Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

"The second one."

After a moment of thought, Wei Tu chose Hu Yao’s second proposal.

He was a Talisman Master. The only reason he was helping Hu Yao replace the Talisman House owner was for cheap Talisman Paper. There was no need to take a stake in the business and add another layer of complexity.

As long as he had cheap Talisman Paper, he could turn it into sellable Talismans.

Besides, not taking a stake meant he wouldn’t be involved in the management, so he wouldn’t have to waste any time on Talisman Paper sales.

He could enjoy some peace and quiet.

The reason Talisman Masters like him didn’t get involved in the Talisman Paper business wasn’t that they couldn’t see the potential profits. It was because the money made from selling Talismans was far more lucrative than any small-scale Talisman Paper operation.

Who had the energy to dabble in the Talisman Paper business?

The Talisman Paper business was just a way to earn some hard-won cash.

Hu Yao nodded, unsurprised. She took out a contract written in black and white and had Wei Tu sign his name.

...

「Two days later.」

Hu Yao came to visit and returned the two Yellow Flower Pills to Wei Tu.

"No poison?"

’Was I overthinking things?’

After seeing Hu Yao off, Wei Tu stared at the two Yellow Flower Pills, his brow slightly furrowed.

「A few days later.」

He deliberately tossed the Pill Bottle containing the Yellow Flower Pills into the trash heap outside his house, placing it in a rather conspicuous spot.

’Just as I thought. There’s something fishy going on.’

Several days later, just before the Marketplace was scheduled to clean up the trash on Lark Street, Wei Tu picked up the Pill Bottle, sniffed it lightly, and thought to himself.

「Celestial Fragrance Luo Technique (56/100): Seven practices a day, mastery in five years.」

The last time he killed the Tribulation Cultivator Zhuo Yan, he had not only obtained a Silver Hairpin Magical Artifact and three Spirit Stones from the body, but also this Cultivation Technique for detecting a Cultivator’s scent.

This Cultivation Technique wasn’t particularly profound. Other than developing a "Xiangluo Nose" that enhanced his sense of smell, it wasn’t very useful.

’In a while, I’ll find a chance to just move out and sublet the place. I can’t afford to provoke them, but I can always hide from them,’ Wei Tu mused, setting his plan in motion.

Although there had never been any tragic incidents of someone being murdered in their own Cave Mansion in the Danqiu Mountain Marketplace, he didn’t want to spend all his days "guarding against a thief."

...

Time passed.

「Half a year later.」

Hu Yao’s Talisman Paper business was finally discovered by Che Chulong and the other Talisman House owners. The two sides were at daggers drawn, preventing the Inner Collection from being held as usual.

That night.

「After the Inner Collection ended.」

Wei Tu saw Hu Yao walk into a Grade B Middle Tier Cave Mansion.

When he saw her again two days later, Wei Tu noticed Hu Yao’s aura was faint, her face was deathly pale, and she had several new bluish-purple bruises on her body.

As a friend, Wei Tu didn’t pry into what Hu Yao had done in that Cave Mansion. He left a few Calm Heart Talismans for her and quietly departed.

Another half a year went by.

It was time for the Shantytown’s small market again.

Wei Tu went to the Inner Collection and noticed that Che Chulong was not among the crowd.

He suppressed his surprise.

After the small market ended, he asked around and learned that Che Chulong had died from taking poison two months ago.

After hearing this news, Wei Tu couldn’t help but feel a certain "awe" toward Hu Yao. In their daily interactions, he began to deliberately distance himself from her a little.

"Fellow Daoist Wuk, where is Fellow Daoist Yuchi? I haven’t seen her for more than half a month."

In the small courtyard on Lark Street, Wei Tu pushed open the gate and glanced at the thin layer of dust on the bronze lock outside Yuchi Yu’s door, speaking with surprise.

A year had passed. He was no longer as financially strapped as when he first moved to Lark Street. He now had spare money and could afford to move to a different Cave Mansion.

Before leaving, he wanted to ask about Yuchi Yu’s whereabouts.

"She moved out half a month ago," Immortal Master Wuk replied casually.

"Moved out half a month ago?"

Wei Tu was slightly taken aback, unable to figure out what Yuchi Yu was thinking.

"It’s strange, you know. Fellow Daoist Yuchi used to love the flowers she grew in her garden. Why didn’t she take these Purple Orchids with her when she left..." Immortal Master Wuk said, pulling Wei Tu into a casual chat.

"Purple Orchids?" Wei Tu was surprised. He walked over to the flowerbed and saw that the patch of Purple Orchids planted there had long since withered. Only a few blossoms were barely clinging to life.

He had a sudden realization—the Yuchi Yu who had lived in the Lark Street courtyard before might not be the same Yuchi Yu he had been seeing for the past year.

The Yuchi Yu he had seen was an impostor in Disguise.

Immortal Master Wuk was only dropping this hint now that "Yuchi Yu" was gone and the danger had passed.

If he could detect "Yuchi Yu’s" abnormality with his Celestial Fragrance Luo Technique, then an Elder Cultivator like Immortal Master Wuk, who was at Late-Stage Qi Cultivation, was surely just as capable, if not more so.

At this thought, an idea struck Wei Tu. He smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Wuk, I just sold a batch of Talismans and have some extra money. How about I treat you to some drinks at the Jingyun Inn?"

—Since Yuchi Yu was gone, he no longer needed to find another Cave Mansion.

As far as he knew, Immortal Master Wuk had given up on healing his injuries these days and had been focused on finding a clever apprentice to pass his legacy on to.

Wei Tu didn’t covet Immortal Master Wuk’s wealth. What he lacked was the experience Immortal Master Wuk had accumulated from his travels in the Cultivation Realm.

"Jingyun Inn?" Upon hearing those two words, Immortal Master Wuk’s eyes lit up. His throat bobbed uncontrollably as he swallowed a few times.

Ever since he was severely injured, he, a Great Cultivator at Late-Stage Qi Cultivation, had fallen on hard times trying to heal himself. He had dejectedly moved out of a Grade B Upper Mansion and into this small courtyard on Lark Street.

He hadn’t been to an Immortal Tavern like the Jingyun Inn in many years.

...

A month passed.

Wei Tu and Immortal Master Wuk gradually grew familiar with each other, frequently visiting one another’s homes.

Seeing no hope for his own path of Cultivation, and after enjoying several good meals at Wei Tu’s expense, Immortal Master Wuk frankly told Wei Tu to go ahead and "monopolize" the courtyard’s Cultivation Room, without worrying about his feelings.