A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

”No, no, no, I am willing.” Fearing Lü Zhong would go back on his word, Shui Sujun snatched the Spirit Contract and dripped her Essence Blood onto it, sealing the pact.

Footsteps approached as the Law Enforcement Team walked over.

”What happened here?” asked the leader, a Foundation Establishment Captain from Changchun Valley, as he looked at the middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator.

After another voice transmission exchange to understand the situation, he had to suppress a smile. Turning to Lü Zhong, he cupped his hands politely and said, ”Pavilion Master Lü, since this woman has committed a crime, please allow us to take her away.”

While Changchun Immortal City had many Foundation Establishment cultivators, Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were rare, their status second only to Golden Core Masters.

Therefore, the captain had no choice but to be polite.

”My apologies, but she is now my concubine. Let’s just pay the fine according to the rules,” Lü Zhong said, handing over a bulging pouch. It clinked heavily.

The captain took the pouch and weighed it in his hand, a knowing smile spreading across his face. ”This won’t happen again. Fellow Daoist Lü, you really must keep your concubine in line.”

Then, under the Law Enforcement Team’s supervision, Shui Sujun returned the items she had swindled from the middle-aged man, and the matter was closed.

...

On the way back, Lü Zhong sat in the Beast Vehicle with a woman in each arm.

Shui Sujun, meanwhile, kept her distance, huddled as far away as possible.

After a long while, as if she had finally worked up the courage, she asked tentatively, ”Senior, I’m willing to pay five thousand Spirit Stones to terminate the Spirit Contract early. Would that be acceptable?”

”Five thousand? I might consider fifty thousand. Do you have any idea how many Spirit Stones I just paid? Ten thousand!” Lü Zhong wasn’t exaggerating. If he hadn’t been interested in her Yin Yuan Spirit Body, he never would have paid such a steep price to bail her out.

Ten thousand Spirit Stones was enough to sign ten concubines.

It was all because with True Essence, quality was more important than quantity.

Cultivating with the help of a Yin Yuan Body prevented his True Essence from becoming impure. After all, mixing too many different types of Yin Yuan would be a problem. Furthermore, Shui Sujun’s cultivation was already at the Late-stage Qi Refining, so the quality of her Yin Yuan was far superior to that of an ordinary Early-stage Qi Refining female cultivator.

”But... a melon plucked by force isn’t sweet, Senior!” Shui Sujun muttered sullenly.

”That’s fine. It still quenches your thirst.”

Lü Zhong looked completely unfazed.

Hearing this, despair flooded Shui Sujun’s heart.

’It’s over. It’s really over!’

’I’ve just jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.’

Still unwilling to resign herself to her fate, she declared, ”I’d rather die than submit!”

”I admire that. You’ve got guts.” Lü Zhong’s expression turned cold, his voice like ice. ”I suggest you read the Spirit Contract carefully and diligently fulfill your duties as a concubine. Pay special attention to articles seven, thirty-five, and one hundred and fifty-four. If you truly can’t fulfill the terms of the contract, I’d advise you to kill yourself sooner rather than later. It’ll save you a world of pointless suffering.”

The Spirit Contract existed not only to protect the concubine’s interests, but also those of her patron.

The backlash for violating it varied depending on the article.

Minor violations could leave one bedridden for a year or two; major ones meant instant death.

”I... I... waaah...” Shui Sujun burst into tears.

”That’s enough. Do you think you’re some mortal girl, pulling the whole crying, screaming, and threatening suicide routine? Did you really think I was interested in your body?” Lü Zhong said with a sneer.

It was true that Shui Sujun was more beautiful than the two women he’d been holding, but she was a far cry from Yu Feng’Er.

”Really?” Shui Sujun stopped crying, her face full of hope.

’If that’s the case, then serving as a concubine for three years... might not be so bad after all.’

...

Steam filled the medicinal bath chamber.

”AH! IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTS!”

”It’s killing me! Can’t you be a little gentler?” Shui Sujun shrieked.

Lü Zhong couldn’t be bothered to pay her any mind.

’If she was going to be a ”radiator,” she should have the mentality of one.’

He sat cross-legged in the medicinal pool, continuously circulating the Jade Vein Technique.

At the same time, he sent streams of True Essence into Shui Sujun’s body. After combining with the Yin Yuan inside her, it flowed back out. The True Essence instantly lost its searing heat, becoming refreshingly cool instead.

Throughout the process, he continuously absorbed the medicinal potency of the Vein Tempering Formula.

The water was refilled again and again.

Lü Zhong only stopped when his meridians were sufficiently tempered.

Vein Tempering couldn’t be rushed. Even though he had plenty of Vein Tempering Creation Liquid left, he had to use it in separate sessions. Otherwise, greed for a quick result would damage his meridians, and the loss would ultimately outweigh the gain.

The session was over.

Shui Sujun stumbled out, leaning on the wall for support. She couldn’t help but spit, ”Lü, I’ll remember this!”

”I suggest you recognize your place. Otherwise, you’d best pick out a burial plot and lie down in it sooner rather than later,” Lü Zhong said calmly, but a wisp of killing intent escaped him.

’If Shui Sujun couldn’t accept reality, he didn’t mind helping her.’

At his words, Shui Sujun’s body trembled, and she didn’t dare say another word.

’She knew he wasn’t bluffing.’

’If she dared to run her mouth again, she feared that as soon as the Spirit Contract ended, she really would be picking out a plot of land for herself outside the city.’

She whimpered softly.

The next day, it was Jiang Xueqiong’s turn.

The third day, it was Mo Ying.

These two were proper concubines and weren’t nearly as much trouble as Shui Sujun.

They were paid for their services—a simple, straightforward transaction.

By rotating between the three women, he could maximize the efficiency of his Jade Vein Technique cultivation.

After more than a dozen rotations, he had consumed over half of the Vein Tempering Creation Liquid. A portion of Lü Zhong’s Great Cycle Meridians had become jade-like, and his cultivation speed increased exponentially. It was a night-and-day difference compared to before he had started practicing the Jade Vein Technique.

’He estimated that once he mastered the Third Layer of the Jade Vein Technique, his speed of absorbing Spiritual Qi would likely surpass that of a cultivator with Three Spirit Roots.’

’The future looked bright!’

...

「Two months later.」

In the courtyard, Lü Zhong was lounging on a Grandmaster’s Chair.

He sipped a fine Spirit Tea, his eyes distant as if lost in a memory.

Just then, footsteps approached. It was Yu Feng’Er, who had finally finished her business with the Commerce Association and managed to get away.

Forgetting all decorum, she threw herself into Lü Zhong’s arms. Feeling the warmth of his chest, she buried her face against him and laughed. ”My dear husband, it’s been so long. Did you miss me?”