Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

Therefore, after reading the letter, Wei Tu wasted no time. He immediately flew out of the Red River Mountain Marketplace and headed straight for the Qiyue Zhao Family.

For any ordinary matter, he might have sent a letter to inquire first and certainly wouldn’t have been in such a hurry. But the intelligence Zhao Jiangwu had shared was far too important—it concerned his future safety within Zheng Country and the ultimate direction of the country’s chaotic era.

However, Wei Tu was more cautious this time when leaving the Red River Mountain Marketplace. He didn’t leave in plain sight but rather disguised himself and snuck away.

Before he left, he placed a Tier Two Seven-Colored Illusion Moth inside his residence to monitor any activity within.

Wei Tu had never trusted his Female Housekeeper, Duu Wenshu, and had always been secretly wary of her. He only kept her on to manage his household affairs because he believed a spy in the open was easier to deal with than one in the shadows.

「Two or three days later.」

Wei Tu landed at the foot of Qiyue Mountain.

He glanced at the peak that pierced the clouds, took a Talisman from his sleeve, and sent it toward the Zhao Family’s clan lands.

To Wei Tu’s surprise, however, as the Spirit Dove-shaped Talisman flew toward Qiyue Mountain, it suddenly struck a white barrier of light in mid-air. The barrier showed no sign of opening, blocking the Spirit Dove Talisman completely.

It was normal for a Talisman communication to be obstructed by an Array.

Usually, however, the Cultivators inside the Array would inspect the Talisman for safety and then allow it to pass, not wanting to obstruct normal communication between those inside and outside the clan.

As Wei Tu was wondering about this, a Giant Ape Puppet clad in armor walked out from within Qiyue Mountain.

"The Qiyue Zhao Family’s Clan Protection Array has been activated. The mountain is sealed for one hundred years. Honored guest, please return in a century," the Giant Ape Puppet rumbled.

’Sealed for a hundred years?’

Wei Tu was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

’Why would the Qiyue Zhao Family suddenly seal the mountain for a hundred years and refuse all visitors for no reason?’

’No, it’s not for no reason.’ Wei Tu recalled the intelligence Zhao Jiangwu had mentioned in his letter.

’If I were one of the Qiyue Zhao Family’s High Level members and learned of this earth-shattering secret, I would definitely make a move. I wouldn’t just sit here and wait to die.’

’But... can sealing the mountain for a hundred years truly stop an invasion of Demon Cultivators?’ Wei Tu’s brow furrowed deeply in thought.

’Unless... the Qiyue Zhao Family’s Cultivators have already left, and sealing the mountain is just a diversion?’

Wei Tu made a bold guess.

He had previously worked with the Hann Mountain Tao Family to open a secret route to sneak into Kang Country.

If he and the Hann Mountain Tao Family could think of sneaking away, it was impossible that the Qiyue Zhao Family hadn’t considered the same method.

’If they did sneak away, where is my sworn brother now? He’s an outsider. If the Zhao Family fled, they would have kept it secret from him to ensure confidentiality.’

More doubts surfaced in Wei Tu’s mind.

Just then, Wei Tu suddenly recalled that among the congratulatory letters in the jade box, there didn’t seem to be one signed by Weii Fei.

’I’ll go check the Bauhinia Forest.’ The thought struck him, and Wei Tu immediately flew toward the Bauhinia Forest, a Tier One Spiritual Land near Qiyue Mountain.

The Bauhinia Forest was where Weii Fei had lived with his wife’s family, the Yue Family, before he reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Wei Tu believed that if Weii Fei had the chance, he would have definitely left a message for him before leaving Qiyue Mountain.

Even in the worst-case scenario, if Weii Fei didn’t care about his old friend, he would still care about his own daughter, Weii Xian’er.

Weii Xian’er was currently living with his own daughter, Wei Yan, in the Zama Division of Kang Country.

The Bauhinia Forest was not far from Qiyue Mountain.

After flying for a short while, Wei Tu landed in the Spiritual Land.

But just like Qiyue Mountain, the Bauhinia Forest was now desolate and deserted, with hardly anyone left.

Wei Tu went to Weii Fei’s old residence and scanned it with his Guardian Map Divine Sense for a while, a look of disappointment crossing his face.

There was no useful information left for him in Weii Fei’s old residence.

However—

Just as Wei Tu was about to leave, an elderly man in his twilight years emerged from a nearby house and blocked his path.

The old man glanced at Wei Tu and cupped his hands in a salute. "Are you True Monarch Wei Tu, Your Excellency? This old one has been waiting here for you for a long time on the Ancestor’s orders."

With that, the old man took out a letter and offered it to Wei Tu.

"Which Ancestor of the Zhao Family?" Wei Tu asked casually as he took the letter, not in a hurry to read it.

In the Cultivation Realm, age couldn’t be judged by appearance alone.

The old man before him had failing Qi and Blood and a withered face; he already had one foot in the grave.

But in terms of actual age, he was younger than Wei Tu.

Wei Tu was already two hundred and seven years old, long past the two-hundred-year lifespan limit for Qi Cultivation practitioners.

"Ancestor Jiangwu."

Although the old man’s answer was within Wei Tu’s expectations, he still felt a slight twinge of disappointment upon hearing those two words.

"This old one will take his leave." Seeing that Wei Tu had accepted the letter, the old man looked as though he had completed a great mission. He activated a Magical Artifact and rode it away, wobbling unsteadily as he left the Bauhinia Forest.

Seeing this, Wei Tu thought for a moment, then flew down the mountain and intercepted the old man.

He took out a Talisman and casually gave it to the old man. "The Zhao Family has shown me kindness. Now that they have sealed their mountain, please accept this Talisman, Fellow Daoist. Consider it a small token of my appreciation."

"To receive a Talisman from a True Monarch and be called ’Fellow Daoist’... this old one can die with no regrets."

The old man showed no fear or nervousness in the face of a Golden Core True Monarch like Wei Tu. He simply smiled, accepted the Talisman calmly, and with a flick of his sleeve, continued down the mountain.

’Only one with no desires can be so free and uninhibited.’ Wei Tu watched the old man’s retreating back and sighed to himself.