Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

After Huang Xuewei caused a scene at Talisman Heart Residence, Wei Tu undoubtedly trusted Huang Chengfu more.

Although he hadn’t made him a Trusted Confidant, he felt at ease letting Huang Chengfu handle minor secret tasks like sending letters.

Replies from Fu Zhizhou and Zhao Qingluo arrived soon after.

Combining the information from their two letters, Wei Tu learned that the Qiyue Zhao Family possessed a total of four Tier Two Body Refining Technique Inheritances.

Among them, a Cultivation Technique called the Elephant Bone Spell had even reached Tier Three.

However, to successfully cultivate this Body Refining Technique, one had to find the bloodline of a Demon Beast called the Giant Rock Elephant or one of its close relatives, which was a major restriction.

The other three Body Refining techniques each had their own pros and cons as well.

Fu Zhizhou recommended that Wei Tu cultivate the Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell, the same technique he was currently practicing.

Although its Body Refining effects weren’t necessarily stronger than the other two techniques, it possessed an advantage that was difficult for the others to match.

The Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell was divided into three layers. With each breakthrough to a new layer, one could condense a "Blood Pill" within their body.

Not only could this Blood Pill replenish a Cultivator’s Qi and Blood, but it was also quite helpful during the Solidifying Pill stage of Core Formation.

If one could condense three Blood Pills, their chances of successful Core Formation would increase by ten percent.

Furthermore, the Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell was a Body Refining path that enhanced Qi and Blood to strengthen the Physical Body.

This meant that, unlike other Body Refining techniques, this one didn’t risk causing irreversible damage to a Cultivator’s Daoist Body.

—Many Body Refining techniques, while increasing the strength of a Cultivator’s Physical Body, also came with corresponding side effects.

For example, a reduced Lifespan, Stiffening of the Physical Body, or persistent bruising in certain areas.

Although the Body Refining effects of the Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell were mediocre and not as outstanding as other techniques, its advantage was the lack of negative aftereffects and its ability to increase one’s potential.

Upon seeing this, Wei Tu added the Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell to his list of potential candidates for a Body Refining Technique.

As the saying goes, one should always compare their options.

He would decide whether to cultivate the Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell after comparing it with the Body Refining techniques available from Gong Suzhen.

However, in her reply, Zhao Qingluo didn’t just list the pros and cons of the four Body Refining techniques; she also mentioned some other matters.

For example, she wrote about how the Three Immortal Sects handled the Chisong Jia Family after the events in the Secret Realm.

After the Jia Family’s collusion with the Demon Dao’s Celestial Maiden Sect was exposed, Qingzhu Mountain immediately dispatched several Golden Core True Monarchs to eliminate this threat. But unexpectedly, the Chisong Jia Family’s residence was already deserted.

Only some unimportant side branches and members of the Concubine Lineage were left at the family estate.

Zhao Qingluo speculated that the reason the Jia Family had defected to the Demon Dao was likely related to the Chisong Jia Family’s Ancestor nearing the end of his lifespan.

Compared to the Righteous Dao, the Demon Dao undoubtedly had far more methods for Longevity.

’"Between life and death lies great terror."’ Wei Tu’s thoughts drifted back to his first time at the Danqiu Mountain Hundred Treasures Pavilion auction, recalling how frantically the Foundation Establishment Cultivators had pursued the Lifespan Extension Pill.

Back then, seeing that spectacle had shaken Fu Zhizhou’s resolve, making him question his own Immortal Path. After all, the Foundation Establishment Realm had been an unattainable dream for them at the time.

Now, many years later, Fu Zhizhou had solidified his Dao heart and broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

’In Wei Tu’s eyes, wasn’t the Jia Family Ancestor who defected today for the sake of Longevity once a person with a firm Dao heart just like Fu Zhizhou, decades or even centuries ago?’

It was a pity that the terror of life and death had crushed the Jia Family Ancestor’s Dao heart, forcing him to join the Demon Dao just to survive.

’I have the "Late Bloomer" Destiny Chart and have already secured a complete Core Formation Opportunity, so I don’t share that concern,’ Wei Tu thought.

The "Late Bloomer" Destiny Chart guaranteed his baseline potential to the greatest extent.

And the rewards from the Secret Realm expedition had undoubtedly raised his Upper Limit for Core Formation significantly.

Foundation Establishment Lifespan of 400 Years.

For Golden Core Cultivators from Immortal Sects, the breakthrough to the Golden Core realm typically occurs between the ages of two and three hundred.

For family and Independent Cultivator Golden Cores, the age of breakthrough is generally much higher than for those from Immortal Sects, usually exceeding three hundred years.

Just as with the Foundation Establishment Realm, the younger a cultivator was when they broke through to the Golden Core realm, the greater their potential.

Wei Tu estimated that, without the aid of Elixirs and relying solely on his own arduous Cultivation, he could reach the Peak of Foundation Establishment within a hundred years at most.

After reaching the Peak of Foundation Establishment, he wouldn’t have to painstakingly search for a Core Formation Opportunity like Master Qin.

Therefore, he would break through to the Golden Core realm between the ages of two hundred and three hundred.

By forming his core at that age, he could easily rival the Golden Core Cultivators from Immortal Sects, placing him in the category of those with higher potential.

This class of Golden Core Cultivator had a chance at Nascent Soul Formation. They were unlike the Ancestors of the Golden Core Families, most of whom had no such hope. Those Ancestors could only wait for their Lifespan to end, spending their final years cultivating the next Golden Core Cultivator for their family, continuing the cycle.

After reading the letters, Wei Tu thought for a moment before writing a reply to Zhao Qingluo. He asked for the Qiyue Zhao Family’s current view of their Ally, the Hee Mountain Huang Family.

During the Secret Realm expedition, when Huang Caiyu was on the altar being used for a Blood Sacrifice, she had first cried out for help to him—an "enemy" with whom she had a feud—before turning to Zhao Qingluo and the other Zhao Family Cultivators.

This made it clear that the alliance between the Qiyue Zhao Family and the Hee Mountain Huang Family was already cracking and on the verge of collapse.

At least, during his first few years with the Hee Mountain Huang Family, the Cultivators of the Huang and Zhao Families had not been so distant with each other.

—Otherwise, Zhao Qingluo would never have recommended he become a Tributor for the Hee Mountain Huang Family.

As for why this situation had arisen, Wei Tu had a guess: ’An Ally whose loyalty isn’t absolute is no Ally at all.’