Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

The two entered the living room.

Wei Tu played with Weii Fei's young daughter, Weii Xian'er, for a moment before stating his purpose for the visit.

"Last time, I promised you, Second Brother, a Demon Refining Talisman and the corresponding Demon Beast Essence Soul."

"This is the Essence Soul of a Tier Two Red-Eyed Snake..."

Wei Tu paused for a moment, took a jade bottle from his sleeve, and placed it on the table.

A High-Quality Demon Refining Talisman could catalyze a Tier One Demon Beast's Essence Soul to reach a pseudo-Tier Two state, but its effects were far inferior to a true Tier Two Demon Soul.

This time, however, he, Kou Hongying, and Fu Zhizhou had happened to hunt a genuine Tier Two Red-Eyed Snake. Its Demon Soul was Fire Attribute, just like Weii Fei, making it perfect for his Foundation Establishment.

"A Tier Two Demon Beast's Essence Soul." A wave of warmth washed over Weii Fei as he heard what Wei Tu's gift was, but it was accompanied by a jolt of shock.

A Tier Two Demon Beast's Essence Soul was incredibly rare. At the right auction, its price could rival that of a Foundation Condensation Pill.

"It was nothing, really."

Wei Tu shook his head, not taking credit.

'To expect him to risk his life hunting a Tier Two Demon Beast solely for Weii Fei's Foundation Establishment was impossible.'

'Hunting the Red-Eyed Snake was more for his own path.'_

"Even if it was just something you did on the side, it's an incredible gesture. Not many people in this world would do such a thing for someone else, Third Brother."

Weii Fei gripped the jade bottle tightly and said with emotion.

"A Demon Beast's Essence Soul will easily dissipate if not properly preserved. I suggest you begin the process for Foundation Establishment within the next few years, Second Brother," Wei Tu reminded him.

This was also one of the reasons he had decided to give the Tier Two Red-Eyed Snake's Essence Soul to Weii Fei.

'Even if he acted more selfishly and kept the Red-Eyed Snake's Essence Soul, it would be difficult to sell it for a high price or put it to its best use anytime soon.'

'Rather than that, it was better to honor his brotherhood and help Weii Fei this one time.'

Weii Fei nodded heavily, taking Wei Tu's advice.

As Wei Tu flew away from the Weii Mansion,

Weii Fei watched Wei Tu's Escape Light and bowed deeply, remaining that way for a long time.

...

「One month later.」

Wei Tu returned to Cloud Crane Mountain.

After returning to Cloud Crane Mountain, Wei Tu began to refine the Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid.

The Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid was not easy to refine.

Six months passed, yet Wei Tu had only managed to refine half a box of the Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid.

Moreover, during the refinement process, Wei Tu discovered that refining this item consumed an extreme amount of his Magical Power and mental energy, comparable to Talisman Painting.

However, thinking of the many benefits of the Primordial Forbidden, Wei Tu would immediately resume refining the Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid as soon as he recovered his Magical Power.

Time slowly flowed by.

In the blink of an eye, three years passed.

'It's finally done.'

'So this is the Primordial Magnetism Forbidden.'

After finishing the refinement of three boxes of the Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid, the Geomagnetic Primordial Light in Wei Tu's Dantian finally underwent a transformation.

The dusky gray Geomagnetic Primordial Light was now tinged with a faint, five-colored radiance.

This five-colored radiance flowed like water, moving according to Wei Tu's will and capable of taking on any form.

When Wei Tu stretched this radiance to its limit, he could see it was densely covered with all sorts of Mysterious Runes.

It was these Mysterious Runes that formed the natural prohibition known as the Primordial Forbidden.

'Wait, another line of text has appeared on the "Late Bloomer" Destiny Chart.'

Just as Wei Tu was about to withdraw the Primordial Forbidden, he saw a line of text appear on his Golden Purple Destiny Chart.

And this line of text was related to the Primordial Forbidden.

"Primordial Forbidden (1/100): Meditate for five hours a day, and it will be complete in five hundred years."

The Primordial Forbidden was not a Cultivation Technique, so Wei Tu didn't know what "complete in five hundred years" meant. He could only guess it was a higher form of the Primordial Forbidden that would emerge after further transformation.

However, the preceding phrase, "Meditate for five hours a day," instantly gave Wei Tu an idea.

He sat cross-legged and immediately activated the Little Spring and Autumn Technique, absorbing Spiritual Qi from the outside world.

Sure enough, it was just as he had guessed.

Every time he circulated the Little Spring and Autumn Technique, the Primordial Forbidden within him grew slightly. Although this increase was minuscule—far less than what was produced by refining the Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid—over days and months, this amount would accumulate into a terrifying figure.

Wei Tu could already imagine the scene when he faced an enemy with a Primordial Forbidden Light of Ten Thousand Jins or even a Million Jins.

The moment the Primordial Forbidden Light appeared, the force of Ten Thousand Jins would press down on his enemy, probably crushing them into a bloody mist and scattering them into dust instantly.

'I'll refine the remaining Iron Magnetic Spirit Liquid in a few years. There's no hurry for now.'

Wei Tu flicked his sleeve, opened the door to the Cultivation Room, and walked out.

In one more year, it would be the Hee Mountain Huang Family's gathering, which was held once every eight years.

He still needed to complete the commissioned orders from the last gathering.

He had originally completed a portion of these orders, but during his demon hunt, they were mostly lost or used up.

'Two letters?'

As soon as he left the Cultivation Room, Wei Tu saw two letters sitting on a small table by the door.

The two letters were covered in a layer of dust.

He brushed off the dust and looked at the first letter.

The first letter was from Wei Yan.

Wei Tu opened the letter and began to read.

In the letter, Wei Yan mentioned her and Wei Xiuwen's cultivation progress, as well as some minor recent events in the Bai Shihu Marketplace.

Regarding their cultivation,

Wei Yan had now broken through to the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer after consuming the Spiritual Almond that Fu Lin had sent as a gift.

As for Wei Xiuwen, he was now highly regarded by Mei Yuanfeng because of Wei Tu's successful Foundation Establishment. Although he hadn't consumed a Spiritual Almond, his cultivation was on par with Wei Yan's, having reached the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer six months ago.

At the end of the letter, Wei Yan mentioned that Fu Lin had once sent her a letter asking about her marital status.

...

The second letter was from Weii Fei.

The date on the envelope showed it had been sent a year ago.

'Looks like fortune smiled upon Second Brother, and he succeeded in his Foundation Establishment.' Wei Tu smiled, opening the letter with anticipation.

'Without a Foundation Establishment Pill to protect the heart's meridians, a Cultivator who fails the breakthrough would most likely die a violent death, making it impossible for them to write a letter. Therefore, seeing this letter from Weii Fei, Wei Tu was certain that his Second Brother must have succeeded.'

However—

When Wei Tu opened the letter, the smile on his face slowly faded, eventually replaced by a long sigh.

Weii Fei had indeed not died during his Foundation Establishment attempt.

But he hadn't succeeded, either.

Instead, against all odds, he had broken through to the realm beyond the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer—the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer.

This realm was similar in concept to the "Fake Pill" of a Fake Pill Cultivator, only it was even rarer.

For a moment, Wei Tu didn't know whether Weii Fei's failure was a blessing or a curse.

It was a blessing because he hadn't died during the breakthrough.

It was a curse because he had failed, and a lifetime of savings had turned to dust.

Furthermore, there was another tragic aspect.

That was—a Weii Fei at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer could no longer use a Foundation Condensation Pill or the Demon Soul Foundation Establishment Technique to break through. If he wanted to reach Foundation Establishment, he could only rely on the effects of a Foundation Establishment Pill.

If Weii Fei had succeeded, the damage to his heart's meridians during the process would have been fully healed upon a successful breakthrough.

But because he had failed, these Hidden Injuries remained in his heart's meridians. Taking a Foundation Condensation Pill to try again would be no different from swallowing a fatal poison.

'The one who fell behind this time...'

'...is Second Brother.'

Putting away the letter, Wei Tu sighed.

If nothing unexpected happened,

Weii Fei's path of cultivation would end at the Qi Refining Realm.

"Foundation Establishment Pills are hard to come by" was no exaggeration. Even a Foundation Establishment Master would find it difficult to obtain one.

And even if he managed to get a Foundation Establishment Pill,

his first consideration would be his own son and daughter, not Weii Fei.