Martial Immortality: Starting with the Spirit Beast Scroll

Leaving the Hall of Merit, the day’s activities came to an end.

Zhao Lin was more familiar with what came next. Brother Wei led the youths, who were now official disciples, to the Spirit Dao Institute’s Registry.

Each person received two sets of clothing, a jade access token, a wooden plaque inscribed with their name, and an introductory handbook.

Zhao Lin flipped open the handbook and glanced through it. It detailed the sect’s daily rules and regulations, along with a brief introduction to the Spirit Dao Institute and Han Chi County.

"Senior Brother Zhao, excuse me, but... what’s written in this book?"

Li Sancai walked over, handbook in hand, and said sheepishly, "I... I can’t really read it."

Zhao Lin immediately understood. Li Sancai had been a beggar since he was a child and never had the chance to learn how to read. Of course he couldn’t understand the handbook’s contents. "Once we get settled in," he said gently, "come find me. I’ll read it to you."

Li Sancai said gratefully, "Thank you, Senior Brother Zhao."

Zhao Lin smiled. "I have to read it anyway. It’s no trouble to just read it out loud."

A small interlude occurred while they were receiving their items. The steward at the Registry distributed the goods to everyone, giving each person a leather pouch to hold everything.

The pouch was about a foot wide and a foot and a half long, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, shaped like a pear. A palm-sized Array Map was inscribed near its opening.

The material was soft but incredibly resilient; it was impossible to tell what kind of beast hide it was made from.

As Zhao Lin took the pouch, he immediately felt a faint fluctuation of Spiritual Power emanating from it. His eyes narrowed.

’A Spatial Storage Bag?’

In his previous life, he had read many cultivation novels and had longed for such a treasure for a long time.

He immediately tried to stuff the clothes he’d been issued inside, but it filled up instantly.

’What’s going on? It can only hold this much?’

Puzzled, Zhao Lin thought it might be some kind of illusion. He borrowed Li Sancai’s clothes and tried to stuff them into the pouch, but they wouldn’t go in no matter how hard he pushed.

’Is it because I don’t have any Mana? Maybe that’s why I can’t activate its extra storage capacity?’

Zhao Lin mused to himself, trying to release the Primordial Qi from his body to see if he could make the space inside expand.

But the pouch merely trembled twice, with no other change. Zhao Lin tried again and again, but he still couldn’t fit the clothes inside.

Brother Wei cleared his throat and was about to speak when he noticed what Zhao Lin was doing. He looked over curiously. "Junior Brother Zhao, what are you up to?"

Zhao Lin stopped what he was doing and asked, "Senior Brother, how many times its volume can this bag hold?"

"How many times its volume?"

Brother Wei blinked in confusion. "A bag holds what it holds, Junior Brother Zhao. Why would you ask that?"

Zhao Lin realized he must have been mistaken and quickly came up with an excuse. "I’ve read some fantasy novels about immortals and monsters before. They say that in the Cultivation Realm, there are storage bags that can hold several, or even dozens of times, their own volume."

"I thought this pouch might have the same function, so I wanted to give it a try."

Brother Wei chuckled after hearing this. "Interesting. The kind of item you’re describing does exist. It’s called a Qiankun Bag, and it’s made from the hide of a Meng Kong Beast."

"This Tier Two Demon Beast possesses the bloodline of the ancient Celestial Illusory-Void Beast. Its body contains a trace of Spatial Law, so a storage bag refined from its hide can store many times its own volume."

At this, he glanced at Zhao Lin. "You didn’t really think you were holding a Qiankun Bag, did you, Junior Brother? That’s a Top Grade spatial treasure. Even cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm or Purple Mansion Realm are lucky to have one. How could they possibly be handed out to every new disciple right after joining?"

It dawned on Zhao Lin. Spatial treasures were incredibly precious; how could they be handed out to everyone, one or even several per person, as if they were being sold wholesale?

’Looks like my rich experience from reading cultivation... novels... isn’t going to be much use here after all.’

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I was getting ahead of myself."

As he spoke, Zhao Lin returned the clothes to Li Sancai.

Brother Wei waved it off nonchalantly. "Actually, Junior Brother Zhao, you were half right. This pouch can indeed be considered a minor treasure."

Hearing the word "treasure," the disciples immediately perked up, asking one after another, "What kind of treasure?"

Brother Wei explained, "This item is called a Locking Pouch. While it can’t store extra items, it contains a restrictive seal."

"The owner simply needs to bond their Divine Sense to it, and the Locking Pouch becomes a personal item. Only the owner can store and retrieve things from it; no one else can open it."

"Take them with you, and remember to write your names on them. Don’t lose them."

A disciple asked, "Senior Brother, how do we use the Locking Pouch?"

Brother Wei smiled. "You’ll have to wait until you open your meridians and possess Divine Sense and Spiritual Power. Only then can you use its locking function. For now, it’s just a normal pouch."

Another disciple asked, "Senior Brother, what happens if you try to force open a Locking Pouch that isn’t yours?"

Brother Wei gave a placid smile. "Forcing it open will trigger the seal, destroying everything inside. Items like pills, Spirit Stones, and books will all be reduced to dust."

"If it’s a sturdy object, like a treasure, it will be damaged beyond repair."

He swept his gaze over the group. "If any of you find someone else’s Locking Pouch, it’s best to return it to its rightful owner."

"If, for some reason, you decide you must force it open, be extremely careful. Triggering the seal could cause the items inside to detonate. If a treasure flies out, it could be fatal."

’That’s good, in a way...’

Zhao Lin thought that with a seal like this on the Locking Pouches, incidents of people being murdered for their treasures should decrease significantly.

By the time they left the Registry, the sun was already starting to set in the west, and many of the disciples from the lesser worlds had started to yawn.

They hadn’t slept all night, and combined with the long journey, they were physically exhausted.

Brother Wei noticed and immediately led the group to their living quarters.

The residences the Spirit Dao Institute assigned to the new disciples were located on the rear mountain of Wendao Peak, where nearly a hundred stone houses had been built on the slope.

Each stone house had its own courtyard and was surrounded by green trees, creating a fresh and tranquil atmosphere.

"These rooms are all unoccupied and fully equipped with daily necessities. You can all choose whichever one you like. Just hang the wooden plaque with your name on the door."

With that, Brother Wei waved his hand. "Get some rest. Tomorrow morning, come to the Spirit Dao Institute’s Scripture Hall."

Hearing this, the disciples swarmed forward, eager to pick a good spot.

Zhao Lin, however, was in no hurry to join the scramble. He was over thirty, after all; it wouldn’t be right to compete with a group of children. Besides, he had just remembered something important.

"Brother Wei, excuse me, do you know a disciple named Liang Song? He’s also from the Han Red Realm."

"Liang Song?"

Brother Wei thought for a moment before replying, "I remember now. Yes, there is such a person. When Junior Brother Liang was at the Spirit Dao Institute, I was a working disciple. We didn’t interact much, but I remember him."

Zhao Lin was delighted. "Where is he now? Is he in Han Chi County?"

Brother Wei shook his head. "Junior Brother Liang has already graduated and been stationed in another county."

He went on to explain what had happened to Liang Song over the years.

Liang Song’s Spiritual Root manifested late. Since he lived deep in the mountains, his talent for cultivation wasn’t discovered by the stationed cultivators until he was twenty-six or twenty-seven years old.

Fortunately, Liang Song’s Spiritual Root was high-grade, and he was a diligent cultivator. By the time he left the Spirit Dao Institute, he had already reached the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.

Hearing news of his good friend at last, Zhao Lin felt a wave of relief wash over him.

Even though he couldn’t leave the Spirit Dao Institute yet, since Liang Song was also part of the Chenghua Sect, they were bound to meet again one day.

By now, the other disciples had already chosen their residences. Zhao Lin thanked Brother Wei, found an unoccupied stone house, and hung his wooden plaque on the door.

Li Sancai, who had been waiting nearby, chose the house right next to Zhao Lin’s as soon as he saw him make his selection.

Zhao Lin pushed open the gate and found himself in a small courtyard paved with bluestone. There was a well in front of the house, and next to it stood a water-settling basin, along with a wooden bucket, a ladle, and a hand towel.

He stepped into the main room, where an Everlasting Stone embedded in the ceiling cast a soft, bright light.

Junior Martial Uncle Wu, who had led them here, had mentioned that these stones came from a southern island belonging to the Chenghua Sect and could shine for a hundred years without dimming.

The room was fully equipped with daily necessities. A small cauldron sat on the floor, and when he leaned in to sniff it, he caught the faint aroma of herbs.

The main room led directly into the bedroom, which was simply furnished with a cabinet and a bed. On the bed, clean quilts and bedding were neatly folded.

Zhao Lin was quite satisfied. Over the years, he had experienced both hardship and luxury, so he had learned to be detached about material possessions.

Just then, someone knocked on the courtyard gate. Knowing it was Li Sancai, Zhao Lin called out, "Come in."

Li Sancai entered the courtyard, clutching the handbook issued by the sect. "Senior Brother Zhao..." he began timidly.

Before he could finish, Zhao Lin gestured for him to come into the main room and have a seat.

"The first page is the sect rules."

Zhao Lin opened the handbook and read aloud: "First, you shall not deceive your master, forsake your ancestors, or disrespect your elders. Second, you shall not use your strength to bully the weak or wantonly harm the innocent. Third, you shall not engage in lechery, debauchery, or the harassment of women. Fourth, you shall not harbor jealousy toward your fellow disciples or engage in internecine conflict..."

"Seventh, you shall not associate with criminals or collude with evil spirits and heretics."

As Zhao Lin read, he noticed Li Sancai staring intently at the handbook in his hands, as if trying to recognize the characters through sheer will. He paused and asked, "Can you remember all that?"

Li Sancai quickly sat up straight. "Thank you, Senior Brother. I can remember it."

Zhao Lin was a little skeptical. "Then repeat it for me."

"First, you shall not deceive your master, forsake your ancestors, or disrespect your elders..."

Li Sancai quickly recited the rules, and to Zhao Lin’s surprise, his recitation was nearly identical to the text in the handbook.

Zhao Lin nodded and continued reading.

The next two pages detailed the disciples’ daily routine and cultivation schedule. There were many points, but when Zhao Lin finished reading and quizzed him again, Li Sancai still answered fluently.

Zhao Lin was slightly taken aback. ’Those who possess a Spiritual Root are truly favored by the heavens,’ he thought. ’This Li Sancai is completely illiterate, yet his memory is astonishing.’

However, while Li Sancai could remember everything, he had never been educated and couldn’t understand some of the phrasing, so he frequently had to ask Zhao Lin for clarification.

Every time he spoke, he would begin with a string of apologies and thanks, and even wore a pleading, sycophantic smile, making himself appear incredibly deferential.

Zhao Lin knew this was a result of his upbringing. After a moment of contemplation, he said slowly, "Junior Brother Sancai, it’s fine to be grateful when someone helps you, but there’s no need to act like you owe them an insurmountable debt."

"Don’t the sect rules say that fellow disciples should help and support one another?"

"When people are kind to you, just remember it. You don’t need to thank them so profusely. In fact, it can make others look down on you. Understand?"

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Zhao."

Li Sancai nodded emphatically, though it seemed he only partially understood.

Zhao Lin knew that saying more wouldn’t help; this was something Li Sancai had to realize for himself over time. So, he dropped the subject.

The handbook was only a few dozen pages long, and they finished it in less than an hour.

After another round of tearful gratitude, Li Sancai finally took his leave.

The sky had not yet darkened, and Zhao Lin felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him. He wasn’t ready to rest just yet, however.

For one, he wanted to adjust to the "jet lag," and for another, he wanted to quietly sort through the day’s events.

So far, the Chenghua Sect had made a good impression on him.

It wasn’t the kind of sect that treated its cultivators like slave labor, exploiting them mercilessly. The overall atmosphere was good, and he hadn’t yet seen any instances of the strong preying on the weak.

What he valued most was that although the Chenghua Sect was a cultivation sect, its rules and principles bore many similarities to the Huaxia civilization of his previous life.

Of course, wherever people gathered, there was bound to be scheming and infighting, not to mention those with malicious intentions. He couldn’t let his guard down in his daily interactions.

’I’ve come to a new world, and everything is starting from scratch.’

Thanks to the modifications from the Spirit Beast Scroll, this body of his had peerless talent for martial arts. When it came to cultivation, however, his aptitude was merely average, and he was relatively old to be starting.

If he wanted to stand out from the crowd and pursue immortality, he would probably have to rely on the Spirit Beast Scroll. Zhao Lin was well aware of this fact.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the Spirit Beast Scroll in his mind’s eye and sensed that it was slightly different than before.

The Nine Palace Diagram had shrunk slightly, but it had also grown more condensed, and a faint green light now flowed within it.

’It seems to know it has come to another world. I wonder if that’s a good thing or a bad thing?’

The Spirit Beast Scroll was his key to survival. This was a world of cultivation and magic; he absolutely could not let it be exposed.