I am a Late Bloomer in the Immortal World

Chapter 445: Shoulian Ningyan, The Masked Cultivator

Time flew by like an arrow.Over 200 years had passed, and Ancestor Ningyan, who had twice entered the Great Void Realm during her prime, was now nearing the end of her life, just like Bai Zhi.

—A general’s success is built on ten thousand corpses. Wei Tu’s rise to the Nascent Soul realm was built on the backs of fellow cultivators like Ningyan.

But unlike Bai Zhi, who was in a coma awaiting her final breath, Ancestor Ningyan had, within the last 10 years, used demonic arts to extend her life.

"But it’s still not enough! Cultivating the ‘Ten Thousand Yin Strategy for Female Practitioners’ needs the vital yin essence from 300 Foundation Establishment female cultivators. But the Male Gathering Event only attracted fewer than 100 Foundation Establishment female cultivators..."

"With just that little bit of yin essence, I can only live another 30 years at most."

Inside the Hehuan Sect’s branch in Jing Kingdom—

In a secluded cave residence, Ancestor Ningyan sat in meditation. She looked like a shriveled old woman, her hair snow-white, face wrinkled, body emaciated. There wasn’t a trace of her former beauty left.

Even the calm demeanor she once had in the Great Void Realm was now completely gone.

Moments later, after completing her breathing exercise, her face twisted with greed. She stared with crazed eyes at two mid-stage Foundation Establishment male devil cultivators tied to a pillar.

"Besides this ‘Ten Thousand Yin Strategy,’ if I devour your vital yang, I can still extend my life by a few more years."

She licked her lips, then instantly appeared beside them. Reaching out, she cupped the plump one’s face gently and spoke in a soft tone.

"No! Stay away from me!" the chubby man’s eyes filled with terror as he desperately tried to shrink back.

A few days ago, when he was captured by the Hehuan Sect, he had mentally prepared himself. He figured dying under a beautiful woman’s embrace—'to die beneath the peony flower is a blissful end'—wasn’t so bad.

He never expected that the one to drain his yang essence would be this dried-up hag, Ancestor Ningyan.

This death… was far harder to accept.

But obviously, his resistance was pointless. In less than a moment, his body was drained into a mummified husk, all essence gone.

Half a day later—

Both male cultivators were dead.

Ancestor Ningyan’s appearance had also changed—she now looked like a woman in her late forties or early fifties. Her features retained a trace of charm, like an aging beauty who still held a bit of allure.

She flicked her sleeve and opened the stone door to her cave.

Standing outside was a handsome young cultivator in white robes, tall and graceful.

"You did well this time. Those two yang cauldrons you found were top-quality."

Ancestor Ningyan’s eyes were full of praise.

"It’s my duty to serve my master. Whatever you ask, your disciple will carry it out with full devotion," the white-robed man immediately bowed and replied obsequiously.

He hadn’t been under her tutelage long—not even 50 years.

After Leng Yuyuan died and Ancestor Ningyan was left with no direct heir, he seized the opportunity to become her disciple.

Because of that, there wasn’t much emotional bond between them.

So when facing his master, “Qiao Gao” could only act with utmost respect, not daring to step out of line.

Ancestor Ningyan nodded slightly, seemingly pleased with his display of loyalty.

But what she said next made Qiao Gao instantly break into a cold sweat.

"Since you’re so capable, then within a year, find me another two high-quality yang cauldrons or yin cauldrons like the ones just now. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

She spoke calmly.

"This…" Qiao Gao froze, not knowing how to respond.

Foundation Establishment devil cultivators weren’t like birds in the wild that you could trap with ease.

Even catching the two from earlier had taken him a massive amount of effort.

And now she wanted two more?

"If you fail, then you’ll serve as my yang cauldron and dual cultivate with me."

Ancestor Ningyan raised her eyebrows and threatened coldly when he hesitated too long.

"Yes, I’ll get it done!" Qiao Gao could only grit his teeth and agree, even though he was extremely unwilling.

Even though Hehuan Sect had strict rules banning high-level cultivators from harvesting their fellow disciples, Qiao Gao didn’t believe that a near-death Ancestor Ningyan would follow any rules when her life was on the line.

When the time came, even if she did something forbidden as a peak Golden Core elder, the Hehuan Sect leadership would most likely turn a blind eye.

All he could do was keep feeding her greed until she died, so he wouldn’t be dragged down with her.

'You old hag… once you’re dead, I won’t just take all your inheritance—I’ll refine your corpse into a puppet and torment it day and night.'

Qiao Gao made a silent vow.

With that thought, Qiao Gao left the sect and flew toward the nearest immortal market near the Hehuan Sect’s branch.

As usual, he sent out some of his Qi Refining disciples to secretly monitor the rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators in the market. They would wait for those cultivators to isolate themselves in the wild before making a move.

What Qiao Gao didn’t notice was that when he parted ways with his disciples, a green-robed cultivator nearby paused slightly, golden light flashing faintly in his eyes. The man flicked his finger, sending out a transparent moth that silently latched onto Qiao Gao’s back and followed him closely.

Half a quarter-hour later.

As Qiao Gao entered a familiar private room in a restaurant and sat down to drink, his vision suddenly spun, and he collapsed onto the table, unconscious.

At that moment, the same green-robed cultivator who had stood beside him earlier suddenly appeared inside the room.

"Didn’t expect things to go this smoothly. I just arrived at the Hehuan Sect’s branch and already ran into Ancestor Ningyan’s newest disciple." The green-robed man smiled faintly to himself.

This cultivator, of course, was Wei Tu. Having heard of Fu Lin’s misfortune, he’d rushed here.

He had spent a full year refining the souls of Tuoshan Demon King and the Goldenback Demon King into "Curse Ghosts," then completed the contract with the [Curse Ghost Blood Escape Art]. Without delay, he headed straight for this location.

He hadn’t wasted a single moment.

This time, however, Wei Tu didn’t use a soul-searching technique on the captured Qiao Gao.

A soul-searched cultivator might pass unnoticed in a minor sect, but in a major power like Hehuan Sect, the chance of being detected was high.

Luckily, Wei Tu had the Seven-Colored Illusion Moth. Its natural illusion ability was strong enough to mimic the effects of a soul search.

And against a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like Qiao Gao, it was more than enough.

Half a day later.

Wei Tu had extracted all the key intel he needed.

After some thought, he waved his sleeve to dispel the illusion, allowing Qiao Gao to regain consciousness.

"This place has been sealed off with a barrier by me. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one outside will hear a thing."

"You also know full well that if I could knock you out without a sound, killing you would be just as easy."

Wei Tu snorted coldly.

"I understand, senior! I understand!" Qiao Gao’s face turned pale as he quickly nodded.

He couldn’t see through Wei Tu’s cultivation level, but he wasn’t stupid. Anyone who could knock him out so effortlessly had to be at least late-stage Golden Core or higher.

Otherwise, such a thing wouldn’t have been possible.

"Fu Lin and I go way back. I came here to rescue him. Tell me—what’s the best way to get him out?"

Wei Tu cut straight to the point.

There was a difference between getting information and actually planning a jailbreak. A job like that needed someone on the inside.

Among Hehuan Sect’s low-ranking disciples, only Qiao Gao, being Ancestor Ningyan’s personal disciple, had enough status to make that happen.

"This matter…" Qiao Gao hesitated. His eyes flickered before he clenched his teeth, bowed, and said, "It’s true that I can think of a way to rescue Fu Lin. But if I do this, my future in the sect will be ruined, and I’ll definitely be hunted down."

His meaning was simple.

He could do it, and he could make it happen.

But he needed a guarantee from Wei Tu.

Otherwise, he'd just end up dead—whether at Wei Tu’s hands or the Hehuan Sect’s. There was no point in taking that risk for nothing.

"Fine. I promise you—once you succeed, I’ll give you a Bi Yan Pill. And I swear I won’t lay a hand on you afterward."

Wei Tu paused, then flipped his hand, revealing a Bi Yan Pill and waved it a few times in front of Qiao Gao.

The Bi Yan Pill—a substitute for the Mortal Shedding Pill—was nothing special to a Nascent Soul cultivator like Wei Tu.

But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Qiao Gao, it was incredibly tempting.

"Every three months, my master undergoes a ‘reverse cultivation’ session in her cave to extend her lifespan. During that time, she’s at her weakest and usually doesn’t maintain any contact with the outside."

"I can use her seal to transfer Fu Lin from the inner cauldron chambers to the outer sect area."

"Whether you can take him away will depend entirely on you, senior."

Qiao Gao swallowed hard and spoke slowly.

"Reverse cultivation?"

Wei Tu raised an eyebrow but quickly realized it must be a side effect of Ancestor Ningyan’s demonic techniques—or perhaps a desperate measure as her lifespan neared its end.

After all, the balance of the Heavenly Dao dictated that demonic cultivation methods, though often faster than orthodox techniques, always came with drawbacks that couldn’t be easily resolved.

These drawbacks might not be obvious in the early stages of cultivation, but the further one advanced, the more severe they became.

"Let’s go with that plan."

Wei Tu narrowed his eyes slightly and agreed.

As he spoke, he waved his hand and brought Qiao Gao in front of him. Then he pulled several poison pills from his sleeve and forcefully struck each one into Qiao Gao’s body.

"I’m a Nascent Soul cultivator. These poison pills can only be neutralized by someone at the patriarch level of your sect with great effort. Your master, Ancestor Ningyan, won’t even notice a thing."

"If you dare try anything funny, each of these pills will take your life one by one."

Wei Tu’s voice turned cold with threat.

At this moment, he didn’t mind revealing his true cultivation level to intimidate Qiao Gao.

"What…?"

"Nascent Soul Patriarch?"

Hearing that, Qiao Gao’s expression changed. His gaze toward Wei Tu was suddenly filled with fear.

At this point, even without the poison pills, he wouldn’t dare double-cross him.

Aside from the sheer terror brought by a Nascent Soul cultivator, he also knew his own value, and how brutal the power structure in demonic sects could be.

If he truly angered a Nascent Soul expert like Wei Tu, even if it were out of loyalty, there’d be no guarantee the Hehuan Sect would protect him…

Especially since he wasn’t a direct disciple of any major elder, and his only support was Ancestor Ningyan, an elder whose life was nearing its end.

"This junior will give his full effort to help Patriarch Fu."

Qiao Gao raised his hand and swore.

…

After finishing the talk with Qiao Gao, Wei Tu didn’t stay in the private room any longer. He transformed into a streak of light and left, then rented a temporary cave residence within the market.

Based on Qiao Gao’s memories, Ancestor Ningyan had just completed a reverse cultivation session half a day earlier.

That meant her next "weak period" wouldn’t come for another three months.

Only after those three months passed could Wei Tu follow the plan, infiltrate the Hehuan Sect’s outer gate, and coordinate with Qiao Gao to extract the sealed Fu Lin.

Big things take time.

With years of experience in the cultivation world, Wei Tu naturally had patience. He wasn’t in a rush.

But just as he stepped into the cave residence he’d rented, his expression suddenly turned strange.

Turned out, not long after parting ways with him, Qiao Gao had barely rested in the private room before he was knocked out and interrogated by another masked cultivator.

And all of that had been clearly seen by a sliver of divine sense Wei Tu had left on Qiao Gao’s body.

"This guy… is also trying to rescue Fu Lin?"

After eavesdropping for a while, confusion surfaced on Wei Tu’s face.

From his observation, the masked cultivator interrogating Qiao Gao had to be at least mid-stage Golden Core.

But Wei Tu had never seen this person’s aura before. It didn’t match Fu Lin’s master, the eccentric Corpse Ancestor.

'That guy’s got all sorts of weird secret techniques. If he has one to mask his aura, it wouldn’t be surprising. This masked one could very well be the Corpse Ancestor.'

Wei Tu silently speculated.

He hadn’t spent much time with Fu Lin and didn’t know if Fu Lin had any friends at the Golden Core level.

But as he figured it, there were only a few people in the entire cultivation world who’d risk themselves to save Fu Lin.

The Corpse Ancestor was definitely one of them.

So, after thinking it over, Wei Tu didn’t keep hiding. With a flash of light, he returned to the private room and suddenly appeared in front of both the masked cultivator and Qiao Gao.

"Hold on, fellow cultivator."

"Qiao Gao is already my inside man."

Wei Tu cupped his hands and spoke.

"Who are you?" The masked cultivator was startled, quickly stepping back, warily eyeing Wei Tu.

He was Golden Core stage. For someone to appear so suddenly without him sensing it could only mean this newcomer was far from ordinary.

"And who are you, fellow Daoist?"

Wei Tu didn’t answer but instead asked in return.

If this person was truly the Corpse Ancestor, it wouldn’t matter if he revealed himself. But if not, it’d be unwise to show his hand too early.