Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

For that reason alone.

It was impossible for Wei Tu to marry Liuu Yun.

"If you don’t want to, you don’t want to. Why get so angry?" Liuu Yun pouted.

She had been startled by the cold look and Evil Qi that had come from Wei Tu just now.

After seeing Wei Tu out, Liuu Yun glanced at his departing back and speculated maliciously, "Is that man Wei impotent or something? He’s been a widower for so long and I’ve never seen him find a woman to blow off some steam."

She was more than confident in her own looks.

...

「A few days later.」

Liuu Yun moved away.

Upon hearing the news, Tong Peipei completed the rental procedures the very next day and moved into the small courtyard on Lark Street, becoming Wei Tu’s neighbor.

Regarding Tong Peipei’s arrival, Wei Tu put on a cold expression, seemingly still holding a grudge over how she had slightly scammed him a few years ago. In reality, however, he was happy to have her.

Compared to the noisy quarrels of Alchemist Wang and his wife, and the probing, murderous intent from "Yuchi Yu"... his minor conflict with Tong Peipei, a fellow professional, was nothing.

"Yesterday, the Law Enforcement Team punished Gong Shulan for her part in Alchemist Wang’s murder. According to the coroner’s autopsy, Alchemist Wang didn’t die from ’death by overexertion in bed,’ but his death is still inextricably linked to Gong Shulan..."

"Gong Shulan said Alchemist Wang’s injury was related to Zhao Qingluo."

In the Lark Street courtyard, Tong Peipei and Hu Yao sat by the stone table where Wei Tu and Immortal Master Wuk used to sit, discussing Danqiu Mountain’s punishment for Gong Shulan regarding Alchemist Wang’s death.

"Zhao Qingluo is such a big shot. How could she possibly be involved with Alchemist Wang?"

Tong Peipei was skeptical.

Hu Yao pondered for a moment, then glanced toward Wei Tu’s room. "According to Gong Shulan’s testimony, it seems to be related to Fellow Daoist Wei."

She then added an explanation, "The Chisong Jia Family and the Qiyue Zhao Family, two major Cultivation Families, have gone to war. A while back... Zhao Qingluo came to Danqiu Mountain to purchase a batch of Talismans, Elixirs, and Magical Artifacts."

"Now, Fellow Daoist Wei has been pushed into the spotlight. I estimate it won’t be more than a few days before the Law Enforcement Team comes to question him."

Hu Yao said.

...

He closed the door and windows again.

The sound of Hu Yao and Tong Peipei’s conversation outside grew fainter.

’Fellow Daoist Hu is reminding me to make preparations as soon as possible, so I won’t be at a complete loss when I’m called in by the Law Enforcement Team...’

Wei Tu mused.

At this thought, he couldn’t help but shake his head and give a bitter smile.

Because he had deliberately distanced himself from Hu Yao years ago, she basically never visited him anymore.

This warning today was her deliberately using her conversation with Tong Peipei to inform him.

’Fellow Daoist Hu is a good person.’

Wei Tu mentally filed her into the "good person" category.

But after mentally categorizing her, Wei Tu had no intention of running off to "repair their relationship."

His reduced contact with Hu Yao wasn’t because he disliked her. A much larger reason... was to avoid suspicion.

He had to prevent Hu Yao’s "patron" from noticing him.

’These Spirit Stones I just got my hands on, and now I have to spend them on smoothing things over.’

Wei Tu pried open a floorboard under his bed and glanced at the neat stack of over one hundred and thirty Spirit Stones, feeling quite reluctant to part with them.

These Spirit Stones were the fruits of four years of Talisman Painting, and even included the twenty-Spirit-Stone deposit from Zhao Qingluo.

After a few sighs, Wei Tu took out a dozen or so Spirit Stones, put them on his person, and proactively headed out to find the Danqiu Mountain Law Enforcement Team.

...

「Evening.」

When Wei Tu returned, more than half of his Spirit Stones were gone, and he smelled of alcohol.

He drew a bucket of water from the well, washed his face, and once he felt clear-headed, he resumed his Talisman Painting.

But after painting for a short while, he felt a stifling anger rising in his chest. So, he took out the blank book he used for recording grudges and, below the name "Tong Peipei," added two more words: "Geng Wen."

Although he hadn’t fully investigated whether Geng Wen was truly responsible for this mess, it didn’t stop him from pinning the blame on him.

’As the saying goes.’

’He who is unjust is doomed to destruction.’

’Geng Wen is only at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, a mere Tier One Middle-Grade Alchemist. Acting so smugly, it’s only a matter of time before he ends up dead.’

Wei Tu put down his brush and sneered.

Walk by the river long enough, and your shoes are bound to get wet.

It was Hu Yao who had first told him about Geng Wen’s situation. He refused to believe that the other Cultivators in the Danqiu Mountain Marketplace hadn’t noticed Geng Wen’s "abnormalities."

He figured those people were just like him: hiding what they knew, lying in wait for the right moment to deliver a fatal blow to Geng Wen.

’Time to cultivate first.’

After recording his grudge, Wei Tu’s mind gradually calmed. He sat cross-legged, held two Spirit Stones in his hands, and slowly absorbed the Spiritual Qi within.

’The Geomagnetic Wood Spirit Seed has changed?’

After cultivating for about an hour, Wei Tu stared in astonishment at the Geomagnetic Wood Spirit Seed in his Dantian.

He saw that around the soybean-sized Spirit Seed, a layer of hazy gray light was gradually forming with his every breath.

’Could it be...’

Seeing this, Wei Tu recalled the passage in the Little Spring and Autumn Technique that hinted at the Geomagnetic Wood’s "transformation," and his heart began to pound.

According to the Little Spring and Autumn Technique, once he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, the Geomagnetic Wood Spirit Seed would produce "Geomagnetic Primordial Light."

"Geomagnetic Primordial Light" possessed Geomagnetic Power. In addition to being able to achieve the Object Control effect of a Cultivator’s Guardian Map Divine Sense, it could also suppress any Magical Artifact containing metal.

If the Geomagnetic Primordial Light became powerful enough, it could even suppress other Five Elements Spiritual Objects.

’If I can master a Foundation Establishment Stage Divine Technique while still in the Qi Cultivation Stage, then these fifteen years of waiting won’t have been in vain!’

A joyful expression appeared on Wei Tu’s face.

He calmed himself and used his Guardian Map Divine Sense to carefully draw the "Geomagnetic Primordial Light" from around the Spirit Seed and guide it out of his body.

「A moment later.」

A faint gray color tinged Wei Tu’s fingertip. His gaze sharpened as he looked at the few Earth Spike Talismans on the table.