A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

He slept well that night.

The next morning, Lü Zhong went to the auction house in Changchun City.

Even though it wasn’t time for the grand decennial auction, the place was still bustling with activity. Luxurious beast vehicles nearly filled the entire front plaza. Golden Core Masters could be seen alighting from their carriages from time to time, to say nothing of the numerous Foundation Establishment True Cultivators.

There was no need to queue for a ticket. A beautiful attendant immediately came forward to greet him and led him to a premium private room.

Soon after, seasonal Spirit Fruits, Spirit Tea, and Spirit Wine were all served.

”Please enjoy, Senior.”

After speaking, the attendant slowly backed out of the room.

Seeing that Lü Zhong didn’t ask her to stay, she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

If she could catch the eye of a Golden Core senior, she would be set for life.

Noticing her subtle intentions, Lü Zhong chuckled to himself. ’She’s quite attractive, actually. Voluptuous and well-endowed, just my type. Unfortunately, I’ve grown rather tired of that sort of thing lately.’

’My heart... just isn’t in it anymore.’

He took a sip of the clear tea. It tasted quite good.

Lü Zhong had come here today to bid on a vial of Pills.

Competition for Pills suitable for Core Formation Cultivators was always fierce, and it was easy to make enemies if things went wrong. The Commerce Association couldn’t send someone to bid on his behalf, so he had no choice but to come himself.

Just as the auction was about to begin, there was a sudden knock on the door of his private room.

”Come in!” Lü Zhong said, setting down his teacup.

Master Dongbu entered from outside.

Compared to their last meeting, he had aged considerably. The dignified Core Formation Cultivator had even begun to stoop slightly, the age spots on his face had multiplied, and he emitted a faint, strange odor.

’Is his time almost up?’

Lü Zhong wondered.

The man was said to have lived for nearly six hundred years. Such long-lived Golden Core Masters were rare. Most Core Formation Cultivators passed away around the age of five hundred due to hidden injuries or a loss of Primordial Qi in their younger years, and very few lived out their full natural lifespan.

Those who exceeded that natural lifespan were even rarer.

He stood and cupped his hands toward Master Dongbu, smiling. ”Greetings, Fellow Daoist Dongbu.”

”Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lü. Please forgive my sudden intrusion!” Master Dongbu replied, cupping his hands in return. Despite the smile on his face, the heavy air of impending death about him was impossible to conceal.

”Please, have a seat.” Lü Zhong gestured for him to sit and personally poured him a cup of Spirit Tea.

”To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Fellow Daoist Dongbu?”

At this, Master Dongbu gave a bitter smile.

”To be honest, I have a premonition that my life will be exhausted by the end of the year.”

”You mustn’t speak like that, Fellow Daoist. There are many Life-extending Spiritual Objects in the Cultivation Realm. If you can just hold on a while longer, perhaps things will take a turn for the better!” Lü Zhong said comfortingly, as a gesture of their friendship.

But he also knew in his heart that for Master Dongbu to have lived this long, he must have consumed a considerable number of Life-extending Spiritual Objects. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to live for nearly six hundred years.

For him to be saying this now, he must truly be at the end of his rope.

”Fellow Daoist Lü, I have a favor to ask!” Master Dongbu hesitated for a moment before stating the purpose of his visit. He wanted Lü Zhong to protect Dongbu Nan, offering the Dongbu Refining Pill Workshop and Dongbu House as payment.

”If you agree, Fellow Daoist, then both of my properties will be yours!”

Hearing this, Lü Zhong shook his head.

”My apologies, Fellow Daoist Dongbu. I have no intention of taking them.”

Master Dongbu had hundreds of disciples under him.

Logically, Master Dongbu’s successor should have been chosen from among his disciples, especially his eldest disciple, Jiang Mengsun, whose public reputation was largely positive. He was clearly the most suitable candidate.

For him to choose to entrust his assets to an outsider now, there had to be something suspicious going on behind the scenes.

Though the two properties were valuable, Lü Zhong had no need to get himself involved.

’It’s just a few Spirit Stones.’

’I can earn that much just by making a couple of trips to the Western Realm.’

After seeing the dejected Master Dongbu out, Lü Zhong decided he would make some inquiries when he got back. He needed to find out what kind of trouble Dongbu House had gotten into that would make its master so desperate as to entrust two profitable businesses to an outsider just to protect Dongbu Nan.

Soon, the auction began.

There were many good items, but few that caught his eye.

This was the bittersweet dilemma of a Core Formation Cultivator. As one’s Realm advanced, many Spiritual Objects that once seemed precious now appeared ordinary, unable to cause the slightest ripple in one’s heart.

...

”Golden Exhaust Pill, going twice!”

”Golden Exhaust Pill, going three times! Congratulations to this Senior!”

Having won the Pill, the item was delivered to him shortly after.

With his objective achieved, Lü Zhong didn’t linger at the auction house.

He hailed a Beast Vehicle outside and quickly returned to Lintao Pavilion, just in time to see Yu Feng’Er dismissing a group of Commerce Association Stewards.

”Husband!”

”Yes? What is it?” Lü Zhong stopped and asked.

”I’ve collected all three Vein Tempering Formulas!” Yu Feng’Er said, looking up at him, her bright face full of expectation. Her small hand was already gripping Lü Zhong’s arm, making him groan inwardly.

’Again?’

Perhaps due to her age, Yu Feng’Er had become increasingly forward lately.

By the time he was done dealing with her, Lü Zhong was numb.

...

「In the Quiet Chamber.」

Lü Zhong slowly concluded his cultivation session.

His progress in cultivating the Wood Thunder Skill was as slow as ever.

However, he was nearly finished. He estimated it would only take another month to condense the Wood Thunder Seal. By then, in addition to his Star Mirror, he would have another combat technique at his disposal.

After three straight months of cultivation, his Divine Soul felt somewhat weary.

So, he got up and walked to the bedroom, ready for a good night’s sleep.

On the brocade couch, Yu Feng’Er was sleeping sweetly.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong breathed a strange sigh of relief, but then he suddenly laughed.

’How ridiculous. It’s not like I’m middle-aged and my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. Why would I even think something like that?’ He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He took off his Star Patterned Robe, cast two Cleaning Skills on it to remove the dust and stains, then lifted the covers and lay down.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, he remembered the matter with Master Dongbu.

He casually kneaded her a few times to wake her up.

”Husband, what’s wrong?” Yu Feng’Er asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes and turning over.

”Master Dongbu is on the verge of passing away. Do you know if he’s gotten into any trouble?” Lü Zhong kneaded her a few more times.

”Ngh, stop that!” Yu Feng’Er grunted, slapping away his mischievous hand. She looked at Lü Zhong and said, ”I heard that he seems to have practiced some kind of Life Extension Evil Technique. But this is just a rumor, and it’s not confirmed. After all, the Punishment Hall of Changchun Valley hasn’t made a move yet.”

”So that’s how it is. And to think he wanted to entrust Dongbu Nan to me! The nerve of that man, he had no good intentions at all!” Lü Zhong had originally planned to help Dongbu Nan out if he ever got into trouble, for the sake of the congratulatory gift he had received back then.

But he never imagined the man was actually trying to drag him down with him.

”How absurd!” Lü Zhong grumbled to himself, then tried to close his eyes and sleep.

”Husband.”

”What is it?”

”My master, Shuini, wants you to go over at the beginning of the year to help her deal with three Silver Armored Corpses. She can’t handle them alone.” The message had arrived two months ago, but since Shuini hadn’t seemed to be in a hurry, Yu Feng’Er had waited until now to mention it.

”Huh?” Lü Zhong was wide awake in an instant.

’Three Silver Armored Corpses?’

’Do these things show up in nests?’

”Tell me the details.”

”It’s the General’s Tomb. Husband, didn’t you used to live near there? You didn’t know there were Silver Armored Corpses inside?” Yu Feng’Er looked confused, as if she found it strange that Lü Zhong would even ask.

”...” Lü Zhong was speechless.

’There are actually Silver Armored Corpses in the General’s Tomb!’

’It’s a good thing Li Dong didn’t suggest going to the main tomb area back then.’

’Otherwise, if I had agreed in a moment of recklessness, I’d probably be a Copper Armored Corpse by now.’

”Husband, why are you sweating from your temples?” Yu Feng’Er took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped his brow, only to find that she couldn’t wipe it all away. Fresh beads of sweat kept appearing one after another.

”Oh, I’ve just been a bit run down lately and can’t handle rich supplements,” Lü Zhong said, snatching the handkerchief and wiping his forehead himself.

”As for dealing with the Silver Armored Corpses, since your esteemed Master has made the request, I’ll make a trip at the beginning of the year. With the Purple Nether Extreme Fire, Silver Armored Corpses shouldn’t be a problem. Just remember to keep an eye on the Yuan Family’s movements, and don’t leave the city during that time, understand?”

”Yes, I understand.”