A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

He hastily retracted his Celestial Net Eye and walked toward their bedroom.

...

Time flew by.

A year passed before the Refining Formation for the Incarnation Body was finally complete.

Meanwhile, the Bihai Sect had finally gathered the Essence Souls needed for the Soul Splitting and the Incarnation Body.

This was all part of Lü Zhong’s calculations.

The Lingyue Domain had recently fallen quiet, like the calm before a storm. All the major powers were waiting with bated breath.

If Jin Lan failed to reach the Nascent Soul Stage in this attempt...

Then, a grand feast to carve up the Lingyue Sect would commence.

How many benefits one could secure for themselves in this feast, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in ten thousand years, would all depend on their own strength.

After making the necessary arrangements, Lü Zhong began refining his first Outer Body Incarnation.

As for the Soul Splitting, having done it once before, he was already an old hand. He quickly refined a blank embryo and stored it in his Sea of Consciousness, ready to be integrated once the Incarnation Body was complete.

Next came the Incarnation Body.

According to the description provided by the Divine Technique, this body was indeed a creation similar to a ”Pure Spirit Body.”

To put it more vividly, it was like a giant Spirit Stone.

’With so much Spiritual Qi as an energy reserve, plus all the Prohibitions set during the Incarnation Body’s refinement, and enhanced by the ’Spirit Fusion Secret Technique’... it allows the Split Soul to perfectly merge with the body. No wonder it can support an Incarnation unleashing the main body’s full power!’ Lü Zhong was truly amazed.

’What incredible technology!’

’Compared to this, a world that can’t even crack Spiritual Energy Conversion Technology is truly pathetic.’

He then composed his Heart and Spirit and cast a Technique Mantra at the Refining Formation.

Accompanied by a low HUMMM, the Spirit Gathering Array, which was connected to Bihai Island’s Spirit Vein, began to frantically absorb Spiritual Qi. It converged into a torrent of energy to power the Grand Array, and slowly, the Refining Formation began to operate.

「At the same time.」

All across the Bihai Sect, the Spirit Veins stopped releasing Spiritual Qi.

The Five-Colored Spirit Clouds that once shrouded Tide Cave also began to fade and disappear.

The Bihai Sect cultivators, noticing the phenomenon, all stopped their cultivation. They had been notified beforehand that the Ancestor would be cutting off the Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Vein today to refine a certain treasure.

Still, they couldn’t help but be curious.

What kind of treasure could possibly require the concentrated Spiritual Qi of an entire Tier Three major Spirit Vein, supplied continuously for three whole days and nights?

Just then, a cultivator from the Law Enforcement Hall flew into the air and, using an Amplification Spell, announced, ”All personnel, listen up! Effective immediately, the Sect is on high alert. Everyone to your posts!”

Hearing this, everyone stopped looking around.

The Bihai Sect was a good Sect, and they didn’t want to be expelled for violating its rules. That would not only mean losing all their benefits but also missing the opportunity to grow with the rapidly prospering Sect.

So they all hurried to their designated locations.

Meanwhile, Lü Zhong finished purifying the Essence Souls and cast them into the Refining Formation.

An unseen process began, and an ethereal body slowly took shape.

Seeing this, he immediately cast a Technique Mantra.

From the Spirit Gathering Array, the long-accumulated Spiritual Qi surged out like a flood. Guided by the Array’s Prohibitions, it flowed in an orderly stream toward the ethereal body.

Lü Zhong activated his Celestial Net Eye, constantly monitoring the status of the Incarnation Body.

「Three days and three nights passed.」

Perhaps because his Array Formation was flawless, with enough raw materials and a sufficient supply of Spiritual Qi, the process of creating the Incarnation Body within the Refining Formation went off without a single hitch.

’What a remarkable technique!’

Lü Zhong was once again stunned as he watched a body being created out of thin air.

With no time to lose, he retrieved the blank Split Soul from his Sea of Consciousness. Then, casting several profound Technique Mantras, he fused it with the nearly complete Incarnation Body.

Next, he inscribed the True Spirit Mark and uploaded a pre-prepared memory template.

The memory template contained a wealth of information, primarily what the Incarnation needed to know, along with various memories related to combat. This latter portion was all-encompassing, covering everything from controlling Magical Treasures to the contents of various ancient texts. It was practically a complete summary of Lü Zhong’s combat experience.

He then modified various details, such as its facial features.

And just like that, a true Outer Body Incarnation was born!

Perhaps because it knew it was merely a consumable, likely to perish in the upcoming war, the Incarnation was somewhat cold toward its creator.

However, when Lü Zhong mentioned he could ”archive its memories,” allowing it to achieve a form of continued existence, its attitude instantly warmed.

”You really mean it?”

”Of course. You and I are one and the same. Why would I lie to you?” Lü Zhong said with a smile.

However, knowing the Gray Mist Space couldn’t be shared with the Incarnation, he had deleted any related memories. But he didn’t overcomplicate things by fabricating false memories, simply letting the Incarnation believe it was a type of Secret Skill.

With the Gray Mist Space, Lü Zhong could indeed back up memories.

Thus, he could achieve an alternative form of continuity.

”Alright, I believe you!” the Incarnation said with a nod, a look of joy on his face.

”Here, this is the identity I prepared for you. You’ll be an Inner Sect Disciple of the Bihai Sect. Use this identity to cultivate from now on.”

”Inside this Storage Bag is a Magical Treasure, the Coiling Snake Pestle. Familiarize yourself with it quickly. There are also enough Spirit Stones for your expenses. As long as you don’t violate my principles, you can do whatever you want,” Lü Zhong said, handing him a Storage Bag.

As a Combat Incarnation, he deserved certain privileges.

Lü Zhong paused, then reminded the Incarnation, ”But you must be mentally prepared. Given the current situation in the Lingyue Domain, I’m afraid war will break out soon. So you’d best focus on mastering your combat skills... I hope you will be the longest-lived of all my Incarnations!”

”I understand.” The Incarnation’s expression grew solemn.

He took the Storage Bag and, seeing the Identity Token was nameless, added the name ”Yinn Li” to it.

”From now on, my name is Yinn Li!”

The Incarnation then took his leave.

Lü Zhong watched him depart.

’Every Incarnation has its own personality.’

’The last one, the Possession Incarnation, was clearly a chatterbox, but at least he was cautious.’

’I can’t quite tell with this new one yet. I hope he’s also the cautious, survival-oriented type. A personality like that will at least help him live longer, rather than just being a consumable that dies the moment he steps onto the battlefield, wasting all my hard work.’

A short while later, Lü Zhong felt a connection.

Connecting to his Incarnation, he found that the man had already gone to a brothel.

’...Is this his true nature?’

But when he discovered Yinn Li was using a Dual Cultivation Method to advance his cultivation, he was relieved. At the same time, he felt he understood him a little better.

’Yinn Li? Sounds like ’to set you up’. I hope he lives up to his name,’ Lü Zhong thought.

He then connected to his other Incarnation, the Possession Incarnation Wang Lin.

Wang Lin had previously obtained the Ancient Dragon Secret Talisman and was now cultivating diligently. However, due to his poor aptitude and lack of resources, his cultivation progress remained slow, even with Lü Zhong’s insights and the Soul Forging Technique to enhance his Divine Soul.

’Cultivation with Five Spirit Roots is just too difficult!’

’At this rate, I’m afraid he’ll die of old age before he can even reach Foundation Establishment.’

...

「Time passed, and soon it was the sixth month.」

Just after the Lantern Festival, the situation took a sudden turn.

The Lingyue Sect went into lockdown.

It was obvious what this meant: Jin Lan felt the time was right and had decided to take the most crucial step toward Nascent Soul Formation—Breaking the Core.

Once the Core is broken, there is no turning back.

If one survived the process, their cultivation would inevitably drop back to the Foundation Establishment level, with no hope of ever returning to the Core Formation Stage—unless they had consumed a rare Spiritual Object beforehand.

Even if they were fortunate enough to retain their Core Formation Cultivation, they would be unable to advance a single step for the rest of their lives.

Such was the nature of Nascent Soul Formation.

For millions of years, countless cultivators had been stumped by this trial and perished. Whether they were the chosen prodigies of a Sect, the geniuses of a clan, or the heroes among Loose Cultivators, all had to face this hurdle.

One could say the path was paved with bones.

If Nascent Soul Formation were not so arduous, how could Nascent Soul True Monarchs command such a transcendent status?

As soon as the news got out,

not only the Lingyue Domain but the entire Southern Barbarian region fell silent. Every major power waited quietly for the result. With the exception of a few Sect Clans loyal to the Lingyue Sect, they were all hoping for Jin Lan to fail.

Lü Zhong was no exception.

On the eve of the storm, he arrived at the Illusion Cloud Sect.