The Dao Of Time

As Wei Zhong awaited news from the Li Family, the Yingying Yanyan surrounding him immediately swarmed closer:

"Master, Master, come and taste this! Sister Hua's cooking is divine—the aroma of this roasted spirit fish is driving us mad with hunger! But Sister Hua insisted you have the first bite."

After spending a day with Wei Zhong, the maids had realized that this Senior Wei Zhong carried none of the haughtiness of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He treated them with warmth and kindness, even sharing lighthearted jokes from time to time. This emboldened them considerably.

With a playful shove, they pushed Sister Hua into Wei Zhong's arms. He embraced the warm, soft figure without hesitation, wrapping his arm generously around her waist.

Now that the Li Family had likely agreed to the transfer under Li Haowen's persuasion, accepting these maids would no longer cause any complications.

Wei Zhong gazed at the woman in his arms. At the tender age of sixteen, she possessed fair skin and exquisite beauty. The maids called her "Sister Hua" not because of her age, but because she held the highest cultivation base among them—the only one at the third layer of Qi Refining, granting her the greatest authority. Her name also contained the character "Hua," meaning "flower," which further cemented her title as "Sister Hua."

Wei Zhong guessed she was quite young. To maintain such a youthful appearance, she must have begun cultivating long ago. Her current stagnation in cultivation was likely due to limited talent and resources.

Wei Zhong rubbed the soft jade pendant on her abdomen, then opened his mouth. She immediately understood and fed him a piece of the grilled spirit fish.

After tasting it, Wei Zhong realized the grilled spirit fish truly had a unique flavor.

A smile spread across his face as he declared, "Excellent! You deserve a reward!"

With that, he produced a High-Grade Qi Nourishing Pill and placed it against her chest.

This generous gesture immediately drew squeals of excitement from the surrounding maids:

"Ah, Master, Master, I want one too!"

Sister Hua, whom Wei Zhong was holding, gazed at him with tender affection.

After pacifying the others with a few spirit stones, Wei Zhong finally asked the woman in his arms for her real name.

She was Xie Linghua, not a member of the Li Clan, but from a small cultivation family. After her family's decline, she was taken in by a Li Clan matriarch by chance.

Now that the matriarch had passed away, Linghua had lost her support and was sent to Black Lake Island to please Wei Zhong, the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Ling'er seems to have some skill in spirit cuisine?"

Wei Zhong, who was many cycles older than her, naturally wouldn't call her "Sister Hua." Instead, he gave her the nickname "Ling'er."

"When my family still existed, I learned a few skills from my father, but only the basics. I'm truly undeserving of such praise from a Senior and this reward. Though lacking in talent, Ling'er has some experience managing a family. I wish to remain by your side for the rest of my life, serving you."

Wei Zhong nodded. Such a sensible and clever woman who knew how to seize opportunities for advancement was rare. He was willing to give her a chance, but if she proved inadequate, he would simply replace her.

Stroking a strand of dark hair across her forehead, Wei Zhong said gently, "Very well. From now on, you shall manage Black Lake Island for this Daoist."

A flicker of disbelief crossed Xie Linghua's face before she realized what he meant and moved to kowtow in gratitude.

Wei Zhong chuckled and helped her up. "Rather than kowtow, why not feed this old man a few more bites of spirit fish?"

She wiped away the tears welling in her eyes, her face breaking into a radiant smile. With renewed tenderness, she fed him the spirit fish.

The surrounding onlookers watched Xie Linghua secure such a high position with just a few words before this Foundation Establishment Senior, their hearts filled with regret. They bitterly resented that they hadn't been the ones to approach him first.

Yet seeing the Senior's pleased expression, they dared not voice their complaints.

Despite the amicable atmosphere, the Qi Refining maids remained keenly aware of the vast gulf separating them from the Foundation Establishment cultivator. Some were already plotting how to make a good impression on Sister Hua later, wondering if they had ever slighted her in the past.

Just as Wei Zhong was enjoying himself, Li Haowen returned.

Seeing Wei Zhong, he immediately bowed deeply.

"Forgive me for interrupting your Senior's leisure."

Wei Zhong set Xie Linghua down, and she promptly led the others to stand aside.

A clever one indeed, Wei Zhong thought.

"Speak. Have your clan members agreed to my request?"

Li Haowen replied respectfully, "The Li Family will naturally comply with Senior's wishes. Moreover, Senior Chu's slaying of the Candle Daoist was a great boon to both the Li Family and myself."

"Oh?"

"Senior may not know this, but when that villain arrived, he sought to seize our clan lands. My father, as Clan Leader, refused to yield and was brutally murdered. With the loss of our pillar, my lineage was relegated to a branch family. In truth, Senior, you are my benefactor."

With these words, Li Haowen prostrated himself in a full bow.

Wei Zhong hadn't realized this deeper connection. Seeing Li Haowen about to perform further kowtows, he lifted him up with a surge of spiritual energy.

"Enough. This is all fate. There's no need for such elaborate formalities."

Only then did Li Haowen rise and present the Spirit Contract to Wei Zhong.

The seal bore the marks of both Wei Zhong and the Li Family crest.

Wei Zhong nodded and stored the contract in his storage pouch.

Noticing Li Haowen still standing there, he asked, "Is there anything else?"

Li Haowen replied frankly, "The Li Family wishes to invite you to become our Guest Elder. We implore you to shield our clan in these troubled times."

Wei Zhong sighed. The Li Family's request came as no surprise.

When the Li Family Patriarch passed away, the sudden arrival of the Candle Daoist had prevented the clan from being divided among its rivals. Now that the Candle Daoist was dead, the Li Family naturally turned to Wei Zhong for protection.

"Very well," Wei Zhong agreed, "but let's be clear. The Li Family must use my name, Chu Zhong, with utmost caution. Do not tarnish my reputation. If any Foundation Establishment cultivator harbors ill intentions toward your clan, I will intervene as necessary."

Li Haowen's face lit up with joy, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Senior! The Clan Leader instructed us to fulfill any request you might have."

Wei Zhong smiled and gestured toward the group of Yingying Yanyan. "Then let these maidens remain here for now. This vast Black Lake Island feels rather lonely with just an old man like me."

Wei Zhong made no attempt to conceal his words from the group of maids, and the descendants immediately erupted into cheers.

"While you're at it, find some Spirit Farmers to help me manage Black Lake Island properly."

"Yes, Senior."

Wei Zhong waved his hand, and Li Haowen wisely withdrew.

Wei Zhong stretched languidly, finally relieved that the matter of the spirit ground had been settled. He was no longer a Spirit Farmer living under someone else's roof, but a Foundation Establishment cultivator with his own Spirit Island.

Just as Wei Zhong was sighing in contentment, a child's voice suddenly rang in his ears:

"Now this is someone who knows how to enjoy life."

Startled, Wei Zhong turned to see a Red-Clothed Boy standing beside him.

Who is this? How did he sneak up on me without a sound?

The boy's right hand shot out with lightning speed, seizing Wei Zhong's arm before he could react.

Wei Zhong had no time to resist, his heart pounding with fear. As he struggled to break free, the boy spoke:

"Early Foundation Establishment at over a hundred years old? What a crooked, cracked date."

Wei Zhong was surprised. This person seemed to harbor no hostility

Chapter 42: A False Alarm and Future Plans

The Red-Clothed Boy released Wei Zhong's arm and shook his head. "Five Spiritual Roots, all low-grade. Unfit for cultivation."

Wei Zhong's confusion deepened as the boy asked, "Did you kill the brat who practiced the Blood Body Technique?"

Wei Zhong was startled. While the Li Family knew he had killed Candle Daoist, how could this person know Candle Daoist had practiced the Blood Body Technique?

"What Blood Body Technique? This junior is unaware of such a thing. However, I did slay a Demonic Cultivator here the day before yesterday."

"Oh? Are you lying?"

As the boy spoke, Wei Zhong felt his Sea of Consciousness tremble, as if compelled to reveal the truth. But the Time Treasure Record, coiled within his Sea of Consciousness, gently shuddered and suppressed the urge.

"This junior speaks only the truth."

"What about the cultivator's Storage Pouch?"

"The battle was fierce; it was destroyed."

"Destroyed?"

The Red-Clothed Boy's expression turned doubtful.

"Fellow Daoist Red Beard, I inspected the cave. The traces of battle were extensive, and residual spatial fluctuations confirm the Storage Pouch was indeed destroyed."

Wei Zhong suddenly noticed another white-robed Daoist with an immortal-like demeanor standing beside him, addressing the Red-Clothed Boy.

The latter remained persistent:

"Did you obtain a small sword-shaped object from that cultivator?"

"I did not."

The Red-Clothed Boy then probed with indirect questions, but Wei Zhong answered each with meticulous precision, leaving no openings.

Finding no further leads, the Red-Clothed Boy reluctantly gave up.

He glanced back at the white-robed Daoist, their eyes met, and they vanished from the spot in an instant.

In the air, the white-robed Daoist smiled at the Red-Clothed Boy and said:

"Fellow Daoist Red Beard, you're too merciful. A soul search would have revealed everything. Why bother with the True Word Art?"

The Red-Clothed Boy shook his head:

"I'm not as ruthless as you, Fellow Daoist Bai Heng. Even though he was just a Foundation Establishment cultivator with limited potential, he was still one of our Human Race.

Why don't you share your findings?"

The white-robed Daoist replied:

"My investigation confirms that a fierce battle occurred within the cave on the mountain. Though attempts were made to conceal the aftermath, the traces couldn't escape my notice."

The cave reeked of blood, the stench identical to that of the Blood Bodies we had slain before.

Judging by the battle's aftermath, this Blood Body had been obliterated by a single strike approaching Core Formation level. The attack reduced it to dust and, with undiminished force, pierced through more than half the mountain.

"A strike approaching Core Formation level? It seems that junior has some fortune. Otherwise, they wouldn't have reached Foundation Establishment at such an advanced age."

"What, Fellow Daoist Red Beard, are you tempted?" Bai Heng teased with a smile.

The latter snorted. "Core Formation level? Merely Talismans and Talisman Treasures. Such trifles are beneath my notice. For us Spirit Transformation cultivators, only the techniques of transcendence hold any value."

Bai Heng sighed. "Indeed. That's why we've been searching so diligently, and finally found traces of the Blood Sovereign here. If we can obtain his methods, they might illuminate our own paths."

Red Beard scratched his head.

"Some junior who appeared out of nowhere has inherited the Blood Sovereign's legacy and even taken the title Blood Sea True Monarch, practicing Demonic Cultivation. It's a disgrace to the Blood Sovereign's name.

I heard the Nether Luo Sect next door lost a promising Earth Spirit Root disciple to this calamity. What a pity."

Bai Heng stroked his beard. "In my opinion, this self-proclaimed Blood Sea junior likely only obtained a fragmented inheritance. He must have mixed it with some heretical techniques to create such a life-devouring Technique."

Red Beard nodded in agreement, then asked, "Speaking of which, Bai Heng, how many inheritances have you acquired?"

The white-robed Daoist replied, "Eight and a half. One jade slip was accidentally destroyed during the competition."

"Haha! Even with your half-set completed, you'd still be one short of me. Speaking of which, I found one of mine in a nearby ravine. I wonder which junior buried it there."

"Oh? A cautious junior who could resist such temptation? Perhaps they'll have a chance to reach our realm someday."

"Heh, the path of cultivation is fraught with hardship. It's fortunate enough to live out one's lifespan. Spirit Transformation?" Red Beard shook his head.

Wei Zhong remained unaware of the conversation that had transpired after the pair's departure, and he had no idea that the jade slip he had buried years ago had been discovered and taken.

Turning to Xie Linghua, who was approaching, he asked, "Did anyone come by after Li Haowen left?"

She shook her head, her expression puzzled. "No one," she replied. Noticing Wei Zhong's worried demeanor, she added, "What's wrong, Master?"

Wei Zhong didn't answer, his mind replaying the sudden arrival of the two cultivators.

They were at least Nascent Soul realm cultivators, or perhaps even Spirit Transformation realm cultivators.

Wei Zhong had never felt such utter helplessness before. Had they not spoken first, he wouldn't have sensed their presence at all. With a single move, they had subdued him, leaving him no chance to escape into his Grotto-Heaven.

Fortunately, they seemed to harbor no ill intent. He felt a surge of gratitude for his own caution.

It had been wise not to instantly reset his bone age to his youth. Otherwise, a twenty- or thirty-year-old with a trash-tier Five Elements spirit root—all low-grade—reaching Foundation Establishment would have raised serious suspicions.

Now, with a bone age of over a hundred, he appeared to be at the normal age for Foundation Establishment, which had slightly allayed their doubts.

Still, what secret technique had that Red-Clothed Boy, the one called Red Beard, used to shake his Sea of Consciousness and force him to speak the truth?

Fortunately, the Time Treasure Record suppressed the compulsion; otherwise, he would have spilled all his secrets like beans.

That would have been a fatal calamity.

Now, the two cultivators likely believed he had slain the Candle Daoist using some immensely powerful Secret Treasure.

What mysteries lay within the Blood Sea True Monarch's legacy that could attract the attention of these Grand Cultivators?

Wei Zhong had planned to retrieve the legacy items he had buried years ago to prepare for enemies tracking the Candle Daoist's trail.

But after this incident, he dared not. Let the token and jade slip remain buried deep underground forever.

If anyone came to Han Bamboo City, he would fight if he could win, and flee if he couldn't.

This incident would likely quiet things down in Han Bamboo City. With such powerful cultivators watching, the Loose Cultivator city, whose strongest members were only at the Golden Core stage, would have little opportunity for trouble.

Could this be his chance to investigate?

He used to be poor and weak, but now things were different.

Having successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, he now possessed his own spirit ground and Grotto-Heaven, allowing him to properly plan his future path.

First, he needed to break free from the Azurewood Sect's monopoly. Alchemy, talisman crafting, artifact forging, formations—all these skills needed to be prioritized.

With the Time Treasure Record's proficiency panel and his near-infinite lifespan, he could hone these skills to the highest realms.

These skills would serve as resources on his cultivation journey.

Chapter 43: Rankless, Azure Ganoderma Intoxication

"Master, Master?"

Xie Linghua gently reminded Wei Zhong, noticing his sudden daze.

Wei Zhong refocused his thoughts. These matters required careful consideration and couldn't be settled in a moment.

He instructed Xie Linghua to receive the incoming Spirit Farmers and oversee the allocation of spirit ground on Black Lake Island.

Decades ago, as the Li Family's Second-Tier Spiritual Island, Black Lake Island served not only as a cultivation ground for the clan's elite members but also boasted vast, high-quality Spirit Fields. These fields were reserved exclusively for clan members, closed off to Loose Cultivator Spirit Farmers.

Now, Wei Zhong intended to fully utilize these Spirit Fields for cultivating various Spiritual Plants.

After delegating these tasks to the newly appointed Spirit Island steward, Wei Zhong returned to his Immortal's Cave. The dim, somewhat oppressive atmosphere of the cave made him uneasy.

Having grown accustomed to the small courtyard of his Spirit Farmer's residence, he found it difficult to adjust to this confined space.

I should build a small pavilion outside later.

Wei Zhong stepped into the Grotto-Heaven, inhaling the dense spiritual energy. He let out a contented sigh.

"This is truly the ideal place for cultivation."

Returning to the Cultivation Chamber, Wei Zhong retrieved the Second-Tier spirit wine brewing technique he had obtained from Daoist Hu Yang and began studying it in earnest.

As he browsed the knowledge recorded in the jade slip, Wei Zhong was completely engrossed.

Compared to First-Tier spirit wines, Second-Tier spirit wines required not only higher-quality ingredients but also slightly different techniques. The most crucial aspect was preventing spiritual energy conflicts between the various spiritual treasures used in the brewing process. The methods detailed within the jade slip truly broadened Wei Zhong's horizons.

Having already achieved considerable skill in spirit wine brewing, Wei Zhong gained further insights after reviewing the jade slip's contents.

Perhaps by replacing a few ingredients in Azure Vine Intoxication, I could upgrade it to a Second-Tier spirit wine, Wei Zhong thought, his face beaming with delight.

As he flipped to the final three Wine Recipes, a hint of surprise appeared on Wei Zhong's face.

The first recipe was named Warm Human Tears, and its description stated that the spirit wine possessed a mild nourishing effect on the Divine Soul.

As a Loose Cultivator for many years, Wei Zhong understood how rare such Divine Soul-nourishing spiritual treasures were.

In fact, he had never seen one in person, only encountering fleeting mentions of such precious items in dubious anecdotes and biographies written by other Cultivators.

After carefully examining the entire Wine Recipe with excitement, Wei Zhong sighed in resignation.

No wonder Daoist Hu Yang sold this inheritance to me.

The spirit wine "Warm Human Tears" was classified as First-Tier, offering only a slight enhancement to the spiritual sense of Qi Refining cultivators.

The improvement was minimal. Consuming one or two taels of the spirit wine daily for ten consecutive years would barely elevate a cultivator's divine sense from the early to mid-stage of Qi Refining.

To reach the late-stage, thirty years of continuous consumption would be required.

While this might seem reasonable at first glance, the production costs were exorbitant. A single batch of ingredients, costing at least a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, would yield only enough spirit wine for a cultivator's annual consumption. This estimate didn't even account for losses due to brewing failures.

Such a costly investment was simply unaffordable for most cultivators.

Wei Zhong, already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, viewed this Wine Recipe merely as a temporary asset. Its only value lay in serving as a reference for future attempts to refine and elevate it to Second-Tier status.

Let's use this to practice and familiarize myself with the principles. That way, I'll be better prepared to improve it later.

Moreover, this wine still had a market among Qi Refining cultivators, especially those stuck at their current cultivation stage. Enhancing their spiritual sense could significantly aid in breaking through bottlenecks.

The second wine recipe, Jade Forest Green, was unremarkable—a spirit wine with a unique flavor derived from spiritual fruits.

To Wei Zhong, it resembled the fruit-flavored beverages of his previous life. Its only redeeming quality was its pleasant taste; otherwise, it was utterly ordinary.

The third recipe, Azure Ganoderma Intoxication, bore a name strikingly similar to his own Azure Vine Intoxication.

This spirit wine used Lingzhi mushrooms as its primary ingredient, providing cultivators with spiritual energy and enhancing their cultivation base—similar to the effects of the Qi Harmonizing Pill.

The recipe lacked specific tiers; the rarer the ingredients used, the higher the spirit wine's quality.

As for managing the spiritual energy conflicts between ingredients, that was left to the brewer's discretion.

"This..."

Wei Zhong's mind drifted to the Jade Marrow Mushroom growing on the withered Spirit Wood outside his courtyard.

A three-hundred-year-old Jade Marrow Mushroom was the main ingredient for the Second-Tier Foundation Establishment Pill. If he used such a mushroom to brew wine, wouldn't it automatically become a Second-Tier spirit wine?

Moreover, the Jade Marrow Mushrooms growing on the Spirit Wood weren't limited to three hundred years in age; some were even five hundred years old.

Excited by this realization, Wei Zhong thought, I can completely replace the Qi Harmonizing Pill with this Azure Mushroom Spirit Wine for my daily cultivation needs.

As long as I use high-quality ingredients, I won't have to worry about the spirit wine lacking sufficient spiritual energy. Isn't this even better than the Qi Harmonizing Pills sold by the Azurewood Sect?

Without having learned Alchemy, this Azure Ganoderma Intoxication is undoubtedly the best choice.

Speaking of which, Fellow Daoist Shen from the Azurewood Sect still owes me a favor. It wouldn't be unreasonable to ask him for an Alchemy Inheritance now, would it?

Wei Zhong knew that Fellow Daoist Shen had earned a considerable number of spirit stones over the years thanks to the Azure Vine Intoxication Wine Recipe.

With these thoughts in mind, Wei Zhong set down the jade slip. Someone was approaching the Immortal's Cave.

In a flash, Wei Zhong returned to the cave. Using his divine sense, he detected Xie Linghua's arrival and commanded the Blood-Feeding Bat King to let her in.

Standing at the cave entrance, Xie Linghua felt a chill as she gazed at the crimson glow emanating from within. She didn't know what kind of demon beasts lurked inside, but she understood that with her meager strength, she would have no chance of survival if they swarmed her.

"Come in," Wei Zhong's voice echoed from within.

Wei Zhong's voice snapped Xie Linghua out of her daze. With a nervous breath, she stepped into the Immortal's Cave.

The journey through the swarm of Blood-Eating Bats had sent shivers down her spine, and the sight of the half-human-sized, ferocious Blood-Feeding Bat King had nearly stopped her heart.

Relief washed over her as she entered the cave and saw its interior illuminated by multiple Night-Illuminating Pearls, revealing a pavilion-like structure.

Wei Zhong stood at the entrance, watching her with a warm smile.

"Master!" Xie Linghua greeted him, and Wei Zhong gestured for her to enter the room. He had already cleaned the space and furnished it with some of his old belongings, giving it a surprisingly homely feel.

Xie Linghua began by reporting on her arrangements for the maids and Spirit Farmers.

"The Spirit Fields have been allocated. Most of the Spirit Farmers are veterans who previously cultivated this island, so they adapted quickly. As for the sisters, I've assigned them light tasks for now and encouraged them to learn simple skills that might prove useful to you in the future, Master..."

Wei Zhong nodded. "Excellent. Your arrangements are more than satisfactory. As for compensation, don't skimp on them. Maintain the Li Family's previous standards, and offer bonuses to exceptional performers."

After finalizing the operational details for Spirit Island, they turned to more personal matters.

Wei Zhong gently wrapped his arm around Xie Linghua's slender waist, a delicate blush blooming on her cheeks...