Applied Immortality

“Holy crap! You’re saying, After the Immortal Alliance was set up, animals can’t become demons without permission?” Wang Qi’s mind went in another direction at Su Junyu’s words, “Is the Immortal Alliance planning to cull all bad elements?”

“Demon Bull? Snake God?” Su Junyu asked curiously, “Are those famous demons?” (Tamon: bad elements is a Chinese idiom, but Su Junyu hears its literal characters and not its implied meaning.)

The other three shook their heads to show they hadn’t heard of them.

Wang Qi asked, “Can the Immortal Alliance control wild animals from becoming demons?”

Su Junyu said, “Of course not; not even a true immortal can do it.”

Wang Qi said, “Oh, then why…”

“License to dispose. It’s as simple as that.” Su Junyu stated, “An Immortal Alliance peacekeeper’s routine tasks include eliminating non-compliant demons.”

[Holy hell, that’s even more dominating!]

Demons were a part of the Immortal Alliance, but that did not mean humans and demons were one big happy family. The Immortal Alliance had three types of combative members: frontier guards, peacekeepers, and enforcers. Except for enforcers in charge of cleaning the Immortal Alliance of felons and criminals, frontier guards and peacekeepers, more often than not, took care of demons.

The frontier guards protected the four coasts, fighting a bitter battle with sea demons. A peacekeeper’s job was a bit more complicated than that. In simple terms, they made sure to keep the peace in a region. It just so happened that doing their duty involved removing berserk and dangerous demons.

Any new demon with a penchant for killing humans would be culled. Any demon known to antagonize and harass humans would be put down. Any demon known to kill beyond hunting and self-defense was to be removed. 

On the other hand, the Immortal Alliance accepted some ‘compliant’ demons, enlightening their minds and granting them modern mental arts. For modern cultivators, Heavenly Spirit Range in particular, researching these demons’ cultivation progress helped them advance the path of life, to say nothing of these demons strengthening the Immortal Alliance.

The Immortal Alliance’s considerable number of demonborns were the offspring of these demons.

With the Thunder Clap Stag drinking from the lake, Wang Qi’s group couldn’t fetch water. Wu Fan finally showed his worth, scrutinizing the herd and gathering data. Wang Qi used ripples to sharpen some sticks and roast Wu Shiqin’s meat.

Su Junyu was reminded as Wang Qi worked the meat, “Roasting it over fire will do. Don’t ever use Celestial Entropy.” 

Wang Qi slapped his head. “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that? Celestial Entropy controls heat. This way, many cooking skills Ear-, commoners can’t use are much easier to employ!” Wang Qi became zealous for some reason: “A dish lacks the moment it fails to bring out the best in its ingredients!”

Su Junyu cried out in fright, “Don’t! Burning meat on a bonfire only tastes a bit bad, while losing control of Celestial Entropy won’t even get a dog to eat it!”

Wang Qi pondered, turning to Mao Zimiao, “Zimiao, is your friend picky with food?” 

Mao Zimiao was on guard. “Where are you going with that, nya?”

“Experiment…”

Su Junyu said, “Cut that out. Using the magical arts to cook requires incredible control. Celestial Entropy would be fine, but if Scorching Metal Valley…”

Su Junyu showed horror as he recalled something unspeakable and shivered.

“What about Scorching Metal Valley?”

Su Junyu gave a bitter smile. “Scorching Metal Valley’s cultivation methods can induce changes in an item’s properties. If they use their cultivation method while cooking, the ingredients will change beyond what would normally happen when using a normal fire. Sure, the seasoned cultivators can make otherworldly delicacies, but using shoddy skill will result in poison.”

Wang Qi’s thoughts of using Celestial Entropy crumbled then and there. [Won’t I be eating it as well?]

Wang Qi finished roasting the meat just as Wu Fan finished gathering data. Wang Qi gave him a skewer. “How is it?”

The attention this unimpressive youth received for the first time today was flattering: “I finished my observation and recorded the data.”

Wang Qi watched him finish the meat in a couple of bites, then bit into his own skewered meat. Su Junyu’s reminder came just a tad too late, Wang Qi having applied Celestial Entropy to it at the start. 

As the four ate, Su Junyu floated by himself to the side. The less he interacted with them in the trial, the higher their evaluation would be for these freshmen.

Spending a day together helped bring the team closer. Mao Zimiao and Wu Shiqin were beyond friendly, with even Wu Fan able to exchange a couple sentences with the others. Despite his unconventional nature, Wang Qi’s two new friends quickly got used to his sporadic, jerky behavior.

At one point, Mao Zimiao and Wu Shiqin discussed the admission trial.

Mao Zimiao asked, “Shiqin, which sect do you want to enter, nya?”

Wu Shiqin gave an honest reply, “Harmony Coalition.”

“Shiqin, you’re so amazing, nya!” Mao Zimiao admired her: “You’re training in Celestial Hymn Odyssey, the best mental art from Harmony Coalition, nya! The one from Unified Arts Maxwell!”

Wu Shiqin nodded. The response made Mao Zimiao gasp harder: “How cool, nya, to resolve such a hard problem! I’m not good at this at all, nya!”

Wu Shiqin said, “Senior Brother Su mentioned this afternoon that you’re training in Evolution Chart. You’re intent on Heavenly Spirit Range?”

Mao Zimiao nodded. “An Ingenious Valley’s senior sister pointed out that I’m a better fit for Spirit Beast Mountain, nya.”

“That’s amazing as well.”

Mao Zimiao turned her head and said, “Little Fan, what about you?”

Wang Qi glanced at Wu Fan.

The youth smiled and said, “I’m not that ambitious. I’m content with being Landscape Metropolis’ average inner disciple.”

Mao Zimiao felt awkward to hear that. “My ambition isn’t that great, nya. If not for Senior Sister Ai’s guidance, I would’ve picked Drifting Cloud Sect. What about you, Little Qi? With how amazing you are, what’s your goal?”

[Get a job, buy a house, raise a…]

Wang Qi almost blurted, but he replied, “I don’t know.”

Wu Shiqin asked, “You don’t have goals?”

Wang Qi shook his head. “That’s not it.”

“What does that mean?”

“Be it Myriad Arts Sect, Elusive Palace, Harmony Coalition, or Brilliance Palace, I need to consider it carefully. But being a true disciple is the minimum.” Wang Qi puffed out his chest like he had already passed the exam for becoming the five best’s true disciple.

The thick bookworming superiority left the three underachieving Qi Refining cultivators in shock. However, Wu Shiqin mocked, “Show off.”

Wang Qi objected by flaring his aura. Of the several arts he practices, Divine Hexagram Computation and Book of Geometry had no presence, but Celestial Hymn Odyssey, Celestial Entropy, and Grand Ripple Enigma did in spare. Electricity flared between his hands, with his right hand burning hot as well. The discharge even singed the ground. 

Wu Shiqin was speechless.