The Long Journey to Immortality

Using her spiritual power, Han Lu used the sand beneath her feet as a canvas to record and translate, and obtained the answer in just half a minute.

“At a location of about 1,300 meters, 30 degrees west of north, that area will be the place with the densest spiritual energy when the spiritual energy erupts five days later.”

The three first determined their direction, and then, following these detailed instructions, ventured deep into the dense forest and found the location described in the "calculation text".

Nian Haoge looked around and thought it was just an ordinary dense forest. He asked in confusion, "Is there anything special about this place?"

Han Lu and Xianyu Ji couldn't see any special secrets in this area either, but since the text said so, they could only "believe".

“Anyway, this is the place,” Han Lu said with a smile. “Let’s clear this area first and build three wooden houses.”

Upon receiving the order, Xianyu Ji and Nian Haoge immediately began working together on the deserted island.

Nian Haoge was responsible for cleaning the site and completing the "three connections and one leveling" (water, electricity, road access, and site leveling).

Xianyu Ji and Han Lu selected catalpa wood and suitable clay, and used their skills in manipulating tools to build a wooden house.

In just ten minutes, three wooden houses—one large and two small—rose from the ground.

The larger room belonged to Han Lu, while the two smaller rooms were about fifty meters away from the large wooden house, right next to each other, and were where Xianyu Ji and Nian Haoge stayed for the next five days.

Han Lu and Xianyu Ji didn't know much about architecture, and the wooden house they built was just the most basic and simple kind, barely habitable.

Han Lu's wooden house was slightly larger, not because of any special treatment, but simply to provide her with enough space to make various preparations before she formed her core.

The placement of the two huts was also intended to ensure that while Xianyu Ji was helping to take care of Nian Haoge, the two of them would not make any small mistakes that would affect the spiritual energy in Han Lu's area and interfere with her Core Formation.

"Senior Brother Xianyu," Han Lu said, "I'll leave the formation outside the wooden house to you."

Xianyu was well-prepared. He patted his storage bag and took out two sets of array flags of magic weapon quality, saying, "Don't worry, Junior Sister Han, I will set up two arrays outside the wooden house. They will protect you without affecting the flow of spiritual energy inside and outside."

Then, Han Lu looked at Nian Haoge and said, "Haoge, I'll leave the arrangement of the array to isolate divine sense to you. If there's anything you don't understand, go ask Elder Xianyu."

Nian Haoge was beaming with excitement, clearly pleased to be able to help Han Lu with this matter.

The two assistants accepted their tasks and went off to do their own things.

Han Lu entered the wooden house and began to take out the resources from her storage bag according to her plan, putting them into the preparations before forming her core.

The iron rod magic weapon that Han Lu had obtained from the sect thirty years ago finally came in handy.

Han Lu first took out a set of "measuring tools" for drawing arrays, and after calculating everything, she understood the process.

He then poured the prepared medicinal liquid into the hollow iron rods, inserted them one by one into the array's key positions, and simultaneously activated the magic weapon. In this way, he transformed the five elements of this place and "carved" a top-level spirit-gathering array on this land.

The process was lengthy; Han Lu spent two full hours preparing the medicinal liquid before using it to draw the array and establish a spirit-gathering array in the wooden house.

While Han Lu and her two companions were busy on the five-person island, three cultivators from the East Sea were preparing to set off a thousand miles away.

Of the three cultivators, two were at the Golden Core stage and one was at the Pseudo-Core stage.

The three of them were also aiming to achieve the Core Formation stage, and their destination was "Ma Island," where Han Lu and the other two were located.

[Author's Note] The recent period marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lenin, the revolutionary leader. I read and thought a lot. Cyberpunk, a world dominated by large corporations where high technology and high productivity fail to benefit the vast working class, seems like a great target for overthrow.

Chapter 646 Uninvited Guest

Han Lu was well-prepared, and naturally, there was a lot of work to be done in advance.

It wasn't until the moon rose that Han Lu had everything arranged.

Thus, once the weather for a spiritual energy bursts forth in five days, she will take the prepared medicinal soup and pills that will facilitate the formation of the Golden Core, and under the protection of Xianyu Ji and the array he has set up, she can begin the process of forming the Golden Core.

In the evening, the three of them, who had been busy all day, gathered together. Han Lu, the head chef, cooked a meal using wild game, wild vegetables, and ingredients from the island's storage bags.

Over the course of more than 20 years, Han Lu not only improved her cultivation, but also made great strides in her skills in calligraphy, seal carving, and cooking.

Although Han Lu wasn't particularly talented in cooking, she eventually reached the level of a semi-master chef through persistent effort over time.

It's a good way to entertain friends without losing face.

All three were cultivators and did not need to eat frequently, so eating became a form of entertainment to pass the time.

Han Lu took the initiative to act as the head chef, and Xianyu Ji and Nian Haoge naturally gave her plenty of face and support.

After a satisfying meal, Nian Haoge finally found a good opportunity to try and bring Han Lu and Xian Yuji together, hoping to play matchmaker and help the two, who seemed like a perfect match, reunite.

Nian Haoge's wishful thinking and all his efforts were naturally in vain.

The commotion only made the atmosphere more awkward, and Han Lu and Xianyu Ji became increasingly determined to keep their distance.

This outcome left Nian Haoge feeling frustrated, as if his good intentions had backfired. He quickly changed the subject, inquiring about Xianyu Ji's story of forming his core, hoping to ease the tension.

This topic was perfect for a chat at this time, and Xianyu Ji didn't think it was anything private or confidential, so he started talking about what happened more than 20 years ago in front of Han Lu and Nian Haoge.

Xianyu Ji married Dan the year after the East-West exchange competition.

Although he had stayed in the Pseudo-Core Formation Realm for a full six years and had not prepared as much as Han Lu due to limited resources, he was still very concerned about the Core Formation process.

When talking about how he only managed to form one top-grade Golden Elixir in the end, Xianyu Ji felt very regretful.

"If I had known, I would have stayed in the Pseudo-Core Formation Realm for another six months and searched for more rare and precious materials that would help me form my Core."

Nian Haoge was, after all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Hearing Xianyu Ji say these words, he couldn't help but feel worried for his master, Han Lu.

"Sister Han, can you form a first-grade Core?"

In Nian Haoge's view, it was a must for Han Lu, the strongest Foundation Establishment cultivator in the sect, to reach the first rank of Core Formation.

Han Lu was quite confident about this, and she didn't try to be modest about it, but rather kept her words as tight as possible.

"If everything goes smoothly, I should have no problem forming a first-grade core in five days."

With a spiritual energy far exceeding that of ordinary cultivators, and having consumed two doses of Earth Mother's Spiritual Liquid, along with the assistance of numerous resources and the perfect, simple weather, Han Lu couldn't imagine the possibility that she wouldn't achieve the first rank of Core Formation under these circumstances.

Furthermore, this method of calculation did not even include the good deeds and positive connections she had made during her two periods of spiritual practice over the past thirty years.

A cultivator like her, who is in accordance with the will of Heaven, will surely receive divine assistance when she forms her core, making this crucial process for cultivators go smoothly.

As for what means Tianyi would use to help, Han Lu didn't know, she only knew that her kindness to the world would be rewarded.

After Xianyu Ji finished telling his story, Nian Haoge then pestered Han Lu to tell him the story of the Dayu Dynasty.

Using her storyteller's talent, Han Lu began to chatter about the affairs of the Great Yu Dynasty to the two Central Plains cultivators who had never set foot in the Western world.

They talked for a full hour before finally ending the event in a beautiful way.

Xianyu Ji stayed in his wooden hut to cultivate, while Han Lu taught Nian Haoge some sword moves and techniques from Helian Che under the moonlight, hoping to use the path she had taken to help her disciple improve the second word technique to a minor level as soon as possible, laying the foundation for advancing to the Golden Core stage in the future.

This will be a long process. Han Lu only hopes that over five or six years, with sporadic guidance, she can help her talented disciple Nian Haoge to understand the ropes.

These comfortable days lasted for two days before things changed with the arrival of the three rogue cultivators from the East Sea.

On the third day after arriving at "Ma Island", Han Lu and the other two entered into meditation in their respective wooden cabins.

Suddenly, the warning talismans that Xianyu Ji had placed throughout Ma Island reacted, waking him from his meditative state.

"Other cultivators have arrived."

It was unclear whether the visitor was friend or foe, passing by or heading straight here, so Xianyu Ji did not hesitate and immediately woke Han Lu and Nian Haoge from their meditative state.

After instructing Nian Haoge to stay hidden in the wooden house protected by restrictions and formations, he and Han Lu flew on their swords and took the initiative to greet the guests who had come to Ma Island.

The three cultivators who arrived here had already noticed the increased population on the island, which should have been deserted. They were already waiting in the air for Han Lu and the other two cultivators who had arrived earlier to come forward and negotiate with them.

Because Xianyu Ji's cultivation level was higher, he and Han Lu agreed that he would be the one to negotiate with others, so that the "meddlesome people" would back down.

"Fellow Daoists," Xianyu Ji said, though he had spent some time in the East Sea, his manner of doing things was still that of a cultivator from the Central Plains. "May I ask what brings you here?"

Seeing that only Xianyu Ji among Han Lu and his companion was at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, the three rogue cultivators from the East Sea spoke without any politeness.

The leader first introduced himself, trying to make things easier by mentioning the names of the three of them: "We are the Three Immortals of Tiger Mountain in the East Sea. I am the Immortal Bao Yunzi. Today, I have come to this island with my second and third brothers only for the matter of my third brother's Core Formation and Tribulation."

"You two hurry up and pack your things and move aside, or we'll have to kick you out."

Donghai Sanxing's style of doing things is always straightforward. When Bao Yunzi saw that the three of them suppressed Han Lu's side in terms of cultivation level, he made his point clear without any intention of communicating or negotiating with Han Lu and the others.

Upon hearing this, Xianyu Ji frowned and said, "Everything is about first come, first served. My junior sister also wants to form her core and seek immortality here. I would appreciate it if the three of you could be a little modest and give my Zhengyi Sect some face."

"Zhengyi Sect?"

Upon hearing the name of this second-largest sect in the Central Plains, the three rogue cultivators from the East Sea couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts.

"May I ask your Daoist name, fellow Daoist?"

Xianyu Ji replied, "I have no Daoist name. I am Xianyu Ji of the Zhengyi School."

Xianyu Ji, who was only at the Nascent Soul stage, naturally didn't think of a prestigious Daoist title for himself when he was still at the Golden Core stage.

Upon hearing this name, both of the Golden Core cultivators among the Three Immortals of Tiger Mountain shook their heads.

Tiger Mountain, where the three lived, was an isolated island in the East China Sea, and very few cultivators interacted with them on ordinary days.

Naturally, they had never heard of an elder of the Zhengyi Sect like Xianyu Ji, who had advanced from the Core Formation stage to the Golden Core stage twenty years ago.

The story of "selling dog meat under the guise of mutton" has happened many times in the East China Sea, a place known for its "treacherous people." The Three Immortals of Tiger Mountain did not completely believe Xianyu Ji's story.

Furthermore, being located in the East China Sea, they were not particularly afraid of the Zhengyi Sect.

Compared to slightly offending the Golden Core Elder of the Zhengyi Sect, the other two of the Three Immortals of Tiger Mountain valued more whether their third brother could form a high-quality Golden Core, so that the Three Immortals' fame could spread throughout the East Sea.

Therefore, even though Xianyu Ji invoked the name of the Zhengyi Sect, Baoyunzi, one of the Three Immortals of Tiger Mountain, didn't take it too seriously.

"I don't care if it's the main gate or the second gate, get out of the way."

"You have fifteen minutes to get out of here with your junior sister, or we'll really have to kick you out."

Bao Yunzi stood with his hands behind his back, showing no regard for Xianyu Ji, who was at the same cultivation level as him.

Chapter 647 First Come, First Served

These words displeased the two disciples of the Zhengyi Sect.

Although Xianyu Ji had spent some time in the East China Sea, his style of doing things and his way of thinking were still those of a cultivator from the Central Plains.

Han Lu, in order to distance herself from Xiaoyaozi as much as possible, tried her best to maintain her own style of doing things and also disliked doing things in the way of East Sea cultivators.

Therefore, neither of them could understand why these three East Sea cultivators spoke so aggressively. Even after they explained that they were disciples of the Zhengyi Sect, they still acted arrogantly and preferred to resolve matters properly through violence rather than negotiation.

Han Lu could understand the concern of the two Golden Core cultivators among the Three Immortals of Tiger Mountain for their third brother's progress in forming his Golden Core.

However, it is completely impossible to give up this Core Formation site that has already been set up with a lot of resources.

After a moment of contemplation, Han Lu spoke for the first time, thinking of a different way to peacefully resolve this not-so-major dispute between the two groups of strangers.