I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

"in law?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qian Ying'er's almond-shaped eyes widened instantly. With her political acumen, how could she not tell whether Zi Chi Jun's words were a joke made in the name of an elder or had a hidden meaning?

Her heart pounded, knowing how hard-won this opportunity was.

While in the Dragon Blood Palace, she told Wei Tu that there were three key points to competing for the Dragon Lord's position:

First, consider their achievements; second, consider the number of Nascent Soul cultivators who support them; third, consider whether they can become the strongest in their clan, like Feng Qing.

These three points are irrelevant to Mahayana cultivators, but that doesn't mean their stance is unimportant!

Rather... Mahayana cultivators are too detached from worldly affairs. Younger generations vying for the throne might attract their "attention," but it wouldn't prompt them to "personally intervene."

Because when it comes to interests, even the Dragon King can't significantly influence them. They have no need to support either her or Prince Yin.

Even she, in particular, only wanted to "borrow power" to win over the Feather Dragon Clan's Nascent Soul cultivators who could be directly influenced by Zi Chi Jun, as well as the remnants of the Zi Chen Realm behind him.

These two forces should not be underestimated.

This could increase her chances of winning by as much as 30%.

After all—her father's direct descendants were already her unshakeable base of support for her succession. The same was true for Prince Yin's paternal lineage. Among the four Mahayana cultivators, only Zi Chi Jun and the forces of the other Mahayana cultivator could be won over.

And this is only because the faction to which Zi Chi Jun belongs is biased towards her.

Once Zi Chijun personally intervenes and decides that she is the next Dragon Lord... her opinion can truly influence all the upper echelons of the Feather Dragon Clan, including the Feather Dragon Clan's ancestor.

Because, in the overall situation of the Feathered Dragon Clan, Zi Chi Jun is also one of those who are being courted. If her rise to power can win over the "hearts" of Zi Chi Jun's lineage... then Prince Yin, who is competing with her, is very likely to become the one abandoned by the entire Feathered Dragon Clan's higher-ups.

But all of this is predicated on: a marriage alliance.

The word "marriage alliance" not only brought Zi Chi Jun's help in his fate, but also the delight of the entire Feather Dragon Clan's high-ranking officials.

No one would refuse something that benefits both parties.

It is beneficial to her, to the Feathered Dragon Clan, to the Purple Dragon Lord, and to the Purple Chen Realm lineage behind him.

Wei Tu's qualifications are not a disgrace to her.

"Zi Chi Jun is being far too kind to this junior from the same realm." Qian Ying'er harbored a secret resentment. She and Prince Yin had been vying for power for so long, and her father had not yet expressed any willingness to personally intervene to help her... But Zi Chi Jun was already willing to go to such lengths to protect Wei Tu.

"However, it would be too much to give up one's marriage just for this."

Qian Ying'er shook her head secretly, cutting off that last bit of 'greed' from her heart.

She was not some chaste and virtuous woman.

However, as the Great Princess of the Feathered Dragon Clan, she was not so low as to readily agree to a marriage, regarding it as a stepping stone to immortality.

……

"The matter of marriage alliance is not something that I, a junior, can decide alone."

Qian Ying'er feigned indifference, took a deep breath, stepped forward, curtsied, and politely declined Zi Chi Jun's 'kindness'.

At this point, she also turned her gaze to Wei Tu beside her and said, "However, my friends Fu Xin, Wang Yuan and others are still unmarried... If Fellow Daoist Lin does not mind, I am willing to act as matchmaker and introduce you to a couple."

Seeing this, Wei Tu understood.

It was understood that this was the woman's "second-best option," unwilling to offend Zi Chi Jun, nor wanting to lose Zi Chi Jun's support, so she used other princesses to shut him up.

However, while this response was clever, it still went against Zi Chi Jun's good intentions at its core... Therefore, he also needed to step forward and express his opinion, offering some verbal support.

but--

This is also a major headache for him.

Forming a Daoist partnership is not just about 'one night of pleasure,' it's different from taking a concubine—Daoist partners of equal status must engage in deep 'dual cultivation' after the grand ceremony... How could he, a man wanted by the Feathered Dragon Clan, dare to take such a risk?

No matter how well he concealed his identity and aura, it couldn't withstand the direct scrutiny of his Daoist partner after 'dual cultivation'.

Therefore, this Daoist partner who came along with him was essentially no less than a deadly poison to him.

That is absolutely unacceptable.

While he could use some excuses to postpone the arrival of the Dao Couple Ceremony, these princesses of the Feathered Dragon Clan had no grudge against him... The situation was not so dire that he had to persecute them in order to survive.

"...I am very willing to form a marriage alliance with the Feathered Dragon Clan, but...I already have a Daoist partner. Although we have been separated, I have no intention of remarrying now. Therefore, I can only decline Senior Zi and the Great Princess's kind offer."

Wei Tu shook his head, directly refusing, and uttered these words that were half true and half false.

But as soon as the words fell.

Neither Zi Chi Jun nor Qian Ying'er showed any surprise on their faces.

In their eyes, it would be strange if Wei Tu didn't have a Daoist partner before he smuggled himself into the Spirit Realm.

They reached the realm of fusion.

Cultivators who can preserve their primordial yin and primordial yang, like the Great Princess, are extremely rare in the cultivation world.

The reason why these cultivators can retain their primordial yin and primordial yang is not because they are stone men and women and refuse to come into contact with the opposite sex, but because it has a great deal to do with the environment in which they were born.

For example, the Great Princess.

As the daughter of the Dragon King, she was born with abundant resources and exceptional talent... which destined her to spend the first half of her life cultivating day after day.

They will only consider marriage when they have nowhere else to go.

Before this, neither she herself nor the Feathered Dragon Clan would allow her to easily lose her primordial yin.

After all, preserving one's primordial yin is also very beneficial for cultivation.

Wei Tu's background is exactly the opposite of that of people like the Great Princess.

In the precarious environment of the Zichen Realm, remaining chaste is almost impossible—forming a Daoist partner and raising the next generation early on is the only logical thing to do.

However, only Wei Tu has safely reached the Spirit Realm. In their eyes, Wei Tu's Daoist partner, though 'lost,' is practically the same as dead.

only--

Since Wei Tu has already said this, it would be like rubbing salt into a wound if the two of them brought up the matter of marriage again.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, since you still can't forget your Daoist partner, it would have been better if you had just said so sooner... You made me refuse and offended Lord Zi Chi for no reason."

Qian Ying'er thought to herself, "This is something I'm not happy about."

However, even though she was secretly resentful, she knew that even if she had answered slowly just now, Wei Tu would most likely not have spoken first to politely decline Zi Chi Jun's kindness on her behalf.

Rejecting her is not comparable to rejecting other princesses of the Feathered Dragon Clan.

Zi Chi Jun's words were essentially a 'gift from an elder'.

Wei Tu could not refuse.

"Oh? Is that so? It seems I was being too talkative." Zi Chi Jun remained composed, showing no anger at the words of the Great Princess or Wei Tu, as if what he had just said was merely a casual chat with the two juniors.

The topic was over.

Then, Zi Chi Jun flicked his sleeves and instructed the surrounding servants to serve tea. Following up on the matter of Wei Tu's lost partner, he began to inquire about Wei Tu's past in the Zi Chen Realm.

In this regard, Wei Tu was well-prepared. He answered fluently and relayed what he had said to He Sanyao and the others back to Zi Chi Jun.

"However, when I saw Senior He again later, he told me some things about the past of the Nanhua Sect, including that the Nanhua Sect originated from the human realm, a subordinate realm of the spirit realm..."

Wei Tu hesitated for a moment before revealing the secret that He Sanyao had instructed him to seize an opportunity to go to the human realm and retrieve the 'treasure' of the Nanhua Sect.

Of course, he didn't say this directly to Qian Ying'er, but instead used a telepathic technique.

"A treasure left behind by the human realm..."

"I never expected that my uncle would tell you about this as well."

Zi Chi Jun sighed softly, a hint of emotion appearing in his eyes, as if recalling something from the past.

"However, I am currently under surveillance by the Feathered Dragon Clan, making it difficult for me to leave Immortal Dragon City... and travel to the human realm..."

Wei Tu took the opportunity to express his request to escape the 'surveillance' of the Feathered Dragon Clan.

"You're quite clever, understanding that the Feathered Dragon Clan sent protectors to guard you in order to monitor you..."

Upon hearing this, Zi Chi Jun smiled slightly, feeling more satisfied with Wei Tu.

It's not that people are stupid, it's that they're stupid without realizing it.

Judging from this single action, Wei Tu's shrewdness is undoubtedly evident.

With such insight and the great potential he has shown, Wei Tu's future, while not limitless, is certainly very promising.

"Going to the human realm is not difficult with my help. With my Mahayana power, I can send you away from the territory of the Feathered Dragon Clan..." Zi Chi Jun pondered for a moment, then said again.

In his words, he had already agreed to Wei Tu's request.

Before Wei Tu could express his gratitude.

Zi Chi Jun looked up at Qian Ying'er sitting to the side. He narrowed his eyes, took a sip of tea, and smiled, "Great Princess, my junior has just arrived in Immortal Dragon City... and I happen to have some spare time to teach him for a while. I wonder if the Great Princess would be willing to part with him?"

"Giving up something?"

Qian Ying'er was startled by Zi Chi Jun's words and quickly stood up to apologize, "Senior Zi, please don't tease me. Fellow Daoist Lin and I have no subordinate relationship. It's just that I happened to receive Fellow Daoist Lin in Longyan Immortal City... and that's why I did my duty as a host to send Fellow Daoist Lin to Immortal Dragon City to meet Senior Zi. I dare not utter the word 'giving up'."

"I only received her out of courtesy as a host... It seems that I need not concern myself with the Grand Princess any further in this matter."

Zi Chi Jun nodded slightly, seemingly quite satisfied with what the Great Princess had said.

But Zi Chi Jun didn't end the conversation there. Instead, he changed his tone and continued:
"However, I must express my gratitude for this kindness. After I emerge from seclusion, I hope that Your Highness will take good care of me in my daily life."

"It's natural."

Upon hearing this, Qian Ying'er was overjoyed and secretly relieved. She curtsied and thanked Zi Chi Jun.

This statement represents Zi Chi Jun's "alliance" with her in the position of Dragon Lord, although this "alliance" is not yet obvious... it only involves Wei Tu, a close junior, stepping in to help her.

But these words were exactly what she expected.

From the moment she approached Wei Tu in the Dark Dragon Domain until now... what she had been longing for day and night was Zi Chi Jun's 'affirmation' of her.

However, given the initial hint from Zi Chi Jun's personal involvement at the beginning of the conversation, this current "choosing sides" seems rather unappealing.

"However, the price of this marriage alliance is still too high to lure this old fox into personally getting involved..."

Qian Ying'er sighed inwardly.

But soon, as if she had thought of something, she glanced at Wei Tu a few times with a slight glint in her eyes.

The old master Zi Chi Jun is almost demonic in wisdom and not easily fooled, but Wei Tu is different...

With the resources she possesses and the methods she skillfully employs, it shouldn't be too difficult for her to gradually and subtly 'fall' under her control, ultimately forcing Zi Chi Jun to step down.

Although she didn't know why Zi Chi Jun valued and was so close to Wei Tu, the "hint" in his words just now was undoubtedly genuine.

……

Half a day later.

After discussing several topics, Qian Ying'er took her leave and departed from the Purple Dragon Lord's cave.

Inside the cave.

In the blink of an eye, only Wei Tu and Zi Chi Jun remained.

"I will now escort you away from Immortal Dragon City, escaping the surveillance of the Feathered Dragon Clan. However, you must remember that you must return to Immortal Dragon City within a hundred years..."

"otherwise……"

Zi Chi Jun gave Wei Tu a deep look, and said in a tone that was half admonishment and half warning.

It's true that he values ​​Wei Tu.

But all of this stems from Wei Tu's identity as a descendant of the Zi Chen Realm.

Therefore, fundamentally, he also harbored some distrust towards Wei Tu.

Of course, this was out of the monk's caution, not his prejudice against Wei Tu.

—Wei Tu's disappearance wouldn't necessarily lead the Feathered Dragon Clan to blame him too much, even though it would have some impact.

"I understand this matter."

Wei Tu nodded seriously.

He understood that once he broke his oath and was gone forever, the more "valued" Zi Chi Jun was of him now, the more severe the retaliation would be.

This 'valuing' stems from the mutual trust and assistance among the survivors of the Purple Palace Realm.

He shattered this foundation of trust built up over many years.

This was tantamount to a severe mockery of the deepest emotions in Zi Chi Jun's heart.

"Within a hundred years, as long as you return to the northern end of the Wind and Fire Continent, which is no more than a million miles away from Immortal Dragon City... crush this talisman and you can return to this place."

"At the same time, this talisman also conceals a Mahayana Buddhist power within me, which can be used to deal with any danger."

Seeing Wei Tu's serious expression, Zi Chi Jun nodded gently. He raised his hand, condensed a light golden token with his magic power, and handed it to Wei Tu.

Just as Wei Tu raised his hand and grasped the token in front of him.

next moment.

Before him, the world had changed completely.

From the exquisite and magnificent cave dwelling, we arrived in the desolate wilderness.

"So fast?" Wei Tu looked around in astonishment. For the first time, he had a firsthand experience of the Mahayana level of power.

"That's true. If Fairy Xuanling can set up the Venerable King Palace secret realm between the Human Realm and the Spirit Realm using the Earth Emperor Pearl, there's no reason why Zi Chi Jun, who is also at the Mahayana Realm, wouldn't have such strength..."

"Compared to the Mahayana stage, the Integration stage is still pitifully weak. No wonder Mahayana cultivators are also called immortals. Such strength is indeed no less than that of an immortal."

He felt a pang of envy and thought to himself. (End of Chapter)