A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Life could be described as peaceful.

Having cultivated to become a Golden Core Master, trouble naturally kept its distance.

As long as one didn’t go looking for trouble, it wasn’t difficult for a Core Formation Cultivator to live a peaceful life.

Time passed.

In the blink of an eye, almost half a year had passed.

Lü Zhong walked out of the Quiet Chamber and into the courtyard.

Watching the servant girls hang lanterns on the treetops, he suddenly recalled that today was the Lantern Festival.

’I can’t believe time has passed so quickly!’

He found his sense of time growing increasingly faint.

Especially after long periods of seclusion, he often felt as if years were passing like days. If he hadn’t made a point to emerge periodically and spend time with Yu Feng’Er, he feared he would have already become like the other Golden Core Masters, for whom going into seclusion for thirty to fifty years was completely normal.

He had just settled into the Grandmaster’s Chair when a servant girl brought him Spirit Tea and Spirit Fruit.

”My lord, the madam is tied up at the moment. She said she won’t be back until dusk.”

”Yes, you may go.” Lü Zhong waved his hand, dismissing the servant girl.

He sipped his tea while reviewing the information he had gathered.

During his seclusion, he had ordered the Commerce Association to gather a great deal of intelligence on the Western Realm. But what he found strange was that he hadn’t received a single report about any drastic changes there. From the information he had, the place was still just as the ancient texts described it: a chaotic but livable land. Clearly, someone was muddying the waters.

As for the Sinful Cultivators, it was as if they didn’t exist at all.

’There’s definitely something wrong here,’ Lü Zhong thought, resting his chin in his hand.

He took out the Demon Slaying Talisman.

He had tried to analyze this talisman, but progress was exceptionally slow. The entire thing was encrypted. Unless he could obtain the Talisman Making Book for the Demon Slaying Talisman, it would take him at least seventy or eighty years to replicate it with his current Talisman Making expertise.

’Looks like I’ll have to be extra careful on this trip to the Western Realm.’

As this thought crossed his mind, Lü Zhong reached for his teacup, not realizing Yu Feng’Er had already settled into his lap. His outstretched hand slid right into her embrace, the feel of her skin as delicate as ever.

PFFT! She chuckled, looking up at him. ”What are you thinking about, dear? You’re so lost in thought.”

”Nothing, just some trivial matters,” Lü Zhong said, shaking his head.

”Dear, I have some good news for you,” Yu Feng’Er said with a mysterious air.

Seeing her expression, Lü Zhong’s interest was piqued. He asked curiously, ”What good news?”

”Hehe, we’ve successfully charted the East Sea Route!” Yu Feng’Er said, scrambling up from his lap and tilting her head up proudly.

”That really is good news!” Lü Zhong was genuinely surprised. He had thought it would take the Commerce Association much longer to chart the East Sea Route. He never imagined they would progress so quickly, managing to map the entire route with just an incomplete sea chart.

With access to the East Sea Route, the Chengde Commerce Association was sure to grow by leaps and bounds.

Their Spirit Stone revenue was bound to soar, but that wasn’t what he valued most. He was more interested in the Pills they could now purchase from Central Earth now that the route was open.

Especially Pills suitable for Core Formation Cultivators.

As long as the Chengde Commerce Association could gather enough of the region’s unique Spiritual Objects, they could trade for a continuous supply of these Pills.

’Exporting raw materials like this feels a bit like we’re being exploited by Central Earth,’ Lü Zhong thought to himself. ’But their Spirit Medicine cultivation is so advanced, and they produce massive quantities every year. If they didn’t need the unique Spiritual Objects from the Southern Barbarian lands, how could we ever hope to get so many Pills?’

Resources were scarce everywhere.

Over in Central Earth, Foundation Establishment Pills and Golden Core Pills were just as scarce.

Aside from the difficulty of obtaining Cultivation Techniques and Magic Skills, life for the lower-level cultivators in Central Earth was no better than for those in the Southern Barbarian lands; in fact, it might have been even more difficult.

After all, they had to face Cultivation Families more vicious than any Demon Beast and ancient Sects that had controlled all resources for millennia. One’s entire life’s achievements were already set in stone.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind.

The two of them remained in the courtyard, choosing not to visit the lantern fair on Changchun Street.

Until dawn.

...

「A few days later.」

Lü Zhong took the Spiritual Objects collected by the Commerce Association and once again set out for the Western Realm.

Reflecting on his last trip, he realized the Western Realm was in desperate need of all kinds of Healing Elixirs. He had thus specifically ordered the Chengde Commerce Association to purchase them in massive quantities, accepting all Tier One, Two, and Three Pills without exception.

This was where his patronage of the Heling Sect came in handy, providing a convenient explanation for acquiring so many Pills.

After bidding farewell to Yu Feng’Er, Lü Zhong soon arrived at the Poisonous Insect Valley.

He didn’t forget to make a patrol of the area.

While he was away, three different groups of cultivators had come to the Poisonous Insect Valley. Some came to pick the Spirit Medicine in the valley, while others were after a certain rare Poisonous Insect. Fortunately, none of them had discovered the Transmission Array within.

’Looks like I’ll have to take some precautions.’

Lü Zhong decided that when he had time later, he would modify the Poisonous Insect Valley.

Danger alone was not enough to stop the avarice of cultivators.

Only by making this place utterly devoid of value would they finally lose interest.

He then activated the Transmission Array.

...

The Western Realm.

Red Earth Ridge.

Lü Zhong appeared there once more.

He didn’t rush out. Instead, just as he had done in the Poisonous Insect Valley, he used the Gray Mist Space’s scene replay ability to carefully inspect the surroundings.

’Good, no one has discovered this place.’ He was very satisfied.

Without letting down his guard, he cast the Concealing Breath and Concealing Trace Techniques on himself and slipped out unnoticed.

Back in the Southern Barbarian lands, the Commerce Association had managed to acquire a map of the Western Realm.

So this time, Lü Zhong no longer had to wander around aimlessly like a headless fly. He planned to take the long-distance route to Ye Ling Immortal City, seven thousand li away. It was a major city, its scale no less than that of Lingyue Immortal City.

According to the Commerce Association’s intelligence, it was owned by the Ye Ling Sect.

’According to what Yanl Zhen said, the True Central Sect is the only Nascent Soul Sect left in the entire Western Realm. That means the Ye Ling Sect, which was also a Nascent Soul Sect, must have been destroyed long ago. Many of its hidden treasures should have entered circulation by now. This trip might turn out to be very profitable.’