Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 374 - 231: Struggle Between the Trading Firms
Cultivating the Barbarian Armor Technique can be paired with the Body Tempering Pill used for body refinement. However, Lu Chang’sheng is no longer the same as when he first arrived in the Spirit Realm; now, with White Cloud Pavilion backing him, he naturally doesn’t need to save his resources.
Usually, when practicing the Barbarian Armor Technique, he uses high-grade pills, and if he has the materials, he’ll refine some top-quality Vajra Pills himself.
In the blink of an eye, two months passed.
These two months were fairly quiet. Ever since Red Cloud Daoist appeared in Baiqi Medicine Garden last time, his whereabouts were exposed and he was besieged by the Gu Family patriarch and their forces.
Rumor has it that he nearly lost his life several times.
Lu Chang’sheng felt deeply about this; Red Cloud Daoist truly deserves his reputation as a top figure below Foundation Establishment. Even in such a siege, he managed to escape with his life.
Asking himself honestly, if it had been him, he would’ve been killed outright.
But Lu Chang’sheng knows this situation wouldn’t last, because just a couple days ago, he heard from Yu Hai and Wang Futian that a Foundation Establishment master from the Supreme Profound Sect has arrived at Platinum Immortal City.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Immortal Sect are quite different from those of clan powers; sect experts have superior Immortal Techniques and their magical power is much stronger than ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.
It’s all thanks to the quality of the Immortal Techniques they’ve cultivated.
"I wonder why Red Cloud Daoist refuses to leave?" Lu Chang’sheng mused inwardly. Though curious, he also understood that, regardless, it had nothing to do with him.
After two months of relentless cultivation, the Barbarian Armor Technique reached a critical point; that night, the sound of thuds echoed—it was him using puppet beasts to forge his body.
One shadow after another exploded across the courtyard, massive silhouettes of the Black Water Profound Snake whipping through the air.
Li Nangua stood off to the side, watching nervously as the shirtless Lu Chang’sheng moved about, clutching a talisman paper in her hand, ready to shoot it off at the slightest sign of trouble.
Even though Lu Chang’sheng was controlling the Black Water Profound Snake, since it was a late-Qi stage puppet, she worried he’d struggle to handle its power at first.
But after seeing Lu Chang’sheng choose the cautious, gradual approach, she relaxed, putting the talisman into the Treasure Vault Immortal Insect.
The Black Water Profound Snake’s tail lashed at Lu Chang’sheng over and over as he stood in a pile stance, magical power flowing through his body in a unique pattern. Slowly, a faint leathery layer began to appear on his skin.
After some time, he dismissed the Black Water Profound Snake, letting it coil along the wall.
A greyish, leathery layer had formed on his body, looking very much like a sheath of scales.
This was the sign of Entry-level mastery in the Barbarian Armor Technique.
"Body Technique: Barbarian Armor Technique (Grade One, High Quality):
Entry requires two months.
Minor Achievement requires three years. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
Great Success requires ten years.
Perfection requires thirty years.
In body techniques, cultivation is obviously much quicker than Immortal Techniques; for this Grade One, High Quality technique, achieving perfection would only take sixteen years.
If the average cultivator knew Lu Chang’sheng could achieve perfection in the Barbarian Armor Technique in just sixteen years, they’d be utterly shocked.
After all, body techniques are easy to learn but hard to master; achieving real results is much more difficult than with spells of the same tier.
Looking at the red marks on his bare torso, Li Nangua felt deeply pained.
Body techniques require constant tempering of the flesh to open and refine the blood vessels and acupoints. You could skip this, but your cultivation speed would plummet.
She knew Lu Chang’sheng was unwilling to settle for just the Qi Cultivation realm; even if she tried to dissuade him, it was pointless. All she could do was take out the ointment she’d prepared and gently rub it onto him.
"How’s the business at the pill shop these days?" Feeling the cool ointment on his skin, Lu Chang’sheng couldn’t help but let out a pleased sigh, but his mind was still on business matters.
He and Nangua could only focus on cultivation thanks to the pill shop’s success; so even when things were busy, he made sure to check in from time to time.
Li Nangua knew this well and replied, "Due to Red Cloud Daoist’s influence, the shop tightened its pill sales. This month’s profits will likely be down by a lot."
"That’s just how it is. Still, Red Cloud Daoist’s issue should be resolved soon."
Li Nangua nodded in agreement.
With a True Man from Supreme Profound Sect taking action, Red Cloud Daoist probably won’t stir up any more waves.
However, events unfolded in ways that neither Lu Chang’sheng nor Li Nangua could’ve expected.
A few days later, while Lu Chang’sheng was cultivating the Barbarian Armor Technique, word arrived: Red Cloud Daoist had been cornered at Black Smoke Mountain.
"Black Smoke Mountain is full of rocky outcrops, a perfect hideout. But for a Foundation Establishment expert, it’s just a bit of extra hassle," he paused his training, a faint smile crossing his lips.
Red Cloud Daoist was ruthless, plunging all Platinum Immortal City into a state of fear and chaos. Some shady people took the opportunity to slack off, but Red Cloud Daoist’s ability to escape was definitely impressive.
Lu Chang’sheng reckoned that when it came to life-preserving skills, that guy was really something.
It also gave him ideas—the path of body techniques was partly inspired by this thought.
Of course, he also had other techniques nearing a bottleneck, and had no choice but to switch things up.
With Red Cloud Daoist about to fall, Lu Chang’sheng’s mind was unsettled; he took the rare chance to stop cultivating and dine with family.
But unexpectedly, partway through the meal, a stranger arrived, giving Lu Chang’sheng a sudden jolt.
The visitor handed over a letter, carefully placing it into Lu Chang’sheng’s hands.
Lu Chang’sheng asked who sent it, but the man answered, "The sender didn’t say, just told me to deliver it to you, Immortal. Said you’d know once you read it."
Lu Chang’sheng glanced at the man, whose eyes glimmered with hope, and motioned for Lu Chang’an to give him a Spirit Stone.
