Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 291 - 185: Red Cloud Daoist Exposed!

Wei Zhen is dead!

When he got the news, Lu Chang’sheng couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion.

The saying "lust brings the blade" had come true—he hadn’t expected his words to become a curse.

After the Supreme Profound Sect people finished handling business, Lu Chang’sheng was finally allowed inside to collect Wei Zhen’s corpse.

He’d taken a direct hit from the aftermath of a magic fight; most of his face was mangled and bloody. For a mid-stage Qi Cultivator, it shouldn’t have been fatal—only, by some bad luck, several stone shards pierced straight through his skull, leaving a few gaping holes.

"You’re this man’s friend, right?"

A woman with a rather plump figure and powder dusted over her face walked over.

"Yes, and you are?" Lu Chang’sheng replied evenly.

"I’m the shopkeeper here. Those girls all work under me, scraping by," the woman’s eyes flashed with a touch of grief, but to Lu Chang’sheng, it looked a bit fake.

He brushed off her words a few times, and carried Wei Zhen’s body out.

The woman gave him a look; her eyes held a hint of gloominess.

Lu Chang’sheng, for his part, didn’t notice anything odd about it. That woman was probably the boss of the dead brothel girl—helping to fetch the corpse was perfectly normal.

Back at the inn, thinking about how much Wei Zhen had helped him, Lu Chang’sheng decided to spend some of his own spirit stones to return Wei Zhen’s room for him.

Otherwise, the charge would keep accruing, and even if Wei Zhen had no family, he did have a few women with him.

He just never had any children—Wei Zhen had never cared about having kids.

That night, a few people gathered in Lu Chang’sheng’s courtyard to chat.

There was already a curfew outside.

The three of them discussed it and realized this state of affairs probably wouldn’t last long.

"No way the evil cultivator who stole the treasure can stay hidden for long."

"Let’s wait a bit. We should be able to leave the city soon."

Lu Chang’sheng nodded.

The other two were experienced; they knew that after someone is found the first time, it’s much easier to catch them the second.

Sure enough, in the early hours of the third day, as Lu Chang’sheng was practicing his Puppetry Technique, a violent explosion rang out. It went on for several minutes before dying away completely.

He jumped onto the roof and saw plenty of cultivators floating in the air nearby, all watching the distance, where intense magical power flashed—though it didn’t last long before fading out.

Soon after, he heard the City Protection Spirit Array dissipate, and word quickly spread in the streets.

The Wang Family was going to hang Red Cloud Daoist’s corpse at the city gate as a warning to those evil cultivators still lurking in the shadows.

"So it was Red Cloud Daoist after all!"

Lu Chang’sheng, Fang Yuan, and Qu Guang walked to the city gate. By now, a crowd of cultivators was already gathering there.

Above the gate, a body hung by a long rope around its neck, head crowned with a fiery mane—who else but Red Cloud Daoist?

"You two have seen Red Cloud Daoist before?" Lu Chang’sheng asked in surprise.

"No, but Red Cloud Daoist was known for that red hair. Besides, the Wang Family wouldn’t bother lying to us," Qu Guang said.

Even Fang Yuan didn’t doubt it.

"Do you think there’s any chance that the person hanging up there isn’t Red Cloud Daoist?" Lu Chang’sheng mused aloud.

"Why do you say that, Fellow Daoist Lu?"

Fang Yuan and Qu Guang both looked startled.

"It’s just... With Red Cloud Daoist’s skills, I doubt the Wang Family could have taken both treasures from him."

"And if they did, how would a guy as slippery as Red Cloud Daoist get found so easily?"

During these days, Lu Chang’sheng had picked up a lot about Red Cloud Daoist, heard that he was extremely careful—more so than most evil cultivators. If he hadn’t been accidentally run into by a Supreme Profound Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator more than a decade ago (and escaped with his life), he wouldn’t have such a reputation now.

"Of course, that’s all just my guess. Maybe the Wang Family’s Foundation Establishment cultivators really were just that formidable."

Lu Chang’sheng smiled.

······

Red Cloud Daoist had nothing to do with them, so there was no need to dwell on it. Still, it was a shame about those two Golden Core treasures.

Lu Chang’sheng was no saint—if he had no thoughts about those treasures, he’d be lying.

"Money may move the heart, but best to restrain your greed."

Pushing aside impossible thoughts, Lu Chang’sheng tried to contact Liu Yun for a boat back to Platinum Immortal City, but was told there wouldn’t be a trip back for a while.

When he asked when they’d be heading out, Liu Yun answered that she wasn’t sure—maybe half a year, maybe a year or more.

Had no choice, Lu Chang’sheng had to look for other traveling merchants.

But given all that had happened, most merchant groups had stopped venturing out, so there weren’t many ships headed for Platinum Immortal City.

It wasn’t until more than ten days later that he finally found a small trading company.

"How come I’ve never heard of this merchant house?"

After hearing from Qu Guang that a merchant ship called Thunder Merchant House would be heading to Platinum Immortal City, Lu Chang’sheng couldn’t help but frown.

He’d worked with a few trading firms already and knew a fair number that moved between the two Immortal Cities.

"Maybe it’s a new company."

"Small firms like this often don’t make it—they go under after a year or two due to losses."

"Alchemist Lu, are you worried about safety?"

"A little, yeah."

Lu Chang’sheng chuckled. He’d stuck out a bit at the auction house, and there was nothing wrong with being extra careful.

Fang Yuan and Qu Guang exchanged helpless smiles.

They might not be a match for any Foundation Establishment master, but as late-stage Qi Cultivators, protecting Lu Chang’sheng was more than within their power.