A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Previously, Vice Sect Leader Luu Baokui, Hua Furong, and the others had all taken on several disciples. The only one who hadn’t was Lü Zhong, despite being the one who should have been setting an example.

Now that he had taken on Su Caocao, the underlying unrest had finally settled.

As for his incarnation, Yinn Li, his cultivation had improved significantly as of late.

He was now at the Fourth Level of Qi Refining Cultivation. In terms of explosive power, this meant he could last a few more breaths in a fight. Moreover, he had become quite skilled in combat, not much weaker than a regular Sect Disciple.

It was clear that Yinn Li did not want to perish so soon.

Unfortunately, as Lü Zhong’s combat incarnation, he was destined for a life of danger from the moment of his creation.

In the Quiet Chamber.

Lü Zhong was in the middle of sacrificially refining the Human-Faced Flood Dragon Banner.

He had recently discovered that the banner’s power increased after it absorbed the remains of the Molten Earth Dragon. Although the effect was not very significant, the sheer size of the Earth Dragon’s carcass more than made up for it.

After a year, it had advanced to become a Six-Layered Restriction Treasure.

At this rate, once the remains of the Molten Earth Dragon were completely refined, the Human-Faced Flood Dragon Banner would become a Seven-Layered Restriction Treasure. At that point, it would be only one restriction layer shy of his Lifebound Treasure, the Star Mirror.

Lü Zhong was naturally pleased with this development.

The stronger his Magical Treasure, the greater his chances of victory.

The Lingyue Domain had long since become the center of a storm.

News came from Shuini that Jin Lan’s Breaking Core attempt would be at the end of the year. It was currently the beginning of the fifth month, so there wasn’t much time left.

He decided that once he finished refining the Human-Faced Flood Dragon Banner, he would hurry to the True Spirit Sect to rendezvous with Shuini.

Seizing Lingyue Peak required perfect timing. If they got it right, they could achieve twice the result with half the effort, saving them a great deal of trouble while reaping greater rewards.

He pushed the thoughts aside and focused on refining the Magical Treasure.

...

Late at night.

”Husband, you promised you would take me with you!” Yu Feng’er, for once, was genuinely angry, gripping Lü Zhong’s arm and refusing to let go.

Her posture made it clear she wouldn’t let go until he agreed.

”Sigh... War is a dangerous and bloody affair. I’m only thinking of your safety!” Lü Zhong said with a helpless expression, trying to coax her. ”Besides, the Bihai Sect is a huge operation; someone needs to stay and guard it. Especially the Insect Nest. The Law Enforcement Hall has already caught many spies recently. If you weren’t here, the consequences...”

”My lady...” Yu Feng’er repeated, her attention fixed on the word he had used.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong couldn’t help but smile smugly. ’No one knows a wife better than her husband,’ he thought. He knew Yu Feng’er’s weak spot perfectly.

He had to resort to this tactic to keep her from getting dragged into the conflict.

If the plan to seize Lingyue Peak failed, Lü Zhong and Shuini would have no trouble protecting themselves. But Yu Feng’er, with only her Early-stage Core Formation cultivation, would not. To put it bluntly, she would be a liability.

And when that time came, he couldn’t just abandon her.

”Alright, I understand...” Yu Feng’er said with a soft sigh, leaning against Lü Zhong’s chest.

In truth, she knew she wouldn’t be much help if she went. But she couldn’t stop her anxious thoughts, and she felt it would be better to go with him than to stay behind in constant fear and worry.

Sensing Yu Feng’er’s dejection, Lü Zhong’s heart ached. He held her tighter and stroked her head comfortingly. ”Don’t worry,” he said. ”The plan has an extremely high chance of success, and I’ve already prepared several escape routes. Even if something unexpected happens, I’ll definitely make it back safely. You know how cautious I am. Why would I get involved if there was a real risk to my life?”

”Hehe, that’s true!” Yu Feng’er’s sad expression broke into a smile.

...

Just as expected.

As soon as the first snow fell in the Lingyue Domain, Jin Lan began Breaking his Core to attempt Nascent Soul Formation.

Nascent Soul Formation required undergoing the Six-Nine Great Celestial Tribulation. This tribulation was known as a life-or-death trial. When the celestial phenomenon manifested, a sea of thunder stretched for thousands of miles, causing fierce winds to howl and countless buildings to collapse.

At the center of the Thunder Sea, the celestial phenomenon was even more astonishing.

A ceaseless storm of wind and lightning raged, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

At this moment, Lü Zhong, Shuini, and Yun Tao were gathered together on Xiaoyue Peak.

Xiaoyue Peak was not far from the Lingyue Sect’s main gates, allowing them to clearly witness the tribulation process in the distance. Although they couldn’t see Jin Lan, the protagonist of this event, they had a clear view of the shifting thunderclouds.

”To think he didn’t even survive three rounds of the Thunder Tribulation...” Shuini sighed softly.

Jin Lan’s aptitude far surpassed the three of theirs.

According to their intelligence, he possessed a mutated Wind Spirit Root and was a prodigy who matured far beyond his peers, which was why he had been accepted as Junling True Monarch’s Direct Disciple.

Yet, they never expected such a brilliant figure to fail to survive even the third round of the Thunder Tribulation.

”I think it’s possible some other power secretly sabotaged him,” Yun Tao offered, but she regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.

He carried the hopes of the entire sect; the security around him must have been unimaginably tight.

Under such circumstances, how could he possibly have been sabotaged?

Lü Zhong pulled his gaze back from the distance. The tribulation clouds were rapidly dissipating, and the sky was clearing at a rate visible to the naked eye. This was their best chance to make a move. Whether or not they could seize Lingyue Peak depended on today.

He looked at Shuini, who nodded in return.

”Let’s go. It’s time.”

...

The plan to seize Lingyue Peak was simple; it hinged on the ”Yin Yang Micro Dust Array.”

This array was the Lingyue Sect’s final line of defense, established to prevent their True Monarchs from being disturbed during seclusion. It was a genuine Tier Five Array, rumored to have been acquired by Ancestor Lingyue long ago.

Once a Grand Array of this magnitude was activated, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch would have to spend a year or more attacking it to break through.

What Lü Zhong and the others had to do was simple: while the outside world thought the Lingyue Sect was still holding down the fort, they would plunder everything inside and then escape through a secret passage.

It was unknown how Li Qionghua had learned of these secret passages, but that knowledge was now the key to their plan’s success.

Lü Zhong walked up to a cliff face on Xiaoyue Peak.

Whether examined with the naked eye or scanned with Divine Sense, the cliff face appeared perfectly normal. But when Lü Zhong performed a special Technique Mantra, the rock wall instantly turned illusory, revealing a deep passage.

At the far end of the passage was a massive underground cavern.

In its center was a Transmission Array.

Unlike an ordinary Transmission Array, this one was surrounded by concentric rings of dense Array Patterns. Their function was to encrypt the array, as this was the only two-way Transmission Array among the Lingyue Sect’s many secret passages.

With this array, the three of them could go directly to the summit of Lingyue Peak.

”Are you ready?” Shuini asked, looking at Yun Tao. She didn’t need to worry about Lü Zhong.

Yun Tao summoned a peach-branch-shaped Magical Artifact, then took out a blood-red peach and ate it. Her aura began to slowly swell. Only then did she nod at Shuini, indicating she was ready.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong, who was also prepared, sent a Technique Mantra into the Transmission Array.

WHOOSH! The surrounding Array Patterns flared with light.

The next instant, the three of them vanished.

CLANG!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out.

Lü Zhong easily parried an incoming Magical Treasure Flying Sword. At the same time, he got a clear look at his surroundings. He was in a Secret Hall deep inside the mountain, with numerous Transmission Arrays scattered about.

This was it. This was the place they had been aiming for—the Lingyue Secret Hall!

Across from them, three of the Lingyue Sect’s Peak Masters stared in shock.

Judging by their expressions, they clearly couldn’t fathom why people would appear from a secret passage.

The secret passages, after all, were the Lingyue Sect’s most guarded secret. Normally, only the True Monarch was aware of them. Even these three had only been granted access to the secrets of the Secret Hall after Junling True Monarch passed away.

But now...

With no time to ponder the reason, the Master of Yuxiu Peak, Yu Rong, charged forward. Almost simultaneously, the Zhongxiu Peak Master and Shenxiu Peak Master followed suit, their faces grim with determination.

One side fought for revenge; the other fought for their sect’s survival.

A great battle erupted in an instant!

The one who engaged Lü Zhong was the Shenxiu Peak Master, Chen Hao.

He was the son of the previous Peak Master, Chen Yu. After Chen Yu was killed in a surprise attack by Li Qionghua, Chen Hao had inherited the position.

Chen Hao’s Magical Treasure was the Golden Jade Mother and Child Needle. In conjunction with the Golden Jade Scripture he cultivated, it could pierce mountains and bore through stone with ease, allowing him to fight with the strength of an Elite Core Formation cultivator.

Since both of them were at the Mid-stage Core Formation cultivation, Chen Hao did not believe he would lose.

But after a few exchanges, he realized he was gravely mistaken.

His Mother and Child Needle Magical Treasure, which had previously been invincible against cultivators of the same rank, was utterly ineffective against the three Little Flood Dragons that had formed from the small flags. No matter how cunning or tricky his attacks were, they were all blocked without fail.

The next moment.

”This is bad!” Chen Hao’s expression changed drastically as he scrambled to retreat.

But it was too late!