The Path of Immortality: Starts With Creating Water Bear Gu

Chapter 84: (1): Long Xuans Background

Long Xuan walked to the medicinal garden, instructed his clone to harvest all the mature spiritual herbs, and then hung the storage bag filled with herbs on wood clone. He then drained the clone's spiritual energy, reducing his cultivation level to the initial stage of Spirit Gathering.

He had always used this method to conceal his cultivation level. In his view, no method of hiding one's cultivation was truly safe unless it involved genuinely lowering it. Only then could he be absolutely secure.

Long Xuan was very confident in his disguise, believing that even the Gu King wouldn’t be able to detect that he was hiding his cultivation. With this in mind, he sent wood clone towards the broken straw hut where Elder Long resided.

Wood clone knocked on the door. After a voice inside called out to enter, wood clone, feeling nervous, pushed the door open and walked in.

"Elder Long, I’ve brought you the herbs!"

Elder Long, still half-lying on a chair, glanced at him sideways and laughed, "Alright, stop hiding your cultivation level. Your disguise may fool others, but it won't fool me."

Long Xuan's expression froze instantly. He was completely stunned. Wasn’t it supposed to be undetectable even by the Gu King? How could he have seen through it so quickly? Did he have some kind of cheat?

What the hell! He's got a cheat!

Elder Long looked him up and down with great interest and marveled, "The clone created by the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' is indeed flawless. Most people really can’t see any flaws."

"Ever since the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' was brought out from the ancient tomb, it has spread everywhere, and many people have learned it, but most of them encountered problems."

"Many people, after just condensing their clone, were killed on the spot by their own clone, which then took their place, with outsiders being completely unable to detect the switch."

"I had no interest in such a deadly cultivation method, but your clone seems to be quite stable. I wonder how you manage it."

Elder Long scrutinized him carefully but wasn’t overly curious. In his view, even if it could be stabilized, it was only temporary.

What he didn’t know was that Long Xuan hadn’t practiced the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' at all. Although his 'Ten Absolute Scripture' borrowed a lot from that method, he added many of his own innovations. Even the number and attributes of clones had changed, with the original text having been altered beyond recognition.

With the help of his cheat, the method he created was already perfect, with no loopholes, having eliminated the pitfalls of the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' to the greatest extent.

As long as he didn’t let the clones roam freely, there would be no problems whatsoever.

It was precisely because of this that Long Xuan dared to use the method boldly. Otherwise, with his cautious nature, he would have long locked all his clones in cages, forcing them to cultivate there continuously. That was something he would definitely do.

After examining Long Xuan a few more times, Elder Long continued, "I really didn’t expect that the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' could be compatible with the Ten Absolute Bodies! I never imagined that the Ten Absolute Bodies could cultivate the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra'—this truly surprises me!"

Long Xuan realized that Elder Long had misunderstood. After seeing that this was an clone, and given its high similarity to those created by the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra,' he naturally assumed that Long Xuan had cultivated the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' and mistakenly thought it was a method suitable for the Ten Absolute Bodies.

However, Long Xuan wasn’t going to correct him.

For a minor cultivator to create a top-tier method compatible with the Ten Absolute Bodies would be considered utterly miraculous, and no one would believe it. Elder Long’s misunderstanding was only logical.

Looking into Long Xuan’s eyes, Elder Long continued, "If you were the same as before, I wouldn’t bother with you."

"But now that your Ten Absolute Bodies has a suitable cultivation method, it means you’ve become an extraordinary talent, worthy of being cultivated intensively by the Long Clan."

"I cherish talent. From now on, follow me. I will teach you everything and help you become a powerful figure."

"You have a good talent for alchemy, so let’s start with that. I’m currently preparing to refine a third-grade spiritual pill, and you can assist me as my alchemy assistant. You’re permitted to observe closely."

"This is the famous Purple Demon Flame formula of the Long Clan. Gather the materials and refine it as quickly as possible."

Elder Long tossed a formula to Long Xuan, not caring whether he agreed, and forcibly made him his alchemy assistant.

Long Xuan was stunned again. He had come here precisely to request this, but Elder Long had the same idea. What a coincidence!

The plan to place a mole within the Long Clan had gone surprisingly smoothly, completed without any effort, so smoothly that it felt a bit unbelievable to Long Xuan.

He took the Purple Demon Flame formula, feeling speechless. He already had this formula; what was the point of this?

But he quickly became alarmed. This formula was one of the Long Clan’s most secret treasures, yet it was being handed over to him so openly? How was that possible?

Long Xuan’s expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly said, "Elder Long, you must have made a mistake. This is the Long Clan’s exclusive secret method. I’m not qualified to learn it."

Elder Long looked at him and smiled meaningfully, "Do you know that before the Long Clan settled in this village, there were no people with the surname Long here?"

Hearing this, Long Xuan was shocked, showing disbelief. Could it be that he really had the bloodline of the Long Clan? Was he the illegitimate child of some powerful Long Clan Gu cultivator left outside? Did he actually have strong backing? Could it be such a coincidence?

No wonder Elder Long didn’t choose anyone else to tend to his medicinal garden, but specifically chose him.

No wonder he was given such a high salary. He hadn’t thought about it much before, but now it made sense—why would Elder Long share the harvest with him?

The salary Elder Long gave him was that after handing over the required amount of spiritual herbs, any extra would belong to him. It seemed like an incentive, but in years of great harvests, his salary was absurdly high.

Mortal labor was the cheapest, with a single spiritual stone being considered generous. Why would Elder Long share the harvest with him? Could it be that he really had a strong background?

But then again, if he truly had the Long Clan’s bloodline, why would the Long Clan ignore him? This didn’t quite make sense, leaving Long Xuan confused.

"Could it be that I really have a strong background?" Long Xuan immediately asked in surprise.

"There's no need to doubt it," Elder Long smiled as he looked at him. "You do have a strong background, but it’s not just a coincidence. To be precise, all the mortals with the surname Long in this area have a strong background."

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