A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

A golden sun ascended.

It was followed by a shockwave powerful enough to topple giant trees, surging outward like a tidal wave.

A moment later, a series of deafening, rolling booms followed.

Staring at the mushroom cloud in the distance—the result of a Golden Core’s self-destruction—Lü Zhong turned to Yui Xiaoqing beside him and frowned. ”A fleet of Flying Ships and a Golden Core Master, all just to kill two people. Was it worth it?”

”Of course, it was worth it!” Yui Xiaoqing, dressed like a scholar, stroked the white fan in his hand and smiled. ”Fellow Daoist Lü, do you know who those two we ambushed were? They’re Lianjian of Huayi Temple and Yue Cang of Yan Zhen Sect. Their combat prowess is top-tier among those in the Early-stage of Core Formation, and their talent far surpasses their peers.”

”The price was a heavily worn fleet of Flying Ships and the Yanu Family’s elder, who was nearing the end of his life anyway. As long as we can kill even one of them, my Changchun Valley will have profited immensely from this!”

”So that’s how it is,” Lü Zhong said with a nod.

He had heard the names Lianjian and Yue Cang many times. The two were undoubtedly geniuses, just shy of being considered Nascent Soul Seeds. At worst, their futures held the promise of reaching the Fake Infant Realm.

If Changchun Valley could kill one of them, it was indeed a bargain with no downside.

At the same time, Lü Zhong secretly raised his guard.

’I’ll have to be even more careful in the future,’ he thought.

’Especially when making an enemy of a Sect.’

At that point, the methods of conflict are no longer limited to just combat between cultivators.

’Just look at what happened now: Changchun Valley used a single Golden Core’s self-destruction to grievously wound two genius Core Formation experts, causing their strength to plummet to the level of an ordinary Early-stage Core Formation Cultivator.’

’If I ever come into conflict with a Sect in the future, this same scene might play out again, but with me as the target.’

Meanwhile, the Changchun Valley disciples Yui Xiaoqing had brought with him had already formed an array.

The battle array, called the Fuyao Qiangguang Array, was designed specifically for Lianjian and required eighteen people to activate.

Lianjian’s power stemmed from his mastery of the Golden Light Escape, a Divine Escape Skill that allowed him to transform into a streak of golden light. This skill, combined with his transcendent Swordsmanship, was what had made him the renowned Master Lianjian.

If that Divine Technique was neutralized, seventy to eighty percent of his power would be gone.

”Fellow Daoist Lü, I need you to keep Yue Cang of Yan Zhen Sect tied up,” Yui Xiaoqing said to Lü Zhong. ”Once I’ve dealt with Lianjian, I’ll come and support you immediately!” As if afraid Lü Zhong wouldn’t believe him, he deliberately emphasized the word ”support.”

The Fuyao Qiangguang Array was not invincible; it was most vulnerable to attacks from the outside.

That was why he needed Lü Zhong to hold Yue Cang back.

”No problem,” Lü Zhong said after a moment’s thought.

’Yue Cang is also in the Early-stage of Core Formation, just like me. Keeping him occupied shouldn’t be too difficult.’

Seeing Yui Xiaoqing fly out with his men, Lü Zhong didn’t follow immediately. Instead, he turned to look behind him, where the Ye Brothers and Sisters and the Flying Ship crew were gathered. After a moment of thought, he instructed them,

”All of you, find a safe place to hide. I’ll call you out when the battle is over.”

With that said, he cast several Blessing Magic spells on himself.

He also activated the Divine Techniques of his Star Patterned Robe and the Star Mirror.

It was still some time before nightfall, but many stars were already visible in the sky. With all the buffs applied, his strength received a considerable boost.

Only then did he transform into a streak of rainbow light and shoot into the sky.

「On the other side.」

Lianjian and Yue Cang had both been grievously injured by the Golden Core’s self-destruction.

This vicious plot by Changchun Valley had come at an astronomical cost to themselves.

And it was precisely for that reason that the two of them had fallen for it.

”GWAAH!”

Lianjian spat out a mouthful of dark, clotted blood mixed with viscera, his awful complexion growing a shade paler. Beside him, Yue Cang looked just as ghastly. He swallowed a Tier Three Healing Pill, and his condition improved slightly.

He took out a Teleportation Talisman, but just as he’d expected, it failed to work.

Seeing the faintly glowing powder covering his body, Lianjian’s heart sank.

”Hiss... Forbidden Sky Spirit Dust!”

’Changchun Valley really spared no expense!’

It seemed they wouldn’t be able to use Teleportation Talismans after all.

Otherwise, they would be swept into spatial turbulence, a fate from which only death awaited.

Seeing streaks of Escape Light rapidly approaching on the horizon, Lianjian knew there was no chance of escape in his grievously injured state. He turned to Yue Cang. ”We’re in a crisis. I’m afraid my chances are... slim...”

”You don’t have to convince me. I know what to do,” Yue Cang finally said after a long silence.

Lianjian wanted to say more, to urge Yue Cang to flee, but the distant Escape Lights had already arrived overhead and were diving toward them without hesitation.

’Sigh, too late!’

Lianjian said no more and took the initiative to engage Yui Xiaoqing.

On his side, Lü Zhong faced off against Yue Cang.

This was the first time he had faced a Core Formation cultivator of this caliber.

It was impossible to say he felt no pressure.

Seeing he was close enough, Lü Zhong decided to strike first. He hastily activated the Wood Thunder Seal he had been charging, pointing a Sword Gesture at Yue Cang from afar as Magical Power flooded from his body.

RUMBLE!

Countless bolts of lightning materialized from the Void, blanketing the area around Yue Cang. But seeing this, Yue Cang neither dodged nor evaded. The golden Flying Sword in his hand flared with Spiritual Light as he pointed its blade toward the heavens.

He let out a great shout.

”Thunder Return!”

This move was one of the Secret Skills from the Golden Brilliance Talisman Manual, created specifically to counter Thunder Cultivators.

The Flying Sword in his hand was also of extraordinary origin. Named the Thunder-Attracting Needle, it was the Magical Treasure required to execute the ”Thunder Return” Secret Skill and had always been an Inheritance Treasure of the Yan Zhen Sect.

The Yan Zhen Sect had brought out this item specifically to ambush Lü Zhong.

With the Thunder-Attracting Needle at its center, all the surrounding lightning rapidly converged.

In the blink of an eye,

it formed a fiercely unparalleled Thunder Pillar that shot forward with a deafening roar.

Lü Zhong reacted with incredible speed. The very instant Yue Cang made his move, he flashed away from his original spot.

CRACKLE!

Carrying astonishing power, the Thunder Pillar instantly shot through the spot where Lü Zhong had just stood, boring into the mountain behind him and disappearing from sight. All that remained was a deep hole as wide as a water vat.

But even after dodging the fatal blow, Lü Zhong felt not the slightest sense of relief.