Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

Even with Spirit Stones as compensation, they could never compare to a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object.

"Then let me be the first to congratulate you...on successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, Second Brother," Wei Tu said with a smile.

He had learned a little about the Loose Immortal Alliance over the years.

The alliance was a product of recent years, formed after the Three Immortal Sects began forcing Independent Cultivators to enlist. The Independent Cultivators had banded together in response.

Unlike smaller, private independent cultivator groups like the Shuyun Alliance, the Loose Immortal Alliance was an absolute behemoth.

In terms of the number of cultivators, it was only slightly smaller than the Three Immortal Sects.

In terms of top-tier combat strength, the Independent Cultivator Alliance boasted a full seventeen Golden Core True Monarchs.

Unfortunately, with no Nascent Soul Cultivators, it fell short of the Three Immortal Sects.

It was currently in a state of semi-cooperation with the Three Immortal Sects.

...

After finishing a cup of Spirit Wine, Weii Fei cupped his hands, bowed deeply to Wei Tu, and took his leave.

Wei Tu didn’t stop him.

So many years had passed. A rift had grown between them. They were no longer the "good brothers" of the past who could sleep side-by-side and talk about anything and everything.

People change.

The shifting dynamics of relationships with family, relatives, and friends were difficult to reverse.

This could only change if Weii Fei managed to successfully reach Foundation Establishment after obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Otherwise, any further words of intimacy from Wei Tu would only serve to deepen the rift between them.

After Weii Fei left, Wei Tu set off for the Bai Shihu Marketplace, where Jingshui Pavilion was located.

The journey was uneventful.

With Kou Hongying guiding him, Wei Tu arrived at Jingshui Pavilion without issue and was led to the Jin Yun Tower, the same place he had attended the Foundation Establishment celebration.

"Fellow Daoist Wei."

Along the way, cultivators from Jingshui Pavilion continually greeted Wei Tu.

Wei Tu wasn’t surprised.

He hadn’t visited Jingshui Pavilion often and had never met most of these cultivators, but thanks to his business of trading elixirs, many of its Foundation Establishment Cultivators knew of his existence as a Tier Two Upper-Grade Talisman Master.

However, the cultivators clearly didn’t know that Wei Tu was no longer a Tributor for the Huang Family. He was now a Foundation Establishment Independent Cultivator, a fugitive "evading the Immortal Sects’ recruitment."

Of course, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of Jingshui Pavilion had no way of knowing this.

The list for the Recruitment Order was held by the high-level members of Jingshui Pavilion—the Golden Core True Monarchs. It was something the others would have great difficulty accessing.

Wei Tu maintained an amiable attitude, returning the salutations of every Foundation Establishment Master who greeted him.

"Master Wei Tu, here to congratulate True Monarch Qin on her Golden Core ascension, presents four Tier Two Upper-Grade Talismans!"

The announcement of the gift quickly carried from the entrance into the Jin Yun Tower.

The cultivators inside the tower were slightly surprised to hear this. After all, Tier Two Upper-Grade Talisman Masters were not numerous in Zheng Country; they were considered a rare breed.

"Please, have Fellow Daoist Wei take a seat at the head table." Hearing the announcement, Master Qin came out. She wore a smile as she personally arranged for Wei Tu to be seated at the table reserved for her close friends and family.

To Wei Tu’s left was none other than the "Senior Brother Zhuu" he had met last time.

This Senior Brother Zhuu was Master Qin’s nephew.

After half a day’s wait, the banquet began. Maids served Spirit Wine and a variety of dishes.

"Uncle Wei, I pay my respects." Zhuu Renjie raised his wine cup to toast Wei Tu.

In stark contrast to his rudeness at Kou Hongying’s Foundation Establishment celebration, Zhuu Renjie now addressed Wei Tu respectfully as "Uncle Wei" with a friendly attitude.

One shouldn’t hit a smiling face.

Wei Tu didn’t hold a grudge against Zhuu Renjie. After they clinked cups, they fell into idle conversation.

「Three days later.」

The Golden Core celebration banquet came to an end. Wei Tu was preparing to find an opportunity to discuss the elixir trade with Master Qin.

Unexpectedly, however, Master Qin acted first, sending someone to invite Wei Tu to her Cave Mansion.

"Elder Qin, you invited me here. May I ask what important matter you wish to discuss?" Wei Tu was puzzled. He glanced at Master Qin, who stood before him with her back turned, dressed in a snow-white palace dress. He lowered his head slightly and cupped his hands as he asked.

The Jingshui Pavilion’s cultivation technique had a beautifying effect. Compared to over a decade ago, the Master Qin of this moment was unspeakably beautiful, like a celestial fairy who subsisted on more than mortal fare.

"Wei Tu?" Master Qin turned. She scanned Wei Tu’s features, her brow furrowing. "Your appearance is quite ordinary. I don’t know how I came to remember you so vividly, unable to forget after all this time. Strange! Strange!"

Master Qin kept muttering the word "strange."

’Remembered you so vividly?’ Wei Tu froze when he heard her words, a rather unpleasant rumor from the Cultivation Realm coming to mind.

When a cultivator broke through to a new Great Realm in seclusion, the life-and-death ordeal they experienced could sometimes damage their memory, causing them to forget things.

The way Master Qin was speaking now—it was rambling and incoherent. It was clearly a sign of "memory damage."

’Why would Master Qin remember me so vividly? And be unable to forget?’ Wei Tu frowned to himself.

He knew his own place and didn’t believe for a second that Master Qin’s ambiguous words were due to any romantic feelings for him.

’Could it be...’

A jolt went through Wei Tu’s heart as he thought of the most likely reason Master Qin had him on her mind.