A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

After collecting his spoils, he watched the corpse plummet into the sea, then looked toward Bidao, now just a shallow patch of ocean. His expression was anything but relaxed; on the contrary, he felt immense pressure.

’If I’m not mistaken, Cangmingzi must be on his way!’

Lü Zhong’s heart grew heavy at the thought.

’It was inevitable. I still have to face a Divinity Transformation cultivator.’

Lü Zhong had long been mentally prepared for this.

After all, he was well aware that his rise in the Southern Barbarian lands was a direct challenge to the old order of Central Earth. A bloodless process was impossible.

He had simply been lucky before. The Divinity Transformation cultivators had been roaming the Void and hadn’t returned, which gave him the opportunity to grow.

Now that Central Earth had finally reacted, he would naturally have to face their tempestuous wrath.

’I hope this works!’

Thinking of the trump card he held, a sliver of hope sparked within him. Surrendering to fate was never his style.

Just as he had told Fang Daoyun, even if he was facing an unbeatable Divinity Transformation cultivator, he would still draw his sword in defiance—even if it had no bearing on the final outcome.

As the thought crossed his mind, an Escape Light streaked across the horizon.

It moved with an unprecedented speed!

It was Lü Zhong’s first time, and possibly his last...

...to witness the wrath of a Divinity Transformation cultivator. It was truly like the boundless might of the heavens.

As the Escape Light drew near, the very sky and clouds began to shift. A storm brewed in an instant, stirred into existence by the agitated Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi. The display of power was absolutely astonishing.

’The might of a Divinity Transformation cultivator... it’s this terrifying!’

Lü Zhong gave a wry internal smile, but his hands never stopped moving.

’Even against a Divinity Transformation cultivator, I’ll land at least one sword strike!’

Star Gathering Skill, Flying Star Qi Introduction Skill... Lü Zhong activated every Magic Skill he had that could boost his power. Coupled with the Starlight Affinity of his Star Source Nascent Soul, which drew starlight from across the heavens to pour down into him, his strength soared to its absolute peak, rivaling that of a so-called ”Quasi-Deification” cultivator.

Yet even with his power amplified, he felt no confidence at all.

Donning the Giant Spirit Mask, Lü Zhong transformed into a thousand-foot-long Flood Dragon. He raised the Thunder-Attracting Needle high, pouring every last bit of his Magical Power into it. The blade began to radiate an infinite light, and a pillar of brilliance shot toward the heavens.

After letting the power build, he gently raised his arm.

He faced the storm head-on, determined to cleave it apart with his sword!

For a split second, clarity returned to the world.

But just as quickly, the storm sealed the gash he had carved, as if it had never been there at all.

”You are different from the others. You actually have the courage to raise your sword!” An ancient voice boomed from within the storm. Immediately after, Cangmingzi’s figure materialized, his robes whipping about in the gale.

Since reaching the Divinity Transformation realm, he had slain more Great Cultivators than he could count on both hands.

They hailed from both Central Earth and the Outer Realms.

Lü Zhong was the very first to dare draw his sword against him.

Cangmingzi stared at the black-haired young man before him, a sudden look of regret crossing his features.

If it were possible, he would have broken his own rules and taken Lü Zhong as his personal, final disciple.

Compared to Fang Daoyun and Yan Lianxing, this man’s innate talent was less apparent, but he possessed the courage to draw his sword on a Divinity Transformation cultivator. His future would surely have been far greater.

He might even have been able to achieve Ascension to the Spirit Realm.

”You are remarkable, but you must still die!” Cangmingzi declared with arrogance.

Then, he glanced in the direction of Tide Cave and added,

”Rest assured, your family will not be implicated. From this day forward, the Bihai Sect will become a vassal to my Celestial Origin Immortal Palace, just as Changchun Valley is to the Gui Miao Sect. This will continue for all of eternity, from one generation to the next, without end.”

”Hmph. To be slaves for eternity?” Lü Zhong sneered.

He couldn’t help but recall words Shuini had once spoken, and their meaning now struck him more profoundly than ever.

’The arrogance of Central Earth... it truly has never changed!’

They simply could not, and absolutely would not, tolerate anyone challenging the so-called order of the Immortal Sects.

And they wanted to perpetuate this order for all time.

It was only then that Lü Zhong understood why the cultivators of this world, despite having such a vast realm at their disposal, never thought to explore or expand. They only ever remained garrisoned in the Four Domains and the small slice of land that was Central Earth. Most likely, their enterprising spirit had long ago been utterly strangled at its very roots by the Immortal Sects.

”Arrogant? I can’t deny it,” Cangmingzi sneered, completely unconcerned.

Seeing Lü Zhong form a hand seal as if preparing to cast some powerful Magic Skill, he didn’t even bother to move. It was merely the death throes of an ant. Until one entered the Divinity Transformation realm, one could never know just how despairing the gap between it and the Nascent Soul realm truly was.

Even if he was arrogant, he had earned the right to be!

He allowed Lü Zhong to point a finger at him, remaining completely motionless.

He glanced at the white dot that appeared on his skin, his face a mask of disdain. He even began to critique the attack. ”That finger technique of yours isn’t bad. It already has some of the essence of the Destruction Finger. Did you comprehend it from the Northern Border King Beast Spirit Pattern? If you were to refine it further and merge it with the True Intent of the Spring and Autumn Technique Finger, you might actually be able to evolve it into a Divine Technique!”

Lü Zhong’s expression changed upon hearing this, but he said nothing and continued casting.

This time, he used the Wood Thunder Skill. It still failed to break through the man’s defenses.

”An Ancient Thunder Skill. You use it quite skillfully, and it’s even imbued with a Celestial Tribulation Aura, making it exceptionally potent against Evil Demons and Outsiders. But a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none. A pity. With your talent and insight, had you focused solely on the true meaning of Wood Thunder, you might have actually posed a threat to me.”

Cangmingzi stroked his long beard, gazing at Lü Zhong with a mocking smile. ”Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve? By all means, show me everything you’ve got.”

”Then how about this one!” Lü Zhong retorted with a sneer.

This time, he summoned the Cyan Nether Forbidden Bottle and supplemented it with the Exile Technique.

Cangmingzi simply gave a faint smile, unimpressed.

However, just as Lü Zhong’s finger was about to touch his skin, Cangmingzi shot out a hand with lightning speed and seized Lü Zhong’s left arm. ”I may be arrogant,” he said mockingly, ”but that doesn’t mean I’m a fool. How could I not see the true purpose of this little trick of yours?”

”Is that so?” Lü Zhong sneered back.

Just then, a black serpent shot out from his sleeve. He had unleashed the Death-Suppressing Chain.

If this chain could trap a Ghost Flood Dragon, it could naturally bind Cangmingzi. Even an instant’s restraint would be enough for Lü Zhong to achieve his goal.

”The Death-Suppressing Chain?”

Cangmingzi’s expression finally shifted, his composure breaking at last.

As the master of the Celestial Origin Immortal Palace, he was privy to certain hidden histories—for instance, the origin of the very Death-Suppressing Chain before him. It had been forged by the Celestial Origin Immortal Palace itself to suppress a Ghost Flood Dragon that had reached the Divinity Transformation realm.

”I never thought it would fall into your hands!”

While speaking to distract Lü Zhong, Cangmingzi frantically circulated his Magical Power, trying to shatter the Magic Chain before the situation spiraled out of his control.

”Stop this at once! I won’t die from this, but you will throw away your last chance at survival—”

But Lü Zhong was unmoved.

Suddenly, a black hole materialized from his left hand.

Cangmingzi was horrified, but he was powerless. He could only watch helplessly as the black hole consumed him. While it wouldn’t kill him outright, the dangers on the other side were completely unpredictable.

It could lead to a patch of empty Void.

Or a Celestial Demon Nest.

Or even...

”Dumbass! Dumbass! Dumbass!”

It was just as the old saying went: the arrogant die by their own arrogance.

”Just you wait,” he roared, finally venting the rage in his heart. ”When I reach Divinity Transformation, every last one of you will join him!”

Lü Zhong couldn’t even remember the last time he had been this furious.

Glancing at his left arm, which was now missing below the elbow, he bandaged the stump with a blank expression. Then, he flew toward Tide Cave, planning to have his loved ones evacuate to safety first.

As for where they would go?

It wouldn’t be the Western Realm, nor the Land of Immortal Arrival.

It would be the Mountain and River Map.

Though the treasure was on the verge of destruction, he had long ago used a Secret Skill derived from his Sleeve Universe Technique to reinforce it. It wouldn’t collapse for at least a thousand years.

As long as they brought enough supplies, living inside would be no problem. The original purpose of such treasures was to serve as a sect’s cave secret realm, used to cultivate elite disciples.

And as for himself, the one carrying the map?

He was already prepared to wage a guerrilla war.

With the Star Shifting and Dipper Changing Seal, even a Divinity Transformation cultivator with heaven-spanning abilities couldn’t pinpoint his location. As long as he wasn’t cornered directly, Lü Zhong had no fear of being tracked.

The Qinghe Realm was vast; there was nowhere he couldn’t go.

’All my previous plans are scrapped. The Taichu Soul Revival Array Map, however, can still be of use.’ Lü Zhong was now perfectly calm. He decided that while he was emptying the Sect Treasure Vault, he would leave the great task of constructing the Grand Array to restart the Nai River to the arrogant Immortal Sects of Central Earth.

The Immortal Sects were arrogant, not stupid. They would certainly take the initiative to build it.

Of course, they would most likely build in a few backdoors of their own.