Chapter 251 : A Letter from Old Hu

Chapter 251: A Letter from Old Hu

Qingshui Bay Marketplace.

At Elder Lu’s residence, Li Yifan brought along the members of the Li Clan, Shen Fan and Wei Yingying as a couple, as well as their children—a bustling crowd.

Amidst the howling wind and snow, within a bamboo-built wooden house, came Lu Qingqing’s weak laughter.

"Junior Sister."

Looking at the now white-haired Lu Qingqing, her face etched with the marks of time, Lin Changan’s eyes showed complex emotions.

He was glad that his old friend lived without regrets, but saddened by the merciless passage of time.

"Brother Lin, I know my condition. If it weren’t for your return, I might’ve already left this world."

Lu Qingqing laughed hoarsely, but there wasn’t a hint of regret on her face.

Lin Changan could only sigh deeply—Junior Sister’s blood and essence were depleted, her lifespan nearly exhausted. The end was near.

"Brother Lin, your path is still long. From now on, you must walk it alone."

Looking at the still-youthful Lin Changan, Lu Qingqing’s eyes held both envy and sympathy.

Watching old friends age, fall ill, and pass on—such was the lonely fate on the path of cultivation.

She had chosen Shen Lie back then, influenced by her grandfather.

"If there’s a chance, tell Sister Yun I have no regrets. At the very least, in this life, I had a husband, I had Fan’er and Yingying, and even grandchildren..."

With her hoarse and fragile voice, Shen Fan and Wei Yingying, both Foundation Establishment cultivators, teared up with grief.

"Mother!"

"Aunt Lu!" Li Yifan was also overwhelmed with sorrow.

As the wind and snow howled, sorrowful cries echoed from the house—men, women, young and old alike.

In that moment, as if sensing something, Lin Changan lifted his head slightly and sighed again.

"They're all gone. Of those who once walked the path of cultivation with me, only Yun Yao remains."

Li Erniu, Shen Lie, Wei Buyi—one by one they had passed, and sorrow surfaced in Lin Changan’s expression.

"Perhaps your choices were right. A good match, hand in hand for a hundred years, surrounded by children and grandchildren."

Looking at Shen Fan and Wei Yingying’s children—and even grandchildren—Lin Changan felt a pang of melancholy.

But his own choice wasn’t wrong either.

Everyone had their own path to walk.

"Your journeys have ended. I envy that. But I still have a long road ahead."

Alone, Lin Changan stood beneath a withered tree in the courtyard, his conviction growing stronger.

A hundred years of mortal life, a day for the mayfly!

To the mayfly, its fleeting life was no less brilliant.

He had merely chosen the longer, lonelier path of cultivation.

…

During the funeral, many guests came.

Originally, Shen Fan and Wei Yingying were both mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. With their joint technique, their strength rose even further.

Their reputation was already quite good locally. Now, with Lin Changan’s influence as a senior Core Formation cultivator, even Xuanyin Pavilion sent people personally.

However, the funeral did delay their return trip by half a month.

But with Lin Changan’s current status, not only was Xuanyin Pavilion not displeased—they found it completely reasonable.

A loyal and emotional guest elder was far more reliable than a cold and heartless one.

…

"Uncle Lin."

Inside the house, Shen Fan and Wei Yingying came with their children—and even grandchildren—to pay respects.

The couple had a son and a daughter. The son had married and had children, while the daughter had married into the Li Clan.

The two families had grown close since the days of Erniu and Shen Lie.

There were also descendants of Li Yifan. The house soon became crowded.

Looking at the younger generation of his old friends, Lin Changan paused, then softly said:

"These days, I’ve sensed what some of you have been thinking. But the Sea Abyss of Beasts is full of upheaval. Not to mention me, a newly formed Core Formation cultivator—even the once-mighty Long Clan has...

Risen and declined in merely a century. If any of you are willing to follow me to the Sea Abyss of Beasts..."

Lin Changan warned them solemnly about the dangers. If any among the younger generation showed promising talent or higher cultivation, he didn’t mind offering some support.

But alas, cultivators with great talent were always few.

Still, staying in Yue Kingdom didn’t mean he couldn’t protect them. After all, he was now a guest elder of Xuanyin Pavilion.

And Xuanyin Pavilion ruled the entire Yue Kingdom.

So he could still take care of them if they stayed.

"Uncle Lin, Fan and I have decided to stay."

Wei Yingying, now more mature, smiled freely at Lin Changan.

Everyone, upon hearing the truth about the Sea Abyss of Beasts, hesitated.

The risks were too high. Foundation Establishment cultivators were facing chaos there. Here, they were already regarded as regional elders.

It was simply incomparable.

Li Yifan hesitated but ultimately remained silent. He was used to being a local figurehead in Qingshui Bay—heading out into danger didn’t appeal.

The risks were too great. Plus, he had many clan members and descendants to protect.

Too many attachments.

"Mother is right. Compared to the chaos of the Sea Abyss, the situation in Yue Kingdom is stable. We have no great ambitions."

Seeing the intelligent Wei Yingying make her choice, Lin Changan secretly nodded in approval.

If not for their descendants, Shen Fan and Wei Yingying might’ve gone out to strive.

But they bore the responsibility of protecting their lineage.

As for Li Yifan, it was even more so. Over the years, because of his clan’s burden, he had been surpassed in cultivation by Shen Fan and Wei Yingying.

"Yue Kingdom knows no war for now. Cultivate in peace, raise the next generation. If outstanding disciples emerge, send them to Xuanyin Pavilion."

Before leaving, Lin Changan still looked after these juniors.

He upgraded the original formations protecting both families, enhancing them to the late second-rank. Anything beyond that was beyond their capacity to bear.

Before departing, he also gave Shen Fan, Wei Yingying, and Li Yifan each some pills and protective talismans.

Before his final departure, Lin Changan visited the Zhou Family.

Previously, they had offered materials and paid spirit stones to have their protective formation upgraded.

In terms of family development, the Beast-controlling Zhou Family clearly took a cautious route. Even with a quasi–third-rank Blackwater Turtle in residence, they remained low-key.

But Lin Changan knew well: with that turtle, the Zhou Family was now stockpiling resources, awaiting a prodigious cultivator to rise.

Step by step, they would become a Golden Core family.

The Zhou Family’s decision wasn’t wrong—impulsiveness brought great risks, and a family wasn’t just one person, but everyone.

…

"Elder Lin’s descendants will also be cared for within the sect. Should any outstanding ones emerge, they may even be accepted as disciples."

While returning on the spirit vessel, a Foundation Establishment steward from Xuanyin Pavilion earnestly assured Lin Changan.

Lin Changan nodded slightly.

This was the benefit of strength. Not to mention he was a guest elder of Xuanyin Pavilion.

Even without that title, just being on good terms with a Core Formation cultivator would be enough for Xuanyin Pavilion to show favor.

In the cultivation world, strength always reigned supreme.

"It’s time to go back."

With his peripheral vision, he watched the distant land gradually vanish. This time, Lin Changan’s gaze held only determination.

After the passing of old friends, his resolve on the cultivation path grew even stronger.

Everyone’s life came with its own regrets—Erniu, Shen Lie, and Wei Buyi perhaps regretted not continuing their cultivation.

But they had found their own happiness—surrounded by descendants.

As for him, though his cultivation path had left him with regrets, this was still the road he chose.

"Regrets on the path of life—they too are unique and irreplaceable."

His journey had just begun. It was far from the time to stop.

Standing at the prow of the ship, Lin Changan suddenly understood something and couldn’t help but show a resolute smile.

"Once I return, I’ll begin preparing to refine the Spirit-Mending Pill. On the path of cultivation, a single slow step causes delay in all that follows—this is far from the time for me to stop."

If his path ahead had been unclear, he might have considered returning to Yue Kingdom as a local patriarch with his current Core Formation cultivation.

But with the opportunities he possessed, his path ahead was clearer than ever—he naturally wouldn’t give up.

…

The return journey was uneventful, delayed by just over a month.

Upon returning to Xuanyin Pavilion and submitting the mission, Lin Changan also received his mission rewards.

"A mid-grade third-rank demon core, and these precious spirit herbs?"

Seeing this guest elder, Lin Changan, requesting such rare materials upon his return, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt couldn’t help but be surprised.

These materials were of immense value—not something ordinary Core Formation cultivators could easily gather.

"Palace Master, I met a good friend back in the Fog Sea of Tongtian. Though he’s only at the False Core Realm, his alchemy skills are incredibly refined.

This time, it’s that fellow Daoist who asked me to collect these materials."

Lin Changan returned with a calm face and a smile, claiming to have a third-rank alchemist friend.

After all, in the outside world, your identity is what you declare it to be.

Having a third-rank alchemist friend would greatly enhance his own value—and allow him to draw more benefits from Xuanyin Pavilion.

"A third-rank alchemist!"

Hearing that Lin Changan knew a rogue third-rank alchemist, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt’s eyes immediately lit up—she had always wanted to strengthen the sect.

As for worries of someone stealing authority?

A third-rank alchemist at the False Core Realm was practically the ideal hard-working servant chosen by heaven.

As for this so-called third-rank alchemist, he was naturally none other than Lin Changan’s own avatar.

Ever since a whole leaf of the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine revived, his avatar technique had become even more refined.

"This old friend of mine once..."

Lin Changan hesitated before revealing the identity of this third-rank alchemist friend. Everything he said was true—only this Fellow Daoist Wen had already passed.

"So it was Fellow Daoist Wen from Shayun Kingdom."

Fairy of Rainbow Skirt’s eyes flickered. She didn’t know much about the Wen Couple, but as long as they were from the Seven Kingdoms, the information would be easy to verify.

"Those Three Fiends of the Zhong Clan once schemed against both of them, and in the end, only Fellow Daoist Wen escaped with severe injuries..."

Lin Changan sighed sentimentally, as if lamenting his friend’s hardships.

Everything he said was true—only, the Wen Couple had long been killed by the Zhong Clan’s Three Fiends.

And since those three had impersonated the Wen Couple for years, they naturally knew much about them.

After Lin Changan killed the Three Fiends and accessed their memories, he came to know a great deal about the Wen Couple and had no fear of being exposed.

After much consideration, he found that posing as Fellow Daoist Wen was the most reasonable way to play a third-rank alchemist with a clean identity.

This allowed him to justify collecting Spirit-Mending Pill materials, granted him a fake identity as an alchemist, and offered another means to earn spirit stones on the surface.

He could even receive an extra guest elder’s stipend from Xuanyin Pavilion—for him, it was all gain.

After all, he had already avenged the Wen Couple. Using their identity now as compensation—surely, if their souls knew, they would feel grateful.

"Elder Lin, could this Fellow Daoist Wen be invited here?"

It was obvious that Fairy of Rainbow Skirt was tempted by the idea of a third-rank alchemist.

Moreover, with such a low cultivation base, this person would hardly leave once they joined a sect.

Faced with her intentions, Lin Changan hesitated before solemnly saying:

"Ever since that incident, Fellow Daoist Wen’s personality changed greatly..."

"As long as his background is clean, our Xuanyin Pavilion is willing to offer a mid-grade third-rank demon core as a gift."

Fairy of Rainbow Skirt gritted her teeth—that was a heavy offer. Mid-grade third-rank demon cores were no trivial matter.

Lin Changan hesitated upon hearing this, but after she promised additional rewards, he finally nodded in reluctant agreement to try persuading the man.

"Palace Master, near my Tianquan Peak, there happens to be a peak called Chihuo Peak—this could be used to win him over."

Tianquan Peak was the main peak assigned to him by Bihai Palace to guard—others weren’t included, and had to be negotiated.

Chihuo Peak was one of the three spiritual peaks just below Tianquan Peak, filled with dense spiritual energy—suitable for a Core Formation cultivator.

And it now fell under Xuanyin Pavilion’s rule.

"Good."

On this point, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt had no doubts. After all, winning over any cultivator required at least a cultivation cave abode.

Lin Changan, having gained benefits, agreed readily.

However, just as he was preparing to return to his cave abode, Xuanyin Pavilion sent over a Voice-recording Talisman from Sea Abyss City.

"Old Hu!"

Upon seeing the talisman, Lin Changan froze—it was from Hu Jin. Before forming his core in Sea Abyss City, he had contacted Hu Jin with no reply. After all this time, a message had finally arrived.

…

Tianquan Peak.

Back inside his cave abode, Lin Changan stretched lazily. Though escorting the merchant ship had seemed easy—

Traveling abroad required constant vigilance—it truly couldn’t compare to relaxing at one’s own place.

He released the Wind-Chirp Bird and the Azure-Horned Ox. The Wind-Chirp Bird soared excitedly through the cave abode, flying straight for the subterranean Earthfire Chamber.

The Azure-Horned Ox leisurely made its way beneath the waterfall lake at Tianquan Peak.

Lin Changan alone sat in a cool pavilion, opening the Voice-recording Talisman from Hu Jin.

"Old Lin, congrats on forming your core! Back then, I, Old Hu, was in closed-door cultivation, so I didn’t receive your message—it turns out that was already years ago.

Later, I asked around and finally found out—you actually formed your core and became a guest elder of Xuanyin Pavilion. That Fairy of Rainbow Skirt is the number one beauty in the Seven Kingdoms..."

Familiar and carefree laughter echoed from the talisman, and Lin Changan couldn’t help but smile.

It was perfectly normal for Core Formation cultivators to remain in seclusion for years.

But that Old Hu—he truly hadn’t changed a bit all these years.

After a few jests and congratulations, Hu Jin went on to talk about his own Core Formation experience in Sea Abyss City over the past years.

He had tried to contact Lin Changan before, but due to the upheaval in the Five Dragon Island region, and Lin Changan hiding in the Fog Sea of Tongtian, the two lost touch for over twenty years.

The end of the month has come—requesting monthly tickets.