The Long Journey to Immortality

Each match is bigger than the last.

In a short period of time, Han Lu, who was already an "idol of middle-aged cultivators," won the hearts of many young disciples and became the most prestigious cultivator in Dongshan Academy.

With Elder Zhenfeng as a role model, the elders in various mountain courtyards have become much more proactive in this "laborious but not necessarily rewarding" task.

After several rounds of courses, with the excellent examples before her, and compared with the "master courses" provided by other Golden Core cultivators, Han Lu's excellence was highlighted.

In the span of six months, a total of six Golden Core Realm elders gave lectures at the East Mountain Academy, and only Qiu Peng, Han Lu's most outstanding disciple, could rival them.

Taking this opportunity, Han Lu mentioned Qiu Peng's name to Xianyu Ji, praising his abilities and subtly implying that Qiu Peng definitely had the ability to be the sect leader.

Whether Xianyu Ji understood or not, Han Lu was unaware, and she had no intention of interfering.

After all, Xianyu Ji has only been in power for a little over ten years, so there's no reason for him to start choosing a successor now.

Qiu Peng is still young, and it would be quite appropriate for him to take on the role of sect leader again, even if he waits for two more terms.

Han Lu, who was peacefully cultivating in the sect, was living an "ordinary" life as a Zhengyi Sect elder should be.

It wasn't until ten years later that a small ripple stirred in her cultivation life.

Chapter 1152

"Call him Master." Lü Zhi held a little girl's hand and pointed out the proper etiquette for her to become Han Lu's disciple.

During these ten years, Han Lu visited friends in southern Xinjiang and the East China Sea several times, and met with Lü Feiyan when she was young quite often.

Although she wasn't particularly familiar with Lü Feiyan, the little girl still remembered that there was such a person as Sister Han.

Although only thirteen and a half years old, Lü Feiyan still didn't quite understand why she had to call "Aunt Han," whom she had met a few times when she was a child, "Master."

But Lü Feiyan still obediently listened to her father's words, bowed respectfully, and said...

"Master."

Han Lu smiled and nodded, "Alright, from today onwards, you are my disciple, an inner disciple of the Zhengyi Sect."

After a simple apprenticeship ceremony, Han Lu helped Lü Feiyan up from her bowing position and pulled her to stand beside her, facing Lü Zhi, who had brought her to the Zhengyi Gate.

"Why didn't Yi Qiyan come? Is she afraid of leaving her daughter?" Even after developing a deep bond with Yi Qiyan, Han Lu still addressed her by her first name.

Lü Zhi nodded and said, "Yes, she said she was afraid you would see her crying."

"But neither the Southern Frontier nor the East Sea is far from Zhengyi Gate, so visiting my daughter occasionally shouldn't be a problem, right?" Having never been a parent, Han Lu asked a somewhat foolish question.

"If that's the case, how can Feiyan cultivate properly here?" Both Lü Zhi and Yi Qiyan understand this clearly, hoping their daughter will become a phoenix, and they will not let temporary family ties affect their daughter's bright future.

Han Lu, who lacked experience, finally understood the good intentions of Yi Qiyan and her husband after listening to their story.

She promised again, "Don't worry, I will definitely teach Feiyan well."

After assuring Lü Zhi, Han Lu took the little girl's hand beside her and asked in a coaxing tone, "Feiyan, do you like cultivation? And why do you want to cultivate?"

This question did not stump Lü Feiyan.

Although Lü Feiyan appears to be only in her early teens due to the lack of peers around her since childhood, she has already begun to think about this "ultimate problem" under the guidance of Lü Zhi and Yi Qiyan.

“Of course I like it,” Lü Feiyan’s voice was childish, but her reply was quite mature. “Cultivation allows me to do many things that others cannot. I can fly and breathe fire.”

"I can live a few more years and spend more time with my parents."

The starting point was simple and naive, but it seemed to come from the heart, rather than from ideas instilled by parents.

Clearly, Yi Qiyan kept her promise from back then and gave her daughter the right to freely choose her own life.

Upon hearing this reason, Han Lu couldn't help but think of her past self, a smile spreading across her face, quite satisfied.

"Alright, then you must cultivate diligently under your master's guidance and never forget your original aspiration."

Lü Feiyan asked innocently, "If I follow my master to cultivate, how many years will it take before I can fly freely in the sky like my parents?"

Although she was the daughter of a Golden Core cultivator, Lü Feiyan, like Zhan Yujun, harbored a heart yearning to fly.

"That's hard to say. It depends on how hard Feiyan tries and whether she meditates and cultivates diligently every day." Han Lu was already used to this way of coaxing a child.

"If Feiyan works hard every day, how long will it take?" Lü Feiyan pressed.

Han Lu gave an optimistic figure: "It could take fifty years at the fastest, or a hundred years at the slowest."

Lu Feiyan still has the typical childish temperament and a vague understanding of many things. Han Lu has no need to discourage this child, who has only been cultivating with her parents for a year and a half, by mentioning the difficulties and hardships on the path of cultivation.

Because Yi Qiyan and Lü Zhi had told Lü Feiyan that after advancing to the Golden Core Realm, one could live for a full six hundred years, the young Lü Feiyan did not think that the "fifty years" mentioned by Han Lu was a very long time.

"Feiyan will definitely listen to her master's words and cultivate diligently for fifty years. She must learn to fly and soar like a swallow in the sky," Lü Feiyan said confidently.

Lü Feiyan's obsession with flying is also closely related to her name.

The practice of spiritual cultivation also emphasizes the unity of subjective and objective factors.

One cannot go very far on the path of cultivation if one is only subjectively proactive but lacks objective conditions.

After exchanging a few words with her only disciple who would require careful guidance in the near future and understanding Lü Feiyan's subjective situation, Han Lu looked at Lü Zhi beside her, trying to find out about her disciple's objective situation.

They were all acquaintances, and as his mentor, Han Lu didn't hesitate at all to ask such a slightly private and sensitive question.

"Lu Zhi, what are Fei Yan's spiritual root attributes and talents? And which cultivation technique did she practice with you two for the past year and a half?"

Only after understanding these things clearly could Han Lu teach according to her own habits and aptitude, and strive to cultivate her two friends' daughters into outstanding cultivators.

Since Lü Zhi sent Lü Feiyan to Han Lu, as a responsible father and mentor, he was naturally well aware of these matters.

"Feiyan has been cultivating with me and Qiyan for almost two years..." This is half a year longer than the number Han Lu knew. "Feiyan was taught to read and write from a young age, so her cultivation speed is naturally much faster than other people her age."

"I have now cultivated to the second level of Qi Refining. I just advanced to the second level of Qi Refining a month ago."

"As for her talent, Fei Yan has a top-grade metal-attribute spiritual root and cultivates the 'Yu Jin Dao Wen' technique that Qi Yan and I found..." As he spoke, Lü Zhi used the technique of manipulating a jade tablet to send a jade tablet into Han Lu's hand. "The technique and secrets are all clearly recorded in this jade tablet."

"After Fei Yan advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm, Qi Yan and I also found five cultivation techniques that were suitable for her to cultivate as a supplementary practice."

"At that time, I will trouble you, my master, to help me choose. If you feel that none of them are suitable, it is no problem to find other cultivation methods as supplementary methods to guide Feiyan."

Both Yi Qiyan and Lü Zhi had complete faith in Han Lu's ability to be a mentor.

They felt very comfortable entrusting their daughter to Han Lu, who would then be fully responsible for her education and guidance.

Han Lu could sense her friend's trust.

After learning about Lü Feiyan's general situation, Han Lu already had a plan in mind.

“How about this, Feiyan is still young, so she can stay with me for a year and a half. After she turns fifteen, she can be considered a disciple of the Zhengyi Sect and live in the inner courtyard of the Dongshan Academy,” Han Lu explained the reason for this arrangement. “Although cultivators mainly focus on cultivation, they also need to cultivate their minds.”

"Young people can't do without peers to accompany them and a few close friends."

"What do you think?" Han Lu asked Lü Zhi, the father, for his opinion.

Lu Zhi had already set the tone for this trip: "Han Lu, I'll leave everything to you."

[Author's Note] There is no concept of reincarnation.

Chapter 1153

That's what Lü Zhi said, but Han Lu still paid close attention. At least while Lü Zhi was still in the Zhengyi Sect, she had to report all the arrangements she made for Lü Feiyan to this father who loved his daughter dearly.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a quarter of an hour in front of Lü Feiyan, after which Lü Zhi, as arranged beforehand, took the initiative to get up and say goodbye.

"Han Lu, the main reason we sent Fei Yan here so early is because Qi Yan was worried that you wouldn't have time to help discipline Fei Yan after you advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm," Lü Zhi explained.

Back then, Han Lu did mention this matter to Yi Qiyan, which led to interesting stories such as her pregnancy.

“Nascent Soul Realm? That’s at least twenty or thirty years away,” Han Lu promised. “Even after you advance to the Nascent Soul Realm, I will help you two take good care of Fei Yan and guide her in cultivation and character.”

"Twenty or thirty years?" Lü Zhilue was somewhat surprised. "Han Lu, you could have already..."

Han Lu laughed and said, "It's not that exaggerated. There's still a long way to go before the Golden Core Awakening."

"It is only because of thorough preparation and the availability of abundant resources that we have achieved some results over the years."

"If we use the analogy of a ten-month pregnancy, the child in my dantian should only be three months old now."

Lu Zhi nodded slightly, "Even so, your cultivation speed is really too fast."

Lü Zhilun's talent was far inferior to Yi Qiyan's, and even more so to Han Lu's.

Having barely advanced to the Golden Core realm, he is now only on the verge of reaching the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. Nine out of ten times, he will only be able to stop at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm in his lifetime, and he will hardly even have the qualification to face the heavenly tribulation and be struck by lightning.

"It's just a matter of some luck, talent, and a lot of resources." Han Lu vaguely felt that she had said this countless times.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Han Lu, before parting, Lü Zhi squatted down in front of his daughter and spoke gently, repeatedly reminding her of some important and trivial matters.

Having already made preparations, Lü Feiyan finally broke down in tears when she was about to part with her father and knew that she would hardly see her parents again for the next ten or twenty years.

Seeing this scene, Han Lu couldn't help but think of the times she had parted from her parents.

Whether it was a snowy night when she was a child or a moment of parting in the wilderness as an adult, it always brought a touch of sadness to her heart.

The young Lü Feiyan also reminded her of her younger brother, Feng Hong.

"By now, Feng Hong must have advanced to the Transformation Realm and become a handsome young man."

Han Lu was momentarily distracted, thinking about her own family matters.

By the time she came to her senses, Lü Zhi had already left, and only Lü Feiyan was there wiping away her tears.

"Feiyan," Han Lu beckoned to Lü Feiyan, calling her disciple's name, "Come to your master."

Lü Feiyan was very obedient and took small steps to get closer to Han Lu.

"Master, what are your orders?"

Despite her young age, she speaks eloquently and eloquently, demonstrating that Lü Zhi and Yi Qiyan have done a good job of raising their daughter.

“You don’t need to be so reserved in private,” Han Lu said, treating her apprentice with ease and naturally not putting on airs for Yi Qiyan and Lü Zhi’s children. “Your father and mother are good friends, so just call me Aunt Han as you always have.”

“Aunt Han, do you mean…” Lü Feiyan was very clever, “that you only call me Master in front of Father or other people?”

“That’s right, that’s right,” Han Lu said, patting Lü Feiyan’s head. She seemed to think that taking care of a child was actually a good job. “Feiyan is really smart.”

Children love to be praised, especially by a master they've just met.

Holding Lü Feiyan's small hand, Han Lu led the girl, with whom he would live for at least a year and a half, on a tour of his home.

At the same time, she also sent a telepathic message to the two servants in the house to help Lü Feiyan tidy up a room.

In less than half a day, the novelty of arriving in the new environment and the preparations made for parting in advance improved Lü Feiyan's mood considerably, allowing her to temporarily forget the sadness of parting from her parents.