Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

On the battlefield, Zhao Pengqi was soon left alone to face the Jia Family Cultivators’ wrath.

"Qingluo, your uncle will hold them off! Go, now! Don’t look back! Once their blood burning ends, come back and avenge me."

Coughing up blood from his injuries, Zhao Pengqi glanced at Zhao Qingluo, who was providing support nearby. He took a step forward, intercepting an attack from another Jia Family Cultivator meant for her, and spoke.

"Uncle!" Tears welled in Zhao Qingluo’s eyes. After a stunned glance at Zhao Pengqi, she clenched her teeth and fled down the other side of the corridor.

This was the opposite direction from where Master Qin and his disciple had gone.

But it was, however, precisely the direction where Wei Tu was hiding.

When he saw Zhao Qingluo flying toward him, Wei Tu’s mind went blank. Without a moment to think, he hurriedly scattered the Tier Two Talismans he had prepared onto the passageway on his side to guard against the pursuing Jia Family Cultivators.

"Wei Tu?" Zhao Qingluo’s expression shifted when she saw the Talismans suddenly appear in the corridor. Just as she was about to dodge, she spotted Wei Tu hiding off to the side. She froze for a moment, and her Escape Light faltered.

"Stop staring and follow me." Out of friendship, Wei Tu called out to Zhao Qingluo before quickly taking off, speeding toward the Medicinal Field.

Their two Escape Lights flew on, one following the other.

Four or five breaths later, the two Jia Family Cultivators, having finished off Zhao Pengqi, gave chase.

Just then, the Talismans Wei Tu had laid out detonated, blasting toward the Jia Family Cultivators.

This trap held the Jia Family Cultivators back for several breaths.

「A moment later.」

Wei Tu reached the Medicinal Field again.

He waited for Zhao Qingluo’s Escape Light to pass through the White Jade Stone Gate before immediately activating the Primordial Forbidden art to seal it shut.

Thankfully, the Jia Family Cultivators arrived only after the White Jade Stone Gate had closed again.

BOOM! BOOM!

Several explosions rang out.

From inside the Stone Hall came the sound of the Jia Family Cultivators attacking with their Magical Power, punctuated by their enraged curses.

But clearly, these attacks were completely useless against the White Jade Stone Gate.

Once they were safe, Wei Tu’s thoughts turned to another matter. ’The Blood Burning Skill only lasts for a quarter of an hour. They were chasing Zhao Qingluo, so that should have been enough time for Hongying to escape.’ He set aside his worries for Kou Hongying.

"Fellow Daoist Wei, are we safe?" Zhao Qingluo asked, her eyes still stained with tears. She took a few ragged breaths and looked at Wei Tu.

"We should be."

Wei Tu didn’t make any guarantees.

After all, anything could happen in the Cultivation Realm. Perhaps the Jia Family Cultivators would figure out a way to open the White Jade Stone Gate before they died.

"Then we’re safe," Zhao Qingluo said, guessing his thoughts after a glance at his expression.

—Having known Wei Tu for decades, she had some understanding of his character. She knew he never made idle boasts.

「A short while later.」

The rumbling outside the White Jade Stone Gate gradually faded.

By now, Zhao Qingluo had recovered from the grief of Zhao Pengqi’s death. She fixed her gaze on Wei Tu and said in a grave voice:

"I have a few questions for you, Fellow Daoist Wei. I wonder if you would be willing to answer?"

"What is it?" Hearing this, Wei Tu’s brow twitched. He knew. Zhao Qingluo had figured out what happened all those years ago.

’As I thought,’ Wei Tu reflected. ’My Sky-Splitting Carving didn’t escape her notice. It’s just that we haven’t had a chance to be alone since that time two years ago, so she couldn’t ask me.’

"Over seventy years ago, I was saved by a Foundation Establishment Elder. This Elder left a message on the stone wall, saying he had saved my life and taken one Foundation Establishment Pill, so we were even."

"I searched the nearby Foundation Establishment Families but never found a Foundation Establishment Master who matched. But two years ago, when you, Fellow Daoist Wei, sought out a Cultivator from my Zhao Family, you revealed a Sky-Splitting Carving..."

"...which led me to a certain suspicion about what happened back then."

Zhao Qingluo stared intently at Wei Tu, her beautiful eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

If she and Wei Tu hadn’t been friends for decades, it would have been one thing. If they were strangers, she would never have brought up the incident from over seventy years ago, simply letting it fade into the depths of her memory as a thing of the past.

But as fate would have it, her embarrassing state back then had been witnessed, in full detail, by this very acquaintance, Wei Tu.

"So, how do you intend to handle this, Fellow Daoist Zhao? Will you pledge yourself in marriage, seeing as he is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, or will you repay him in some other way?"

"After all, that Foundation Establishment Cultivator already took a Foundation Establishment Pill as his payment. The debt has been settled."

Wei Tu fell silent for a moment before meeting Zhao Qingluo’s gaze without flinching and answering candidly.

The moment he spoke those four words, Zhao Qingluo’s face instantly turned bright red. With Wei Tu having just saved her from mortal danger—the second time he had saved her life—she had indeed developed strong feelings for him.

However, after hearing the rest of what Wei Tu had to say, the blush on her face drained away, leaving it pale.

Wei Tu’s tone was cold and carried an obvious rejection. He clearly wanted nothing more to do with the events of seventy years ago.

A beauty’s affection.

Even the coldest of Cultivators would have their heart warmed by it, dreaming of a beautiful companion and a harmonious union.

Wei Tu, however, understood exactly what kind of Poison Zhao Qingluo’s ’pledge of marriage’ would be for him.

He wanted no part in the life-or-death struggle between the Jia and Zhao, two great Golden Core Families.

—Dealing with the Jia Family Cultivators this time was merely part of his secret Alliance with the Qiyue Zhao Family; it was not an open declaration of allegiance.