Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

They traveled in silence.

After several days of arduous travel, Wei Tu and his two companions arrived at Celestial Frost Ridge, the home of the Xuanhou Qir Family.

Celestial Frost Ridge spanned hundreds of miles, its slopes covered in lush, verdant vegetation. The cries of apes occasionally echoed between the peaks.

"Many years ago, there were no ape-type Spirit Beasts on Celestial Frost Ridge," Qir Feng said, following behind Wei Tu. A look of nostalgia crossed her face as she gazed upon her ancestral home. "But after our Ancestor subdued the Profound Frost Monkeys, many different species of apes... gradually started to appear here."

Two years ago, when her second uncle, Qir Changdao, sold her to the Jiuyun Commerce Association to settle a debt, she had fallen into utter despair, believing she would never have a chance to change her fate.

She thought she would never have the chance to return to her homeland again.

And yet—

Today, having been taken as Wei Tu’s concubine and relying on his might as a Foundation Establishment Master, she finally had the chance to avenge that great wrong.

While Qir Feng was lost in her reminiscence, Wei Tu had already secretly set several traps along the main path through Celestial Frost Ridge.

—After his battle with Si Qing, he had reflected on the lessons from that success. Before entering any dangerous situation, he would always set traps in secret first.

These traps were not only for dealing with enemies but also served as an escape route for him.

Should he encounter an undefeatable foe, the traps could be used to hinder them, buying him precious time to escape.

"Let’s go. With me here, they won’t dare to cause you any trouble." Wei Tu said gently, glancing at the hesitant Qir Feng after placing the Talisman Box back into his Storage Bag.

"Thank you, Elder Wei." A wave of relief washed over Qir Feng, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

After reconfirming the layout of the Xuanhou Qir Family Territory and the details of their Clan Protection Array with Qir Feng, Wei Tu finally made his way toward the main gate.

Most Foundation Establishment Families possessed a Clan Protection Array. The power of these arrays varied; the strongest were even capable of slaying multiple Foundation Establishment Masters.

The Xuanhou Qir Family’s Clan Protection Array was named the "Three Mountains Golden Saber Formation." It was a Tier Two Middle-Grade Array that integrated offensive, illusory, and defensive properties into a single formation.

If not for the presence of Qir Feng, the former Clan Leader’s daughter who knew the array’s weaknesses, Wei Tu would never have dared to barge into it, not even with Kou Hongying’s help.

—Clan Protection Arrays were Solid as Fortresses. Unless one possessed overwhelming power, they were incredibly difficult to breach from the outside.

For this reason, ninety-nine percent of Foundation Establishment Families would not be wiped out overnight, even if all their Foundation Establishment Ancestors perished.

Their destruction was usually caused by internal strife, unfilial descendants, and the gradual surrender of their hard-won legacy into the hands of others.

This time, Qir Feng was offering a treasure to Wei Tu. Though she had her reasons, to put it bluntly, her actions fell into this very category.

Of course.

Seeking revenge for herself was, however, perfectly understandable.

「A short while later.」

The three of them arrived at the main gate of the Qir Family Territory.

When they were still several hundred paces from the territory, Wei Tu halted. After a moment of thought, he retrieved a Talisman from his sleeve and sent it flying into the earthen-yellow light barrier that enveloped the Qir Family Territory.

With his sharp eyes, he could tell at a glance that this earthen-yellow light screen was the Three Mountains Golden Saber Formation Qir Feng had described.

After he sent the Talisman,

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

A middle-aged man in a gray robe with a scar across his face arrived at the main gate of the Qir Family Territory, flanked by a crowd of Cultivators.

"Elder Wei, to what do we owe the honor of your visit to our Qir Family?" the gray-robed man asked as he sized up Wei Tu. His gaze fell on Qir Feng standing behind him, and his expression first flickered with shock, then settled into one of deep wariness.

"That scarred man is my second uncle, Qir Changdao," Qir Feng whispered in Wei Tu’s ear.

Wei Tu nodded. He looked toward Qir Changdao, clasped his hands in a formal greeting, and said, "Clan Leader Qir, I have come to your noble Treasure Land today hoping to purchase your clan’s Cold Crystal Flower. I hope you will be so gracious as to sell this Spirit Grass to me."

"Cold Crystal Flower?" Upon hearing those three words, Qir Changdao shot a resentful glare at Qir Feng. ’It must have been her,’ he thought, ’She’s the one who told Wei Tu that our family possesses such a treasure.’

’A thief from within is the hardest to guard against,’ he cursed inwardly. After several breaths of contemplation, he spoke aloud. "If Elder Wei wishes to purchase the Cold Crystal Flower, the Qir Family is of course willing. But... what price are you prepared to offer?"

In Qir Changdao’s eyes, Wei Tu was an unwelcome guest, plain and simple. If he could get rid of him with something as trivial as a Cold Crystal Flower, it would be a blessing for him.

—While the Cold Crystal Flower was a valuable Body Refining Secret Medicine, it had been in storage for several centuries, and its potency had long since diminished significantly.

Therefore, its actual value to the Xuanhou Qir Family was not particularly high.

However, in front of his clansmen, Qir Changdao could not appear too subservient. He had to uphold his dignity as Clan Leader, lest he be seen as weak.

"What price does Clan Leader Qir believe is appropriate?" Wei Tu returned with a faint smile, tossing the problem right back to Qir Changdao and forcing him to set the price.

Without a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to anchor the clan, the Xuanhou Qir Family was already in a state of internal panic, despite having the "Turtle Shell" of their Clan Protection Array.

At a time like this, the Xuanhou Qir Family would not dare to offend two Foundation Establishment Masters.

Therefore, if Qir Changdao set the price for the Cold Crystal Flower too high, he would offend Wei Tu. But if he set it too low, he would incite dissatisfaction among his clansmen, and his own prestige would plummet.

It was a dilemma.

It was also a Sun Strategy.

However, just as he was caught in this predicament, Kou Hongying, who had been standing to the side, added to Qir Changdao’s psychological burden.

Kou Hongying revealed her Sect Token, her expression displeased. "Clan Leader Qir," she said, "since when is it proper to discuss business without inviting myself and Talisman Master Wei inside to have a seat?"

The moment the Sect Token was revealed, the assembled Cultivators of the Qir Family exchanged glances in dismay, unsure of how to proceed.