Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age

"This should be the last wave of their big counterattack. If we can withstand this, it’s basically over."

Several dozen late-stage Qi cultivators stood atop their flying swords, each group guarding their own stretch of the city wall, but at the speed late-stage Qi cultivators travel on sword, covering their assigned segment was no more than a quarter-hour’s journey.

And with someone like Fellow Daoist Yang, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his spiritual sense could probably cover the entire stretch of the city wall.

Yang Xiu hovered above them all, gazing down toward the distance.

Sure enough, his words made many late-stage Qi cultivators who’d been shrinking back after seeing the monster gathering in the distance instantly tense up and stop slacking off.

"Everyone, return to your posts. To avoid future unpleasantness, let me warn you ahead of time: Foundation Establishment cultivators’ spiritual sense is many times stronger than that of late-stage Qi cultivators. When facing the enemy, we have a duty to monitor you. If we find anyone deliberately slacking off, there will be blood afterward."

As he spoke, he formed a hand seal, magical power surging at his brow, and a Dharma Eye appeared.

"The spiritual light of his Dharma Eye projects two inches beyond the vertical eye—worthy of a high Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

Lu Chang’sheng glanced at Yang Xiu.

He found himself intrigued by this Dharma Eye Technique.

The brighter the spiritual light from the Dharma Eye, the stronger its effect. Previously, he hadn’t considered learning this Dharma Eye magic, but looking at it now, it seemed that he’d misjudged.

"Spiritual sense, in this kind of chaotic surge of magical and demonic power, is easily disrupted—especially if one’s spiritual sense isn’t strong enough. If not for my perfected Puppetry Technique strengthening my spiritual sense, plus the Cyan Essence Immortal Technique, I wouldn’t be able to extend my spiritual sense several miles out."

Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself, observing cautiously while deliberately keeping clear of Yang Xiu above, to avoid being detected by his spiritual sense.

Just then, a wave of searing heat swept in from afar. Using his spiritual sense to look, he saw what looked like a burning sun at the West Gate in the distance.

A vertical eye slowly rotated at the center of the blazing sun, seeming to notice this direction, pausing briefly.

"Such powerful spiritual sense!"

Lu Chang’sheng quickly withdrew his spiritual sense, and in an instant that vertical eye vanished. Upon recalling it, he couldn’t help being shocked.

The vertical eye at the West Gate could only be that elder from the Supreme Profound Sect—who else had such authority?

At this moment, Lu Chang’sheng also realized the gap between Foundation Establishment cultivators could be immense.

Yang Xiu was also a Foundation Establishment expert, but his Dharma Eye couldn’t compete with Du Xuan’s.

······

"Some unfamiliar Foundation Establishment spiritual sense... Looks like there’s a rather uncommon Qi cultivator over at the South Gate."

High above the West Gate, hidden among barely visible clouds, Du Xuan’s eyes flashed with intrigue.

He’d met nearly all Foundation Establishment cultivators in Platinum Immortal City. After all, Foundation Establishment was a transcendent level above Qi training, and he refused to overlook anyone. So, after taking up command at the Immortal City’s council, he’d assembled every Foundation Establishment cultivator and committed their spiritual sense aura to memory.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators at the four gates were tasked to monitor the Qi cultivators stationed at each gate, while Du Xuan himself oversaw all four Foundation Establishment teams.

Spirit Realm cultivators cared mostly for themselves; without strict oversight, none would truly give their all.

So, he immersed himself in Qingming, using his Dharma Eye to observe, while also monitoring monster movement in the far distance.

"When this is over, I’ll be sure to find out who possesses such hidden depths."

Du Xuan thought to himself.

If they weren’t disciples of other Immortal Sects, he could recruit them, adding strength to Supreme Profound Sect.

The Black Water Domain’s situation had recently deteriorated; word was, the monster forces were making a comeback. If the Supreme Profound Sect wanted to rise further amidst this turmoil, it would naturally need a flood of talent.

The demonic energy flooding in grew ever clearer. Du Xuan, seated at command, peered with his Dharma Eye, trying to make out the formation from the vast swarms of monsters, so as to assign the Foundation Establishment teams accordingly.

Soldiers face soldiers, generals face generals!

To him, Foundation Establishment cultivators were generals, late-stage Qi cultivators were soldiers.

The powerful spiritual sense of Foundation Establishment experts quickly locked onto dozens of Foundation Establishment-level monsters surging in with the horde.

"As expected, no late-Foundation Establishment monsters. Risky, but manageable!"

Du Xuan had already received some intelligence from Purple Ice Lake, and felt considerably reassured.

But just then, he saw the monster hordes closing in starting to split up—a portion heading to the other two gates, a portion coming closer to him.

"There are a lot of Black Wolves, but not many Foundation Establishment monsters heading for the South and North Gates."

Du Xuan suddenly felt something was off, like he’d missed something crucial. But the monsters were only a few miles away now; he brushed the thought aside, using a magical transmission to instruct the Foundation Establishment cultivators above the West Gate wall.

"Fellow Daoist Heishi, head south. Fellow Daoist Qin Yu, Fellow Daoist Wang Xia, Fellow Daoist Wei Yun, go north. Everyone else—stand with me and repel the enemy."

The named Foundation Establishment experts turned into streaks of light and shot off.

A few minutes later, the West Gate’s defenders could already see the monster hordes with the naked eye.

In less than thirty seconds, a barrage of spells clashed with the frontrunners in the monster swarm.

······

South Gate.

"Alchemist Lu, try not to get separated from me later."

"Of course, Fellow Daoist Li as well."

Gu Feng called out to Lu Chang’sheng, then, as if remembering, spoke to Li Nangua too.

As for the others, Gu Feng paid them no mind.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist," Lu Chang’sheng replied. Though he now had a Mountain Nether Puppet Beast on hand, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

Gu Feng was, after all, a ninth-layer Qi cultivator from a Foundation Establishment clan—a significant boon to him.

"Looks like there are two Foundation Establishment-level monsters!"

Just then, Lu Chang’sheng looked up and saw two massive figures—one, a black giant wolf nearly twenty feet tall, its neck bristling with needle-like fur, savage as a lion; the other, a blood-red giant fox, its tail long and slender, tip lined with a gaping mouth that opened and closed ceaselessly, and, at a glance, densely packed with serrated teeth.

"It’s fine. True Man Du Xuan is holding down command, I’m sure he’ll have a plan." Gu Feng felt his scalp go numb, but knowing some inside information, he managed to steady his heart and mind.

Sure enough, just then, a streak of light swept in from the West Gate, and the Qi cultivators guarding the wall finally relaxed.

"Fellow Daoist Yang!"

"Fellow Daoist Heishi!"

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators exchanged names, then each took on a Foundation Establishment monster in ferocious battle.

Meanwhile, the monsters below had already reached the city wall.

The late-stage Qi cultivators defending the wall rushed forth, unleashing their array of techniques to slay the monsters.

After days of constant fighting, Lu Chang’sheng had learned the monsters’ patterns: within the same level, most monsters didn’t have much of an edge against cultivators, since cultivators had so many tricks up their sleeves—a Qi cultivator with battle experience at the seventh layer could handle three or four monsters at once.

Only the more ferocious and rare monsters could suppress cultivators of the same tier.