Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

However, despite the pain, the effects of the Jade Marrow Gold were also obvious. Almost instantly, Wei Tu could feel his physique’s strength increase.

「Two or three years later.」

The skin coated with Jade Marrow Gold flaked off Wei Tu’s body like snowflakes, SLOUGHING away to reveal new skin as smooth as white jade.

At the same time, sounds like a Dragon’s Roar and a tiger’s cry emanated from within Wei Tu’s body.

"Advancing in Body Refining Cultivation is no easy feat for any realm." Having escaped the pain, Wei Tu steadied his mind and couldn’t help but sigh.

Using the Jade Marrow Gold felt like drowning in the deep sea. A sense of suffocation enveloped him, and while every instinct screamed for him to swim away, his reason told him to stay submerged.

Fortunately, he was a Talisman Master, his spiritual will stronger than that of an Ordinary Cultivator. Otherwise, under this relentless torment, he would have long since lost his mind.

’I’ll rest for a few months, then use it again.’ Wei Tu looked at the Jade Marrow Gold in the jade box before him, a hint of determination in his eyes.

The strength of the Physical Body is forged through this cycle of continuous destruction and rebirth.

「Time slowly passed.」

At Lark Residence, Wei Tu’s days were spent on only two things: meditating for his Cultivation and using the Jade Marrow Gold to advance his Body Refining Realm.

During his Body Refining, Wei Tu also made a pleasant discovery.

Whenever his Body Refining Cultivation broke through, the Magical Power Lake in his Dantian would expand.

Cumulatively, over these few years, his total amount of Magical Power had increased by a few percentage points.

A few percentage points might not sound like much, but that amount of Magical Power was actually equivalent to twenty percent of an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s total.

Of course, during gaps in his seclusion, Wei Tu also spared a part of his focus to command the Swordsman Puppet to feed the Seven-Colored Illusion Moth and the Sky-Splitting Carving with Immortal Spirit Dew.

「In the blink of an eye, several more years passed.」

The seven-year period Wei Tu had agreed upon with Nanzi arrived, but Wei Tu had still not come out of seclusion.

"What’s going on? Why has Wei Tu been in seclusion for so long this time?" Nanzi walked to the entrance of Lark Residence. She touched the wooden sign Wei Tu had hung with the word "Seclusion" on it, a look of confusion on her face.

Generally speaking, even when breaking through a realm, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator wouldn’t go into seclusion for four or five years at once. At most, they would emerge after two or three years.

While there were certainly Foundation Establishment Cultivators who stayed in seclusion for longer, they weren’t doing so for important matters but were simply using seclusion as an excuse to pass the time.

"Senior Brother Wei probably has other important matters and has no time to see Miss Nan." Hua Xianlong, who was following behind Nanzi, fanned his Broken Gold Folding Fan and said with an air of seriousness.

"Are you trying to sow discord between me and Fellow Daoist Wei?"

Upon hearing this, Nanzi was not fooled by Hua Xianlong. She gave him a look that was not quite a smile and replied.

She remembered that when she had asked Wei Tu about Hua Xianlong more than ten years ago, Wei Tu hadn’t slandered him in front of her.

The contrast immediately highlighted the quality of Wei Tu’s character.

Hearing this, Hua Xianlong’s expression stiffened. He snapped his fan shut and said with dissatisfaction, "Two years ago, Senior Brother Wei was absent on the day of Master’s lecture..."

"Because of this, Master is quite displeased with Senior Brother Wei."

"How could someone who doesn’t respect his master and the Dao possibly have any respect for Miss Nan?"

Hua Xianlong sneered.

Ever since they became disciples, he had been resentful that Wei Tu had won True Monarch Che’s favor.

If Wei Tu hadn’t become the Eldest Senior Brother and taken over the duty of instructing Mu Die, that "Little Junior Sister" Mu Die would have been his for the taking by now.

Of course, the main reason he dared to feel such dissatisfaction toward Wei Tu was that Wei Tu’s Cultivation was inferior to his; Wei Tu only surpassed him in his Talisman Dao attainments.

If Wei Tu’s Cultivation was on par with Gao Chen’s, making him a Fake Pill True Monarch, Hua Xianlong would never dare stir up trouble.

’Absent on the day of the lecture?’ Nanzi’s beautiful eyes blinked as her curiosity about Wei Tu grew. ’From our two encounters more than a decade ago, I know well that Wei Tu is not an unpunctual person. He missed our seven-year appointment, and he also missed True Monarch Che’s lecture. Wei Tu... must have some secret.’

...

Wei Tu was oblivious to the events unfolding in the outside world. He was completely focused, his mind occupied only with Cultivation and waiting for his Body Refining Cultivation to break through to the Late-Stage Tier Two Peak.

Time flew by, and the days and months passed in a flash.

In the tenth year of his seclusion, Wei Tu’s converted Tier Three Cultivation Technique, the Divine Wood Origin Technique, broke through to the Third Layer.

Fifteen years passed. With the help of the Body Refining Treasure, Jade Marrow Gold, Wei Tu’s Body Refining Cultivation broke through to the Great Success realm of Late-Stage Tier Two.

He was just one step away from the peak.

By the twenty-third year, Wei Tu’s Hundred Veins Blood Refining Spell reached the Ninth Layer, and his realm broke through to the Late-Stage Tier Two Peak.

Both his magic and body cultivation had reached the peak.

However, Wei Tu did not rush to come out of seclusion. He continued his Cultivation, waiting for an opportunity for Core Formation.

In a flash, another four years passed.

That year, Wei Tu emerged from seclusion. He flew swiftly to the Loose Immortal Alliance to apply for a Tier Three Cave Mansion.

—Golden Core Disciples had the opportunity to cultivate in a Tier Three Cave Mansion once every ten years. The duration was two months.

This was a benefit for Golden Core Disciples.

After seeing Wei Tu’s Identity Token, the Cultivator from the Loose Immortal Alliance did not make things difficult for him and quickly arranged a Tier Three Cave Mansion.

The Tier Three Cave Mansions were all located on the Peak of the Red River Mountain Marketplace, situated right next to the residences of the various Golden Core True Monarchs.

After receiving the Cave Mansion Token, Wei Tu didn’t waste a moment. He flew to the Tier Three Cave Mansion and began his secluded Cultivation.

Almost on the very next day of his seclusion, dark clouds suddenly gathered over the Red River Mountain Marketplace. Silver serpents of lightning danced wildly, and the sky’s appearance changed drastically.