Longevity Begins With The Birth Of A Daughter At An Old Age

Chapter 115: Whale Sea Gang

"Fellow Daoist, feel free to speak your mind," Xu Mu said without indicating whether he intended to settle nearby.

"I would like to invite Fellow Daoist to join our Whale Sea Gang!" Xu Yiren straightforwardly explained the benefits and perks of joining their gang.

In reality, there weren't many perks.

The Whale Sea Gang was just a small gang with only six Foundation Building cultivators, controlling three small market towns, and a couple hundred Qi Refining stage members.

It belonged to the lowest tier of gangs in the outer sea, otherwise it wouldn't have been established in such a remote place.

Rather than calling them perks, it would be more accurate to say they were conveniences.

Firstly, the gang could help with consigning items for sale.

For example, the Dust Bone Flower that he had just purchased was consigned here for sale because a Foundation Building cultivator in the gang felt that the prices in the larger market towns were too low.

Additionally, members of the gang could trade with each other without having to travel to distant market towns to sell their goods.

If needed, they could also form teams to hunt demonic beasts or explore dangerous areas.

Rather than calling it a gang, it would be more accurate to say it was a simple mutual aid group.

Because of the remote location and scarcity of Foundation Building cultivators, having a gang as a bond made things much more convenient for everyone.

This was why Xu Yiren invited him as soon as they met.

Without perks, there naturally wouldn't be any restrictions.

After joining, Xu Mu could come and go freely and didn't have any obligations.

Of course, if he wanted to, he could choose to do certain things, such as guarding the market town and receiving a certain amount of spirit stones as a monthly dividend.

If the gang encountered a crisis, he could also choose whether or not to take action.

There would be rewards for taking action, but no punishment for not doing so.

The other party mainly wanted him to have a name.

In the future, if a real war broke out, it would be enough to show off his might.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Mu felt that there was no harm in it and nodded in agreement.

He wasn't hiding away in a cave, completely isolated from the world, just to avoid trouble.

As long as he didn't cause trouble or attract attention, it would be fine.

After all, he still needed to purchase cultivation resources and gather information. Otherwise, it would be unlucky if he got involved in some natural disaster or man-made calamity due to ignorance.

Joining the gang would provide him with an additional source of information and make it easier to collect resources.

The most important thing was that the gang was extremely small and wouldn't pose a threat to him.

If there were Gold Core stage cultivators behind the other party, then he would have to think twice.

Seeing Xu Mu's agreement, Xu Yiren's smile became even brighter, and her tone became more friendly and gentle.

"I need to inform the gang leader about Fellow Daoist's decision to join. The token and other identification may take some time to be handed over to Fellow Daoist."

"That's fine."

They exchanged communication jade slips, and Xu Mu was about to take his leave.

Xu Yiren couldn't help but speak again, "Fellow Daoist, are you really not considering it? There shouldn't be a place nearby with denser spiritual energy than HLD!"

One of the benefits of joining the Whale Sea Gang was the ability to establish caves on the three islands that had market towns.

Compared to the Misty Morning Island he had found himself, the environment in HLD was obviously much better. There were several small spiritual veins on it, enough for several Foundation Building cultivators to use.

"No need," Xu Mu replied.

Although having small spiritual veins could save him a lot of spirit stones, he had just joined and couldn't completely trust the other party.

There was no need to take such a risk for a few spirit stones.

"Well then, if Fellow Daoist needs anything in the future, feel free to contact me at any time," Xu Yiren said somewhat disappointedly.

If Xu Mu was willing to settle on this island, the security of the market town would undoubtedly greatly improve.

However, considering that they had only just met for the first time, it was normal to be rejected. Perhaps there would be another opportunity in the future once they became more familiar with each other.

Xu Mu went downstairs to get the materials he had purchased, and then wandered around the market for a while before leaving and flying towards the Mist Island on his flying sword.

"Hmm?"

To Xu Mu's surprise, not long after flying out, he encountered Zhang Shu and his group again.

However, the two helpers who were following them were nowhere to be seen.

The five of them had gloomy expressions, indicating that the outcome was probably not ideal.

Xu Mu didn't want to get involved in any trouble, so he changed direction and flew towards another direction.

But unexpectedly, after the five people saw him, their eyes flashed and they blocked his way.

"Fellow Daoists, what does this mean?" Xu Mu furrowed his brows slightly and asked calmly.

"What does it mean?! Hmph! You caused us to fail in hunting the Infant Crying Beast, and you dare to ask what it means? If you don't compensate us today, don't even think about leaving!"

Among the five people, a woman wearing a purple robe with a big nose and thick lips stepped forward and said coldly.

The remaining four people, including Zhang Shu, remained silent, but they summoned their magical tools and glared at him with anger in their eyes.

Obviously, their failure to hunt down the Infant Crying Beast had made them very angry.

"..."

Xu Mu was somewhat speechless.

Could they really blame him for this?

Do these people have a problem with their brains?

Or is it because they see him as a newcomer and deliberately find an excuse to extort him?

"It would be better for you all to step aside. I don't want to cause trouble." Xu Mu's expression returned to calmness.

He really didn't want to cause trouble, nor did he have the mood to bully a few Qi Refining cultivators.

"If you want us to leave, bring out twenty high-grade spirit stones, otherwise we will teach you the rules of the Whale Sea Sect!"

"The rules of the Whale Sea Sect?" Xu Mu was taken aback.

"You guys are from the Whale Sea Sect?"

"That's right! My master is the vice sect master of the Whale Sea Sect!"

The woman in the purple robe said proudly.

"Could it be Xu Yiren?" Xu Mu's expression became strange.

"Bold! How dare you directly call out my master's name!"

The woman in the purple robe's spiritual power surged, her face full of anger, as if Xu Mu had offended her.

"..."

Xu Mu really didn't know what to say.

Originally, if the group continued to pester him, he was prepared to easily eliminate them.

But now, it was not so easy to make a move.

In that case, then...

Buzz!

A powerful spiritual pressure was released from his body.

"Foundation Building..."

The originally arrogant group of people instantly turned pale.

"Ret...retreat..."

"Get lost!"

Xu Mu coldly shouted.

"Yes, yes!"

The five people, like scared dogs, trembled and shrank to the side, no longer showing any of their previous arrogance.

Xu Mu couldn't be bothered to pay attention to them, so he stepped on his flying sword, turned into a streak of light, and instantly left.

When Xu Mu's figure disappeared from their sight, the five of them felt relieved.

"When did our Whale Sea Gang gain another Foundation Building cultivator?"

"Maybe they were just passing by! Let's ask our master when we get back!"

"I hope so! Otherwise, it would be awkward if we meet again in the future!"

The group returned to the market with dejected expressions. After asking Xu Yiren, their faces became even more grim.

They never expected that the other party not only planned to stay here but also joined their sect as an elder.

Offending a Foundation Building elder, how could they continue to thrive in the sect?

Although they called Xu Yiren their master, it was merely a formality and they didn't have a deep relationship.

They didn't dare to tell Xu Yiren about offending Xu Mu.

If Xu Yiren found out, she would probably punish them before Xu Mu had the chance to.

While the group was struggling with whether to continue staying in the Whale Sea Gang or find another place, Xu Mu had already returned to the cave he had established on Misty Island.

Using hand seals, he opened the concealment formation, revealing a cave in front of him. Xu Mu stepped inside.

Taking out the materials for setting up the formation, Xu Mu spent half a day arranging an adjustable Spirit Gathering formation, similar to the one Blue Shijin had set up in Baihe Market.

With his current cultivation level, he could easily learn this low-level formation with just a little study, without needing to consume any Luck value.

Unlike ordinary cultivators, his cultivation advancement mainly relied on pills.

Even a third-grade Profound Origin Pill had a much stronger effect than a high-level Spirit Gathering formation.

For him, the Spirit Gathering formation was just a tool for auxiliary cultivation. He could use high-level ones, but low-level ones would also suffice.

"Fortunately, there are no Pulse Masters in the outer sea. Otherwise, even if I set up a Spirit Gathering formation, it would be useless!"

Pulse Masters could use special methods to adjust the earth's veins, gathering spiritual energy within a radius of hundreds or even thousands of miles, creating a place with abundant spiritual energy for cultivation, like the city of Zhufeng or the city of Huanhai.

In the Cangming Sea region, due to the existence of Pulse Masters, most cultivators could only move within the cultivation areas, making it difficult for new cultivators to emerge in the outside world.

However, there were no Pulse Masters in the outer sea, or rather, no one dared to use such methods. Therefore, anyone in the outer sea could become a cultivator, which was probably one of the reasons for the chaos in the outer sea.

After setting up the formation, Xu Mu didn't immediately take out the medicinal ingredients to refine pills. Instead, he took out various books he had purchased and started reading about the scenery of the outer sea.

"Geographical records of the outer sea!"

"The ten most dangerous places in the outer sea!"

"The ten major independent cultivators in the outer sea!"

"The ten major forces in the outer sea!"

"A complete guide to the secret realms of the outer sea!"

"The sea areas where the sea clans reside—"

"The most dangerous sea clans!"

It took him four to five days to finish reading all the books on the scenery. Only then did Xu Mu pick up the dozen or so so-called super-secret manuals and try to see if he could cultivate them.

Half a month later, the system panel only added one skill.

[Qimen: Twelve Startling Awakening Techniques - Beginner; 1/100]!

"Qimen secret technique? Only a hundred proficiency points for the beginner level?"

Xu Mu rubbed his chin and looked at another Qimen skill, [Yin Yang Tongji 108 Forms].

He still hadn't figured out whether this Qimen secret technique belonged to spells, body refining, or divine abilities.

The only thing he knew was that it was extremely difficult to cultivate, with progress being extremely slow.

Take [Yin Yang Tongji 108 Forms] for example. If it weren't for using Luck value to enhance it, he might still be lingering at the beginner level.

And this [Twelve Startling Awakening Techniques] was even more exaggerated. Since it appeared in the skill panel, Xu Mu had studied it for a long time, but his proficiency hadn't increased at all.

It should be noted that his current cultivation talent was many times stronger than when he first obtained [Yin Yang Tongji 108 Forms].

This indicated that [Twelve Startling Awakening Techniques] was even more exaggerated than [Yin Yang Tongji 108 Forms].

The power of [Yin Yang Tongji 108 Forms] was beyond doubt.

If it weren't for this technique, his grave grass might have grown three feet tall by now.

Not to mention Mu Yunwan, just the mysterious woman he encountered in the Cloud Peak Mountains is enough to play him to death.

"The harder it is to practice, the greater the power!" Xu Mu doesn't mind this point. Anyway, whether it's difficult or not, it's just a matter of adding points for him.

If it's not difficult to practice, add fewer points; if it's difficult, add more points.

"I just don't know what the purpose of this technique is?"

That's right, Xu Mu has been practicing for a long time, memorizing the entire manual, but still hasn't figured out the exact effect of this manual.

He has also read the experiences of those high-level practitioners, some say it's a stealth technique, some say it's a combat technique, some say it's a bloodline technique, and some say it's a demonic technique.

In short, there are different opinions, but no one can be completely sure, because no one has ever succeeded in practicing it.

As for the content of the manual, it's all mysterious and elusive, just like solving a riddle. Sometimes it feels like it means one thing, and sometimes it feels like it means another.

Not to mention practicing, just studying the content of the manual is enough to drive a person crazy.

Some say that it's because the era is too ancient and only the cultivators of that time could understand it, while others say that the manual is simply made up, perhaps written casually by ancient cultivators, and no one in the world can practice it.

Fortunately, Xu Mu doesn't have to worry about all of this.

"Add points!"

Xu Mu took out various elixirs as a backup to avoid any accidents.

[Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique +1]!

There wasn't much change, just a slight warmth in his body, as if something had been added.

Without hesitation, Xu Mu continued to add points.

[Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique +1]!

[Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique +1]!

To avoid any accidents, he only dared to add a little at a time.

Until--

[Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique Proficient; 0/1000]!

A feeling of hunger surged in his body, and Xu Mu quickly swallowed a bottle of Grass Returning Pill.

Fortunately, the hunger wasn't too strong, and the pill resolved most of it.

With the dissolution of the pill in his body, Xu Mu underwent another change that he couldn't understand at all.

At this moment, the technique's content in his mind, which was like solving a riddle, finally revealed a glimpse of its true form.

"Bloodline Integrated Union?"

What Xu Mu didn't expect was that this was actually an extremely rare bloodline technique, which allows one to unleash various powers by harnessing a powerful bloodline.

Depending on the different bloodlines of Integrated Union, it can not only be used for combat, but also for hiding and changing one's aura, as well as other functions.

"Not detailed enough! I need to continue to improve!"

Seeing the proficiency increase tenfold all at once, Xu Mu felt a bit of a headache, although he had anticipated it.

At this rate of increase, the amount of Luck value required to cultivate to the transcendent level is simply unimaginable.

"I hope your power won't disappoint me!"

Muttering to himself, Xu Mu continued to add points.

During the time he was on the run, he accumulated a considerable amount of Luck value, enough to raise the Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique to the state of perfection.

[Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique +10]!

[Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique +10]!

...

After roughly understanding the function of the Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique, Xu Mu no longer had as many concerns about the upgrades.

However, this time the upgrade consumed a lot more energy, quickly depleting the remaining Grass Returning Pills and Condensing Element Pills on him. Fortunately, he still had a few seventh-grade Blood Yang Pills.

The medicinal power of the Blood Yang Pills was extremely powerful, and just one pill was enough to replenish the energy consumed later. The Twelve Shocking Awakening Technique smoothly reached the state of mastery.

The originally somewhat confused content of the technique in his mind finally became completely clear.

"Assimilate the blood essence of myriad beasts, ever-changing and infinitely mysterious!"

(End of this chapter)