I might have been playing a fake cultivation game.

Chapter 079 Those Immortal Sects and Clans

"Xin'an, do you think it's possible for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to defeat a Golden Core cultivator in this world?" Zhou Yunshen sent a message to Chen Xin'an.

Chen Xin'an quickly replied: "I don't know either. Perhaps I should ask my ancestors?"

"Won't you get beaten up if you go ask that?" Zhou Yunshen asked, somewhat worried.

Chen Xin'an: "No, don't worry, they love me so much, they would never bear to hit me."

Zhou Yunshen: "Okay, go ask then."

An hour later, Chen Xin'an replied with a message: "I asked, and the ancestor said that it's possible for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to reverse the Golden Core stage, but the requirements are too demanding. It requires a Foundation Establishment cultivator to push every aspect to its limit. He said that in the history of Xuan Nan Kingdom, there have been some prodigies who were able to reverse the Golden Core stage while still in the Foundation Establishment realm. As long as these prodigies didn't die along the way, they at least cultivated to the Nascent Soul realm, and some even became immortal terrestrial immortals. But in our Qingzhou Dao, no such prodigy has ever appeared."

Zhou Yunshen: "Does that mean it's possible?"

Chen Xin'an: "Yes, it's possible, Yun Shen. With your spiritual root aptitude, I think if you stay in the Foundation Establishment realm for a longer period of time, you might be able to achieve that."

Zhou Yunshen simply smiled upon seeing this.

……

In an office building on the outskirts of Kyoto, the director is intently reviewing a document.

In just one or two months, the director had more gray hairs on his head and looked older.

After reviewing the documents, the director tapped the table lightly and said, "Are you sure Zhou Yunshen didn't consume any spiritual fruits, pills, or rare treasures during his cultivation?"

A staff member immediately stood up and replied, "No, according to our investigation, Zhou Yunshen's cultivation resources are very ordinary, far inferior to those players born into Golden Core families."

After a pause, the staff member continued, "Moreover, since Zhou Yunshen went to Luchuan Prefecture, he has stayed in the prefecture to cultivate and has never left the prefecture. Under these circumstances, he has no way to obtain opportunities from other places."

The director nodded and said, "He has never eaten any spiritual fruits or pills, yet he was the first to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage, leaving behind those players born into Golden Core families who also have first-grade spiritual roots. This Zhou Yunshen's spiritual root aptitude is definitely more than first-grade."

"That's our guess too," another staff member said.

The director tapped the table lightly again and said, "Go to those immortal sects and buy a few higher-grade spirit testing platforms. Take them to Zhou Yunshen and other first-grade players to test their spiritual roots and see what grade they are."

A staff member whispered, "High-level spirit testing platforms are ridiculously expensive. The cheapest price our people found out in the Xuan Yuan Realm is a million spirit stones. We simply don't have that many spirit stones."

The director said, "Then let's exchange it for a Heaven-Rank cultivation technique. Heaven-Rank cultivation techniques are very precious in the Xuan Yuan Realm. We should be able to get it by exchanging this for the Spirit Testing Platform."

One staff member couldn't help but say, "Director, actually, we could send the players directly to those immortal sects and clans. If their spiritual root grade is high enough, they'll be directly absorbed by those sects and clans and given intensive training. Wouldn't that be better?"

The director glanced at the staff member and slowly said, "These immortal sects and clans are too close to the upper levels of the Xuan Yuan World. It might not be a good thing for our players to come into contact with them now."

With that, the director shook his head and said no more.

A moment later, at the same end of the corridor, the taller staff member handed a cigarette to the shorter one and said, "Brother Lü, you see things more deeply than I do. Tell me, what did the director mean by what he just said?"

The short staff member took the cigarette but didn't light it, seemingly deep in thought. After a long while, he let out a long sigh and said, "We know that the Xuan Yuan Realm will invade Earth in three years, right?"

"That's right." The tall staff member nodded, somewhat confused about what Brother Lü meant by that.

The short staff member continued, "Then tell me, do the gods in the upper echelons of the Xuan Yuan World know that the Xuan Yuan World will invade Earth in three years? Do they know about the players?"

"This..." The tall staff member paused for a moment, then smiled wryly, "I really hadn't thought of that."

The short staff member looked up at the sky and slowly said, "You know, immortal sects and immortal clans are all forces with immortals in charge. If the immortals of these forces know about the Xuan Yuan invasion and the players' situation, wouldn't sending the players in be like lambs to the slaughter?"

After a pause, the shorter player continued, "If the deities here are unaware of the player's situation, then the abnormality in the player's cultivation will definitely attract their attention. With the methods of these deities, they might be able to deduce the truth of the matter through the player."

"It seems that's really the case." The tall staff member scratched his head, pondered for a while, and then said, "If that's the case, then sending the players in is indeed inappropriate. It might just be a case of losing both the player and the team."

At this point, he sighed again, "The director is indeed the director; he thinks much further ahead than we do."

After saying that, he added, "Brother Lü, you have a long-term vision, much better than me."

Upon hearing this, the short staff member simply shook his head and said, "It's just a humble opinion."

The tall staff member thought for a moment and then said, "Sending players to immortal sects or clans carries risks, as you've already explained, Brother Lü. But wouldn't sending players to super-powerful sects be completely safe?"

The short staff member said, "You're talking about sending Du Yusheng to the Holy Flame Sect, right? This was probably a test from above, to see if this super sect with a Nascent Soul cultivator in charge knew about the players. That's why they only sent Du Yusheng in."

After a pause, the short staff member continued, "Also, the higher-ups have their eyes on the immortal-grade cultivation technique passed down by the Holy Flame Sect. They want to see if they can get their hands on it through Du Yusheng."

"Of course, this is just my personal speculation, and it may not be true."

"I think that's it, Brother Lü, you're really amazing, you can think of everything." The tall staff member looked at the short staff member with a hint of admiration on his face.

The short staff member shook his head: "What's so great about me? I'm just guessing."

……

Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and September 15, 2026 arrived.

Zhou Yunshen suddenly received a message from the forum administrator.

Administrator: "Mr. Zhou, would you like to have your spiritual root tested again?"