Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 42: Chapter 41: Celestial South Sect

Yuelai Inn.

In their usual spot on the second floor.

Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu, with Yun Xiaoniu in tow, heard the cheerful laughter of Zhou Miaoyun and Gao Peiyao from the private room as they reached the door.

”Fairy Miaoyun, Peiyao.”

Chen Jianghe walked in, nodding with a smile.

”Peiyao, Fellow Daoist Zhou.” Yu Daniu followed, leading Yun Xiaoniu by the hand.

Seeing Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun, Yun Xiaoniu spoke politely, ”Greetings, Aunt Yaoyao and Fairy Miaoyun.”

The way Yun Xiaoniu addressed them revealed the formal distance between Yu Daniu and Zhou Miaoyun.

”Xiaoniu, come sit! Order whatever you want to eat.” Gao Peiyao beamed at Yun Xiaoniu, who was as tall as an adolescent despite being only five years old.

This year, Gao Peiyao was paying for the drinks. With a child present, they naturally had the food and drinks served first before discussing business.

Gao Peiyao showed her fondness for Yun Xiaoniu, ordering a table full of dishes and some rare desserts.

Yun Xiaoniu was very well-behaved, eating quietly by himself without disturbing the four adults’ conversation.

”Right now, the Yun Family’s sphere of influence has shrunk to a two-hundred-li radius. They must be preparing for Yun Bufan’s Foundation Establishment.”

Gao Peiyao’s sharp eyes turned to Yu Daniu. She asked with a faint smile, ”Brother Daniu, you’re highly regarded on Huxing Island. Have you heard anything about Yun Bufan’s current Cultivation?”

”Huizhen did mention Cousin Bufan. It seems he broke through to the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining a year ago and then entered closed-door cultivation in the ancestral hall.”

Yu Daniu’s wife, Yun Huizhen, and Yun Bufan were third cousins. Yun Huizhen was also part of the Yun Family’s Direct Lineage, but her branch had no elders who had broken through to the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining or higher.

As a result, she was designated to take a husband who would marry into the Yun Family.

A son-in-law who marries in would have to address Yun Bufan as ’Young Master,’ so it was clear Yu Daniu was held in high regard by the Yun Family.

”If all goes smoothly, Cousin Bufan should achieve Foundation Establishment within a few years.”

”It seems the Yun Family’s bold claims back then weren’t just empty words. Yun Bufan really might achieve Foundation Establishment within ten years.”

Gao Peiyao nodded. ”Then how is the Yun Family Ancestor doing now?”

Seven or eight years ago, the Yun Family Ancestor was ambushed by the Bai Family. Not only was his Foundation Establishment Pill stolen, but he was also severely injured. It was said his lifespan was nearing its end.

Now, nearly eight years later, the Yun Family Ancestor’s lifespan was *still* nearing its end.

”I’m afraid he won’t last much longer.”

Yu Daniu shook his head, a look of disappointment on his face. ”Lately, the clan has been rushing to all the nearby Marketplaces to buy life-extending Spiritual Pills and Elixirs, but with little success. It seems someone bought them all up beforehand.”

He was thriving in the Yun Family now, so naturally, he hoped for the family to prosper.

”Yun Bufan has a Three-Element True Spirit Root. Even without a Foundation Establishment Pill, he can use other Spirit Medicines as a substitute. His chances of successfully achieving Foundation Establishment are high, which will fill the gap while the Yun Family is without a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Chen Jianghe offered a word of comfort to Yu Daniu.

To outsiders, it now seemed the Yun Family Ancestor was merely clinging to life by consuming vast resources, all to ensure Yun Bufan could achieve Foundation Establishment smoothly.

”Let’s not talk about this anymore.”

Yu Daniu looked at Gao Peiyao and asked, ”Peiyao, why the sudden decision to leave Jingyue Lake?”

Chen Jianghe also looked at Gao Peiyao. He, too, wanted to know what their youngest friend, the one with the highest Spirit Root Talent, was thinking.

The Yun Family offered good treatment. Although the situation was currently unstable, its foundation was deep, making it much safer than the outside world.

Gao Peiyao was meticulous, sharp, and intelligent; she couldn’t possibly be unaware of this.

”I received news that the Celestial South Sect will be opening its gates to recruit disciples in a year. I want to try my luck.”

A trace of helplessness flashed through Gao Peiyao’s determined eyes.

She had originally thought the Spirit Stones Old Gao left her would be enough to support her Cultivation to the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining. But after reaching the Mid-Stage Qi Refining, she realized it wasn’t nearly that simple.

After reaching the Mid-Stage Qi Refining, Qi Nourishing Pills were no longer very effective.

To continue taking shortcuts, she would have to buy Qi Storage Pills to aid her Cultivation, but a single Qi Storage Pill cost five Spirit Stones.

With her Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root Talent, she would need at least ten Qi Storage Pills to get from the Fourth-Layer to the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining in a short time.

Fifty Spirit Stones.

An ordinary Basic-Level Fisherman and Farmer would have to save for a hundred years without eating or drinking to accumulate that many Spirit Stones.

Not to mention the Cultivation Resources needed for the Late Stage of Qi Refining, or the Foundation Establishment resources she dreamed of.

Being a Fisherman and Farmer for the Yun Family was stable, but she could see the limits of that path, and it was not what she truly wanted.

”What? You’re going to the Celestial South Sect!” Yu Daniu exclaimed in shock.

Chen Jianghe was also a bit surprised. He had heard of the Celestial South Sect.

Both the Jingyue Lake region where he lived and the Bai Family’s Qiyun Mountain region were part of the Celestial South Domain.

The Celestial South Domain was vast and boundless, spanning ninety thousand li from north to south, and home to countless Cultivation Clans.

And the Celestial South Sect was the only Sect in the Celestial South Domain.

It was also the sole hegemon, ruling over everything within the domain.

According to rumor, the Celestial South Sect had a Nascent Soul True Monarch presiding over it—a living fossil who could live for a thousand years, a true Immortal in the mortal world.

Generally speaking, the Celestial South Sect rarely recruited disciples from the outside. Even when it opened its gates to the public, the requirements were extremely strict.

First, one had to possess a Spirit Root Talent of a Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root or better.

They had to be under twenty-five years of age, with a Cultivation at the Third-Layer Qi Refining or higher.

The Celestial South Sect would be opening its gates in one year. Gao Peiyao would be turning twenty-five, putting her right at the age limit.

Those who met the above requirements still had to pass an entrance examination.

Those who passed would enter the Immortal Sect.

Those who failed would be turned away at the gates.

”The Celestial South Sect is eight thousand li from Jingyue Lake. It’s too dangerous for you to go alone.”

Yu Daniu shook his head, urging Gao Peiyao to reconsider carefully.

”That far? You should think it over.” Chen Jianghe also felt it was a bad idea. On such a long journey, anything could happen.

”I thank you both for your concern.”

Gao Peiyao had already made up her mind and would not be swayed.

”Sister Miaoyun is also leaving Jingyue Lake for Qinghe Marketplace. I can travel with her for the first two thousand li.”

At this, Zhou Miaoyun spoke up.

”Qinghe Marketplace is the largest marketplace within a three-thousand-li radius. There should be a Flying Ship heading to the marketplaces near the Celestial South Sect. Yaoyao can take it from there.”

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe nodded. ”Since Fairy Miaoyun is also leaving Jingyue Lake for Qinghe Marketplace, Peiyao can go with her.”

Initially, Chen Jianghe had been puzzled about why Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun were leaving. But when he saw the helpless, disappointed looks they gave Yu Daniu, he understood everything.

If she stayed at Jingyue Lake, Gao Peiyao could only ever be a Basic-Level Fisherman and Farmer.

If she got lucky, she might become a Late-Stage Qi Refining Honored Guest Elder.

But she would have absolutely no chance at Foundation Establishment.

Zhou Miaoyun might become a Tier One Middle-Grade Talisman Master and could use that skill to raise her Cultivation to the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

But she too had no hope of Foundation Establishment.

In a way, their prospects were even worse than Yu Daniu’s.

Gao Peiyao was an ambitious person. How could she possibly accept such a fate?

’If it weren’t for my long life, I’d probably also choose to leave Jingyue Lake and take a gamble on the future.’

”Since you’re both embarking on a long journey, I should repay the Spirit Stones I owe you. It’s just that I only recently became a Senior Fisherman and Farmer, so I don’t have any extra Spirit Stones to help with your travel expenses. Please forgive me.”

Chen Jianghe took out four Spirit Stones and pushed two in front of Gao Peiyao and two in front of Zhou Miaoyun.

”Brother Jianghe, I wasn’t asking for the Spirit Stones.”

A hidden trace of joy flashed in Gao Peiyao’s eyes, but she didn’t accept them right away.

”It’s always better to have more than you need when traveling. The journey to the Celestial South Sect is long, so it’s essential to have extra Spirit Stones on hand. I wish you a smooth journey and success in becoming an Immortal Sect Disciple.”

”Brother Jianghe’s right, Peiyao. These two Spirit Stones are to pay you back, and take these five as a gift from me for your journey. I hope you can pass the Celestial South Sect’s entrance examination. That way, I’ll have a connection in the Immortal Sect, hehe~”