I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

Of course, Wei Tu wasn't in a hurry to set off at this moment.

Several years later, after Xue Qiongyu and Ruan Shui'er had both successfully broken through to the next level and were free from any worries, he stopped meditating, put the jade slip containing the "Ascension to Immortality Technique" into his pocket, and set off for the Heavenly Fox Clan.

……

The Celestial Fox Clan, like the Human Clan and the Four-Armed Ape Clan, is one of the 'Ten Spirit Clans', ranking below the three great overlord clans.

However, unlike the human race and the four-armed ape race, this race is a powerful race that rose from the servant race of the 'Ghost Phoenix Clan' and has extraordinary connections among the major powerful races.

When Wei Tu set off from Wanling Immortal City and arrived at the clan's territory on the 'Wind and Fire Continent'—'Fox Hill Great Tomb'—the waterways there were already teeming with people, filled with countless cultivators from various clans who had come to join the excitement of the 'Alchemist Conference'.

These cultivators were mostly alchemists, and their aura often carried the fragrance of herbs and trees. They also wore medicine pouches or miniature alchemy cauldrons hanging from their waists to prove their alchemist status.

As it moved through the hilly 'Fox Hill Tomb', it brought a touch of life to this seemingly quiet and secluded sacred place of the fox clan, which was rumored to be a 'celestial tomb'.

"There are already fourteen seventh-level alchemists who have arrived at this 'Fox Hill Great Tomb'?"

As soon as the escape light stopped, Wei Tu flew to a celestial inn on the outskirts of the 'Fox Hill Great Tomb'. He immediately saw the betting board hanging high in the central hall of the inn, which displayed the odds for ranking the various seventh-level alchemists.

The number of seventh-level alchemists here has reached as many as fourteen!
Among them were many ancient beings that this young cultivator had never heard of before.

"Human, a woodcutter?" Wei Tu raised an eyebrow, his gaze habitually falling on the portrait of a seventh-rank alchemist in the gambling table, the same race as his own.

This cultivator's Daoist name and background seem to place him among the 'older generation' of seventh-tier alchemists, something that younger cultivators like him have never heard of.

"It seems that after Venerable Golden Whale advanced to the Mahayana stage, much of the hidden human potential has been appropriately revealed..." Wei Tu's eyes flickered as he pondered to himself.

Like the Purple-Faced Hermit, these 'human heritages' hidden by the human race and used to prolong life through secret techniques are extremely difficult to reseal after they are born to compete for the opportunity of the Great Ascension.

After failing to seize the opportunity to attain Mahayana enlightenment, these people will first face the 'limit of their lifespan'—the tribulation of their lifespan ending.

Therefore, whether by choice or by force, they will re-emerge and demonstrate their strength to varying degrees.

In this way, not only can the prestige of the human race be restored, but it will also make it easier for him to go to the outside world to seek opportunities, find new ways to avoid calamities, and find ways to overcome calamities.

This was not just his guess, but also the guess of the various foreign cultivators in the 'Fox Hill Great Tomb' about Geng Qiaozi and the newly promoted Mahayana cultivator of the human race—'Golden Whale Master'.

“Perhaps, this cultivator was also involved in the great changes that occurred in the ‘Black Mist Swamp’ hundreds of years ago…” Wei Tu thought to himself.

The younger generation of seventh-tier alchemists may be weak, but the older generation of seventh-tier alchemists, especially those like "Geng Qiaozi" who live in seclusion, are most likely at least at the late stage of the Integration Realm...

The reason is simple—those Nascent Soul cultivators who lack the aptitude and can only barely comprehend the 'lower-level laws' will generally find it difficult to grasp the 'law changes' required to refine seventh-grade pills in their entire lives, let alone advance to the seventh-grade alchemist level.

Similarly, cultivators who can become seventh-order alchemists are considered to have 'superior foundation' and 'superior aptitude' within the Integration Realm... Given enough time, advancing to the late Integration Realm is not difficult.

Of course, besides 'Geng Qiaozi', there are other seventh-tier alchemists in the betting pool, such as Wei Tu, who is worth paying attention to.

However, he had little interaction with these people, and the amount of information displayed on the betting platform was too small... Therefore, after only glancing at them a few times and memorizing their names, he promptly looked away.

After staying at the Immortal Inn for a few days, and having figured out the rules and details of the Heavenly Fox Clan's 'Alchemist Conference', Wei Tu finally set off for the 'Alchemist Hall' that the Heavenly Fox Clan had erected in the core area of ​​the 'Fox Hill Great Tomb' to entertain seventh-level alchemists.

However, upon arriving at this place...

Besides seeing the group of seventh-tier alchemists depicted on the Immortal Inn gambling table, Wei Tu also saw several 'old acquaintances' he was quite familiar with in the Spirit Realm.

Among them, the most eye-catching was Zou Yueshan, a direct descendant cultivator of the Ghost Phoenix Clan!

As the 'head of the family' of the Celestial Fox Clan, this woman enjoyed extraordinary treatment, surrounded by a group of Celestial Fox Clan cultivators who appeared to have extraordinary bloodlines but whose demeanor was respectful.

And here, there was also Xu Qingxuan, who had served as this woman's spirit servant alongside Chief Chai in the Dinghai Immortal Ruins.

However, unlike her previous dazed state, the woman's eyes now held a newfound intelligence, as if her spirit had returned to normal.

His gaze swept over Zou Yueshan.

The remaining few old acquaintances were all of high status or great wealth.

Princess Qian Ying'er of the Feathered Dragon Clan.

Thunderstorm, the top prodigy of the Divine Armor Clan.

The Feather Fairy of the Thunder Roc Clan.

The Four-Armed Ape Clan, the Mist Demon Clan's Da Yuan Shuang, Pei Hong...

Clearly, this 'Alchemist Conference' held by the Celestial Fox Clan is also a rare and excellent opportunity for powerful clans such as the three hegemonic clans and the ten spirit clans to win over and befriend 'seventh-order alchemists' from other clans.

"Is that Yang Yujun? Has this cultivator already entered the 'half-step Mahayana' realm?" But at this moment, Wei Tu's gaze fell more on a female cultivator with a feathered crown beside Fairy Yu.

Thanks to Master Suxin, although he and 'Yang Yujun' had never met, he was familiar with the cultivator's appearance.

Or rather, in the entire spirit world, no one is unfamiliar with Yang Yujun, who is known as the "Six Divine Lords of Fusion".

These six individuals are recognized by all cultivators in the entire Spirit Realm as the most promising talents of this generation to advance to the Mahayana realm.

She was in no way inferior to the goddess "Lady Wanmiao" of the "Qihuo Clan" that Wei Tu had seen in the Ancient Demon Realm.

Of course, in Wei Tu's view, the current Yang Yujun and his six companions are more like the 'middle generation' of the spirit world.

— Smaller than the combined form of the older generation, but much older than the younger generation like him, the Great Princess, and Zou Yueshan.

Excellent! At this moment, Wei Tu saw the three representatives of the three powerful clans: the Great Princess, Zou Yueshan, and Lei Bao. Apart from Zou Yueshan, who was still at the 'mid-stage of the Fusion Realm' and slightly inferior, the other two had already stepped into the 'late-stage of the Fusion Realm'.

We're not far from that final 'realm of ascension'!
However, seeing this scene did not discourage Wei Tu too much.

The resources enjoyed by those from humble backgrounds and independent cultivators are fundamentally different from those enjoyed by 'top geniuses' backed by powerful clans.

He possessed the 'Yinzhi Pill' obtained from the Thousand Cloud Demon Ancestor, but correspondingly... triumphant geniuses from powerful clans like Lei Bao and the Great Princess would also enjoy comparable elixirs.

Even if the pills are slightly inferior, it can be made up for in terms of other resources such as spiritual lands.

Secondly——

For him, or rather for the 'Six Divine Sovereigns of Fusion' including Lei Bao, the Great Princess, and even Yang Yujun, what truly sets them apart is not breakthrough-level spiritual medicines like the 'Yinzhi Pill' within the Fusion Realm... but rather the final step, the 'Crossing the Immortal-Mortal Barrier'!
And coincidentally, he possessed the 'Nine Aperture Immortal Embryo' that he had seized from the Seven Treasures Demon Ancestor.

In this respect, the gap between him and his peers like Lei Bao and Da Di Ji, and even the "Middle Generation" like the "Six Divine Lords of Fusion", is far more than just one step!
……

"Who is Taoist Fellow Taoist?"

As Wei Tu sized up the Great Princess and the others, inside the 'Alchemist Hall' established by the Heavenly Fox Clan, the Great Princess and the others, along with a group of seventh-level alchemists, who were seated there, also noticed Wei Tu's sudden arrival.

These people, without prior arrangement, all looked at Wei Tu with searching eyes, secretly sizing him up.

the reason is simple.

Those who could come to this place, apart from the 'envoys' of the three major hegemonic clans and the ten major spirit clans, were only the 'seventh-level alchemists' who had come to attend this grand event after inquiring about the situation.

Wei Tu looked unfamiliar...

His identity is self-evident, requiring no further questioning.

Of course, the cultivator who actually spoke up and inquired about Wei Tu's origins was naturally the Tianhu clan cultivator who was the host.

This Heavenly Fox Clan cultivator was no ordinary member of the Heavenly Fox Clan who surrounded Zou Yueshan and flattered her. He was a handsome male cultivator with a dignified appearance and extraordinary aura, and he also had a considerable reputation outside the Heavenly Fox Clan.

He is another of the Six Divine Lords who are comparable to 'Yang Yu Jun'.

A powerful cultivator who has achieved the Fusion Realm titled 'Red Fox Lord'!
"My purpose in coming here is solely to attend the Celestial Fox Clan's Grand Alchemist Gathering..."

Wei Tu's expression was indifferent. He did not directly answer the Red Fox Lord's question. He glanced at the cultivators of various races seated in the hall, pondered for a moment, then bowed to the Red Fox Lord and said this sentence directly.

It seemed that revealing one's identity here would be extremely detrimental and cause considerable trouble.

Upon hearing this, Red Fox Lord was not too surprised, and a look of understanding quickly appeared on his face.

The reason is simple: the arrival of 'envoys' from the three major hegemonic clans and the ten major spirit clans to this Alchemist Hall to win over and befriend these seventh-level alchemists is not necessarily a good thing for them.

If there are those with treacherous intentions who intend to harm hostile groups, then even the 'seventh-rank alchemists' who are on good terms with them will inevitably be drawn into these troubles.

Some people see these risks as tolerable, while others see them as avoidable.

However, the group of seventh-level alchemists already has a certain degree of choice in this regard.

While it lacks the strength to confront the three major hegemonic clans and the ten spirit clans, it is not difficult for it to remain a "lone minister" and not curry favor with any side.

Furthermore, Wei Tu was not the only seventh-level alchemist who participated in this grand alchemist gathering incognito.

There are no extra satellite maps, and no missing satellite maps.

"Could this cultivator, like those alchemists, be a 'seventh-tier alchemist' who doesn't belong to the Ten Spirit Clan? It seems he's someone worth recruiting..." Red Fox Lord's eyes flickered slightly, secretly guessing some of Wei Tu's background from Wei Tu's statement.

However, despite his intention to win Wei Tu over, at this moment, Red Fox Lord could not possibly go against Wei Tu's original intentions.

He nodded slightly, indicating that he agreed to Wei Tu's 'request'.

"But may I ask how you should address me, my friend?" Red Fox Lord gestured with his hand, indicating that Wei Tu should take a seat, and asked.

The implication is that Wei Tu could adopt a pseudonym for this 'Alchemist Conference'.

“My surname is Ruan…” Wei Tu’s eyes flashed, and he understood. He glanced at the Qiankun bag at his waist, paused for a moment, and then casually gave himself this surname.

"Fellow Daoist Ruan." Red Fox Lord smiled faintly, bowed to Wei Tu, and then took out a jade box from his sleeve and handed it to Wei Tu's seat with his magic power.

"Although I have great confidence in your alchemy skills, this 'Alchemist Conference' is a grand event for my Heavenly Fox Clan... and we cannot afford to fail. Since you are unwilling to reveal your name and origin, refining pills in this hall is the only way to verify your identity. I hope you will not refuse..."

This statement is reasonable and justifiable.

Wei Tu would not refuse in any way.

Moreover, he had already prepared for this before entering the 'Alchemist's Hall'.

"Thousand Bamboo Flower, Heart-Stirring Root, Flash Demon Vine... These are the spiritual herbs used to refine the sixth-grade superior pill 'Dingyu Pill'."

Before long, Wei Tu opened the jade box and was able to identify the origins of the various spiritual herbs inside, as well as clearly recognize what kind of pills the Red Fox Lord had asked him to refine.

After speaking, Wei Tu did not hesitate. After adjusting his breathing for a moment, he patted the storage bag at his waist, took out his alchemy cauldron, and began to refine pills by performing hand seals.

Warming the furnace, melting the liquid, molding the molten metal...

The whole process was completed almost in one go.

More than ten days later, the group of seventh-level alchemists who were sitting in the main hall and resting with their eyes closed couldn't help but open their eyes and look at Wei Tu with a much more serious expression.

The 'Dingyu Pill' is not a particularly difficult sixth-grade high-quality spiritual pill to refine; it can be made by a typical sixth-grade alchemist.

However, to achieve Wei Tu's level of mastery, one must be a 'seventh-level alchemist'.

At this moment, even they could not discern the depth of Wei Tu's alchemy skills from this small sixth-grade pill...

But if nothing unexpected happens, Wei Tu, who possesses such abilities, is already one of them.

For this reason alone, they have to take satellite imagery seriously.

"Master Ruan, the Feathered Dragon Clan, to which I belong, cordially invites you to join us... If Master Ruan is willing to favor my clan, I will arrange for you to marry one of our clan's imperial princesses..."

"The Ghost Phoenix Clan..."

"The Divine Armor Clan..."

A moment later, at the instant the pill was formed, Wei Tu heard the words of the Great Princess and others trying to win him over.

Whether it's the three major hegemonic clans or the ten spirit clans, the benefits they offer are extremely generous.

However, at this moment, Wei Tu did not immediately refuse them one by one. Instead, he seemed to be tempted by them and showed a hint of emotion.

It seems he was truly tempted by the conditions, such as the princess marrying him.

"Concealing his identity to avoid trouble... doesn't seem to mean that this cultivator initially wanted to resist our clan's attempts to win him over? It seems that this cultivator truly comes from a small clan or family."

Upon seeing this, the Great Princess and the others were overjoyed, and they no longer had much doubt about Wei Tu's origins. Instead, they accepted the initial guess that had first arisen in their minds.

Of course, this is not due to Wei Tu's clever disguise.

Rather, the entire Spirit Realm has never issued a warrant for his true identity, let alone... in this gathering of alchemists at the 'Alchemist Conference,' there has been too much doubt about his revealed identity as a seventh-level alchemist.

If it were the 'Primordial Demon Source Realm,' or one of the five minor realms like the 'Purple Chen Realm' or the 'Sheng Guang Realm,' he wouldn't dare to so openly reveal his identity as a 'Seventh-Rank Alchemist.' (End of Chapter)