I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

Firstly, what kind of opportunity exists within Silver Canopy Island that would allow Pei Hong, who has been stuck at the peak of the Void Refinement realm for many years, to suddenly have the chance to break through to the Body Integration realm?

Secondly, why did Pei Hong insist on breaking through on Silver Canopy Island, even going so far as to ask the Mahayana Ancestor to spend several years setting up a restriction... instead of returning to the Fog Ghost Clan's 'core territory' for seclusion to break through?

Fortunately, one thing is certain, which is something Wei Tu can be thankful for.

That is, during these six hundred years of seclusion, Pei Hong had successfully passed the 'Heavenly Tribulation of Integration' several decades ago and successfully broke through to the Integration Realm.

In other words, the day when Silver Canopy Island, this isolated overseas spiritual island on the Thunder Swamp Continent, will be unsealed by the 'Mahayana Restriction' is not far off.

He only needs to wait patiently for a while, and he can easily leave Silver Canopy Island without having to risk searching for a way out of the island.

And this—naturally—is information intentionally released by the higher-ups of the Mist Demon clan, so it is credible.

Otherwise, such secrets would not be known to a few low-level ghost cultivators.

As for... the fact that Pei Hong broke through to the Fusion stage itself, that's not worth Wei Tu's attention.

Although he had a grudge against this cultivator, with his current vision and strength, why would he care about a mere 'newly promoted cultivator'?

This is not arrogance, but rather that his vision has been broadened to encompass the entire Spirit Realm and the entire 'Primordial Demon Source Realm,' no longer limited to a single region or the relationship between two races.

"During this time, stay on Silver Canopy Island and recuperate for now. Don't think about anything else..."

Wei Tu suppressed his ambition and thought to himself.

……

Although Silver Canopy Island is large and close to the mainland, the division of cultivation areas within the island is exceptionally simple.

It is divided into an 'inner island area' and an 'outer island area'.

The inner island area is not only the place with the highest concentration of spiritual energy on the island, but it is also a place where only ghost cultivators above the Nascent Soul Realm and high-ranking members of the Mist Ghost Clan can reside.

They also artificially created another layer of 'Mahayana Restriction' to isolate the cultivators in the 'Inner Island Area' and 'Outer Island Area' from each other.

With the protection of the 'Mahayana Restriction', the 'outer island area' of Silver Canopy Island became quite a mixed bag, with cultivators from all walks of life, and the number of cultivators from other races accounting for more than half.

Furthermore, for this reason, the Mist Ghost Clan is not very strict in managing the identities of cultivators in the outer island areas, and does not strictly examine their identities, origins, or places of origin.

Having learned this information, Wei Tu easily infiltrated the 'outer island area' of Silver Canopy Island, where he temporarily settled down and cultivated under the fabricated identity of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the One-Eyed Ghost Clan.

However, in order to find out the exact time when the 'outer island restriction' would be lifted, he chose a place to live that was quite close to the 'inner island area,' less than two thousand miles away.

"Two thousand miles is well within the range of a Nascent Soul cultivator's divine sense... In other words, my every move here can be sensed by the cultivators in the inner island region..."

“Especially Pei Hong’s birth mother, Consort Dayuan, with her spiritual eye technique, it should not be difficult for her to see through the array and restrictions of this cave and see inside.”

Inside a rented cave dwelling in the 'outer island area' of Silver Canopy Island.

Holding the cave array plate he had obtained from the brokerage firm, Wei Tu examined it closely. He shook his head inwardly at the crude and clumsy 'third-order array' before him.

However, he was not particularly worried about this drawback.

With a flick of his sleeve, he closed the stone door of his cave dwelling. Immediately, without any haste, he summoned the Earth Emperor Pearl and used its 'internal space' to cover the secluded cultivation chamber of the cave dwelling.

Then, he used the same trick again, cutting off a small part of his own arm and using the 'body regeneration' method to create a clone that remained in the cave outside, while his main body flashed into the 'inner space of the pearl'.

With the Earth Emperor Pearl providing cover, Wei Tu had no need to worry that anyone on Silver Canopy Island would see the commotion his 'true form' caused.

As long as that Mahayana immortal from the Mist Demon clan doesn't come out, he is 100% safe in this place.

After all, the domineering power of the [Earth Emperor Pearl]'s 'alternate dimension' had already been fully demonstrated in the recent 'real combat' encounter with Consort Dayuan.

"Besides, even if I'm really unlucky and encounter 'Old Ghost Pei' of the Mist Ghost Clan, and he manages to see through my 'clues,' having this token from Lord Zichi is enough to keep me safe..." Wei Tu rubbed the golden talisman in his palm, feeling a little more at ease.

The Feathered Dragon Clan is one of the three most powerful clans in the Spirit Realm, and its authority does not allow a 'small clan' like the Mist Ghost Clan to provoke it.

Although he mistakenly entered Silver Canopy Island and was in the wrong, this point can be ignored when he uses his power to intimidate others.

And Zi Chi Jun gave him this talisman...

Besides using this to fight the enemy, it also serves as a means for him to protect himself and bully others.

After thinking about this matter.

Wei Tu, located in the 'inner space of the pearl', turned his gaze and frowned as he looked at the 'Five Strange Corpses' that were gathered up by the [Earth Emperor Pearl] to the side.

Of the five refined corpses, only the 'Toad Water Yin Corpse' was damaged by the 'spatial storm' and the power of heaven and earth within the ascension passage, resulting in its mutilation. The remaining four refined corpses were all intact, showing no signs of damage whatsoever.

"Although the source is damaged, the core is intact and can still be repaired..."

Wei Tu's eyes flickered slightly. After pondering for a moment, he bit his fingertip and dripped five drops of blood essence onto the foreheads of the five corpses.

Immediately afterwards, he rapidly formed hand seals, continuously injecting various spells into the bodies of the five corpses.

Half an hour later, the five corpses began to exude a dense aura of death. Fine, ant-like black runes appeared on the surface of the corpses and, in an instant, they strangely connected together.

Then, the distinct auras emanating from these five corpses—some blazing, some icy—suddenly converged and merged into one.

Soon, an amazing scene unfolded.

The Toad Water Corpse, which was originally a 'remains', gradually grew new flesh on its body under the nourishment of the corpse energy of the other four refined corpses.

It increases at a visible rate, then repairs the 'wound' and restores it to its original state.

"The Five Strange Corpses, with the five elements combined, are a top-tier protective treasure of unorthodox sects, as recorded in the 'Secret Technique of Corpse Stiffness'... Now it seems that they are indeed worthy of their reputation."

Upon seeing this, a faint smile immediately appeared on Wei Tu's face.

For ordinary corpses, after suffering such 'irreversible' damage, abandonment is almost the only option left.

How could it be like the 'Five Strange Corpses', which can quickly recover in a short time by merging the 'Five Elements Corpse Qi' within its body?

Even though this action also caused considerable damage to the other four corpses... this method alone is equivalent to half a 'body refinement cultivator of the same level'.

Even more terrifying is that, in terms of individual strength, a single 'Five Wonders Corpse' is far inferior to a body cultivator of the same level, but a complete set of 'Five Wonders Corpses' is something that even a body cultivator of the same level would have to temporarily avoid...

However, it is precisely for this reason that the 'Five Strange Corpses' became a trump card that the Purple-Faced Hermit, a 'Great Cultivator of Integration', desperately wanted to restore, spending more than five hundred years, or even longer, to nurture and repair them.

After resolving the urgent matter of the 'toad-water corpse'.

Wei Tu then shifted his focus back to the 'deficiency' of his physical body.

First, he was hunted down by the Purple-Faced Hermit, and then he encountered the 'suppression' of the power of heaven and earth in the human realm at the 'Ascension Passage'—

His 'deficiency of physical body' would be a serious injury that is difficult to heal for an ordinary cultivator at the Integration stage, requiring at least several hundred years of arduous cultivation to recover.

Even so, with his physical cultivation abilities, it would still take him several years of hard work to repair this 'injury', even with abundant resources.

"Unfortunately, the spiritual energy within this third-tier cave is currently too thin; it cannot be mastered in just a few years of hard work... The only way to recover to my former glory is to return to the Divine Fire Immortal Realm and reclaim my previous wealth as soon as possible..."

Wei Tu sighed inwardly, absorbing as much spiritual energy as possible from the cave to replenish his depleted magical power, while taking out the jade slip containing the "Corpse-Stiffening Secret Technique" and continuing to ponder the mysteries of this "top-tier technique".

Although the spiritual energy within the cave is barely there, it accumulates to a considerable degree over time.

He had already made plans to stay on Silver Canopy Island for decades.

……

time flies.

Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Seeing that there was still no plan to lift the 'Mahayana Restriction' on Silver Canopy Island, Wei Tu, who was inside Silver Canopy Island, finally began to feel anxious.

"Could it be that Pei Hong's cultivation level suddenly dropped after he survived the Heavenly Tribulation of Integration, or that he was seriously injured?"

Wei Tu frowned secretly. At this moment, he hoped more than anyone else that Pei Hong's breakthrough would be successful.

"If we wait a few more years and it still doesn't work, we'll have to... find another way to leave."

Wei Tu took a deep breath, suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind, and continued to cultivate the "Corpse Stiffness Secret Technique" in the rented cave without any distractions.

Not bad! Twenty years later, he has already begun to cultivate the "Corpse Rigidity Secret Technique" and has not wasted this time.

With the profound explanation given by Fairy Xuanling within the secret realm of the Venerable King's Palace, it was not difficult for him to understand the mysteries and profound principles of this top-tier cultivation technique.

Thirteen years ago, he stopped pondering and began cultivating directly.

However, due to insufficient internal magical power, his speed in condensing this technique into the "Suspended Yang Yin Stiff" Dharma Form, a symbol of the "Early Stage of Integration," has been somewhat slow, and he has not yet succeeded.

Time flies.

Seven more years have passed.

On this day, just as Wei Tu was pondering other ways to leave Silver Canopy Island, a familiar and graceful figure sitting on a cloud carriage came into view in the sky above the 'Outer Island District'.

And this time.

Wei Tu was not mistaken.

It was not the 'Da Yuan Fei' who wore a gold hairpin, had her hair tied up in a cloud-like style, and had a womanly air, but rather his old friend, Da Yuan Shuang, who bore a striking resemblance to the 'Da Yuan Fei'.

"The Four-Armed Ape Clan?" Wei Tu looked up at the official title plaque near the cloud carriage, held by maids and guards and bearing the clan name of the Four-Armed Ape Clan, decorated with gold lacquer.

Following behind were a dozen or so burly strongmen carrying various radiant and jewel-like treasures, closely following the cloud-borne carriage.

And it's not over yet.

Behind Da Yuanshuang, there were more than ten other ceremonial teams, each bearing the name of a different clan, arriving in perfect order from beyond the horizon to the 'inner island area' of Yinpeng Island.

These ceremonial processions were not as subtle as the banners displayed by the Four-Armed Ape Clan; they directly stated that they were there to congratulate Young Clan Chief Pei on breaking through to the Integration Realm...

"Pei Hong? He succeeded in breaking through?" Upon seeing this, Wei Tu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

However, just as he set off, secretly flying towards the outer reaches of Silver Canopy Island, he suddenly discovered—

At this moment, the 'Mahayana Restriction' that encircled the entire Silver Canopy Island only revealed a portal; it had not completely disappeared.

Outside the gate stood a large number of cultivators from other races.

Among them were also some powerful beings who had achieved the combined power level.

It's even more of a "one-way street" where money just goes in and no money comes out!
How do we leave from here?

Wei Tu's face immediately turned ugly.

Clearly, the Mist Ghost Clan did not intend to remove the 'Mahayana Restriction' protecting Silver Canopy Island after Pei Hong's breakthrough. They seemed to intend to build the island into another impregnable 'core territory' within their clan.

After all, it took a lot of effort for the Mahayana immortal to set up such a huge restriction; it wasn't something that could be done in a day.

"Since this method is difficult to implement..."

"That one-way teleportation array..."

Wei Tu narrowed his eyes and began to think about other ways to leave Silver Canopy Island.

But he quickly rejected the idea of ​​leaving Silver Canopy Island using a teleportation array.

It might be effective, after all, although this Mahayana restriction contains an 'anti-flight array,' he also arrived at Silver Canopy Island by chance through an 'ascension passage'...

Therefore, there is a certain probability that high-level teleportation arrays of level seven or above can be used to teleport out of the island.

However, even with his expertise in weapon crafting and array formation, creating a one-way teleportation array that could bypass this 'Mahayana Restriction' would likely be difficult.

Moreover, the time is too short and too tight!

The most important reason he is in such a hurry to leave is that time is too tight, and he doesn't have much 'spare time' to waste on Silver Canopy Island.

Alternatively, waiting until the 'Union Ceremony' is over before blending into the crowd leaving the island and leaving together is also an excellent option.

"But—if we take the risk and contact Da Yuan Shuang… this place is no safe haven. If that woman changes her mind, not only will I not be able to leave with her help, but this Silver Canopy Island could very well become my burial ground…"

Wei Tu shook his head secretly, erasing the 'wishful thinking' that had been lingering in his heart.

He wouldn't place his hopes on other cultivators unless absolutely necessary.

"Then, there's only one last option left. It's the safest and most reliable one."

Wei Tu narrowed his eyes, took out the Mahayana talisman given to him by Zi Chi Jun from his sleeve, and then held it tightly in his hand.

then--

He waited patiently for two days in the 'outer island area'.

As the major powers that entered Silver Canopy Island gradually disappeared, only some minor, little-known forces remained.

Wei Tu took a deep breath, flicked his sleeves, and released the aura of the dragon bloodline he had refined while cultivating the "Immortal Source Scripture of Forging the Dao".

Immediately afterwards—in its combined state, it slowly flew towards the 'inner island area' located deep within Silver Canopy Island.

"Lin Tianqi, disciple of Zi Chi Jun of the Feathered Dragon Clan, congratulates Young Clan Chief Pei Hong on his successful advancement to the Fusion Stage. May he enjoy eternal bliss!"

Flying to the restricted gate of the 'Inner Island District,' Wei Tu, with a cold expression, glanced up at the elder of the Mist Ghost Clan who was used to entertain the cultivators, and said in a detached tone. (End of this chapter)