Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

...

The Huang Clan Territory was built halfway up Cloud Crane Mountain, resembling a fortified city. In terms of scale, it was no smaller than Danqiu Mountain.

Just like on Danqiu Mountain, the base of the mountain was covered in vast Spirit Fields cultivated by Huang Family Members, where they grew Spirit Valley and some Low-Tier Spiritual Materials.

The summit was dotted with several Cave Mansions, each one grand and luxurious.

Wei Tu guessed that the Cave Mansions on the summit must be the residences of the Hee Mountain Huang Family's Golden Core Masters.

The only difference between Cloud Crane Mountain and Danqiu Mountain was the presence of Mortals.

On his way from the Huang Clan Territory entrance to the Clan Affairs Hall, Wei Tu saw many Mortals of the Hee Mountain Huang Family walking the streets, going about their daily lives.

It had the lively, bustling atmosphere of the Mortal World.

"Unlike Immortal Sects, a family doesn't segregate immortals and mortals. These Mortals are our blood relatives."

Huang Changkong explained.

"Cousin? Cousin Wei?" As Wei Tu followed the flow of people across the street, he suddenly heard a familiar voice calling him from behind.

Upon hearing the words "Cousin Wei," Wei Tu was certain someone was calling for him.

He stopped and looked back.

Four or five steps away, an old man in his seventies was pulling a simple-looking young man along as he hurried after him.

"Huang Peng?" Wei Tu studied the old man for a few moments. Combining that with the way the man had addressed him, he finally remembered who he was.

'I never would have thought... that the Huang Family from the Qingshan County Town and the Hee Mountain Huang Family... were actually related by blood...'

Wei Tu mused to himself.

Huang Peng was none other than the son of his cousin, Huang Yuanshan.

Back when he was a Military Officer in the mortal world, his second aunt, Wei Hong, had often brought her grandson Huang Peng to visit the Wei Mansion to maintain their connection.

She visited constantly, through spring and summer.

Because of this, over time, he had developed a strong impression of his nephew, Huang Peng.

Now, Huang Peng had appeared in the Hee Mountain Huang Family's territory.

He didn't need to guess to know that Huang Peng must be a descendant of the Hee Mountain Huang Family who had, for some reason, come to Cloud Crane Mountain.

"Cousin Wei, I'm not mistaken, it really is you! What are you doing at the Huang Family's estate?"

Huang Peng's voice was filled with astonishment.

As far as he knew, the Huang Family, a Golden Core Family, had always forbidden outsiders from entering.

The only exceptions were Cultivators invited by the family.

But... the only Cultivators the Huang Family would invite were Foundation Establishment Masters. Qi Cultivators simply didn't qualify.

'Wei Tu reached Foundation Establishment by the age of one hundred?'

The thought seemed impossible to Huang Peng.

When their families had gone their separate ways, Wei Tu was already over forty. It couldn't be possible for him to break through to Foundation Establishment and become a Foundation Establishment Master in a mere sixty years.

"What's this? Fellow Daoist Wei is related to one of my Huang Family's Mortals?" Huang Changkong, who was standing to the side, was quite surprised by the scene.

He had just been thinking about introducing Huang Caiyu to Wei Tu to arrange a marriage alliance, which would bind Wei Tu firmly to the Hee Mountain Huang Family's chariot.

He never imagined that Wei Tu already had a marital tie to their Huang Family.

"Back in the mortal world, my second aunt married into the Huang Family and became a Concubine..."

Wei Tu explained the connection.

"Ah... so that's the reason." Upon hearing this, Huang Changkong laughed heartily and proceeded to explain to Wei Tu why Huang Peng was on Cloud Crane Mountain.

The reason was quite simple.

It was related to the war between the Qiyue Zhao Family and the Chisong Jia Family all those years ago.

The Hee Mountain Huang Family had always been on good terms with the Qiyue Zhao Family; the two families were in an Alliance.

To prevent the Chisong Jia Family from harming their descendants in Shannan Dao, the Hee Mountain Huang Family had dispatched Cultivators to relocate their scattered descendants back to Cloud Crane Mountain and resettle them.

As it happened, Wei Tu's uncle-in-law, "Master Huang," was a descendant of the Hee Mountain Huang Family and was on the list of those to be relocated.

"Grandmother's Spiritual Position is at our home. If you have time, Cousin Wei, you can come and pay your respects."

Huang Peng suppressed his excitement and spoke up after Wei Tu and Huang Changkong had finished their conversation.

He had gathered from Huang Changkong's words that Wei Tu's current status was that of a Foundation Establishment Master—an existence he could only look up to on Cloud Crane Mountain.

"Of course."

Wei Tu nodded.

He and his second aunt, Wei Hong, had reconciled long ago.

Paying respects to an elder was only right and proper.

"This is my home address. You're welcome to visit anytime, Cousin Wei." Seizing the opportunity, Huang Peng leaned forward and offered Wei Tu a small wooden plaque with both hands.

Wei Tu took the wooden plaque and said, "Alright," accepting the invitation.

"Chengfu."

"Quickly, call him Great-Uncle."

Huang Peng then kicked the simple-looking young man standing beside him and scolded him.

They hadn't seen each other in over sixty years.

The familial bond had grown distant.

If they didn't seize this chance to acknowledge the connection now, they might never get another one.

"Great-Uncle..."

Huang Chengfu knelt on the ground and performed a grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows to Wei Tu.

Seeing this, Wei Tu was filled with emotion.

Over eighty years ago, his cousin Huang Yuanshan had been ashamed to acknowledge him as family because he was a Servant. Even after Wei Tu became a Military Officer, Huang Yuanshan had been reluctant to recognize their kinship.

But now,

Huang Yuanshan's son and grandson were desperately trying to claim him as family, afraid he would refuse.

'The twists and turns of life are truly unpredictable.'

he thought.

A moment later, after Huang Chengfu completed the grand ceremony, Wei Tu gave a sound of acknowledgment, officially recognizing his family ties to this branch of the Huang Family once more.

Even setting aside his affection for his second aunt, Wei Hong, the simple fact that he was now a Tributor for the Hee Mountain Huang Family meant... he couldn't refuse this connection.

By acknowledging this kinship, he was no longer a stranger in the eyes of the Hee Mountain Huang Family Cultivators, but an "in-law" with established ties to the family.

"A family reunion after so many years apart—this is a joyous occasion."

Huang Changkong said with a laugh.

Meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land is one of life's four great joys.

This time, the old acquaintance Wei Tu had met was not just any old friend, but a relative from his past.

...

After bidding farewell to Huang Peng and his son, Huang Changkong continued to lead the way, taking Wei Tu to the Clan Affairs Hall to handle his registration and other miscellaneous matters.

"Sacrificial Hall."

An hour later, Wei Tu left the Clan Affairs Hall and made his way to the "Sacrificial Hall," where the Huang Family's Tributors resided.

Like the Clan Affairs Hall, the Sacrificial Hall was also located in the core area of Cloud Crane Mountain, where the Spiritual Qi density was close to that of a Tier Two Middle-Grade Spirit Vein.

"Are you Talisman Master Wei?"

Just as Wei Tu reached the entrance, a Female Cultivator in a pink dress emerged from the Sacrificial Hall and gave him a slight bow.

"I am Huang Yu'er, the Steward of the Sacrificial Hall. I am responsible for handling the daily affairs of Talisman Master Wei and the other Elders."

Huang Yu'er introduced herself.

The Sacrificial Hall was a large complex with a front courtyard and a rear courtyard.

The rear area was divided into five smaller courtyards.

Wei Tu glanced over and saw that three of the five courtyards had Arrays activated, so he knew they were already occupied.

'Those must be the residences of the Hee Mountain Huang Family's other three Tributors,' he thought.

"Talisman Master Wei, you may choose either of the remaining courtyards to live in."

"After you've settled in, if you need any furniture or other items, you can just let me know."

Huang Yu'er paused and said.

"As for the other three Tributors, there will be a clan exchange conference in three years. They will come out of Seclusion for it, and at that time... Talisman Master Wei will be able to interact with them..."

Noticing Wei Tu's curiosity about the other three Tributors, Huang Yu'er added this.

'An exchange conference in three years?'

Wei Tu mentally noted the date.

"I'll choose this one." Wei Tu pointed to the more secluded of the two remaining small courtyards.

Whether it was for Talisman Painting or Cultivation, he needed a quiet environment.

"Since you will be living here, Talisman Master Wei, you may give the courtyard a new name."

Huang Yu'er reminded him.

Renaming the courtyard helped enhance a Tributor's sense of belonging—a lesson the Hee Mountain Huang Family had learned over a thousand years.

"There's no need."

Wei Tu shook his head, declining the offer.

He pointed to the courtyard's plaque and said with a smile, "This 'Talisman Heart Residence' was likely left by the previous Talisman Master the Huang Family recruited. The name is quite good; there's no need to change it."

The name Talisman Heart Residence would serve as a constant reminder of the consequences of slacking in his Cultivation—to wither away and die of old age, just like the previous Talisman Master of the 'Talisman Heart Residence'.

Wei Tu had no intention of spending his entire life with the Hee Mountain Huang Family, only to die of old age on Cloud Crane Mountain.