The Long Journey to Immortality

A relationship that is sometimes close and sometimes distant is the norm for cultivators who are progressing together.

If one knew all this, and knew that the Nascent Soul cultivator Han Lu and the Golden Core cultivator Wen Erya, who were embracing and crying, had such a friendship and fate, then this scene would seem much more normal.

Han Lu would occasionally return to the Central Plains sect, and the next time the two met might be thirty, forty, or even fifty years later, but ultimately there was a predetermined outcome.

They both knew there was a general timeframe, and after venting their emotions, they began to whisper to each other, "secretly pledging their lives to one another."

With genuine emotions flowing and a hint of tears in their voices, the two whispered to each other for a long time before finally letting go of each other's embrace.

Xiao Ran stood by with his arms crossed, trying to guess what his wife and Han Lu had agreed to based on the snippets of conversation he overheard.

After saying goodbye to Wen Erya, Han Lu wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief that Wen Erya had just given her as a keepsake, and said a few words to Xiao Ran.

The gist of it is that Xiao Ran is "threatening" that he must take good care of Wen Er Ya.

This kind of thing is just a formality; even if Han Lu didn't say anything, Xiao Ran would have done it anyway.

Naturally, Xiao Ran readily agreed and followed Han Lu's instructions to "swear an oath before the lamp."

Finally, Han Lu brought up the possibility of the two having children in the future.

"I'm sorry, I will be living in the wilderness for a long time in the future, so I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill my promise to be the master of your two children," Han Lu took out a gift she had prepared in advance from her storage bag. "If your children start cultivating in the future, please give this to them on my behalf."

"By the way, if your child is born, you should also send me a message through the sect to let me know the good news."

Upon hearing Han Lu mention the child who was still far from being born, Wen Erya glared at Xiao Ran and spoke a great deal through her eyes.

Xiao Ran scratched his head rather embarrassedly, wondering to himself if he was ready to be a father.

Han Lu stayed at Wen Erya's place for a day before setting off to leave.

Compared to saying goodbye to Han Lu, saying goodbye to Xianyu Ji was much simpler.

Firstly, the two had discussed Han Lu's departure several times, and secondly, Xianyu Ji was a key figure in promoting this matter.

Upon parting, as agreed, Xianyu Ji handed Han Lu a specially crafted jade pendant.

"There is a pair of these jade tokens. One is in your hands, and the other is in the hands of me and all future sect leaders. Each time it is used, it needs to be nurtured for a year before it can be used again."

“A single message can only convey a mere twenty characters, so…” Xianyu Ji then took out an ordinary jade tablet, “So I asked a scholar who studies ancient languages ​​to help us create a simplified language, so that we can transmit more information and achieve the purpose of communication at once.”

Han Lu took the two jade tablets and read the information on one of them.

The so-called "simplified language" is simply replacing a word with a strange symbol.

This rearrangement and combination can achieve the effect described by Xianyu Ji.

With the extraordinary memory of a Nascent Soul cultivator, Han Lu easily memorized the more than 20,000 symbols and short words in the jade tablet, thus mastering this simple language.

The two communicated in a manner similar to written communication through an ordinary jade tablet. After confirming that this method was feasible, Han Lu accepted the jade tablet as a magical artifact.

“By the way, Venerable True Phoenix,” Xianyu Ji asked Han Lu, who had become Venerable True Phoenix, just like Daoist Yunmin, Xuanchengzi, and Daoist Qingxu, “I will step down in four to five years to focus on cultivation. Who do you think is suitable to lead the sect after me?”

Chapter 1206

Han Lu had been asked this sensitive and important question four times by successive sect leaders, and she had answered truthfully each time.

It's just that because her cultivation level improved so rapidly, her perspective when thinking about and answering questions was different each time.

When Daoist Yunmin asked the question, Han Lu was still a rising star in the sect and was regarded as the next sect elder with a bright future.

When asking the question, Daoist Yunmin wanted to know which elders in the sect were highly respected in the eyes of such an outstanding disciple as Han Lu, and which ones were regarded as pillars of the sect by Han Lu and other disciples.

When Han Lu answered, she wasn't exactly sparing with words, but she was still quite conservative and didn't interfere in this important sect matter, which was clearly beyond her control.

However, by the time of Xuan Chengzi, Han Lu, who was already a pillar and elder of the sect, not only almost obtained the qualification to "recite poetry", but also expressed her evaluation of Xuan Chengzi and her thoughts on his possible successor in front of Xuan Chengzi.

When Qingxu Daoist asked Han Lu, who was already at the late Golden Core stage, she guessed the answer in Qingxu Daoist's mind based on her own observation and understanding.

Based on his conscience and Qingxu Daoren's true thoughts, he recommended Xianyu Ji, allowing this "ex-boyfriend" to successfully become the new sect leader of Zhengyi Sect.

Now, when Han Lu survives the tribulation and becomes the True Phoenix Venerable, the Supreme Elder of the Zhengyi Sect...

As a close friend of Han Lu, Xianyu Ji sought Han Lu's opinion in an attitude similar to "asking for instructions".

With four or five years until the ending is revealed, Han Lu guessed that Xianyu Ji should have made his final decision by now.

Xianyu Ji has probably narrowed down his choices to three or four candidates and is currently hesitating, consulting with elders and cultivators in the sects, such as Han Lu, whom he regards as advisors and strategists, to ensure that his decision is correct.

This process of hesitation, agonizing, and correcting mistakes is the key to ensuring the long-term stability of the Zhengyi Sect and the healthy selection mechanism for sect leaders.

Over the years, Han Lu has focused on her own cultivation and has not paid much attention to the situation of other elders in the sect.

In the past, she might have been able to ramble on a bit, but at this moment, Han Lu had to force herself to be serious and cautious about the matter, and to genuinely provide one or more good candidates for Xian Yuji to choose from.

After a moment of contemplation, Han Lu recalled an idea she had had years ago, and decided to "recommend the worthy regardless of kinship" and bring up Qiu Peng once again.

Han Lu slowly spoke, "Sect Master, what do you think of Qiu Peng? He's my disciple, Qiu Peng, the Elder of Dongshan Academy who is now at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm."

Xianyu Ji certainly remembered that Han Lu had once hinted to him that Qiu Peng was suitable to be the sect leader, so he asked, "Elder Yunpeng?"

Yunpeng is the Daoist name Qiu Peng gave himself after it took him nearly thirty-five years to advance to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.

Thus, to some extent, we can also see Qiu Peng's general assessment of his future.

“Not bad.” Han Lu began to list the benefits that Qiu Peng would bring to the sect as sect leader.

Although Qiu Peng did not make any outstanding achievements in his important position in the sect or demonstrate his management skills, Han Lu tried to prove that Qiu Peng had the ability to become the sect leader and lead the Zhengyi Sect from victory to the next victory by using the major things that Qiu Peng did in private.

The conclusions drawn are clichés, but the evidence used to draw those conclusions is increasingly novel.

Han Lu's recommendation was not exaggerated, but it did have some bias.

When asked about Qiu Peng's lack of experience, Han Lu only mentioned the numbers, completely ignoring his biggest weakness: his personality wasn't calm and mature enough.

This wasn't something Han Lu did intentionally; rather, it was because when the two interacted as master and apprentice, these two points weren't considered flaws, so Han Lu subconsciously ignored them.

Finally, Han Lu added, "I believe that many elders in the sect have realized that Qiu Peng is capable of serving as the sect leader. If he becomes the sect leader, he should be able to gain the support of many sect elders."

"In the East Mountain Academy, Qiu Peng's popularity among the disciples is not much lower than that of Sect Master Xianyu in the West Mountain Academy."

With the support of her colleagues and a broad base of support, Han Lu felt that she was Qiu Peng's biggest asset in becoming the sect leader.

Xianyu Ji had no doubt about the latter.

However, Xianyu Ji found the former completely unheard of.

"Are there any elders in the sect who strongly support Elder Yunpeng becoming the next sect leader? Who are they? Venerable True Phoenix, please give a few examples."

Han Lu, shameless as ever, listed, "Like me, Wen Erya, Elder Haoge, Elder Piaomiao, and so on, there are at least five or six elders."

"By the way, Elder Qingxu also thinks highly of Qiu Peng."

Then, Han Lu brought up another person who was quite important to Xianyu Ji. She did not shy away from the terms "relationships" and "connections," and openly listed all of Qiu Peng's political capital within the sect.

Xianyu Ji hesitated for a long time before nodding in agreement, "It seems that Elder Yunpeng is indeed a suitable candidate."

After all, after Xianyu Ji became the sect leader, his master and elders like Han Lu, who had a good relationship with him, all supported his work.

Thus, although there is a suspicion of nepotism, how could a sect leader not have a few friends within the sect?

Hearing Xianyu Ji's answer, Han Lu breathed a sigh of relief and added, "However, I also think that Qiu Peng should perhaps gain another thirty or forty years of experience before challenging for the position of sect leader."

Xianyu Ji nodded. "I will consider it."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Han Lu said goodbye to Xianyu Ji again.

"Have a safe journey," Xianyu Ji offered his final blessing.

Han Lu returned home and stayed for half a day. She was planning to go to the mountain forest where she and her mother had lived in seclusion when she was young, and have a few more words with her mother across the divide between life and death at her mother's grave. However, she did not expect that another distinguished guest would come to visit.

"Senior Piao?" Han Lu was surprised to see the elusive and mysterious Nascent Soul Realm senior, Fairy Piao, in her own home.

"Han Lu, congratulations on advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm," Senior Piao congratulated Han Lu, just like Senior Zhen. "I believe that with your talent, you will definitely be able to advance to the Divine Transformation Realm in your lifetime and get the opportunity to go to the Spirit Realm like me."

"Thank you very much, Senior Piao," Han Lu said respectfully. "May I ask what brings you here today?"

Han Lu didn't think that Fairy Piao met with her simply to say a word of blessing.

“I have been busy with a major matter,” Fairy Piao said directly and without beating around the bush, “This major matter may be hindered by the will of Heaven, so it requires the blood of some chosen ones.”

“You have done many good deeds. I have heard that you also received divine assistance when you were undergoing tribulation. You should be considered a person with a destiny.”

"So I hope to exchange some resources for some blood with you."

Fairy Piao did not intend to "get something for free" but rather to "make a deal" with Han Lu.

Chapter 1207

Ordinary blood is nothing special to Han Lu.

Fairy Piao had done Han Lu a favor, so if Fairy Piao asked, Han Lu would definitely be willing to provide it free of charge.

But Fairy Piao felt that she didn't have a very close relationship with Han Lu, and they weren't even friends.

It is inappropriate to ask for it directly as a senior or elder.

It would be more in line with her style to exchange it for a simple, small transaction.

Since Fairy Piao proposed a trade, Han Lu naturally wouldn't give up this opportunity to earn resources.

"I wonder what Senior Piao plans to use to exchange for my blood?" Han Lu guessed that it should be some leftover materials from when Fairy Piao used them back then, suitable for Nascent Soul cultivators.

Fairy Piao took out a bottle of pills from her storage bag. "There are three Nascent Soul Pills in this bottle. In exchange, I'll give you half a peck of your blood."

The materials required to refine the Nascent Soul Pill, a pill used by Nascent Soul cultivators, are not more expensive or rare than those required to refine the Yellow Dragon Pill used by Golden Core cultivators.

It is only because there are very few alchemists who can refine this kind of pill, and even fewer Nascent Soul cultivators who need this type of pill, that the price of this kind of pill has reached the high price of three hundred spirit stones per pill.

The effects of one Infant Nourishing Pill can remain in the body of a Nascent Soul cultivator for at least one year.

In terms of the consumption of pills alone, the cultivation of Nascent Soul cultivators is even "cheaper" than that of Golden Core cultivators.

The fact that the Fairy Piao spent nearly a thousand spirit stones of medicinal materials to exchange for Han Lu's blood demonstrates just how much care the Fairy Piao had for Han Lu and how important the things she was busy with were to her.

Unfortunately, blood is easy to find, but the blood of a "destined person" like Han Lu is not.

Fairy Piao, who will have to ascend to the Spirit Realm in at most three hundred years, has no time to wait for the next cultivator who can be called the "Chosen One".

Hearing that Fairy Piao had offered such a price, Han Lu, who had no intention of refusing, naturally agreed immediately.

Pay in one hand and deliver in one hand.

Fairy Piao handed the small bottle containing the pills to Han Lu. After clarifying that Fairy Piao had no special requirements regarding the blood, Han Lu casually made a cut on her forearm, released half a peck of blood, and put it into a magical wine pot provided by Fairy Piao.