Boom...

As a result, nearby asteroids and uninhabited big and small planets were shattered by the impact of the two techniques unleashed by the cultivators. A thick fog of mixed blue and black smoke enveloped the area between the two men and the old man. Before the two men could recover from the chaos, two crescent-shaped energy slashes, glowing with the eerie light of a blood moon, emerged from the fog. The slashes cut through space and struck them before they could react. The cursed energy from the slashes seeped into their bodies, relentlessly gnawing at their spiritual energy.

The two men cried out in pain, their bodies reeling from the impact. Seizing the opportunity, the demon cultivator darted forward, moving like a blur. In an instant, he seized the man who had unleashed the beam. Grasping him by the neck, he lifted him from his hunched position with his right hand and began to drain his spiritual qi and life force.

Meanwhile, the second cultivator, though weakened, remained defiant. Summoning his remaining strength, he quickly formed a Void Piercing Lance in his left hand. As the old man stood over the fallen body of the first cultivator, a glint of light caught his eye. He turned just in time to see the Void Piercing Lance speeding towards him with formidable power. The lance struck his left shoulder, causing the demon cultivator to howl in agony.

---Void Piercing Lance: A spear of condensed spiritual energy and void essence, capable of traveling vast distances with incredible speed. When the lance strikes its target, it pierces through their physical body, leaving a gaping wound that slowly decays the surrounding flesh. The energy contained within the lance corrodes the target's clothes and armor, turning them to dust. More insidiously, the lance's void essence invades the target's spiritual body, causing severe spiritual erosion that weakens their soul and diminishes their cultivation base.---

---Spiritual Body: The spiritual body is often a term used to describe the soul or consciousness of a cultivator, which can exist separately from the physical body. Cultivators can cultivate their spiritual bodies, which might involve strengthening their soul, divine sense, or mental faculties. This spiritual body is what can be attacked or defended against using spiritual attacks.---

In response, the demon cultivator (old man) used his Blood Moon Slash with precise aim against the attacker. Unable to evade the attack due to his injuries, the man was struck with a devastating blow. As the old man was catching his breath, he noticed more cultivators approaching from a distance. Realizing he had no other option, he headed toward the Ascension Gate, fully aware of the potential consequences of entering it, especially with many still searching for the Phoenix Tailgrass.

Flying upright towards the Ascension Gate, he prepared himself for the inevitable repercussions. Meanwhile, other cultivators arrived at the battlefield and discovered two lifeless bodies. One was like a wilted plant, and the aftermath of the battle indicated a fierce and intense confrontation had occurred.

Some of the others moved ahead and caught sight of the Ascension Gate. One of the immortal cultivators remarked, "Could one of these two have tried to enter the Ascension Gate?" Another immortal cultivator quickly responded, "Only a fool would attempt that. What immortal cultivator would willingly return to the peak of the mortal realm? Just thinking about all the resources you’ve used would be enough to make you regret it." He said this because every immortal cultivator knew that entering the Ascension Gate as an immortal resets your cultivation level, reducing you back to the peak of the mortal realm. Hearing this, the other immortal cultivators nodded in agreement.

---Mortal Peak: The highest level of cultivation a person can reach within the Mortal Plane, just before transcending to a higher realm.---

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...

In the Astral Plane, a black figure streaked through the void, leaving a trail of dark energy behind. After hours of relentless flight, the old man came to a stop in one of the mortal realms. He pressed his right hand against his bleeding left shoulder, his red pupils reflecting the pain. His once-tied hair was now loose, and his clothes were stained with blood, dust, and scratches from the battle.

Without hesitation, he moved swiftly towards the mortal realm, his primary concern being to find a way to heal. Upon entering the atmosphere, he soared through the sky, desperately searching for a safe place to hide. He could feel his wound worsening, rapidly decaying the flesh around it.

---Astral Plane or Outer Realms: Used to describe the space beyond the Mortal Realm or these can refer to the regions or dimensions that exist outside the Mortal Realm. (Similar to how we think of outer space beyond Earth's atmosphere)---

After a few minutes, he spotted a mountain and quickly made his way toward it. Upon reaching the base, he used his fire attack to bore a hole into the mountain. Once inside, he sealed the entrance and created an illusion barrier to obscure the cave's presence. He then used his fire attack to dig deeper underground. When he reached the desired depth, he slumped against the far end of the cave.

As he examined his left hand, now skeletal from the corrosion, the old man bitterly laughed. His storage ring, which he wore on that hand, had also corroded. "I never imagined that seeking a single ingredient for a pill would lead to my demise," he mused. His thoughts were interrupted by the sensation of the lance’s void essence invading his spiritual body, causing severe spiritual erosion that weakened his soul and diminished his cultivation base.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, he promptly activated his soul-heart condensation. As the technique took effect, he began to lose consciousness, his vision fading as he stared up at the cave's ceiling.

---Soul Heart Condensation: In this technique, the demon cultivator channels their entire soul into their heart, creating a dense, powerful core of spiritual energy that can protect them from otherwise fatal injuries. If their physical body is destroyed, as long as the heart and the soul within it remain intact, they can potentially regenerate or escape to rebuild their body.---

After a thousand years in the cave, his entire body had become skeletal, and his clothes had turned to dust. Consequently, his soul was trapped within his own technique. Red crystal (His Heart) was slowly deteriorating, which led to the weakening of his soul and a gradual decline in his cultivation base. With so much time having passed, he had only three years left to live, and his cultivation had fallen to the late stage of Qi Condensation.

A month ago, the barrier he had created was finally broken. As a result, the cave was overrun by bloodfang bats, which took over the once-secure hideout.

...

Present Day

He sensed a young boy entering his cave and approaching him. Judging by the qi the boy was emitting, he was at the early stage of qi condensation. With his own time running out, the old man decided to use the Demon's Insight of the Abyss on the boy, as he needed a new body to transfer into. As the boy stood before him, the old man discovered that the boy had an uncommon spiritual root and ordinary bone marrow. Muttering to himself, he remarked, "Such poor-quality spiritual root and bone marrow," while scrutinizing the boy closely.

Next, the old man examined the boy's bloodline. He was intrigued to find it listed as unknown, which caused him to stroke his white beard thoughtfully. Upon reading the name, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Uchiha? In all my years, this is the first time I've encountered a bloodline with this name." As he delved deeper into the hidden attributes of the boy’s bloodline, his eyes widened in astonishment.

Turning to the boy, he asked, "Boy, do you want to become a powerful cultivator?" The boy remained silent, staring at the old man’s skeletal form with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The old man thought to himself, "Once he agrees and takes the oath, I will not hesitate to control and take over his body."

---Oath: Making an oath is often seen as a very powerful and serious act. Oaths are usually backed by the cultivator's Qi or even their soul, making them binding and difficult to break without severe consequences. Breaking an oath can lead to severe punishments, such as backlash from the heavens, loss of cultivation, or even death. Therefore, oaths are taken very seriously and are considered unbreakable unless one is willing to face the dire consequences.---