Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 219 - 152: Borrowing Money!

Just asking for some information and handing over a low-grade spirit stone—Ziyou thought that was kind of extravagant, but Lu Chang’sheng had his reasons.

At first glance, it looked like he’d just traded for some news most folks already knew, but in the coming months, he was bound to deal with this guy a lot. That spirit stone was basically his way in.

Sure enough, Niu Xi broke into a big grin, pocketed the spirit stone, and began sharing what he knew.

Master Baiyun of the White Cloud Cave Mansion, and the Gu Family’s patriarch, both were top cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm—big names in Platinum Immortal City.

Especially their skills with spirit arrays; even in Guangnan Domain, folks knew their reputation.

"Out here in the Spirit Realm, the real hotshots are those with the Four Arts."

Talking about these masters who’d perfected high-level spirit array techniques, Niu Xi couldn’t help but get excited and a little jealous.

"Four Arts?"

"Yep. There are a hundred cultivation skills, but most cultivators carve out four of them and call them the Four Arts: Alchemy, Spirit Array, Talisman-making, and Artifact Refining."

Chatting with Niu Xi, Lu Chang’sheng picked up quite a bit about the Spirit Realm.

And since he’d gotten a spirit stone out of it, Niu Xi was in no rush—he sat down with Lu Chang’sheng and talked at length.

The Four Arts get singled out from all the cultivation skills because they’re the most useful and most widely practiced; the rest all have their own limitations.

Honestly, if you’re cultivating in the Spirit Realm, you can forget about most of those hundred arts, but these four—you better know at least a little.

"I’ve heard, Fellow Daoist, you’re not with the Zhu Family. Sounds like you’re a loose cultivator. Wealth, partners, skills, land—if you don’t want to stress yourself out later, pick one of these Four Arts and learn it."

That was Niu Xi’s final advice.

If you’re skill-less, to keep cultivating you’ll have to risk it out in the wild, or join one of the powers in Platinum Immortal City and work for pay. Problem is, there are loads of cultivators here, competition’s fierce, and without any special skills, you’re only fit to be a Warrior.

"Warrior?"

"Yep. Warriors do grunt work. Some things just won’t fit into a Treasure Vault Immortal Insect, so we still have to move them the old-fashioned way."

Lu Chang’sheng got it.

For example, some massive building materials—one piece is enough to stuff a Treasure Vault Immortal Insect, if it even fits at all.

You gotta use boats or other transport methods for those.

And that’s what Warriors are for.

"But, for folks like you, even being a Warrior would be pushing it. Of course, Fellow Daoist Lu, with your cultivation, you’re actually competitive as a Warrior."

Just then, footsteps came from the second floor. A middle-aged man with a stone face appeared, glanced at Lu Chang’sheng and Niu Xi sitting together, paused for a moment, then walked straight out without so much as a hello.

"Who’s that?" Lu Chang’sheng lowered his voice and asked.

Niu Xi shrugged. "Just some spoiled clan heir who thinks way too highly of himself. He’s here to try joining White Cloud Cave Mansion."

"Oh, and this is his sixth attempt at the assessment."

"What’s up with that?" Lu Chang’sheng perked up and asked.

"Most of Platinum Immortal City’s powers are organized as clans. Only a handful run as sects—the best example being White Cloud Cave Mansion."

On the surface, Supreme Profound Sect holds the most power here, but the real puppetmasters are the Gu Family.

Gu Family and Supreme Profound Sect are super tight—rumor has it that their old ancestor was once a disciple of Supreme Profound Sect, and a bunch of their people have trained there too.

Gu Family basically handles Platinum Immortal City’s affairs for Supreme Profound Sect.

"So what’s the assessment focus?"

"Alchemy! One of the Four Arts." Niu Xi chuckled. "That kid blows more resources than anyone, but when it comes to actual skill... he’s got nothing to show for it."

"No way he’ll pass this time either."

Lu Chang’sheng found that pretty odd.

Seems like the Zhu Family isn’t all that united either—there must be a bunch of factions within the clan.

Lu Chang’sheng started to wonder about Yu Hai’s prospects.

Still, just like the Zhu Family said, for now, the only group known to have cultivation methods for Celestial Spirit Body in this area is Zhu Family.

That’s why Lu Chang’sheng advised Yu Hai not to overthink it and just go settle in with Zhu Family for now. If they all left, once Zhu Family heads back to Great Yuan territory, there’s no way they’d come back to pick anyone up.

"Oh, by the way, Fellow Daoist, you could consider the Talisman-making art. It’s not as classy as the other three, but it fits your situation best."

Talisman-making covers talisman papers, Talisman Treasures, all that.

Materials are cheaper and easier to get, while Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Spirit Arrays burn through resources—if you don’t have a force backing you, you’ll never get anywhere with those in a lifetime.

"I’ll seriously think about it."

Lu Chang’sheng said.

"You and I hit it off right away. I’d never steer you wrong—don’t believe me, go ask around." Niu Xi said.

"Of course not, Fellow Daoist. Don’t worry." Lu Chang’sheng replied quickly.

"Listen to me and eat well! Back in the day, I was as arrogant as that Zhu Bei kid, but look at me now! Sigh... Once you get into Alchemy Dao, you’re in deep—you can kiss your youth goodbye!"

"Oh, and one more heads up—alchemy makes your hair fall out!"

Lu Chang’sheng’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Niu Xi take off his Taoist cap, revealing a classic bald spot.