Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Passing Away in Succession

At the very moment Li Ping fed Yan Liming’s Life Soul to the inheritance tree.

On the road from the Qi Kingdom to Fenglan Immortal City, a crimson Escape Light streaked through the void at extreme speed, heading in the direction of the Immortal City.

Within this crimson Escape Light was, in fact, an aloof and beautiful Female Cultivator who looked to be about sixteen. A fiery halo enveloped her, making her appear like a goddess of fire.

The aloof beauty transformed entirely into a Fireball, her speed like a bolt of lightning.

At the same time, she recalled the mission her Sect Leader had given her. ’The news of the alliance between the four sects of the Saint Dao and the Tuluo People was leaked ahead of time. The problem must be Yan Liming. That lecher probably betrayed the Sect, but the Sect Leader thinks he was captured and had no choice but to talk to save his own life.’

As the aloof young woman flew onward, she snorted. ’Hmph. Whether he betrayed the Sect or not will be crystal clear once I find him.’

In truth, the investigation into Yan Liming should have been put on the agenda a year ago.

However, the Saint Dao was locked in a major war with the Daoist Guardian Alliance at the time, and the Core Formation Cultivators couldn’t break away.

Only recently, with the Daoist Guardian Alliance’s main force holed up on Donghua Mountain and the war entering a stalemate, was she finally dispatched.

Because the news had been leaked, the alliance between the Saint Dao and the Tuluo People didn’t achieve its intended effect.

Although the Saint Dao appeared to have driven the Daoist Guardian Alliance cultivators out of the Yuan Kingdom and successfully occupied a vast territory, it was actually a strategic retreat by the Alliance. Their main forces remained undamaged.

It was a similar story for the Tuluo People, who were held at a dead stop by Daoist Guardian Alliance cultivators in the kingdoms of Yan and Liang.

A war that should have been a clean sweep thanks to a surprise attack had devolved into a stalemate. Yan Liming’s ’contribution’ had been indispensable!

’Hmph! His location is Fenglan Immortal City. If I recall correctly, his last Possession was there, too.’ The aloof young woman snorted again. Putting the pieces together, she was already convinced Yan Liming was guilty.

Although, as a veteran Core Formation Cultivator of the Blood Shadow Sect, Yan Liming should have known the Sect could track him through the life token he’d left behind. If he had truly betrayed them, he wouldn’t dare to stay so brazenly in Fenglan Immortal City.

’He was captured...’

The young woman recalled how, two hundred years ago, when she had first joined the Blood Shadow Sect, Yan Liming had tried to abduct her for dual cultivation. If she hadn’t been quick-witted and immediately invoked her powerful backer, she would have fallen prey to his schemes long ago.

Thinking of this, she snorted again. ’That old lecher Yan Liming is a Core Formation Cultivator who used Possession. How could he possibly be captured so easily? He must have betrayed the Sect! I’m going to perform Soul Extraction and Essence Refining on him and make him an example to the others!’

Just as she was mentally devising a suitable punishment for Yan Liming,

she suddenly let out a soft "Huh?" Her Escape Light slowed, and she retrieved a palm-sized, blood-red Token from her Storage Bag.

The next moment—

Before her very eyes, the blood-red Token shattered into pieces.

Her eyes widened. ’Yan Liming is dead?’

...

Although he didn’t know how Yan Liming, in his previous state, could have possibly posed a threat to him, now that Yan Liming was dead, the danger had passed.

Li Ping remained vigilant but had no intention of digging any deeper.

Besides, he didn’t sense any immediate danger, so there was no need to flee in a panic. He could continue his cultivation in the Immortal City.

After all, compared to being a shut-in hiding in some grotto-heaven, he much preferred the bustling atmosphere of the Immortal City.

’Time to make a trip. I’ll have my third brother gather the materials I need to refine puppets. Once I have three Tier Two Upper Grade puppets, I’ll be invincible below the Core Formation realm.’ Li Ping couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement at the thought.

He immediately flew from Immortal Peach Mountain and headed for the Ten Thousand Laws Tower.

After entering the Ten Thousand Laws Tower and having his arrival announced, he met with Gumu Sheng.

"Big Brother, you only needed to send word if you had something for me. Why come all the way to the Ten Thousand Laws Tower yourself?" Gumu Sheng said with a chuckle as he walked in.

Since retaking power, he had become somewhat portly. Dressed in lavish robes, he looked less like a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and more like a fabulously wealthy merchant.

After they reached Foundation Establishment, Zhang Tie, Gumu Sheng, and the others were all busy with their own endeavors. Plus, they didn’t want to disturb Li Ping’s cultivation.

As a result, they rarely visited Immortal Peach Mountain unless there was something important.

This did not diminish their respect for Li Ping in the slightest. Even Bai Qing, far away on Gaoji Mountain, would often have someone deliver local specialties like Spirit Tea as a tribute to his Big Brother.

Li Ping looked at Gumu Sheng and said, "I grew tired of the quiet and felt like a change of pace, so I came out for a walk."

The two sat down. Li Ping took a list of materials for refining Tier Two Upper Grade puppets from his Storage Bag and passed it to Gumu Sheng. "Musheng, does the Ten Thousand Laws Tower have these materials in stock?"

Gumu Sheng had assumed his Big Brother needed materials for talisman-crafting, but when he took the list and glanced at it, he was stunned. "Big Brother, what do you need all these Refining Materials for? And in such large quantities! Don’t tell me you’re planning to take up Artifact Refining?"

Li Ping shook his head, offering no explanation, only a smile. "I have my own use for them. Don’t ask any more questions."

Gumu Sheng nodded, not pressing the matter. He frowned. "Big Brother, these are all Tier Two Spiritual Materials. Aside from the Tier Two Upper Grade Life Soul, the rest aren’t exceptionally rare. Ordinarily, I could get them for you right away. But now... a major war has broken out in the kingdoms of Yan and Liang. Dharma Artifacts are being consumed at an alarming rate, so all supplies are being prioritized for the war effort. With the cultivators from Purple Cloud Valley keeping an eye on things, I can’t push it too far."

He thought for a moment. "Big Brother, if the war remains stable at its current level, I can get you about a third of what you need within a year. The other two-thirds will likely take three to four years to scrape together."

"Is that right?" Li Ping nodded slightly.

He wasn’t surprised by Gumu Sheng’s answer.

When war breaks out, in addition to the loss of personnel, the daily consumption of Spiritual Objects like Dharma Artifacts, Spirit Talismans, and Pills is astronomical.

During a major war like this, it was only natural for the Immortal City’s resources to be tightly controlled.

It wasn’t a question of price, but of availability.

The fact that Gumu Sheng could guarantee a third of the items on the list within a year was a testament to his capabilities.

If he were in a hurry to leave, Li Ping might have sought help from Yu Menghan.

But now that the danger had passed, he felt no urgent need to flee, so waiting was acceptable.

With this in mind, he smiled. "Musheng, I’m in no rush. Prioritize your own work. Just collect what you can for me, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your duties."

Gumu Sheng’s brow smoothed. "Don’t worry, Big Brother. I’ve got it under control."

...

"War is never a good thing," Li Ping lamented as he walked out of the Ten Thousand Laws Tower.

Because of the war, not only had collecting Spiritual Materials become more difficult, but their prices had also soared.

But while no one likes war, it is also unavoidable.

After all, the resources produced by the Cultivation Realm are finite. And what Cultivator ever feels they have too many?

When distribution is uneven, fighting is the inevitable result.

The fighting continues until the number of cultivators is reduced, the conflicts subside, and a sense of peace can be restored.

During his conversation with Gumu Sheng, Li Ping had left behind thirty Tier Two Lower Grade Spirit Talismans he had recently crafted to serve as a deposit.

In this great war, the price of Spirit Talismans had also risen considerably. A single Tier Two Lower Grade Spirit Talisman could now sell for seventy Spirit Stones.

This was an increase of more than forty percent compared to pre-war prices.

After learning about the resource controls in the Immortal City from Gumu Sheng, Li Ping decided against inquiring at other shops like the Jade Cliff Palace or the Spirit Treasure Pavilion. He returned directly to Immortal Peach Mountain and entered secluded cultivation.

「Midway through the year」

Bai Qing paid a special visit to inform him that the Bai family’s patriarch had passed away.

Before the patriarch passed away, the Bai family’s three Foundation Establishment Cultivators had mobilized to seize a Tier Two Spiritual Land called Five Clouds Pool, three thousand li from Gaoji Mountain.

The Bai family now possessed two Tier Two Spiritual Lands. With Gaoji Mountain and Five Clouds Pool forming a defensive pincer, Bai Qing and Bai Zhengheng each governed one of the territories, greatly increasing the family’s strength.

’So the Bai family patriarch has passed on...’ Li Ping sighed softly.

The patriarch had lived for over 230 years, which wasn’t a short life for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Yet, even with their extended lifespans, the day would inevitably come when their time ran out and they passed on.

Li Ping shook his head. ’Forget Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Even Golden Core Cultivators with their five-hundred-year lifespans must pass on when their time is up. Without achieving true immortality, everything is meaningless!’

"Big Brother, this is Spirit Tea from Gaoji Mountain and some spirit fish raised at Five Clouds Pool." Bai Qing hadn’t come empty-handed; he brought local specialties from his family’s lands.

Li Ping nodded and accepted the gifts rather than turning them away.

Although he had been disappointed with Bai Qing after the incident concerning Bai Lin’s Foundation Establishment,

what was past was past. It was enough to remember the slight; there was no need to dwell on it forever.

Seeing his Big Brother accept the gifts, a smile touched Bai Qing’s lips. He exchanged a few more pleasantries before taking his leave.

As one of the Bai family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators, he enjoyed the family’s many benefits and, in turn, had a duty to stand guard and protect it.

...

「Two months after the Bai family’s patriarch passed away」

Zhang Tie arrived at Immortal Peach Mountain, his eyes red and swollen.

The moment he saw Li Ping, he could no longer hold back his tears. "Big Brother," he choked out, "my master... he’s passed on."

Zhang Tie had two masters. One was a Qi Refining Cultivator named Old Man Lin, and the other was the lord of the Immortal City, Fenglan Master.

Fenglan Master had passed on through martial ascension two years ago, and while Zhang Tie had been shaken, he had recovered quickly.

But now that Old Man Lin had passed away, he was overcome with a grief so profound he couldn’t suppress it, and tears streamed down his face.

"Old Man Lin passed away?" Li Ping was surprised to hear the news.

But then he considered Old Man Lin’s age. It was only natural for him to pass on; his time had come.

Thinking of this, he gently patted Zhang Tie’s shoulder. "Every cultivator must eventually face their end. Old Man Lin was able to train a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and see you get married, have children, and start a family. He surely died with a smile on his face."

Zhang Tie’s eyes were bloodshot. "I’m an orphan. If Master hadn’t taken me in, I would’ve died long ago."

Finally, Zhang Tie mentioned that he was preparing to change his youngest son’s surname to Lin and have him observe the mourning period as Old Man Lin’s grandson.

He had wanted to do this while Old Man Lin was still alive, but the old man had refused.

Now that Old Man Lin was gone, he was determined to see it through.

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