[Name: Wei Zhong]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Level 8 (46%)]
[Skill: Bilang Gong - Proficient (95%)]
[Lifespan: 136/137]
"Three days of life remaining! Descending from Qi Refining Level 8 to Qi Refining Level 7 buys me 10 years of life."
Wei Zhong sighed, looking at his wrinkled hands.
How had he transmigrated into the body of a dying man?
Wei Zhong, one of the spiritual farmers of the Yan family, a family of immortal cultivators, had ostensibly cultivated spiritual fields for the Yan family for most of his life until yesterday, when his lifespan ran out.
These remaining three days of life were the result of Wei Zhong's soul transmigrating here.
"Ding Ding!"
There was a knock at the door. Wei Zhong, who had cultivated spiritual fields for most of his life, had been reluctant to live in the cave dwelling within the spiritual land, having built only a small courtyard between the fields.
"Yuan'er!"
Wei Zhong looked at the young cultivator outside with a calm expression.
This person was Wei Zhong's disciple, brought from the mortal world thirty years ago. With four spiritual roots, he possessed a talent that was a step above his own five.
Eager to pursue the Dao, Wei Zhong brought him to the Yan Family Market, guiding him on the path to immortality. He has now reached the fifth level of Qi Refining. Like Wei Zhong, he was a spiritual farmer within the Yan family.
Ten years ago, he established a relationship with a branch of the Yan family and no longer cared much about his master, Wei Zhong.
However, he had recently heard from somewhere that Wei Zhong's lifespan was nearing its end, and he would visit him periodically.
Wei Zhong, his predecessor, naturally understood that this person was after his inheritance. But, preoccupied with his cultivation and lifespan, he paid him little attention.
However, his predecessor's talent was too poor, and he failed to even reach the ninth level of Qi Refining, ultimately expiring.
Wei Zhong, having traveled here to take Wei Zhong's place, who have died.
"Master Wei doesn't look well. Should I go to the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion to get some herbs?"
"No, you're still young. You should conserve your spirit stones and focus on your cultivation. Don't bother with my old bones."
Ning Yuan nodded, chatted with Wei Zhong for a few words, and then left.
'When an old horse is about to die, a pack of wolves is lurking around!'
Although Ning Yuan's expression was sincere, Wei Zhong, who had traveled through time, could see his wolfish ambition.
I still have the means to downgrade and prolong my life. How can I let this brat eat my cake?
Closing the courtyard door and returning to the house, Wei Zhong made up his mind.
"In exchange for 10 years of life."
With only three days to live, Wei Zhong had no choice but to sacrifice a level of realm in exchange for ten years of life.
His cultivation instantly regressed to the seventh level of Qi Refining (46%), and his spiritual power was reduced. In exchange, Wei Zhong felt much more energetic, no longer sullen.
[Name: Wei Zhong]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 7 (46%)]
[Lifespan: 126/137]
Surprisingly, this wasn't a way to extend his lifespan, but rather a direct reduction in his bone age.
Wei Zhong beamed with joy, this gave him a lot of room for maneuver. He formed
a hand seal and cast a first-level, mid-grade spell, [Invisibility - Mastery (37%)].
He couldn't sleep well with this wicked disciple targeting his old bones, so he had to follow him to see what was happening.
Wei Zhong had lived a lifetime, and while his immortal realm wasn't high, he had considerable experience in the martial arts world. His martial arts training before embarking on the immortal path was part of his previous incarnation's capital for cultivating until the end of his lifespan.
Furthermore, Wei Zhong, fully aware of his lack of talent, devoted considerable effort to his magic.
While his various techniques weren't high-level, his proficiency was quite high.
Following Ning Yuan's footsteps, they arrived at a small hut beside the rice paddies. The sound of two people talking could be heard from within.
"How's that old man?"
Ning Yuan shook his head at the question.
"He's not dead yet. How long has this old man been resisting? If he doesn't die, how are you going to get his inheritance? How about we both attack him together?"
Ning Yuan's eyes flickered, as if he was hesitant, but he still spoke.
"Master is at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and you and I are only at the fifth or sixth. The risk is too great. Let's just wait for him to die of old age." "
Oh, just wait. Who knows, by then the Yan family might swoop in and seize your master's entire inheritance, leaving you with nothing to eat."
Ning Yuan's face showed a trace of struggle. Wei Zhong, a renowned spiritual farmer of the Yan family, coveted his wealth not only for himself but for others as well.
Recently, many heirs of the Yan family's branches have sought to become his disciples.
"Wait until next time. I'll visit him next month. If he's still alive, we'll attack him together."
Hearing this answer, the man on the other side smiled happily.
"I'll do it, Brother Ning!"
Wei Zhong, lurking outside, a stern look flashed.
Returning to his own courtyard, Wei Zhong cursed under his breath,
"What a wicked disciple! He's even willing to kill his own master for a few resources."
He couldn't just sit there and wait for death; he had to take the initiative and nip this threat in the bud.
Having absorbed his predecessor's memories, Wei Zhong had unknowingly adopted a similar style.
He then glanced at the dashboard.
His decline in realm had reduced his spiritual energy, but the difference between the eighth and seventh levels of Qi Refining wasn't noticeable.
Furthermore, Wei Zhong's battles relied on highly proficient techniques, so his strength hadn't declined significantly.
Techniques were divided into six levels: entry-level, skilled, proficient, master, grandmaster, and peerless. Most Qi Refining cultivators hovered around the entry-level standard.
They could barely activate their energy, but their casting speed and power were questionable.
Only a select few could reach the proficient standard. Wei Zhong was different. He was born with an exceptional talent for magic, mastering various techniques to the highest standard.
This was also the skill that had enabled his predecessor to survive. Of course, his predecessor, as steady as an old dog, had concealed all of this with remarkable skill, which now made things easier for Wei Zhong.
Wei Zhong picked up a stone from the ground, infused it with spiritual energy, and threw it towards the ground. There was no sound of explosion, only a thumb-sized hole left in the ground, an unknown number of meters deep.
Throwing Technique - Mastery (38%)
: This was one of Wei Zhong's most skilled techniques. Although it was only a common, low-grade technique of the first rank, after Wei Zhong mastered it, it became a powerful weapon.
Its spiritual energy was restrained,
yet its penetrating power was immense. It could even compete with cultivators at the peak of Qi Refining.
However, just to be safe, Wei Zhong pulled two small black balls from his storage bag. They
were the size of a thumb, and Wei Zhong had no idea what material they were made of, but even with collisions with magical instruments, they remained unscathed.
This was a perfect match for Throwing Technique.
That night,
Wei Zhong, taking advantage of the darkness, cast an invisibility spell. Dressed in black, he headed for Ning Yuan's compound.
The Yan family's hired spiritual farmers had long been exploited by them, with the majority of their annual harvest going to them, leaving only a small portion for themselves.
Consequently, the farmers were not wealthy, and most built courtyards near their own spiritual fields.
Ning Yuan was no exception.
Wei Zhong was surprised to find a fire still burning in Ning Yuan's room, even at midnight, and the sound of clinking glasses could be heard.
"Brother Ning, we agreed that Old Man Wei's estate would be split evenly between you and me,"
a slightly drunken voice echoed. Wei Zhong recognized it as the man who had conspired with Ning Yuan that day.
"Of course. Brother He helped me earn so many spirit stones, and I'm relying on him for this opportunity. Naturally, I can't treat him unfairly."
"Haha, it's no wonder that Brother He looks after you. Come, let's have a drink together."
"Hmph, you're still obsessed with me. " Wei
Zhong lurked outside the window, oblivious to the two tipsy men inside.
"If that's the case, my disciples, then it's no wonder our master is so ruthless."
Wei Zhong, holding a stone ball in his hand, aimed his sight at one of them.
"Whoosh."
Ning Yuan was clinking glasses with the man before him when he suddenly noticed his arm drooping, half of his body slumped over the table, blood streaming from his head.
His eyes narrowed, and he was about to scream.
But before he could utter a word, he felt a sharp pain in his head and lost consciousness.
Wei Zhong slipped into the room, looking at the two men, now completely dead, with a look of regret on his face.
"I originally wanted to live a good life and didn't want to kill innocent people. Why force me?"
He removed the two men's storage bags, and two fireballs appeared in Wei Zhong's hands, incinerating their bodies to ash.
The Yan family had many spiritual fields for rent, and even more independent cultivators waiting to cultivate them. The disappearance of the two spiritual farmers would not cause the Yan family much concern; new independent cultivators would soon take over their remaining spiritual fields.
With a flash of his figure, Wei Zhong departed.
Returning to his own courtyard, Wei Zhong pulled out the two men's storage bags, peered into one with his spiritual sense, and a look of delight crossed his face.
"I never thought my disciple possessed such wealth."
However, looking at the bloodstained, mangled artifacts, he suspected he had engaged in numerous Tribulation Cultivation activities.
The other man's storage bag was similarly cluttered with artifact fragments, but the number of spirit stones inside was far beyond Wei Zhong's expectations.
It was too few. For a Tribulation Cultivator who had been drinking and chatting with Ning Yuan, the number of spirit stones in his bag was quite low.
Wei Zhong searched for a moment before finally finding a bottle of elixir in a corner.
"Top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill?" Qi
-Nourishing Pills are considered the most commonly used elixir for Qi-Refining cultivators, categorized into four grades: low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and ultimate.
Casual cultivators often use low-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills; while their potency is modest, they offer a high cost-effectiveness.
Even cultivators in the late stages of Qi Refining only occasionally use mid-grade Qi-Nourishing Pills.
Wei Zhong had lived for so long, and despite having entered the late Qi Refining stage for over twenty years, he had never used a top-grade Qi Nourishing Pill.
It was simply too expensive.
A single bottle of top-grade Qi Nourishing Pill could be exchanged for four bottles of mid-grade, or ten bottles of low-grade.
Such a high price was simply beyond the reach of casual cultivators.
A mere mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator possessed such a precious item.
Since I happened to need the pill to improve my cultivation, I gladly accepted it.
How could Wei Zhong know that this bottle of top-grade Qi Nourishing Pill was meant for that Tribulation Cultivator
, who was trying to reach the bottleneck between the sixth and seventh levels of Qi Refining? He had nearly exhausted all his spirit stones on this elixir, and was now eager to attack Wei Zhong.
After a moment's preparation, he moved the important items into his own storage bag, leaving the less important items behind, and then hid the two storage bags in a hidden compartment on the beam, ready to dispose of them at a later time.
As expected, the two's disappearance caused little commotion.
Seeing that the Ningyuan spiritual farm was untended, the Yan family's steward immediately distributed it to other independent cultivators.
Furthermore, rumors circulated that a member of the Yan family's side branch had gone missing.
"A member of the Yan family's side branch? Could it be the cultivator I so easily killed that day?"
Wei Zhong recalled the "kindhearted person" who possessed the top-grade Qi-nourishing Pill.
Never mind who he was.
I've done this cleanly, and no one can blame me.
(End of Chapter)