Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

The Three Immortal Sects were the hegemons of the Zheng Country’s Cultivation Realm, holding a certain degree of authority over the Family Cultivators and Independent Cultivators within their borders.

Independent Cultivators had it easier. Being alone, they could afford to ignore the Three Immortal Sects. At worst, they could just hide away in the deep mountains and ancient forests.

But Family Cultivators could not.

Family Cultivators had elders to support and children to raise. With so many ties, it was difficult for them to act recklessly without considering the consequences.

Kou Hongying was just one Foundation Establishment Master from Jingshui Pavilion and couldn’t represent the entire sect. However, faced with her, the Xuanhou Qir Family could only tremble in fear, not daring to act out of line.

—Without a Foundation Establishment Cultivator of their own, the Xuanhou Qir Family had no way to meet with Kou Hongying’s "superiors." They were completely at her mercy.

Unable to contact the Jingshui Pavilion’s high-level members, Kou Hongying’s power, in theory, was nearly absolute before a small family like the Xuanhou Qir Family.

This was the same principle as how a common clerk could bully the populace.

A clerk wasn’t an official, but the common folk feared clerks more than they feared the actual officials.

This was also why Kou Hongying had volunteered to accompany Wei Tu to the Xuanhou Qir Family.

In terms of combat strength, Kou Hongying was no match for Wei Tu. But in terms of status in the Cultivation Realm, Wei Tu, a Foundation Establishment Independent Cultivator, was far beneath Kou Hongying, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from an Immortal Sect.

Ordinary factions, especially those without a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, feared an Immortal Sect’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator as they would a tiger.

Therefore, even though Qir Changdao and the other Qir Family cultivators knew that Wei Tu and Kou Hongying might have ill intentions in coming to the Xuanhou Qir Family, they now had to consider whether to open the Clan Protection Array and invite the two inside.

Refusing them today would be easy.

But if the two Foundation Establishment Masters decided to retaliate afterward, the Xuanhou Qir Family, in its current state, would not be able to withstand it.

"Clan Leader Qir, have you decided on a price... for that Cold Crystal Flower?" Wei Tu gave Qir Changdao no time to think, pressing him relentlessly.

After waiting for several breaths, seeing that Qir Changdao still hadn’t spoken, Wei Tu said casually, "There’s no need to be nervous, Clan Leader Qir. Qir Feng is now my concubine, so we can be considered family. I won’t fuss over such a small profit."

As soon as these words were spoken,

the troubled Qir Changdao’s head shot up. He first glanced at Wei Tu in utter shock, then retreated several steps, warily eyeing the surrounding Qir Family cultivators.

No matter how slow-witted he was, he now understood the act Wei Tu and Kou Hongying had just put on. Their goal was none other than to incite internal conflict within the Qir Family and get the other clan members to open the Xuanhou Qir Family’s Clan Protection Array for them.

Buying the "Cold Crystal Flower" was just a pretext. The moment he hesitated, he fell right into Wei Tu’s trap.

With this move, Wei Tu successfully undermined his prestige among the Qir clan members.

Afterward, Kou Hongying revealed her identity as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from an Immortal Sect, shifting the pressure he faced onto all the Qir Family cultivators.

The final step was for Wei Tu to reveal his connection, the final move in the strategy to corner him.

—With Wei Tu as an alternative relative to align with, how could he, who had illegitimately taken his position, possibly retain the clan’s support?

Furthermore, Kou Hongying’s status as a member of an Immortal Sect also provided a "guarantee" for any Qir clan members who chose to side with them.

While the Immortal Sects were domineering, they were ultimately Righteous Sects and had certain bottom lines they wouldn’t cross.

"Clan Leader, please open the array and invite Talisman Master Wei and Fairy Kou inside."

At that moment, a horse-faced old man who had been standing beside Qir Changdao spoke up, his eyes turning sharp as he stared at the clan leader and said in a low voice.

"Third Elder, you...!" Seeing the horse-faced old man turn against him, Qir Changdao’s face filled with disbelief.

He had always considered this horse-faced old man his most trusted confidant in the Qir Family.

"Clan Leader, now that Qir Feng has brought these two Foundation Establishment Masters, Wei Tu and Kou Hongying, here... if we refuse to open the array, we can hide for a day, but we can’t hide forever," the horse-faced old man said with a sigh, trying to persuade him.

Hearing this, Qir Changdao was slightly swayed, but he was still terrified of Qir Feng’s revenge and didn’t dare to open the Clan Protection Array.

Seeing his hesitation, the horse-faced old man continued his persuasion, "The previous Clan Leader’s rule had deep roots. You have only been in charge for two years, Clan Leader; your foundation is not yet stable."

"Before, the clan members allowed you to take the position because you were at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer and were the former Clan Leader’s younger brother. But things are completely different now... Qir Feng has become Wei Tu’s concubine, latching onto a Foundation Establishment Master..."

"As time goes on, your position as Clan Leader will become increasingly difficult to maintain."

At this point, the horse-faced old man paused before adding, "As for using Qir Feng to pay off a debt... while you may have had selfish motives, Clan Leader, without this opportunity, how could she have ever latched onto a powerful figure like the Foundation Establishment Master Wei Tu and become his concubine?"

"She ought to be grateful to you, Clan Leader!"

These words temporarily dispelled the doubts in Qir Changdao’s heart. He glanced at the hostile clan members before him, sighed inwardly, and finally made his decision.

He pulled a pale-green Array Plate from his robes and channeled three streams of Magical Power into it.

An arm-thick pillar of green light shot out from the Array Plate, striking the yellow barrier of light that enveloped the Qir Family Territory.

The yellow barrier wavered a few times before parting to form a wide path leading into the clan’s territory.

"Elder Wei, Fairy Kou, please come in. My Xuanhou Qir Family welcomes you both into our territory to trade..." Qir Changdao said with a smile, adopting a humble demeanor.

After speaking, Qir Changdao turned to Qir Feng, who was standing behind Wei Tu. A fawning expression appeared on his face as he sidled up to her. "Feng, you’ve suffered. Now that you’re with Elder Wei, you’ll have a good life from now on."

However—

Before he could finish his sentence,

a spray of blood shot directly into his vision. In the next moment, Qir Changdao felt his head spin several times in the air. When it landed, he saw his own headless torso.