A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

After the two of them left,

Lü Zhong’s gaze shifted to the Sea Suppression Gate, his eyes flickering as he pondered a countermeasure.

He quickly changed his appearance and walked out of Bidao Hall.

The situation was one where the enemy was out in the open, while he remained concealed. The most urgent task was to find that person or the faction they belonged to. Fortunately, this wouldn’t be difficult for him, since he had the Gray Mist Space.

Lü Zhong concealed his breath and traces as he traveled, soon arriving at the Sea Suppression Gate.

The place was on high alert; even the Sect’s Grand Array had been activated. A massive, bowl-shaped protective shield enveloped the sect’s entrance, as if guarding against some enemy.

Evidently, the fact that he had met Hex Bin was already known.

’Good thing I was prepared.’ Lü Zhong chuckled to himself and, with a flip of his hand, took out a Token.

As an ancestor of the Sea Suppression Gate and the one who had provided the Mountain, how could he not have left a backdoor for himself? He found a hidden corner and activated the Token, and a circular opening immediately appeared on the protective shield.

He moved along, easily avoiding all lines of sight.

In no time at all, Lü Zhong had arrived at Sea-Suppressing Cliff.

This place was both a secluded cultivation ground for the Sea Suppression Gate and the location of the Sect’s Grand Array’s core. Just as he expected, Cang Henian was indeed still inside.

Through a scene regression, he quickly learned everything.

’Mid-stage Core Formation...’ Lü Zhong recited inwardly.

’A bit tricky.’

He considered his own strength to be outstanding among those in the Early-stage Core Formation, but if he were to face a veteran Mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, he still had little confidence in winning. After all, he was a whole Small Realm below his opponent.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a secret chamber within the cliff.

He thought of the Array that had been set up there.

This was the ”Five Muddiness Array.” Its effect was to defile a person’s cultivation. In mild cases, it would cause one’s Magical Power to become unstable; in severe cases, it would cause one’s cultivation to plummet. It was utterly vicious.

Lü Zhong had only ever read about it in ancient texts before; he never thought he would see one in person.

He possessed the Purple Nether Extreme Fire, so he wasn’t afraid of the Five Muddles seeping into his body and eroding his cultivation. The person in the shadows, however, might not be so lucky. If he could modify it, perhaps he could tip the scales of victory in his favor.

’Hmm, to be on the safe side, I should plan my escape route first...’

After some thought, Lü Zhong began to act.

Modifying the Sea Suppression Gate’s Mountain was exceedingly easy for him since he possessed the highest level of authority. Even Cang Henian, who was stationed at its core, was completely unaware.

As for the Five Muddiness Array.

This Array was a type of Ancient Array. It followed the principles of ancient Array Formation. Now, a million years later, if its creator hadn’t modified or repaired it, the Array was bound to be full of loopholes.

’It hasn’t been repaired at all...’ After inspecting it, Lü Zhong immediately concluded that the lurking Mid-stage Core Formation cultivator must be a Loose Cultivator who was unskilled in the Array Dao.

As they say, true mastery is passed down by the word. Sometimes, without proper guidance, one is bound to leave fatal flaws in their work.

Of course, he felt the other party was likely aware of this. But for some reason, they hadn’t modified the Array. From this, it was clear the person believed victory was already in their grasp.

’So confident in their strength?’ Lü Zhong thought to himself.

If that was truly the case, then this person was more than just tricky.

’No, I need to prepare a couple more escape routes.’

After a flurry of activity, the escape routes were ready.

Then, Lü Zhong hid himself and waited patiently. He was certain that his opponent would come here. After all, no one who had schemed for so long would choose to give up so easily.

And with the main target having suddenly vanished, they would inevitably suspect that something had happened to Cang Henian.

「Three full days passed.」

Lü Zhong, who had been constantly using scene regression to monitor his surroundings in real-time, suddenly noticed a black shadow sneaking in not far away. Their movements were definitely those of a first-rate Master of Stealth.

If it weren’t for his scene regression ability, he probably wouldn’t have noticed this person either.

Seeing the figure take one step forward and three steps back, even stopping to inspect a random rock on the path multiple times, he knew that this person hadn’t reached the Mid-stage Core Formation by luck.

’Hmph, what an Old Gou!’ Lü Zhong cursed inwardly.

He immediately intensified the operation of his Concealing Breath and Concealing Trace Technique, lest the other party notice something was amiss.

At the same time, he dismissed the thought of summoning his Magical Treasures. Given how cautious this person was, they were bound to be monitoring the flow of Spiritual Qi in the surroundings. He estimated that even the slightest anomaly would put them on alert.

He also remembered to avert his gaze.

For a cultivator who had reached Core Formation, their sensitivity to being watched was extremely high. Looking directly at them was no different from physically touching them.

Seeing the figure draw closer and closer to Sea-Suppressing Cliff.

Lü Zhong calmed his Heart and Spirit, deliberately slowed his breathing, and watched the person’s every move. But he made no move himself, simply waiting for his prey to fall into the trap.

Time passed, second by second.

The black shadow crept to the front of Sea-Suppressing Cliff, then suddenly froze.

’Did he discover the anomaly?’ A ripple went through Lü Zhong’s heart. He thought he had given himself away, but then he saw the figure hesitate for a moment before actually dropping their disguise, revealing their form, and walking inside.

’Alright, I was overthinking it.’

With a flip of his hand, he took out a Jade Token. This was the token he had refined to trigger the Prohibition.

The moment he crushed it, a strange transformation immediately occurred at Sea-Suppressing Cliff.

Billowing streams of qi surged madly from within. Any vegetation they touched was instantly twisted, either growing curved thorns or sprouting festering nodes. All of this was the effect of the Five Muddles.

If this was happening to the plants, one could only imagine what was happening to the person inside.

Before his opponent could charge out, Lü Zhong cast a series of Magic Skills upon himself. In a flash, his entire body began to sparkle with starlight as his power rose rapidly. He also summoned his Magical Treasures.

Rouge, and the Star Mirror.

Especially his Lifebound Treasure Star Mirror, which was now a Five-layered Restriction Magical Treasure.

In the next instant, a figure burst out from Sea-Suppressing Cliff.