Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age

"Five years is all it should take to gain entry into the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique. By then, I should be able to try swallowing the Barrier-Breaking Pill and advance to late-stage Qi Cultivation."

Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself.

He’d been stuck at the sixth level of Qi Cultivation for many years. At first, he’d tried using a supreme-grade Barrier-Breaking Pill to break through, but it was useless.

The Immortal Dao Root Bone determined that he would face massive resistance when breaking through bottlenecks.

"The further along you get, the more it’s about talent."

In the early and middle stages of Qi Cultivation, one might use huge resources to make up for lacking Spirit Roots, but by the late stage, that became nearly impossible.

"I wonder if there’s another way to speed up entry into the Cyan Spirit Technique?"

Lu Chang’sheng pondered.

No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed only the Gu Family could answer this question for him now.

"The Gu Family’s master teacher is from the Supreme Profound Immortal Sect—their top disciples should have trained in the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique."

He immediately wrote a letter of visit to the Gu Family, planning to ask Gu Shuang for guidance.

"The Gu Family isn’t lacking in Spirit Stones, so I’ll prepare a Perfect Pill as a token for seeking instruction."

Now Lu Chang’sheng knew how rare a Perfect Pill truly was.

A Perfect Pill sold for several times more than even a supreme-grade pill.

Its rarity was the most important aspect.

The Gu Family had alchemists who could refine supreme-grade pills, but none who could make Perfect Pills.

Soon, Gu Shuang received Lu Chang’sheng’s letter of visit.

"Seeking instruction in the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique?"

After Gu Shuang read the message, she thought for a moment and called for a servant.

"Miss, what are your orders?" Before long, a female cultivator came to ask.

Gu Shuang said, "Go tell Chan to come see me tomorrow—and have her prepare more information regarding the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique."

The servant’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt a twinge of envy.

When the letter was delivered at the door, she’d been told who sent it, so she knew the letter came from that Red Bull Alchemist of the Lu Mansion—Lu Chang’sheng.

But—

"Miss, hasn’t Red Bull Alchemist already lost his spot? Why are you still so attentive to him?"

Gu Shuang gave her a cool glance and admonished, "Short-sighted. The fact that Alchemist Lu was favored by two Immortals from Heaven-Burning Valley shows his talent. Even if someone else took his spot, it was only because that person’s in Foundation Establishment."

"It was foolish of me," the servant quickly responded, turned, and delivered the message to Gu Chan.

Before long, Gu Chan came by in a bright green palace gown, glanced doubtfully at Gu Shuang, and said, "I heard you have some friendship with Alchemist Lu. Why not consider him as a potential Dao Companion?"

Gu Chan knew her elder sister had been considering a Dao Companion these past years.

"Don’t worry, little sister—I already have someone in mind."

Gu Shuang replied.

Gu Chan was immediately at ease. She was not one for rivalry, and if her decisive elder sister also liked Lu Chang’sheng, she would have stepped back already.

Thinking this, Gu Chan felt a little envious and said, "Whoever’s won your favor must be a true prodigy among the Immortal Sects."

Gu Shuang nodded, pride coloring her voice.

Xiao Yan had cultivated for less than a hundred years, yet was already at the ninth level of Qi Cultivation, and on top of that, excelled in the Dao of Alchemy, becoming Master Kong’s disciple.

His future was limitless.

Lately it was rumored that Master Kong called him the Supreme Profound Sect’s standout genius of the past century, and it wouldn’t be long before he became a Grade-Two Alchemist.

To call him a prodigy was no exaggeration.

Seeing the envy on Gu Chan’s face, she smiled, "No need to be like that—Alchemist Lu is not bad either, and should also become a Grade-Two Alchemist someday."

Gu Chan smiled.

Grade-Two Alchemist—she was perfectly content with that.

"It’s just, Alchemist Lu doesn’t seem the type to care much about marriage."

A trace of worry appeared on Gu Chan’s face.

If Lu Chang’sheng were just a late-stage Qi Cultivator, the Gu Family wouldn’t need to think twice—they could just ask for a marriage alliance directly.

But he was a future Grade-Two Alchemist.

Even the Supreme Profound Sect wouldn’t take a Grade-Two Alchemist lightly, let alone the Gu Family. So the matter of marriage couldn’t be forced by status.

And once the idea of an alliance took root, they looked into Lu Chang’sheng’s history—only then realizing it wouldn’t be so easy to settle.

"Back then, the Lin Family wanted to form a marriage alliance with him, but failed."

The Lin Family’s patriarch, Lin Yan, had been Lu Chang’sheng’s teacher.

"Sincerity moves even metal and stone," Gu Shuang encouraged.

Gu Chan nodded.

"I heard Alchemist Lu’s Dao Companion wants him to take a concubine. Maybe that’s a place you could start."

Gu Chan frowned a little, her gentle nature disliking schemes or competition. Being so goal-oriented made her uncomfortable.

"Chan, you have to take this seriously. Alchemist Lu might not compare to Senior Brother Xiao Yan in every way, but he’s an excellent match." Gu Shuang couldn’t help but mention Xiao Yan.

Gu Chan replied, "Then I’ll go prepare carefully."

She’d trained in the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique as well, but hadn’t much talent in it. Even after decades, she’d only just reached Minor Achievement.

······

The next day, Lu Chang’sheng arrived for his visit.

As soon as he reached the Gu Family estate, a lady cultivator was already waiting. She greeted him and led him to Gu Shuang’s residence.

Reputation was a form of strength too.

Lu Chang’sheng felt emotional, recalling his last few visits here—this was a world of difference.

After entering the courtyard, though, he didn’t see Gu Shuang. Instead, a woman who looked quite like her was seated at a stone table, reading a book.

"My elder sister had something urgent come up, so please wait for a while, Alchemist Lu." At the sound of the soft voice, Gu Chan looked up—her bright eyes and white teeth met Lu Chang’sheng’s gaze only briefly before she lowered her eyes and spoke softly.

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t realize this was all arranged, and nodded, taking a seat across from Gu Chan.

The two fell silent for a while.

Lu Chang’sheng had come to see Gu Shuang and didn’t know Gu Chan well—so he didn’t know how to begin the conversation.

Gu Chan was shy by nature and, facing Lu Chang’sheng for the first time, her guilty conscience made her shrink from speaking.

Luckily, Gu Shuang had anticipated this and had a female cultivator there as backup.

Seeing the awkward silence, the lady cultivator laughed inwardly before speaking up, chipper: "Alchemist Lu, aren’t you here to seek my lady’s advice on the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique? With the eldest miss out, the second miss can answer your questions."

"Oh?" Lu Chang’sheng’s eyes brightened as he looked at Gu Chan. "I hope I’m not troubling you, Miss Gu Chan."

"It’s no trouble, not at all." Gu Chan breathed a sigh of relief—she’d felt as though she was sitting atop a fire just now, all prickly and uneasy.

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t let the chance slip by—he immediately asked about auxiliary cultivation conditions for the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique.

Before long, a hint of surprise flickered across his face.

He’d discovered that Gu Chan was cultivating the Cyan Spirit Technique—same as him.

The Gu Family’s Spirit Body Cultivation Technique was inherited from the Supreme Profound Sect, so it was indeed their method.

Sure enough, as Gu Chan explained the Cyan Spirit Technique, she said, "The Cyan Spirit Technique came from the Supreme Profound Sect. Unfortunately, our Gu Family doesn’t have permission to pass it on, or else I’d have gifted it to you, Alchemist Lu."

Gu Chan looked apologetic—she knew that Lu Chang’sheng’s Immortal Dao Spirit Root was lacking and that he really cared about the Spirit Body Cultivation Technique.

"It’s fine. Is there any way to cultivate the Cyan Spirit Technique faster?"

Lu Chang’sheng didn’t reveal he was practicing the very same Cyan Spirit Technique.

He realized Gu Chan was rather pure-hearted, just like a proper noble lady, and silently mused, "Only a Foundation Establishment Patriarch could raise someone this innocent."

"If you want faster progress in cultivation, it’s nothing but diligence and resources."

Gu Chan began sharing what she’d prepared late last night.

"Diligence is mostly about time—spending more time and effort, that’s part of it. But the other is supplementing with Cyan Spirit Pills."

"The Spirit Body Cultivation Technique alters the body’s very nature, much the same as a Body Cultivation Technique. Generally, there are pills you can take to assist your cultivation."

"Our Gu Family’s Cyan Spirit Technique, for example, is assisted by the Cyan Spirit Pill—it cuts the effort in half and doubles the results."

Lu Chang’sheng perked up and asked, "I wonder if you might be willing to sell me some Cyan Spirit Pills?"

He kept his excitement in check as he asked.

"Cyan Spirit Pills are pretty rare; even our Gu Family disciples don’t get many."

Hearing this, Lu Chang’sheng sighed inwardly, thinking if the Gu Family couldn’t get him any, perhaps he could buy some from Wang Futian or Yu Hai.

But he heard Gu Chan say—

"However, if Alchemist Lu needs some, I do have a few left."

She said this as she handed Lu Chang’sheng a jade bottle.

"No need to pay—it’s just a little gift from me," Gu Chan said with a bright, beaming smile.