A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

But he had a feeling Li Qionghua was still in the Lingyue Domain.

As a former Nascent Soul Old Monster, her resilience was far beyond that of any ordinary person.

She would never stop until she had destroyed the Lingyue Sect.

He ran his Magical Power over the Puppet’s face, causing a new visage to appear. He then adjusted its physical details, paying meticulous attention to features like muscles and hair.

After a period of meticulous sculpting, the Spirit-Hosted Puppet took on the appearance of the ”Bearded Swordsman.”

...

Just as Lü Zhong was preparing to depart for the Western Realm, some bad news arrived.

The Chengde Commerce Association’s new outpost in the Bihai Island Group had been destroyed. Everyone stationed there was dead, and one of their ships had been stolen.

”What happened?” Lü Zhong asked, his face expressionless.

The Commerce Association’s expansion into the Bihai Island Group was crucial for acquiring Nether Flame Purple Iron, and thus crucial for his own cultivation path. He couldn’t afford to be anything but deeply concerned.

After hearing the Head Steward’s report, he realized the matter wasn’t so simple.

Where there are people, there are conflicts of interest.

The Chengde Commerce Association’s venture into Bihai had inevitably infringed upon the interests of the local cultivator factions.

The Bihai Cultivation Association, alongside the Lianhai Alliance and the Great Sun Ship Gang, were the three great powers of the Bihai Island Group and one of the groups that monopolized the region’s Spiritual Objects.

This very Bihai Cultivation Association was responsible for the massacre.

The current Chairman of the Bihai Cultivation Association was an Early-stage Core Formation Loose Cultivator called the ”Bidao Wanderer.” He occupied the strategically located Bidao, which also served as the Cultivation Association’s lair.

The entire Cultivation Association had over a thousand members.

Besides the Bidao Wanderer, a Core Formation cultivator, the association boasted over a hundred Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. Its official members had at least a Mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation, but they were a motley crew from all sorts of backgrounds.

Essentially, it was a gang of Evil Cultivators.

They had just been well-disguised in the past, giving the impression of an organization that merely traded in Spiritual Objects. But once their core interests were threatened, they immediately showed their true colors.

There was nothing to discuss about how to handle this.

The Bihai Cultivation Association had struck first. Their action was tantamount to a declaration of war.

The only possible response from the Chengde Commerce Association was to go to war.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard.

It was Yu Feng’er.

She had been away inspecting the Spirit Rice fields.

Hearing the news, she had rushed back.

Seeing Lü Zhong’s resolve for war, she didn’t try to stop him, but said with concern, ”My husband, that Bidao Wanderer is quite strong, and he’s a local power. I’m afraid...”

”It’s alright. Master has been free lately,” Lü Zhong said reassuringly.

With the Chengde Commerce Association’s support, the reconstruction of the Heling Sect was going very smoothly. Shuini could spare some time, and if master and disciple joined forces, resolving this matter wouldn’t be difficult.

When it came to combat prowess, Shuini was among the best. Otherwise, she never would have dared to establish her own sect.

...

Since the end of the war between the two sects, Changchun Immortal City had been peaceful for a long time.

The moment the conflict between the Chengde Commerce Association and the Bihai Cultivation Association began, it immediately captured the attention of the city’s cultivators. Some treated it as idle gossip, while others pondered the opportunities within.

The major powers, however, were different. They began to scrutinize this burgeoning Commerce Association.

A threat, or an asset?

Regardless of how these powers viewed the Chengde Commerce Association, the war began as soon as the half-year-long Sea Tide Stage ended.

「At the crack of dawn.」

”My husband, please don’t worry. I will take good care of everything here!” Yu Feng’er’s eyes were filled with tears, but she tried to appear composed, patting her chest in assurance.

”Okay. Just remember not to leave the city.”

At the port, seven Flying Ships were already docked.

Squads of cultivators were lining up to board the ships.

Among them were the Commerce Association’s guard teams and Loose Cultivators hired as cannon fodder.

Fearing a leak, Lü Zhong had not publicly announced Shuini’s arrival. Besides the highest echelons of the Commerce Association, no one knew she was there, quartered on the largest Flying Ship.

At that moment, Shuini was meditating on a cushion.

It had been some time since they last met, and her cultivation had grown again. She was now approaching the Perfection of the Mid-stage Core Formation and could break through at any moment.

Seeing Lü Zhong enter, Shuini opened her eyes, a wide smile on her face.

”You know, it’s been over a decade since we’ve seen each other, master and disciple. I’ve really missed you, my dear apprentice. How could you not come visit me at the Heling Sect after all this time?”

Lü Zhong was her only disciple, and the only person she felt close to.

She said this half-jokingly, half-reproachfully.

Hearing Shuini say this, Lü Zhong could only give a wry smile.

”Forget it, let’s not talk about that!” Shuini sized up Lü Zhong and said abruptly, ”It’s strange. You and that girl from the Yu Family have been together for so long. How come there haven’t been any... results?”

Lü Zhong felt a pang of embarrassment.

’Master, why are you bringing this up?’

”Sigh... my dear apprentice, this won’t do! I’m waiting to hold a grandchild, you know!” Shuini’s expression suddenly turned serious. She took two Jade Scrolls from her Storage Bag and shoved them into Lü Zhong’s hands.

Then, with a mysterious look, she said, ”Inside this Jade Scroll is a secret formula I brought from Central Earth. It’s said that even a Nascent Soul True Monarch can bear offspring after using it.”

”As for the other Jade Scroll... uh... well... you should just take a look at it yourself.” Shuini looked embarrassed for a rare change.

Lü Zhong took it and saw that the other Jade Scroll actually contained a Dual Cultivation Secret Technique.

He glanced at Shuini, whose face was flushed red.

’Master, what in the world do you carry around with you!’

...

The fleet of ships skimmed across the sea, flying at incredible speed.

After only a day and a night, they arrived at their destination.

It was just dawn. Through the Flying Ship’s porthole, he could see a large island in the distance. The light of a Grand Array shimmered over its central mountain range—the headquarters of the Bihai Cultivation Association.