A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

”Fellow Daoist Lü, the three of us will be taking over the affairs of the Workshop Market. You’re free to step down and return.”

”Then I’ll leave it in your capable hands,” Lü Zhong said, his expression serene.

After quickly completing the handover, he said his goodbyes and left.

The moment he stepped outside, he couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across his face.

’Finally got that hot potato off my hands!’

He glanced back at the miniature Mountain Shaking Ship. A contingent of Changchun Valley disciples streamed out, numbering at least a thousand. Crates of Storage Bags were also being unloaded, likely filled with valuable items.

’Such a grand display. Looks like there’s more to Flowing Water Cave than meets the eye. Nothing ever happened there before, but the one time something strange occurs, I’m the one who stumbles right into it.’ Thinking this, Lü Zhong cursed his bad luck.

’When I get back, I need to take a bath with pomelo leaves to wash away this bad juju.’

When he reached the Workshop Market’s main square, the cultivators from the ship convoy were already assembled.

To his relief, the irksome Fang Qing was nowhere to be seen in the group.

Soon, a fleet of ships flew over from the northeast.

It was the fleet sent to take them home.

...

Just as dawn broke, Lü Zhong awoke from his slumber.

The moment he opened his eyes, he found Yu Feng’Er wrapped around him. Her jet-black hair was in disarray, and a flush still lingered on her cheeks. She was sleeping soundly with no intention of waking, obviously exhausted from the previous night.

Ever since returning to Changchun Immortal City, life had returned to peace.

Eating, cultivation, sleep...

His Celestial Net Secret Eye Technique improved daily.

Thanks to a vast amount of resources, he had also quickly mastered the basics of the Barbarian Ancestor Heaven-Swallowing Mantra.

His days were incredibly fulfilling.

Unfortunately, the war was still going on, and there was no sign of it ending anytime soon.

But for the time being, it had nothing to do with Lü Zhong.

He was a Golden Core Master, after all. Even Changchun Valley had to follow certain rules; they couldn’t just conscript him like some beast of burden. As such, he had ten years of reprieve.

In ten years, the war might already be over.

It was a distinct possibility.

As the war between the two sects dragged on, the situation grew clearer.

The true cause of the war had also leaked out. It wasn’t over the Spirit Stone Mine, but rather a Secret Realm once held by the Barbarian Race. Rumor had it that the realm preserved an ancient ecosystem where many precious Spirit Medicines grew.

There were even several thousand-year-old Spirit Medicines among them.

At the Nascent Soul Stage, refining Pills to advance one’s cultivation required Thousand-year-old Spirit Medicines as the primary ingredient. The only alternative was to absorb and refine Spiritual Qi directly from a Spirit Vein. However, Nascent Soul True Monarchs stood at the apex of the Human Race, and Spirit Veins powerful enough to meet their needs were almost impossible to find. Thus, even cultivating day in and day out within a Spirit Vein might not yield the slightest increase in cultivation.

In truth, this war was a manifestation of the will of the Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

When it came to dividing the Thousand-year-old Spirit Medicines, words alone could convince no one. But direct combat would endanger their own lives, a risk the Nascent Soul True Monarchs on both sides were unwilling to take. So, they resorted to the old method: a war to decide the shares. As an added benefit, it would cull the surplus of cultivators and ease the ever-growing strain on resources.

’In the end, this world is still all about the law of the jungle.’

Seeing this principle proven once again, Lü Zhong couldn’t help but sigh internally.

’If you aren’t strong enough, you’re destined to be a pawn.’

’In the eyes of a Nascent Soul, even Core Formation Cultivators are nothing more than stronger pawns.’

’If I want to become a player instead of a piece, I have no choice but to cultivate diligently.’

’I must become a Nascent Soul True Monarch, one who stands above millions and commands the winds of change.’

「One year later.」

The once-raging war suddenly came to a halt.

All sorts of rumors began to circulate through Changchun Immortal City.

Some said the Barbarian Secret Realm was a hoax and the two sects had fought for nothing.

Others claimed something major had happened, forcing them to conserve their strength.

The theories were endless, each wilder than the last.

Lü Zhong didn’t know the specifics, but the war had indeed ended as abruptly as it began. Just as it had erupted without warning, everything returned to a state of peace.

...

「In the Quiet Chamber.」

Lü Zhong exhaled a breath of Dense Qi, emerging from his meditative state.

After several months in seclusion, during which he consumed several bottles of cultivation-enhancing Pills, his cultivation had increased slightly. However, he was still a long way from breaking through to the Mid-stage Core Formation.

’At this rate, when will I ever reach Perfect Core Formation?’ He was utterly resigned to his turtle-like cultivation speed.

He rose and walked into the courtyard, where Yu Feng’Er was.

The moment he sat down, she sidled up to him.

”Husband, have you heard? There’s been a strange occurrence in the city lately. Many newborn infants are being born as little more than living flesh, completely without a soul!” Yu Feng’er said, her face a mask of disbelief.

’Without a soul, a person is just a piece of living flesh, aren’t they?’

”Something like that is happening?” Lü Zhong asked, surprised.

’The classic texts have no record of anything like this.’

’Could the rumors be true? Is something major about to happen in the Cultivation Realm?’

”What was Changchun Valley’s response?” Lü Zhong asked, reflexively kneading her shoulder a few times before realizing what he was doing. He quickly pulled his hand back, picked up his Spirit Tea, and took a sip as he spoke.

Yu Feng’Er shot Lü Zhong a playfully reproachful glare, his sudden stop leaving her flustered. Still, she shared what she knew, saying:

”They only said that some Demon Cultivators were causing trouble and had taken the infants’ souls.”

’Demon Cultivators causing trouble?’

’But weren’t they born without souls?’

Lü Zhong was confused.

Before he could dwell on it, a blushing face drew near, so close he could feel her warm breath on his skin.

”Husband, I...”

”Stop!” Lü Zhong cut her off. ”You don’t have to say it. I know.”

’How could I not know what she’s about to say?’

’She’s collected another Vein Tempering Formula, hasn’t she?’

Every time she brought this up, he felt a headache coming on.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but Lü Zhong was simply numb to it all.

”Sigh... maybe I’m getting old,” Lü Zhong mused as he lay in bed. He couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that at over eighty years old, he would have had one foot in the grave in his past life.

PFFT! Hearing this, Yu Feng’Er, who was lying beside him, burst out laughing.

It was the first time she had ever seen a Core Formation Cultivator say they were old at eighty.

It took her a long while to finally stop laughing.

Her eyes twinkled, and she whispered sweetly, ”Husband, you’re a Core Formation Cultivator. You have a lifespan of at least five hundred years. At your age, you’re like a mere teenager to a mortal!”

’She had a point.’

’But as Lü Zhong thought about it, he realized there was a hidden jab in her words.’

’An eighty-year-old Core Formation Cultivator... if you scale that to the average mortal lifespan in this world... that would make me the equivalent of a brat who’s barely over ten.’

He flushed with shame and anger.

Lü Zhong rolled over, determined to teach Yu Feng’er a harsh lesson.

’I’ll make her leave clinging to the walls for support!’

...

「Several months later.」

Lü Zhong was leaving for a trip to the Western Realm.

Yu Feng’Er stood at the entrance, a few handmaidens behind her, her face etched with worry.

”Husband, please be careful!”

After walking a few steps, he felt her gaze linger on his back. ’What kind of immortal are you trying to be?’ he thought. ’This feels just like a mortal couple’s tearful farewell. It’s giving me the creeps.’

He had no choice but to stop and reassure his wife.

”Don’t worry,” he said. ”I’ll be back before you know it.”

With that, he boarded his newly purchased Beast Vehicle and headed straight out of the city.

Once outside the city, he executed a Rainbow Transformation and soared into the sky.

Watching the scenery recede on either side like a tide, Lü Zhong’s spirits lifted. The benefits of his recent Body Refining were clear. His vitality was so robust that he could burn a little Essence Blood without harming his Primordial Qi. From now on, he could use Meteor Escape as a powerful burst of speed whenever he needed.

BOOM! A Sound Barrier Cloud manifested behind him.

Arriving considerably faster than before, Lü Zhong reached the Poisonous Insect Valley.

He made his customary patrol. The benefits of his environmental modifications to the Poisonous Insect Valley were slowly becoming apparent. Fewer and fewer cultivators appeared in the area, and the surroundings had effectively become a Forbidden Land.

’Excellent!’ Lü Zhong nodded, satisfied.

He turned, entered the Underground Palace, and stepped onto the Transmission Array leading to the Western Realm.

Last time in Liluo Immortal City, he had caused quite a commotion.

To be on the safe side, he couldn’t return there anytime soon.

This time, he planned to go to the West Extreme Sword Domain.

The West Extreme Sword Domain bordered the Crimson Demon Land. It was on the far western edge of the continent, a polar opposite to the True Central Sect’s Immortal Prison Pass in the far east. Due to the high concentration of Crimson Spiritual Energy blowing in from the Crimson Demon Land, very few people ever stayed there, aside from members of the Western Border Alliance.

The True Central Sect’s influence would be significantly weaker here, which would drastically lower his chances of running into trouble.