Starting From A Fisherman To Cultivate Immortality And Live Forever

Chapter 99: Returning to Familiar Ground (Happy Dragon Boat Festival)

Shanawati's disappearance in front of everyone's eyes was still met with both belief and disbelief.

However, the local power players in Gade City had not succeeded in bribing the mages, but they still had access to information through the disciples or other servants of the mages.

After verifying with each other, a rough picture of the scene at that time appeared in their minds.

As the light around them suddenly dimmed and the air became cold, breathing seemed difficult.

The strange cries of rats echoed in people's ears.

Causing dizziness, nausea, and vomiting...

And then... the supernatural beings arrived!

People couldn't see the supernatural beings, but the supernatural beings could affect reality. They opened the main gate and directly pulled Shanawati into the void, making her disappear without a trace!

This story, which had already been weakened by many modified contents, still made them reluctant to believe.

But after multiple verifications, one fact emerged... Shanawati had indeed disappeared!

More conspirators chose to wait and see, and even withdrew.

So, on this night, a conspiracy against Eastern investors, still in the stage of gathering intelligence, dissipated because of its mysterious nature...

Golden Sparrow City, Lingyue Manor.

Su Ping invited the old symbol master Luo, who was the inspector of Golden Moon City.

This old symbol master had previously attended the Yun Family auction and luckily escaped a disaster.

Later, he realized that something was wrong. Clearly, he was an inspector, but he didn't live in Golden Moon City. Instead, he took his beautiful wife and went to another market to settle down.

He had a good relationship with the outer disciples, and several of his good friends even became trusted confidants of inner disciples.

So, he turned a blind eye to the inspector's side.

Anyway, the city didn't lack one inspector in this day and age.

But when there were too many people living in the market, life became difficult.

So, Luo, the old symbol master, tried to resume his old profession but was surprised to find that the art of drawing symbols had become more and more competitive.

There were young symbol masters who relied on their good looks to engage in low-profit, high-volume sales.

As an old man with declining physical strength, he was no longer as energetic as before, and he had recently indulged in alcohol and women, causing his body to become weak.

The efficiency of drawing symbols was too low, and even if he sold them, he could barely make a living.

So, after receiving Su Ping's invitation, Luo, the old symbol master, thought it over and decided to take a gamble. He brought his two most beloved wives and came to Lingyue Manor to serve as a symbol master instructor.

However, Luo, the old symbol master, didn't know that the true target of his teaching was not the inspector of Golden Sparrow City.

Instead, it was a symbol genius who had just entered the Qi Refining stage and was hidden in the hidden realm of the pot.

Every time this genius was confused, Su Ping himself often didn't know the answer.

But it didn't matter, he could just go to Luo, the old symbol master, to ask for answers.

He even used spirit stones to let Luo, the old symbol master, record his life experience of deciphering symbols in front of a projection stone.

After that, Su Ping added a universal language soundtrack to the projection stone and let Shanawati watch it repeatedly.

Luo, the old symbol master, was a smart person.

He was also a symbol master who had figured out the obsession of cultivating immortality and retired early.

From the questions Su Ping occasionally asked, he vaguely guessed that a genius who had just started learning symbols was rising.

This genius couldn't be Su Ping.

Luo, the old symbol master, had taught him before, and although the other party seemed to have a good opinion of himself, the experienced Luo, the old symbol master, knew that he was just an ordinary cultivator without much talent in symbols.

Such a cultivator would never be able to ask the core questions that directly pointed to the path of symbols in his lifetime!

Luo, the old symbol master, had the idea of being a good teacher. If possible, he hoped to cultivate a future symbol genius and make a name for himself a hundred years later.

But when he thought that Su Ping had made things so complicated and obviously wanted to conceal something, he extinguished this unrealistic idea.

It was better to know less if he wanted to live longer.

With Su Ping's divine sense enhancement, he was no longer afraid that a mid-Qi Refining cultivator in the aging period would discover anything in the manor.

And there was nothing wrong with Lingyue Manor itself.

All the good things were in the hidden realm of the pot. At most, it was strange why the inspector of Golden Sparrow City was so fond of fishing and why there was another old cultivator studying it.

The immortal realm was generally peaceful, and nothing happened, so Su Ping continued to focus on his cultivation.

He even wrote a letter hoping that his acquaintances in the outer sect could introduce an old cultivator specializing in alchemy to him.

This way, the progress of the small path of the alchemist could be slightly accelerated.

Then, after another fishing cycle ended, Su Ping obtained a total of 120 fishing experience points from fishing in the Lingyue Lake and the reservoir.

Suddenly, Su Ping learned that more than ten cities in the northern territory of the immortal sect were destroyed overnight by an outbreak of evil spirits.

Rumors spread that an incarnation of an evil god appeared in the sky above a city, commanding hundreds of evil cultivators to launch a surprise attack on a large market of the immortal sect there.

And then, as if it had been agreed upon.

The demonic beasts of the Ten Thousand Mountains launched a fierce attack again, and multiple defense lines were in urgent need of reinforcement!

Although the immortal sect quickly issued a notice that the Red Kite Immortal Sect had reached a cooperation agreement with the Great Golden Light Temple, and from today onwards, the cultivators of the Great Golden Light Temple would go to the north to help seal the evil spirits and drive away the evil god.

The entire territory of the immortal sect remained restless.

At this time, even the elderly in the wealthy households who used to talk about the good days coming realized that times had changed.

Under the sword of the Red Kite Immortal, the prosperous era of the immortal sect... seemed to be coming to an end?

During this period, ancient ruins continued to be affected by the tide of evil energy, and the seals disappeared and reappeared.

In every place, there were still cultivators who were not afraid of death rushing in to seek their own fortunes.

However, as the days went by.

The cultivators gradually discovered that the more ancient ruins appeared later, the more mysterious and dangerous they became.

Even in the most recent ancient ruins, the cultivators found that they had already been occupied by evil spirits after entering.

After the monsters woke up, they caused chaos in several nearby cities and territories.

As a result, the elders of the immortal sect repeatedly ordered that various cultivation families were not allowed to explore the new ancient ruins on their own.

However, no one knew how many of these cultivation families would actually obey.

In the midst of the chaos, there were always people who were unwilling to be pawns and cannon fodder.

There were also always people who believed that they were the chosen ones and could obtain the immortal fortune and change their destiny.

Even with just a little carelessness, one could emerge like the first generation of the Red Kite Immortal and establish a grand immortal sect!

And then leave behind a myth of ascension!

Most of the letters Su Ping sent to acquaintances in the outer sect gradually stopped receiving replies.

Instead, Su Ping himself received invitations from his senior brothers who finally learned about his successful body tempering and asked him to join them on missions.

There was even an outer sect senior brother who came looking for Su Ping but couldn't find him, leaving a message hoping that Su Ping could explore a small ruin with them.

According to this senior brother, he had obtained many secrets by chance and was almost certain about exploring that small ruin!

Su Ping didn't need to enter it, he just needed to help infuse mana from the outside.

Naturally, Su Ping declined all of this.

But that formation senior brother, perhaps because he coveted Su Ping's spirit stones, still persisted in replying.

This allowed Su Ping to understand the recent situation in the outer sect.

According to this senior brother's observation, after the major problem in the north, many elders and true disciples disappeared.

But the Hall of Merit and Demerit gave many rewards for tasks, and many outer sect disciples were tempted and went in groups.

In addition, it was mentioned that the Punishing Evil Alliance was becoming more and more powerful, and Su Ping was reminded to be careful not to conflict with the people from the Punishing Evil Alliance.

"The Punishing Evil Alliance?"

Su Ping remembered those hawk-faced cultivators he encountered in the Jiuye Mountain, who were besieging innocent wandering cultivators to keep their secrets.

Su Ping didn't have a good impression of them.

But now, he naturally wouldn't actively provoke them.

Behind the Punishing Evil Alliance were at least true disciples, who were at least Foundation Building cultivators!

If there were to be a conflict, he would have to wait until he reached Foundation Building and could take on ten opponents at once!

"Ah, Foundation Building!"

"After reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining, the cultivation speed slows down..."

"Unfortunately, even if it's a waste pill in the later stage of Qi Refining, I don't have a way to purchase it now!"

After reading the letters, Su Ping felt a stronger desire for Foundation Building, but he still didn't plan to take on missions to accelerate his cultivation.

"Wait, if I don't take on missions, I can still exchange high-grade pills for merits, right?"

"As for my identity, the recruitment notice of the immortal sect is still hanging at the mountain gate!"

"If I transform into Yun Kong, the young exorcist, my cultivation in the later stage of Qi Refining is enough to enter the outer sect and go to the Hall of Merit and Demerit, right?"

"When the time comes, I can just casually take on a mission and leave."

"The immortal sect won't feel like they've been taken advantage of by receiving high-grade pills, right? They shouldn't care if I don't return!"

"Even if they do care, that's the business of Yun Kong, the exorcist family, not me, Su Ping!"

After careful consideration, it seems that there are no troubles with this path.

And Su Ping, after obtaining divine consciousness, discovered the next test.

After disguising himself as a memory illusion and being protected by the memory artifact, his divine consciousness and late-stage tempered body cultivation could also be protected without being discovered. Only the cultivation and aura of the memory illusion would be revealed.

This made Su Ping realize that in the future, when he reached Foundation Building, he could also disguise himself as a Qi Refining cultivator. He would appear and feel like a Qi Refining cultivator, but when he fought, it would be revealed that he was actually a powerful cultivator at the Foundation Building stage!

This would show those attackers what it meant to underestimate someone!

................

One day later, in the hidden Yunshan Market within the bamboo forest, a handsome young mage with white short hair arrived.

Although Yunshan Market, which possessed a second-grade lower-grade spiritual vein, was an official market of the immortal sect, the presence of a Qi Refining late-stage young cultivator still attracted many people's attention.

They secretly speculated which talented genius from a cultivation family this could be.

The white-haired youth glanced at the market and declined the greetings from those who approached him.

He went straight to the sect's stronghold within the market.

The outer disciples in the stronghold were only at the Qi Refining fourth stage. When they saw the white-haired youth, a hint of jealousy flashed in their eyes.

They didn't dare to act rashly, especially after hearing that the other party was a wandering cultivator who responded to the recruitment order.

Although they didn't fully believe it, they became even more humble in their actions. With the other party's cultivation level, it was highly likely that he would become a steward after joining the sect, and he might even have authority over them as mere outer disciples.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

The white-haired youth bowed to the outer disciple, his demeanor and tone sincere.

This surprised the outer disciple, who perhaps didn't expect a genius to be so polite.

He forced a smile and quickly handed Su Ping the registered wooden token.

At the same time, he rang a bell to transmit the information.

Next, Su Ping just had to wait for a while before being summoned to the inner hall ahead of time.

A disciple from the inner sect and two outer sect stewards interviewed Su Ping together.

The inner sect disciple, surprised by the temperament of the white-haired youth, learned that his name was Yun Kong and he came from a small country in the north, belonging to a family of exorcists. He was quite skilled in combat.

The inner sect disciple felt a bit competitive and challenged Su Ping under the pretext of assessment.

Su Ping glanced lightly at the other party.

The other party didn't have a tempered body, only at the Qi Refining seventh stage, on par with Su Ping.

Judging from his age, he was at least forty years old, and at this age and cultivation level, it seemed that he didn't have any spiritual body enhancement.

In the eyes of these people, the white-haired youth who called himself Yun Kong hesitated for a moment and then nodded shyly.

Soon, the news spread among the surrounding cultivators, and they felt that they would witness the display of the inner sect senior brother's immortal sect spells and his mighty power.

The two sides arrived at the training ground.

Then... it was just one move!

The golden light protecting the inner sect disciple, who had just summoned two short swords, was shattered, and then the white-haired youth grabbed his face.

Boom!

Before anyone could react, the inner sect disciple's entire head was buried in the training ground's stone bricks.

The shockwaves caused cracks to appear on the ground like spider webs.

This was Su Ping's first battle against a non-cave world Qi Refining late-stage cultivator.

Then Su Ping realized that this inner sect disciple was far inferior to Baihetongzi!

Was this the level of an ordinary Qi Refining late-stage disciple in the immortal sect?

Even without using magical tools and talismans... it was still a bit too weak!

With the enhancement of divine consciousness and tempered body, the other party was completely... full of flaws!

There was no need to use any other trump cards, just the pure power brought by the late-stage tempered body and the Holy Body. First, attack the opponent's weak point to break through their defense, and then grab their face!

It seemed... the battle was over?

Could this be considered bullying a child?

After the competition...

The white-haired youth Yun Kong was kindly escorted out of Yunshan Market and then went straight to a nearby mountain shrouded in clouds and mist.

That was where the mountain gate was located, where hundreds of outer disciples recruited from nearby cities would gather for the Ascension Tournament.

There were only four such mountain gates in the Red Kite Immortal Sect.

They only received disciples of the immortal sect.

Now there are more recruited foreign cultivators.

Because of this, Su Ping was able to step into this familiar place once again.

This is the place full of memories where he has been cultivating for twenty years.

Returning to the old place, but with a completely different state of mind.

Su Ping didn't look around, he just sighed in his heart and headed towards the Hall of Merits and Demerits.

Not long after Su Ping left.

Several white-robed cultivators flew over, searching for a white-haired youth, but they couldn't find him.

They are members of the Punishing Evil Alliance. This time, they learned from their insiders that there is a foreign cultivator who is extremely powerful in combat and is suspected of cultivating both body and magic. He joined the sect after accepting the recruitment order.

The Punishing Evil Alliance, eager to improve their combat power, naturally wouldn't let go of such talent and sent people to recruit him.

But they didn't expect that the person had a clear goal and left directly, causing them to miss the opportunity.

Outside the Hall of Merits and Demerits, there is a counter specifically responsible for the purchase and exchange of rare treasures and high-grade pills.

An old cultivator with a withered body and skin like tree bark observed the more than ten high-grade pills that Su Ping took out.

The quality is not very high, most of them are not even at the entry level, but they are indeed high-grade pills, which can be given to those talented seedlings who have just entered the Qi Refining stage.

Looking at the white-haired youth, he guessed that the other party should be one of those foreign cultivators. The old cultivator accepted everything and exchanged them for merits.

Then the old cultivator heard the white-haired youth's request to exchange for pills that can be used in the late stage of Qi Refining or the tempered body stage.

He was not surprised by this. The reason the sect dared to issue recruitment orders was to attract these foreign cultivators to sell their lives by offering pills or auxiliary secret techniques that can be used in the late stage of Qi Refining.

However, what he didn't expect was that the other party said that his merits were not enough.

So... he didn't want high-grade pills, he only wanted middle-grade or even low-grade ones!

The reason was also very straightforward. They knew that non-high-grade pills had problems, but at this point, enhancing their own strength was the most important.

"What a pity!"

The old cultivator looked at the white-haired youth who was determined to eat middle-grade or even low-grade pills, and a trace of regret flashed in his eyes.

In his opinion, this white-haired youth had joined the wrong sect.

With such talent, if he had joined the Red Falcon Sect, he would have been at least an elite disciple of the inner sect by now.

High-grade pills are not enough to meet the demand, but there is always a quota every month.

Why bother to eat middle-grade or low-grade pills and cut off the path of cultivation?

But in the current situation, it is impossible for the sect to let foreign cultivators become the core.

Fair trade is already a forced move due to the situation.

And this old cultivator is really just an old member, not a big player in the game of the mortal world!

"The Pill of Nurturing the Divine in the late stage of Qi Refining, the Tempering Marrow in the tempered body stage... They are indeed powerful, but they also have a great impact on the path of cultivation."

"Eating a middle-grade pill will reduce the probability of Foundation Building by at least one level!"

"Eating a low-grade pill, it's best not to try Foundation Building in this lifetime!"

The old cultivator made his final reminder.

Seeing the white-haired youth still nodding firmly, he sighed and took out several wooden boxes based on the youth's merits and spirit stones.

Unlike the previous pills for nurturing the Yuan and blood, the pills for the late stage of Qi Refining have stronger effects, and the person taking them generally has a solid foundation and will not experience serious side effects before breaking through to a higher realm, so their value has also increased.

For example, those outer sect disciples who have little hope of promotion usually buy a middle-grade or even low-grade pill to enhance their cultivation.

After eating several pills, although there is no hope on the path of cultivation, they have more abundant mana and can learn more money-making skills and self-defense techniques.

Fortunately, as long as they are not high-grade pills, middle-grade and low-grade pills for the late stage of Qi Refining are still within Su Ping's affordability.

After spending all his merits, Su Ping obtained five middle-grade pills and fifteen low-grade pills.

Then Su Ping glanced at the task list and randomly chose a task before leaving in a hurry.

To the extent that the old cultivator watching his back vaguely had a thought.

Did this young man come with the recruitment order just to exchange for those more than ten pills for the late stage of Qi Refining?

"It's not surprising even if that's the case. After all, we are not giving away things for free. There must be merits and spirit stones to exchange."

The old cultivator shook his head and no longer paid attention to the white-haired youth.

Although such things are rare, they do happen.

But in the eyes of the sect, this little cleverness is nothing.

Even those foreign sects that have exchanged secret techniques, in order to obtain follow-up techniques and pills, they always can't help but come back and serve the sect for merits!

(End of this chapter)