Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

"I am Duu Wenshu. Greetings, True Monarch Wei." A woman in a colorful dress came forward to greet Wei Tu the moment he stepped into the mansion.

She stopped, curtsied to Wei Tu, and introduced herself. "I was formerly a maid in Elder Qii's mansion. He has assigned me to act as the steward for your residence, True Monarch Wei."

"Of course, if True Monarch Wei prefers not to be disturbed, you may also dismiss me."

Duu Wenshu said, lowering her head.

Wei Tu noticed that when she said the word "dismiss," Duu Wenshu's tone was not as calm as before.

After all, even the doorman of a prime minister's manor is a Seventh-Grade Official.

The "Female Housekeeper" of a Golden Core True Monarch was considered quite powerful within the Loose Immortal Alliance.

"It's fine." Wei Tu shook his head, agreeing to let Duu Wenshu be his mansion's Female Housekeeper.

It wasn't that he pitied Duu Wenshu, but rather that the mansion assigned to him by the Loose Immortal Alliance was far larger than his previous Cave Mansion. Without a steward to clean and manage it, he wouldn't be able to handle everything on his own.

As for the secrets of his Cultivation, he could simply establish a "new Cave Mansion" in the residence's rear courtyard.

"When Elder Qii sent me to your mansion, True Monarch Wei, he gave me a message. He said that once you arrived, you should find some time to see him," Duu Wenshu added.

'See Fellow Daoist Qii?' Wei Tu's interest was piqued, and he grew thoughtful.

...

「A few days later.」

Having settled into his mansion, Wei Tu went to the neighboring residence to pay a visit to "True Monarch Qii."

Led by a maid, Wei Tu entered an exquisite pavilion and saw True Monarch "Qii Chengchu," whom he had not seen for over ten days.

Before him, the Loose Immortal Alliance had a total of seventeen Golden Core True Monarchs. However, most of these Golden Core True Monarchs were in the early stages of their Cultivation. Only a small number were mid-stage or Late-Stage Cultivators.

"Qii Chengchu" was one of the few Late-Stage Golden Core Cultivators.

Moreover, Qii Chengchu was also the Loose Immortal Alliance's only Tier Three Upper-Grade Array Master.

A hundred years ago, it was he who had personally set up the Tier Three Spiritual Formation, the "Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array," in the Red River Mountain Marketplace. He had driven five Tier Three Spirit Veins brought from Jing Country into Red River Mountain.

Only after gaining the "Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array" did Red River Mountain, once a small marketplace in Zheng Country, transform into one of the country's largest and most prominent marketplaces.

"Fellow Daoist Wei, please sit." Qii Chengchu was seated by a window on the second floor of the pavilion. Seeing Wei Tu arrive, he revealed a faint smile and gestured for him to sit.

"This is the Hundred Flowers Spirit Wine that I brewed myself. You're in for a treat, Fellow Daoist Wei."

Qii Chengchu picked up the wine pot on the table and poured Wei Tu a cup of Spirit Wine.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Qii." Wei Tu did not refuse Qii Chengchu's kind gesture. He raised his cup and took a small sip of the wine.

His current situation, facing Qii Chengchu, a Late-Stage Golden Core Cultivator, was the same as Chu Qin's when she had faced him, a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, decades ago.

Although he and Qii Chengchu were currently in the same Great Realm, Wei Tu was self-aware enough to know the difference in their strength.

Therefore, although Wei Tu had a good habit of not eating or drinking anything in unfamiliar places, he had to make an exception today in the Qii Mansion.

After all, with Qii Chengchu's power, if he truly wanted to harm him, he wouldn't need to go to such lengths.

The Hundred Flowers Spirit Wine went down.

Wei Tu immediately felt his Magical Power increase slightly, as if he had consumed a Miracle Elixir.

'This Hundred Flowers Spirit Wine must be extraordinary. Could it be that besides being an Array Master, Qii Chengchu is also a Spirit Brewmaster?' Wei Tu mused.

A Spirit Brewmaster, like a Pharmacist, was one of the more obscure professions among the Hundred Cultivation Techniques.

Qii Chengchu poured himself a cup of Spirit Wine. After sipping it for a moment, he turned his gaze to Wei Tu and got down to business.

"The reason I sought you out this time, Fellow Daoist Wei, is to ask you about... the Hee Mountain Huang Family. This matter concerns the fate of our Loose Immortal Alliance for the next thousand years."

'The Hee Mountain Huang Family?' Hearing this, Wei Tu frowned slightly, unsure of what Qii Chengchu and the Loose Immortal Alliance were planning.

He hadn't paid much attention to the Hee Mountain Huang Family since he killed Alchemist Shu.

"What does Fellow Daoist Qii intend to ask about?" Wei Tu collected his thoughts and inquired.

"An array belonging to the Huang Family." Qii Chengchu pondered for a moment before speaking. "Fellow Daoist Wei, back when you were a Tributor for the Huang Family, did you ever hear of them possessing a Tier Three Array called 'Twelve Locks Celestial Time'?"

Hearing this, Wei Tu shook his head and said, "When I was with the Huang Family, I focused solely on my Cultivation and didn't interact much with the Huang Family Members, so... I have never heard of this array."

As Wei Tu spoke, Qii Chengchu observed his expression. Seeing that it wasn't feigned, he sighed softly and said, "If we had this array, our Loose Immortal Alliance might be able to produce a Nascent Soul Cultivator."

"Then, the Loose Immortal Alliance would no longer have to suffer humiliation at the hands of the Five Great Immortal Sects."

"How so?" Wei Tu's interest was piqued.

He didn't believe that a mere Tier Three Array could produce a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

If it could, the Hee Mountain Huang Family would have long since become the overlord of the Zheng Country Cultivation Realm.

Qii Chengchu smiled smugly. "Fellow Daoist Wei, you've been in the Loose Immortal Alliance for some time now. You should know that I was the one who set up this 'Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array.' The marvel of this array is that, besides locking down Spirit Veins and stealing nature's spiritual energy, it can also aid in Cultivation..."

"If I can obtain the 'Twelve Locks Celestial Time' Tier Three Array, I can raise the 'Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array' by another Level..."

"At that time, even without a Nascent Soul Pill or a Spirit Communication Object, one could use the Power of Heaven and Earth to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm..."

'Break through to the Nascent Soul Realm using an array?'

If Qii Chengchu weren't a Tier Three Upper-Grade Array Master, Wei Tu would have thought the man was delusional. After all, of all the Nascent Soul Cultivators he had read about in the records, not a single one had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm using an array.

His thoughts turned. "Reaching the Nascent Soul Realm is rare. I wonder, can this array help one break through to the Golden Core Realm?"

"It can."

Qii Chengchu gave Wei Tu an affirmative answer.

He said, "Three hundred and seventy years ago, I myself used the 'Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array' to break through to the Golden Core Realm and accomplish my Golden Core Formation."

"However, at the time, the array only played a supporting role. To be absolutely certain, I also took an Immortal Transformation Pill before Solidifying the Pill."

Qii Chengchu sighed.

Back then, he had indeed considered not taking the Immortal Transformation Pill to test the true effectiveness of the "Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array"... But when the moment came, he was still afraid of death and took the pill ahead of time.

Hearing this, Wei Tu's desire for the "Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array" dropped several notches. After all, this method was merely an experiment by Qii Chengchu; no one had ever truly succeeded with it alone.

He wasn't an array fanatic; there was no need for him to covet such a thing.

"I have been watching the Hee Mountain Huang Family for decades. Over thirty years ago, their Golden Core Ancestor, Huang Xinglie, was severely injured on the battlefield and is now recuperating within the clan..."

"I've heard that due to these severe injuries, his lifespan is nearly at its end."

Qii Chengchu returned to the subject, steering the conversation back to the Hee Mountain Huang Family.

"So what you mean is, Fellow Daoist Qii...?" Wei Tu roughly understood what Qii Chengchu was implying.

Qii Chengchu wanted to take advantage of the Hee Mountain Huang Family's decline to seize their family's Inheritance, and then use it to upgrade his own Tier Three Array, the "Heaven-Stealing Transformation Array."

Such a thing was too sinister; it didn't sound like the actions of a righteous person.

However, Wei Tu didn't care about this, nor was he bothered by it.

If the leader of a Major Influence was truly one of those "Righteous Characters," then that Major Influence wouldn't be far from its decline and fall.

The revitalization and development of an Influence could, in theory, happen without relying on such sinister and cunning deeds. But successful Influences that managed this were few and far between.

"Fellow Daoist Wei was a former Tributor of the Hee Mountain Huang Family. You must have acquaintances within the family..."

"I invited you here, Fellow Daoist Wei, not only to inquire about the 'Twelve Locks Celestial Time' Tier Three Array and to inform you of this major strategy for our Loose Immortal Alliance..."

"...but also to use your connections, Fellow Daoist Wei, to accomplish this."

Qii Chengchu admitted frankly.

Wei Tu, sitting to the side, did not readily believe Qii Chengchu's words.

He raised a timely question. "Why didn't you ask me to look into this before my Core Formation, Fellow Daoist Qii? Why wait until after my Core Formation to ask me to do this?"

"Is there some other reason for this?"

Wei Tu asked in a grave voice.

"You worry too much, Fellow Daoist Wei!" Hearing this, Qii Chengchu laughed heartily. "It's true that I had designs on the Hee Mountain Huang Family before you went into Seclusion. However, the decision to actually make a move against them was only made after Huang Xinglie was severely injured. There is no contradiction in this."