The Long Journey to Immortality

Chapter 729 Rich Kids

After a resounding victory, Han Lu's four disciples spontaneously gathered together after the day's competition.

Under Han Lu's deliberate guidance, the four outer disciples, who entered the sect at almost the same time and whose cultivation levels differed by no more than two or three levels, got along very well and their relationship was one of healthy competition.

Therefore, on such a joyous occasion, the interaction between the four of them would naturally be very pleasant.

All four of them had smiles on their faces. Even Shen Xingsheng, who usually had a serious and stern expression, greeted his junior brothers and sisters with a smile and praised their performance on the stage that day in an exaggerated tone.

Compared to Shen Xingsheng, Yu Hetong, who is usually very active and acts as a bridge between senior students, is even more proactive.

If Shen Xingsheng's words were conservative and general, then Yu Hetong's "praise" was like a back scratcher placed on one's heart, precise and meticulous, making everyone overjoyed.

Since they were just chatting idly by the roadside, their exaggerated and unusual behavior naturally attracted the attention of many fellow disciples passing by.

Many people were discussing and commenting on it privately.

In these discussions, besides the names of the four people and their performance today, the term "True Phoenix Fairy" was mentioned repeatedly.

Naturally, compared to the four years that Han Lu kept a very low profile in the sect after becoming a Golden Core cultivator, what passersby associated with her was more of Han Lu's "great achievements" in her early years when she was still a disciple of the Zhengyi Sect.

In particular, Han Lu came to the competition today and made an appearance sitting on the viewing platform.

This gave many well-informed cultivators a good opportunity to boast to newcomers and gain a sense of accomplishment.

Those stories that hadn't been mentioned in casual conversation for five or six years were once again circulating among the outer disciples.

In particular, the story of Han Lu displaying her power in the Dayu Dynasty has become an indispensable "chapter".

At this point, many new disciples who had only been disciples for two or three years learned that there was an elder in the sect who was outstanding in appearance, exceptionally talented, skilled in battle, and possessed the bloodline of a true spirit.

Combined with the fact that Han Lu had taken in four ordinary outer disciples in less than half a year and trained them to be among the top eight in the minor competition in a short period of time, many disciples who still harbored dreams of cultivation subconsciously regarded Han Lu as their "dream lover," hoping to find an opportunity to either chat with Fairy Zhenfeng and establish a relationship, or simply recommend themselves.

They hoped that Han Lu would take them as her disciples, so that after a year of hard work, they could also achieve the same successive victories and triumphant songs on the small competition stage as these four once unremarkable outer disciples.

This was the case on the third day, right after the top eight were decided.

How will this matter unfold after the final results of the second day are announced?

Perhaps Han Lu can also enjoy the same treatment that countless outer disciples at the foot of Hanchan Peak hoped would be accepted as disciples by Piaomiaozi when she and Wen Erya were both successful.

Han Lu, a Golden Core cultivator residing halfway up Cold Cicada Peak, was unaware of everything that was happening in the outer sect.

But when Han Lu decided to train a few Qi Refining disciples to show their prowess in the minor competition, she had already foreseen these stories.

Although thirty years have passed since she was last at the Qi Refining stage, this short period of time is not enough for the next generation of Qi Refining outer sect cultivators to change their values.

Han Lu knew very well that this set of things was most to the liking of young cultivators and would greatly benefit her series of plans to give back to the sect.

After leaving the viewing platform next to the small competition venue, the four Golden Core cultivators, at the invitation of Daoist Qingxu, went to Daoist Qingxu's residence together. They brewed wine and drank tea, continuing to discuss the topics they had discussed while watching the competition, and exchanging experiences in cultivating the next generation.

Although all four were elders of the Zhengyi Sect and cultivators at the Golden Core stage, their individual circumstances differed, so their focus when discussing this topic naturally fell on different things.

Piaomiaozi was in charge of the academy, and Qingxu Daoren was in charge of Dongshan Academy. When the two were chatting, they were thinking about official business and wanted to get some insightful advice from Han Lu and Wuhu Jushi in order to improve the cultivation speed of the disciples of Dongshan Academy.

They were targeting the majority of people.

The Hermit of Five Lakes, on the other hand, wanted to learn the methods and techniques for training disciples from Han Lu; he was after personal gain.

Han Lu simply felt that she was here as a guest, and that drinking tea, wine and chatting was just to build good relationships with her fellow practitioners in Dongshan Academy. She had no particular ulterior motives.

Qingxu Daoren and Wuhu Jushi drank wine, while Zhenfeng Xianzi Han Lu and Piaomiaozi drank tea. The four of them got along quite well by the lake under the moon.

Compared to the other three cultivators, Han Lu entered the Zhengyi Sect for a shorter time and advanced to the Golden Core Realm in a shorter time.

Although her disciple gained some recognition in this competition, she should have a lot to say about it.

But during casual conversations, she would always be drinking tea, smiling obsequiously, acting as the straight man, and quietly listening in. Only when the three of them brought up topics related to her would she speak up and say a few insightful and thought-provoking words.

While these may not be considered golden words of wisdom, they served as a starting point for the discussion, prompting everyone to raise their glasses repeatedly.

The person who asked Han Lu the most questions was not her master Piaomiaozi, nor her acquaintance Qingxu Daoren, but rather Wuhu Jushi, whom she had only met a few times and had occasionally exchanged a few words with during the competition as an elder and disciple.

However, when Han Lu truthfully revealed her teaching experience and techniques over the past six months, Wuhu Jushi regretted it.

After hearing Han Lu's story, the Hermit of the Five Lakes took the initiative to do some calculations for Han Lu and asked, "Elder Zhenfeng, in such a short period of five months, you have spent at least two hundred spirit stones on a Qi Refining disciple."

"Isn't this... a bit too much of a waste?"

Compared to Qingxu Daoren and Piaomiaozi, Wuhu Jushi, who has already "painted" eight dan patterns on his golden core, has a considerable chance of advancing to the golden core stage.

Therefore, he devoted far less energy to teaching disciples than to his own cultivation, making him one of the most skilled at "outsourcing teaching" among the twelve elders of Dongshan Academy.

In his view, teaching disciples and helping them improve their cultivation level was the same as being a branch dean—a means of obtaining cultivation resources from the sect.

Naturally, his desire to find an efficient way of teaching far surpassed that of Qingxu Daoren and Piaomiaozi, and he would feel the urge to complain about Han Lu's extravagance.

Han Lu, however, disagreed, saying, "This expense is just average. Spirit stones, pills, and magic treasures are things that cultivators can't do without."

"It's not a big deal for a master to be a little extravagant with his apprentice."

"Isn't this because my four apprentices have made rapid progress in less than half a year and rewarded me with excellent results in the small competition?"

Wuhu Jushi wanted to say a few more words, but when he thought of Han Lu's family background, he could only respond with a bitter smile.

He sighed inwardly, thinking, "A rich kid." Wu Hu Jushi felt that Han Lu must be a person from the upper realm of the spirit world, and completely gave up the idea of ​​seeking knowledge from Han Lu.

Chapter 730 A Great Victory

Wu Hu Jushi held this idea, and so did Qingxu Daoren and Piaomiaozi.

Generally speaking, an elder of the Zhengyi Sect will have about fifteen nominal disciples and five inner disciples.

One disciple receives 200 spirit stones for half a year, so 20 disciples would receive 4,000 spirit stones for half a year.

If every elder followed Han Lu's example and lavishly spent spirit stones, pills, and magic treasures on training disciples, then all the elders of the Zhengyi Sect would probably go bankrupt.

The usual way for elders other than Han Lu to train their disciples is to encourage them to use limited resources to follow the right path and take shortcuts in the most skillful way possible.

Only when they occasionally encounter disciples like Han Lu and Wen Erya, who are almost certain to advance to the late Foundation Establishment stage or even the Golden Core stage, will the elders be generous and hope to rely on this "blue-chip stock" or "ten-bagger stock" for long-term investment and achieve high returns.

Even the impoverished Piaomiaozi reaped considerable rewards by following these "unspoken rules."

Han Lu's unaware act of "flaunting her wealth" slightly altered the tone of the casual conversation.

The other three cultivators subconsciously steered the conversation in other ways, not wanting to discuss "teaching and nurturing" with Han Lu, this outlier.

The disciples who cultivate Qi to the Golden Core stage love gossip, as do the elders who have progressed from the Qi Refining stage to the Golden Core stage.

As the conversation turned into casual chatter and gossip about the Western Regions, the East China Sea, the Southern Frontier, and even the Great Yu Dynasty, circulating in the Central Plains, the consumption of wine and tea accelerated significantly, and laughter emanated more frequently from the lakeside pavilion.

A small gathering, drinking some light tea and ordinary wine would not cause the four Golden Core cultivators the slightest fatigue.

The four chatted from dusk until the early hours of the morning, and then from the early hours of the morning until sunrise the next day. Finally, just before the start of the fourth day's competition, they put down their wine glasses and teacups and went together to the arena to watch the final day's matches.

On the fourth day, the number of disciples who came to the scene was much higher than on the third day.

After all, the contestants on this final day are the most skilled and experienced among their peers, making the competition even more interesting to watch.

Han Lu even saw Zhong Wencheng, who was not a disciple of Dongshan Academy, come to the scene.

Relying on the large amount of spirit stones he obtained by selling information, Zhong Wencheng, whose talent was only average, finally advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm twenty-five years ago, becoming one of the few cultivators who advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm after the age of thirty.

However, having remained at the early stage of Foundation Establishment for twenty-five years, there is a vague possibility that he will be "exiled to the frontier".

With a business that could easily earn him hundreds of spirit stones every year, he naturally had no desire to leave the core area of ​​the Zhengyi Sect.

In the past few days, Xiao Bi has been moving around between several mountain academies, trying to make connections with the higher-ups in the sect.

There was nothing they could do; it was all because Yunmin Daoist, who had once admired Zhong Wencheng, had to step down.

If you want to be an exception and remain in the sect as a Foundation Establishment cultivator for ten or even twenty years, you'll have to put in some effort.

This time, he came to Dongshan Academy under the guise of "seeking an audience with the True Phoenix Fairy" at the viewing platform. He easily used Han Lu's help to give three beautifully bound viewing guides to the three Golden Core cultivators.

Paying attention to this matter, Han Lu finally realized that although she had treated Zhong Wencheng well, she had also been "taking" from him for a long time.

Now that he has advanced to the Golden Core stage and become a sect elder, he should indeed take this opportunity to help Zhong Wencheng with a small favor.

Watching Zhong Wencheng's figure at the edge of the arena, Han Lu thought to herself, "Maybe he came here this time to hint that he wants to ask me for help."

Han Lu did not know whether Zhong Wencheng's name was remembered by Qingxu Daoren, Wuhu Jushi, and Piaomiaozi.

Sitting on the viewing platform, she could see three Golden Core cultivators using the viewing guide to watch the competition, and they would occasionally praise the booklet.

I think I'll still have some impression of it.

In the short time it took to speak, the cultivators sparring on the two arenas changed again.

Seeing Yu Hetong go on stage to compete, Han Lu sat up straighter and officially entered audience mode.

It must be said that Yu Hetong has truly inherited Han Lu's skills, and his fighting style is reminiscent of Han Lu's back then.

The battle had barely begun when he launched a fierce attack, finally unleashing a technique taught to him by Han Lu that bore a resemblance to the Ice Phoenix Divine Power. He swiftly exhaled icy breath, freezing his opponent to the arena. In the span of a hundred breaths, he defeated his opponent almost unscathed.

Although the process wasn't as exciting as Han Lu had imagined, the ending was delightful.

She sat on the viewing platform, clapping generously, and quietly sent her congratulations to Yu Hetong via telepathy.

Before the competition began, Han Lu and her four disciples set a goal for advancing to the top four in each level.

Yu Hetong won this match and thus successfully achieved this predetermined goal.

Although it was thanks to the competition schedule and the fact that his cultivation level was the lowest among the four that he was the first to achieve the goal, Han Lu felt that it was still appropriate to applaud and congratulate Yu Hetong.

With Yu Hetong setting such a good example, Han Lu's other three disciples were not to be outdone.

Skill plus a bit of luck.

In the afternoon, four of Han Lu's disciples even made it to the finals.

The finals were held in turn for each level, and Yu Hetong and He Lanwei both won the championships in the Qi Refining Level 2 and Qi Refining Level 5 levels with overwhelming dominance.

If it weren't for the fact that He Lanyan and Shen Xingsheng were both at the sixth level of Qi Refining and needed to fight each other on the arena to determine a winner.

Otherwise, Han Lu felt that she might be able to witness the record-breaking scene of all four of her disciples winning the minor competition.

Compared to He Lanyan, Shen Xingsheng not only stayed at the sixth level of Qi Refining for a longer time, but was also more skilled at sparring and fighting.

He advanced to the finals by defeating his fellow disciple who had defeated He Lanyan in the preliminary rounds.

Following the logic of comparing sizes, it should be a foregone conclusion that he would defeat He Lanyan.

However, the ending was unexpected for Han Lu and many viewers.