A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

In contrast to his slowly progressing cultivation, the advancement of his Star Mirror was a pleasant surprise.

Two years ago, he had taken a trip to the Western Realm.

He had used one million pounds of Cyan Rice Spirit Rice to trade for ten portions of Star Stone.

After refining these Star Stones into the Star Mirror, the potential of this Lifebound Treasure increased once again. Its nurturing efficiency was also much faster than before, and it wouldn’t be long before it became a Ninth-Layer Restricted Treasure.

Given enough time, even a Tenth-Layer Prohibition was not out of reach.

Collecting himself, Lü Zhong rose and walked out of the Quiet Chamber.

He arrived at the Palace Hall.

He came here periodically to listen to progress reports on the exploration of the ruins.

Lü Zhong had expected this report to be just like the previous ones—fruitless. He had poured massive amounts of manpower and resources into the effort, and had even lost one of his Incarnations inside, yet had failed to retrieve a single treasure. This time, however, things seemed different.

Luu Baokui hurried in from outside the hall, his face beaming with joy. "Ancestor, great news! After sending in seven consecutive batches of exploration cultivators, we’ve finally found a secret vault! Inside, we not only discovered a thousand pounds of low-purity Silver Essence, but more importantly, we also found a stone slab!"

"Silver Essence and a stone slab," Lü Zhong nodded.

’A thousand pounds of low-purity Silver Essence. It seems I’ll at least recoup my costs.’

He continued to listen to Luu Baokui’s report.

"The slab contains a record of the ruins’ origin. It was left behind by the Yin Saint Sect, a practitioner of the Heterodox Dao from ancient times."

Lü Zhong looked at the black stone slab displayed by the Water Mirror Technique. It was covered in pictographic characters that resembled tiny, flailing figures, completely different from the script popular today. The ancient texts referred to it as "Demon Text."

As the name suggested, it was the script used by Demon Cultivators.

After the Immortal Dao flourished in this world, all legacies that involved absorbing negative Spiritual Qi were branded as the Demon Dao by Immortal Cultivators. This was because their practitioners often became bizarre and inhuman, almost identical to Evil Spirits.

’The Yin Saint Sect?’

Lü Zhong had never come across this name in any ancient texts.

The slab’s contents had already been translated into Immortal Text. It explained that the ruins were a sealing ground established by the Yin Saint Sect to suppress an ancient, vile creature known as the "Candle Fire Demon God." It had once unleashed a tide of carnage, and the slab warned future generations not to release it, lest it bring disaster upon the world.

The term "Demon God" was a word from before ancient times. According to interpretations in existing texts, their power level was roughly between the Fake Infant Realm and the Nascent Soul Stage. Thus, they were often given the title of "Half-Infant."

The power of the Half-Infant Realm was quite awkward. Lacking the massive power gap that existed between the Core Formation Stage and the Nascent Soul Stage, they would surely perish if surrounded by a large number of Core Formation Cultivators. At the same time, they were utterly powerless against a Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Immortal Dao.

Heterodox Cultivators from before ancient times often referred to Evil Spirits as "vile creatures." Therefore, that sealed Half-Infant Realm vile creature was, in modern terms, simply an Evil Spirit stronger than a Core Formation Cultivator.

’So after all this time, it’s just a sealing ground for a Half-Infant Realm Evil Spirit?’

’Based on this, the Silver Essence must have been a material used to draw the seal. After all, Silver Essence has excellent conductivity for any kind of Spiritual Qi.’

Lü Zhong’s thoughts shifted, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. ’Although it’s just a sealed Evil Spirit, the slab records that the Fire Charms spawned by this Candle Fire Demon God have attacks that can lash the Divine Soul... In other words, if I can control the strength of these Fire Charms, wouldn’t that be a way to increase the strength of my Divine Sense?’

’Approaching it from this angle, I might be able to repurpose these ruins.’

Lü Zhong looked at Luu Baokui and asked in a low voice, "How many people know the contents of this stone slab?"

"Ancestor, only the seven members of the exploration team that found it, plus myself. Other than that, the slab hasn’t passed through anyone else’s hands," Luu Baokui quickly replied.

"Excellent." Lü Zhong then laid out his plan.

Luu Baokui looked hesitant after hearing it but didn’t voice any objections. After thinking it over carefully, he couldn’t help but feel it was a brilliant plan. If it could be managed well in the future, it would be no less valuable than a Treasure Basin.

...

In the following days, Lü Zhong gathered related information.

He discovered that places like the Candlefire Ruins, once used to imprison vile creatures, were actually not uncommon throughout the Southern Barbarian lands. Most had been buried in the dust of history and were treated as ordinary Secret Realms.

To prevent any accidents, he simply used his Purple Nether Extreme Fire to reinforce the seal.

「Half a month later.」

Lü Zhong left the Bidao Palace.

Transforming into a streak of rainbow light, he quickly returned to Tide Cave.

’Sure enough, this place feels like home.’

Just then, Lü Zhong noticed someone watching him. It was Yu Feng’Er. She looked at him with concern and asked gently, "Husband, is everything over there taken care of?"

"It was just some ruins for sealing Evil Spirits. I handled it easily!" Lü Zhong replied, then asked, "How have things been here? I heard another power has designs on the Great Honey Insects?"

"After you left, Husband, some cultivators of unknown origin did approach, but they were just small fries. I’ve already taken care of them!" Yu Feng’Er said, as if seeking praise.

"That’s good! Feng’Er, you truly are a wonderful wife."

"Husband, stop saying such sappy things!" Yu Feng’Er said with feigned anger, but she couldn’t help but blush. A crimson flush instantly appeared on her fair face.

The two of them went to the Waterside Pavilion. They ate, drank, and chatted, and the time passed quickly. Later, Lü Zhong recounted his experiences at the Candlefire Ruins, causing Yu Feng’Er’s expression to fill with alarm.

"That sounds so dangerous! I’m glad you didn’t go inside, Husband," Yu Feng’Er said, patting her chest in relief. Then, she threw her arms around Lü Zhong, her face full of allure.

’How could Lü Zhong not know what she meant?’

...

「The next morning.」

Lü Zhong got out of bed.

’He felt completely refreshed and invigorated. The balance of Yin and Yang really was essential!’

He then cleaned himself.

After dressing in his robes, he went to the Quiet Chamber.

Instead of his usual routine of immediately sitting cross-legged on the meditation cushion and taking a Pill to advance his cultivation, he summoned the Star Mirror and activated the Star Gathering Skill, one of its Magical Treasure Divine Techniques.

Lately, he had been getting a distinct feeling.

’It wouldn’t be long before he transformed into a Star Source Spirit Body.’

When he woke up this morning, the feeling had become incredibly intense.

Sure enough, as wisps of Star Force were drawn into his body, it was as if the final barrier had been broken. Lü Zhong felt his body begin to undergo a wondrous transformation.

From his flesh, bones, and meridians, down to his hair and cells.

At that moment, his entire being was enveloped in a hazy starlight. The sensation was incredibly comfortable and pleasant, like returning to the amniotic fluid of his mother’s womb.

The change was as silent and gentle as a nourishing rain.

The process of his body’s transformation proceeded peacefully.

Wisps of Star Force washed over his entire body, leaving no detail untouched. As time passed, the starlight grew denser and denser until it reached a certain limit.

In that instant, all the starlight surged back into his body.

Lü Zhong did not rush to open his eyes. Instead, he remained seated on the meditation cushion and began to carefully sense the changes in his body after achieving the Star Source Spirit Body.

The most obvious change was that his body seemed to be in a constant state of "Star Gathering Skill," ceaselessly drawing in Star Force to augment itself. This provided a significant boost to his Sea of Divine Soul and Qi. At the same time, the Star Force was also tempering his body, subtly strengthening his physique. While the immediate effect was minuscule, the cumulative result would be nothing to scoff at.

But that wasn’t all.

’This feeling... could it be that the Star Shifting and Dipper Changing Divine Technique has changed?’ He thought pensively. Then, as if he had realized something, his hands began to form a series of seals.

In just a moment, a Dharma Seal appeared at his fingertips.

It shimmered brilliantly, as splendid as the galaxy itself.

’I’ll call you the Star Shifting and Dipper Changing Seal. To think that the combination of the Star Source Spirit Body and the Star Shifting and Dipper Changing Divine Technique would grant me a new ability.’

Lü Zhong thought to himself that this seal would be quite useful.

Previously, his Star Shifting and Dipper Changing Divine Technique could only affect himself and couldn’t be transferred to others. But now, the Dharma Seal he created could be used just like a Talisman.

As long as its power wasn’t depleted, it could continuously conceal one’s fate from heavenly prying.

’This solves the problem I was worried about—my Incarnation being exposed.’ Lü Zhong was overjoyed. With this, there would be many more ways to use his Incarnation.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!