A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

The Ye Brothers and Sisters were also in the crowd, and they witnessed the ”Demon Monster” being obliterated with their own eyes.

When they saw the scholar slowly transform back into Lü Zhong, their faces instantly turned deathly pale.

How could they not realize they had been severely derelict in their duties?

Lü Zhong gave the pair a cool glance. He had no desire to pass judgment on the siblings, but he would certainly report the matter to Changchun Valley. If they stayed by his side, they would sooner or later become a liability.

”Excavate these ruins and investigate the Flowing Water Cave in the Lost Soul Forest. Report the results to me in three days.”

After casually dropping the order, Lü Zhong took Liu Yu’s Storage Bag and turned to leave.

...

「Three days later.」

The results of the ruin excavation came in. Even after sending cultivators specializing in the Earth Escape Skill to investigate three hundred feet deep underground, the outcome could only be described as a complete failure. Nothing related to the Barbarian Race could be found.

It was as if the appearance of that Black Corpse Nuo had been a mere accident.

As for the Flowing Water Cave in the Lost Soul Forest...

Lü Zhong frowned as he looked at the report, his eyes fixed on the word ”Missing,” marked in vermilion ink.

The ones responsible for investigating the Flowing Water Cave were the Ye Brothers and Sisters, who had volunteered for the task. They did show some of the resolve expected of Nascent Soul Sect Disciples, wanting to atone for their failure. However, after the two led their team into the Lost Soul Forest, no further word was ever heard from them, as if they had vanished from the face of the earth.

The party consisted of twelve people, led by a Changchun Valley Foundation Establishment cultivator skilled in combat. Yet not a single message had gotten out.

This suggested that the Ye Brothers and Sisters’ group had very likely encountered a Core Formation Stage enemy.

His knuckles tapped lightly on the desk. Lü Zhong decided to set the matter aside for now.

’All records of the Lost Soul Forest can be summed up with a single word: bizarre. Venturing into such a place, even with reinforcements, would be risky. I’m better off using the excuse of guarding the Workshop Market to stall for now.’

’I’ll wait for the Core Formation cultivator from Changchun Valley to arrive in half a year. It won’t be too late to make a long-term plan then.’

Closing the scroll in his hand, Lü Zhong shifted his gaze to a small table in the corner, upon which sat a Storage Bag.

Collecting Storage Bags had already become a habit of his.

Liu Yu was only a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and a Demon Cultivator whose identity had to be kept hidden.

As expected, his Storage Bag contained nothing of value. His entire net worth amounted to just over a thousand Spirit Stones, a few heavily worn Lower-Middle Grade Magical Artifacts, some stolen goods of dubious origin, and materials used for practicing his Demon Technique.

Previously, Lü Zhong had only given it a cursory glance.

’I should check it again,’ he thought.

He casually formed a Spiritual Shield, emptied the contents of the Storage Bag, and then, one by one, ground everything to dust with his Magical Power.

Unexpectedly, he actually found something.

It was a piece of paper, thin as a cicada’s wing, hidden inside a sheet of what looked like human skin. The paper itself was clearly made of some kind of leather, judging from its texture, and it was covered in ornate, insect-like characters—the script used by the Barbarian Race.

The awkward part was, he didn’t recognize this script.

Lü Zhong was at a loss for words.

After a moment of contemplation, he turned and went to the main hall, instructing a servant girl to summon a Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. This man was one of the fleet’s captains and had now taken over from the Ye Brothers and Sisters in managing the Ningwu Market.

”Greetings, Elder Lü. What are your instructions?” Si Huandou asked, cupping his fist.

Lü Zhong copied a few characters from the strange paper onto a blank sheet with a brush, flicked it over to Si Huandou, and said, ”Go and ask around the Workshop Market if anyone recognizes this script. If so, bring them to me.”

When Si Huandou saw the writing on the paper, a flicker of hesitation crossed his face.

Lü Zhong noticed this and thought, ’It can’t be this much of a coincidence, can it?’

”You recognize this script?”

”I won’t hide it from you, Elder. I do indeed know this Insect Flower Text,” Si Huandou replied honestly.

He came from a border Workshop Market that neighbored the Barbarian Race’s territory. Before becoming a Flying Boat Captain, he had made a living as a translator. Trade with the Barbarian Race was extremely profitable, so even with constant warfare on the border, the secret smuggling trade between the two races had never ceased, creating a huge demand for translators.

It was precisely through this line of work, surviving many near-death experiences, that Si Huandou had been able to gather enough resources for his Foundation Establishment.

Of course, he wouldn’t mention that part.

Private trade with the Barbarian Race was a capital offense in Changchun Valley; once discovered, death was certain.

The reason Si Huandou admitted to knowing the Barbarian Insect Flower Text was that he wanted to use it to latch onto a powerful figure like Lü Zhong. He had also been present and witnessed the destruction of the Black Corpse Nuo that day.

So he naturally knew that this Master Lü before him was a master of Thunder Skills.

His future on the Immortal Path was immeasurable.

’If I can secure him as a backer, I might even have a chance to reach Core Formation one day.’

In the hall, Lü Zhong gave the man a deep look, guessing Si Huandou’s motive for revealing his knowledge of the Insect Flower Text. A slight smile touched his lips as he tossed over a Small Jade Bottle.

”Inside are Grass Spirit Pills. Using the Universal Dictionary as a model, create a translated dictionary of the Insect Flower Text for me.”

Si Huandou’s heart leaped with excitement when he heard the words ”Grass Spirit Pill.” This kind of Pill, suitable for Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, was incredibly hard to come by.

Whenever they appeared, they would immediately be snatched up.

They were usually intercepted by the families, sect cultivators, or Great Commerce Associations who received advance notice.

For a Loose Cultivator like him, the only ways to obtain suitable Pills were to either buy them at exorbitant prices or to risk life and limb completing bounties issued by major powers in exchange for merit.

This was also why his cultivation had stagnated ever since he had just broken through to Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

He took the jade bottle and saw three Grass Spirit Pills lying inside.

Si Huandou looked closer and saw several cloud-like Pill Patterns on them, making his heart pound even more with excitement.

Pills with Pill Patterns were typically of superior quality. Although their effects weren’t quite on par with High-grade Pills, their potency was at least five percent stronger than a Middle-grade Pill, if not more.

’If I can obtain more, I’m confident I can break through to the Fake Pill Realm!’

’I definitely backed the right horse!’

”Yes! I can have the dictionary translated by tomorrow!” Si Huandou declared, cupping his fist and bowing much lower than before. His voice, thick with unconcealed excitement, was a solemn promise.

”Don’t make any mistakes. Alright, you are dismissed,” Lü Zhong said with a wave of his hand.

”I will take my leave!”

After speaking, Si Huandou backed out of the main hall.

Taking in the scene, Lü Zhong couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

’This Si Huandou has certainly mastered the art of flattery.’

’As expected, anyone who can cultivate to Late-stage Foundation Establishment is no simple character.’

’The Ye Brothers and Sisters must have had their own strengths, yet they still vanished in the Flowing Water Cave. There has to be something fishy about it.’

’The answer, perhaps, lies on that sheet of leather.’

...

In the middle of the night, the Alarm Bell Sound blared!

Lü Zhong emerged from his Quiet Chamber to find the Workshop Market’s defensive shield activating. As the dome took shape, it shimmered with multicolored rays of Spiritual Light, illuminating the mist-filled night sky.

Seeing Si Huandou in the hall giving out orders, he asked:

”What’s happening?”

”Reporting to Elder, the cultivators on guard at the outskirts of the Lost Soul Forest just sent word that a large horde of vile creatures is heading straight for the Workshop Market. I took the liberty of activating the Grand Array and am currently dispatching personnel and gathering the cultivators within the market to defend against the invasion,” Si Huandou reported calmly, his expression showing no sign of panic.

As the two spoke, the Spiritual Light of Magic Skills flared up outside.

Under the command of the Law Enforcement Team members, cultivators formed ranks and began casting their own Magic Skills.

Unlike cultivators from the heartlands, cultivators in a border Workshop Market were almost all skilled in combat. Only by being so could they make a living in such a dangerous place.

A moment later, an Aurora Skill detonated.

It was a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, who had intended to use the skill to light up the night sky.

In an instant, the night sky became as bright as day.

Floating in mid-air, a dense swarm of black shadows revealed their forms.

Their bodies were like smoke, each with a skull-like bone mask solidified on its head. Their strength ranged from Tier One to Tier Two, and their method of attack was to spit out a Black Light, its power no less than that of a Magic Skill.

”Fire!”

Someone below the shield gave the order, launching a counterattack.

The crowd, who had been waiting with charged-up skills, immediately unleashed their channeled Magic Skills on command.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Magic Skills passed through the shield and shot toward the black shadows in the sky, knocking them down in large swaths. But before the crowd below could cheer, the large gaps blasted open by the skills were filled by even more black shadows.

Lü Zhong realized the gravity of the situation. A moment ago, he had sensed auras among the horde of vile creatures that were no weaker than the Black Corpse Nuo’s. There were at least three of them, and those were just the ones he had detected; there was no telling how many more were hidden among them.

Beside him, Si Huandou’s expression was grim.

”Continue to mobilize our forces. Have all cultivators in the market fulfill their duty. Kill as many of these vile things as you can!” Lü Zhong ordered Si Huandou, retracting his gaze.

’The defensive strength of the Workshop Market’s shield is on par with a Sect’s Mountain, so it should be able to hold for a long time. I’ll hold back for now and investigate first. I might discover something.’

”Elder Lü!” Si Huandou called out to Lü Zhong, presenting a Jade Scroll. ”I have finished translating the dictionary. Please review it, Elder.”

”Well done,” Lü Zhong said with satisfaction.

Setting aside his intention to investigate, he immersed his Divine Sense into the Jade Scroll.