Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 128 - 109: Innate Realm

"If possible, I’d actually prefer if Miss Xu could wait a little longer."

Lu Chang’sheng said.

"Why?"

Xu Zhuqing needed the combat strength of Lu Chang’sheng and the White Ape, so naturally she wouldn’t disregard his opinion.

"I need some time to break through to the Innate Level." Lu Chang’sheng didn’t bother hiding it, and told her directly.

This startled Xu Zhuqing out of her wits.

"This— The Innate Realm is a state our teachers are still striving for, you—" For once, Xu Zhuqing was completely at a loss as to how to persuade Lu Chang’sheng anymore.

After finding out that Lu Chang’sheng brought along an Exotic Beast—White Ape—she was already dumbfounded.

Everyone knows that the Exotic Beast White Ape is an even more terrifying force than Hong Yuan—why is it fighting side by side with Lu Chang’sheng?

What exactly had Lu Chang’sheng gone through in these past few years?

Still, she knew this must be Lu Chang’sheng’s own secret, so she held back from prying further. Now, hearing that Lu Chang’sheng wanted to ascend to the Innate Level, she felt the whole thing was simply absurd.

Seeing Lu Chang’sheng didn’t seem to be joking, Xu Zhuqing could only accept it.

But she still felt it was much too risky and bit her lip, saying, "At least give me a time frame!"

"Ten days should be enough!"

Lu Chang’sheng replied.

Ten days wasn’t a lot.

Xu Zhuqing nodded and turned to leave.

Sure enough, over the next few days, the rebel troops they encountered grew ever fiercer.

These rebels had fought the prefecture soldiers for years already, long graduating from clueless militia to hardened veterans. In some respects, they were even more capable than the Dragon Sun Prefecture soldiers.

And without Lu Chang’sheng making a move, the Dragon Sun Prefecture forces suffered repeated defeats and morale plummeted.

Fortunately, with Xu Zhuqing’s guidance and mobilization, they were still barely holding on for now.

Still, whether or not they could last ten days—no one dared to guess.

Lu Chang’sheng understood that worrying wouldn’t help. Every night, he sparred with the White Ape until late.

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

That day, Xu Zhuqing—busy in central command—was suddenly interrupted by a report: the right flank had encountered a powerful enemy and needed reinforcements.

"The right flank is our elite—most of our troops are there. If they need help, the enemy can’t be ordinary rebels!"

Xu Zhuqing decided on the spot to dispatch the left-wing army as support.

Unfortunately, before she could even finish issuing the order, news came in that the left wing itself had been attacked. In just five minutes, the left army was completely routed.

"How is that possible!" Xu Zhuqing heard the report and was utterly stunned.

Three divisions—sixty thousand Dragon Sun Prefecture troops—all on the verge of annihilation in the blink of an eye.

"Can’t we even last ten days?" She slumped in her tent, lost and dazed for a moment.

But quickly, she pulled herself together and tried to rally the collapsing army back into order.

Alas, as she grabbed her spear and charged out of the command tent, she saw a swarm of black shadows hurtling toward central command like a razor blade slicing straight for Dragon Sun’s center.

Shaved heads gleamed under the sunlight. The Lotus Monks’ eyes burned with bloodlust, dressed in black armor, and their Demon-Subduing Pestles smashed Dragon Sun Soldiers left and right.

The leader was gaunt but wiry, with the energy of a dragon and tiger. His Demon-Subduing Pestle was longer than the others—almost as long as a spear.

A necklace of infant skulls hung from his neck, tiger-like eyes aglow, as if able to draw out souls.

"Luo Yi of Black Temple!"

Xu Zhuqing didn’t hesitate—she turned and ran.

Luo Yi was even more formidable than her. With so many Lotus Monks at his back, Xu Zhuqing never expected to have a chance in a head-on fight.

But Luo Yi was clearly charging central command with a goal in mind. Sure enough, the moment he saw Xu Zhuqing, his eyes lit up as he barreled straight toward her, not holding back at all.

"Boom!"

A Demon-Subduing Pestle flew through the air, landing right in front of Xu Zhuqing with deadly precision.

As Xu Zhuqing dodged to the side, several Lotus Monks lunged from the flank, cutting off her escape.

Xu Zhuqing twisted left and right but couldn’t break free in time. Just as desperation sank in, a white blur shot out like a cannonball, sending several Lotus Monks flying.

"Exotic Beast?"

Seeing that White Ape slaughtering all around Xu Zhuqing, Luo Yi paused, wariness flashing in his heart.

But this was a battlefield. Against such a powerhouse, they had ways of countering.

He spun, snatched up a crossbow arrow, and worked the giant crossbow mechanism again and again.

"Buzz!"

A massive crossbow bolt streaked toward the White Ape’s position.

Luo Yi had fired at a fiendish angle—there were multiple bodies in the way—so the bolt actually pierced through several men before the White Ape sensed it coming.

But it was just a second late. The bolt grazed the White Ape’s shoulder, tearing open a bloody spray.

The surrounding Lotus Monks were instantly overjoyed.

True Qi Realm cultivators are notoriously hard to bring down in battle, especially an Exotic Beast. If they managed to kill it, it would be a massive achievement.

They never expected, just then, a red blur blasted through like a hurricane, sending dozens of Lotus Monks flying.

Before the figures hit the ground, they were already dead as doornails.

This scene left countless bystanders gaping in shock.

In the middle of the crowd, that red figure charged with spear in hand. Everywhere she passed, Lotus Monks dropped like flies.

In just a few breaths, several dozen were killed on the spot.

These weren’t run-of-the-mill grunts, either. Even the weakest among them had achieved Great Success in Pile Skill!