Immortality and Cultivation: This old man seeks enlightenment through mere survival.

Sea Breeze City.

The shops on both sides of the street were rather deserted, and there were only a few pedestrians.

There were perhaps a few people hurrying along with umbrellas, seemingly affected by the spring rain.

Lu Zaian, dressed in a straw raincoat and bamboo hat, strolled leisurely along the street to a restaurant in the east of the city.

Fu Lai Restaurant

"Excuse me, sir, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?"

The waiter at the door saw Lu Zaian stop and quickly greeted him.

"Our restaurant is one of the top restaurants in Haifeng City, located by the sea, and offers a wide variety of seafood specialties."

Deep-fried red prawns, steamed abalone, premium tuna soup, braised lionfish, etc...

Before the waiter could finish his rambling, Lu Zaian tossed him a wad of loose silver and said coldly:

"We'll serve you a table of special dishes and wine, and then book a superior room. You'll be well paid for."

"Hey, sir, please come up!"

The waiter, seeing the money, took the silver and respectfully led the way, guiding Lu Zaian to the fifth floor of the restaurant.

"It's good to be rich. It's so easy for cultivators to live a good life in this mortal world."

Unfortunately, those who crave pleasure rarely achieve immortality; I am merely an exception.

The silver was naturally smuggled by Lu Zaian from the slaughtering gang.

It's like returning something to its rightful owner in the hands of an old fisherman like myself.

Finally, Lu Zaian chose a table by the window.

Looking out, the view is expansive, with the surrounding neighborhoods and streets laid out before you.

To the east, as far as the eye can see, rows of shops and neighborhoods are adorned with red lanterns and the character "寿" (longevity) is displayed.

Even on rainy days, you can feel the joy.

The headquarters of the slaughter gang.

The nearby shops and neighborhoods are all owned by the slaughterhouse gang, and they look brightly decorated, as if they are preparing for tomorrow's grand birthday celebration.

Although the slaughter gang had been tormented quite a bit by Lu Zaian.

But a skinny camel is bigger than a horse.

With the old gang leader in charge, they managed to keep the gang from disbanding.

The more difficult the situation, the more they want to make this birthday banquet more spectacular and grand.

To demonstrate its own strength and deter those who seek to harm others...

Lu Zaian poured himself a glass of wine and stared coldly at the endless expanse of red.

From his perspective, it wouldn't be long before it turned white.

Before long, a dazzling array of dishes were served.

Lu Zaian sipped wine and ate food, indulging in a rare and enjoyable meal...

After a satisfying meal, the dinner was drawing to a close.

Just then, a hushed discussion came from a table in the distance.

"Hey, do you guys know?"

Tomorrow is the 80th birthday of Shen Tu, the old leader of the Slaughter Gang, who will be hosting a banquet for people from all directions.

I heard that even the City Lord's Mansion is sending people to offer their birthday congratulations?

"Of course I know. That means Old Chief Shen Tu has lived a worthwhile life."

He built a vast empire in his youth, and now enjoys extensive connections, great wealth, and influence in both the legal and illegal worlds.

Even the city lord would have to give him face.

"Hmph, what's there to celebrate? In the end, it's just a gang that has brought chaos and harm to the surrounding areas."

The fishermen near Haifeng City have suffered a lot at their hands over the years.

"Brother Fu, be careful what you say!" someone reminded him.

"Of course we all know how sordid this is, but who dares to stand up and resist openly? We can only let it go."

"Speaking of which, you've all heard the rumors circulating in Sea Breeze City over the past year, right?"

The slaughterhouse gang has caused countless deaths. Who is responsible for this?

Could it be that water ghosts really are coming to claim lives?

Then, gossip started circulating again.

"I think the slaughtering gang deserves their retribution. Whether it was done by humans or demons, they did a good deed anyway..."

The guests at that table deliberately kept their voices down.

But naturally, this couldn't escape the notice of the sharp-eared and sharp-eyed cultivator, Lu Zaian.

The speakers were several young men dressed in brocade robes who looked like scholars.

After exchanging a few words, they would look around to make sure no one overheard them.

Lu Zaian picked his teeth, poured the last glass of wine from the pot, and slowly walked to their table.

"Young men, I just overheard you talking about that slaughtering gang."

"Is everyone allowed to attend the old gang leader's birthday banquet tomorrow?"

The scholars were startled by Lu Zaian.

Unexpectedly, the old man in front of them had heard their conversation from so far away.

One of the scholars in the yellow robe quickly denied it:

"How could that be? You must have misheard, old man."

"That's right, old man, you must be hallucinating. We didn't say anything."

Another scholar in a green robe nodded in agreement.

The Slaughter Gang has long held sway in Sea Breeze City, and everyone fears them.

Although there have been changes in the past year.

But as long as the Slaughter Gang remains in existence, the old gang leader will still be around.

The people of Haifeng City dared not talk too much about the Slaughter Gang.

Lu Zaian smiled nonchalantly and looked at the last white-robed scholar, whom he called "Brother Fu".

The scholar in white robes felt uneasy under Lu Zaian's deep gaze. He forced himself to stand up, bowed, and said with righteous indignation:

“Old man, we were indeed talking about the slaughter gang just now.”

To showcase his extensive network, the old gang leader Shentu once boasted that anyone who came to celebrate his birthday was considered his friend.

But we are unwilling to stoop to their level...

I won't be attending tomorrow's birthday banquet.

"I see."

Lu Zaian raised his wine cup to the white-robed scholar and drank it all in one gulp.

This left the group looking at each other, somewhat bewildered. The white-robed scholar asked:

"What is this old man's connection with the slaughtering gang?"

Lu Zaian smiled upon hearing this, but then abruptly asked:

What do I look like to you?

The group was taken aback, and then they took a closer look at Lu Zaian's attire.

He wore a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, his hair and beard were all white, and his face was dark and deeply lined.

He looked like someone who had weathered many storms and endured long hours of wind and sun, yet his eyes were deep and bright, as profound and unfathomable as the ocean.

"Fisherman?"

The white-robed scholar blurted out.

Only a fisherman with such a weathered face and a faint fishy smell from long-term contact with seawater and seafood could be seen wearing such clothes.

Lu Zaian nodded slightly and grinned, making his dry, wrinkled face look terrifying.

"Indeed, it is the fisherman."

Since this old man makes a living working for a butcher, I should naturally send him a congratulatory gift tomorrow..."

After saying that, Lu Zaian walked away, leaving the few people standing there in a daze.

"What is this old man up to?"

A fisherman went to offer birthday greetings to a butcher?

"A weasel... no, a chicken paying New Year's greetings to a weasel?"

Is this the first time I've seen this in this day and age?

"Who knows? Maybe he's just an old madman."

The white-robed scholar, however, was stroking his chin, head bowed, deep in thought.

It's quiet at night.

The rain grew heavier, pounding on the eaves of the houses and the black stone streets.

Crackling.

Inside a superior room at the Fulai Inn.

A dark figure darted out of the window and leaped from the fifth floor to the rooftop next to it.

"Time to go fishing, looking forward to a bountiful catch..."

Dark shadows darted across the rows of rooftops in the neighborhood, blending into the rainy night.

Until the early morning of the following day.

The spring rain gradually subsided, leaving only a misty, fine drizzle, as soft and delicate as butter...