Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

"Clan Leader, are you really letting Wei Tu go?" After Wei Tu left the Clan Affairs Hall, one of the Huang Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators couldn’t help but ask as he watched Wei Tu’s retreating figure.

With a Tributor like Wei Tu gone, the Huang Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators on the front lines of the Battle of Righteous and Demons would be one Substitute Ghost short—someone like Artifact Master Xia.

Furthermore, Wei Tu’s departure also served as an indirect announcement to the outside world of the Huang Family’s current weakness.

"Wei Tu isn’t like Artifact Master Xia and the others," Huang Changshun said, shaking his head and sighing. "If he wants to leave, it would be hard for our Huang Family to stop him."

"When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter. That’s inevitable. But as long as the Ancestor is still with us, the Huang Family won’t collapse," he declared with conviction.

Hearing this, the worry on the faces of the Huang Family Cultivators present lessened significantly.

Ancestor Huang Xinglie was the Sea Stabilizing Needle of their Hee Mountain Huang Family. As long as their Golden Core Ancestor was present, the losses to their Foundation Establishment ranks could be replenished sooner or later.

...

「Back at Talisman Heart Residence.」

Instead of rushing to paint talismans, Wei Tu picked up his brush and wrote letters to Fu Zhizhou, Kou Hongying, and others, asking for information about the war in Zheng Country.

’Once the Battle of Righteous and Demons begins, all Foundation Establishment Cultivators within the borders of Zheng Country—be they Independent Cultivators or Family Cultivators—could be conscripted by the Three Immortal Sects to fight.’

’Although conscripted Family Cultivators and Independent Cultivators could earn rewards from the Three Immortal Sects for their meritorious service, to him, those rewards weren’t worth the risk. After all, he already had enough Core Formation Spiritual Objects. There was no need to take any more risks.’

’Right now, he was a Tributor for the Hee Mountain Huang Family. If the Three Immortal Sects wanted to conscript him for the war, they would first have to consult the Hee Mountain Huang Family.’

’But once he left the Hee Mountain Huang Family and became an Independent Cultivator again, the Three Immortal Sects could issue a direct order to him. At that point, he would have no room to refuse and would have to go to the battlefield in person.’

’Of course, he could also evade the Three Immortal Sects’ draft by fleeing deep into the mountains and forests, avoiding all Marketplaces and Spiritual Lands. But constantly hiding wasn’t in his best interest, and it would affect his Cultivation.’

’Therefore, he had to pick the right moment to leave the Hee Mountain Huang Family. And that right moment was closely tied to whether the Righteous Dao’s forces in the Zheng Country war were under pressure.’

「A month later.」

Fu Zhizhou was the first to reply.

’The situation for the Righteous Dao in Zheng Country isn’t looking good. A single detachment from just two Demonic Sects—the Blood God Sect and the Celestial Maiden Sect—is pushing the Three Immortal Sects into a steady retreat.’ A grave expression appeared on Wei Tu’s face as he read the letter’s contents.

The Blood God Sect, like the Celestial Maiden Sect, was one of the Five Demonic Sects.

’Come to think of it, he had encountered the Blood God Sect back when he was in the Qi Refining Realm. The Blood Elder Demon had been a member of the Blood God Sect.’

’Could the Three Immortal Sects be deliberately feigning weakness, luring the Demon Dao to march deep into their territory, only to use them to weaken the various families and Independent Cultivator Forces?’ Wei Tu wondered, assuming the worst.

’After all, whenever the Demon Dao invaded, the ones who always suffered the greatest losses in Zheng Country were the major Golden Core Families, Foundation Establishment Families, and Independent Cultivator Forces.’

’The Three Immortal Sects might suffer losses, but they were generally limited—nothing that would cause them serious harm.’

At the end of the letter, Fu Zhizhou mentioned that Danqiu Mountain, a Marketplace under the Supreme Profound Sect’s control, had fallen to the Demon Dao two months ago.

’Danqiu Mountain is in Luonan Dao of Zheng Country, and Luonan Dao is in the northeast. Meanwhile, Cloud Crane Mountain, where the Hee Mountain Huang Family resides, is in the south...’

Wei Tu analyzed the situation, concluding that the current Battle of Righteous and Demons was merely the opening Chapter and was far from over.

He carefully put away Fu Zhizhou’s letter.

Wei Tu began waiting for Kou Hongying’s letter.

’Compared to a "Family Cultivator" like Fu Zhizhou, Kou Hongying, as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from an Immortal Sect, had a much broader perspective. The detailed information she had access to would surely be far greater than Fu Zhizhou’s.’

However, while Wei Tu was waiting for Kou Hongying’s letter, two "uninvited guests" suddenly appeared on Cloud Crane Mountain.

Wei Tu knew these two uninvited guests.

The two were none other than "Alchemist Shu" and a Tier Two Talisman Master named "Yang Image."

Wei Tu had known of the famous "Alchemist Shu" back when he was a Qi Cultivation Independent Cultivator on Danqiu Mountain.

In fact, Wei Tu had killed his disciple, Geng Wen, more than seventy years ago.

While Wei Tu knew very little about the Tier Two Talisman Master "Yang Image," he had once asked Helian Xiong for information about him years ago.

Years ago, the reason the "Shuyun Alliance," an Independent Cultivator Alliance, hadn’t invited him to join after he reached Foundation Establishment was because of this Tier Two Talisman Master, "Yang Image."

—Yang Image had been worried that his joining the Shuyun Alliance would affect his own business, so he had instructed the alliance not to send Wei Tu an "invitation."

Wei Tu didn’t know why Alchemist Shu and the other man had come to Cloud Crane Mountain. Or rather, he had a suspicion but couldn’t be sure. So, he sent his grandnephew, Huang Chengfu, to make some inquiries.

After Huang Changkong’s death, Wei Tu had lost most of his connections within the Huang Family. His recent request to resign had offended even more of the Huang Family Cultivators.

Therefore, Huang Chengfu was far more useful for gathering information within the Huang Family at this point.

「Half a day later.」

Huang Chengfu returned from the outer courtyard, panting for breath. He bowed deeply and said, "Granduncle, I found out. Alchemist Shu and Talisman Master Yang have come to our Cloud Crane Mountain because they intend to become the Huang Family’s new Tributors."

After saying this, Huang Chengfu cautiously raised his head to glance at Wei Tu, a hint of worry visible in his eyes.

’From the clan members’ talk, and now with Talisman Master Yang applying for a position at the Hee Mountain Huang Family, he could confirm it—his granduncle would soon be leaving the Hee Mountain Huang Family, leaving Cloud Crane Mountain for good.’