Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 318 - 198: Baiyun’s Tribulation

The White Cloud Cave Mansion is undoubtedly a top-tier power within Platinum Immortal City. If the Gu Family weren’t backed by the Supreme Profound Sect, its influence would surely fall short compared to the Cave Mansion.

This speaks volumes about the reach of the Cave Mansion.

Now, with Master Baiyun slain, for every force not allied to Supreme Profound Sect, it’s no less than a clap of thunder.

Countless people are waiting, watching in silence.

Waiting to see how the other two Foundation Establishment powers will respond.

On that very day, yet more secret news reached Lu Chang’sheng’s ears.

It was said that, during the magical combat at the White Cloud Cave Mansion’s mountain gate, the patriarchs of the Zeng and Zheng families—both late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators—had fled Platinum Immortal City and vanished without a trace.

In Lu Chang’sheng’s view, this was a very wise move.

Though it looked like abandoning their family on the surface, it was actually the best way to protect them. As long as the family’s Foundation Establishment cultivator wasn’t cornered, the Supreme Profound Sect would be forced to hesitate, not daring to move against the ordinary clansmen.

If just one Foundation Establishment cultivator set their sights on an Immortal Sect at the same realm, it would be enough to make most disciples in that sect afraid to step out the gates.

This strategy was, in many ways, cut from the same cloth as what Lu Chang’sheng had in mind.

At the same time, they could also ally with other Foundation Establishment powers in the immortal cities.

In the past, the Supreme Profound Sect never dared make a reckless move against a Foundation Establishment cultivator for just that reason.

The downside was simply too great.

So, when Huang Feng, Fang Yuan and the others said there must be more to this, Lu Chang’sheng couldn’t agree more.

"Fellow Daoist Lu is probably not going to be able to return to the sect anytime soon," Fang Yuan said with regret.

This involves the refining of the Barrier-Breaking Pill. The Cave Mansion had plenty of auxiliary means for boosting alchemists’ efficiency.

Not being able to go back would definitely affect alchemy.

Lu Chang’sheng gave a faint sigh.

Qu Guang, Huang Feng, and the other patriarchs exchanged a knowing look, all seeing a hint of relief in each other’s eyes.

As soon as Lu Chang’sheng left, they immediately said, "Good thing we didn’t go all-in with our sect resources like Fang Yuan did, or we’d be taking a huge loss right now."

"Exactly! The Barrier-Breaking Pill was hard enough to refine to begin with, and now all this has happened. It’s just getting tougher!"

"Fellow Daoist Fang Yuan really took a loss here."

Of course, Qu Guang wasn’t much in the mood for schadenfreude, since the junior he’d placed his hopes on—Qu Nian—had failed to break through to late-stage Qi Cultivation.

Luckily, he’d cut his losses early and put a stop to Qu Nian burning through more pills, saving a third of their Barrier-Breaking Pills. Otherwise, his usual composure might have cracked by now.

Still, whether to let Qu Feng use the remaining pills, or wait another few years until a new sixth-layer Qi Cultivation cultivator emerged in the clan, was giving him a bit of a headache.

Fang Yuan sighed softly.

He was starting to feel some regret, but at this point, there was nothing more to be said. As long as Lu Chang’sheng remained, there’d still be opportunities—just maybe not as many.

"Let’s not mention Alchemist Lu again. But with Master Baiyun dead, I wonder how this will affect us."

Fang Yuan spoke.

"Probably not much. Our families aren’t prominent enough, honestly," Qu Guang said.

Still, there was a note of uncertainty in his voice.

The situation was riddled with variables.

······

The situation clarified faster than anyone had expected. Lu Chang’sheng had just returned to Lu Mansion when he received news about Master Baiyun.

It hit like a bolt of lightning.

"I can’t believe it!"

He didn’t dare linger at all, heading straight back to White Cloud Pharmacy.

He saw the bustling crowd in the large pharmacy. They looked a bit panicked, but not desperate—proof the news he’d heard was likely true.

Just to be safe, he sought out Steward Mo for more detailed information.

Steward Mo had always stayed inside the White Cloud Pharmacy, unlike Lu Chang’sheng, who hadn’t dared return these last few days, so he knew a fair bit.

When Lu Chang’sheng asked, Steward Mo couldn’t help but sigh, "Never thought Master Baiyun would just fall like that."

"He was killed by someone from Supreme Profound Sect. Alchemist Lu, you should know them,"

"I know them?" Lu Chang’sheng’s heart skipped a beat.

The last thing he wanted was to be familiar with Master Baiyun’s killer, even if that person was from Supreme Profound Sect.

"Yep. When that person first entered the pharmacy, you even crossed paths."

With Steward Mo saying this, Lu Chang’sheng immediately thought of Cheng Nan and Cheng Wu—the two brothers.

"They’re from Supreme Profound Sect?"

"That’s right. But the one who actually killed Master Baiyun wasn’t them, but a Foundation Establishment True Man from Supreme Profound Sect. Not sure which one exactly," Steward Mo said, with a hint of reverence in his tone.

To them, Foundation Establishment True Men were figures of immense importance—there was no way they’d know them personally.

The only reason they’d heard about it this time was because of the rumors spreading these past few days.

The struggle had erupted out of nowhere; Cheng Nan, Cheng Wu, and the Supreme Profound Sect True Man had slipped into the mountain gate unnoticed. When Master Baiyun was caught off guard, they struck with overwhelming force.

In just a few minutes, Master Baiyun was slain.

"Master Baiyun wasn’t the man he was before—he’d already been possessed by a Mirage Demon. That’s why he couldn’t withstand the Supreme Profound Sect True Man’s thunderous assault."

Lu Chang’sheng sighed.

He felt a measure of relief—so there was this twist in the story after all.

That meant he and the others needn’t worry about being purged as enemies.

Not that Lu Chang’sheng was all that concerned. The other disciples might have reason to fear, since they were direct members of the Cave Mansion, but he was just an ordinary disciple and a Grade B Alchemist. So long as the Supreme Profound Sect wasn’t downright ruthless, odds were they’d try to recruit him.

All the more so now, with the issue caused by demonic possession.

"Master Baiyun was way too tragic... These monsters are terrifying. I should be more careful from now on and avoid risky places."

Lu Chang’sheng mused to himself.

Apparently, the Supreme Profound Sect people said that Master Baiyun had been possessed by a demon last time at Purple Ice Lake.

"With Master Baiyun gone, the Cave Mansion is in trouble," Lu Chang’sheng sighed.

Sure enough, he got busy immediately afterwards.

He’d barely left Steward Mo before the Joyful Bell summoned him to the mountain gate.

The Joyful Bell was used for celebrations, but now, nothing could be better for calling the Cave Mansion’s cultivators together.

Lu Chang’sheng went with the flow, arriving at the mountain gate and standing before White Cloud Hall with dozens of other cultivators.

He looked up and saw a striking figure at the front, two long sword artifacts strapped to his back, a square-jawed face, impossibly stern, and exuding a powerful presence.

Flanking him were Cheng Nan and Cheng Wu. Maybe because the man was there, the usually-sunny Cheng Wu had put away his cheerful expression, staring seriously ahead.

Spotting Lu Chang’sheng in the crowd, Cheng Wu nodded slightly.

The small gesture didn’t escape the notice of the square-jawed cultivator, who was none other than Zhang Qing—a Foundation Establishment cultivator of Supreme Profound Sect. Surprised by it, he turned to regard Lu Chang’sheng.

In the sect, Cheng Wu had a reputation as a genius; for people like him, pride was second nature.

For him to acknowledge someone from a minor power was no trivial thing.

"Who is that guy?" he asked Cheng Wu quickly.

Cheng Wu hadn’t expected Zhang Qing to notice and answered awkwardly, "He just seemed agreeable, I guess... but his alchemy talent is actually pretty impressive."

Cheng Wu explained what he knew about Lu Chang’sheng.

Zhang Qing nodded in agreement.

"You’re right. Let’s meet him together later," he said.

Cheng Nan frowned slightly. "Elder Zhang, he may be talented in alchemy, but his cultivation is just too limited. At this rate, his alchemy accomplishments won’t go much further."

"Hm?" Zhang Qing’s brows knitted, and he looked at Cheng Wu.

Zhang Qing himself didn’t know much about alchemy, so it hadn’t even crossed his mind.

Cheng Wu shrugged: "That’s just how it is. His Root Bone isn’t even grade D."

"That’s pretty weak," Zhang Qing shook his head, and his desire to meet Lu Chang’sheng privately was immediately quashed.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he understood better than anyone the importance of the Immortal Dao Spirit Root to a cultivator.

He’d thought Lu Chang’sheng’s cultivation wasn’t low and, with some heavy resources, might even make it to Grade Two Alchemist.

If so, the Supreme Profound Sect’s alchemy lineage would get a solid boost. But who’d have thought Lu Chang’sheng’s aptitude was that poor?

With talent that low, overcoming the bottleneck of mid-stage Qi Cultivation was as tough as breaking through late-stage Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment.

"Cheng Nan’s right. Grade B Alchemist is his ceiling," he said coolly.