I Cheated While Cultivating

“No, it’s for an elder in my family.” Fang Su gently shook her head and said, “When I was young, this elder treated me extremely well. Now that she’s getting old and her lifespan is coming to an end, I want to extend her life first and then search for more ways to prolong it.”

“Can’t you make a wish?” Zhou Heng said.

“The merit required for making a wish is much greater.” Fang Su said helplessly, “According to the standards of the Wishing Pool, you need one thousand merit for every year of lifespan extended below ten years, and for more than ten years, you need ten thousand merit per year.

“Lord Zuoyuan’s Lifespan Extension Pill can save a life for twenty years with only ten thousand merit. For this, I’ve already borrowed three thousand from others, and with my own six thousand, I am still one thousand short.”

“In that case, taking the Lifespan Extension Pill first and then making a wish is not a bad idea,” Zhou Heng smiled and said, “One thousand merit is no problem, as long as we set a fixed repayment period and amount, I can lend it to you.”

To him, a mere one thousand merit wasn’t a significant amount; killing a few ghosts and evil creatures would earn it back. Compared to that, he was more concerned about Fang Su, a master capable of artifact forging and crafting treasures.

A Middle Third Rank master who can forge magic weapons is very rare, holding a not insignificant status even within top Martial Dao Sects like the Pure Yang Palace.

It’s entirely beneficial to be on good terms with such a person.

After all, the process of forging magic weapons is extremely intricate and complex.

Normally, even a Peak Fourth Rank Great Grandmaster below the Celestial Man rank, if not proficient in the art of weapon forging, might not be able to produce the most ordinary magic weapon.

Even the most basic and elementary magic weapons are at least equivalent to a Secret Six Rank master, with tremendous utility.

If a Peak Seventh Rank martial artist could possess one, even if they couldn’t fully unleash its power, they would gain the strength to contend against a Secret Six Rank Innate ability.

They wouldn’t be entirely suppressed.

For a Middle Third Rank master, a precious weapon could significantly boost their strength; no one would refuse such a thing.

Zhou Heng also lacked a suitable magic weapon for executing certain Taoist Formulas.

Fang Su had agreed to forge a suitable magic weapon for him, and even if he had to prepare the materials himself, it was a substantial reward.

“Thank you very much, Lord of the Stars, I am immensely grateful!” Fang Su was overwhelmed with excitement and hastily bowed in thanks, “Within a year, I will return one thousand three hundred merit. May I ask what type of magic weapon Lord of the Stars requires?”

“Do you know how to refine magic weapons?” Zhou Heng suddenly asked. Magic weapons were on the same level as forged weapons, but their uses were somewhat different.

While there is some overlap in the methods of weapon forging and treasure crafting, there are still many differences.

Thus, weapon forgers and treasure refiners are usually spoken of separately.

However, magic weapons are suitable for Taoist Formulas and some special martial arts.

Taoist Formulas are now exceedingly rare, and the number of people who use magic weapons is very small, let alone treasure refiners.

If it hadn’t been for Fang Su mentioning her expertise in artifact forging and treasure crafting, suggesting she had mastered both, Zhou Heng wouldn’t have asked.

“I can.” Fang Su nodded, and then explained, “However, I’ve had very few opportunities to refine magic weapons; it’s an elder in my family who is more skilled at it.

“Of course, Lord of the Stars, you needn’t worry. Once my family’s elder’s life has been extended successfully, I will work with her to create a magic weapon that is suitable for you.”

“Then I thank you,” Zhou Heng said with a smile, “I need a flying sword infused with the power of thunder. After you’ve prepared the refining proposal, let me know what materials are needed, and I’ll prepare them myself.

“By the way, I also have a Lifespan Extension Pill that can only extend life by five years. If I’m satisfied with the flying sword you refine, I’ll gift you this pill.”

Although refining a magic weapon for free was Fang Su’s promise, Zhou Heng was well aware that even with a promise, whether there was extra gain, the final result would definitely differ.

Even if it was not intentional, there would still be a subconscious difference.

He currently had fifty years of distributable lifespan, which was otherwise unused; giving away five years for a better, more suitable flying sword didn’t result in a loss.

“You have a Lifespan Extension Pill too?!” Fang Su’s eyes sparkled, and she was overjoyed at the news, but then she became a bit worried and said, “Lord Zuoyuan’s pill was the ‘Seven-Flower Reversion Pill,’ which is the most common Lifespan Extension Pill. Is yours the same?”

Lifespan Extension Pills are a general term; in reality, due to differences in pill formulas and refining methods, there are many kinds. The Seven-Flower Reversion Pill is one that is relatively easier to find materials for and to refine.

If you have already taken one type of life-extending elixir, the effect will greatly diminish if you take the same elixir again, with only one-tenth remaining effective. Only by taking another type of Lifespan Extension Pill can the full benefit be realized.

Moreover, due to factors like ingredient quality, heat control, and luck, the amount of life that the same Lifespan Extension Pill can extend varies. Therefore, Fang Su’s concern regarding Zhou Heng’s pill that could extend life by five years being a Seven-Flower Reversion Pill was quite normal.

“Mine is called the ‘Eight Diagrams Purple Gold Pill,’ obtained by chance from an ancient legacy,” Zhou Heng said, blatantly lying without a blush and smiling, “You don’t need to worry about the efficacy being reduced.”

In truth, what pill did he have? He could only make up a common pill and then allocate five years of his distributable lifespan to whoever needed the lifespan extended.

After reaching the Middle Third Rank, one could accurately sense how many years of life they had left, so Zhou Heng did not worry about being seen as a fraud because the pill was too ordinary.

Upon hearing this, Fang Su was completely thrilled, repeatedly expressing her thanks, “Lord of the Stars, I cannot thank you enough, but I cannot accept this pill for nothing. When the time comes, I will offer five thousand merit to buy it, if that’s all right?”

“Lord Zuoyuan’s Seven-Flower Reversion Pill adds twenty years to life and only costs ten thousand merit, yet you’re offering five thousand for just five years?” Zhou Heng chuckled and said, “Why so much?”

“Lord of the Stars, you might not be aware,” Fang Su explained, “Although there are many types of Lifespan Extension Pills, the kinds that people can actually get their hands on are only about four or five, like the Seven-Flower Reversion Pill and the Three-pulse Life-sustaining Pill.

“Apart from the most common Seven-Flower Reversion Pill, the others are far more precious and hard to come by. Normally, being able to take three different Lifespan Extension Pills can be considered a great fortune.

“This Eight Diagrams Purple Gold Pill of yours I’ve never heard of; it’s most likely a long-lost elixir. Without the worry of its effectiveness being weakened by other life-extending pills, it is as if an extra five years are magically added. Naturally, it’s more treasured.”

“Seeing as that’s the case, then I’ll wait for the good news,” Zhou Heng said with a smile.

“I will never forget this grand favor of the Lord of the Stars,” Fang Su said earnestly and respectfully, her heart filled with gratitude.

…

After leaving the world where Purple Tenuity Palace was located, Zhou Heng detoured to Fangzhou County City.

Compared to the prefectural city, the county city was undoubtedly much more bustling.

The city was larger, the population greater, the streets wider, and the pedestrians more numerous.

Fangzhou County City sat beside a great river, with unobstructed waterways and developed river transportation. Numerous rivers also flowed through the city, hence there were many boat shops and boat towers running various businesses.

Of course, for Zhou Heng, the most important thing was to gather information.

This place was the core of the state, a central hub, where martial artists from all around the state and even from other states and counties converged, making it convenient for him to inquire about the Plague Emperor Sect and other evil sects.

Fangzhou was located in the northwest of Da Qi, and traveling straight northward for a hundred thousand li would take one past Sui State and Yuan State to the border between Da Qi and Da Zhou.

Thus, the region was a mixture of dragons and snakes, with quite a few experts from Da Zhou often visiting to travel, bringing with them many culinary delights from the north.

After arriving here, Zhou Heng found a popular specialty food boat with a large crowd and went aboard to taste the local cuisine of Fangzhou as well as some specialties from Da Zhou.

Though such expenses were relatively expensive, costing an average of ten silver taels per person, to Zhou Heng who currently had several thousand taels of spare silver on him, it was no longer considered high consumption.

The days of poverty seemed to have gone never to return.

Naturally, Zhou Heng felt that his main purpose here was still to gather information.

After all, those who could come here generally had some status, and the information they were exposed to was broader and more comprehensive, making it more valuable to inquire about.

Eating fine food and such was just an incidental experience.

Zhou Heng took a single table at the largest and busiest first floor of the three-story boat and ordered several signature dishes.

Scallion braised tendon, sweet and sour carp, stir-fried shrimp, crispy chicken, red-braised intestines, black fish egg soup… All quite suited to his taste from his previous life on Earth.

Zhou Heng took a bite of the tendon, gnawed on some chicken, and then sipped the soup, the flavors lingering on his lips and tantalizing his taste buds.

Meanwhile, he also noticed that three young people at a nearby table seemed to be discussing whether to go and eradicate a small evil sect.

The three were all in their twenties, two males and one female.

From their conversation, it was apparent that they were disciples of the “Natural Sect,” having just commenced their adventures into the martial world, aspiring to achieve something noteworthy by eliminating an evil sect that was causing trouble in order to gain fame.

Yet, they also worried that the evil sect was too powerful, and the three of them might not be a match for it, hence they were discussing whether to find a few like-minded individuals to join them in their quest.

The Natural Sect was a local sect in Fangzhou, established by a peak Great Grandmaster seven hundred years ago, with considerable strength and high prestige in Fangzhou and the neighboring states and counties,

However, that Great Grandmaster had not yet glimpsed the path to becoming a Celestial Man and his days were numbered. The strongest among his disciples was only a Fifth Rank Sect Master; it was foreseeable that this sect’s decline was inevitable.

Zhou Heng listened in for a bit and roughly understood that these three were planning to target an evil sect called ‘Medicine God Sect.’

Their discussions touched on where Medicine God Sect was located and what actions they had committed, which Zhou Heng took note of in his heart.

He planned to head over and eliminate that evil sect after finishing his meal.

However, weren’t these three afraid of being overheard and tipping off their targets by discussing such matters so openly in such a crowded place?

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from the deck outside the boat, with many people exclaiming in shock.

Close to the entrance, many individuals at this level stood up, looking panicked, trying to run outside.

Bang!

A dull thud sounded as a brawny man dressed in black flew in, overturning many tables and causing a mob of diners to scramble in panic. He ended up crashing into Zhou Heng’s table.

Clack!

The last dish Zhou Heng was saving, the red-braised intestines, fell to the ground, rendered inedible.

Thud thud thud!

Heavy footsteps came from the outside deck of this level, and soon a giant of a man, standing nine feet tall with a broad back and large waist, eyes as large as copper bells, and a face covered in beard, walked in.

This behemoth glared around with rage, looking foreboding and ferocious, as his eyes swept over the crowd on this floor, he sneered scornfully, “Damn it, who wants to kill me, destroy my sect?

“I am Lu Yaoshi from Medicine God Sect; who wants to kill me? Whoever has the guts, come out! You dare to think and talk about it, but do you not dare to step forward?”

Indeed, the conversation of those three Natural Sect disciples had long been overheard and reported.

Zhou Heng glanced at the three, only to see them all bowing their heads, too afraid to speak, and even too scared to look at Lu Yaoshi.

Shaking his head, Zhou Heng stood up, took one last look at the red-braised intestines on the floor, then turned to face Lu Yaoshi with a smile, “It’s me who wants to kill you.”

“Good! Then I’ll kill you first,” Lu Yaoshi had no intention of seeking confirmation. He stepped forward briskly, swinging his fists like a Vajra pounding a mallet, smashing them towards Zhou Heng.

At the same time, he shouted loudly:

“Under my fists, I do not kill the unknown. Report your name before you die!”