A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Chapter 378: Chapter 220: Patriarch of Three Paths

The Bihai incident passed, and life returned to normal.

Lü Zhong was busy once more. Seeing that the Commerce Association had gathered the Spirit Medicines, including six stalks of the five-hundred-year-old main ingredients, he decided to make a trip to Ganquan Island. He needed to refine Pills to advance his cultivation and get his progress, which had slowed to a crawl, back up to speed.

Construction on the commercial harbor had already begun on Ganquan Island.

He didn’t need to worry about the process, as his subordinates were there to take care of it.

When he arrived at Ganquan Cave, everything was just as he had left it.

Thanks to his past failures and the chance to practice with a few mature Spirit Medicines, Lü Zhong felt much more confident about refining the Tier Three Creation Liquid this time.

Time flew, and soon it was the fifth month. The Sea Tide Stage would arrive in another month.

Construction on Ganquan Commercial Harbor was still in full swing.

Inside Ganquan Cave, the Spirit Fire within the Gui Water Phoenix Wing Furnace gradually died down.

After several consecutive months of Alchemy, Lü Zhong was utterly exhausted. But he had no time to meditate for Replenishing Qi; instead, his gaze shifted to the pile of bottles and jars before him.

Tier Three Jade Ming Pills, Tier Three Cyan Hua Treasure Powder, and various Tier Three Creation Liquids.

They were all Pills for advancing cultivation, suitable for an Early-stage Core Formation Cultivator to use.

A smile crept onto Lü Zhong’s face.

’With these, I can finally advance my cultivation quickly!’

Another month passed, during which Lü Zhong adjusted his condition back to its peak.

But he did not immediately begin to cultivate.

Because the Sea Tide Stage had arrived.

The sky was filled with leaden gray clouds. A storm whipped the dark blue seawater, which relentlessly battered Ganquan Island’s protective Grand Array. In the distance, the roars of beasts echoed periodically.

This was the first time Lü Zhong had ever seen the raging Outer Sea during the Sea Tide Stage.

At this moment, it would be no exaggeration to call this place a forbidden zone for cultivators.

Around Ganquan Island alone, he had already discovered no fewer than ten Tier Two Sea Beasts. The number of Tier One Sea Beasts and lower was simply countless. Amidst the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, mountain-like figures would occasionally appear—those were Tier Three Sea Beasts.

And whether Ganquan Commercial Harbor could be successfully established hinged on a single key factor: its ability to withstand the attacks of Tier Three Sea Beasts.

Fortunately, this defense did not require a direct confrontation.

There was typically only one reason Sea Beasts were driven to attack the commercial harbor.

The concentration of a large population.

This was also why Changchun Immortal City was so frequently besieged by Sea Beasts. The city’s massive population made it a perfect feeding ground for famished Sea Beasts to replenish their energy after mating. High Tier Sea Beasts would exploit this, driving Low Tier Sea Beasts to attack Changchun Immortal City for their own benefit.

At the moment, the commercial harbor had a population of less than one thousand.

Theoretically, this shouldn’t be enough to attract the attention of Tier Three Sea Beasts.

But Lü Zhong had little faith in his own luck, so he paused his cultivation to personally oversee the situation and prevent any unforeseen incidents.

Fortunately, his worries proved to be unfounded this time.

Not a single Tier Three Sea Beast attacked by the time the Sea Tide Stage passed. Only a few irritable Low Tier Sea Beasts launched assaults on the protective Grand Array, and they would eventually depart on their own.

...

Spring came with blooming flowers, and soon it was a new year.

Having successfully weathered the Sea Tide Stage, it was only a matter of time before Ganquan Commercial Harbor received Changchun Valley’s official recognition. The harbor no longer needed him to stand guard, so Lü Zhong returned to Lintao Pavilion and entered seclusion to cultivate.

This period of seclusion lasted a full year.

His cultivation advanced once more, bringing him close to a breakthrough into the Mid-stage Core Formation.

During this time, several major events took place in the Changchun Domain.

The event that concerned Lü Zhong the most was, naturally, Qingding Master being recognized as a Nascent Soul Seed. This news caused a massive stir in Changchun Immortal City. After all, as long as a Nascent Soul Seed didn’t die prematurely, their chances of successfully achieving Nascent Soul Formation were at least seventy percent.

This wasn’t mere speculation but a conclusion drawn from countless historical precedents.

’I have to be on my guard,’ Lü Zhong worried.

Although Qingding Master had claimed to have moved past the grudge over his disciple’s death, the human heart is complex and fickle. The day he becomes a Nascent Soul True Monarch, he might very well have a change of heart.

Lü Zhong didn’t dare to take that gamble.

After all, a Core Formation cultivator had little power to resist someone at the Nascent Soul realm.

To resolve this issue...

...he either had to kill Qingding Master or reach Nascent Soul Formation before him. But neither option was easy to achieve.

’As for reaching a true reconciliation with Qingding Master?’

Lü Zhong considered it seriously. It was a possible path, perhaps.

’Though the chances of that happening are slim...’

...he thought to himself.

When the third month arrived, there was good news.

After a long period of practice, Lü Zhong finally succeeded in opening the first Acupoint for the Barbarian Ancestor Heaven-Swallowing Mantra. Since he had simulated the process in advance within the Gray Mist Space, it went smoothly and without any danger.

Once the Acupoint was open, the increase in his physical strength was significant.

He tested it and found his strength had increased by at least a thousand pounds.

His physique had also grown stronger. Nourished and propelled by his Mercury-like Qi and Blood, his physical durability had improved dramatically. Withstanding a Lower-grade Spiritual Artifact was no longer a problem, and he could even be injured by a Magical Treasure and survive.

And this was only the first Acupoint.

The Barbarian Ancestor Heaven-Swallowing Mantra required opening a total of thirty-six major Acupoints.

Perhaps after opening all of them, he could truly possess a physique comparable to that of a Flood Dragon.

Body Refining had many benefits, but it was not without its drawbacks.

Lately, Lü Zhong felt as if he had returned to his youth; he could wear Yu Feng’Er out so thoroughly that she had to brace herself against the wall just to leave the room. This was likely a side effect of his potent Qi and Blood, much like how dragons are known for their lustful nature.

This side effect wasn’t particularly troublesome, so he didn’t bother to deliberately suppress it.

’Better to find an outlet than to suppress it, right?’

...

「Half a month later.」

「Late that night.」

Lü Zhong performed a Technique Mantra, tapping the spot between his eyebrows.

There, a Spiritual Eye that seemed almost tangible radiated a dazzling Spiritual Light. It blinked open and then closed, and a unique field of vision instantly appeared in his mind.