Lifespan Extraction: I Ascend As The Immortal Beast Tamer
Chapter 28: Master Breaks Through, Nascent Soul Cultivators Arrive

Chapter 28: Master Breaks Through, Nascent Soul Cultivators Arrive

Going his own way, Zar saw and talked with various Outer Disciples who congratulated him on his breakthrough. His smile was accommodating, but in his heart, not much other than iciness could be felt.

His mind oftentimes went beside his body as he contemplated a plethora of important things.

’Should I have yakisoba or chicken first? That Meng mentioned Yellow Leaf City, and though I’m not all that familiar with the outside world, I’d like to be. Every once in a while, I should go out, but I don’t know... Could be dangerous. Plus, I have no way of sneaking out without anyone noticing.’

While lost in his thoughts, he absentmindedly found himself standing outside the gazebo his Master typically sat at. With today being no different, he could make out her mesmerizing silhouette, with her long, slender fingers dancing along the metal strings of a purple-golden guqin.

[Yu Quixan (Deity Transformation 9th Layer): 213/2060/5100]

’She broke through faster than I expected,’ Zar noted. ’Moreover, she allowed her apparent cultivation to be shown at the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm.’

"You’ve broken through?" Valley Master Yu’s honeyed voice dripped into Zar’s ears, equivalent to the divine tune she was playing on the guqin. "The 4th Layer of Foundation Establishment. If you keep it up, then the Nascent Soul Realm might just be possible for you. Good."

Zar bowed cordially. "Thank you, Master. Although I can’t compare to you, I hope I don’t disappoint too much."

Valley Master Yu giggled, taking out a folding fan that she used to fan herself. "You’re the furthest thing from a disappointment. But you know, if you spent a little less time tending to the gardens and more time cultivating, you might just be able to leave for higher places one day—"

"You don’t want me anymore, Master...?" Zar asked with a genuinely disheartened expression, his heart nearly splitting in two after imagining a day where he couldn’t reap Lifespan from Spiritual Plants.

Valley Master Yu blinked. Then she defeatedly breathed out, "You’re such an odd one, Zar. Most would yearn for higher places, greater accomplishments, but not you. You’re content with just casual cultivation and tending to Spiritual Gardens."

’Of course I yearn for those things as well, or at least the first thing, but I’m not willing to bet my life on plot armor getting me to the finish line,’ Zar thought while using a term that he learned from an ancient book. ’I’d much rather take things slow, achieve invincibility, and then go out exploring. Or if I find a safer alternative, I could do that too.’

Changing the subject, Valley Master Yu prompted a question. "Tell me, Zar, do you know of the Deity Transformation Realm?"

"The Deity Transformation Realm?" Zar feigned ignorance.

"Yes," replied Valley Master Yu, finding his lack-of-knowledge face quite adorable. "It’s the Realm above the Soul Transformation Realm, which is above the Nascent Soul Realm. In this Realm, you take the newly made Primordial Soul of the Soul Transformation Realm—which is formless—and give it form. A physical shape. One that will mirror your own appearance—something you can take out of your body and control at will. In a way, a Physically Manifested Primordial Soul is a clone."

"Is that something you want to have one day, Zar?" She finally got to the point.

"Me??" Zar’s eyes grew round. "The Deity Transformation Realm?? Surely you jest!"

"I knew you’d react like that," said Valley Master Yu, a small, bright smile plastered across her flawless face. "But I’m inclined to believe that one day you’ll shock the entire Sect, maybe even become an Elite Elder."

"!!!"

"Now you’re surely playing with me, Master!" Zar said in a hurt tone. "Elite Elders are sometimes above even the Deity Transformation Realm, are they not!?"

Valley Master Yu arched a brow. "And here I thought you didn’t know about the Realms above Nascent Soul. A secretive one you are, but I’ve known that since the first moment you joined this Medicine Valley. Your past is shrouded in mystery, unknown even to me."

’Crap, I messed up.’

"There’s no need to make that expression," said Valley Master Yu, her tone soothing. "We all have secrets, and I won’t ask you to reveal yours. But if you could, I’d like it if you one day told me a bit about yourself. Of course, the journey of Immortal Cultivation is a long one, so even if you don’t tell me anything until centuries later, I’ll be content as long as it happens at some point."

Zar struggled to formulate the proper words.

In the end, all he could do was helplessly nod.

Valley Master Yu visibly beamed at this confirmation, causing her to take out a brownish-gray manual. On it were the inscribed italic words, "Heaven and Earth Energy Absorption."

Clearly, it was a Cultivation Technique, and one of quite a high rank to boot.

"I haven’t given you any Techniques yet, and as your Master, I feel that to be laziness on my part," Valley Master Yu explained. "Thus, I figured you could use this Low-Black Rank Cultivation Technique. It’s the one I started with before moving onto... I mean, it’s the one I’m still delving into the profundities of."

’I heard that slip-up, but I’ll pretend I didn’t on account of the gift and you sheltering me here,’ Zar thought apathetically, though outwardly, he smiled, practically overflowing with joy.

"Are you positive you want to give something so valuable to someone of mediocre talent like myself?" he said self-deprecatingly. "Wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to gift it to one of the more talented Disciples—"

"I’ll hear no more of that," Valley Master Yu said sternly, the air around her entirely different from just a second ago. "More than natural talent, the world of Immortal Cultivation is about opportunities. This manual is the opportunity I’ve chosen to give to you, so cherish it well. And perhaps one day, if fate permits it, you’ll be able to improve the quality of your Spirit Roots, maybe even evolve yours to a Double-unit Spirit Root. That’s something even some Inner Disciples don’t possess, but I believe you’ll somehow get one in the future."

Although Zar was internally smirking, on the outside, he profusely thanked the Valley Master, also mentioning how she grossly overestimated his capabilities. After graciously accepting the manual, he bid farewell to her and went on his way.

A lovely smile graced Valley Master Yu’s lips as she recalled fondly on that humble disciple of hers. This lasted until she made it inside her home.

She brewed tea and placed her voluptuous rump on a velvety chair.

Eventually, however, a knock came to her door. A voice soon followed, belonging to a scar-faced man garbed in black.

"You may come in," said Valley Master Yu, seeming not the least bit worried about the appearance of someone whom none of her Disciples had ever seen before. "You made sure no one knew you were coming, right?"

The scar-faced man opened the door and stepped in like a phantom, reaching a kneeling position below Valley Master Yu in a single step.

"1st Princess..."

"First Princess, I regret to inform you that your father has fallen ill," said the scar-faced man, his body pulsating with the aura of a Deity Transformation Realm Expert. "He’s not like you; his talent for cultivation limited him to the Nascent Soul Realm. And now, there’s not much time left... The Five Marks of Decay have already begun to show signs of developing."

Valley Master Yu’s icy expression cracked at the mention of King Quixan’s poor health. "How long does he have?"

The scar-faced man struggled to say it under her intense stare, but he still did his duty and replied, "Ten years at most, First Princess."

Valley Master Yu’s tense nerves eased up a bit—until the scar-faced man added, "You should really come out of hiding, First Princess. With the lower-quality talent and capabilities of your eldest brother, you could easily take the throne for yourself. Even your leadership and charisma surpass all your siblings. If you’d just—"

"That’s enough, Protector Yang," Valley Master Yu silenced him, taking another sip from her teacup. "I’ll hear no more of returning. I told everyone years ago that I’d never willingly go back to that self-destructive family until the day I became strong enough to be deemed unbeatable in the Fire Kingdom. And until that happens—which it hasn’t—I’ll be staying within the Blazing Sun Sect, cultivating peacefully.

"As for the matter with Father, I’ll naturally stop by within the next couple of years. I owe him at least that much."

The scar-faced man looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He simply nodded before gradually whisping away like a ghost.

After he left, Valley Master Yu frowned.

"My family has found me after all this time, which must mean there’s a mole," she said. "It’s also possible that one of the vendors I’ve been purchasing Rank 7 alchemy materials from for my cultivation let something slip. It’s hard to tell for sure which is the truth, and now, it’s pointless to know..."

A heavy, feminine sigh echoed. And with it, time continued moving forward at maximum speed.

Two months later, Zar noticed something unusual.

A group of six or so cultivators in the Nascent Soul Realm appeared within the range of his Lifespan Detection Scanner.

This also meant they were at the Azure Medicine Valley, which was beyond odd, considering they wore the fiery robes of the Blazing Sun Sect and were most certainly Inner Disciples...