can I ask you about your blessing? I've heard a lot about it."

TianLei's cheek twitched slightly in annoyance, but he nodded his head graciously.

"Oh? What have you heard?"

"Just that it's an extremely powerful fire ability. I've not seen anyone use a combat-focused blessing before, so I wanted to know more about it."

Suddenly, TianLei's arms exploded in flames nearly 3 feet high.

He turned his head and looked deep into these flames.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?"

I couldn't help but stare at the dancing fire. "Yes… How does it compare to others? Have you ever fought anyone with a lightning or ice-based blessing?"

"There have been a few. No one with lightning, but I have sparred with a few warriors with ice blessings. Nothing has ever been able to withstand my flames."

His expression didn't betray any hint that he had previously had a different blessing or that he had chosen a fire blessing specifically. From what I could tell from his behavior, as far as he was concerned, this was the only blessing he had ever been given. He could have been acting, but I felt that everything had gone too far for that. If he remembered the loops and having different blessings, why the act? Something else had to be going on.

If TianLei was unaware of the situation, why was his blessing changing? There was only one possibility left in my mind. A being that had called itself the incarnation of the Earthly Dao had once told me that it had been the one to give me my blessing. This incarnation was likely also the one giving TianLei his blessing. But why was it making these changes?

Dismissing these thoughts for the moment, I turned my attention back to the elder, cupped my fists, and gave a slight bow. "Thank you, elder. I won't disturb you any further."

After leaving TianLei's house, the servant disciple who guided me earlier took me to the inner sect Technique Hall. Either because of my deal with TianLei or simply because I was an inner sect disciple in the inner sect hall, no one came to cause me any trouble during my stay in this library.

After recording everything I needed, I left and made my way back to the Alchemy Peak.

With the deal in place to provide pills to the Martial Peak, I buckled down and got to work concocting. The ingredients that the elder promised me were delivered before I even arrived home, but I didn't plan to put them to immediate use. I wanted to study them first to ensure that nothing was wasted.

On the promised day, Jiao came to take me for my evaluation to become an elder.

I was taken to the peak of the mountain, where a massive, cathedral-like structure had been erected. It was dozens of meters wide, and there were two rows of columns in front of the entrance. Each column had been carved with scenes depicting great battles where qilins, dragons, and phoenixes fought against taoties, taowus, and qiongqis.

Instead of passing through the main entrance of this building, Jiao took me to a side door that led to a modestly sized room where three elders sat upon cushioned chairs.

The man in the middle seat waved for me to stand in front of them.

"Su Fang, you are now 60 years old, and your cultivation base has only reached Martial Grandmaster 5. We have unanimously agreed that you do not meet the qualifications to become an elder."

At this point, the man on the right began to speak. I recognized him as Elder Hu. "While I have my reservations, we have agreed to appoint you to the position of inner sect deacon. We hope that you will dedicate yourself to this position and use it to provide guidance to our young disciples."

Finally, the man on the left, Elder Long, began to speak. "As an inner sect deacon, you may choose up to three nominal disciples to be your personal disciples. Using your own contribution points, you may purchase techniques and items for them. To repay this, they will provide you with a portion of the pills they produce which you can then sell back to the sec. However, you must refrain from using any form of coercion during these transactions."

I gave them a deep bow. "Thank you, elders."

The elder in the middle shooed me away with the wave of his hand. "You may leave."

With that, Jiao guided me out and back down the mountain.

I was extremely surprised by my appointment to the inner sect. From previous conversations, I had expected to only become an outer sect deacon. I had to assume that my deal with TianLei had played a large part in this decision. I would need to be careful, but hopefully, this partnership would provide me with what I needed to both advance my cultivation base and gather important information.