A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Lü Zhong sat cross-legged in his Quiet Chamber, eyes shut tight and body shrouded in starlight. Before him floated a black Dharma Robe, the light of its Prohibitions flickering as it faintly emanated powerful Spiritual Qi fluctuations.

This was the very Black Flood Dragon Robe he had refined using a massive amount of Black Flood Dragon materials.

Since it was forged from rare spiritual materials, the treasure was already a Twelve-layered Forbidden Treasure upon its completion. With diligent nurturing, it could even be upgraded to twenty layers of Prohibitions.

Lü Zhong now had the protection of the Flood Dragon Spirit Banner and the shield of the Cangwu Bead. With this Black Flood Dragon Robe, his personal Protective Gang Qi, and a physique comparable to a Flood Dragon, his defensive capabilities now surpassed those of most cultivators at his level.

’Even so, I must remain cautious,’ Lü Zhong reminded himself.

The Immortal Sect, it seemed, had agreed to peace talks on the surface.

But for the cultivators of the Immortal Sect, it was a last resort they had been forced to take.

He had no doubt that if the right opportunity presented itself, Hee Yun would turn on him in an instant, just as he expected.

As for the punishment from the Spirit Communication Jade Contract, it was hardly surprising that a sect with Gui Miao’s hundreds of thousands of years of history would have a way to circumvent it. Even if the cost was high, it would likely be worth it to them to remove a thorn in their side like him.

His vigilance heightened, Lü Zhong shifted his gaze to a Jade Scroll beside him.

The Jade Scroll contained a Secret Skill he had acquired from the Gui Miao Sect in exchange for a massive number of Spiritual Objects. It was called the ”Flower Shifting and Essence Changing Skill,” a method for utilizing Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi that he had long coveted.

This Secret Skill would be of immense use to Lü Zhong.

If he could successfully create the Jia Yuan Heavenly Talisman, he would have another ace up his sleeve for the coming war. Even if something unexpected happened, he would have the confidence to face it calmly.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind and began to focus on comprehending the skill.

...

By early summer, the Underground Fire Veins in the Molten Fire Land had indeed entered their active period. Volcanoes of all sizes billowed thick smoke and rumbled day and night. Some even began to spew lava, which flowed together to form Molten Rivers and Magma Lakes.

On this day, bells tolled in Molten Iron City.

Thousands of Flying Ships rose into the air, accompanied by countless streaks of rainbow light. The Allied Army, having spent a long time resting and building its strength, quickly formed up, creating two mountain-like iron walls that began to advance toward the Ten Thousand Demon Nest.

Meanwhile, the Nascent Soul Cultivators had already gathered before the Ten Thousand Demon Nest.

Lü Zhong hovered high in the sky, his brow furrowing unconsciously as he gazed at the Demon Nest below. It resembled a giant fortress, situated beneath a churning vortex of demonic clouds.

’Has it only been a few years?’

The Celestial Demons had already built such a fortress in the Molten Fire Land.

According to observations, it housed at least a million Celestial Demons. Although most of them were incredibly weak, with a small portion being no match even for mortal Martial Artists, it truly lived up to the name ”Ten Thousand Demon Nest.” Moreover, as time went on, both the number and the quality of the Celestial Demons inside were steadily increasing.

If it weren’t for the Divine Chapter, the allied cultivator army would likely have no choice but to stare in helpless dismay; there would be no possibility of breaching the nest.

As if sensing the cultivators’ movements, a massive number of Celestial Demons began to fly out from the Ten Thousand Demon Nest.

They came in all shapes and sizes, gathering with a roar into a Demon Tide that surged forward.

Just then, Lü Zhong’s gaze shifted upward.

His gaze landed on the center of the Demon Tide, where seven figures of varying sizes were floating.

’Seven Great Demons!’

A sudden realization struck him.

’No wonder the cultivators of this realm, even when facing Spiritual Qi depletion, never considered drawing it from the Void. Perhaps the real reason isn’t that they don’t want to, but that they lack the strength to deal with the massive hordes of Celestial Demons.’

’In the future, will I be able to gather enough power to do so?’

Lü Zhong couldn’t help but wonder.

The question was a pragmatic one, and it was destined to remain unanswered for a long time. After all, he wouldn’t even consider obtaining Spiritual Qi from the Void until after he broke through to the Divinity Transformation realm.

As Lü Zhong contemplated this, Hee Yun, who was not far off, began to act.

Her eyes were shut tight as she sat cross-legged on a Cyan Jade Disc. Arcane Runes flickered across her body, and she was enveloped in a hazy white light.

A Jade Seal bobbed in the air before Hee Yun.

In the eyes of the Nascent Soul Cultivators, the omnipresent Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi seemed to be drawn in, converging upon the Jade Seal. As the Primordial Qi continued to gather, the Spiritual Light on the surface of the Divine Chapter grew increasingly dazzling, eventually transforming into a radiant sun.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong couldn’t help but think.

’The Divine Chapter seems extraordinary, containing a Divinity Transformation Level Divine Power Technique. However, activating it requires a considerable amount of time to channel. For this reason, the Jade Seal can’t be used in one-on-one combat between cultivators, which naturally diminishes its value.’

’No wonder the Gui Miao Sect was willing to part with it!’

’Of course, I can’t rule out the possibility that Hee Yun is playing a trick.’

Whatever the case, as the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi converged, the Divine Chapter finally absorbed enough energy. Although it looked like only a mere sliver, it now contained astonishing power.

Just then, Hee Yun suddenly opened her eyes and glanced toward Lü Zhong. Not showing any weakness, Lü Zhong met her gaze. Their eyes locked, each knowing full well what the other was thinking. In an instant, the atmosphere grew tense.

In the end, it was Hee Yun who looked away first.

She gazed at the storm-like Demon Tide surging toward them, her expression as cold as ever. Extending a Jade Finger, she pointed forward. The Divine Chapter moved at her command, swelling in size as it flew through the air until it became a massive, mountain-sized seal that stamped down directly onto the Ten Thousand Demon Nest.