Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 141 - 115: Immortal Fate

All around, the rain was pouring in sheets, yet up ahead, three hundred meters or so, there stretched a most peculiar and unnatural path—as if some invisible force had carved out a space free from the deluge.

Even the battle-hardened soldiers, upon seeing this uncanny sight, felt a chill of terror and awe clench their hearts.

"Th-thank you for your kindness, Scholar Lu."

For a long while, Zhou Dingyuan in the carriage sat dazed before he forced out a strained smile.

Moments later, the whole convoy slowly moved forward along the rainless path.

After traveling several miles, Zhou Dingyuan suddenly called for a halt and jumped down from the carriage.

His personal guards wanted to hurry over and hold an umbrella for him, but he waved them off.

"No need!"

Zhou Dingyuan strode into the curtain of rain and lifted his head skyward.

Plump raindrops kept battering his face. It was as if this was the only way to ease his heart a little.

"Sir, that Lu Chang’sheng’s really got some nerve!"

One subordinate came over, his face brimming with defiance.

But Zhou Dingyuan shook his head and replied, "From here on, let’s never speak of this again."

"His strength is just... terrifying!"

The subordinate was stunned inside.

Following Zhou Dingyuan everywhere, he’d seen enough of his pride to know—a man like him, proud as any in all of Great Yuan, was only willing to bow his head before the now all-powerful Empress.

And that was purely because of her imperial blood. But today, it seemed there was now someone else deserving of that same awe.

"Black Mountain Scholar Lu!"

······

For the proud-hearted, there are only two ways to erase their hostility.

One is to go along with them.

The other is to demonstrate a power far greater than they could imagine.

Lu Chang’sheng had zero desire to play along with others’ games, so the only choice left was to reveal his own strength—better that than handle endless trouble down the road. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

To use True Qi to split off a three-hundred-meter path free of rain—this was a warning, plain and simple.

Of course, if they failed to get the hint, or if that Empress insisted on making things difficult for him, then he’d have no choice but to face her head-on.

So Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself.

Still, he didn’t believe the Empress or Zhou Dingyuan were that foolish. As far as he was concerned, the matter was finished for now.

"My thanks, Teacher. And to you two seniors as well."

Lu Chang’sheng swept his hand, dissipating the True Qi.

Sustaining such a vast amount of True Qi was a heavy burden even for him; it helped that all he’d done was block out a stretch of rain—if he’d had to carve out half a river, the drain would’ve been more than he could bear.

Even so, in the eyes of Hong Yuan and the others, it was still damn terrifying.

"So... how far has your power reached now?"

Daoist Nun Ruyi couldn’t help but ask.

To cut off rain for three hundred meters with True Qi—that was something out of a legend.

You’d think it was magic or divine intervention.

"Late-stage Innate Martial Artist."

"Shhh~"

All three—Hong Yuan, Cai Daoren, and the Daoist Nun—sucked in a sharp breath, staring at Lu Chang’sheng in disbelief.

"Truly—a damn monster!"

Cai Daoren exclaimed in awe.

She’d always had a frosty demeanor, rarely showing emotion no matter what jaw-dropping events she witnessed.

But with Lu Chang’sheng, it wasn’t the first time he’d left her shaken.

"If you hadn’t told us yourself, I’d have thought you’d already become an immortal," Hong Yuan said as well.

"If only I really had. Wouldn’t that be nice." Lu Chang’sheng gave a wry smile.

This unique send-off finally put Hong Yuan and the others at ease.

With skills like Lu Chang’sheng’s, unless the Empress and Zhou Dingyuan had a death wish, neither would dare move against him lightly.

And considering an Innate Martial Artist’s lifespan spanned over a century, odds were Lu Chang’sheng would outlive the Empress and Zhou Dingyuan both.

In a mix of relief and admiration, everyone returned to their lodgings.

Now that they had a powerhouse like late-Innate Lu Chang’sheng, the psychological blow from Master Kong Yuzhen and her disciple’s departure faded before long.

With the new Immortal Worship Formula in hand, veteran immortal seekers like Hong Yuan, Cai Daoren, and Daoist Nun Ruyi regained their spirits, plunging back into relentless work.

Their successes in Martial Dao meant they had more stamina than most their age; in just a few days, one after another, they left Black Mountain Prefecture in search of the items needed for the next Immortal Worship Ceremony.

Lu Chang’sheng had wanted to help, but Hong Yuan and the others waved him off, telling him to focus on settling things with Li Nangua.

Seeing that, Lu Chang’sheng could only agree.

Half a month later, he, Yu Hai, and Lu Chang’an returned to Zhao Family Village.

"The Immortal Worship Ceremony really must be attempted. Nangua’s not getting any younger—waiting too long would just make it harder for her!"

He’d read enough cultivation novels in his last life to know how critical age and root bone were.

If things got delayed another ten years, even if Nangua had a spirit root, it’d be pointless.

At that thought, Lu Chang’sheng hesitated no longer.

Nangua was now approaching her forties; any further, and she’d be truly old.

By general cultivation wisdom, there was only so much time to keep training—the older you got, the tougher it became.

And that didn’t just go for immortality seekers—even martial artists faced the same limits.

Martial Dao has a saying that root bone sets in youth—so even the Martial Artist Institutes only accepted those under sixteen.

If you were older, it depended on how advanced you were in the martial path.

If you hadn’t practiced Martial Dao at all, your root bone had to be even more extraordinary.

That very night, Lu Chang’sheng raised the matter with Li Nangua.

Li Nangua seemed reluctant—though not for lack of interest in cultivation, but rather because she simply couldn’t bear to part with Lu Chang’sheng.