Meet again in ten years!

Ruyi Tower, Immortal Gathering Pavilion.

Lu Changsheng, Li Feiyu, Hong Yi, Han Lin, Xiao Xiyue, and Zhao Qingqing gathered again after three years apart.

Over those three years, they had all left the mortal world behind and embarked on the path of cultivation, undergoing tremendous changes.

"Miss Xiao, strength reigns supreme in the cultivation world. Naturally, the seat of honor belongs to you."

Hong Yi addressed Xiao Xiyue warmly.

However, his warmth no longer carried the burning ardor and romantic intentions it had three years ago.

Instead, it was the openhearted warmth of a friend.

Hong Yi knew perfectly well that, as he was now, he was nowhere near worthy of Xiao Xiyue.

He had failed to win her over three years ago. If he still tried to court her and curry her favor now, he would only invite humiliation, and they might not even remain friends.

"If you insist, young marquis, then I won't stand on ceremony."

After declining briefly, Xiao Xiyue stopped protesting and accepted.

She had already been frank and lively three years ago. Her personality had not changed much since then, but she had grown even more radiant and poised.

"Brother Changsheng, you've changed so much! I almost didn't recognize you!"

"The young marquis said you and Brother Li married into a cultivation lineage. Looks like you're living pretty well!"

Han Lin spoke to Lu Changsheng with easy familiarity.

Among the six of them back then, Xiao Xiyue had been a well-bred young lady, yet she was deeply interested in the martial world. She often sought out Li Feiyu to ask about it, so the two had been relatively close.

Han Lin and Lu Changsheng, meanwhile, had similar backgrounds and temperaments, so they got along well.

"Well, I've started cultivating. A few changes are only natural."

Lu Changsheng smiled, looking entirely at ease.

His dramatic transformation did indeed have a great deal to do with the Immortal Bearing Art.

But according to the Immortal Bearing Art's description, it ultimately came down to his own good foundations, so there was nothing to feel embarrassed about.

"That's hardly just a few changes. You've changed even more than I have."

"They say a girl undergoes eighteen transformations as she grows up. Do boys undergo twenty?"

Xiao Xiyue teased him.

Three years ago, she had already possessed the beauty of flowers beneath the moon. Now, she had fully blossomed.

Her lovely face outshone the flowers, her jade complexion rivaled spring's rosy splendor, and every smile and frown stirred the soul.

Even Lu Changsheng, who had nine wives and concubines, could not help stealing a few extra glances.

After all, Xiao Xiyue was not merely breathtakingly beautiful. She also possessed a fourth-grade spiritual root.

If she could bear him a few children, they would not only have a high chance of possessing spiritual roots, but might even be born with middle-grade spiritual roots.

Still, having an immortal sect disciple with a fourth-grade spiritual root bear his children was hardly realistic, even as a fantasy.

For a long time to come, he would probably only accomplish that in his dreams.

"If girls undergo eighteen transformations, then naturally boys can undergo twenty. Aren't I a perfect example?"

Lu Changsheng answered with a smile, his gaze clear, his manner neither servile nor overbearing.

With the confidence the system gave him, Lu Changsheng could now face anyone with a calm mind and treat them as an equal.

You have talent? I have a system!

You have powerful backing? I have a system!

You have strength? I have a system!

So we're all more or less the same.

With your talent and backing, your future holds limitless prospects.

With the system at my side, as long as I work hard, I'm sure to achieve something too!

Soon, in that familiar atmosphere, everyone began chatting.

Hong Yi and Xiao Xiyue did most of the talking and brought up topics.

Lu Changsheng and Han Lin answered whenever they were asked something, joining in when a subject interested them.

Li Feiyu and Zhao Qingqing were relatively quiet, mostly speaking only when someone addressed them.

During the conversation, everyone talked about their recent circumstances, giving Lu Changsheng a better understanding of how they were doing.

Although Hong Yi was the Ruyi Marquis's son by a concubine and had already reached the Chain Qi Third Layer three years ago, he had received little in the way of cultivation resources over the years and had to earn them himself. As a result, he was still at the peak of the Chain Qi Third Layer, unable to break through.

This also made Lu Changsheng realize that the bottleneck between the Chain Qi Third Layer and the fourth layer was considerably harder to overcome than he had imagined.

With her fourth-grade spiritual root, Xiao Xiyue had caught an elder's eye as soon as she joined the Azure Cloud Sect and become an inner disciple. She had now reached the Chain Qi Fourth Layer.

Although Han Lin and Zhao Qingqing had also joined the Azure Cloud Sect, their spiritual roots were ordinary. They were only outer disciples, a world apart from Xiao Xiyue.

Inner disciples only needed to focus on cultivation, but outer disciples also had to spend time learning a craft.

The sect emphasized complementing one another's strengths and working together, so its internal division of labor was clearly defined.

Some excelled at combat, others at formations, alchemy, artifact refining, or talisman making, while still others excelled at tending spirit fields and growing spirit herbs...

Naturally, disciples with outstanding talent focused primarily on cultivation.

Those with ordinary talent were tested to see whether they had gifts in other areas.

Having come from a blacksmithing background, Han Lin had chosen artifact refining as his craft.

He had a fair amount of talent for it as well and was currently apprenticed to an artifact refining master.

As for his cultivation, he was at the peak of the Chain Qi Second Layer.

Zhao Qingqing had chosen to become a medicine master and was also still an apprentice.

Her cultivation was slightly higher than Han Lin's; she had already broken through to the Chain Qi Third Layer.

After hearing how everyone was doing, Lu Changsheng realized that the gap between himself and immortal sect disciples was not as great as he had imagined.

Still, he knew this was only the beginning.

The differences between them would gradually widen with time.

"Brother Changsheng really lives up to being the first person to awaken on the Heart-Questioning Platform during the Azure Cloud Sect's fourth trial back then."

"That saying really is true: gold will shine wherever it goes!"

After everyone had shared their circumstances, they were all astonished to hear that Lu Changsheng had risen from a live-in son-in-law to a ranked talisman master and had also reached the Chain Qi Third Layer.

Han Lin even voiced his admiration, revealing another piece of information.

"Hm? Brother Lu actually came first in the immortal sect's fourth trial, the Heart-Questioning Platform?"

Hong Yi and the others turned toward him in surprise.

"That's right. After I became an artifact refining apprentice, I happened to meet one of the senior brothers who supervised our assessment back then, so I asked why Brother Changsheng hadn't been selected."

"He remembered Brother Changsheng too. He said Brother Changsheng only had a ninth-grade spiritual root and was too old. Otherwise, his performance on the Heart-Questioning Platform would certainly have earned him a place in the Azure Cloud Sect."

Han Lin spoke with some regret.

"That's a bit of a shame."

Li Feiyu also felt it was a pity for Lu Changsheng.

The others nodded slightly, sharing that sentiment.

Although Lu Changsheng's achievements over the past three years had astonished them, they still believed joining the Azure Cloud Sect and becoming an immortal sect disciple would have been better.

"There's nothing to re-

"-gret. I think things are pretty good as they are now."

Lu Changsheng did not feel particularly regretful upon hearing this news.

If he had joined the Azure Cloud Sect, he would certainly have waited several years and built up some resources before marrying and having children.

That would have squandered quite a few years, and things might not have turned out much better than they were now.

"Exactly. With Brother Lu's talent and ability, he'll shine wherever he goes."

Hong Yi immediately smoothed things over, and they resumed eating, drinking, and chatting.

Xiao Xiyue should have been the center of attention at this gathering.

Yet Lu Changsheng, who had been the worst off three years ago, had almost become its central figure instead.

And so, after spending a day together, the six of them toured Ruyi Commandery the following day under Hong Yi's guidance. They agreed to meet again in ten years, then bade one another farewell and departed.

Apart from attending the gathering, Xiao Xiyue, Zhao Qingqing, and Han Lin were also returning home to visit their families, just like Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu.

Lu Changsheng, however, was in no hurry to return.

He let Li Feiyu head back first, planning to find him at the Red Whale Gang later.

On this trip, he also wanted to find somewhere to sell the talismans he had with him and buy materials for high-grade and top-grade talismans.

Earlier, he had asked Hong Yi whether there was a cultivation market nearby where he could trade.

Hong Yi had told Lu Changsheng that there were essentially no cultivation markets in the mortal world, only a few rogue cultivator gathering places.

These rogue cultivator gathering places also held trade gatherings from time to time. He could ask around for Lu Changsheng and get back to him within the next few days.