Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 393 - 247: Clarity Pill (Part 2)

"You should know the Lu Family’s background—one has a grudge with Zhu Qing, the other with Fuyun Mountain. Why bother getting involved with troublemakers like them?"

Gu Long’s brow furrowed, clear disappointment in his gaze toward Gu Shuang.

The Gu Family might look powerful, but in truth, ever since they took charge of Platinum Immortal City, their position within the Immortal Sect has been precarious.

How great are the benefits of controlling an Immortal City?

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would be green with envy. And right now, it’s in their hands. Though most of the profit must be handed over to the sect every year, what’s left is more than enough for them to gorge themselves.

No hand that’s seized the meat stays clean.

Thus, in recent years, the Gu Family kept an extremely low profile, terrified of giving anyone within the sect a handle to use against them.

Today’s Gu Family isn’t nearly as dominant as it was decades ago.

But Gu Shuang had her own thoughts. "Zhu Qing is still far from gaining power. Also, dealing with Alchemist Lu and offending Zhu Qing might endear us to the ones behind Yu Hai and Wang Futian. For our Gu Family, that isn’t necessarily a loss."

Gu Shuang wasn’t naive; of course she understood the risks.

But Gu Long didn’t agree. "Right now, what the Gu Family needs is to play it safe."

Gu Long adopted the tone of a patriarch, and Gu Shuang’s expression grew colder. After holding his gaze for several breaths, she turned and left without another word.

"What the clan leader says isn’t wrong. The Gu Family needs to keep a low profile—don’t go making waves."

Once she left the courtyard, Gu Shuang’s face could no longer keep up its facade, creased with concern.

An old servant standing nearby stepped forward to comfort her.

She had served two patriarchs—a veteran of the Gu Family, well aware of the current situation.

When even those closest to her thought so, Gu Shuang could only abandon her intent to become friendly with Lu Chang’sheng, sighing, "I hope we’re not making a mistake."

"If you do nothing, you’ll never be wrong." The elderly servant chuckled. "Miss, don’t worry about these petty matters. What you really ought to worry about is yourself—you’re no longer young. Maybe it’s time to find a Dao companion and progress together."

"We’ll see." Gu Shuang sounded annoyed. "Send someone with a gift to Alchemist Lu as an apology."

······

Soon after, Lu Chang’sheng received an apology gift from the Gu Family: an Immortal Insect from their treasure vault, filled with some pills and spirit stones, worth around a thousand.

"I don’t accept rewards I haven’t earned; please, take this back." Lu Chang’sheng said, watching the uneasy Gu Family servant.

Truly the mark of a Foundation Establishment clan—they thought of everything. First came someone with a poor attitude, showing off Gu Family’s might for all at Lu Mansion to see and warning them the Gu Family was not to be trifled with. Then a young servant arrived, smoothing over any hard feelings Lu Chang’sheng might have had.

"Alright, alright." The young servant hurried away.

Lu Chang’sheng watched him leave, his face betraying no emotion.

Inwardly, however, he grew increasingly concerned about Heaven-Burning Valley’s promised envoy.

With the Gu Family cancelling the transaction, the alchemy matter died on the vine as well.

Days passed in a flash, and the uproar over the Red Cloud Daoist’s pursuit began to intensify. Many cultivators in Platinum Immortal City clapped and cheered the news.

The arrival of Red Cloud Daoist had truly made life miserable. They’d once been able to make a little profit from ventures outside the city.

But after he showed up, even the most rarely spotted evil cultivators began emerging, leaving people too scared to even leave the city—afraid they’d take a blow to the head and end up nothing but dust.

Even the Lu Mansion pill shop’s earnings began to improve a bit.

Because Lu Chang’sheng did not plan to reveal the shop’s full potential just yet.

"We haven’t left the Gao Family any weaknesses to exploit, but in this world, that’s hardly necessary," Lu Chang’sheng cautioned Lu Chang’an and the others.

The siege on Immortal City might have lifted, but the Lu Mansion’s siege had not.

With Red Cloud Daoist dead, the Gao Family and their ilk would be freed up to deal with them. If they got caught out beyond the walls, that would mean certain death.

Lu Chang’an, Lu Ziyou, and the others kept his warning close to heart.

Seeing this, Lu Chang’sheng felt some relief. No matter what his children’s innate talents, at least they wouldn’t make him worry themselves to death.

He cultivated while awaiting Heaven-Burning Valley’s envoy, as only then would he have a chance to soar in one leap and resolve all their current crises at once.

At the same time, he remained vigilant against the Gao Family and the other qi cultivation families’ possible reactions.

However, several more days passed, and still there was no sign of them.

"Could something have gone wrong?"

Lu Chang’sheng wondered to himself.

Just as the question gnawed at him, Xiao Feng arrived to pay a visit.

And with him came two unexpected guests.

"Elder Xiao!"

Lu Chang’sheng called out, then glanced at the two behind Xiao Feng—Gao Shan and Qin Ming.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists."

Lu Chang’sheng was filled with questions. Why had Gao Shan and the others come seeking him?

Gao Shan and Qin Ming seemed somewhat hesitant, exchanging a questioning look with Xiao Feng.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, are you certain this is fine?"

Qin Ming’s tone was low and cautious.

Even though they’d discussed it beforehand, Qin Ming still felt uneasy.

"Don’t worry—if Chang’sheng can’t refine this, there are barely any in Platinum Immortal City who could."

Xiao Feng said confidently.

But Qin Ming and Gao Shan were not convinced. They’d investigated before coming.

Xiao Feng was undoubtedly among the strongest alchemists in both White Cloud Pavilion and the White Cloud Mountain Range. Although Lu Chang’sheng was also a grade-B alchemist, he lagged well behind.

If Xiao Feng hadn’t lobbied hard for him, the two would never have come knocking.

"Might I ask, what are you looking to have refined?"

"Clarity Pill!"

Qin Ming cast down a sound-insulation spirit array and said directly.

"This pill is extremely rare. May I ask if you’re able to refine it? If not, please let us know—so we can seek someone else." Gao Shan reminded him.

Soon enough, Lu Chang’sheng held the pill formula in his hands.

"This pill’s grade isn’t especially high—even Elder Xiao Feng should be able to refine it." After a while, a flicker of strange emotion flitted through Lu Chang’sheng’s eyes before his face quickly returned to calm.

"You may not know," Xiao Feng hurried to explain, "the challenge with this pill is the deadline. These two Daoists need it urgently. That’s why I couldn’t do it myself."

"How urgent?"

"No more than twenty days," Qin Ming replied.

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t answer right away, instead furrowing his brow as if in thought.

Truthfully, with the right ingredients and a formula, his current alchemy skills were more than enough to finish the Clarity Pill in twenty days or less. But he’d suffered plenty for becoming well-known before, and unless absolutely necessary, he refused to stick out too much.

This was no comparison to the Heaven-Burning Valley assessment.

Making a name here would do him far more harm than good for now.

Their hearts all tensed with worry.

Only Gao Shan and Qin Ming knew they didn’t have many choices left. Of their entire network, Xiao Feng was still the best alchemist they had access to.

If Xiao Feng couldn’t manage it, odds were no one else could either.

After a long while, just as Qin Ming was growing impatient, Lu Chang’sheng finally exhaled and said, "The time is a bit tight, but there’s still a good chance I can do it—provided the materials are all prepared."

"Of course, we’ve long since readied everything."

Gao Shan replied.

"As for payment, do you two perhaps have a Spirit Body Cultivation Technique?"

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t hold back—no harm in asking, after all.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you jest. A Spirit Body Cultivation Technique is an immortal sect secret art—there’s no way we’d have one of those,"

Gao Shan and Qin Ming both shook their heads.

After some deeper conversation, Lu Chang’sheng managed to glean a few things he hadn’t known before.

The Spirit Body Cultivation Technique is classified as a secret technique. Even when it does appear on the market, there are severe restrictions. Just like nearly all immortal techniques, it can’t be copied. So for one to circulate widely is exceedingly rare.

If you really want one—outside accidental finds in some secret realm—your best bet is to look in the Great Region.

"The Great Region is prosperous, so naturally Spirit Body Cultivation Techniques are sold. But the price is sky-high."

Qin Ming said, apparently having traveled there himself.