Eternal Life Begins with Learning

Chapter 396: Chapter 366: Meeting an Old Acquaintance

The process lasted for nearly a day and a night before it finally stopped. The image of the blade shattered, and Chu Mu rubbed his forehead, looking slightly weary.

He faced a very practical problem.

He was just a Tier Two Upper Grade Refiner.

Although with his current Artifact Refining Skill, he was more than capable of refining a Lifebound Treasure,

refining it was one thing; conceiving and designing a Lifebound Treasure was clearly another matter entirely.

Without a deep enough understanding of Lifebound Treasures, any design he conceived would be merely superficial.

The performance of the Puppet Artifacts he had refined during his recent Demon Hunting trip to the Vast Sea made this abundantly clear.

Such flaws had appeared even when he was working with puppets, a system he knew like the back of his hand. The situation would be far worse with Lifebound Treasures, about which he knew very little.

’If only...’

Suddenly, Chu Mu couldn’t help but recall the miraculous encounter he’d had in the Inheritance Land of the East Lake Secret Realm—that Illusory World...

’If I could just enter it one more time, with my current Artifact Refining Skill...’

At this thought, Chu Mu couldn’t help but give a self-deprecating smile. The East Lake Secret Realm was the very catalyst for the war that had swept across the Great Chu Cultivation Immortal World.

Ever since he had entered seclusion to achieve Foundation Establishment, the East Lake Secret Realm had vanished without a trace.

This directly led to the war that had now raged for decades with no end in sight.

Regardless of where the East Lake Secret Realm had gone, it was clearly beyond his reach.

He was already incredibly fortunate to have had that opportunity.

To wish for more would be nothing but a pipe dream.

Chu Mu pursed his lips and casually set down the Jade Scroll. Then, as if sensing something, his gaze suddenly shifted to the area outside the Array Prohibition.

Thanks to the one-way restriction, his view looking out was completely unobstructed, but anyone looking in would only see a field of mist.

Of course, for him, the master of the Cave Mansion holding its Array Prohibition control Token, there was no difference between the view from the inside and the outside.

And right now, a bewitching woman stood quietly waiting outside the Array Prohibition, having just triggered it to send a message.

Chu Mu stroked his chin. ’That day, I only asked a few casual questions and didn’t follow up.’

’But it’s obvious my questions would have been reported by that clerk to his superiors at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.’

’If she really is an old acquaintance, and they were capable of expanding their business from the Northern Border Land all the way to the Vast Sea, then finding information about me wouldn’t have been difficult.’

With a wave of his hand, the Array Prohibition rippled, and a gateway took shape.

The woman had an enchanting figure. She wore an extremely short, red gauze skirt, its hem barely covering her hips. As she walked in, the simple act of her steps caused the skirt to sway, offering teasing glimpses of the mysteries beneath.

Her attire was sensual, accentuating her long legs, slender waist, and curvaceous figure. A single glance was enough to make one’s blood race.

A conflicted look appeared on Chu Mu’s face. With a wave of his hand, a jug of Spirit Wine and several plates of Spirit Fruit appeared on the stone table.

He gestured for her to sit. The woman took her seat gracefully, her bright eyes shimmering as her gaze swept over Chu Mu like flowing water. Her slender, jade-like fingers gently lifted the wine jug, filling a jade cup to the brim with its fragrant contents.

"After we parted ways back then, I never imagined we would meet again under such circumstances, Miss Hongyi."

Chu Mu looked at the bewitching woman before him, his tone wistful and filled with a hint of lament.

The world is ever-changing, and the Immortal Path is unpredictable. So many things are truly impossible to foresee.

It was unclear just what he was lamenting...

"I was on a mission to the Vast Sea, Senior. I never expected to meet you again here in the Vast Sea Land."

The young woman gave a radiant smile. Though it held the same playful air as before, it now possessed an inexplicable, soul-stirring allure.

"You’ve reached Foundation Establishment, Miss Hongyi. We can address each other as peers."

Chu Mu shook his head, picked up a cup of Spirit Wine, gave a slight nod, and downed it in one gulp.

The young woman refilled his empty cup and asked casually, "Senior, you must be close to the Fake Pill Realm, aren’t you?"

"I’m still a long way off."

Chu Mu shook his head. He picked up the full cup and, as if a thought occurred to him, looked at Chang Hongyi and asked, "The Northern Border is so far from the Vast Sea. Your business..."

At his words, the young woman’s eyes dimmed, and her smile seemed a bit forced. "Competition in the Northern Border is fierce, and our business operations were restricted. I was sent here to the Vast Sea to develop our trade in Demon Beast Spiritual Materials."

"As you probably know, Senior, Demon Beast Spiritual Materials are extremely expensive in the inland regions of the Northern Border."

"If we transport them from here to the Northern Border, the price increases by a factor of ten at the very least."

"That way, not only do we earn a hefty profit, but we also enhance our business’s reputation..."

Chu Mu asked, "Are you in charge of things here in the Vast Sea, Miss Hongyi?"

The woman shook her head. "It’s Hong’Er’s aunt. You’ve met her, Senior."

"It’s just that after my aunt established the business’s framework and built the necessary connections a few years ago, she returned to the Northern Border. For now, Hong’Er is temporarily in charge here."

Chu Mu asked again, "If I remember correctly, Miss Hongyi, you were a disciple of the Longevity Sect, weren’t you?"

"I was, but not anymore."

"Besides, in a chaotic situation like this, no one pays any mind to a common Outer Disciple."

The young woman brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. Seeing his cup was empty, she rose again, picked up the wine jug, and refilled it.

As the gauze skirt swayed, the flash of white mystery beneath seemed to move with her as she rose to pour the wine. Her graceful figure, her every movement, seemed capable of stirring one’s most primitive, instinctual desires.

Chu Mu frowned. He circulated his Sword Intent but found no trace of any Charm effect.

"May I ask, Senior, are you just staying in the Vast Sea temporarily, or do you plan to settle here permanently?"

"I’ll probably be staying for a while longer."

Chu Mu’s tone was somewhat uncertain.

Of the fifty-year pact, only a little over twenty years remained.

The contract had been made and the Dao oath sworn. No matter what, he had to fulfill this agreement.

And according to the information he’d gathered, Chixia City had a Teleportation Array leading to the Southwest Border. Though the cost of teleportation was steep, it would save a great deal of time.

He estimated that if the Teleportation Array the Residual Soul had mentioned still existed, it wouldn’t take too long to travel from Chixia to the Southwest, cross that region, and then use the array to traverse the unknown Desert Sea.

The only uncertainty was the Ancient Transmission Array on the edge of the Desert Sea.

If the Ancient Transmission Array was still there, then he had no choice but to make the trip.

If the array was gone, then the basis for the contract would clearly no longer exist.

Of course, if possible, Chu Mu still hoped the contract could be fulfilled. After all, following the events in the Chu Capital, the being he’d made the deal with had transformed into a terrifying True Demon!

If the Teleportation Array was gone and the contract couldn’t be fulfilled, then given how much that Residual Soul valued this Bloodline Essence, who knew when it might suddenly come knocking.

He wanted nothing to do with such a terrifying existence.

Seeing the change in Chu Mu’s expression, the woman’s own expression flickered. Smiling, she handed him a Token.

"Hong’Er manages our pavilion’s business in Chixia and has a fair bit of authority. If you need anything, Senior, please feel free to contact Hong’Er..."

Chu Mu’s expression flickered. His gaze lingered on the Sound Transmission Order for a moment before he looked up at the young woman before him, who felt at once familiar and yet so strange.

Her gaze was like shimmering water, filled with anticipation. Meeting her eyes, one couldn’t help but feel an inability to refuse.

He pursed his lips, casually picked up the Token, and examined it for a moment before speaking slowly. "Alright. If I need anything, I will contact you, Miss Hongyi."

Hearing this, the young woman was delighted and quickly added, "Our pavilion will be holding a trade fair soon. Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Chixia City will be attending. If you’re interested in participating, Senior, you can just contact Hong’Er directly."

"Very well."

Chu Mu nodded.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the young woman, showing a perfect sense of propriety, took her leave after about a quarter of an hour.

The Array Prohibition Gate dissipated. A streak of red light flashed across the sky and then vanished from Chu Mu’s view.

Pulling back his gaze, Chu Mu toyed with the Sound Transmission Order in his hand, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, he put the Sound Transmission Order away. With a sweep of his hand, a Jade Bottle appeared. The bottle’s seal dissipated, revealing the few remaining Elixirs inside.

He silently recalled everything he had seen and heard since entering the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World. As he mulled things over, a vague decision began to form in his mind...

...

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