Lord of Time: From a Five Elements Cultivator to a Master of All Daos

Chapter 168: Late
'I knew you were curious.'

Wei Zhong revealed a bitter smile:
"To be honest, I don't know how I managed to seriously injure Brother Xun Yang that day. It was completely unintentional."

Seriously injuring Xun Yangzi did not do Wei Zhong any good at all. Not only did it attract a lot of attention, but it also undermined his own low-key practice.

He even paid a large sum of compensation to smooth out the trouble caused by this storm. Although these compensations were nothing to Wei Zhong, no one would complain about having too many spirit stones.

At the same time, there is a possibility of provoking an enemy that Wei Zhong does not want to provoke. Wei Zhong looked at Xun Yangzi in front of him.

'Fortunately, the other party was magnanimous and had no intention of pursuing the matter.'

Wei Zhong didn't want to become an enemy of a Yuanying family just like that.

"That day, I only used the physical training method that I practiced. I never expected that it would be so powerful and would injure you. I'm really sorry..."

Wei Zhong said a lot, but it was just words of apology, and he added that the move came from his own body cultivation method, but he did not mention any more details.

Xun Yangzi heard this and sighed:
"I didn't expect that you are a person who practices both magic and body. If I knew this back then, I would definitely not fight with you."

The physical training method in this world is not simply the physical training and fist and foot techniques, but is very similar to the spiritual method. Just like Yi Liu's thunder method and the internal energy of Wei Zhong, this special energy is very close to the spiritual training method.

As long as you don't get close to the enemy, no one will even think about the art of physical cultivation.

"I think your body cultivation skills must have reached a very high level, otherwise you wouldn't have such a terrifying killing move."

Wei Zhong nodded:
"I really didn't know how to control my strength. I'm sorry for causing trouble to you, fellow Taoist."

Xun Yangzi shook his head:
"But it will take time to recover from your injuries. You won't be able to practice for a few months. Don't blame yourself, fellow Taoist."

Wei Zhong asked about his recovery in recent days and learned that Yunji Chamber of Commerce attached great importance to him.

Senior Du Longfeng even personally prepared a recuperation plan for him, in which the precious elixirs were all provided by the Yunji Chamber of Commerce.

"It seems that the Yunji Chamber of Commerce still values ​​your status very much."

Xun Yangzi chuckled:
"Just a business partner. Without me, Brother Wei must have become very famous recently, right?"

Wei Zhong smiled bitterly:

"Fellow Daoist Xun Yangzi, please stop teasing me. I just want to practice peacefully, but I have no intention of gaining fame..."

Recalling Wei Zhong's various behaviors, Xun Yangzi roughly understood that Wei Zhong was a monk who was pure-hearted, low-key in his practice, and did not like such external fame.

"The rumors about me in the Chamber of Commerce are not good. Some even say that I am a spy sent by other forces with the purpose of seriously injuring you and causing a conflict between the Yunji Chamber of Commerce and the Puyang family."

"That's a wild idea."

Xun Yangzi laughed:
“In short, after this incident, the fact that you are powerful has left a mark on the Yunji Chamber of Commerce.

“It will be much easier for you to make a difference in the Chamber of Commerce in the future.

“Not only that, this reputation will probably be hidden even if you want to, and it will soon spread throughout the entire Yunzhou City.

"Fellow Daoist, why don't you make good use of this opportunity and find yourself a chance..."

Wei Zhong couldn't help shaking his head: "Such a name is a curse, not a blessing, for me!"

After that, Wei Zhong expressed his sympathy for his injuries and then said goodbye and left the peak.

When we reached the path on the mountainside, a disciple from the Dan Palace came forward and greeted us with a bow:
"My name is Du Yun, nice to meet you, Fellow Daoist Wei."

Wei Zhong looked at the unfamiliar face in front of him, not knowing why he stopped him, and bowed in return:

"I have met fellow Taoist, don't you know?"

The other party smiled and said:

"My father, Du Longfeng, specially invites you to come and see me."

"That Nascent Soul cultivator, no wonder. But what does this person want to do with me?"

Wei Zhong stretched out his right hand and pointed forward:
"Please lead the way, Fellow Daoist Du."

The latter turned and walked in front, leading him onto a wide stone road, winding along the mountains, and finally into a hall.

Wei Zhong met the old man he had met three days ago. He looked even older than he did then, with gray hair and beard, and he was sitting cross-legged with his body hunched over.

Wei Zhong couldn't help but wonder whether this Yuanying elder was also approaching the end of his life.

But out of due respect for the seniors, Wei Zhong still stepped forward and bowed:
"Junior Wei Zhong greets Senior Du."

The latter nodded, holding the file in his hand and said:
“Wei Zhong, a casual cultivator, became a guest of our Chamber of Commerce several hundred years ago with his spirit wine technique. He later moved to Luohe Prefecture and began to show his talent for alchemy. In just over a hundred years, he became a third-rank alchemist and became quite famous locally.

"Is what the old man said correct?"

Wei Zhong was not surprised by the other party's statement. Wei Zhong had already read the public information about himself within the Chamber of Commerce. There was not much noteworthy in it, and it did not involve his own secrets.

This was the information that Shan Qin promised to Wei Zhong. Now even Du Longfeng, the Chief of the Weapon Hall, and the Elder Specialist were deceived by it. It must have been instructed by Shan Gu, the head of the Chamber of Commerce.

"What Elder Du said is correct."

"More than a hundred years to become a third-level alchemist?"

Du Yun, who was not familiar with Wei Zhong, couldn't help but exclaim in shock when he heard what his father said.

He has been practicing Taoism for nearly four hundred years, and with the support of his father, who is in the Nascent Soul stage, he is only a third-rank alchemist.

This Wei Zhong is just a casual cultivator. How could he have the same achievements as mine?
Wei Zhong said with a smile:

“The records in it are actually a little inconsistent. I started to learn about alchemy when I was building my foundation and at the beginning of my cultivation. It’s just that my alchemy skills are poor and not up to par.

"My subsequent achievements are all due to my willingness to invest," Wei Zhong said with a hint of pain on his face, "All the accumulation over the years has become food for the growth of my alchemy skills."

Du Longfeng shook the file in his hand:
"In any case, the fact that you have come this far on your own at this age is beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Turning to look at Du Yun:

"Even better than this unfilial son like me."

Du Yun paused when he heard this, and then he heard Wei Zhong reply:

"How can a rural alchemist compare with Master Du?"

Du Longfeng laughed:
"He is as smooth as a casual cultivator."

Then he stopped his playful thoughts and asked Wei Zhong:

"What level has the art of alchemy reached now? Can a top-grade third-level elixir be made?"

Wei Zhong couldn't help but sigh at how tightly the Chamber of Commerce kept his information secret. There was even no record of Wei Zhong selling this elixir to the Chamber of Commerce, otherwise Du Longfeng would not have asked this question at all.

"It has been refined."

"Oh, what's the success rate?"

"Haoyuan Pill, one-tenth to two-tenths of the top grade, Yanghun Pill, half of ten..."

After hearing what Wei Zhong said, Du Yun's face darkened a little. He didn't expect that Wei Zhong's alchemy skills really surpassed his own as his father said.

On the contrary, Du Longfeng's frown was much more relaxed:
"With only a few inheritances and without any teacher's guidance, it is rare to have come this far..."

When Wei Zhong was thinking about Du Longfeng asking him about his purpose, he suddenly heard:

"Now I want to take you as my disciple, are you willing?" Wei Zhong looked up suddenly, not knowing what the other party was up to.

'Is it the desire to see the prey, or to exclude those who are different from me, or both?'

Wei Zhong lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Du Yun on the other side was shocked. He didn't expect that his father asked him to invite Wei Zhong here because he wanted to take him as a disciple.

Wei Zhong struggled, thought again and again, and finally said:

"Please forgive me, senior. I am used to being lazy!"

Du Longfeng was not very angry about Wei Zhong's rejection. He just sighed:

"Forget it, forget it. I just said it casually. Although we can be master and disciple, we are also from the same palace. If you have any questions about alchemy in the future, you can come and ask me."

"Thank you, senior!"

Wei Zhong chatted with him for a few words, but seeing that the other party was not interested in talking, he tactfully said goodbye and left.

Seeing Wei Zhong leave the hall, Du Yun couldn't help but move closer and said to Du Longfeng:
"What does it mean, father, that you want to take him in as your disciple?"

Du Yun doesn't know what kind of person his father is?
In his early years, Du Longfeng was indeed full of vigor and ambition, and he accepted many disciples, but none of them could make it to the present day. Either their alchemy skills were mediocre, or their cultivation was low, and they could not survive these long hundreds of years.

After experiencing all this, Du Longfeng no longer had much thought about having disciples, and afterwards he only taught classes in the Dan Palace and did not accept any disciples.

Why did you suddenly change your temper today?

"Several decades ago, there were rumors within the Chamber of Commerce that a new fourth-level alchemist had been added. I asked around but couldn't get any news.

"Even though I asked Shan Gu, he didn't reveal any information."

"Father, do you think that the fourth-level alchemist is this person?"

Du Longfeng shook his head:
"It's just a guess, it can't be taken seriously. According to this person's experience, he has been refining pills for only about two hundred years. If he enters the realm of the third-level alchemy, he will be considered a dragon among men.

"If it is the fourth level, I am far inferior to him, even Jie Yuanrui..."

A trace of reminiscence flashed in Du Longfeng's eyes, and he was unable to finish the remaining half of the sentence.

"Then why today?"

Du Longfeng sighed:
“Whether Wei Zhong is the fourth-level alchemist or not, his talent in alchemy is enough to attract the attention of the Chamber of Commerce.

"So does this old man!"

He looked up at Du Yun:

"You have spent more time studying alchemy under my personal instruction, but your achievements are not as good as Wei Zhong's. Can't you see the gap?"

Du Yun just felt his face burning.

'Although my talent in alchemy is average, I am still considered top-notch in the Alchemy Palace.'

“I know you are arrogant and think you have a place in this Dan Palace.

“I don’t blame you for this. If I had a Yuanying father who was a fourth-level alchemist, I’d probably be even more arrogant than you.

"But now is no longer the time to be arrogant!"

When Du Yun was in trouble, his father continued to explain:

"A third-level alchemist may be a big shot in other places in Yunzhou, but in the Alchemy Hall of the Yunji Chamber of Commerce, he is just an ordinary first-level one.

"One more or one less won't have much impact. But the fourth-level alchemists are different. Each one of them is the pillar and treasure of the Chamber of Commerce. They are the foundation for the development of the Chamber of Commerce and cannot be missing.

"If we can accept that fourth-level alchemist as our disciple, our Du family can at least prosper in the Chamber of Commerce for hundreds of years."

"But, didn't father say that Wei Zhong wasn't..."

Du Longfeng waved his hand to interrupt:
"Who can tell right from wrong? Maybe he lied."

"this······"

Du Yun was surprised and didn't know why his father made such an inference.

"Even if he is not, it doesn't matter. It won't be bad for our Du family to make friends with a third-level alchemist.

"In the future, you should get closer to Wei Zhong. Also, try to curb your arrogance. After all, our Du family will never be as good as it was yesterday. It is inevitable that it will continue to decline..."

When Du Yun left the hall, his brows were furrowed, as if he was thinking about what Du Longfeng had just said.

Even when his fellow disciples in the same hall greeted him, he didn't pay any attention.

"Why does father have such an attitude? Is he lying about his life span of 100 to 200 years?"

Du Yun was puzzled.

'Instead of making friends with Wei Zhong, a mere third-rank alchemist, it would be better for me to get close to the two famous fourth-rank alchemists in the hall.

'Although the other party is a Jindan cultivator, he has stayed in this Dan Palace for a hundred years and was recruited by my father.

'In terms of the value of the relationship, his relationship value is definitely higher than that of Wei Zhong.

'Why is this happening?'

Du Longfeng, who stayed in the hall, breathed a sigh of relief:

"I hope Yun'er can listen to what I said!"

In Du Longfeng's opinion, what Yunji Chamber of Commerce needs is not a third-level alchemist like Du Yun, nor the two fourth-level alchemists in the hall except himself.

The maximum lifespan of a Jindan cultivator is no more than 600 years, and it takes at least 400 to 500 years to enter the fourth level. Some even need nearly 500 to 600 years, or they will not even be able to see the fourth level by the end of their lifespan.

In a nutshell, the growth time and benefits are far from proportional.

Most of the fourth-level alchemists who have reached the stage of Jindan cultivation have mediocre skills. Due to their limited lifespan, they cannot continue to cultivate in this field. The level of fourth-level alchemy skills is not very good, and it is very difficult for the Chamber of Commerce to achieve a balance between income and expenditure.

The master-disciple relationship is even more problematic. As a person is old and weak, and is only interested in the art of alchemy, how can he have the time to train his disciples? Even if he were to pass down the art of alchemy, he himself only has a superficial understanding of the fourth-level art of alchemy. Wouldn't that be misleading his disciples?

All in all, these are all disadvantages caused by insufficient lifespan.

If we want the Yunji Chamber of Commerce to prosper forever, the only solution is to have Nascent Soul Alchemy Masters with a long lifespan. Relying on Jindan Alchemy Masters to continue the inheritance is just like drinking poison to quench thirst.

“The reason why the Chamber of Commerce only has two halls, the Weapon Hall and the Alchemy Hall, is because of the existence of the three of us.

"Now that Jie Yuanrui has passed away, it seems I won't be able to live much longer either, so Shan Gu is the only one left.

"Having learned of the emergence of a new fourth-level alchemist, Shan Gu must be overjoyed. Even if he has to sell everything he has, he will find a way to support him to the Nascent Soul stage."

Wei Zhong, who was leaving, naturally had no idea what these Nascent Soul figures were thinking. He just thought that what happened just now was just a friendly exchange between the Chamber of Commerce members, a small episode.

Didn't take it to heart.

"But Du Longfeng looks old, and it seems that he is not far from the end of his life."

Thinking of the departure of Jie Yuanrui, Wei Zhong couldn't help but shake his head.

'The sun is setting!'

(End of this chapter)