I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

"Xue Qiongyu, as the main character, will definitely appear at the celebration!"

"Although the celebration venue is located within the heavily guarded Ice Lotus Castle, on that day... as an invited guest, one can easily sneak into the Ice Lotus Castle..."

Wei Tu's eyes flickered slightly; he saw a glimmer of opportunity to abduct Xue Qiongyu in this intelligence report.

The reason it's described as "a sliver" is that this celebration was merely a convenient way for him to infiltrate Ice Lotus Castle and kidnap Xue Qiongyu. The difficulty of this was no less than breaking into Ice Lotus Castle alone to carry out the kidnapping plan...

Of course, if you're lucky enough to seize the opportunity during the celebration, the difficulty will be reduced accordingly.

It is not too late.

Wei Tu began to worry about how to obtain an invitation to Xue Qiongyu's "Breakthrough Ceremony".

As a stranger, it would be difficult for him to be directly invited by the Snow Infant Clan.

Fortunately, the Snow Infant Clan is quite "worldly," and privately allows some cultivators to spend money to buy invitations to the "Breakthrough Ceremony" and participate in this grand event.

The reason is simple: Xue Qiongyu is the fiancée of Pei Hong, the holy son of the Mist Ghost Clan, and is bound to hold a high position of power in the future. Countless cultivators in the Spirit Realm want to take advantage of this celebration to establish a relationship with Xue Qiongyu.

Secondly, given Xue Qiongyu's extraordinary background, this "Breakthrough Ceremony" will surely attract many important figures, providing a perfect opportunity for those with ulterior motives to build connections!

Some elders of the Snow Infant Clan astutely noticed this and spread the word in the black market, intending to make money from it.

However, there are certain restrictions on the cultivation level and background checks for those who "register" to prevent too many miscellaneous cultivators from mixing in and lowering the prestige of this "Breakthrough Ceremony".

As for the background check, it wasn't difficult for Wei Tu. He easily fulfilled the requirement by taking out the guest elder token he had obtained when he was in the Dark Serpent Clan.

Even more surprisingly, when the elders of the Snow Infant Clan in the black market saw that Wei Tu was actually a "prodigy" from the Dragon Descendant Tribe, they waived the fee for Wei Tu to purchase a spot and made him a "distinguished guest" of the Snow Infant Clan!
The Dark Serpent Clan is considered a weak clan among the dragon-descended tribes under the Feathered Dragon Clan, and is not worth mentioning.

However, once outside the Feathered Dragon Clan's sphere of influence, given their kinship with the Feathered Dragon Clan, the overlords of the Spirit Realm, their status inevitably rises considerably.

Of course, this is also closely related to Wei Tu's age and cultivation level. "Better to offend an old man than to underestimate a poor young man." Seeing that Wei Tu had traveled here and was willing to participate in the Snow Infant Clan's celebration, the Snow Infant Clan would be more than happy to welcome him; why would they want to offend him further?

Moreover, Wei Tu, this rather young "boy," is only second to a few Nascent Soul stage experts in their clan in terms of cultivation level, and is no weaker than the elders of the Snow Infant Clan.

Their participation is a sign of respect for the Snow Infant Clan, making them guests who can hold their own in this "Breakthrough Ceremony"!

"This celebration has actually attracted the prodigies of the Dark Serpent Clan... It seems that the clan leader's decision was correct. Arranging a marriage between the young clan leader and Pei Hong will greatly raise the upper limit of our clan."

"It's just that Pei Hong's potential is a bit low; after all these years, he hasn't broken through to the next realm. I wonder how long he can maintain his status as the Holy Son..."

"There's no need to worry about this. Even if the Mist Ghost Clan makes contingency plans and secretly supports other clansmen to inherit the clan's great cause, they won't openly depose Pei Hong from his position as Holy Son. After all, his birth mother is the legitimate daughter of the Four-Armed Ape Clan's Great Elder... the renowned Great Abyss Consort."

"I heard... not long ago, another member of the Four-Armed Ape Clan broke through to the Integration Realm. I really envy these great clans, where the birth of Integration Realm cultivators is as easy as eating and drinking."

"Ha! The Ten Spirits Clan also envies the Three Hegemonic Clans. Breaking through to the Mahayana Realm in the Three Hegemonic Clans is much easier than in the Ten Spirits Clan."

"Fortunately, we are now affiliated with the Mist Ghost Clan and have formed a marriage alliance with them. Breaking through to the Fusion Stage, although still difficult, is much easier than before... At least we can apply for seclusion in the Mist Ghost Clan's sacred ground."

Inside the black market, several Snow Infant Clan elders, who were responsible for selling invitations to the celebration, whispered among themselves after Wei Tu left.

……

Four months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Then came the day when the Snow Infant Clan would hold the Snow Feather "Breakthrough Ceremony".

On this day, Ice Lotus Castle opened its gates wide, and cultivators came in droves to offer gifts and congratulations. Rare birds and beasts pulling carved carriages, as well as flying boats and spirit shuttles, could be seen everywhere in the clouds.

"That's Fairy Qiongyu..." Inside the fortress, the guests sitting inside and outside the main hall also caught a glimpse of the beautiful and aloof female cultivator who was dressed in full regalia and gracefully flew out from the back hall.

This woman had a slender waist, and her arms and wrists were adorned with "Snow Infant Ice Crystals," a feature unique to direct descendants of the Snow Infant Clan. Coupled with her ice-blue palace dress, she resembled a peerless fairy descended from the moon palace in legend, making people only dare to admire her from afar and not to touch her.

Fortunately, this solitary aura did not last long. A faint smile appeared on the woman's face, and she greeted the uncles and distinguished guests seated at the head of the table in a cool voice.

Wei Tu's seat was also in the upper seat, but it was a "side seat" located at the palace gate.

He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the female cultivator, whom he hadn't seen for hundreds of years since their parting at the Stone Cocoon Secret Realm.

at this time.

The elders of the Snow Infant Clan, who were presiding over the celebration, also began to call out the names of the participants.

"The Fire Sheep Clan Chief presents ten portions of Purple Rhinoceros Jade, wishing Fairy Qiongyu eternal immortality and further breakthroughs in the Profound Realm!"

"The Great Elder of the Ironwood Clan presents five pieces of Green Luo Wood and ten bolts of Azure Cloud Silk, wishing Fairy Qiongyu a long and successful immortal path, and that she may break through to the next realm."

"..."

The high-ranking members of various clans that were adjacent to the Snow Infant Clan's territory and had formed an alliance with the Snow Infant Clan all presented Xue Qiongyu with excellent congratulatory gifts.

Upon hearing this, the cultivators outside the hall all showed envy on their faces. After all, even if they struggled their entire lives on the path of immortality, they might not be able to gather all the gifts on the gift list.

And this is only a part of the gifts Xue Qiongyu received at this "Breakthrough Ceremony".

"Pei Hong, the 'Holy Son' of the Mist Ghost Clan, presents five high-grade sixth-tier spiritual treasures, two incomplete seventh-tier treasures, and a set of high-grade five-elemental spiritual crystals... May Fairy Qiongyu's immortal path be everlasting and may she break through to the Profound Realm once more."

The next moment, as the Snow Infant Clan elder uttered these words, the atmosphere inside and outside the hall froze for several breaths, and the deliberately suppressed breathing could be heard as if a pin had fallen.

Even Wei Tu was somewhat surprised at this moment.

All the wealth he had accumulated through countless battles, excluding the little monkey puppet and the Heaven-Reaching Treasure, the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Ring, was actually less than the casual gift Pei Hong had given Xue Qiongyu this time.

"This Pei Hong is far too rich."

Wei Tu smacked his lips, and a greedy thought arose in his heart. He wished he could kill Pei Hong right now and seize all of his old enemy's wealth.

This cultivator's wealth far surpasses that of ordinary "second-generation immortals." Even Da Yuanshuang, before being punished by her clan, had far fewer resources than Pei Hong.

Unfortunately, Pei Hong only sent someone to deliver gifts this time; he did not come in person. Only an elder of the Mist Ghost Clan sat in the seat of honor, second only to the Snow Infant Clan Chief.

At the same time, Xue Qiongyu, the protagonist, also seemed to have not expected Pei Hong to be so generous. Xue Yan was slightly stunned, and her expression revealed a bit of astonishment.

However, Xue Qiongyu quickly realized what was happening and bowed to the elders of the Mist Ghost Clan to express her gratitude.

"No need for such formalities, Fairy Qiongyu."

"The Holy Son said that since the Fairy is his fiancée, a few treasures to win a smile from the beauty are well worth it for him." The elder of the Mist Ghost Clan stood up, stroked his beard, and smiled, a hint of self-satisfaction in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, the high-ranking members of the Snow Infant Clan in the hall were immediately delighted, their faces beaming with joy. After all, Pei Hongyue was deeply in love with Xue Qiongyu, and the benefits they, as Xue Qiongyu's "elders," would gain were all the more substantial.

But very few people noticed, or rather, didn't care, that when Xue Qiongyu heard these words, her face showed slight embarrassment. After curtsying, her eyebrows furrowed slightly without her noticing.

"It seems this woman isn't so willing..." Wei Tu's eyes flashed as he thought to himself.

In this world, there are many female cultivators who are willing to offer their bodies to serve powerful men for resources, but there are also some who are not willing to accept the "possession" of powerful men. They are only forced to accept it due to reality.

In his view, Xue Qiongyu is most likely the latter.

This woman may not necessarily look down on Pei Hong, but as a second-generation immortal, she is equally talented... Apart from his wealth, Pei Hong has no other qualities that can win her over.

“But with just this, it would be difficult to abduct this woman in full view of everyone…” Wei Tu shook his head secretly, continuing to observe the room and look for an opportunity.

Before long, the elder of the Snow Infant Clan, who was announcing the names, also mentioned the congratulatory gift sent by Wei Tu.

The gift wasn't particularly generous, but Wei Tu's status as a prodigy of the Dark Serpent Clan still caught the attention of the cultivators present, who saw it as a valuable connection to make.

At this moment, Xue Qiongyu, following the sound, came to Wei Tu's side and gracefully bowed to him.

"Fellow Daoist has traveled a great distance to visit my clan. I am sorry for not being able to greet you properly. I hope you will forgive me," Xue Qiongyu said with a smile.

"You're too kind, Fairy Qiongyu. It is my good fortune to be received by such a noble person while I am traveling here."

Wei Tu paused for a moment before replying.

These were merely polite words; he had no intention of revealing his identity or spouting any strange or outlandish theories here, in order to attract Xue Qiongyu's attention.

"I've heard that Immortal Dragon City is undoubtedly the number one immortal city on the Wind and Fire Continent. It's just a pity that I am not a descendant of dragons, and thus have no chance to enter Immortal Dragon City..."

After exchanging pleasantries, Xue Qiongyu did not leave, but instead chatted with Wei Tu.

Firstly, Wei Tu's seat was in a remote location, already the "last seat" among the seats of honor in the hall.

In other words, her gratitude and greetings ended with Wei Tu. The remaining seats outside the hall, the "middle seats" and "lower seats," were not worth her further exposure.

These two factors constitute Wei Tu's status as a fellow cultivator.

Interacting with other outstanding individuals of her generation is a natural task inherent to her as the young patriarch of the Snow Infant Clan.

“Immortal Dragon City? This city is full of geniuses, and I am there…” Wei Tu narrowed his eyes and continued speaking, following Xue Qiongyu’s words.

For the Feathered Dragon Clan and other dragon-descended tribes, Immortal Dragon City is equivalent to the "Holy Emperor Domain" for the human race. Although he had never been to Immortal Dragon City, through his years of living with the Dark Serpent Clan, he had gained some understanding of its customs and people.

At least, having a good chat with Xue Qiongyu isn't difficult.

Of course, he also changed the subject from time to time during the conversation to avoid giving himself away.

"Fairy Qiongyu, you've been talking too much."

But at that moment, a slightly disgruntled snort came from the second seat in the hall.

These words were transmitted telepathically, making them difficult for the cultivators inside the hall to hear, including Wei Tu, who was conversing with Xue Qiongyu.

However, Wei Tu, being a "thoughtful person," could clearly see Xue Qiongyu's slightly stammering expression and the dissatisfaction on the face of the elder of the Mist Ghost Clan.

Furthermore, Xue Qiongyu's conversation with him ended abruptly... so even though he didn't hear the secret of the telepathic transmission, he could guess the content of her words with a high degree of accuracy.

"Was it an elder of the Mist Ghost Clan who interrupted my conversation with Xue Qiongyu? Was this cultivator... dissatisfied with my conversation with Xue Qiongyu? Because I am a male cultivator?"

"That's true. Pei Hong needs to use the pure Yin energy in Xue Qiongyu's body to repair the damage to his soul, so naturally he has to guard this woman's chastity with utmost care."

Wei Tu felt a strange sensation as he experienced firsthand the domineering nature of the Mist Ghost Clan as a "superior clan."

According to his guess, this was another reason why Xue Qiongyu was unhappy about the marriage alliance with Pei Hong.

Although he provided her with plenty of material things, he also had to keep a close watch on her social interactions... As long as Xue Qiongyu wasn't a coward and had any sense of self-control, she would feel extremely disgusted with Pei Hong.

Because his behavior was no less than treating Xue Qiongyu as Pei Hong's "private property," it greatly suppressed his "arrogance" as the young patriarch of the Xueying Clan and a Void Refinement expert.

“If Fairy Qiongyu is not in a position to speak at this moment, I, Fu, will be staying in the Snow Infant Clan for a while longer… If Fairy Qiongyu is still interested then, she may seek me out again…”

Wei Tu smiled faintly and said this in front of all the cultivators present as Xue Qiongyu turned to leave.

As soon as these words fell.

The hall fell silent, save for the clamor outside.

There's no other reason than that Wei Tu's words were tantamount to revealing that Xue Qiongyu was "controlled" and "restrained" by the Mist Ghost Clan. As high-ranking members of various clans who were well aware of the Mist Ghost Clan's domineering nature, how could they not know that Wei Tu's words were tantamount to a provocation against the Mist Ghost Clan!
“Elder Pei An is a Nascent Soul expert… How dare this Dark Serpent Clan cultivator? He is merely a Void Refinement cultivator. If he offends Elder Pei An, he will find it difficult to leave the Snow Infant Clan.”

Some cultivators' pupils constricted slightly; shocked, they couldn't help but whisper to their close fellow cultivators around them.

“No! Pei An might not have the guts. Although he is a Nascent Soul cultivator, this Fu guy… is a Dragonborn cultivator. Who knows if he has a Nascent Soul cultivator backing him up… Once his connections reach the Feather Dragon Clan, let alone Pei An, even if the Grand Ascension Ancestor of the Mist Ghost Clan came, he wouldn’t dare to touch him in the slightest.”

"The Feathered Dragon Clan has always been protective of its own. They will not interfere in the fighting among the Dragonborn races, but if any outsider dares to ambush and kill a Dragonborn prodigy, they will be severely punished!"

A knowledgeable cultivator retorted.

That's right! The fact that the Dark Serpent Clan is the main reason why Wei Tu dared to say this in the hall.

He was certain that even if this powerful being from the Mist Ghost Clan was dissatisfied with him, he wouldn't dare to kill him in front of everyone.

But in private...

He is now unafraid of being hunted down by a cultivator in the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm.

—As a powerful clan that has been hostile to the Mist Ghost Clan for many years, the Human Race has long since ascertained the intelligence of the Mist Ghost Clan's experts at all levels. Information about Pei An was already etched into his mind hundreds of years ago. (End of Chapter)