Li Shiying's fresh blood stained the Investiture of the Gods, disappearing quickly.
Subsequently, three golden, shimmering characters appeared on the blank Investiture of the Gods: Li Shiying.
A profound and mysterious connection was instantly established between the two.
The Investiture of the Gods emanated a hazy glow, and runes formed a rain of light, showering down upon Li Shiying and seeping into her body.
The Investiture of the Gods was the Celestial Book among the Three Books of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
Legend had it that it was a sacred artifact used to restrain powerful deities and eliminate the karmic consequences of great tribulations. Every time a kalpa began, it would enshrine three hundred and sixty-five great unfortunates to cleanse the karma and merit of the mortal world.
In reality, however, it was not quite like that.
To be precise, the Investiture of the Gods was essentially a military roster.
To resist the impending catastrophe, save all living beings, and end the root of darkness.
Laozi Li Er, the Grandmaster of Heaven, and the Primordial Lord of Heaven formed a team and summoned the three hundred and sixty-five most powerful deities of China at that time. With great divine powers, they extracted a wisp of true spirit from each of these deities, imprinting their names onto the Celestial Book.
Firstly, it could leverage the immense power of the Celestial Book to bestow various blessings and enhancements upon these deities.
Secondly, it served as a form of "respawn point." If any of these deities were to fall in battle, they could be resurrected using the wisp of true spirit left on the Celestial Book.
Alas, the battle was unimaginably fierce.
Of the Three Pure Ones, only Li Er survived. The various deities suffered heavy casualties, and even powerful artifacts like the Chaos Bell, the Investiture of the Gods, and the Immortal-Slaying Sword were all severely damaged.
Ji Mo obtained the damaged Investiture of the Gods, which no longer bore any divine imprints.
Later, the Investiture of the Gods was shattered by that Eternal being. It had only been crudely repaired, and it was uncertain how much of its functionality had been restored.
Ji Mo had his own reasons for having Li Shiying sign the Investiture of the Gods.
Currently, numerous foreign cultivators were swarming in, showing utter disrespect and acting with impunity. He himself had significant health issues, possessing the will but lacking the strength. His only recourse was to cultivate some heaven-defying elites to deal with these scoundrels.
After all, the future would ultimately depend on the younger generation.
In Li Shiying, Ji Mo saw a golden, shining quality, which led him to choose her as the first lucky recipient.
With the blessings of the Investiture of the Gods, Li Shiying began a transformation, her roots, aptitude, and talent undergoing earth-shattering changes.
Ji Mo watched Li Shiying with great interest, playfully touching her here and there, causing the young woman to become flustered, her face flushed.
Of course, Ji Mo, in his eccentric way, was not taking advantage of her but was filled with curiosity about the technology and daring innovations within Li Shiying.
He never imagined that cultivation could be pursued in such a manner.
Indeed, the Great Dao had three thousand paths, and cultivation methods were myriad and ever-emerging.
It had to be admitted that the combination of machinery and the physical body indeed had its merits.
Machinery could also be seen as a substitute for various magical treasures and weapons, making it universally applicable.
"The flesh is weak, ascend through machinery. Perhaps you can forge a unique path of cultivation."
Ji Mo murmured, gently massaging Li Shiying to stimulate her special ability to achieve 100% compatibility with the machinery.
"Mmm, have I ascended to heaven?"
Li Shiying felt a warmth spread throughout her body, as if she had returned to her mother's embrace. She had never felt so good, sighing contentedly.
With a sweet smile, she drifted off to sleep blissfully.
However, as her eyes closed, her face was full of shyness. She couldn't understand why this roguish yet handsome deity was so handsy, yet she didn't dislike it at all. Instead, she felt a surge of joy.
"It seems I can create immortals, but achieving godhood in one step is still not possible."
Ji Mo put away the Investiture of the Gods, having grasped its general functionality.
With the power of the Investiture of the Gods, it was certainly possible to create immortal-level experts, but it was far from enough to create deities.
Alternatively, if the Investiture of the Gods could be completely repaired and supplemented with other methods, it might be possible to cultivate god-level powerhouses in a very short period.
However, repairing a Chaos Supreme Treasure was no easy feat. The materials required were rare in the extreme and simply unobtainable.
Ji Mo waved towards the dachshund in the distance and said, "Good dog, let's go and drag out that skeletal figure carrying the scythe. We'll rip off its skull."
Anubis immediately trotted off, leading Ji Mo along the traces left by Thanatos, the God of Death.
Needless to say, Thanatos, that unfortunate soul, would certainly not see the dawn of the next day.
When Li Shiying opened her eyes again, she was no longer outdoors but indoors.
Her vision was met with blinding lights and shadowy figures. Around her stood numerous elderly traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and cultivators in white coats.
Clearly, she had been brought to a hospital.
Li Shiying anxiously looked around but could no longer see that handsome figure, feeling an immense sense of loss.
A familiar nurse informed her that the commotion from the battle outside the city had attracted the attention of the city's security bureau, who had sent people to rescue her.
"Ah, the security bureau saved me, not the handsome, handsome deity?"
Li Shiying was somewhat bewildered. Had everything she saw before been merely an illusion? Yet, why did it feel so real?
In fact, she seemed to still feel the lingering warmth of that deity and the words he had left behind.
"The flesh is weak, ascend through machinery."
Li Shiying's mind replayed this captivating phrase, and her body trembled.
The words felt like supreme truth, a lighthouse guiding those in darkness.
Boom...
Her mind buzzed, as if she had suddenly achieved enlightenment, grasping the profound meaning within.
"I understand..."
Li Shiying smiled knowingly, her blood surging violently, her skin radiating a brilliant glow.
The nanobots within her body instantly transformed into a flowing stream, merging with her body, allowing her to control them with ease, as if they were extensions of her limbs.
Li Shiying's aura grew stronger, a metallic sheen flowed across her skin, and her wounds healed at an astonishing rate, her cultivation skyrocketing.
The lights flickered erratically, and the instruments in the room flashed wildly, emitting beeping sounds.
"My God, what is happening?"
"Such powerful spiritual pressure and magnetic field! All the instruments and meters are out of control!"
"Team Leader Li's cultivation is soaring, and her body is gradually becoming metallic. Is this mechanical ascension?"
...
The surrounding personnel were all shocked, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
It was utterly incredible how machinery and the human body could be so perfectly integrated.
Li Shiying's cultivation continued to climb at an astonishing pace, quickly reaching the peak of the Mortal Immortal realm.
Her body began to generate immortal spiritual energy, and she involuntarily floated upwards, breaking through the thick concrete ceiling and rising into the air.
Above her head, an immortal ascension tribulation was rapidly forming.
Lightning snakes writhed, and thunder rumbled.
Countless bolts of lightning poured down, striking Li Shiying head-on.
Li Shiying spread her arms, bathing in the lightning, completely unaffected, and forcefully entered the Earth Immortal realm.