A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Lü Zhong looked toward the other group and recognized someone he had met once before.

It was none other than the Bearded Cultivator he had seen speaking at the wonton stall earlier. His three companions were there as well.

For some unknown reason, the four of them had clashed with the cultivators from Qingxu Temple. Although they were also Core Formation Cultivators, they were all injured, their auras in disarray. They had clearly suffered a significant loss.

”Fellow Daoist, must you take things to such an extreme?” the Bearded Cultivator said, cupping his hands in a salute.

As far as he knew, Black Sand Tower only had a general idea of the Crystal Rock Flood Dragon’s location. Even if they did buy the information, finding the creature wasn’t guaranteed. After all, it roamed the vast, boundless Desert Sea. Trying to find a hundred-zhang Flood Dragon in a place like that was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Otherwise, the Flood Dragon wouldn’t have remained at large for so long.

But now, the group from Qingxu Temple had bought exclusive rights to the information.

If it had been a normal buyout, the Bearded Cultivator wouldn’t have been so furious. But these Daoists had abused the special privileges granted to them by the Celestial Blade Sect. His group had already paid for the information and was just about to receive the Crystal Rock Flood Dragon’s location when the Daoists forced Black Sand Tower to stop the transaction.

How could he possibly tolerate this?

”Extreme?”

The leader of the Qingxu Temple group, a black-faced, middle-aged Daoist with a three-stranded beard, spoke with an arrogant expression. ”This is nothing. If you really want to know, follow me outside. Then I’ll show you what true annihilation looks like! If you don’t have the courage to follow, then you’d best shut your mouth!”

Hearing this, Lü Zhong’s brow furrowed slightly.

However, it was none of his business. He was only here for information and had no interest in starting pointless conflicts. No matter how arrogant these Daoists from Central Earth were, they had the power to back it up.

The Bearded Cultivator and his three companions all paled upon hearing the threat.

They naturally understood the hidden meaning in the middle-aged Daoist’s words. He was challenging them to a fight, where might would make right. After careful consideration, the four of them chose a humiliating retreat. There were plenty of other ways to earn Spirit Stones; there was no need to take such a risk.

Besides, each of the four had their own families and clans to consider.

They had to put their families first!

Seeing the Core Formation Stage dispute end with the four Bearded Cultivators backing down, Lü Zhong released his Mid-stage Core Formation cultivation, lest the others mistake him for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and cause unnecessary trouble.

Just as he was about to walk past the Qingxu Temple Daoists and enter Black Sand Tower to buy his information,

”Fellow Daoist, wait a moment!”

To Lü Zhong’s surprise, the act of revealing his cultivation had drawn attention instead. A Daoist from Qingxu Temple blocked his path. It was the white-haired old Daoist, who looked him up and down with interest in his eyes.

”Your Breath Concealing Skill is quite exquisite, Fellow Daoist. I wouldn’t call it perfect, but it has no obvious flaws. You seemed just like a real Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Even I couldn’t see through it... How about this? I am willing to offer ten thousand Spirit Stones in exchange for your insights on this Magic Skill.”

He called it a trade, but he was already reaching for his Magical Treasure.

He was clearly ready to attack at the slightest disagreement.

A nearby Daoist Nun from Qingxu Temple also began forming a Technique Mantra, her eyes locking onto him.

Positioned on his left and right, they subtly cornered Lü Zhong. The threat was self-evident.

Lü Zhong sighed inwardly.

’Am I really some kind of trouble magnet?’

He had finally made a rare trip out, only to run into this kind of cliché drama.

Seeing Lü Zhong remain silent, the white-haired old Daoist assumed he was intimidated. He took a step closer, his tone growing harsh as he said sharply, ”Fellow Daoist, I advise you to seize this opportunity. It’s merely some insight on a Magic Skill. What’s there to be dissatisfied about when you can get ten thousand Spirit Stones for it?”

’Hmph, you make it sound so simple!’

Lü Zhong’s expression remained unchanged, but anger flared within him. ’If you’re looking to die, then I’ll grant your wish.’ He glanced at the old Daoist coolly and said, ”Let’s go. We’ll take this outside.”

There was a rule in the Celestial Blade Domain: outside the oases, matters of life and death were one’s own to handle.

As long as no one was killed within an oasis, the Celestial Blade Sect would not intervene. This was why the Qingxu Temple Daoist had previously told the four Bearded Cultivators to ”take a walk outside.”

”You!” The old Daoist never imagined the other man would dare to speak to him like that.

It was a blatant slap in the face.

He subconsciously scanned Lü Zhong’s cultivation. Although he was clearly at the same Mid-stage Core Formation level as himself, the old Daoist felt a baffling flicker of fear rise in his heart.

’I’m actually afraid of a barbarian!’

Though furious, the old Daoist was sensible enough not to say another word.

Instead, he even took a few steps back.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong thought to himself,

’As expected. Someone who could fight their way through the countless cultivators of the Central Earth Sects would hardly be an easy opponent.’

His vigilance raised, he walked straight toward Black Sand Tower.

The Bearded Cultivator and his group, who had not gone far, witnessed the old Daoist’s show of weakness. Though their expressions remained unchanged, their hearts were in turmoil.

The four of them had been forced to swallow their anger and retreat.

Yet this strange cultivator had intimidated a cultivator of the same stage with his aura alone.

The contrast only highlighted their own cowardice.

Watching Lü Zhong enter Black Sand Tower, the three from Qingxu Temple gathered together. Their leader, the middle-aged man with the black beard, turned and walked toward the oasis exit. He said nothing, but the other two understood the unspoken message.

The three of them departed with an air of nonchalance, as if nothing had happened at all.

In secret, Lü Zhong, who was using a scene-replaying art to monitor the three, witnessed the entire exchange. ’Shuini was right,’ he thought. ’These cultivators from Central Earth truly are arrogant. They clearly wish they could kill me, yet they can still put on such a calm and unconcerned act.’