Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation-Chapter 166 - 132: Deep Sea Pursuit

Twilight descended, and the lanterns began to glow.

"...You clueless bastard! You want me to undergo a Secret Technique inspection? I'd rather die!"

A beautiful Female Cultivator in a magnificent dress, looking world-weary and travel-worn, cursed through gritted teeth before storming out and slamming the door behind her.

A few moments later, a shamefaced Yu Xin pushed the door open and came in.

"Let's call it a day!"

A perfectly content Ling Changqing took out a handful of Spirit Stones and pressed them into her hand, saying warmly,

"Thank you for your arrangements, Fellow Daoist. I'll be back tomorrow to continue looking!"

Yu Xin accepted the Spirit Stones, her plump, lustrous face blooming into a wide smile as she said in a soft, sweet voice,

"There's no need to be disappointed, Fellow Daoist Mu. We have many more beautiful and outstanding Female Cultivators at the Celestial Fate Pavilion. With your qualifications, you can take your pick!"

Of course, she knew what kind of characters these matchmaking Female Cultivators were, so she completely understood why Ling Changqing was being so picky.

Even as a woman herself, Yu Xin knew that when a match failed, the female cultivators were at least ninety-five percent to blame.

Then again, regardless of whether these Female Cultivators succeeded or not, the Spirit Stone income for her and the Celestial Fate Pavilion remained unaffected.

So, she secretly hoped Ling Changqing would come by every day, and that those Female Cultivators would keep running to the Celestial Fate Pavilion.

For every meeting between a man and a woman, Yu Xin earned a fee. As small gains accumulated over time, she had worked here for decades and had actually managed to gather all the resources for Foundation Establishment on her own.

After a bit more conversation, Ling Changqing finally took his leave, and Yu Xin personally saw him all the way out the main gate.

「The next morning.」

Ling Changqing returned, once again specifically requesting the gold-medal matchmaker, Yu Xin, to handle his reception.

Yu Xin naturally accepted with delight, attending to him with great diligence as she arranged for group after group of Female Cultivators, each with their own unique charm and beauty, to meet with him.

And so it went until sunset, when Ling Changqing once again left alone, not even bothering to ask for a single one of the Female Cultivators' contact information.

The third day, the fourth day...

By the seventh day, Ling Changqing had finally gone through every single Female Cultivator registered at the Celestial Fate Pavilion.

The price was that Yu Xin had cumulatively earned nearly a thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones from him.

For Ling Changqing, however, this small sum was not even worth mentioning. The benefits he had secretly obtained were far greater, so much so that they couldn't be measured in Spirit Stones.

Returning to the inn, Ling Changqing once again announced he would be entering seclusion for a month to digest the gains from this round of "shearing the sheep."

Inside the Cultivation Chamber.

Ling Changqing sat cross-legged on the Cloud Bed. In his sea of consciousness, a message suffused with a mysterious Dao Rhyme silently appeared:

[Master of the Era Star Palace: Ling Changqing]

[Bone Age: 32/314] 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

[Cultivation: Middle stage Foundation Establishment]

[Destiny: 98+233]

[Blessed Fortune: 94+203]

[Physique: 44]

[Root Bone: 42]

[Comprehension: 51]

[Divine Soul: 119]

[Alchemy Dao: 14793/30000 (Second Rank Low Grade)]

[Primary Cultivation Technique: Profound Truth Black Water Scripture (5th Floor) 3718/20000]

[Primary Cultivation Technique: Taiyin Moonlight Divine Heart Refining Scripture (1st Floor) 6113/30000]

[Body Cultivation Technique: Vajra Tula Demon Suppression Technique (2nd Floor) 3997/12000]

[Spirit Root: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Bottom-rank Earth Grade 5471/30000]

[Nobles: Tang Qiu Yao/Ling Qiyue/Fu Yin Xue/Shentu Hong/Xue Qingtan]

[Noble: ?]

[Dao Companions: Tang Qiu Yao/Ling Qiyue/Ling Bingyun]

It had been less than half a year since he had left Changqing Continent, but the strength of Ling Changqing's Divine Soul Origin had already increased by a full ten points, with his Comprehension and Root Bone also seeing minor improvements.

The growth rate of his Luck and Fortune was as fast as ever. Additionally, his progress in the Taiyin Moonlight Divine Heart Refining Scripture was also quite significant.

The main function of this Cultivation Technique was to enhance and strengthen a Cultivator's Divine Soul Origin. In turn, a stronger Divine Soul Power would accelerate the rapid advancement of the technique.

The two could be said to be complementary, mutually reinforcing each other.

'Once this session of Cultivation in Seclusion is over, I should find a way to leave. Qiu Yao and the others are still waiting at home!'

Ling Changqing mused silently.

...

Celestial Splendor Pavilion.

"...What did you say? That Ling Changqing actually... actually went to the Celestial Fate Pavilion for matchmaking?"

In the study, Xue Yumei wore an expression of disbelief, almost suspecting she had misheard.

The black-robed Maid nodded and repeated the information she had gathered.

"What on earth is that guy up to?"

Xue Yumei muttered in disbelief, her face dark.

The black-robed Maid glanced at her expression and said in a low voice,

"Perhaps he truly intends to reside here long-term, so he wants to find one or more suitable Female Cultivators to be his Dao Companions?"

"Does he have to go to such lengths?"

Xue Yumei snorted, not quite believing this speculation. That man didn't seem to be a hopeless lecher.

"He's gone into seclusion again, hasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Alright then. When he comes out again, I'll go meet him myself!"

Xue Yumei mused. She had indeed developed a bit more interest in this foreign Cultivator, Ling Changqing, and wanted to speak with him.

The black-robed Maid acknowledged the order and departed.

Ling Changqing, back in his inn, was oblivious to Xue Yumei's plans. On the twenty-eighth day of his seclusion, he was already preparing to pull a disappearing act.

He originally had other plans and intended to stay in the Fuyue Continent Marketplace for a few more days, but on second thought, he decided it was better to play it safe. After all, he hadn't yet reached a point where he could afford to be reckless.

Inside the Cultivation Chamber, Ling Changqing took out a Grade Three Light Concealing Shadow Evading Movement Talisman. He injected it with Magical Power to activate it, and in a brilliant flash of azure light, it enveloped his figure and he vanished on the spot.

The Fuyue Continent Marketplace wasn't far from the coast. Before entering the Marketplace last time, Ling Changqing had already scouted a location in the outer sea, allowing for a relatively precise teleportation now.

A moment later, Ling Changqing's figure slowly materialized on a small, uninhabited island in the outer sea.

The island was tiny; strictly speaking, it was just a rather large, black reef.

Ling Changqing looked back. The distant, dark coastline and the scattered lights of the Marketplace were clearly visible.

'Hmm? What's going on? They still detected me...'

Sensing a dozen or so auras suddenly flare up from the direction of the Marketplace and race toward him aboard Flying Ships, Ling Changqing's expression grew grim.

He thought he had been cautious enough, never imagining he would still be targeted by this group of Tribulation Cultivators.

Judging from their auras alone, the leader should be a Pseudo Core master, while the rest were all at the Foundation Establishment Level.

Ling Changqing gave a slight, cold smile. 'Good thing I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, or I really would have met my end here today.'

Seeing the pursuers rapidly closing in, he wasted no words. He took out a Water Repelling Talisman, activated it, and decisively leaped into the sea, diving toward the Deep Sea.

In a flash, a dozen or so figures radiating killing intent landed one after another on the small island.

"...Where did that fat sheep run off to?"

A sharp, harsh female voice rang out.

A middle-aged man immediately responded, "It's unlikely he has a second Grade Three Shifting Talisman. He must have hidden underwater."

The leading Pseudo Core female cultivator paused for a moment, then sneered,

"He's certainly audacious. He'd rather be gnawed by those deadly beasts at the bottom of the sea until not even a scrap of bone is left than part with his wealth to ensure his safety?"

"Heh, people... they never shed a tear until they see the coffin. He probably thinks those beasts at the bottom of the sea won't eat him, right?"

Another voice chimed in obsequiously.

The Pseudo Core female cultivator's eyes were icy as she commanded in a low voice,

"He can't have gone far. We're going in after him. We must capture him alive today!

That bastard dared to look down on me during the matchmaking at the Celestial Fate Pavilion? He truly doesn't know what's good for him!

I want his wealth, and I want him too. I'm going to suck him dry, down to his very marrow!"

"Senior Sister Ma is brilliant! Even if that brat had ten lives, he'd lose them all here!"

Her subordinates all echoed in agreement.

They were a band of Tribulation Cultivators known as the Poisonous Widows, led by this very Pseudo Core female cultivator with the surname Ma.

She walked the path of a Demon Cultivator, and her Primary Cultivation Technique was an exceedingly vicious and sinister Replenishing Technique. One can only imagine the fate of any Male Cultivator she targeted.

When this female cultivator Ma had gone matchmaking at the Celestial Fate Pavilion, she had hidden her true Cultivation, presenting herself as being only at the Early stage Foundation Establishment Realm.

Because her looks and figure were quite good, and her requested conditions weren't high, it was easy for certain Male Cultivators to become interested.

Once a Male Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Level took an interest in her, she would use the excuse of needing a private, in-depth conversation to get to know him better, luring him to her Cave Mansion Hall as a guest.

When the Male Cultivator let his guard down, she would strike decisively and kill him in one fell swoop. Not only would all his wealth be plundered, but she would even refine his body and Divine Soul into a Puppet, damning him with no release even in death.

Even a highly vigilant Male Cultivator with a solid Cultivation could not possibly withstand a surprise siege from a dozen or so Foundation Establishment-level Tribulation Cultivators lying in ambush, especially during a moment of "frank and open exchange."

This tried-and-true method had allowed the group of Tribulation Cultivators to make a fortune in recent years, causing them to become increasingly brazen.

'So it was her?'

More than two hundred zhang deep in the icy seawater, Ling Changqing finished communicating with the Era Star Palace, feeling he now understood the cause and effect of the situation.

In a direct confrontation, Ling Changqing certainly couldn't handle this pack of vicious Tribulation Cultivators, but now, he was in a Deep Sea environment.

With the blessing of the Era Star Palace's Luck and Fortune, this was practically Ling Changqing's home turf. He was confident enough to contend with them to the very end.

He summoned his Glazed Yellow Umbrella and continued to descend, a tough curtain of light pushing aside the terrifying pressure of the seawater for him.

In the hazy, dark water, strangely shaped reefs were everywhere. The surrounding sea fish and Sea Beasts went about their business, seeming not to notice this uninvited guest, Ling Changqing, at all.

He looked up and saw a dozen or so humanoid glows in the water above, pursuing him closely.

However, their speed wasn't particularly fast. On the contrary, they were extremely cautious, having to make detours from time to time to give certain dangerous beasts a wide berth.

These Tribulation Cultivators didn't have the blessing of Ling Changqing's extraordinary destiny. A single careless mistake could get them targeted by those deadly beasts, making escape difficult.

As a result, after frantically chasing for a while, the Pseudo Core female cultivator Ma found that the distance between her and Ling Changqing had not only failed to shrink but had actually widened considerably.

"...Strange, what's going on?"

She muttered in frustration.

She was pursuing through the water with her heart in her throat, not daring to be the least bit careless for fear of startling the surrounding Rank Two and Three beasts, so she couldn't pick up any speed at all.

But the brat at the edge of her vision was completely unafraid, practically plowing straight ahead. 'Isn't he afraid of being targeted by those beasts?'