I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

"The combined Five Kings?" Upon hearing this, Wei Tu's eyes flashed.

Before breaking through the Fusion Realm, the only force he made enemies of when he was in the Human Ancestor Hall was the Shocking King Society, which was controlled by the 'Five Fusion Kings'...

Ye Ya and Elder Lan are both related to this 'King's Gathering'.

Later, after breaking through to the Fusion stage, he gradually put the Shocking King Gathering and the 'Five Fusion Kings' out of his mind. After all, these five were just Fusion experts among the human race with decent strength, and they were not worth mentioning in the Spirit Realm and the Primordial Demon Source Realm.

Unexpectedly, the guidance given to him by Fairy Xuanling was to obtain the cultivation resources he needed from these 'Five Kings of Fusion'.

"Are these five people really that wealthy?" Wei Tu frowned and asked.

After all, the Five Kings of the Fusion Realm are not a single person; there are as many as five of them. Even if these five are only at the 'mid-stage Fusion Realm' level as rumored outside, they are still far beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators and forces.

It's an extremely tough nut to crack.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, no one would suggest 'robbing the rich to help the poor' from these five people unless absolutely necessary.

“You underestimate these five people.” Hearing Wei Tu’s ‘questioning’, Fairy Xuanling glanced at Wei Tu with her clear eyes, shook her head and said, “Among the high-ranking members of the human race, apart from Fellow Daoist Tie’s descendants and disciples, as well as those from the Three Mountains Daoist lineage and the Ancient Saint Family, the strongest of the remaining forces is the Jingwang Society… It’s just that its secret society keeps it relatively unknown.”

“Five thousand years ago, two of the ‘Five Kings of Fusion’ had already entered the late stage of Fusion.”

"Secondly, as far as I know, in the last ten thousand years, these five people have frequently entered and exited the Immortal Ruins and Secret Realms of the Divine Wilderness to search for resources for fusion and spiritual objects for breakthrough."

"Moreover, I once unexpectedly encountered the Flame Spirit King, one of the Five Kings of Fusion, in the 'Desolate Tomb of the Demonic Demon'."

"At that time, this cultivator obtained a 'Yinlingzhi Horse' deep within the Immortal Ruins. However, since I had already advanced to the Mahayana stage, I couldn't make a move against a junior. Furthermore, this item was of little use to me, so I didn't pay much attention to it."

Fairy Xuanling gave Wei Tu a deep look before speaking again.

"What, Yinlingzhi horse?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Tu immediately became restless, and a sense of covetousness arose in his heart.

There's no other reason than that this thing is indeed a treasure among spiritual medicines. In addition to its miraculous effects of 'bringing the dead back to life and restoring flesh to bones,' it is also the main ingredient of the seventh-tier breakthrough elixir—'Yinzhi Pill.'

This 'Yinzhi Pill' is quite useful for cultivators in the later stages of the Integration Realm, let alone for someone as small as him who has just entered the Integration Realm.

As for the 'Desolate Tomb of the Demon'...

He had also heard of it, knowing that it was one of the top five high-level secret realms among all the immortal ruins in the Spirit Realm. Within the Spirit Realm, it was also ranked among the extremely dangerous 'desolate places'.

"However, thousands of years have passed, and whether the Flame Spirit King has refined the 'Yinlingzhi Horse' is something I cannot know. But, based on my understanding of these five people, they must be aiming to accumulate momentum to achieve 'half-step Mahayana' or even break through to the Mahayana realm..."

"In terms of acquiring resources, they are no less capable than any other combined forces."

"The Fairy Xuanling said with certainty."

Its meaning is very straightforward.

In terms of cultivation level, the Five Kings of the Fusion Realm are not considered top experts within the Fusion Realm, but these five individuals have lofty ambitions and are not the kind of cultivators who simply 'lie down and relax'... In terms of accumulated wealth, they can definitely be classified as wealthy.

Ironically, these five people were the type that posed a challenge to Wei Tu, but not a significant threat.

After all, with his record of killing the Purple-Faced Wanderer, plus the eighth-tier remnant treasure and Mahayana magic power in Wei Tu's possession, even if Wei Tu's strength is 'underestimated', he can still be classified as a late-stage Fusion Realm cultivator.

The only difficulty is in terms of numbers; they are at a great disadvantage when facing a powerful group like the 'Five Kings of Fusion'.

"The matter of robbing cultivators should not be undertaken lightly unless absolutely necessary."

However, what Fairy Xuanling didn't know was that in that instant, although Wei Tu had greed in his heart, he quickly used his thoughts as a knife to cut it out of his heart.

It wasn't that Wei Tu was too morally upright and didn't intend to take action against the Five Kings who had already formed a 'rift'; rather, he clearly understood how suicidal his choice of this path was.

If you walk along the roadside often, you're bound to get your shoes wet.

The speed of 'tribulation cultivation' is only temporary. Once one becomes dependent on it, no matter how lucky one is, over time, one will inevitably face life-or-death danger and perish.

Besides, he knows his own family's affairs.

Besides the divine power of the [Longevity Immortal Lamp], a supreme spiritual treasure, there was also a great deal of 'luck' in the slaying of the Purple-Faced Hermit... It wasn't true that he had already surpassed the Purple-Faced Hermit in terms of raw strength.

Of course, having said that.

However, Wei Tu still asked Fairy Xuanling for information about the "Five Kings of the Shocking King Society" and related information about the high-ranking members of the human race, so that he could be well-informed and respond to any unforeseen circumstances.

……

After fulfilling the second condition of the 'Blood Oath' constraint.

Then came the crucial takeaway from Wei Tu's trip.

—The supreme treasure of that space, the Earth Emperor Pearl.

But soon, after communicating with Fairy Xuanling, Wei Tu's expression became somewhat uncertain and turned slightly unpleasant.

The Earthly Emperor Pearl was indeed given to him by this woman as promised.

However, given his current level of cultivation, it is absolutely impossible for him to take the Earth Emperor Pearl from the 'spatial barrier' between these two realms.

This pearl is deeply embedded in the spatial barrier. The remnant soul of Fairy Xuanling has used a secret method to fuse it with the nearby void. Unless Fairy Xuanling's true body arrives in person, even if he has reached the Mahayana realm, he will have to expend a great deal of effort to retrieve it.

"Is the fairy deceiving me?" Wei Tu asked, a cold glint in his eyes as he suppressed his anger.

Despite the truth of the matter, Fairy Xuanling's previous deliberate concealment was undoubtedly a deliberate attempt to toy with him.

"Fellow Daoist, your calculations are insufficient. Why take your anger out on me? Since we are bound by mutual benefit... how can you claim to have deceived me?" Fairy Xuanling smiled coldly, a subtle hint of smugness hidden deep in her eyes, as if she had managed to turn the tables on Wei Tu.

After Wei Tu entered the 'Transmission Pavilion', whether in verbal exchanges or physical probing, she was always outmatched by this 'junior of the Integration Realm'... and she was furious.

But when she saw Wei Tu's gaze turn cold, her heart skipped a beat.

—Although the 'blood oath' was made, it was only for the period of time during which Wei Tu went to the 'Bridge to Ascend to Immortality' to rescue her 'original body'... After the rescue, the wrath of a Mahayana cultivator should not be ignored.

"This [Earth Emperor Pearl]... I cannot give it to you at this moment. However, Fellow Daoist Wei can take its spirit with him... With this, you can unleash most of the [Earth Emperor Pearl's] divine powers." With a flick of her hand, Fairy Xuanling sent out a radiant, egg-sized, light yellow pearl that landed in front of Wei Tu.

After seeing that Wei Tu's complexion had improved slightly as a result.

Fairy Xuanling breathed a sigh of relief and added an explanation: "It is precisely because the [Earth Emperor Pearl] is integrated with the void here... that this royal palace secret realm will not be detected by other Mahayana cultivators."

“Fellow Daoist Wei is aware of my predicament. How could you dare to reveal that the gift I gave you has such a flaw before a blood pact is formed…”

After speaking, she waved her jade sleeve, and a silver talisman, similar to the Purple Dragon Lord's talisman, fell from the void in front of Wei Tu.

"Consider this Mahayana power as a small compensation to Fellow Daoist Wei. Although it is not comparable to the Mahayana power of Lord Zichi, it is still sufficient to deal with one or two crises in the Spirit Realm."

"Immortal Xuanling said apologetically."

As soon as these words fell.

Wei Tu's complexion also improved completely. He cupped his hands in thanks and expressed his gratitude to Fairy Xuanling.

Since Fairy Xuanling had already compensated him for this, he naturally wouldn't hold a grudge against her too much.

As he said.

Since this operation was an exchange of interests, there was no question of 'deception' or not; it was all due to his insufficient calculation and failure to anticipate this aspect.

"I must remember this matter and be careful when dealing with this woman in the future," Wei Tu secretly warned himself.

Clearly, this woman is not only not the 'great benefactor' she initially claimed to be for the development of humanity, but also an extremely cunning and 'ruthless' villain.

In short, his temperament is largely the same as his, and he is not a kind person.

"Is there anything else you would like to ask me, Fellow Daoist Wei?"

After the 'transaction' was over, Fairy Xuanling and Wei Tu felt a mutual dislike for each other. Sensing each other's feelings, Fairy Xuanling frowned slightly and could only sigh softly, uttering the words that sent the guest away.

"I wonder how much the fairy knows about the 'Corpse Ripening Secret Technique'..."

Although he was wary of Fairy Xuanling, Wei Tu still trusted her under the constraints of the 'blood pact'. After hesitating for a moment, he immediately asked Fairy Xuanling about the 'Corpse Stiffness Secret Technique', a 'miracle technique' that could be cultivated to the Mahayana realm.

……

This is a great opportunity to seek guidance from the Mahayana sage.

Satellites did not waste any resources.

Five years later, having exhausted all his questions, he took his leave and, under the restrictive power of the Venerable King Palace's secret realm, was teleported back to the Crimson Sea Wasteland Island of the Great Cang Cultivation World.

"The Corpse-Stiffening Secret Technique—I never imagined he would snatch this technique from the Purple-Faced Hermit. This technique is no ordinary skill… It's a top-tier technique that Fellow Daoist Tie obtained from the 'Corpse Immortal Ancient Tomb,' and among the human race, only the Purple-Faced Hermit has successfully mastered it…"

"Could it be that he truly has a chance to break through the tribulation?"

Watching Wei Tu's departing figure, Fairy Xuanling's almond-shaped eyes flickered slightly, her face revealing a thoughtful expression and a hint of anticipation.

Although she harbored extreme distrust towards Wei Tu before forging the 'blood pact,' she preferred to use forceful methods to compel him to agree to sign the blood oath...

But this reason stems more from her control over her own destiny as a Mahayana immortal.

After all, it's impossible for someone as strong as her to place her hopes on others.

Even setting that aside, she could still have some faith in Wei Tu's character.

There was no other reason than that she had already investigated Wei Tu's character and experiences a thousand years ago, and knew that he was not the kind of person who was too ungrateful.

Otherwise, a thousand years ago, she would not have stood by and watched Wei Tu kill Sang, the 'loyal servant'.

However... even without this reason, in the entire Great Cang cultivation world, and even the entire human world, the only cultivator she could trust and believe in at this moment was Wei Tu.

Only Wei Tu can successfully pass her test, master the 'Life Cultivation Method', and is expected to break through to the Mahayana realm.

Her talent is in no way inferior to that of the top geniuses in the Spirit Realm, and she is comparable to her in her prime.

"Ten thousand years is a time I can afford to wait."

Fairy Xuanling spoke softly, flicked her jade sleeve, and her graceful figure vanished once more into the secret realm of the Venerable King Palace.

……

half a month later.

Wei Tu returned to the fourth secret realm medicine garden.

"It was a close call, thankfully nothing serious happened."

Inside the herb garden, Wei Tu's main body, with its withered face and corpse-like appearance, showed a faint smile the moment its clone entered.

Then, he raised his hand and, as if no one else was around, inserted it directly into the clone's chest, from which he took out his 'True Spirit Immortal Bone'.

"Finally back." He lifted his robe, revealing the 'bloody' hole in his true form. The moment the 'True Spirit Immortal Bone' was placed back into his true form, his withered and emaciated body instantly regained its luster, becoming radiant and full of energy.

At the same time, the blood and essence of the body within the clone that had been stripped of its 'True Spirit Immortal Bone' also dissipated at a visible speed within this space, returning to Wei Tu's main body, leaving only a thin layer of skin, which vanished into nothingness in an instant.

Only that empty, lifeless 'immortal demon body' remained, floating in the air.

"The spirit of the [Earth Emperor Pearl] contains a wisp of the Xuanling Fairy's Mahayana magic power, cultivation experience for advancing to the Mahayana stage, and a great deal of intelligence from the Spirit Realm and the human race..."

"This time, the gains are truly substantial! It is indeed an opportunity that I have been eagerly anticipating since my time in the Spirit Realm."

Wei Tu smiled faintly, flicked his sleeve, and took out the [Earth Emperor Pearl] artifact spirit from his storage bag, placing it in his palm to carefully sense and observe it.

This thing is similar to the soul, ethereal and intangible, but it contains a powerful force of spatial laws.

"If we were to make a comparison, this space... is somewhat similar to Lou Boyang's 'alternate dimension.' However, it is far more concealed than that alternate dimension because it is not a 'semi-space' residing in the void, but a completely enclosed 'inner space'..."

Wei Tu looked thoughtful, raised his hand and pointed. The pale yellow spirit pearl, about the size of a goose egg, stretched out a semi-transparent 'membrane' in that instant, enveloping his entire body.

With the help of the 'Blood Demon Soul Split' residing within the 'Undying Demon Body', Wei Tu could clearly sense that his own body had vanished without a trace in that instant, leaving not even a trace of its aura.

Subsequently.

Wei Tu tried it again, and after seeing that the space expanded by the [Earth Emperor Pearl] artifact spirit was only 'three zhang in diameter', he frowned and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "What a pity."

"Although it cannot compare to the real [Earth Emperor Pearl], this 'weapon spirit' is more than enough for fighting and escaping."

After a moment, Wei Tu suppressed his distracting thoughts and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

The entire [Earth Emperor Pearl] is the secret realm of the Venerable King Palace controlled by the remnant soul of Fairy Xuanling. It is a huge spatial treasure that can hold living people and is used for storage.

In comparison, the 'spatial range' controlled by the [Earth Emperor Pearl] artifact spirit in his hand is pitifully small.

However, as a rogue cultivator, he had no intention of opening a secret realm or bringing so many 'living people' with him. This 'alternate space' was enough for him to use.

Furthermore—the true form of the [Earthly Emperor Pearl] resides within the spatial barrier between the two realms. Once he advances to the Mahayana stage and rescues Fairy Xuanling… this treasure will return to him. There is no need to rush it at this moment. (End of Chapter)