A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

At that moment, a bolt of lightning shot forth at blinding speed.

There was a deafening BOOM.

The water-shaped Evil Spirit, so imperious just moments before, suddenly exploded into a splash of water, as dead as could be.

Immediately after, a finger-sized Double-tailed Helical Crystal fell from the air.

Lü Zhong beckoned it over. After a quick inspection, he tucked it into his Storage Ring, ignoring the astonished expressions of the nearby cultivators, and turned to continue his walk toward Changchun Street.

He soon arrived at Changchun Street, where the crowds were even denser.

'Before I knew about the Qian Nan Grand Assembly,' Lü Zhong thought, 'I assumed all these Core Formation Cultivators were here for the great auction in the Changchun Domain. But looking at things now, it's clear most came specifically for the Assembly. The auction is probably just a side event for them.'

Just then, he spotted a familiar figure.

Who else could it be but Shuini?

Even though she wore simple clothes and her facial features were drastically different, her aura hadn't changed in the slightest. For Lü Zhong, who was accustomed to identifying people by their auras, it was an instant recognition.

Shuini stood in the middle of the street, seemingly waiting just for him. When she saw him look over, she offered him an alluring smile.

The cultivators nearby who noticed this were momentarily captivated by Shuini's fairy-like beauty. But upon sensing the unfathomably deep auras of the pair, a look of sudden realization washed over them. Their expressions changed drastically, and they quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look again as they beat a hasty retreat.

They looked terrified of attracting trouble!

'I should have known! She definitely brought up the Qian Nan Grand Assembly on purpose,' Lü Zhong grumbled internally. 'These Nascent Soul Old Monsters are all so damn calculating. I let my guard down and walked right into her trap.'

Despite his reservations, he walked over to Shuini.

Shuini naturally took Lü Zhong's arm.

But contrary to her expectations, Lü Zhong was not polite at all.

'Alright, so you've always been the bold one, have you?'

'Then I can be shameless too!'

'Let's see what's more important: the dignity of a Core Formation Master, or a Nascent Soul Old Monster's fear of public embarrassment.'

"Ah!" Shuini yelped, slapping away his large hand. A rare shyness overcame her, a blush creeping all the way up to the base of her neck. She couldn't help but glance around furtively.

Thankfully, no one seemed to recognize her.

After a moment, Shuini tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and sent him a grumbling voice transmission, "My dear disciple, is this how you treat your master?"

"You're the one who tricked your disciple first!" Lü Zhong shot back, giving her a look.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Shuini simply pursed her lips and tightened her grip on his arm. She said no more, and they began to stroll down the street like any other pair of Dao Companions.

As bustling as Changchun Street was, there were still plenty of food stalls lining the road.

One moment Shuini wanted to eat this, the next she wanted that. Spirit Stones flowed from her hand like water; she didn't bat an eye at spending over ten thousand in a flash.

All the snacks were made from rare spiritual materials.

Elsewhere, these ingredients would be the main course at a banquet for honored guests. Here, however, they were made into Spiritual Food snacks, sold exclusively for the enjoyment of leisurely High-level cultivators or those with powerful backgrounds.

Lü Zhong accompanied her, trying a bit of everything as well.

Shuini popped a skewer of Jade-Scale Python Meat into her mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed. Wiping the grease from her lips with her sleeve, completely disregarding her image, she suddenly sighed. "It's a shame. I have to go to a meeting with those old fossils. It's about eradicating the Evil Spirits, so there's no way to get out of it. Otherwise, I'd definitely stay with you, my dear disciple Lü Zhong, and enjoy this entire assembly."

"There'll be other chances," Lü Zhong replied, casually casting a Cleaning Skill and flicking it at her face.

"Gently!" Shuini muttered.

'Who just shoots a Magic Skill at someone's face like that?'

'He has absolutely no respect for a Nascent Soul Cultivator! I seriously suspect he did that on purpose. He certainly doesn't treat Yu Feng'er this way.'

They walked up to a rather unremarkable pavilion.

Shuini's demeanor shifted back to its usual dignified authority. She turned to Lü Zhong and said, "I'm off to my meeting. If you want to join the trade fair, go straight to that Hundred Feet Jade Tower up ahead. Anyone with anything valuable will be gathered there. Don't bother with the rest of the street; it's all junk."

Just as Lü Zhong was about to say something, his expression froze. He turned his head, his face devoid of emotion, and looked to the side.

In the direction he was looking, a low murmur of chanting could be heard. Banners fluttered like a forest of clouds as a procession of Daoists escorted a Magnificent Umbrella Jade Carriage. The crowd parted automatically wherever they passed as the procession slowly advanced in their direction.

And in that procession, one person was staring daggers at Lü Zhong.

It was Li Wuzhen.

Having been defeated by Lü Zhong twice in a row, a shadow had already been cast over his Dao heart.

He had only just broken through to the Late-stage Core Formation, but his cultivation had stagnated completely. Unless he could deal with Lü Zhong, his Heart Demon, his path of cultivation would end here.

At that moment, from beneath the Magnificent Umbrella, a gaze fell lightly upon Lü Zhong.

Though it was merely a gaze, it felt like a great mountain pressing down on him. The pressure was immense, making his bones groan as he sank more than a foot into the ground.

"Yun Yan, you old dog!" Shuini roared, stepping in front of Lü Zhong.

As a layer of Magical Power enveloped him, the pressure on Lü Zhong vanished like a receding tide. He then noticed beads of blood seeping from his pores and couldn't help but gain a much deeper appreciation for the gulf in power between Nascent Soul and Core Formation Cultivators.

At the same time, Shuini's voice transmission echoed in his mind.

Compared to her usual tone, it carried a new gravity.

"My dear disciple, stay behind me and don't come out. Elder Yun Yan cultivates the Daoist True Words Secret Skill. His aura alone is enough to crush a Core Formation Cultivator to death. I'll handle everything."

Lü Zhong opened his mouth, wanting to say that he could handle it.

'I've cultivated the Barbarian Ancestor Heaven-Swallowing Mantra and just achieved the Star Source Spirit Body. My physique surpasses most Demon Beasts. How could the mere pressure of a Nascent Soul's aura possibly kill me?'

After a moment's thought, he decided it was better to just stand there obediently.

'I'm not the hero of some hot-blooded pulp novel. It's better to stick to my usual style and just lay low.' Thinking this, Lü Zhong gave a silent nod.

Beneath the Magnificent Umbrella of the Jade Carriage.

A withered old Daoist with a white beard and hair, clad in a purple, eight-trigram Daoist Robe and wearing a Lotus Treasure Crown, slowly lifted his wrinkled eyelids. He glanced at Lü Zhong with feigned indifference before turning his gaze to Shuini. He chuckled lightly. "Ah, if it isn't Fellow Daoist Shui! The last time we crossed paths, your Magic Skills left this humble Daoist quite astonished. Since we are fortunate enough to meet again today, why not have another little spar?"

Upon hearing this, Shuini just gave a cold laugh and retorted, "A spar it is. But when you find yourself on the losing end, don't go pulling your disciples and grand-disciples in front of you as human shields again!"

Using his disciples to take the fall was a well-known dark mark on Yun Yan's record.

Ordinary cultivators didn't dare mention it, but Shuini had nothing to fear.

"You sharp-tongued shrew!" Elder Yun Yan's voice rose several pitches as he whipped the Duster in his hand. For a Nascent Soul True Monarch to lose his composure like that, she had clearly struck a nerve.

Lü Zhong watched calmly from the side.

He completely ignored the hateful glare from Li Wuzhen.

'Just a defeated dog.'

"If this were any other time, this humble Daoist would certainly test your skills again, but alas..." Elder Yun Yan's tone suddenly shifted. He turned his gaze to Lü Zhong and stroked his beard. "Unfortunately, today is the Qian Nan Grand Assembly, and I must give Fellow Daoist Wanmu face. So how about this: let's have our disciples spar in our stead?

"Rest assured, this Daoist will employ no sinister tricks. It will simply be them fighting on behalf of their masters."

Hearing this, how could Lü Zhong not understand?

Yun Yan had spoken such high-sounding words, making it seem as if he and Wanmu True Monarch were the closest of friends.

In reality, it was all clearly aimed at him.

And the reason could only be Li Wuzhen.

'It must be nice to be a genius,' Lü Zhong thought sarcastically. 'To have a Nascent Soul Old Monster personally step in to help you resolve your Dao heart's affliction!' At this, he couldn't help but glance at the fiercely protective Shuini, a warmth spreading in his chest.

'My master is even better!'

Seeing that Shuini was about to refuse Yun Yan's demand, he quickly sent her a voice transmission.

'It's gotten to this point. What's the use of laying low now?'

'It's time to be reckless!'

'Thoroughly slapping Yun Yan in the face is the right choice here!'

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