A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

’Is that the seed?’

Lü Zhong flickered and appeared where the green light was glowing.

The sapling, which had once seemed sparse and ordinary with nothing unusual about it, was now glowing with a soft green light. It released ripples that caused the surrounding space to warp with the sway of its leaves.

”The... the Kongsang Divine Wood!”

The expression on Lü Zhong’s face was a sight to behold.

He never could have imagined that the seed whose origins he couldn’t identify would actually grow into the Kongsang Divine Wood, a legendary species of tree long thought to be extinct in this realm.

Right now, under the influence of the sapling’s ripples, the collapsing Mountain and River Space was actually showing signs of being repaired. This could be seen as a kind of ”feeding.” According to ancient records, the Kongsang Divine Wood only grew in places with turbulent space.

As the Divine Wood grew, the surrounding space would also be stabilized.

The records didn’t state the reason for this, and Lü Zhong didn’t know it either.

The only thing he could be certain of was that the Kongsang Divine Wood, also known as the ”World Tree,” was undoubtedly the creator of countless clusters of worlds, large and small, within the boundless Void. Perhaps it was precisely because of this tree’s existence that the spark of life could emerge from the chaotic, disordered Void.

’Using the Kongsang Divine Wood to repair the Mountain and River Map is definitely overkill!’

Having obtained such a Divine Wood, Lü Zhong felt an urge to laugh, but he suppressed it. In any case, a major problem that had been troubling him was finally solved.

Gazing at the ever-expanding Mountain and River Space, he couldn’t help but begin planning for the future. Although it was currently only ten li in radius, as the Kongsang Divine Wood continued its repairs, the space was bound to be restored to its original state, reverting to how a Cave Heaven Treasure should be.

Moreover, a Cave Heaven Treasure was far from the Mountain and River Map’s upper limit.

If he had the ability in the future, he could place the Mountain and River Map in a region of turbulent space. By harnessing the chaotic Power of Space within, he could allow the Kongsang Divine Wood to continue growing.

Given enough time, the Mountain and River Map might truly become a world of mountains and rivers.

However, that was something for the distant future.

As Lü Zhong was lost in thought, a line of cultivators had already begun entering through the portal. When the Mountain and River Map was activated, its owner could, at will, open a transport portal of varying size. It appeared as a Light Gate, and passing through it led into the internal space.

Once inside, the cultivators immediately got to work.

They began using Magic Skills to reshape the terrain, making it easier to build a temporary camp.

The necessary supplies—including but not limited to seeds, soil, and water, as well as various daily necessities like Spirit Stones, Spirit Rice, and Arrays—were all stored in large-capacity Storage Bags, ready to be used at any time.

Lü Zhong found Yu Feng’Er and told her the good news about the Divine Wood.

”Really?” Yu Feng’Er found it a little hard to believe.

Only after seeing it with her own eyes did she accept the fact.

”It really is the Kongsang Divine Wood. Our original development plans will have to be scrapped.” Yu Feng’Er shot Lü Zhong a playful glare, her expression a mix of bliss and exasperation.

With the Kongsang Divine Wood here, the future size of the Mountain and River Space would be at least as large as an Immortal City. A region that vast would require detailed planning. Besides the necessary living and planting zones, they might also need to plan out commercial districts, a Workshop District, and other areas.

The thought gave Yu Feng’Er a major headache.

She was about to ask for Lü Zhong’s opinion, only to find he had already vanished.

...

At that moment, Lü Zhong was flying toward the Xuanyang Sect.

That was just his first stop.

To assemble the complete Tree of Spiritual Eye, he next had to visit the Celestial Blade Sect, Huayi Temple, and the Yan Zhen Sect. Once he combined their fragments with the one Shuini had, he would possess a Tier Five Spirit Vein.

With this item in his hands, his path to the Divinity Transformation realm would be assured.

Lü Zhong flew straight to the gates of the Xuanyang Sect. Looking at the cultivators who were arrayed as if facing a great enemy, he, without any Disguise, directly demanded that Fire Dragon show himself.

A moment later, a streak of light flew over from the distance.

Soon, a Nascent Soul figure materialized—it was none other than the Xuanyang Sect’s ancestor, Fire Dragon. He gazed at Lü Zhong, whose aura was completely undisguised, revealing his Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation. The memory of Lü Zhong repelling a Divinity Transformation cultivator flashed through his mind, and his heart pounded in his chest. He asked tentatively,

”Fellow Daoist Lü, it has been a long time. May I ask why you have graced us with your presence today...?”

”Give me the Spirit Tree Fragment, and the grudge between us will be wiped clean,” Lü Zhong said flatly, as if making a trivial transaction.

”No problem!” Fire Dragon agreed without hesitation.

In truth, it wasn’t as if he could refuse.

With Lü Zhong’s current strength, the Xuanyang Sect would be completely unable to stop him if he chose to take it by force. It was better to do him a favor. If Lü Zhong truly reached the Divinity Transformation realm in the future, this favor would ensure a better future for the Xuanyang Sect.

Soon, the Spirit Tree Fragment was brought over.

Because Fire Dragon’s strength was at the lower end of the Nascent Soul realm, this was the smallest of the Spirit Tree Fragments. This was part of the reason he had agreed so readily. After all, such a small fragment was merely a bonus for the Xuanyang Sect; giving it away was no great loss.

After receiving his prize, Lü Zhong inspected it to ensure there were no issues before sending it into the Mountain and River Map. He cupped his fist at Fire Dragon, said, ”We will meet again,” and departed as a streak of light.

Next was the Yan Zhen Sect.

As expected, he was refused.

Lü Zhong wasn’t the least bit annoyed; after all, it wasn’t as if he had no way of dealing with this. He immediately ordered Elder Miao of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall—who was actually his Incarnation planted in the sect—to sabotage the core of the Yan Zhen Sect’s Grand Array. Then, he brazenly took the Spirit Tree Fragment and left in front of everyone.

Watching the receding Escape Light, the Yan Zhen Sect cultivators could only stare at each other in dismay.

”Ancestor, should we pursue him?”

After a long moment, a Core Formation Elder stepped forward hesitantly and asked Mu Guan Daoist.

”Pursue him? How would I dare!” Mu Guan Daoist sputtered, his beard bristling with anger.

Lü Zhong didn’t attack because of the contract between them. But if he himself ordered an attack, Lü Zhong would have a reason to retaliate and would no longer be bound by the contract. With Lü Zhong’s Late-stage Nascent Soul strength, forget a mere Early-stage Nascent Soul like himself—even if all the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Daoist Sects were tied together, they would be no match for him.

’Do they really think the title ”Number One Under Divinity Transformation” is just for show?’

Recalling ”Elder Miao’s” betrayal just now, Mu Guan Daoist was seething. It was a vicious slap across his face. Fortunately, it was only a minor position in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall. If an Elder from the Inheritance Hall had defected on the spot, he would have been utterly disgraced as the sect’s ancestor.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and the angrier he became, the more he thought about it.

At this moment, Mu Guan Daoist saw a traitor in everyone. He barked, ”Relay my order! From this day forward, everyone must pass through the Heart Inquiry Mirror! Not a single person is to be missed!”

...

「Several days passed.」

Before the gates of the Celestial Blade Sect, Ming Zhao Ascendant reluctantly handed over the Spirit Tree Fragment, his eyes filled with unwillingness. After being wounded in an ambush by Demon Cultivators, he had relied entirely on this tree to stabilize his injuries.

If he wanted to heal his wounds in the future, he would also need Pure Spiritual Energy to recover.

”Heavenly Heart Feather Birth Pill. Catch!”

Lü Zhong tossed over a jade bottle containing a Tier Four Healing Elixir, potent enough to cure the other man’s injuries.

His reason for doing so was simple. The Spirit Tree Fragment was incredibly valuable, and even the enmity between him and Ming Zhao was not enough to offset the treasure’s worth. By that logic, he would owe the man a favor, just as he now owed the Xuanyang Sect.

That was why he had added the elixir.

Catching the Heavenly Heart Feather Birth Pill, Ming Zhao Ascendant froze. He was about to say something, but Lü Zhong had already transformed into a streak of Escape Light and vanished into the distance. Staring at the speck of light disappearing over the horizon, he could only let out a long sigh.

After leaving the Celestial Blade Sect, Lü Zhong arrived before the gates of Huayi Temple.

He had intended to use the same trick again, but this time it failed.

His Incarnation Scripture Master, ”Daoist Zhang,” was currently tied up like a dumpling and carried out from within. Huayi Temple hadn’t killed him because they were afraid of breaking the existing contract and giving Lü Zhong a reason to attack.

Faced with this situation, Lü Zhong found himself in a difficult position.

Attacking was not an option, but neither was leaving.

An incomplete Tree of Spiritual Eye could not be considered a Tier Five Spirit Vein.