ACC Chapter 2 Chasing Immortality

I, Mumaso Reed, am a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. What does that stage of cultivation truly entail?

Someone at the peak of Core Formation has a core. The very stage itself is self explanatory. A core is like a tireless miniature nuclear reactor that produces spiritual energy, thereby eliminating the need for taking in external spiritual energy. The formation of a core makes it so that a cultivator no longer needs to rely on external aid to replenish their spiritual energy.

A Nascent Soul is a spiritual entity, a manifestation of a person, or beast, or alien's soul. And it is birthed from the core within, allowing a person at the Peak of the Core Formation stage, to advance into the Nascent Soul stage.

A Nascent Soul stage cultivator has the ability to notice the soul fluctuations. Of course, even with the stage having such a name, many people, including myself, are still skeptical as to whether the Nascent soul is really a true soul, or something like a shell around a true soul. Many debates are still ongoing about that...anyway, what all this means is simple, I had noticed the fluctuation of Lily's soul aura when the name 'Livia' had been uttered. And this hadn't been the first time.

"Clearly, there's a story between you and Livia..."

I started as we traversed a corridor with lines transporting liquid spiritual energy embedded within its walls.

There was another fluctuation and a physical manifestation in the form of a paused step, before Lily reoriented herself. It had all happened in a fraction of a second.

"Why are you interested, Mr. Reed? Surely those convoluted research projects should be the ones occupying your computational power."

There were barbs within her voice. Anger, jealousy maybe? It would be better to just change the topic.

"So... Since the maize managed to mutate, you must have discovered the cause, right?"

"The array rune which was supposed to be coverting water spiritual energy into water and spiritual energy in a certain ratio malfunctioned, leading to the energy irrigating a corner of the farm in its raw state."

"And I take it that the rune wasn't mine, instead one on a pipe made by an outsourced company, right? Was it our problem, or theirs?"

"Do you want to sue, sir?"

"Leave it. That would be too troublesome. Instead, tell me more about the maize. From the fact that it only mutated instead of outright dying, means that the amount of water spiritual energy that leaked was minute."

Five years ago was the last time I had provided the maize with raw spiritual energy, specifically my wood attributed spiritual energy. Could it be that different types could mutate the crop without killing it?

For the duration of a micro second, my heart leaped in excitement before it was doused by the multitude of projects and experiments under my charge, requiring much of my brain power.

Offloading it to someone else was the natural thing to do, but I didn't want to. Maybe I should first check with them to see if they are too busy first.

"Lily, send that company a warning. Make them stew. We can't have them being too comfortable. What if they cause some grander accident one day, killing people in the process?"

As we boarded the elevator to space, I changed my mind. At least they will become scared enough to at least send some people to check each product they have ever sold.

That was the influence of a Nascent Soul. When I had just advanced to the stage, I hadn't known how much power they wielded. Some of those who had even hoped to curry favor had informed me of some unsavory deeds done by some powerful clans to stymy, not just my ascension, but many others.

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While lost in my thoughts, I looked through the glass, to the city down below which was continously shrinking as we rose upwards, heading towards space.

Defiant was the capital city of the Federation, possessing the tallest skyscraper in the world, housing the space elevator. It was the place I lived, housing even my lab, where I had spent the last five years. It had been named the 'Heavenly Pillar', a cringeworthy name that had stuck, because apparently, it was apt.

At the time of its construction, it had been an ambitious project, the first of its kind that had gained the unanimous approval of every citizen, yet now, 700 years later, many more ambitious megaprojects had been completed, like my farm. Yes, it was mine! The reason was simply because I was among the most valuable Nascent Souls in existence apart from those pill makers. And that had to do with the fact that I was the only one at this stage with a wood core.

"You gaze is disrespectful... Don't you realise that?"

"Am just curious."

"Lily, curiosity always kills the cat. At one point you might find yourself confessing feelings of love towards me."

"Hehehehehe... Please don't joke around, Mr. Reed. Such impulses and things are for the young ones."

"...Am going to give you a chance. This elevator is going to take 5 minutes and 40 seconds to reach the space port. In this timeframe, you can ask me whatever you want."

I turned my gaze from below, where the scenery had reached the level where I could almost see the northern contours of the African continent, to her.

Lily was a very beautiful woman, and that couldn't be denied. But beauty alone could never get you far. Why? Because every female cultivator was a jade-like beauty and every male cultivator, a handsome stud. Relationships all boiled down to whether you had compatible goals, ideals, personalities, and many other factors. Beauty wasn't a standard.

But the most common criteria was strength. That was why I was included in the lists of the top ten most desired male in the world. Yes, I had perused the list. Everyone had to satisfy some sort of vanity, right?

"What is your ultimate goal?"

"Immortality."

"For real? That's a flimsy reason."

"It would be if I lacked ambition. Am of a different breed from most cultivators. They claim to chase after immortality, but ultimately lose the drive upon reaching certain milestones, like advancement to the Core Formation and Nascent Soul stages. They become complacent because they think, 'Ah! I still have time. I just gained an additional 500 and 1000 years!'"

"I want to see what's beyond the Nascent Soul. Explore the universe, make contact with other alien civilizations... And many other things. Being a mere Nascent Soul won't cut it."

"...my ideal man." Lily mumbled, having become somewhat dazed.

"Nope." With that refusal, she was jolted back to reality.

"Do you really believe that you can reach the fabled Deity Transformation stage? No one in all of history has ever reached it. The history texts only propose it theoretically."

"I will try to do so. Though, if the preparations prove adequate, someone might advance before me."

"Who?"

"Confidential."

"Does this world have a person you respect the most?"

I caressed my chin in thought at the question. Two people had popped into my mind at the question. One was an enemy, and the other was the President.

"Nikolai." I decided to simply name my enemy.

"For real?! He's your-"

"Enemy. But I still admire him for coming up with his scale that determines the level of a civilisation."

"Though, many people disagree with him, mostly because of how his standards for a Type 1 civilisation are steep."

"They are steep alright. But I take them to be the truth. Colonising our star system still doesn't allow us to label ourselves a Type 1. Even the fact that we can harvest 100% of the spiritual energy emitted by the star if we so choose. Besides-"

"Wait, Mr. Reed. I only asked to satisfy my curiousity. My forte is administration, not cultivation science and theorem."

I sighed upon being interrupted. Should I have gotten a more science oriented secretary? No, it had already been proven that all such people aren't suited for administration. I really need a verbal debate with a peer.

Lily didn't ask any more questions during the elevator's ascent into space, surprising me somewhat. And I had thought that she would have a long list stashed within her mind considering that ravenous gaze from before.

There was a rise in the activity within her soul aura, indicating a heightened state of brain usage.

Since she was in the middle of contemplating some things, I decided to leave her alone, focussing upon the upcoming tasks I was about to do. Also, I had to physch myself up for the crowd of people in the space port.

I was sure that most were going to rush over to us the moment we alighted from the elevator. Being a minor celebrity is a pain.

The chime went off, signifying that our few minutes of silence and calm were about to be broken.

I took stock of my attire, a long pair of brown pants with a green short sleeved shirt that clung to my body. They were designer clothes, imbued with a self cleaning array, a temperature regulation array, and the ability to alter themselves a little, like changing the color and design...though to a limited extent, after all, if they could morph into anything, then the fashion industry would die.

Lily too, regained herself, adopting a persona that was calm and stoic, with an expression that was tailored to keeping people at arm's length. It was admirable.

I couldn't achieve that myself as I was too honest and weak hearted?

The doors slid to the side, expanding the range of my gaze as the space port was simply too massive.