Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 379 - 234: The Grudge of Hindering the Dao (2)
"I didn’t know Alchemist Lu was visiting. My apologies for the neglect—please forgive me, Alchemist Lu."
After all, Lu Chang’sheng was the head of a household, late-stage Qi Cultivation battle power, and a Grade B alchemist; the Zhao-named cultivator didn’t dare act casually in front of him.
"Fellow Daoist Zhao doesn’t seem nearly as nervous as you claim," said Lu Chang’sheng.
"Ah—" Zhao forced a dry, awkward smile. "That’s a fault of my own."
Saying this, he pulled out a pouch of spirit stones.
"What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist Zhao?" Lu Chang’sheng glanced over.
"Consider this my apology."
Lu Chang’sheng’s heart sank. The reason he’d sought this man out first was that his behavior was always smooth and cautious—perhaps he could pry out some answers.
But even with Lu Chang’sheng standing right there, the man revealed nothing.
"Who is scheming against my Lu Mansion?"
"I beg Alchemist Lu to spare me."
Seeing this, Lu Chang’sheng did not press further.
The Zhao-named cultivator was a collaborator of the Lu Mansion; since cooperation was off, and now he paid compensation, the matter could be considered settled... But—
"Those who received Lu Mansion’s training won’t get off so easily!"
After this, Lu Chang’sheng and Lu Chang’an went on to visit the homes of other collaborators, receiving much the same response.
Those people seemed ready for this situation, and presented compensation in spirit stones.
Lu Chang’sheng accepted it with an easy smile.
"Business may fail, but there’s still decency between people. We benefited mutually—allies or not, it’s nothing major."
Walking along the street, Lu Chang’sheng spoke to Lu Chang’an.
Soon, he arrived in front of a house among a cluster, but after Lu Chang’an knocked for quite a while, there was no response inside.
Could it be he’s not at home?
Lu Chang’sheng wondered silently. Still, since he was here, he wasn’t about to leave empty-handed. To chase after someone like this was more hassle than he liked.
Not long after, Lu Chang’an found a manager for the area.
The houses could keep outsiders out, but not the local manager. When they learned Alchemist Lu was seeking someone, the manager gladly helped open the door.
"Hold on, I’m inside."
As soon as the door opened, a gaunt-faced cultivator stepped out, looking at Lu Chang’sheng with slight displeasure.
"Alchemist Lu, please come in, come in. I was cultivating and didn’t know you’d come, I apologize for any offense."
The other’s expression changed in a flash—if not for Lu Chang’sheng’s high cultivation, he would’ve missed that flicker of emotion.
"No need to go in; I’m just here to ask a question. Have you truly made up your mind?"
Lu Chang’sheng’s bluntness made the man a bit resentful.
Though he disliked Lu Chang’sheng, the latter’s reputation was no small matter. If he could welcome him inside, in the eyes of the loose cultivators nearby, his own standing would rise. In the future, who knew what opportunities he could seize?
But Lu Chang’sheng made it plain and public, so the man’s little schemes were ruined.
"You flatter me, Alchemist Lu—I just have other plans. I hope you’ll understand."
Lu Chang’sheng’s face darkened; he nodded and turned to leave.
"Father, shall we try the other houses?"
"Let’s go. A bit more time doesn’t matter now," said Lu Chang’sheng.
These cultivators had years of experience—even without great power, their minds were sharp. It’d be hard to get information out of them, but Lu Chang’sheng could see their confidence.
Indeed, he visited the rest of the alchemists’ homes, getting nearly identical responses.
"Looks like someone truly remarkable has made a move against our Lu Family."
Back at Lu Mansion, Lu Chang’sheng said quietly.
Seeing his father so calm, Lu Chang’an’s own panic subsided a great deal.
"Do you have any suspects, Father?"
Lu Chang’sheng nodded, "After much thought, the only ones capable of this are the Zhu Family."
"The current head is Zhu Qing—her future prospects are immense, but she’s yet to reach Foundation Establishment. What we’re seeing now is about the extent of her current abilities."
"Go find Mr. Yu and Elder Wang."
Lu Chang’an hurried off.
Yu Hai and Wang Futian had been gone a while, following Immortal Sect elders to hunt down the evil cultivator Red Cloud Daoist—even Lu Chang’sheng rarely saw them.
Lu Chang’an looked for more than half the day before finding them; that was quick, really.
"Luckily, I was heading toward the city gate when I spotted Mr. Yu and Elder Wang," Lu Chang’an reported upon returning to Lu Chang’sheng.
Clearly, Yu Hai and Wang Futian also wanted to speak to Lu Chang’sheng.
Sure enough, on seeing Lu Chang’sheng, Yu Hai spoke bluntly: "Chang’sheng, you’d better be cautious. Zhu Qing has arrived in Platinum Immortal City."
"It really is her?"
Lu Chang’sheng told them about the departures of alchemists from his Pill Shop.
"No doubt it’s her. Even if she bears a grudge against you, Fellow Daoist Lu, she couldn’t get Foundation Establishment cultivators involved—she doesn’t have that kind of influence yet," Wang Futian said.
"What do you plan to do, Fellow Daoist Lu?" Wang Futian saw Lu Chang’sheng frowning, and thought this might be an opportunity. So he spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
"You’re not one for trouble, Fellow Daoist. And the destruction of the Zhu Family—all things considered, it’s not a huge matter. If you’re willing, perhaps I can help mediate between you."
Ordinary folks wouldn’t propose negotiation so easily, but Wang Futian had his own sense for people—he believed Lu Chang’sheng might accept.
"Might as well!" Sure enough, Lu Chang’sheng’s brows lifted.
Wang Futian felt a thrill.
After so many days, this was the first glimmer of hope to fully mend things with Lu Chang’sheng.
"Then wait for my good news, Fellow Daoist Lu."
Wang Futian and Yu Hai hurried off.
To make peace, you need someone of real standing—an average Foundation Establishment wouldn’t do. At the very least, you’d need an elder of the Immortal Sect.
But since Wang Futian dared bring it up, he must have some confidence.
Watching them go, Lu Chang’an asked in confusion, "Father, why accept this? We’re not afraid of Zhu Qing!"
Lu Chang’sheng answered, "Zhu Qing is trouble no matter what. With our current strength, getting rid of her isn’t easy. But with her temperament and talent, she’ll probably reach Foundation Establishment before Mr. Yu does. When she does, it’ll be a calamity for our Lu Mansion."
"Besides, if we put so much energy into dealing with her, it’ll hold us back."
Just like today—if Zhu Qing is behind this, she must be trying to limit our resources and slow our cultivation.
"Our current situation is a race—whoever establishes their foundation first wins!"
Lu Chang’sheng spoke quietly.
Only at Foundation Establishment can you brush aside most obstacles and kill your enemy outright.
Both Lu Chang’sheng and Zhu Qing know this.
"What if Zhu Qing pretends to agree and then reneges?"
"Then it’s just a matter of who’s got better tricks," said Lu Chang’sheng.
Zhu Qing might reach Foundation Establishment before him, but he was confident in keeping Lu Mansion safe.
The departure of alchemists from the Pill Shop hadn’t really hurt Lu Mansion; given the havoc caused by Red Cloud Daoist and other evil cultivators, the various pill shops had started ’tightening their belts’, selling only limited pills, and prices were spiking accordingly.
Ordinary cultivators usually stretched a single spirit stone as far as it could go. No one wanted to be the sucker right now—they’d rather stay home, cultivate less, and avoid buying pills for now.
As a result, pill shops were sitting on a mountain of inventory.
There was no rush to refine more pills any time soon.
Lu Chang’sheng continued using puppet beasts to practice Barbarian Armor Technique.
But as time passed, he could tell there was little chance that negotiations would succeed after all.
"If that’s the case, let’s see whose methods are stronger!"
Lu Chang’sheng stripped to the waist, letting the Black Water Profound Snake whip its tail across his body, his eyes growing cold and sharp.
In the territory of Great Yuan, he and the Empress still had an unfinished duel—now was his chance to pick up where they left off!
······
Meanwhile, outside Platinum Immortal City, in a tent, Zhu Qing’s expression was icy cold as she watched Wang Futian leave, face twisted with frustration.
Her own face showed neither sorrow nor joy.
"The grudge of blocking my path—how could I let it go so easily?"
To her, the Zhu Family was her shield—and by her plan, she would use Zhu Family’s power to ascend to the peak of cultivation.
She hadn’t expected Lu Chang’sheng’s crowd to derail her ambitions.
That, naturally, was a grudge for blocking her path.
