A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

All these items added up to a considerable sum.

Now that he had to make a trip to Huayi Temple, it was the perfect opportunity to sell them off.

He stayed for another half a month to let the injuries on his left hand, a remnant from practicing Palm Thunder, fully heal. Only then did Lü Zhong settle the affairs of the Talisman Shop and set off for the Huayi Domain.

...

Binzhou of the Yun Country: a hub of waterways and the Nine States Crossroads.

Although Binzhou was the smallest of the Yun Country’s nineteen prefectures, its importance was no less than that of the Directly Governed Region. Its status as a waterway hub and the Nine States Crossroads was secondary; with its dense network of rivers and vast tracts of irrigated land, it had become the Yun Country’s largest grain producer.

Furthermore, Binzhou was famous for producing Bin Iron.

Bin Iron was light yet tough and could be forged into the Yun Country’s most famous Cloud Blades. Their sharpness rivaled that of hundred-forged steel, and they were often hailed as Divine Weapons by those in the world of Martial Arts. Legend had it that eight hundred years ago, the founding emperor of the Yun Country established his dynasty by relying on a thousand of these indestructible Cloud Blades.

Aboard the riverboat, a storyteller hoping to earn some silver recounted the popular tale of the founding emperor’s rise from nothing to establish the Yun Dynasty, a story the crowd never tired of hearing. His performance quickly earned a round of thunderous applause.

Lü Zhong, dressed as a common Daoist, leaned against the ship’s rail, which was coated in tung oil. He had been admiring the passing scenery, but he had a different take on the story.

’Above the Yun Country is Huayi Temple.’

The rise and fall of any Mortal Dynasty is merely a reflection of Huayi Temple’s will.

’In his eyes, there was no such thing as ”rising from nothing.” The founding emperor was clearly just a puppet chosen by Huayi Temple. In fact, if that Nascent Soul Sect so desired, they could pick a stray dog off the street and prop it up to create a canine imperial court.’

Such a thought was truly world-shaking, but Lü Zhong had no intention of sharing it with the common porters and peddlers.

Soon, the passenger boat docked at a small harbor.

The harbor was named Zeshui Harbor, and it was also where Zeshui County was located.

Lü Zhong disembarked along with the flow of the crowd.

Although Zeshui Harbor was small, it was remarkably well-equipped. It had not only wooden cranes but also the newer Gantry Cranes that had recently become popular in the Prefecture City. Right now, one was hoisting bundles of raw hemp out of the ship’s cargo hold, while another loaded sacks of white rice, preparing the vessel for its journey to the Directly Governed Region.

Having been detached from the mortal world for so long, Lü Zhong watched everything with a feeling of both familiarity and great distance.

”Sugar figurines! Get your sugar figurines here!”

”Fine Chanzhou Cloth, only five cents a foot!”

As he walked down the ten-foot-wide street, the air was filled with the cries of merchants. He could tell they were doing well; there were few hungry faces, and a fair number of portly individuals could be seen in the crowd, some of whom could be overheard complaining about the difficulty of losing weight.

He casually bought a skewer of tanghulu. It was made with malt sugar, so the sweetness was merely acceptable.

Eating as he walked, Lü Zhong hired a sharp-looking young man to be his guide. The lad was reluctant at first, but his eyes lit up at the sight of a Silver Ingot, and he began nodding his head vigorously.

Their path grew more and more secluded until they soon arrived before a large residence.

”Daoist Master, this is the place you were looking for.” The guide, having been paid for his work, had an excellent service attitude. His words were smooth and pleasant, making one feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.

”Are you certain this is the place?” Lü Zhong asked with a frown.

He had already scanned the interior with his Divine Sense and discovered the residence had been uninhabited for a long time. It didn’t seem like the kind of place Alou’s daughter would be hiding in.

”It can’t be wrong! I grew up right here in Copper Horn Lane. I know this alley like the back of my hand. So I’m positive, Daoist Master, this is the house you’re looking for!” the guide insisted, thumping his chest with a look of absolute conviction.

”Where did the family that used to live here move to?” Lü Zhong asked.

’Since this is the right place, I’ll just have to ask where Alou’s daughter went.’

’Judging from the dust covering every surface of the mansion, she’s likely been gone for a very long time. Finding her might prove difficult.’

An old man pushing a cart nearby overheard their conversation. He stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said, ”Daoist Master, are you by chance looking for Chuniang? She moved to the Dawei Continent, to the west. Why don’t you try looking for her there?”

”Thank you for the directions, Old Sir. Is that tofu pudding you’re selling? I’ll have a bowl.”

The scent of soybeans wafted over, and Lü Zhong felt a sudden pang of nostalgia.

”Right away! The finest tofu pudding, boiled in mountain spring water. Just a moment, sir.” The old man lifted the wooden lid on his cart, picked up a wooden bowl, wiped it clean with a white cloth, and then used a copper ladle to scoop out a serving from the bucket.

When he was done, he didn’t forget to ask Lü Zhong if he wanted it sweet or savory.

”Sweet, please.” Lü Zhong glanced at the trembling pudding, a vague comparison forming in his mind. He then smiled at the old man. ”You have quite the selection of flavors here, don’t you, Old Sir?”

”This is the Nine States Crossroads. How could we have anything less?” the old man replied, his hands moving swiftly.

He sprinkled a pinch of dried osmanthus flowers over the pudding, added a spoonful of honey, and topped it with a dash of crushed candied fruit. The bowl of sweet tofu pudding was ready.

He took a bite. The taste was completely different from what he’d expected, but it was comforting all the same.

The old man replaced the lid on his bucket, only to find that the affable Daoist Master had vanished. In his place on the cart sat a Silver Ingot, enough to buy a thousand bowls of his sweet tofu pudding.

”My goodness, this man...”

The old man had seen much in his life, so he wasn’t particularly surprised.

It wasn’t any stranger than those eccentric scholars in the Prefecture City. To make a name for themselves, those types would pull any sort of shocking stunt.

...

Dawei Continent was a large island in the middle of the river.

Lü Zhong soon arrived at the island and quickly found his target.

He stepped into a small courtyard with a three-room thatched cottage. It was clear the owner had arranged the place with great care. Lush, verdant vines covered the wattle fence, dotted with fragrant yellow flowers. The ground in the yard had been leveled and compacted so thoroughly that walking on it felt almost like treading on a paved path.

A young woman, her eyes covered by a strip of cloth and dressed in a simple gown, was just being helped out of the house by an older woman.

The older woman was taken aback when she saw Lü Zhong enter the courtyard.

Sensing the visitor’s extraordinary aura, she swallowed her words and instead asked respectfully, ”Daoist Master, what business brings you to our home?”

Before Lü Zhong could speak, the young woman spoke. Her voice was like a tinkling spring, yet it held a barely perceptible trace of sorrow. Feigning calmness, she said to the older woman, ”Aunt Rong, this is an old friend of my father’s. Please go to the docks and buy some fresh fish, then stop by the village entrance for a jug of good wine. I must entertain our guest properly.”

Only when the footsteps had faded into the distance did she turn toward the entrance and give a slight bow.

”Chuniang greets you, Immortal Master.”

Across from her, Lü Zhong secretly retracted his Shuo Jin Sword.

’His original plan had been to exchange the ashes, wait for the Secret Technique on the King Insect Egg to be lifted so he could obtain the Secret Skill, and then send Alou’s daughter to reunite with her father, eliminating any loose ends.’

’But now, he found it difficult to act.’

’With his abilities as a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, it wasn’t hard to see that this woman once had a cultivation base. For some unknown reason, however, her meridians were now completely withered, and she had become blind.’

’If this was the result of her destroying her own cultivation, she was far too ruthless with herself.’

After a long moment, the young woman named Chuniang bowed toward the entrance again. ”Immortal Master, are you still there?”

”Yes. Let’s speak inside,” Lü Zhong said flatly.

Inside, the main hall was plain and simple, with the faint scent of orchids lingering in the air.

He glanced around, his Divine Sense sweeping wantonly through the area, yet he found no trace of cultivation. His intentions were thwarted once again.

”You know why I’m here. I’ll give this to you now.” Lü Zhong didn’t specify what ”this” was, but judging from the young woman’s reaction, she likely already knew. Otherwise, her composure wouldn’t have shifted.

”Chuniang knows,” the young woman replied, her voice tinged with sorrow as she hugged the urn tightly. She then retrieved a Jade Token from her person and placed it on the table. ”Immortal Master, this is what my father asked me to leave for you.”

Lü Zhong glanced at it, noting the Jade Token had a texture similar to that of a Jade Scroll.

He inspected it and found no traps had been laid.

He immersed his Divine Sense into the token. Recorded within was the method to remove the Secret Technique from the King Insect Egg, as well as the complete King Insect Nine Transformations Skill. The process of obtaining them was incredibly simple, completely subverting Lü Zhong’s expectations.

’He had thought he was in for another round of scheming and plotting.’

’He never expected it to be this straightforward.’

He glanced at the young woman across from him and said calmly, ”Your meridians... would you like me to take a look? Perhaps... there is a way for you to return to the Immortal Path.”

”Thank you for your kind offer, Senior. Chuniang is living very well now, much more peacefully than when I was in that large residence. I am content.” The young woman’s body trembled. She rose and performed three deep curtsies to express her gratitude.

”Very well.” Lü Zhong gave her a long, deep look.

Without another word, he rose and walked out the door.