A Farmer's Journey To Immortality

Aksai straightened his posture and waited calmly.

A few moments later, a faint flash of light appeared not too far from him. A formation lit up briefly, and a figure stepped out of it.

It was Arkaal.

He had returned exactly after a week, just as he had said.

The old man’s sharp eyes immediately scanned the surroundings. For a brief moment, his gaze lingered on the lake behind Aksai. The change in the lake was too obvious to miss.

Then his eyes moved to Aksai. A faint hint of surprise appeared on his face before it quickly turned into interest.

Aksai lowered his head slightly in greeting, maintaining the calm and respectful attitude of a junior.

Arkaal stood still for a moment, his eyes fixed on Aksai. Then, without saying anything, he released his Spirit Sense. It spread out like an invisible wave and wrapped around Aksai’s body, probing him from head to toe.

Aksai did not resist. He kept his posture steady and his expression calm, as if he had nothing to hide. Inside, however, he remained careful. His aura was already suppressed to a level that matched his cover, and he made sure not to let even a trace of his true strength leak out.

Arkaal’s brows slowly furrowed.

The old man’s gaze sharpened as he examined Aksai more closely. He could clearly feel the changes in Aksai’s body. The poison inside him had not only been refined but also turned into something stable and useful. His aura was stronger than before, far stronger than what Arkaal had expected.

After a few seconds, Arkaal pulled back his Spirit Sense.

“Brat,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of surprise, “you really pulled it off?”

He took a step forward, looking at Aksai as if he was seeing him in a new light.

“I thought you would be overwhelmed by the poison,” Arkaal continued. “Or that the poison beasts in this cave would give you a hard time. But you actually managed to refine so much poison from the lake?”

Aksai lowered his gaze slightly, acting modest.

Inside, however, he cursed.

‘Old fox… so that’s what this was,’ he thought.

Only now did he fully understand Arkaal’s intention. There had been no clear goal from the start. No proper guidance. Arkaal had simply thrown him into the poison lake to see how far he could go.

There was never a fixed benchmark.

Whether Aksai survived, struggled, or failed… all of it would have been used to judge his worth.

Aksai felt a slight annoyance rise in his chest, but he quickly suppressed it. Showing even a hint of it now would not do him any good.

He raised his head slightly and spoke in a calm tone.

“I was lucky, Lord Arkaal,” he said. “The poison was intense, but I managed to endure it due to my special constitution.”

Arkaal stared at him for a moment longer. It was clear that he did not fully believe that it was just luck. He also knew that even the special constitutions had their limits. Still, he did not press further.

The truth was already in front of him.

Even though Aksai had hidden a large part of his progress, the fact that he had made any visible improvement at all in such a short time was enough to surprise him.

A faint smile slowly appeared on Arkaal’s face.

“Good,” he said. “Very good.”

There was a clear hint of satisfaction in his voice now. To him, this was no longer just a random wandering cultivator. This was a piece worth investing in.

Arkaal looked at Aksai for a moment longer before turning around.

“Alright. It seems you have been baptized by the poison essence. We can progress forward. Follow me,” he said.

Aksai gave a small nod and walked behind him. They left the poison lake behind and moved deeper into the cave. The path ahead was narrow at first, but after a few turns, it opened into a much larger space.

Aksai stepped inside and paused slightly.

It looked like a giant inner chamber of an apothecary.

Rows of shelves lined the walls, filled with all kinds of poison herbs and plants. Some were dry and brittle, while others looked fresh and wet, as if they had just been harvested. The space was filled with different scents—some sharp, some bitter, and some so strong that they almost felt like they could burn one’s nose.

There were also many jars placed neatly on long stone tables. Each jar held some kind of strange liquid. Some were dark and murky, while others glowed faintly with green or purple light.

Not far from those jars, Aksai saw something else.

Parts of demon beasts.

Limbs, organs, and even heads were stored in separate containers. They were cleanly cut and arranged in an orderly manner.

Aksai’s gaze moved across the room.

In certain sections, special formations were carved into the ground. These formations gave off a steady glow and hummed softly. Some had small cauldrons placed over them, while others held trays of herbs or liquids. It was clear that these formations were used to process and refine poison materials.

Most of the resources here felt like they were in the 1st to 3rd Order range.

Even so, the quantity was impressive.

Aksai also felt something else.

At the far end of the chamber, there was a sealed section. A large stone door stood there, covered in complex formation patterns. The energy coming from behind it was faint but heavy.

Aksai did not need to think too much.

‘Late stage 3rd Order… or even higher,’ he thought quietly.

Arkaal stopped near one of the tables and picked up a small jade container.

“Come here,” he said.

Aksai stepped closer.

Arkaal opened the container and showed him a dark green paste inside.

“This is a refined poison herb mixture,” he said. “2nd Order. You can apply it directly on your skin during training. It will help your body adapt to a special type of conciousness-affecting Spirit poison faster.”

He then pointed to a nearby jar filled with a thick liquid.

“This one is a 3rd Order poison extract,” he continued. “You don’t take it directly. Dilute it first using purplesnow flower Spirit water, then absorb it slowly. If you rush, it will harm you.”

Aksai listened carefully.

Arkaal moved from one item to another, explaining their uses in a simple but direct way. He spoke about when to use them, how much to use, and what to avoid.

Aksai nodded from time to time, showing that he understood. He also silently activated Nuri to record everything forever.

After a while, his gaze shifted again toward the sealed door at the end of the chamber. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. His druidic senses were telling him that the sealed door contained something of important value to Arkaal.

“Lord Arkaal,” he said, “what is behind that door?”

Arkaal followed his gaze. For a brief moment, he said nothing. Then a faint smile appeared on his face.

“You noticed that, huh?” he said.

Aksai did not reply, but his eyes remained steady.

Arkaal chuckled lightly.

“That section is not for you yet,” he said. “What’s inside… is meant for those who have stepped into the next realm.”

He looked at Aksai with a meaningful gaze.

“When you break into the 3rd Spirit realm and become a Core Formation Lord,” Arkaal added, “you’ll get to see it for yourself.”

Aksai nodded slowly.

“I understand,” he said.

Inside, however, his curiosity had already been stirred.

If the outer chamber held this much, then what lay behind that door was definitely something far more valuable. For now, though, he kept his thoughts to himself.

After he was done explaining a few things, Arkaal pointed toward a formation carved into the ground.

“Alright. I have may things to do and don’t have much time to look after you. We’ll finish this process quickly. Go. Sit there,” he said.

At the center of the chamber was a circular poison Spirit formation. It had several layers of markings, all glowing faintly with a dull green light. At the very center was a small circle—the central eye of the formation.

Aksai walked over and sat down cross-legged inside it.

“Close your eyes,” Arkaal said. “Steady your breath. Run your cultivation technique and reach your best state.”

Aksai did as he was told.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. His Spirit essence began to circulate smoothly inside his body. The Druid’s Poison Heart beat in a calm rhythm, matching the flow of his energy. Bit by bit, his body relaxed, and his mind became clear.

Time passed. Hours went by in silence.

Aksai reached his optimum state, his energy stable and his senses sharp. Only then did Arkaal move.

The old man stepped closer to the formation and raised his hand. With a small motion, he activated it.

The formation lit up.

Soft green light spread through the carved lines, connecting the outer rings to the central eye where Aksai sat. A faint humming sound filled the chamber as the formation came to life.

‘Hmm? This formation… it doesn’t look like much, but why do I feel that there’s something odd about it?’ Aksai thought to himself before discarding the stray thought.