A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

With the treaty signed, Lü Zhong could acquire resources without obstruction. His pill reserves, which had been running low, were now refilled.

In the days that followed, he meditated to refine his Qi daily and enjoyed a stretch of peaceful days.

As the days passed, his cultivation steadily increased.

Three years later.

Late one night.

Inside the Quiet Chamber, Lü Zhong’s eyes were tightly closed.

At that moment, his body was shrouded in a hazy mist of light the color of the stars themselves. The mist spun around him, drawing a continuous stream of starlight down from the heavens. Over time, it condensed into a nebula.

He had reached a critical moment in his cultivation of the Star Devouring Technique.

When the nebula reached a certain density, the almost-tangible Star Force began to transform. It started collapsing inward, into Lü Zhong’s body, pulling the surrounding nature’s spiritual energy along with it and instantly forming a massive Spiritual Qi Vortex.

Its might was immense, as if it were a direct link between heaven and earth!

Occurring at night, the phenomenon was all the more striking.

It drew the disciples of the Bihai Sect, who gathered to watch. Even those in seclusion were startled by the abnormal fluctuations in Spiritual Qi. When they emerged from their cave residences, they were all dumbfounded at the sight of the Spiritual Qi Vortex.

"What an incredible phenomenon! As expected of the Ancestor!"

"Is the Ancestor... is he about to undergo Nascent Soul Formation?" a disciple asked.

But before he could finish speaking, streaks of Escape Light shot off toward various parts of the Bihai Sect. Su Caocao appeared in the air, using a Magic Skill to amplify her voice. "Everyone, listen! A curfew is in effect immediately. All are forbidden from going outside. The Law Enforcement Team will begin enforcing martial law shortly. All of you, return to your rooms at once. This order must not be violated!"

"Yes, Sect Leader!"

Hearing this, all the disciples grew tense.

Not daring to disobey Su Caocao’s command, they hurried back to their respective residences.

They were terrified that if they were a step too slow, they’d be "invited for tea" by the Law Enforcement Team.

Meanwhile,

Lü Zhong finally condensed the Star Core.

The Star Core was spherical and roughly the size of a newly formed Golden Core. Its surface was so perfectly round it seemed a work of nature. Wrapped in a hazy ring of starlight, it looked like a Golden Core at first glance.

It now floated around Lü Zhong’s Golden Core, like a satellite in orbit.

"Phew, I finally did it," Lü Zhong said, breathing a sigh of relief.

When he activated the Star Devouring Technique, he was delighted to find that his speed at drawing in Star Force was now noticeably faster. He had thought it would take an extremely long time to fully charge it with Star Force, but it seemed his worries had been unfounded.

After absorbing for half an ancient hour, the Star Core had accumulated just a sliver of Star Force.

Then, Lü Zhong began to experiment.

Just as the Secret Skill’s description promised, the Star Force stored in the Star Core, once converted by his Star Source Spirit Body, could be used to heal injuries or restore Magical Power. Its uses were incredibly versatile; he reckoned it might not even be impossible to use it to resist a Celestial Tribulation.

’This Star Core... it’s basically a battery,’ Lü Zhong thought.

After all, the Star Core’s Star Force could be converted into Magical Power. Although the conversion speed was only slightly faster than taking a Replenishing Qi Pill, and it could only restore half of his total Magical Power, its function was remarkably similar to a battery.

...

Not long after Lü Zhong perfected the Star Devouring Technique, the unexpected happened.

The incarnation he had sent to the Western Realm suddenly lost contact.

A situation like this usually meant the incarnation had been destroyed. For it to be unable to call for help or draw upon the power of his main body, the incident must have been incredibly abrupt.

’Was it ambushed? Or...’ Lü Zhong calmly considered the possibilities.

’If it was an ambush, that means the incarnation’s dealings with the Western Border Alliance have attracted the attention of the True Central Sect. It’s even highly likely they’ve already discovered the location of the Transmission Base Palace.’

’I hope it was just attacked by some creature,’ Lü Zhong wished. But regardless of the reason for his incarnation’s sudden demise, he had to go and investigate.

Before departing, however, he had to make preparations. Besides gathering the necessary pills, he also had to refine a new incarnation to replace the one he had lost.

Three months passed.

With all his arrangements made, Lü Zhong took three incarnations with him to the Transmission Base Palace beneath Tide Cave.

After traversing the Transmission Array Chain, he arrived in the Outer Sea near Changchun Immortal City. Instead of immediately soaring into the sky, he traveled stealthily for some distance before using Rainbow Transformation to fly toward the Poisonous Insect Valley.

Along the way, he passed a battlefield.

On a vast plain, the forces of the Daoist Sect and Changchun Valley had already formed neat battle lines. They were advancing slowly, about to engage.

The sudden approach of this rainbow light undoubtedly startled both sides.

Instinctively, each side mistook it for a secret reinforcement sent by the other.

Judging by the rainbow light’s astonishing Escape Speed, it was clear this cultivator was at least at the Late-stage Core Formation. If an expert like that were allowed to go on a rampage, it wouldn’t matter how many disciples they had—it would be a slaughter.

Even their battle formations would likely be shattered with a single strike.

For a moment, both sides were filled with apprehension and simultaneously came to a halt.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong immediately understood what was happening.

He paid them no mind, streaking directly over them.

In a flash, he disappeared over the horizon.

He left only a field of astonished gazes in his wake.

...

Poisonous Insect Valley.

Ever since the great battle with Jiuying’s mother, the Green Spot Ghost Insect Swarm had been unable to recover. The Demon Beasts whose territory they had previously stolen had returned with a vengeance. This time, they had somehow learned harassment tactics, keeping the Green Spot Ghost Insects constantly exhausted. The boundaries of the Poisonous Swamp were shrinking before one’s very eyes.

If things continued like this, the entire swarm might be wiped out.

After dispatching a few insects that blocked his path, Lü Zhong arrived at the Transmission Base Palace without further incident.

Perhaps the ashes of the Infernal Fang Beast had lost their effect. The rock layers and passages outside the Underground Palace now bore numerous signs of being gnawed and corroded. Even poisonous water had begun to seep in. Fortunately, it posed no immediate threat to the palace, so he wasn’t overly concerned. He could deal with it later.

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