Chapter 7: A Chance to Succeed in Cultivation — and a Cure for a Terminal Illness!

Su Ning was deeply curious.

What kind of Cultivation Technique could make the little people care so much about it?

"This technique doesn't actually have a name yet!" Kunlun Immortal Maiden said.

"After our Ascension, we had some idle time… so we pooled together the insights of all nine of us and created it."

The crystallized life's work of nine Saints?

"It isn't fully refined, but based on our calculations, the technique's rank is extraordinarily high — just how high, we honestly can't say." Kunlun Immortal Maiden explained.

"If the Immortal Lord is willing, you're welcome to give it a try."

She looked a little embarrassed as she said it.

After all, this was essentially using Su Ning as a guinea pig.

She had no idea whether he would be upset about that.

Such a rash proposal carried real risks, but the little people had no other choice.

They had to forge a bond of mutual interest with Su Ning.

Only a relationship built on shared stakes could last.

A relationship where only one side gives everything out of goodwill is destined to be short-lived.

Whether it's love, friendship, or brotherhood — the same truth applies.

Having lived for so many years, these little people were all seasoned veterans of the world. They understood human nature well enough.

"It's harmless either way, so why not give it a shot." Su Ning nodded.

Given the state he was already in, what did he have to lose?

His body was already on borrowed time… trying something interesting before the end didn't sound so bad.

"The Immortal Lord agrees?" The little people hadn't expected him to accept so readily — they'd assumed he would need time to think it over.

"Then we shall transmit the technique to you!"

Having already experienced the transmission once before, Su Ning received the Inheritance with ease.

The moment the technique entered his mind, Su Ning's expression shifted…

A wondrous sensation was born deep within him.

"Moving without turbidity, rising until it reaches the heavens…"

"The extraordinary meridians flow freely, the eight vessels like a vast and surging sea…"

This was nothing like the blankness he'd felt before.

As this technique entered his mind, Su Ning felt something akin to a sudden flash of enlightenment — as if a veil had been lifted.

It was as though… he had awakened.

Some nerve within him had suddenly come alive.

He understood.

"This is…"

Su Ning's expression turned serious, his thoughts drifting inward.

He immediately sat down cross-legged.

And began to cultivate right then and there…

This technique was extraordinary.

It seemed to come alive, perfectly attuned to Su Ning, as if it had been made for him.

It offered itself to him willingly.

He followed the technique's flow and regulated his breathing.

Su Ning felt a warm current of heat in his lower abdomen, moving according to his will, spreading outward to every corner of his body.

First it circled within his belly, then it traveled outward to his limbs and every bone…

After one full Circulation Cycle.

The warmth returned to his Dantian.

Whoosh…

Su Ning opened his eyes.

He rose to his feet.

Normally, sitting cross-legged for even a short while would leave his legs numb.

Yet after sitting for so long, he felt no numbness at all — instead, his entire body felt unobstructed and brimming with strength.

It felt wonderful.

Like he'd just had the most thorough full-body massage of his life.

Su Ning was overjoyed.

The technique worked — and he could actually cultivate it.

"Immortal Lord, you've awakened?" Kunlun Immortal Maiden and the other little people let out a collective sigh of relief.

Seeing Su Ning's condition, they knew he had succeeded.

That was all that mattered.

This proved their worth. From now on, the relationship between them would no longer be one where Su Ning alone gave everything out of goodwill.

They had forged a true bond.

This was enormously beneficial to the little people's survival.

Su Ning glanced at the sky. "I didn't realize it had already gotten dark…"

He was startled.

It had still been morning when he started cultivating.

He checked his phone — it was already 10:21 PM.

He had only completed a single Circulation Cycle, yet an entire day had passed.

No wonder people say that one day in an immortal's cave is a thousand years in the mortal world.

Even so, Su Ning was quite satisfied.

He could feel his body improving.

His strength, lung capacity, vitality — all of it had risen, if only by a little.

Even some of the symptoms from his ALS had faded somewhat.

This made Su Ning incredibly happy.

An unexpected blessing.

He felt a renewed sense of hope for life.

If he kept cultivating like this… perhaps his illness could be completely cured?

The thought lifted his spirits enormously.

"Immortal Lord Senior's speed of entry is already quite impressive," Great Xia Sovereign said.

"An ordinary person would need far more time."

The words made all nine little people feel a bit awkward.

That was a rather forced compliment, if anything.

In truth, Su Ning's pace was neither fast nor slow.

Compared to a true genius, there was simply no comparison.

"What level is my cultivation at now? Have I broken through to the first layer of the Qi Refining Realm?" Su Ning asked curiously.

"Ah… well…" The little people looked uncomfortable.

"It's… it's…"

From their reactions, Su Ning could tell he hadn't officially broken through to the Qi Refining Realm yet.

"There's no need for the Immortal Lord to be discouraged. This world has far too little cultivable material, or perhaps its laws differ from those of the lower realm — slow progress is perfectly normal here." Kunlun Immortal Maiden offered reassurance.

This woman carried herself with grace and refinement, gentle and well-mannered in her speech.

In truth, back in the lower realm she had been the aloof, elegant lady type — rarely speaking to anyone.

"As long as Immortal Lord Senior feels himself growing stronger, that's what matters. Everything else is secondary. Cultivation is a long journey — it needs time to take root." The little people continued to console him.

Not that they needed to — Su Ning had already made peace with it himself.

As long as his body was getting better, that was enough.

At least now there was a path toward treating his terminal illness.

After everything that had happened these past few days, Su Ning had arrived at one clear truth.

Compared to matters of life and death, everything else in the world is trivial.

Whether it's losing someone in a breakup, or losing a job…

You can find someone new after a breakup, find a new job after losing one, make new friends when the old ones are gone — but once your life is gone, it's gone for good.

Gurgle, gurgle…

Mid-conversation.

Su Ning's stomach let out a loud rumble.

He'd been cultivating all day without eating — he was starving.

He hadn't reached the Bigu state, after all. Going without food simply wasn't an option.

The joy of his successful cultivation had made him forget his body's most basic need.

Now the hunger hit him all at once.

He glanced over at the little people — they'd gone without food for a day too, and their bodies were clearly struggling to hold on.

"Right… let me go get something to eat. Wait here." With that, Su Ning headed straight for the kitchen.

He boiled three large bowls of noodles and fried ten eggs.

He cooked an entire bundle of noodles in one go.

He set aside a portion for the little people.

Everything else went straight into his own stomach.

And even then, he only felt about eighty percent full.

"All the food is gone. I'll have to figure something out tomorrow and head out to buy some daily supplies."

Su Ning was in excellent spirits today.

It was the best he'd felt in the two months since breaking up with his ex-girlfriend.

"Maybe I could even say it's the first time in years that I've genuinely felt happy inside. Being with Su Yi was mentally exhausting, and all that work had worn my body down too — I wasn't really happy, not truly…" Su Ning reflected.

"Maybe… breaking up was actually the right choice for both of us?"

With a full belly and a clear mind, Su Ning let go of his lingering doubts.

He went straight to bed.

Looking forward to cultivating again tomorrow…

* * *

Meanwhile, in another corner of the city.

Su Yi lay awake, fuming. "That Su Ning really has no sense of boundaries…"

"We've already broken up, and he still goes to bother my parents… Does he think that'll make me change my mind?"

"Hmph… all he's doing is making me dislike him more and more. I will never, ever forgive what he's done, and I am never going back to him!!!"

Proofreader & Editor: Fat Goose 🪶