Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 345 - 212: The Fall of the War God

As a Grade B Alchemist who was quite well-known at the White Cloud Pharmacy, Lu Chang’sheng naturally bore the brunt.

That night, several alchemists from Institutes C and D came looking for Lu Chang’sheng.

They wanted Lu Chang’sheng to find a way out for everyone.

However, by Lu Chang’sheng’s estimation, these people were alchemists, after all, so it was impossible for them to be completely stuck.

The reason they had come was most likely to pull him in on their plans—this way, wherever they went, they could look after each other.

Or perhaps they simply wanted to join the Lu Mansion and become the Lu Family’s alchemists.

However, he knew his own family best—right now, the Lu Family was already struggling to support him as their sole alchemist; taking in others would surely slow down both his own and his family’s cultivation progress.

Therefore, Lu Chang’sheng turned down the proposal.

"We understand your concerns, Fellow Daoist Lu, but having just one or two people isn’t as good as sticking together. Though you have a distinguished background, you still lack some of the inheritance and deep accumulation."

A white-robed cultivator stroked his beard as he spoke.

"Right now, everything at the White Cloud Cave Mansion revolves around Zhou Lin. What Liu Jiu and the others are up to isn’t a secret anymore. If they can’t even tolerate us, how could they possibly tolerate you, Fellow Daoist Lu?"

"Even if you don’t mind what happened in the past, staying at White Cloud Cave Mansion in the future will mean constant targeting—as you can see from our resource allocations being slashed by eighty percent over these past six months."

"Before, they cared about their reputation and tried to be discreet with distribution, not going too far. But once the official roster is recorded, they won’t bother to hide it while targeting us."

"If we stay, we’re basically just working for them."

With that, he looked at Lu Chang’sheng and said, "Within a few years, we won’t be able to stick around, and when we leave White Cloud Cave Mansion, we’ll lose access to new Immortal Techniques."

Everyone here was at least at third stage Qi Cultivation, and that white-robed cultivator himself was already at the fifth stage.

They all cultivated the Cyan Essence Immortal Technique.

And this technique was the one practiced by Master Baiyun, said to have come from Heaven-Burning Valley. Given their level, finding it again outside would not be easy at all.

"White Cloud Pavilion was founded by Elder Xiao Feng, and before leaving he secured the entire inheritance for the Cyan Essence Immortal Technique."

"So we can all join White Cloud Pavilion. Elder Xiao Feng is a powerhouse at the ninth stage of Qi Cultivation and can offer us protection."

Lu Chang’sheng looked at the man before him; his name was Sima Qi, a veteran Grade C Alchemist.

Among the group, he was the strongest in both cultivation and alchemy, so logically, the White Cloud Cave Mansion shouldn’t have wanted to push such talent out the door.

That left only one explanation: he probably associated closely with Huo Zun and the others in daily life.

"Fellow Daoist Sima, you make a good point, but my art learning fee is quite high... No matter how hard it gets, I still have to endure for a while."

Sima Qi didn’t mind. "To be honest, Fellow Daoist Lu, I’ve discussed this with Elder Xiao Feng at White Cloud Pavilion privately. For the art learning fee, they’ll help cover a portion."

"Right, my art learning fee was six thousand spirit stones and Elder Xiao Feng’s people covered three thousand for me, just like that."

The person beside him added.

This was one of the main reasons they were tempted to join White Cloud Pavilion.

Xiao Feng left White Cloud Cave Mansion with his people not just for a wager; there were other agreed-upon terms, including permission to teach several Immortal Techniques.

Otherwise, without such techniques, recruiting talent of this caliber would never happen overnight.

Lu Chang’sheng was definitely tempted.

He knew Sima Qi’s reasoning could not be faulted, but—

"My art learning fee is a bit expensive."

Lu Chang’sheng sighed.

"How much?"

"Sixty thousand lower-grade spirit stones."

Sima Qi and the rest instantly lapsed into silence—even the words they wanted to use to persuade Lu Chang’sheng to leave sooner died on their lips.

Sixty thousand spirit stones was a fortune for any Grade B Alchemist. Except for a handful, most Grade Bs could only make about ten or twenty thousand spirit stones a year at most.

"Let me get in touch with them about this."

Even so, Sima Qi didn’t want to leave Lu Chang’sheng behind—not for sentiment or loyalty, but—

As long as there are people, there will be rivalry.

White Cloud Pavilion was just starting out—maybe it wasn’t obvious now, but in ten or twenty years, there would definitely be competition for resources. Bringing Lu Chang’sheng along would be hugely beneficial.

Lu Chang’sheng nodded and said, "Thank you."

He saw them off and returned to Yun’an Institute to bury himself in cultivation once more.

He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to stay here, so every pill formula he mastered was worth it—a way to fleece White Cloud Pharmacy for all he could.

The days ticked by.

Whether it was the earlier warning having an effect or something else, his daily assignments were now more or less steady.

Two months for a new pill formula, one month for an old one.

This was the first time he had ever practiced alchemy at such a high intensity.

Now and then, he’d go back to the Lu Mansion and gather with his family for a bit.

He hadn’t planned to tell Nangua or the others anything, but for someone so close, it was impossible to keep her in the dark.

But Nangua didn’t say much; when Lu Chang’sheng returned, she simply watched him with a gentle gaze.

If Lu Chang’sheng wanted to rest, she’d sit quietly nearby.

If he wanted to take a walk, she’d follow at his side every step.

At night, she cooked herself, preparing a table full of home-style dishes.

Ever since arriving in the Spirit Realm, she’d become rusty in the kitchen, but after coming back from Fuyun Mountain, she took up cooking again.