Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

"In that case, we’d be rearing a tiger that will turn on us. Besides, we can’t keep going on like this forever."

Madam Zhuu sighed.

"This is like trying to put out a fire with firewood—the flames will never die as long as there’s fuel. One or two Female Cultivators are hardly enough to stop that Demon Cultivator from coveting the Zhuu Family’s foundation."

Upon hearing this, Zhuu Ruishan’s expression flickered, uncertain and dark.

Clearly, Zhuu Ruishan also knew that the Zhuu Family could only satisfy Jiao Qizhi’s desires for a moment, not for a lifetime.

After all, this was the extent of the Zhuu Family’s resources.

Zhuu Ruishan paced around the room for a while. He looked up at the charming Madam Zhuu sitting on the edge of the bed, then glanced at himself, and finally made up his mind.

"That Jiao Qizhi, an Elder of the Profound Charm Sect, has a terrible reputation. He’s known for his vile deeds and doesn’t seem like someone who keeps his word."

"We... must split our efforts into three paths."

Zhuu Ruishan said after a moment of contemplation.

"First, we find suitable women to appease Jiao Qizhi."

"Second, we find a new backer, someone who can stand up to Jiao Qizhi."

"We’ll have them keep each other in check, giving our Zhuu Family a chance to breathe."

"The third path..."

Speaking of this, Zhuu Ruishan’s expression grew somber. "The third path is for you, my wife, to take our children and the family’s Inheritance, go to the Zheng Country, and live in hiding..."

"My husband, what about you?" Madam Zhuu’s heart jumped when she heard this. She quickly grabbed Zhuu Ruishan’s hand and asked.

"After my father was seriously injured, he withdrew from worldly affairs. I am now the Provisional Clan Leader of the Zhuu Family. Everyone is looking to me. I cannot leave."

Zhuu Ruishan shook his head.

Hearing this, Madam Zhuu said no more, only collapsing onto the head of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.

...

The tragic plight of the Zhuu Family was merely the tip of the iceberg of the miserable state many Cultivation Families found themselves in after the fall of the Jing Country.

Wei Tu wasn’t surprised by the Zhuu Family’s predicament. After some brief thought, he set off for the Zhuu Family Medicine Shop.

The Zhuu Family was a "Pharmacist Family" in Suixing City, with generations of Pharmacists among their ancestors.

Pharmacists were similar to Pill Masters, also skilled in Alchemy, but the Elixirs they refined were generally focused on healing.

In other words, Pharmacists were themselves a specialized branch within the broader profession of Pill Masters.

「An hour later.」

After Wei Tu deliberately stirred up trouble, Zhuu Ruishan rushed to the Zhuu Family Medicine Shop to offer an apology to this Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator.

Since the fall of the Jing Country, it wasn’t the first or second time the Zhuu Family Medicine Shop had encountered trouble-making Demon Cultivators like Wei Tu.

Most of these Demon Cultivators were just looking to extort something. A compensation of some Spirit Stones was usually enough to make them leave.

Zhuu Ruishan handled it skillfully. He first apologized to Wei Tu with a sincere attitude, then brought up Jiao Qizhi, the Elder of the Profound Charm Sect, warning Wei Tu not to cause trouble.

"The Profound Charm Sect?" The coarse, dark-skinned brute Wei Tu was disguised as sneered. "The Profound Charm Sect are just lapdogs for the Joyful Sect. They dare to act arrogant in front of me?"

His travels through Demon Cultivator territory over the past few days had broadened Wei Tu’s horizons considerably.

He now had a rough understanding of the internal powers among the Demon Cultivators, unlike before when he only vaguely knew about the Five Demonic Sects.

The Profound Charm Sect was the Sect, aside from the Five Demonic Sects, that Wei Tu had heard about most often during his recent travels in the area.

This Sect was subordinate to the Joyful Sect, one of the Five Demonic Sects, making it a Lower Sect of the Joyful Sect.

Its power was at the Golden Core Level.

’He’s not afraid of the Profound Charm Sect?’

When Zhuu Ruishan heard Wei Tu’s outrageous words, he first felt a surge of anger, but then a flicker of joy as he recalled the plan he had just made with his wife.

Not being afraid of the Profound Charm Sect meant that this Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator could become another backer for the Zhuu Family, one who could keep the malevolent Profound Charm Sect Elder, Jiao Qizhi, in check.

"Regarding the matter of compensation, please, Elder Guu, come inside to discuss the details." Zhuu Ruishan gestured respectfully, inviting Wei Tu into a private room.

This time, Wei Tu’s alias was "Guu Jing."

After Wei Tu was seated, Zhuu Ruishan clapped his hands, and two lifelike Puppets walked over.

Each of the two Puppets held a redwood tray.

On the tray of the Puppet on the left were stacks of Upper-Grade Spirit Stones, thirty-six of them in total.

On the tray of the Puppet on the right rested a seven-inch-long Pill Bottle.

"Young Master Zhuu, what is the meaning of this?" Wei Tu asked, a look of greed appearing on his face as he saw the Spirit Stones and the Pill Bottle on the redwood trays.

In that moment, Wei Tu was also shocked by the Zhuu Family’s resources. After all, an ordinary Foundation Establishment Family would not have the ability to casually produce thirty-six Upper-Grade Spirit Stones just to curry favor with someone.

"To be honest with you, Fellow Daoist Guu, our Zhuu Family has long been dissatisfied with Jiao Qizhi of the Profound Charm Sect. We’ve just lacked the strength to openly oppose him."

"If you, Elder, can lend the Zhuu Family a hand, I am willing to give these Spirit Stones and the ’Celestial Spirit Water’ on the tray to you, Elder Guu."

Zhuu Ruishan looked at Wei Tu, a bitter smile on his face and a hint of hope in the depths of his eyes.

"If Elder Guu can drive Jiao Qizhi away, my Zhuu Family is willing to invite you to be our Tributor, with the highest possible annual compensation," Zhuu Ruishan promised.

After speaking, Zhuu Ruishan looked at Wei Tu uneasily, afraid that his "Expel the Wolf and Devour the Tiger" stratagem would be seen through.

"Jiao Qizhi?" Wei Tu didn’t immediately agree. The arrogant expression he wore in the shop was gone, replaced by a thoughtful look.

"I’m afraid your plan isn’t as simple as you make it sound, Young Master Zhuu."

"Is it really just about driving Jiao Qizhi away?"

Wei Tu gave a half-smile.

Hearing this, Zhuu Ruishan lamented inwardly. ’Demon Cultivators who reach the Foundation Establishment Realm are all cunning bastards who’ve clawed their way up from the masses. He saw right through me.’

However, Zhuu Ruishan didn’t reveal his true intentions. Instead, he played the victim, telling the story of how his wife was taken by Jiao Qizhi.

"Suffering this humiliation, I live in torment every single day. I wish I could kill Jiao Qizhi, eat his flesh, and sleep on his skin," Zhuu Ruishan said angrily, gritting his teeth.

As his voice fell, Wei Tu nodded as if he believed Zhuu Ruishan’s story. He muttered, "With my strength alone, it would be difficult to kill Jiao Qizhi and help you avenge this great wrong, Young Master Zhuu."

"However, the Influence behind me can help you, Young Master Zhuu, contend with the Profound Charm Sect."

"What Influence?" Zhuu Ruishan’s face lit up, and he quickly pressed for more.

Not all Demon Cultivator factions were the type to "pillage homes and exterminate clans."

Otherwise, the people of the Zhuu Family wouldn’t have clung to a sliver of hope and chosen to remain in Suixing City, awaiting the arrival of the Demon Cultivator powers.

Of course, their failure to escape was also related to the Zhuu Family’s strength.

By the time the Zhuu Family learned that the entire Jing Country had fallen, the two Major Immortal Sects, the Beast Taming Sect and Cangqiong City, had long since fled.

The situation no longer permitted the Zhuu Family’s Cultivators to leave the Jing Country and head for the Zheng Country at that point.

The result of a disorderly escape would have been all the Zhuu Family’s Cultivators becoming Slave Cultivators, fodder for the Demon Cultivator armies.

Now, for the Zhuu Family to have fallen to such a state was actually considered quite lucky among the various Cultivation Families in the Jing Country.

"My Desolate Mountain Sect isn’t afraid of the likes of the Profound Charm Sect," Wei Tu said with a laugh, his tone making it sound completely serious.

"The Desolate Mountain Sect?" Zhuu Ruishan was startled. The way he looked at Wei Tu instantly changed.

Although the Desolate Mountain Sect was not one of the Five Demonic Sects, its influence was in no way inferior to any single one of them. It was, without a doubt, a Nascent Soul Level power.

It was only because the Sect had few Disciples that it didn’t have the same immense prestige as the Five Demonic Sects.

"Elder Guu, do you have a Sect Token from the Desolate Mountain Sect?" Zhuu Ruishan asked hurriedly.

As if afraid of offending Wei Tu, he quickly added, "It’s not that I don’t trust you, Elder Guu, but this matter... concerns the very survival of my Zhuu Family..."

"The Sect Token... I forgot to bring it when I left the Sect. But my Body Cultivation Technique cannot be faked," Wei Tu said with a frown, feigning great displeasure.

As he spoke, Wei Tu channeled his Body Refining Cultivation, crushed the teapot-shaped Magical Artifact on the table into a lump of scrap metal, and threw it to the ground.