Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 328 - 203: Nangua’s Late-Stage Qi Cultivation

Chapter 328: Chapter 203: Nangua’s Late-Stage Qi Cultivation

Lu Chang’sheng sighed quietly in his heart. Unlike the others, he sharply noticed the fleeting trace of complexity deep in Daoist Ruyi’s eyes just now.

He had a faint sense of unease—Daoist Ruyi was probably about to leave.

Sure enough, not long after the meal, Daoist Ruyi came to him and brought up the matter of her departure.

"Master’s wife, you know it’s not easy to survive in the Spirit Realm, especially now," Lu Chang’sheng hesitated for a moment and replied.

Daoist Ruyi sighed, "Of course I know, but allow me to keep a little dignity for myself."

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t try to stop her anymore.

These past two years, Daoist Ruyi’s temper had grown, and he’d heard quite a lot about it.

Especially after Li Nangua came back.

People are easily jealous; seeing those beside Lu Chang’sheng catch up and surpass her in cultivation, her state of mind was unconsciously affected.

As for common pills, Lu Chang’sheng did supply her with some, but it was far from limitless.

The income of the Lu Mansion barely supported his own many paths of cultivation, and then there was Nangua, Chang’an, Ziyou as well.

Being able to spare her a portion was already pretty good.

There are degrees of closeness, after all—he couldn’t care for Master’s wife more than his own family.

So Daoist Ruyi became unsettled at heart, though she knew it wasn’t right, and tried to restrain it deliberately.

Until now—when she learned Li Nangua had entered late-stage Qi Cultivation, she realized she’d feel even worse in the future. Rather than trouble Lu Chang’sheng, better to just leave.

"Don’t forget, before you rose to prominence, I traveled the lands of Great Yuan, ventured through wild mountains and remote places. My experience outside is hardly inferior to yours." Daoist Ruyi held her hair up, looking rather dashing and bold.

In this moment, she seemed to shed many misgivings.

"I understand, Master’s wife. Here are some spirit stones, please take them."

Lu Chang’sheng took out some spirit stones from his Treasure Vault Immortal Insect and handed them to Daoist Ruyi.

Daoist Ruyi didn’t refuse—that was a bit of Lu Chang’sheng’s goodwill, and she knew it herself: without spirit stones, she couldn’t secure a foothold outside.

She planned to leave Platinum Immortal City with a merchant caravan, so later, even in hard times, she wouldn’t feel the urge to seek Lu Chang’sheng’s help.

"The path of longevity is perilous."

Daoist Ruyi muttered quietly, then turned and left.

"With this parting, who knows how long till we meet again," Lu Chang’sheng sighed.

······

He spent a few days in close company with Nangua, then Lu Chang’sheng returned to his days of bitter cultivation.

A few days later, several families brought over materials for Barrier-Breaking Pills and handed them to him.

Families like theirs would always keep some rare ingredients for pills, just to seek an alchemist to make Barrier-Breaking Pills.

Unfortunately, alchemists capable of making Barrier-Breaking Pills were few, and the price was extremely high—not to mention there was no guarantee of success.

Like at White Cloud Cave Mansion, only a handful could refine Barrier-Breaking Pills at all, and those who could make high-grade ones were even rarer.

To ask their help in refining these would cost a fortune—might as well buy them outright.

The materials delivered were only two sets; Lu Chang’sheng didn’t fire up the furnace, as the current success rate was too low. With just two sets, he might not succeed at all.

Better to accumulate more materials before starting a batch.

"Father, Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Qin sent a message."

One day, while he was resting, Lu Ziyou came over and handed him a letter.

The letter was faintly glowing with spiritual light; unless opened by the person it was meant for, it would turn to ash in an instant.

"A letter, huh? Looks like they’re pretty far away now."

They all had Sound Transmission Shells, but with only grade-one shells, the transmission range was seriously limited.

So usually, they used letters.

Lu Chang’sheng opened it and glanced through.

As he’d suspected, the two were no longer anywhere near Platinum Immortal City—instead, they’d gone to Black Rock Immortal City.

That was more than nine thousand miles from Platinum Immortal City.

"So Master Lu went to Black Rock Immortal City."

According to the letter, they’d gone there to visit Master Lu, and would be staying there for now. As for why, it wasn’t stated.

The letter also mentioned their cultivation progress.

Now, Xu Zhuqing and Qin Wan were at the third layer of Qi Cultivation—ranking above average among the many female cultivators who practiced the Hundred Flowers Immortal Technique.

However, in the letter, the two sounded quite optimistic, especially Xu Zhuqing.

She had now stepped firmly into the path of cultivation, working harder than anyone; her middling progress was due only to having started too late.

Although both were at the third layer, her magical power was nearly perfect at thirty-nine units, while Qin Wan only had thirty-one.

"Looks like they really are well-suited to the Hundred Flowers Immortal Technique."

Suitability matters a lot for immortal techniques—the more compatible, the easier and quicker the cultivation; otherwise, it’s a slog.

But for most cultivators, it’s hard to tell what technique actually suits them, so they can only find out by practicing.

Luckily, Lu Chang’sheng was highly compatible with the Cyan Essence Immortal Technique.

That saved him much effort; Nangua too—Fuyun Mountain had its own lineages and plenty of experience spotting compatibility, so when Nangua started out, she’d already chosen the best-fit immortal technique.

Xu Zhuqing and Qin Wan had, in just over ten years, raised their level from Innate to Qi Cultivation layer three—the power of the immortal technique couldn’t be denied.

But—

"What is Master Lu really planning?"

Even though Xu Zhuqing and Qin Wan were gifted, they weren’t so exceptional as to progress that fast; no matter how compatible the technique, they couldn’t advance so quickly. Obviously, Master Lu was supplying them with resources.

And that was exactly what troubled Lu Chang’sheng.

He burned the letter and wrote another in reply, discreetly advising them to be careful of Master Lu.

That message was tucked into the text using the trio’s agreed upon markers, so even if Master Lu intercepted it, he wouldn’t notice.

With that done, he returned to White Cloud Pharmacy and devoted some time to finishing this round’s assigned alchemy work.

He was just about to leave when, unexpectedly, he ran into Zhong Ming at the door.

The man’s face was full of worry, barely concealed.

Seeing Lu Chang’sheng, he couldn’t help but ask, "Any breakthroughs, Fellow Daoist Lu?"

Lu Chang’sheng smiled inwardly; he knew Zhong Ming’s old ailment was acting up again. The guy seldom worried about anything but being surpassed by those around him.

"How could it be so easy? It hasn’t been that long since the last breakthrough."

Zhong Ming looked a little less troubled, sighing, "That’s true."

Just as he was about to move on, Lu Chang’sheng paused and asked, "Is there some issue in the sect causing you so much distress, Daoist?"

Zhong Ming composed himself, realizing he wasn’t hiding it well, and shook his head, "Nothing, just fretting over Foundation Establishment. You know how hard that is."

"As for sect matters, same as always." He rambled, then casually added, "By the way, you heard the rumor? Apparently someone’s pushing for Zhou Lin to take the stage?"

That was the crux of it.

Zhou Lin and Zhong Ming had basically started off on the same footing; before Lu Chang’sheng became a grade-B alchemist, Zhong Ming’s main comparison was with Zhou Lin.

If the sect was circulating talk of elevating Zhou Lin, that could only mean he’d broken through.

"It’s probably not in alchemy, but in cultivation. So Zhou Lin’s reached late-stage Qi Cultivation?"

Lu Chang’sheng mused to himself.

These past few years, disputes in White Cloud Cave Mansion had quieted down, but that was only under pressure from outside. Within, there were still two lines constantly vying against each other—not at all like when Master Baiyun could decide everything in just one word.

If your cultivation is too low, no matter if you’re put up front, it’s useless.

Late-stage Qi Cultivation was the bare minimum.

"Daoist Zhou Lin really is a genius," Lu Chang’sheng remarked with a smile.

As it stood, those in the sect choosing Zhou Lin must believe he had enough potential to succeed Master Baiyun’s position.

Zhong Ming was silent for a moment, then cupped his fists to Lu Chang’sheng.

"With the news of Zhou Lin taking the stage, it’s likely this supposedly calm situation is about to see fresh waves. If we’re not careful, it could turn into a storm."

Lu Chang’sheng still felt a bit worried.

In his view, Alchemist Lei’s faction lacked decisiveness, letting the other side grow so strong.

Had they taken thunderous steps from the beginning to split up the forces, sacrificing some interests to win over one group and suppress another, this wouldn’t be such a thorny mess now.

On Huo Zun’s side, they’d enjoyed high profits for years and were now tied tightly together. Pushing Zhou Lin up now raised the difficulty several levels, and might even set off fiercer conflict.

"Looks like I’d better start making preparations early, too."

Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself.