Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

After considering all this, Wei Tu felt a surge of excitement.

Kou Hongying was confident she could break through to Qi Cultivation Perfection within twenty years. His own circumstances weren’t as good as hers, but even if it took him longer—say, thirty years—he would still be far ahead of most Independent Cultivators.

After all, over ninety percent of Independent Cultivators only reached Foundation Establishment after their hundredth year.

’However, this all hinges on one thing... I have to get a Foundation Establishment Pill immediately after reaching Qi Cultivation Perfection to break through...’

Wei Tu calmed down.

For Independent Cultivators, Qi Cultivation was easy, but Foundation Establishment Pills were hard to come by.

Even if he cultivated to Qi Cultivation Perfection within twenty years like Kou Hongying, it would be useless without a Foundation Establishment Pill.

’The Supreme Profound Sect has a rule: any Independent Cultivator with two Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects can go to their office and exchange them for a Foundation Establishment Pill.’

’I signed a Spirit Contract with Kou Hongying. Within twenty years of her reaching Foundation Establishment, I’ll receive one Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object from her...’

’Now, I just need one more.’

Wei Tu mused to himself.

This was precisely why he had insisted Kou Hongying sign a Spirit Contract during their gathering, promising a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object as repayment.

Even back then, he had been planning his path to Foundation Establishment for when he reached Qi Cultivation Perfection.

’As for the other Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object...’

Wei Tu’s gaze shifted, landing on the shantytown several miles away.

He remembered Alchemist Wang mentioning that Gong Shulan possessed a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object.

It was that very Spiritual Object that had led to Alchemist Wang’s death at the hands of Geng Wen.

’If I get the chance, I must take it!’

Wei Tu made his decision.

He was no longer the same Innate Martial Artist who had first set foot on Danqiu Mountain.

There was no longer any need to fear the trouble that might come from getting involved with Gong Shulan.

...

「A few days later.」

Wei Tu came out of seclusion.

His two neighbors on Lark Street came out of their houses, carrying gifts to congratulate him.

Besides Helian Xiong and Tong Peipei, Fu Zhizhou was also there to offer congratulations.

Apparently, Fu Zhizhou had received a letter from Helian Xiong and rushed over.

"Congratulations, Third Brother, on reaching the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer."

Fu Zhizhou said with a smile.

The chorus of congratulations filled the Lark Street courtyard with a warm and cheerful atmosphere.

"Today, I’ll be the host. Please, allow me to treat you all at Jingyun Inn."

Wei Tu smiled and cupped his hands.

After speaking, he placed the three gifts inside his house, locked the door, and then led the three of them towards Jingyun Inn.

"Fellow Daoist Helian, this sweet and sour carp is delicious. You should try some."

At the banquet, Tong Peipei suddenly raised her chopsticks and picked up a piece of fish for Helian Xiong.

Wei Tu, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow.

As an "old monster" who had entered the Cultivation Realm from the mortal world, he could tell at a glance that Tong Peipei had special feelings for Helian Xiong.

’What a pity...’

’She pines for him, but he remains unmoved.’

Wei Tu glanced at Helian Xiong again. Seeing the slight impatience on his face, he shook his head.

Soon, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, and the party broke up.

"Fourth Brother, how is that formula Pharmacist Chen gave you working out?"

On the road, Wei Tu walked up to Fu Zhizhou, who had fallen behind the others, patted him on the shoulder, and asked.

Back at the courtyard, Wei Tu had noticed the disappointment on Fu Zhizhou’s face, but he hadn’t asked about it because it wasn’t the right time or place.

Wei Tu could guess the reason for Fu Zhizhou’s disappointment.

After all, for the past twenty-plus years since they entered the Cultivation Realm, Fu Zhizhou’s cultivation had always been ahead of his.

When he was at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, Fu Zhizhou was already at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, just one step away from Late-Stage Qi Cultivation.

Yet, five or six years had passed, and now their cultivation levels were equal. Wei Tu even had a chance to reach the Late-Stage Qi Cultivation before him.

Wei Tu reckoned that if he were in Fu Zhizhou’s shoes, he’d probably be a bit down as well.

As for Pharmacist Chen, he was an old pharmacist from Jingshui Pavilion that Kou Hongying had found for Fu Zhizhou using her connections.

"Pharmacist Chen prepared an elixir for me. With the elixir, if I polish my cultivation for another four or five years, I should be able to overcome this bottleneck."

Fu Zhizhou forced a smile.

He wasn’t jealous of Wei Tu’s breakthrough; after all, he had always witnessed Wei Tu’s arduous cultivation.

In the end, it was his own greed for quick results that had led him to this bottleneck.

"That’s good."

Wei Tu nodded.

At this, Wei Tu thought for a moment, then said comfortingly, "Fourth Brother, you’re two years younger than me. In three or four years, maybe you’ll still be ahead of me and reach the Late-Stage Qi Cultivation first."

"What Third Brother says makes sense." Fu Zhizhou regained his confidence upon hearing this. He smiled and said, "You and I, brothers, will enter the Late-Stage Qi Cultivation together."

The two of them walked and talked.

Soon, they arrived at the Lark Street courtyard.

They entered.

Wei Tu’s gaze shifted, and he saw an unexpected guest at his door.

"Talisman Master Wei!"

"You’re only just getting back now? You’ve kept this Commandery Princess waiting for quite a while."

Zhao Qingluo’s brows knitted with impatience.

She remembered that Wei Tu was always holed up in this small courtyard cultivating, so she hadn’t given any advance notice and just showed up at his door.

But she never expected to find him out.

Wei Tu was already immune to Zhao Qingluo’s lack of courtesy. He cupped his hands and asked, "What important matter brings Princess Qingluo to see me this time?"

Two years ago, on his way back to Danqiu Mountain, he had inquired about the specific details of the war between the two major mortal powers, the Feng Dynasty and the Zheng Country Court.

The two countries had stopped fighting. The Feng Dynasty was defeated and forced to cede a prefecture’s worth of territory.

Since the two mortal powers had ceased hostilities and made peace, Wei Tu estimated that the Qiyue Zhao Family and the Chisong Jia Family must have also reached some kind of agreement and stopped fighting.

After all, no matter how powerful a Golden Core Family was, it couldn’t sustain the costs of a prolonged war.

Therefore, Wei Tu didn’t quite understand why Zhao Qingluo was looking for him this time.

The previous few times Zhao Qingluo had personally come to buy his talismans, it was because so many Zhao Family Members had been mobilized for the war that they were short-handed, so they sent her.

"A few days ago, among the officials who defected from the Feng Dynasty, there was one named Shan Xianshou. It is said he is related to you..."

Zhao Qingluo’s brows bristled. She slapped her Storage Bag, produced a letter, and sent it flying into Wei Tu’s hand with a flick of her wrist.

"Shan Xianshou?"

Wei Tu was stunned for a moment.

He searched his memory and finally remembered that Shan Xianshou was the grandson of his master, Shan Wuju, and the legitimate son of Shan Yanggong.

After Shan Wuju passed away, Shan Yanggong moved to Sanyuan Town and lived in the Shan Mansion within the Shan Family Stronghold, no longer returning to the Prefecture City.

When the Rebel King’s army was about to attack Qingfeng Prefecture City, he had considered moving the Shan Family along with his own family.

But Shan Yanggong couldn’t bear to part with his ancestral estate and refused him.

Later...

After entering the Cultivation Realm, the establishment of the Feng Dynasty obstructed travel, and he gradually lost contact with Shan Yanggong.

More than twenty years had passed.

Wei Tu never expected to see a letter from Shan Xianshou in the Cultivation Realm, delivered by Zhao Qingluo’s hand.

"This person is a descendant of my mortal martial arts master. I ask Princess Qingluo to instruct the Court to pardon him."

Wei Tu took the letter, gave it a quick read, then cupped his hands to Zhao Qingluo and spoke.

At this moment, his impression of Zhao Qingluo changed slightly. The woman wasn’t completely arrogant and unapproachable.

Although, for Zhao Qingluo, delivering the letter was just a small errand, it was still a considerate gesture.

In the eyes of many cultivators, mortals were no different from pigs, to say nothing of a Celestial Pride from a Cultivation Family like Zhao Qingluo.

"It’s a small matter."

Zhao Qingluo nodded in agreement, then turned, ready to leave.

"You’ve broken through to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer?" Zhao Qingluo stopped in her tracks and sized Wei Tu up again, her tone slightly surprised.

She remembered that a few years ago, Wei Tu’s cultivation was only at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, with no progress whatsoever.

How had he advanced two whole layers after just a few years?

"I switched cultivation techniques a few years ago and focused on the Talisman Dao, so my progress was delayed a bit," Wei Tu said evasively.

He guessed that his realm had not yet fully stabilized, which allowed Zhao Qingluo to see his current cultivation level.

"What I said a few years ago still stands. If Talisman Master Wei is willing, with your current cultivation and rank as a Talisman Master, you are qualified to join my Qiyue Zhao Family as a matrilocal husband."

Zhao Qingluo brought up the old matter again.

Her tone was calm, as if she truly believed that becoming a matrilocal husband of the Qiyue Zhao Family was a "reward" for Wei Tu.

After all, although the status of a matrilocal husband was low, it depended on which family you married into.

A matrilocal husband of the Qiyue Zhao Family, while not equal in status to the direct sons and grandsons of the Zhao family, was still much better off than those from the concubine lineages.

In terms of external status, they were second only to disciples of the Immortal Sects.

"Thank you for the Commandery Princess’s kind offer."

"I am unwilling."

Wei Tu’s words were brief, a direct refusal.

"What a pity." Zhao Qingluo sighed, turned, and left without trying to persuade him any further.

...

After Zhao Qingluo left, Wei Tu collected his thoughts, returned to his room, and sat cross-legged to continue stabilizing his cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.

He was an old hand in the Cultivation Realm now; he knew what a great opportunity Zhao Qingluo’s "matrilocal husband" offer was.

The Qiyue Zhao Family was a Golden Core Family. Its internal system was similar to that of an Immortal Sect; as long as one earned enough Contribution Points, they had a chance to exchange them for a Foundation Establishment Pill from the family.

This was a golden opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single step.

However, Wei Tu had his own considerations.

He didn’t think the Qiyue Zhao Family’s Foundation Establishment Pills were that easy to obtain, especially for a foreigner like him.

Furthermore, if he became a member of the Zhao Family, he would lose the freedom of an Independent Cultivator. He would also have to hand over a corresponding share of his earnings from Talisman Painting to the Qiyue Zhao Family.

...

「After his cultivation stabilized.」

Wei Tu began to work on the first sect mission Kou Hongying had given him—to create one hundred Tier One Lower-Grade Earthquake Talismans.

The Earthquake Talisman was a Lower-Grade talisman.

With Wei Tu’s current skill in the Talisman Dao, he could master its creation with just a few months of practice.

In three months, Wei Tu had painted fifteen Earthquake Talismans. He bundled them up, placed them in an envelope, and prepared to send them to the Danqiu Mountain post station to be dispatched to Bai Shihu Marketplace.

"Fellow Daoist Wei, perfect timing. There’s a letter for you."

The station steward saw Wei Tu, called out to him with a cheerful laugh, and handed him a letter.

"A letter?" Wei Tu took the letter. When he saw the "Jingshui Pavilion" seal branded on it, his expression hardened.

—Kou Hongying rarely sent him letters.

"Big Brother... is gone?"

After opening the letter, Wei Tu was only halfway through when a look of sorrow washed over his face.