Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

Wealth in the Foundation Establishment Realm is poverty in the Golden Core Realm.

To say nothing of the fact that Wei Tu had already used up a large portion of his savings for his Core Formation.

Wei Tu nodded at his words. He was well aware of his own situation; at this point, he certainly couldn’t claim to have even modest wealth anymore.

Even before his Core Formation, he hadn’t possessed the financial means to bribe a Golden Core Great Cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Wei, now that you’re in the Golden Core Realm, you’re more than capable of protecting yourself during the Demon Dao invasion. You need not worry too much."

Tao Chongzhou said, trying to reassure Wei Tu.

A Golden Core True Monarch was not a Foundation Establishment Master. In a chaotic country like Zheng, they had far more options and a much lower chance of perishing.

If that weren’t the case, he, the Ancestor of the Tao Family, would have fled long before the family’s juniors when the smuggling route was first established.

However, that was not what Wei Tu was thinking at all.

’For one, I’m not like Tao Chongzhou. I have no ancestral legacy to protect. Fleeing to Kang Country, with its more stable Cultivation environment, is a much better fit for me.’

’I have only myself to feed.’

’For another, things are different now. The crisis facing the Zheng Country Cultivation Realm is dire—far more severe than Tao Chongzhou imagines.’

Jing Country had fallen.

The Jing Country Cultivators could still fall back to Zheng Country; they had an escape route.

But if Zheng Country were to fall...

...its cultivators would not have the same options as the Jing Country Cultivators did.

Because the Three Border Countries had already been cast aside by the Seven Kingdoms Righteous Alliance.

"Fellow Daoist Tao, does the Tao Family have any information regarding the Black Blood Swamp?"

A new thought occurred to Wei Tu as he considered another way to cross the border.

Besides the safe route of bribing the Defending Cultivators at Chishui Pass, there was another way into Kang Country: braving the perils of the Black Blood Swamp, a dangerous border region.

Chishui Pass itself was a massive fortress built on the border between the Zheng and Kang Countries, leveraging the natural dangers of the Black Blood Swamp.

In theory, a Golden Core Cultivator should have the power to traverse the Black Blood Swamp.

Of course, with the power of the Golden Core Realm, flying away at a high altitude wasn’t impossible. However, doing so would make one an easy "live target" in the sky.

That would no longer be considered smuggling; it would be a frontal assault.

However—

Tao Chongzhou’s next words shattered Wei Tu’s hopes.

He said, "Fellow Daoist Wei, the Black Blood Swamp of today is not the same one described in the old texts."

"To create the first line of defense against Demon Cultivators, the Seven Kingdoms Righteous Alliance didn’t just build fortresses like Chishui Pass in Kang Country and elsewhere. They also took advantage of the terrain in Forbidden Domains like the Black Blood Swamp, adding many more dangers."

"No-Fly Arrays, poisons, Puppets, Demon Beasts... they’ve set them all up."

"In other words, the level of danger in these Forbidden Domains is now far greater than what is described in any ancient text."

"I estimate that only a Golden Core Great Cultivator would have a chance of crossing the Black Blood Swamp."

Tao Chongzhou said slowly.

Hearing this, Wei Tu was struck speechless and remained silent for a long time.

He finally understood why Zhao Jiangwu had told him about a secret passage out of the Righteous Demon Battlefield instead of just suggesting he cross the Black Blood Swamp.

The problem was, that secret passage was not exactly a safe bet either; it came with its own set of dangers.

If it hadn’t, Wei Tu wouldn’t have even considered crossing the Black Blood Swamp in the first place.

"If Fellow Daoist Wei wants to get away from the Righteous Demon Battlefield, you could try going to Liang Country and finding a way to cross into Kang Country from there," Tao Chongzhou suggested.

"Liang Country?" Wei Tu shook his head, hinting, "Liang Country is probably in the same boat as Zheng Country by now."

"Fellow Daoist Tao, holing up in Hann Mountain is just waiting to be picked off. If you can, you should find an escape route as soon as possible and get away from this battlefield."

Wei Tu collected himself, and after a moment’s thought, decided to give Tao Chongzhou a subtle warning.

"Fellow Daoist Wei, have you heard some other news?" Tao Chongzhou was old and perceptive; he read between the lines of Wei Tu’s words.

Wei Tu shook his head and explained, "It’s just my intuition. The winds foretell a coming storm. Chishui Pass has tightened its patrols, which suggests the situation on the battlefield might be about to change."

Before a major upheaval, there were always perceptive individuals who could foresee the "shift." His explanation was plausible enough not to arouse suspicion.

Wei Tu had only warned the Hann Mountain Tao Family because his interactions and trades with them had always been pleasant and straightforward, with none of the usual petty schemes.

Of course, he wasn’t about to give them any specific intelligence.

Whether the Hann Mountain Tao Family believed him or not was up to them. He had done his part.

"I see." Tao Chongzhou let out a sigh of relief. He had thought Wei Tu was in possession of some secret intelligence.

He hadn’t expected it to be just a guess on Wei Tu’s part.

’Still, what Wei Tu said makes sense,’ Tao Chongzhou mused. ’The changes at Chishui Pass are unusual. I should also make preparations.’

...

Since the Hann Mountain Tao Family’s smuggling route had been shut down, there was no longer any reason for Wei Tu to remain. After a brief conversation, he took his leave.

「After leaving Hann Mountain.」

Wei Tu first made a trip to Bai Shihu Marketplace to find Kou Hongying and inform her of the situation. Only then did he return to Red River Mountain.

"In three years, leave the Cave Mansion, go to the Che Mansion, and warn Che Gongwei."

Inside his Cave Mansion, Wei Tu took out the Swordsman Puppet. He placed a Restriction within it, setting a timer.

The Swordsman Puppet, an Early-Stage Tier Two creation, had the intelligence of a seven or eight-year-old child and could carry out simple tasks under Wei Tu’s orders.

On his way back to Red River Mountain Marketplace, Wei Tu had made his decision. No matter the risk, he would attempt the secret passage Zhao Jiangwu had told him about. It was his only path to survival.