In the Xingyuan Sect's Transmission Hall, Ning Yuge and Luo Tiangang stood side by side, before them a row of Foundation Establishment-class mechas radiating psychic energy. Each one resembled a dormant beast, ready to awaken at any moment. The elder, hands clasped behind his back, swept his gaze over the two men with a sharp gaze: "Mechas are not ordinary combat tools, but an extension of the path of cultivation."

"Do you know?" the elder said with a wave of his hand, his tone majestic. "The core spiritual energy reserve of an ordinary Qi training-level mecha is equivalent to the total spiritual power of a Jindan cultivator, and the energy of these foundation-building-level mechas is already enough to rival that of an early Yuanying cultivator." He paused at this point, waiting for these "proud geniuses" to show some shock. However, Ning Yuge looked nonchalant: "Oh, so does that mean that we, the mecha pilots, are even more arrogant than the Yuanying ancestors?"

The elder's face suddenly stretched long, and he wanted to knock him on the head right there and then. "You little brat! Why don't you try to fight a Nascent Soul cultivator on your own? Without a mecha, you won't even be left with a scrap!" He waved his sleeve, pointing at the mecha, and continued to lecture, "Mechas are combat power multipliers and are also our important weapons against the demon race and the heavenly tribulation. Don't underestimate them!"

Luo Tiangang nodded slightly and said calmly, "Elder, these mechas are indeed powerful, but why can we only use 35% of their effectiveness? We are clearly far from the mecha's limit."

"Technical bottleneck." The elder sighed and stroked his beard, his tone heavy and filled with a hint of disappointment. "You cultivators know very little about mecha psionic transmission and circuit optimization, and you only know how to act recklessly. Of course, the mecha's energy utilization rate won't be high. To be able to achieve 35% like you did is already considered outstanding in the sect!"

Hearing this, Ning Yuge's face immediately lit up with pride. "Then it seems that this time the reward must go to me, right?" He said as he turned his head and looked at Luo Tiangang provocatively. Luo Tiangang snorted coldly, "What are you so proud of? Aren't you still a 'Mecha Reckless Man'?"

The elder saw the two bickering and waved his hand in pain, "Alright, stop arguing. Focus on truly mastering your mechas. You know, only those monks who can push their mechas to their limits are qualified to enter the real battlefield."

The scene shifted, revealing a massive fortress, enveloped in a dark red aura barrier, quietly suspended in the boundless void. Like a sleeping giant, it emanated a cold and terrifying aura. Inside, a Nascent Soul-class mecha sat high in the center of the display, its body a deep blue, its psychic patterns as complex and vibrant as a galaxy.

Dozens of semi-mechanized monks shuttled around the booth, operating various precision instruments and adjusting the final parameters of the mecha. A monk who looked like a supervisor stood in front of the booth, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. He gently reached out and stroked the armor of the mecha, as if touching a priceless work of art.

"It's finished..." His voice trembled slightly, filled with excitement and pride. "A Nascent Soul-class mecha, the pinnacle of our human technology and cultivation! Its core spiritual energy reserves are already close to those of a peak cultivator in the Tribulation Crossing Stage. As soon as it steps onto the battlefield, the entire landscape of the cultivation world will be completely overturned!"

The woman in the shadows slowly stepped out. Her mechanized left arm shone coldly in the dim light, and her right eye gleamed red like a cold, precision instrument. Every step she took carried an undeniable pressure, instantly making all the researchers in the room feel as if they were standing on an icy cliff.

"Only at the Nascent Soul stage?" Her voice was as cold as ice, revealing a chilling disdain.

The supervisor's forehead was covered in sweat, and he forced a fawning smile. "Your Excellency, this is the limit of what we can achieve at the moment... A Nascent Soul-level mecha is the pinnacle of our current technology."

"Peak?" The woman's voice suddenly rose, like a sharp shout, causing pain in the eardrums. She turned abruptly and walked towards the booth, her gaze sweeping across the Nascent Soul-level mecha like a knife. "Is this the answer to the countless spirit stones, manpower, and resources you've wasted? Nascent Soul-level? Ridiculous! I want transcendence, to ascend to immortality. You brought me a pile of scrap metal, and you think you're qualified to talk about peak performance?"

The supervisor nearly knelt, waving his hands repeatedly. "Your Excellency, calm down! A Divine Transformation-level mecha is indeed our ultimate goal, but… but technological breakthroughs take time. Immortal-level psychic energy is too complex, and there's currently no fully compatible core support…"

"Excuses!" The woman swung her robotic arm and slammed it down on the booth, making a loud thud. She sneered, her voice cold and sinister, "I don't want excuses, I want results. Don't tell me there's not enough time. Everything depends on results." She gave the supervisor a deep look, turned, and left, leaving behind only a chilling sentence: "If you're disappointed again, you won't even exist."

The room was deathly silent. The researchers looked like they had just escaped from the clutches of death. They were all wiping their sweat, their eyes filled with fear of women and complex emotions towards Nascent Soul-level mechas.

In the early morning, the Lingxiao Sect's Dharma Hall was bathed in the first rays of the sun. Disciples sat cross-legged in orderly rows. The front row held the geniuses, considered the sect's pride, while the back row housed the lesser-known, ordinary disciples. The Dharma Elder stood on a high platform, stroking his long beard with his hand. His voice was loud and commanding.

"The path to immortality involves a battle against heaven, against earth, and even against oneself. But you know, the most formidable enemy is the inner demon." The elder looked around, his gaze as sharp as a torch, his voice deep and solemn. "The heavenly tribulation is indeed terrifying, but if the heart is not pure, the inner demon is the true death. Only by forgetting all emotions, or being completely ruthless, can one sever obsessions and achieve immortality."

The elder's gaze fixed on Shen Tianshu in the front row, revealing a gratified smile: "Chen Tianshu, his heart is as still as water, he is single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, unperturbed by worldly distractions. His cultivation has progressed rapidly, and he has already reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi training. The Dao of Forgetfulness has further aided his breakthrough, and his future is limitless."

Shen Tianshu sat upright, smiling faintly, his eyes calm, but the pride that could not be hidden between his brows almost overflowed, causing the surrounding disciples to cast envious glances at him.

However, the elder's gaze suddenly swept towards Xiang Fan in the back row. His tone changed, and he said coldly, "Look at some of you, like Xiang Fan. He spends his days obsessed with trivial matters, his mind in a turmoil, and he has achieved nothing in his cultivation. For such a person, immortality is nothing but a joke."

The entire audience's attention was instantly focused on Xiang Fan. He felt as if he were tied to a ring, surrounded by thousands of people, and he wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it. He lowered his head, his hands tightly clutching the corners of his clothes, his face flushed crimson, his ears buzzing, and he didn't dare look up at anyone.

Shen Tianshu in the front row turned his head with a hint of contempt, as if silently declaring: "People like you are not worthy of sharing the stage with me."

Xiang Fan gritted his teeth and muttered softly, "Am I really that bad? Perhaps, I'm just not cut out for cultivating immortality..."

An indescribable bitterness surged in his heart. He suppressed the moisture in his eyes and prayed silently in his heart: "Please end it quickly, and stop looking at me..."

The elder continued to explain the dangers of the Heavenly Tribulation and the Inner Demon Tribulation, but Xiang Fan had already lost his focus, his eyes involuntarily gazing at the sky outside the Dharma Hall. The clear blue sky seemed like a mockery, a reminder of the vast gap between him and those geniuses.

He laughed at himself and muttered to himself, "If cultivating immortality means giving up everything, even cutting off emotions and obsessions, then what is the point of such immortality?"