Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

After tying up the loose ends, Wei Tu returned to the valley where Zhao Qingluo lay and placed the Storage Bag, embroidered with the character "Zhao," beside her.

Inside Zhao Qingluo’s Storage Bag, aside from the Foundation Establishment Pill, were two Magical Artifacts, over thirty Middle-Grade Spirit Stones, more than two hundred Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, and some miscellaneous items.

The total value added up to at least a thousand Spirit Stones.

But Wei Tu had no intention of greedily taking these remaining items.

There were three reasons.

First, taking the Foundation Establishment Pill was repayment for her saving his life—a justifiable exchange.

But if he took the entire Storage Bag, it would be tantamount to robbing her while she was vulnerable.

Once Zhao Qingluo woke up, it could easily push her to extremes, turning her into a mortal enemy.

—Although some miscellaneous items were not monetarily valuable, they could hold other kinds of value to their original owner.

It’s always best not to burn bridges.

He had already taken the most urgently needed and precious item—the Foundation Establishment Pill. There was no need to invite more trouble and risk for the other treasures in the Storage Bag.

Second, he was a Talisman Master, and the Spirit Stones he normally earned were sufficient for his daily Cultivation.

While in the Qi Refining Realm, the only thing he lacked was this single Foundation Establishment Pill.

For him, resources that couldn’t be immediately converted into strength offered no benefit whatsoever, only additional risk.

He possessed the Late Bloomer Destiny Chart and could grow stronger in a stable manner. Why should he create unnecessary obstacles and place himself in peril for some paltry profit?

Third, the Storage Bags and Magical Artifacts belonging to someone from a Major Influence were not so easy to take.

They often contained Positioning Arrays left by the Major Influence.

Right now, Zhao Qingluo had been ambushed, yet the Cultivators of the Qiyue Zhao Family hadn’t immediately come to search for or rescue her. This was only because four days was too short a time. Once she was missing for longer, there was no telling what might happen.

Finally, there was one more point.

He had left the so-called "master’s inscription" on the valley wall to create a smokescreen and divert suspicion to someone else.

If you’re going to put on a show, you have to go all the way.

A Cultivator capable of killing Blood Elder Demon and Geng Wen would, by logical deduction, have to be above the Qi Refining Realm—and a Cultivator of that caliber wouldn’t stoop to coveting such a small profit.

In other words, very few Qi Cultivation Realm Cultivators would have the resolve to abandon such a large fortune.

Therefore, taking only the Foundation Establishment Pill while leaving the rest of the valuables was the safest, least risky option for Wei Tu.

...

After placing the Storage Bag down, Wei Tu didn’t leave immediately.

He used an Earth Escape Talisman to hide underground about five zhang away, monitoring Zhao Qingluo to see her reaction upon waking.

’If she flies into a rage out of shame and resentment...’

Then for his own safety, Wei Tu would have no choice but to be ruthless and eliminate her immediately.

At that time, any and all hesitation would be cast aside.

Time passed.

「One day later.」

Under Wei Tu’s surveillance, Zhao Qingluo, who lay in the valley, finally woke up. She first checked herself over. Seeing that her clothes were still intact and her body was free of any anticipated "impurities," she breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, Zhao Qingluo saw the Storage Bag placed beside her and the line of text inscribed on the rock wall.

Zhao Qingluo stared blankly for a moment, then murmured, "What a relief." She then sat down cross-legged and began to restore her Magical Power, seemingly unconcerned about the lost Foundation Establishment Pill.

Seeing this, Wei Tu nodded inwardly. He concealed his aura and stealthily crept out of the valley. He only revealed his tracks after he was more than ten li away.

Because of the Sky-Splitting Carving, Wei Tu did not immediately rush back to Danqiu Mountain.

He left the Sky-Splitting Carving in the Yaolang Mountain Range, instructing it to hide its tracks well, and only then did he return to Danqiu Mountain.

The Spirit Beast Bag, used for carrying a Spirit Beast, is a type of Space Artifact, much like a Storage Bag.

However, because it can hold living creatures, its price is usually several times that of a Storage Bag.

Generally speaking, only a Foundation Establishment Master would have the wealth to purchase a rather "impractical" Spirit Beast Bag for their Spirit Beast.

「After returning to his small courtyard on Lark Street.」

Wei Tu bolted the door and took out the two Storage Bags he was carrying.

One of the Storage Bags was from Blood Elder Demon, and the other was from Geng Wen.

Wei Tu’s Guardian Map Divine Sense probed Geng Wen’s Storage Bag. Seeing the corners of the space within starting to collapse, he thought, ’What a pity,’ and hastily used his Guardian Map Divine Sense to pull out all the items one by one.

A Storage Bag is a Magical Artifact and isn’t easily destroyed. However, Geng Wen had detonated his Divine Sense Mark before dying, causing irreparable damage to the bag’s internal space.

Wei Tu estimated that the space inside Geng Wen’s Storage Bag would last a month at most before it completely collapsed.

’But there’s an upside!’

’That old fox Geng Wen didn’t want to leave any spoils of war for me, so he detonated his Divine Sense Mark before dying... but that, in turn, let me open his Storage Bag almost effortlessly.’

A smile appeared on Wei Tu’s face.

This time, Geng Wen’s cleverness had backfired.

If Geng Wen hadn’t detonated the Divine Sense Mark inside, with Wei Tu’s level of strength, it probably would have taken him several days to open the Storage Bag.

By then, it would have been too late.

Unaware of the Aphrodisiac Powder’s effects, he most likely would have killed Zhao Qingluo, fled with her treasures, and become a hunted fugitive.

The chances of him being killed would have been very high.

Geng Wen detonating his Divine Sense Mark had, ironically, given him the opportunity to make a different choice.

’Aside from these seven Jade Scrolls and sixty-three Spirit Stones, Geng Wen didn’t have any other valuables.’

’Makes sense. He was making a desperate gamble by trying to rob and kill Zhao Qingluo. He wouldn’t have had any idle Spirit Stones lying around.’

Wei Tu took the seven Jade Scrolls he had selected back in the valley and laid them out on the table one by one.