Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation-Chapter 216 - 163: Watching the Storm Rise

Only after clearing out over twenty nests of Rock-Eating Jade Rats did Ling Changqing reluctantly stop, though he hadn’t yet had his fill.

His haul was substantial. He had gathered over a thousand pieces of multicolored Spirit Jade. About twenty percent of them were second-rank materials, and over a dozen pieces even met the standard for Third Grade Material.

Furthermore, the meat of these Demon Beasts was rich in Spiritual Qi and delicious to eat—a first-rate delicacy that couldn’t be wasted.

Deeper in the Stone Forest Canyon, Ling Changqing also found some Grade Two Spirit Medicine and Spiritual Herbs, as well as various fungi and mountain treasures.

After tucking the last few Spirit Medicines into his pouch, Ling Changqing casually lifted his head and glanced at the azure Celestial Vault above.

On the distant horizon, five or six cultivators in a sorry state were riding their Flying Swords, fleeing for their lives.

A dozen or so li behind, dozens of cultivators were in hot pursuit. The distance was closing fast, and their angry shouts and threats were incessant.

A moment later, the fleeing cultivators could bear it no longer. They wheeled around and threw out several Talismans, instantly unleashing flashes of Thunderous Fire Rain and Ice Blades and Frost Swords.

But their counterattack was futile. The pursuers not only had superior numbers, but also an endless variety of techniques, and they immediately retaliated with fierce attacks of their own.

After a few exchanges, one of the fleeing cultivators failed to dodge in time. Struck by the focused power of several Talismans, he screamed as he plummeted from the sky, clearly not going to survive.

’...I wonder which family those unlucky kids belong to.’

Ling Changqing muttered to himself. He watched for a little while longer before ignoring the scene completely. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Such events were a dime a dozen in the Cultivation Realm. He wasn’t some bleeding-heart do-gooder, so of course he wasn’t going to meddle in affairs that didn’t concern him.

Once both groups of cultivators had vanished into the distance, their chase continuing, Ling Changqing silently mounted his Flying Sword and departed.

Dozens of li away, a vast lake stretching for hundreds of acres appeared on a plain, bordered by a small patch of forest.

Ling Changqing thought for a moment and decided to stop here for a while to rest and recover to his peak condition before setting out again.

After landing, his first order of business was to scout the surrounding terrain for any dangerous native creatures. He would only rest after confirming there was no trouble nearby.

He chose a relatively flat clearing by the lake, took three Jade Furnaces from his Storage Pouch, and set them up. Then he pulled out several of the fattest Rock-Eating Jade Rats and began to skin and gut them.

Of course, there was also the giant python meat he had stored earlier, the Spirit Fish he had caught in the river, and the Spirit Medicine and mountain delicacies. He prepared them all in the same manner.

Once the chunks of meat, rich in Spiritual Qi, were cleaned, Ling Changqing tossed them into the furnaces, added water, lit the fires, and covered them to let everything stew.

Compared to consuming various Fasting Elixirs, Ling Changqing much preferred these ingredients from Spirit Beasts, which were rich in Spiritual Qi. Not only did they greatly replenish his qi and blood and advance his Cultivation, but they also came without hidden dangers like Dan Poison.

"By the way, can my Lifespan be increased any further?"

Ling Changqing asked suddenly.

The Lifespan of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was, after all, still a bit short. Even a Golden Core Master’s wasn’t enough for him. He would only be barely satisfied with a lifespan on par with a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Thanks to the miraculous power of the Era Star Palace, Ling Changqing’s current Lifespan was already equivalent to that of a Pseudo Core master, though it still fell short of a Golden Core Master’s.

Within his sea of consciousness, Gong Ling’s soft, beautiful voice sounded:

"It can be increased a little, but not by much. The best solution is still for you to reach the Golden Core Realm as soon as possible. By then, Master, your maximum Lifespan should be no less than seven hundred years, correct?

As for methods to extend your life without advancing your Cultivation, I do have some, but the price is that your Cultivation would struggle to progress any further. I’m certain you wouldn’t want to try those, Master."

For a Cultivator, the most crucial factor affecting Lifespan was their own Cultivation level; everything else was secondary.

"Yes, I understand."

Ling Changqing nodded silently. He knew some things simply had to be handled pragmatically. He couldn’t always be looking for risky shortcuts, lest the potential losses outweigh the gains.

Taking out the Jade Scroll Map, Ling Changqing began to examine his current position and the resources available in the vicinity, searching for any hidden opportunities. He would decide his next move only after he had a clear understanding of the situation.

Although he had already altered his appearance and aura, Ling Changqing was now determined to act alone. He would never again show himself before the other major powers.

This approach was, of course, to protect the Dragon Race and the Female Cultivators of the Liuying Family.

Otherwise, if cultivators from the other powers saw him, it wouldn’t take much probing for them to deduce his true identity. What would surely follow was a relentless, life-or-death struggle.

When the inevitable melee broke out, more than half the cultivators from all the factions would likely perish, their bodies left forever in Dragon Soul Valley.

"The best strategy is for you not to return to the Dragon Palace after this expedition in Dragon Soul Valley ends, Master—not unless you want to see rivers of blood flow there."

Gong Ling continued her suggestion in his sea of consciousness.

Ling Changqing’s brows furrowed, and he fell into deep, silent thought, not speaking for a long time.

Rationally, he knew it was the most appropriate choice. As long as he didn’t appear, those major powers wouldn’t easily declare war on the Dragon Race.

Otherwise, if the Nine Great Families joined forces to besiege the Deep Sea Dragon Race, not to mention all the shady characters lurking behind the scenes, even the most ancient, fossil-like ancestors of the Dragon Race would face the threat of demise.

Another possibility was that, after a protracted conflict they could no longer sustain, the various powers would choose to negotiate a truce.

At that point, Ling Changqing would be used as an unprecedented bargaining chip, placed on the table by those great powers to be haggled over. What his fate would be was all too clear.

Becoming a pawn and permanently losing his freedom was obviously not an outcome Ling Changqing was willing to accept.

"Fine, then. I’ll just make a run for it."