I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 240

## Chapter 237: Cold Spirit Jade Marrow

Hearing this, Lu Chang’an finally understood that his true identity had been discovered by the Five Blessings Trading House.

The Five Blessings Trading House and the New Moon Trading House were at odds, and there were inevitably internal informants between them. The New Moon Trading House’s investigation into Lu Chang’an’s true identity was not a closely guarded secret within the organization.

“Wu knows a senior talisman master named Lu Chang’an, who also comes from the Liang Kingdom’s cultivation world. Could he be the one your esteemed trading house is seeking?”

Lu Chang’an asked, his face calm.

“That’s right! It is that talisman master Lu.”

Xia Mingqu’s eyes lit up, and he slammed his fist on the table.

“Wait a moment, Young Master Xia. I will let that friend of mine come out to meet you.”

Lu Chang’an said, rising and walking out of the grand hall.

About ten breaths later.

A tall, graceful, calm and gentle young man in white walked into the grand hall.

Xia Mingqu was slightly taken aback, but with a smile, he rose and bowed:

“I am Xia Mingqu. I have long admired the renowned Talisman Master Lu.”

“Young Master Xia, you are exaggerating. Lu is only slightly known in the Liang Kingdom. In the Jing Kingdom’s cultivation world, few people recognize me.”

Lu Chang’an replied politely.

“This…”

Not far away, Xia Wenyue looked at the calm and composed man in white, and couldn’t help but be stunned, looking lost for words.

For a moment, she couldn’t connect the slightly greasy, round-faced middle-aged man from her memory with the handsome and elegant man in white before her.

“Aunt Wenyue, I will take Talisman Master Lu to see the patriarch.”

Xia Mingqu said to her.

“Hmm, okay…”

Xia Wenyue finally reacted. A faint blush rose on her snow-white face, and she lowered her head in response.

Lu Chang’an and Xia Mingqu walked out of the grand hall side by side.

“Talisman Master Lu, I heard you have a spirit pet mount, a Xuan Shui Gui (玄水龟) with a Heavenly grade bloodline?”

Xia Mingqu asked with curiosity, smiling.

Lu Chang’an’s nickname of “Turtle Talisman Master” was widely known in the Liang Kingdom, partly due to his raising a very slow-growing Xuan Shui Gui.

“Just right, let it come out for some fresh air.”

Lu Chang’an waved his sleeve, beckoning towards the direction of the deep pool.

Poof! Splash!

After ten breaths, a dark blue giant turtle leaped out of the pool, stirring a surging blue wave.

Lu Chang’an chuckled softly, his figure falling onto the Xuan Shui Gui’s back, standing with his hands behind his back, riding the waves.

“Daoist Lu’s demeanor is like a divine figure.”

Xia Mingqu’s eyes held admiration, and he led Lu Chang’an towards the center of Qing Sha Wan’s clan territory.

Along the way, the female cultivators of the Xia Clan who encountered them couldn’t help but take a few more glances at the white-clad man riding the turtle.

“Brother Mingqu, who is this?”

A graceful and beautiful female cultivator in blue robes flew towards them, her eyes sparkling with brilliance. She saw the extraordinary white-clad man on the turtle from afar.

“Shenglan, you actually know him…”

Xia Mingqu was slightly embarrassed. Lu Chang’an’s identity information was currently only known to a few high-ranking members of the Xia Clan.

He secretly sent a voice transmission to Xia Shenglan, explaining the situation.

“Miss Shenglan.”

Lu Chang’an nodded, offering a greeting.

He remembered that when he saved this woman years ago, he didn’t see such vibrant brilliance in her eyes as he did today.

“Wu Fan… Lu Chang’an…”

Xia Shenglan’s beautiful eyes widened, and she was stunned for a long time, watching the handsome and elegant white-clad figure riding the turtle away.

…

Deep within the Qing Sha Wan Xia clan territory.

Water Curtain Cave, with cascading waterfalls.

This was the area within the Xia Clan with the most abundant spiritual energy, reaching the level of a near-third-order spirit vein.

“The Five Blessings Trading House, could they have a skilled array master who can adjust the spirit vein and cultivate the spirit vein level?”

Lu Chang’an thought to himself.

Five years ago, when Lu Chang’an first arrived at the Water Curtain Cave, the spiritual energy environment here was slightly inferior to what it was now.

Of course, for a False Core Daoist, this difference didn’t mean much.

Most False Cores in the cultivation world couldn’t improve their cultivation level and only needed to maintain their cultivation base from declining.

Therefore, some False Core Daoists would choose to establish families, manage mundane affairs when they had free time, or pursue hedonism.

Only a few False Cores hadn’t given up on the Dao and sought out the slim chance of further advancement.

“Please come in, Daoist Lu. The patriarch is waiting for you.”

Xia Mingqu stood guard outside the Water Curtain Cave, not entering himself.

Inside a stone hall in the Water Curtain Cave, Lu Chang’an saw the Xia Clan’s patriarch, Xia Hongyu, again.

“Heh, Daoist Lu’s disguise is excellent. Xia has misjudged you in the past.”

Xia Hongyu was a cultivator who excelled at longevity cultivation. At over two hundred years old, he still had a handsome face, white skin, and only slightly graying hair.

If one interacted with him closely, they could sense the aura of time’s passage on him.

“It’s just a bit of luck. Lu is merely relying on an external disguise, nothing to be proud of.”

Lu Chang’an was neither humble nor arrogant. Under Xia Hongyu’s hospitality, he took a seat.

This meeting, Xia Hongyu treated Lu Chang’an as an equal, personally brewing a pot of spiritual tea.

Lu Chang’an knew that a powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, who was likely a near-third-order talisman master, deserved such treatment.

“Daoist Lu, this is your second-order spirit contract.”

Xia Hongyu took out a spirit contract document and displayed it in front of Lu Chang’an.

Whoosh!

Immediately, a small flame ignited, burning the Five Blessings Trading House’s second-order spirit contract to ashes.

Lu Chang’an was slightly moved. Xia Hongyu did this to show his sincerity.

The spirit contract signed back then was somewhat forced by the circumstances.

Burning this spirit contract, the Xia Clan had given up their most powerful means of restraint.

“Daoist Lu, you have stayed in Qing Sha Wan for many years without leaving. Would you be willing to become a retainer of the Qing Sha Wan Xia Clan? Don’t worry about the treatment. It will be comparable to the Five Blessings Trading House’s most senior pill masters. You can propose any conditions you want.”

Xia Hongyu spoke softly, his eyes showing goodwill.

“Then let’s discuss the specifics of being a retainer. Lu’s main purpose in coming to your territory is to seek refuge and cultivate…”

Lu Chang’an spoke frankly.

The treatment could be slightly lower, but he couldn’t be overly restricted or expend too much energy refining talismans and pills.

Half an hour later, Lu Chang’an and Xia Hongyu reached an agreement.

From now on, Lu Chang’an would be a retainer of the Qing Sha Wan Xia Clan, primarily refining high-quality talismans and occasionally instructing apprentices.

As for the original pill refining responsibilities, Lu Chang’an would refine some when he felt like it.

The Five Blessings Trading House’s headquarters had recently cultivated a capable young second-order pill master, so they were not overly reliant on Lu Chang’an in this area.

In terms of treatment, the Xia Clan promised to provide Lu Chang’an with a high-grade spiritual vein training ground, high-grade spiritual rice, beast food, and a several-fold increase in spirit stone salary.

“If Daoist Lu has grown accustomed to living on Autumn Wind Island, I will ask the array master from the trading house’s headquarters to channel the spiritual vein flow and invest spirit stones to transform your training ground into a second-order high-grade environment.”

Xia Hongyu proposed.

“Then I will trouble the patriarch.” Lu Chang’an didn’t refuse the kind offer.

While spirit veins could be cultivated and enhanced, it was a very slow process.

To elevate Autumn Wind Island’s spirit vein to a second-order high-grade level in a short period of time would require sacrificing one or two training grounds within Qing Sha Wan.

Previously, Lu Chang’an had cooperated with the spirit gathering array and invested some spirit stones to enjoy the high-grade spiritual vein environment.

Now he could save a considerable amount of money.

If he paired it with the spirit gathering array and invested spirit stones, the local area’s spiritual energy environment could be enhanced by another half a grade.

Especially at the bottom of the pool, which connected with the earth vein, where the spiritual energy was even more active. That was where the Xuan Shui Gui and the Di Yan Shu (地岩鼠) often stayed.

Even if Autumn Wind Island’s spiritual energy environment was upgraded by one grade, it wouldn’t be enough for a True Core beast to cultivate recklessly.

Fortunately, the Di Yan Shu was proficient in earth-burrowing and could leech spiritual energy from various mineral veins underground. It could even go to the area beneath Qing Sha Wan’s territory to leech the more abundant near-third-order spiritual energy.

Anyway, the Di Yan Shu had a lifespan of five to six hundred years, and when it first reached the third-order Great Demon, Lu Chang’an didn’t expect it to improve quickly.

It was not uncommon for True Core cultivators or third-order Great Demons at this level to be stuck at a minor realm for hundreds of years.

…

Xia Hongyu personally escorted Lu Chang’an out of the Water Curtain Cave.

Xia Mingqu, who was guarding outside, had a hint of surprise in his eyes.

The patriarch’s level of importance given to Lu Chang’an exceeded his expectations.

“Lu Chang’an’s disguise could deceive my ‘Void Eye’ secret technique back then. He is much more complex than the information gathered from the Liang Kingdom…”

Back in the Water Curtain Cave, Xia Hongyu said calmly, answering Xia Mingqu’s questions.

Lu Chang’an, riding the turtle, returned to his residence on Autumn Wind Island in his original identity.

No longer having to live with a mask on all the time, Lu Chang’an felt a sense of relief and liberation.

“Greetings, Senior Lu.”

The medicine boy, Xia Mingcheng, and Xia Wenyue changed their address, showing even more respect.

Obviously, they had learned about Lu Chang’an’s true identity from other sources.

“No need for ceremony.”

Lu Chang’an glanced at the thin girl with her head bowed low and her eyebrows furrowed. Her face was pale as always, appearing frail.

Lu Chang’an remembered his previous conversation with Xia Hongyu, where he had mentioned Xia Wenyue.

Xia Hongyu had learned from the intelligence that Lu Chang’an not only practiced longevity cultivation but also had some knowledge of medicine and was skilled at nurturing latent illnesses.

“If Daoist Lu has free time, I hope you can take a look at Wenyue’s condition.”

At the time, Xia Hongyu had only mentioned it casually, not seeming to have much hope.

Seeing Xia Wenyue again now, Lu Chang’an’s heart moved.

However, he remembered that Xia Wenyue had once rejected his kindness, so his interest waned.

…

Time flew by, and two and a half years passed.

Unconsciously, Lu Chang’an had been in the Jing Kingdom’s cultivation world for seven or eight years.

His age had also reached the significant milestone of one hundred and fifty years.

For other Foundation Establishment cultivators, the chance of forming a Core at one hundred and fifty years old was slim.

From this point onward, their physical functions would begin to decline, and their chances of forming a Core would significantly decrease.

Of course, nothing was absolute in the cultivation world, anything was possible.

Those cultivators who practiced longevity cultivation techniques, maintained their bodies well, and consumed high-quality longevity pills could still form a Core later in life. This was a situation that occurred in every era.

If one encountered a celestial opportunity and consumed legendary heavenly treasures, directly extending their lifespan by seventy years or even rejuvenating them, such occurrences were not unheard of in ancient texts.

“Talisman Master Lu, Xia Wenyue has fainted.”

One day, while Lu Chang’an was checking the growth of medicinal herbs in the medicinal garden, the medicine boy Xia Mingcheng rushed over to report.

“Fainted again? Did you give her any pills?”

Lu Chang’an was no stranger to Xia Wenyue fainting. Over the years since he had moved to Autumn Wind Island, it had happened about once or twice a year.

This girl’s constitution was yin-cold, and she had been sickly since she was young, only able to barely maintain her cultivation.

Lu Chang’an had initially thought that her condition would improve once her cultivation level increased.

But after Xia Wenyue reached the late stage of Qi Refinement, her condition hadn’t reversed at all, and the cold energy in her body had actually become more severe.

“I gave her medicine, but her situation is a bit unusual this time. She hasn’t woken up for half a day.”

Xia Mingcheng added.

“Where did she faint?”

“In the medicine room.”

Lu Chang’an couldn’t help but ponder.

In the past two or three years, the Five Blessings Trading House had been internally unstable, competing for power with the Xin Family.

Externally, their business ventures had been suppressed by the New Moon Trading House.

The Xia Clan’s relationship with the Xin Family had reached a freezing point after Xia Shenglan returned.

Later, the Xia Clan had inadvertently found evidence of the New Moon Trading House supporting the Xin Family, leading to further open and covert conflicts.

The Xin Family admitted to receiving help from the New Moon Trading House, but claimed it was a normal transaction and that they hadn’t betrayed or compromised the trading house’s interests.

Internal and external struggles, coupled with the repercussions of the war with neighboring countries, had created more instability, resulting in a shortage of medicinal herbs within the trading house.

Xia Wenyue had pursued the path of a pharmacist.

In terms of medical skills and pharmacology, she was the top among her generation, responsible for preparing a large amount of medicinal herbs for the family. Recently, she had been particularly busy.

…

Not long after, Lu Chang’an followed the medicine boy to a medicine room near the pill refining room.

Inside the medicine room, a frail girl in a pale blue gauze skirt, with eyebrows like dark green, lay unconscious on the floor.

Her face, with its features like sinking fish and falling geese, was sickly pale, her lips were bluish, and she was slightly shivering.

Lu Chang’an reached out and placed his hand on her smooth forehead, feeling a frost-like chill.

Lu Chang’an frowned slightly, then grabbed her cool jade-like wrist, and could see the transparent pale blue blood vessels beneath her delicate skin.

“The cold energy has invaded her meridians and internal organs, and over the years, it has become deeply rooted.”

Lu Chang’an reached a preliminary conclusion.

With this symptom, Xia Wenyue was still able to maintain her cultivation, delve into pharmacology, and manage the mundane affairs on the island, which was beyond his expectations.

If it were any other cultivator, their meridians would have been blocked by now, leaving them crippled.

Lu Chang’an used his Longevity True Qi to dispel the cold energy that had accumulated in Xia Wenyue’s body.

During this process, he discovered that Xia Wenyue’s navel had a deep-seated hidden ailment.

“Could it be a condition she was born with?”

Lu Chang’an speculated.

After half an hour, Lu Chang’an had dispelled the accumulated surface cold energy in Xia Wenyue’s body.

At this time, the girl coughed in her unconscious state, sweat beaded on her forehead, and her body temperature began to rise.

“Hm?”

Lu Chang’an was about to release her hand when he suddenly noticed that yin-cold energy was starting to slowly regenerate within her body.

Where was this cold energy coming from?

Lu Chang’an was puzzled. He pinched the girl’s delicate wrist with two fingers and faintly sensed a coolness coming from her bones.

“After so many years of cold energy accumulation, could her bones have been…”

Lu Chang’an examined Xia Wenyue’s bones and was once again surprised.

The girl’s bones were delicate and jade-like, with a translucent quality. Although they exuded coolness, they weren’t as he had expected, with the cold energy damaging the bones.

This coolness was calming and clear, different from the accumulated yin-cold energy in her body.

He didn’t find the root cause in her bones.

Lu Chang’an used his divine sense to enhance his Longevity True Qi and examined the girl’s upper body, all the way to her head.

“There’s actually coldness coming from her soul…”

If Lu Chang’an’s divine sense hadn’t been so powerful and he hadn’t examined it so carefully, he might have overlooked it.

Within Xia Wenyue’s soul sea, a thread of coldness emanated, as if it could freeze the divine sense.

“Cold Spirit… Jade Bone… Could this be some kind of innate constitution?”

Lu Chang’an tried to recall his past life’s memories.

Finally, a certain ancient text he had read in his past life mentioned “Cold Spirit Jade Marrow,” which matched some of the symptoms present in Xia Wenyue.

Innate constitutions, also known as innate sacred bodies, were innate physiques separate from spiritual roots.

Lu Chang’an had rarely encountered them in his past life. In this life, he had only heard of the legendary Tianjiao (天才) of the Liang Kingdom, “Tuoba Jin,” who possessed an innate sacred body. He had later managed to form a Golden Core.

“Little Ming, you go ahead and busy yourself. Wenyue’s condition is quite serious, and I need to continue nurturing her with my True Qi.”

Lu Chang’an waved his hand, dismissing the medicine boy Xia Mingcheng.

According to the ancient text he had read in his past life, the “Cold Spirit Jade Marrow” innate constitution, if it was born in a female cultivator, had a chance of survival and development.

Moreover, before reaching a certain level of cultivation, it had to be concealed from the outside world, otherwise, it could lead to a fatal situation.

(To be continued)

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