A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

”The Western Realm...”

Lü Zhong heard the words and instantly lost interest in the drink in his hand.

For some unknown reason, all the news about the Western Realm that reached the Southern Barbarian lands was the complete opposite of the truth. It was clearly a living hell, yet it was portrayed as a paradise on earth.

It had even made him wonder if the place he had arrived at via the Transmission Array was the real Western Realm.

But after consulting a series of ancient texts, Lü Zhong was certain that the other side of the Poisonous Insect Valley’s Transmission Array was indeed west of Central Earth—the one and only Western Realm Cultivation Realm.

’Forget it. Best not to probe too deeply,’ Lü Zhong thought to himself.

Even that Loose Cultivator he had just met understood that loose lips sink ships. As a dignified Core Formation Cultivator, he couldn’t let his own rampant curiosity lead him into danger.

As he was thinking, Yu Feng’Er, who was beside him, spoke up. ”My love, many people from the Commerce Association have gone missing recently for no reason. I sent people to investigate, but they found nothing. Have you heard any whispers on your end?”

More disappearances?

’Will this ever end?’

Lü Zhong shook his head, indicating he knew nothing.

Seeing this, Yu Feng’Er had no choice but to set the matter aside. After all, it was just a few people, fewer than the Commerce Association’s normal attrition from deaths. So, she didn’t take it to heart.

When she turned her head again, Lü Zhong was already gone.

...

「In the Quiet Chamber.」

Lü Zhong sat cross-legged on a cushion.

After a long while.

He slowly opened his eyes.

’It’s still no good. My Heart and Spirit are restless!’ Lü Zhong found it strange. ’With the Bright Flower Jade helping me, this shouldn’t be happening.’

’Is it my Spiritual Sense?’

That was the only explanation.

’It must be a sudden whim, a premonition!’ Lü Zhong concluded.

If that was the case, he couldn’t ignore this feeling.

’Fine, fine, fine!’

’I’ll just investigate.’

You couldn’t just run from problems. That would only invite greater disaster.

He went outside.

Yu Feng’Er was still eating, nibbling on some pastries.

”My love!”

”Mm.”

Without ceremony, Lü Zhong used his power to grab two rice cakes and began eating them with some Spirit Tea. ”I heard that Cultivator Clans have been disappearing lately,” he said as he ate. ”What do you know about it?”

Yu Feng’Er just kept shaking her head.

Seeing her reaction, Lü Zhong knew he had asked in vain.

’Then again, the Commerce Association keeps her busy.’

’It’s a wonder Yu Feng’Er can find any time to relax at all, let alone pay attention to these things.’

”My love, what’s wrong?”

”It’s nothing.” Lü Zhong shook his head, but didn’t forget to add a warning. ”Don’t leave the city for a while.”

”Okay!” Yu Feng’Er nodded emphatically.

Her earnest expression made Lü Zhong chuckle.

...

He changed his appearance on his way to the street corner from before.

After spending a few Spirit Stones, he learned that the most recently vanished Cultivation Clan was the Tian Family of Hanshui, located at the border of the Inference Realm and the Changchun Domain.

He headed straight for Hanshui.

Along the way, he didn’t forget to change his identity again to avoid attracting any potential attention.

He hid in the woods until a squad of Changchun Valley cultivators flew past overhead. Only then did Lü Zhong reveal himself, a strange look on his face.

He had encountered several waves of Changchun Valley cultivators on his journey.

Their behavior was rather abnormal.

It was less like they were searching for a suspect and more like they were patrolling and guarding something.

’Could it be that this matter is related to Changchun Valley?’

Lü Zhong couldn’t help but have this thought.

It wasn’t impossible. After all, making over ten thousand cultivators disappear without a trace was not something an ordinary faction could accomplish. Changchun Valley had that kind of power.

As for the motive...

He continued onward, and the Changchun Valley cultivators he encountered became more numerous and their Realms higher.

’This doesn’t look good! No, if I run into a Core Formation Cultivator, I’m turning back immediately!’ Lü Zhong decided. ’I can always come back in a few days. No need to take unnecessary risks.’

He soon arrived at Hanshui.

Using the Gray Mist Space’s scene regression, he learned an unbelievably shocking fact that left him speechless for a moment.

”How is this possible!”

”The Tian Family was actually taken by Wanmu True Monarch!”

Just as he was thinking this, his expression suddenly changed.

Star Shifting Step!

By a hair’s breadth.

A beam of Sword Light grazed past him, letting out a piercing shriek as it cut into his Protective Gang Qi.

Immediately after, several more beams of Sword Light rained down.

A sweep of his Divine Sense revealed his surroundings, and Lü Zhong broke out in a cold sweat.

Somehow, he had been surrounded by three Core Formation Cultivators.

In the air, Qingding Master formed a Sword Mantra with his hands, activating his Lifebound Treasure, the Green Cauldron Sword. He slashed at the figure below again, holding nothing back, intending to keep the intruder there.

At the same time, he was also surprised.

Just a moment ago, the Human-Sensing Shield had suddenly sounded an alarm.

This shield was a replica Magical Treasure, crafted at great expense to imitate the legendary Spirit Treasure Celestial Secret Shield.

Once activated, it could cover a ten-mile radius. Any cultivator who entered, regardless of their cultivation level or the profundity of their stealth techniques, would trigger the Human-Sensing Shield’s alarm.

Qingding Master had initially thought it was a false alarm.

He never expected that someone could actually bypass their numerous defensive lines and sneak into Hanshui.

Lü Zhong took a hit from the Sword Light, then rapidly formed a hand seal and began Chanting.

”Meteor Escape!”

In an instant, he pushed his speed to the absolute limit, transforming into a blood-red streak of light that vanished over the horizon in a flash, leaving the three surrounding Changchun Valley Core Formation Cultivators dumbfounded.

”What kind of Escape Skill was that?”

”It... it could be the Western Realm’s Blood Escape...”

”Should we give chase?”

The leader, Qingding Master, had a thoughtful expression as he said calmly, ”Forget it. Let’s wait for Senior Brother Qin to arrive. With his Divination Secret Technique, even if this person has escaped for now, we can still figure out his origins. It won’t be too late to investigate and pursue him then!”

A short while later, a streak of green light flew in from the distance.

It landed to reveal a long-bearded, middle-aged man who was holding a set of divination rods.

”Senior Brother Qin, just now...” Qingding Master cupped his hands in greeting toward the newcomer and then explained what had just happened.

Qin Fang was direct. He immediately began performing a divination on the ground.

He had studied the Celestial Secret Skill. Although it was just a simplified, incomplete version, it still possessed an unfathomable divination ability that allowed him to learn what he desired at a cost.

Depending on the difficulty of the divination, it could consume either Primordial Qi or life span.

Suddenly, a look of horror appeared on Qin Fang’s face.

”PUH!”

The next moment, he opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The divination rods before him exploded, instantly turning into a pile of bamboo dust on the ground.

It took him a long while to recover. He turned to Qingding Master and rasped, ”Junior Brother Qingding, are you sure that person who just escaped was only a Core Formation Cultivator?”

”That’s right,” Qingding Master said with a grave expression.

He was confident he hadn’t been mistaken. Although the man’s Breath Concealing Skill was extremely refined and he couldn’t determine his exact cultivation, he was definitely a Core Formation Cultivator.

Qin Fang coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Suffering the backlash from the Celestial Secret Skill, his hair turned completely white in an instant, and his Primordial Qi was severely damaged.

Ignoring the accumulating Pill Poison, Qin Fang swallowed a bottle of Pills to restore his Primordial Qi. Only then did a hint of color return to his face. He gave a bitter smile. ”It seems this person has a way to obscure heavenly secrets.”

Hearing this, Qingding Master felt a wave of vexation.

The two other Changchun Valley Core Formation Cultivators beside them also wore expressions of stunned disbelief.

...

「Ten thousand miles away.」

In a nameless mountain cave.

Just a moment ago, starlight had flashed across the surface of Lü Zhong’s body.

Possessing the Star Shifting and Dipper Changing Divine Technique, he naturally knew what had just happened. Someone had tried to probe the heavenly secrets—either to find his location or to uncover his identity.

Judging from the feedback from his Divine Technique, the other party had failed.

”Whew, that was close.”

Lü Zhong let out a long sigh of relief.

’It’s a good thing the Divine Technique worked, or I’d really have to pack up and run for it this time.’

Thinking back on the results of his regression, a look of shock couldn’t help but cross his face. He still found it hard to believe that the one who made the Tian Family disappear was Changchun Valley’s own Wanmu True Monarch.

’But why?’

’Why would Wanmu True Monarch abduct so many cultivators?’

’Forget it. I should leave this place first.’ Lü Zhong didn’t believe for a second that Changchun Valley would let the matter rest so easily just because their attempt to probe the heavenly secrets had failed.

The fact that they even sent out a Nascent Soul Seed like Qingding Master showed how seriously Changchun Valley was taking this.

He erased his tracks, proceeding with Stealth all the way.

After a tumultuous half-year, once his body’s Primordial Qi had fully recovered, Lü Zhong finally returned to Changchun Immortal City. This was also to eliminate any possible suspicion against him.

A sudden disappearance would have easily drawn suspicion.

The streets before him were as peaceful as ever, just as prosperous and bustling as they had always been.

But in Lü Zhong’s eyes, a dark undercurrent was already surging.

’I can’t stay in this place any longer!’

He decided.

Time to move!