However, being able to deliver even a single Longevity Pill to her husband, Lu Chang’sheng, was enough to make Li Nangua feel deeply satisfied.
"Who knows when the Great Yuan’s territory will finally rge with the Spirit Realm? Chang’sheng doesn’t have a Spirit Root—if his lifespan falls short, he can forget about cultivating immortality. It simply won’t be possible,"
Li Nangua thought to herself.
She willingly slowed her own cultivation progress to gather a Longevity Pill, and went even further—using favors to persuade Fairy Linghua to act on her behalf. Through the Sound Transmission Shell, she delivered the pill to Lu Chang’sheng. All these considerations went into her decision.
Of course, she wasn’t so foolish as to mistake what truly mattered; if she’d known from the start about that particular rule under Fairy Yunxia’s tutelage, she never would have gone about things in this way.
To study under a master in the Foundation Establishnt Realm offered her no small amount of advantage.
Here atop Fuyun Mountain, whatever she did, others would cut her so slack; nobody would try to take advantage of her so easily.
Yet unfortunately, things had co to this—no amount of regret could change it now.
Still, a faint sense of disappointnt lingered within her.
She felt that, from now on, it would likely be difficult to help Chang’sheng again.
A sword-light shot down from the void, landing right in front of Li Nangua. From within it ca the cold and distant voice of Fairy Yunxia’s steward, Ziyun.
"Move out of Cloud Mist Cave Mansion before today ends."
"Understood, Immortal Ziyun."
Li Nangua replied respectfully.
"Ah, honestly, I don’t know what to say about you. You really don’t know your limits, do you? Your bone age was already on the high side. If not for your considerable Spirit Root Talent, the Immortal wouldn’t have taken notice in the first place. Now that you’re here, you should’ve stuck to the rules—simple as that."
As if noticing Li Nangua’s well-mannered response, Steward Ziyun couldn’t help but sigh softly.
"It was my carelessness," Li Nangua lowered her head and said quietly.
She knew it was nothing more than polite formalities on his part.
If they truly cared, soone would’ve told her about this when she first entered the sect.
"Don’t resent for this. The Immortal herself ordered to do so. The sooner you move out, the sooner you’ll find a place to stay," Ziyun said.
The cave mansions of Foundation Establishnt cultivators were enormous—never mind a few more people, even tens or hundreds of thousands wouldn’t make them feel crowded in the slightest.
There were tis when disciples under Foundation Establishnt masters had been expelled before, but seldom so abruptly—told to move out the very sa day.
"I dare not complain,"
Ziyun’s voice dissipated.
Li Nangua turned and went back into the courtyard.
It didn’t take long for the news to spread far and wide.
When two Foundation Establishnt cultivators dueled in magical combat, it was a montous event on Fuyun Mountain—impossible to keep under wraps for long.
And so, Li Nangua beca truly famous at Fuyun Mountain. Unfortunately, it was not a good kind of fa.
This only made her situation even more precarious.
······
Li Nangua did not inform Lu Chang’sheng of any of this, worried he might beco distraught.
And Lu Chang’sheng—he could only vaguely guess at Li Nangua’s circumstances.
Things like whether she had enough Spirit Stones, or whether sending the Longevity Pill cost her much—those sorts of guesses.
Once they reached the Spirit Realm, all would surely be revealed in ti.
The following day, Lu Chang’sheng departed from the Lu Mansion, heading to Jinghua Prefecture, planning to pay a visit to the Alchemy Departnt at the Saint Institute.
Two months later, just outside Jinghua Prefecture City, his eyes fell instantly on a crowd braving the bitter wind, waiting in anticipation.
Located in the north, Jinghua Prefecture was still gripped by cold, despite it being March or April.
Even wrapped in heavy clothing, the group’s aura of nobility could not be concealed.
Travelers passing by at a distance watched the scene and felt astonished.
"Hey, isn’t that Xu Yuan, the great Lord Xu of the current dynasty?"
A rchant suddenly gasped in a low voice.
He’d once had the fortune to et Xu Yuan in person—never would he have guessed he’d run into him here, of all places.
"Xu Yuan? Wasn’t he relocated to Jinghua Prefecture as a third-rank official a few years back?" rchants on the side murmured among themselves.
Since the Empress had ascended the throne, officials had been reshuffled frequently, so those with any sense paid close attention to who was coming and going in Jinghua Prefecture.
Such knowledge could easily co in handy for them.
If a rchant wanted to make it big, he had to find a powerful patron.
Otherwise, the wealthier he got, the quicker he’d land six feet under.
And choosing the right patron was an art form. If you accidentally threw in your lot with a patron on his last legs, you’d follow him to an early grave.
The biggest isn’t always the best—but it must be one full of vitality and prospects.
But how could you tell which patron would thrive?
The simplest way was to see if soone had been transferred from the provinces to the heart of Jinghua.
Xu Yuan happened to be that sort of official. In many eyes, he was a thriving, promising tree to rely on.
For soone like him to be here, waiting for so long that even his hair had grown frosted over from the cold—
Who could possibly be worth such patience?
Another half hour passed. At last, a three-horse carriage appeared in the distance.
Soon afterward, everyone saw the group of officials stride forward to greet it.
"Lord Xu, it’s been too long."
Lu Chang’sheng lifted the carriage curtain, gazing at the aged Xu Yuan.
"Scholar Lu, you flatter this old man. If you don’t mind, just call Xu, as a friend would!"
Looking at Lu Chang’sheng’s ruddy cheeks, Xu Yuan thought—if he hadn’t known better, he would never have believed the man before him was nearly fifty years old.
He looked, at most, a bit over thirty.
If only, back then, I had focused on the Martial Dao as well—would I now enjoy the sa longevity as Scholar Lu?
He was reminded of Hong Yuan, who still hadn’t entered the Innate Realm despite his remarkable Root Bone. At that thought, Xu Yuan curbed those troubling feelings.
If even soone with Hong Yuan’s potential hadn’t attained Innate—how could I dare dream of it?
"It is an honor to et you, Scholar Lu,"
The officials from Jinghua Prefecture behind him all bowed with utmost courtesy.
Giving Lu Chang’sheng every ounce of respect he deserved.
In the days that followed, Lu Chang’sheng t with many officials from Jinghua Prefecture. Each conversation was harmonious and smooth.
As a key official of Great Yuan’s central authority, everyone naturally knew of Lu Chang’sheng’s reputation and skills.
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