I am a Late Bloomer in the Immortal World

"Gong Shulan?" Kou Hongying frowned slightly, unfamiliar with the name. She had never heard of a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Gong Shulan within Danqiu Mountain.

Fu Zhizhou briefly explained her background.

"A female cultivator who engages in that kind of business?" Kou Hongying's cheeks flushed slightly as she scoffed.

"Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang are tracking Gong Shulan, and she has now successfully reached Foundation Establishment..."

"That means Gong Shulan must have something they—or perhaps even the Shuyun Alliance—greatly covet."

"Back then, Geng Wen was likely just another pawn used by the Shuyun Alliance."

Wei Tu hesitated for a moment.

His instincts told him—Gong Shulan must be carrying a great opportunity, one that could change the fate of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

It was the same kind of opportunity he had seized when he killed Geng Wen and obtained the Foundation Establishment Pill.

If he played his cards right, he might be able to save himself decades, or even centuries, of struggle.

However, Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang were both mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, while his Talisman Sword was damaged, and most of his talismans had been depleted.

Acting recklessly could lead to disaster.

"No need to worry, Uncle Wei. Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang wouldn't dare touch us."

Kou Hongying saw through Wei Tu's concerns and chuckled softly.

"Yuquan Mountain Market has a Golden Core True Lord from Mirror Water Pavilion stationed there. If I crush my distress talisman, the Golden Core True Lord will be alerted and will immediately come to our aid."

With this assurance, Wei Tu no longer hesitated.

He nodded firmly and immediately formulated a plan.

Fu Zhizhou would stay behind as backup, while he and Kou Hongying would move in stealthily to investigate why Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang were pursuing Gong Shulan.

(Fu Zhizhou had only recently reached Foundation Establishment and had not yet learned to completely conceal his aura, making him an easy target for Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang.)

"Understood, Third Brother." Fu Zhizhou accepted the signal talisman Wei Tu handed him and nodded.

Fifteen minutes later.

Wei Tu and Kou Hongying arrived at a cliffside, a location that Gong Shulan was bound to pass through.

The two waited in ambush, ready to observe the impending confrontation between Gong Shulan and Ren Yifeng's group.

As expected, it didn't take long before Gong Shulan, pursued by Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang, arrived at the cliffside.

Gong Shulan landed on the ground.

Her face was pale, her lips stained with blood, and she coughed lightly as she turned to face Ren Yifeng, who stood in her way.

"Uncle Ren, my father was once your friend. Is this how you treat his daughter?"

She activated a protective barrier of spiritual energy, her voice sharp with indignation as she attempted to sway Ren Yifeng's resolve.

"If all you had was the Foundation Establishment treasure that the rumors speak of, I would not only refrain from pursuing you but would also protect you."

"Unfortunately, Gong Shulan, you carry far more than just a single Foundation Establishment treasure."

Ren Yifeng smirked as he looked her up and down.

As he spoke, Chen Tang arrived, cutting off Gong Shulan's escape route from behind.

The two had her completely surrounded.

"Gong Shulan, you were quite clever—sneaking out of Danqiu Mountain while we were attending the underground auction and establishing your Foundation in Demon Wolf Mountain Range."

"But in the end, all your scheming has fallen just a step short."

Chen Tang laughed coldly.

Several years ago, he and a group of Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators from the Shuyun Alliance had left Danqiu Mountain, not only to participate in the underground auction but also to lure out Gong Shulan—forcing her to leave the mountain on her own to retrieve the Gong Clan's treasure.

"If you hand over the Gong Clan's secret treasure to the Shuyun Alliance and swear loyalty as our servant, your Uncle Ren and I might consider sparing your life…"

"It wouldn't be pleasant to be slaughtered right after reaching Foundation Establishment, would it?"

As he spoke, Chen Tang summoned a black longblade and slashed toward Gong Shulan's protective spiritual barrier.

After just a few strikes, the barrier began to waver, on the verge of collapse.

However, Chen Tang did not press the attack to finish her off. Instead, he held back and continued trying to persuade her, clearly more interested in securing the Gong Clan's treasure than in outright killing her.

Watching from their hiding spot near the cliff, Wei Tu and Kou Hongying exchanged glances.

In an instant, they both understood Chen Tang's true intentions.

The Shuyun Alliance was only aware that Gong Shulan carried a great treasure, but they had no idea what it actually was or whether she still had it on her.

—Soul-searching techniques were exclusive to Golden Core cultivators.

That was likely why they had not immediately killed Gong Shulan, instead waiting for her to successfully reach Foundation Establishment.

"Since both uncles wish to obtain the treasure, this little woman has no choice but to comply and hand it over…"

"However, I ask that once I surrender the treasure, the two of you will let me go."

Gong Shulan bit her lip, a sorrowful expression appearing on her face as she seemed to plead for mercy from Ren Yifeng and Chen Tang.

"As long as you hand over the Gong Clan's treasure, letting you go is a trivial matter," Ren Yifeng responded immediately.

But Chen Tang, standing beside him, added another condition.

"Gong Shulan, word is that you're quite skilled at 'serving' others…"

"If you can serve me well, not only will I let you go, but I'll even reward you handsomely."

His eyes gleamed with vulgarity, his gaze trailing from Gong Shulan's slender neck down to the curves of her body, lingering shamelessly.

"Here is the Gong Clan's secret treasure."

Gong Shulan seemed to steel herself. She opened her mouth and spat out a jade pendant, glowing with a ghostly green light.

"Good, good, good!"

Ren Yifeng's eyes gleamed with joy as he raised his sleeve and infused his spiritual power, drawing the jade pendant toward him.

However—

Just as Ren Yifeng reached out to receive the pendant, the carved skull on the pendant suddenly came to life.

Its hollow eye sockets flashed with eerie green light.

The pendant transformed into a floating, skull-sized head, pulsating with an eerie green glow, and lunged at Ren Yifeng's throat.

Everything happened in an instant.

Even with Ren Yifeng's vigilance, he was caught completely off guard.

He instinctively activated his spiritual shield, attempting to block the green skull, but—

His barrier was as fragile as paper, instantly pierced and torn apart.

The green skull sank its fangs into his throat.

In the blink of an eye—

Ren Yifeng's body shriveled up, his eyes bulging in horror, as his flesh and blood were completely drained.

"A demonic cultivator?"

Chen Tang's expression twisted in shock as he stared at Gong Shulan, muttering those four words.

Even though Ren Yifeng had just been killed, he did not flee.

He was certain that Gong Shulan was completely exhausted, her strength already depleted.

Overcoming his fear, he remained where he was, prepared to seize the treasure for himself.

Meanwhile—

The green skull, having absorbed Ren Yifeng's life force, suddenly grew limbs.

Its glowing jade bones fused together, flesh rapidly forming, until it took the shape of a pale, beautiful woman.

"Hu Yao?!"

Watching from the shadows, Wei Tu froze.

His hand covered his mouth, his eyes widening in disbelief.