A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

It would continue until one side backed down, or until one side fell apart.

In such a process, violence was inevitable.

Yu Feng’Er rested for a moment, clutching the disheveled front of her robes and breathing heavily. ”The Wangxi Commerce Association has been making some big moves lately. You could say they’ve launched an all-out offensive against us. Our Commerce Association’s transport caravans have been getting attacked frequently. The Law Enforcement Team says it’s the work of Evil Cultivators, but I still suspect the Wangxi Commerce Association is behind it.”

”As a counterattack, I’ve increased our Pill supply and opened more shops in the Wangxi Commerce Association’s territory to squeeze their core Pill Shop business. If nothing unexpected happens, the Wangxi Commerce Association won’t be able to hold out by the end of the year.”

When it came to the Commerce Association’s affairs, Yu Feng’Er was back in her element.

Brushing aside her messy strands of hair and straightening out her exposed undergarments, Lü Zhong thought, ’Yu Feng’er is still too idealistic in her approach. It seems she hasn’t realized the true nature of this matter.’

Even a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone cultivators who wield martial power.

Thinking of this, he decided to go out and investigate himself.

If things developed as Yu Feng’Er predicted, that would be for the best.

If not, he could make preparations early.

As the two were chatting, a Medicine Boy came to report that the medicinal bath was ready.

At this, Yu Feng’Er suddenly blushed as red as blood. She was the one who had brought the Vein Tempering Formula, yet now she refused to go to the bathing room no matter what, only yielding with feigned reluctance after Lü Zhong carried her.

After absorbing the medicinal power of the Vein Tempering Formula, Lü Zhong felt his meridians had become much tougher. Some areas were even beginning to show signs of jade transformation, indicating that his Jade Vein Technique was progressing smoothly. His cultivation speed would increase as a result, and in combat, it meant the total amount of True Essence he could output had risen once again.

Yu Feng’Er, on the other hand, was now sleeping soundly.

Sensing a hand kneading her breast, she subconsciously arched into the touch.

Afterward, Lü Zhong got dressed, carried the soundly sleeping Yu Feng’Er to the bed, and left a Spirit Puppet to guard her. Only then did he go to Lintao Pavilion, summon the Steward, and have him dispose of the Sea Beast Materials he had acquired.

As for the Tier Two Demon Pill, he deliberately kept it.

He went out, not hailing a Beast Vehicle this time.

Arriving at the Wangxi Commerce Association’s headquarters, he didn’t even need to get close.

Having broken through to Late-stage Foundation Establishment, the range of his Scene Replay ability had increased to nearly two hundred zhang. Lü Zhong sat drinking tea in a roadside teahouse, and the replay’s range was enough to encompass the entire Wangxi Commerce Association headquarters.

It was unclear whether it was a coincidence or something else.

At that very moment, an assassination was being plotted inside.

The target was none other than Yu Feng’Er.

In a secret chamber, Zhang Xiyu, the Chairman of the Wangxi Commerce Association, was sitting across from the vice-chairman, Zhang Xiwang.

”Xiwang, are you certain? That person is truly willing to act!” Zhang Xiyu tightened his grip on his teacup, looking at his clan brother opposite him with a slightly nervous expression.

The latter, a middle-aged man in a blue headscarf, nodded and replied, ”Third Brother, rest assured. The man takes promises very seriously. Years ago, he incurred a debt of gratitude to the Ma Family of Xisang Ridge. Now that the Ma Family has requested his help, he has agreed to act in order to honor his word.”

”However, he also made a request: the deed must be done outside the city...”

Killing someone within Changchun Immortal City was tantamount to slapping Changchun Valley in the face and would surely result in severe punishment.

But if it was outside the city, the situation was different.

For conflicts between two Commerce Associations like this, Changchun Valley’s consistent attitude was one of laissez-faire. They always remained neutral, strictly forbidding their own disciples from getting involved, as long as no innocents were harmed.

”No problem. I’ve already received a secret report from our inside source. That woman is going to the Spirit Medicine Manor outside the city in three days. We can set up an ambush on the road she must take and kill her in one fell swoop. This will be revenge for our Zhang Family’s Pill market share being stolen. That way, the children of the clan can once again get enough Spiritual Objects and will no longer suffer from a shortage of Pills and medicine. And as for Eldest Brother, we can finally add one or two more Core Formation Spiritual Objects for him...”

As Zhang Xiyu spoke, he crushed the teacup in his hand.

Their Zhang Family of Baihua Plateau was at a critical juncture. Whether their centuries-long plan would succeed all depended on this moment.

If they succeeded, the Zhang Family could leap to the status of a Golden Core Clan.

From then on, their status and position would be vastly different.

Therefore, Yu Feng’Er, who held the dual positions of Head of the Yu Family and Chairman of the Chengde Commerce Association, must die!

Then, the two began to finalize the details.

In the teahouse outside, Lü Zhong listened to every word, his brow furrowing.

The Wangxi Commerce Association had hidden its secrets well.

When they had first chosen the Wangxi Commerce Association as a rival, Li Hejun and Yu Feng’Er, who were in charge of the matter at the time, had conducted a detailed investigation. And yet, they had still missed the fact that the Zhang Family was hiding a Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

’If the Zhang Family really produces a Golden Core Cultivator, then with the might of a Golden Core Master, it won’t just be the Yu Family and the Chengde Commerce Association that suffer. Even I will face huge trouble...’

The best-case scenario would be holing up in Changchun Immortal City.

Thinking of this, Lü Zhong made a decision in his heart.

No matter what, he could not allow the Zhang Family to successfully achieve Core Formation.

Leaving money for the tea, he departed.

...

「Three days later, on the Beast Vehicle.」

When Yu Feng’Er saw Lü Zhong appear in the carriage, his presence completely concealed, she couldn’t help but misunderstand. A blush crept onto her delicate cheeks as she thought he was about to get frisky with her. Just as she was hesitating over whether to refuse, she heard Lü Zhong announce that someone was trying to assassinate her.

”What? How could...”

Yu Feng’Er found it hard to believe. She hadn’t caught even a whisper of this.

But she still chose to believe Lü Zhong’s words.

After all, she was no fool.

The fact that someone like Lü Zhong, who was usually so detached, had shown up here, said it all.