A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

After learning his target’s location, Lü Zhong didn’t make any rash moves.

He decided to proceed with caution, lest he fall into a carefully laid trap and doom himself completely.

There was also one more prerequisite before he could act: he first had to scout the route to Yongling City.

Always leave yourself a way out. That was the fundamental principle of survival.

At noon, the market street was as bustling as ever.

The street was filled with the cries of hawkers as deals, both large and small, were constantly being struck. Perhaps due to the arrival of the Luoyun Sect convoy, the prices of some Spiritual Objects had started to rise. This was especially true for defensive talismans like the Golden Light Talisman; its price had already risen to twelve Spirit Stones in a single morning, with no sign of stopping.

Thinking about the murder he was about to commit, Lü Zhong decided to buy a batch of Golden Light Talismans, even though he already had a fair number. After all, such talismans didn’t depreciate in value, so it was always good to have more.

After a round of haggling, he spent a hundred Spirit Stones on nine Golden Light Talismans.

He then headed to the end of the market street. This area, much like the Tongfu Tea House in Qingliu Square, was a good place for gathering information.

Lü Zhong quickly ducked into an alley. Using his Qi Observation Skill to confirm no one was nearby, he changed into an inconspicuous gray Daoist Robe, put on a black-veiled hat to hide his face, and after suppressing his aura, he emerged from the other end of the alley.

Before long, he had chosen a tea house.

There were quite a few cultivators in the tea house. Judging by their short-sleeved shirts and long trousers, they were likely Loose Cultivators who foraged in the wilds. They all glanced over when Lü Zhong walked in, but quickly lost interest. It was obvious to any discerning eye why he was there.

Lü Zhong walked straight up to the Shopkeeper and stated his purpose.

"Going to Yongling City at a time like this? Fellow Daoist, I’d advise you to think twice. The roads haven’t been safe lately," the bearded Shopkeeper said, pausing from wiping a cup.

"I know," Lü Zhong said calmly.

The bearded Shopkeeper had only offered a customary warning. Seeing that Lü Zhong’s mind was made up, he didn’t press the issue. He gestured to the nearby staircase and said, "Follow me. Too many eyes and ears down here. We can talk upstairs."

They went up to a private room on the third floor.

Once Lü Zhong was seated, the bearded Shopkeeper spread out a map.

The map showed that the Yanling Mountain Area was adjacent to the Yongling Area, separated by the entire, treacherous Cold Mountain Range. Jufeng Pass was a checkpoint located in a gentler part of the mountains, while Cyan Pine Dao was a trade route frequented by caravans. To travel from Yanling Mountain to Yongling City, these two were naturally the best choices.

By paying a small ’tribute’ of Spirit Stones to the cultivators guarding the pass, one could easily traverse the perilous Cold Mountain.

"Half a month ago, your options for getting to Yongling City were limited, but there were at least a few safe routes," the Shopkeeper said with a regretful look. "But now... anyone can see that war is on the horizon. The main checkpoints on the safe routes, Jufeng Pass and Cyan Pine Dao, have already been sealed."

After a pause, he pointed to a red line on the map and continued.

"Your only option now, Fellow Daoist, is to force your way through the Cold Mountain Path. For a fee of twenty-five Spirit Stones, I can provide you with all the information about this route."

Lü Zhong considered this, then took out twenty-five Spirit Stones and nodded.

"Deal!"

With the information in hand, he began reading it right then and there.

After reading it, Lü Zhong finally understood what the Shopkeeper had meant by "forcing his way through."

Just as the Shopkeeper’s words implied, traveling the Cold Mountain Path was fraught with danger. These included challenges from the weather, as well as various threats one might encounter along the way.

The dangerous areas were all marked on the map, circled in red. There were more than a dozen of them.

Demon Beasts, ghosts, and lairs of Evil Cultivators... the sources of danger were diverse.

Fortunately, as long as he stuck to the route and avoided provoking the sources of danger, even an Early-stage Qi Refining cultivator stood a chance of getting through. For someone at his level—Mid-stage Qi Refining—the probability of encountering lethal danger was even lower. At worst, he would merely run into some trouble.

Stepping out of the tea house, Lü Zhong looked up at the sun hanging high in the sky, a flicker of resolve in his eyes.

’I’ve made my decision. I’ll make my move tonight!’

...

The radiant moon hung high in the sky, and the night was deep.

Lü Zhong changed into his gray Daoist Robe. After checking to make sure his Magical Artifacts were in order, he found an unguarded moment to open a gap in the White Cloud Shield and strode out of the bamboo forest.

Even at this hour, there were still plenty of cultivators on the streets, and ornate, horse-drawn carriages would pass by from time to time.

The buildings on both sides were brightly lit, and sounds of laughter and merriment could be heard drifting out.

Avoiding all pedestrians, Lü Zhong made his way to his target’s location: the Kang Family Villa.

As a Foundation Establishment Clan, the Kang Family conducted a great deal of business in the Yanling Mountain Market. To accommodate their members’ comings and goings, they rented this large residence, a sprawling estate of over ten mu. Essentially, any member of the Kang Family who came to the Yanling Mountain Market would stay here.

Now, all he had to do was sneak inside.

His Qi Observation Skill revealed that the Kang Family Villa was not currently protected by a defensive shield.

This was to be expected. After all, operating an array consumed an enormous amount of Spirit Stones. An array capable of protecting an estate of over ten mu would need to be a medium-sized one at least. Without a Spirit Vein to supply Spiritual Qi, such an array would burn through a double-digit number of Spirit Stones daily once activated. The cost was so exorbitant that not even a Foundation Establishment Clan could sustain it.

Lü Zhong circled the perimeter and discovered that the Kang Family relied mainly on tight patrols and multiple layers of defense composed of both visible and hidden sentries to guard against intruders.

He had to admit that, provided one had enough manpower for patrols, this method was indeed a good way to save Spirit Stones.