I am a Late Bloomer in the Immortal World

Chapter 498: Trading for Spirit Pills, Friends Turn Against Each Other

"All of it?" Hu Yantu was startled. He thought Wei Tu’s appetite was huge—after all, the Beastmaster Sect’s accumulation over ten thousand years wasn’t something a newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivator could just swallow whole.Sure, Wei Tu was a tier-4 talisman master who could use it to make talismans and earn back resources, but… refining tier-4 talismans wasn’t easy. The failure rate was quite high. One slip and he could end up in debt for life.

"Wei Brother, selling you all the Beastmaster Sect’s stock of tier-4 spirit beast hides and blood isn’t impossible. But… do you have enough spirit stones?" Hu Yantu hesitated, then asked.

Tier-4 spirit beast hides and blood were vital strategic resources for the Beastmaster Sect. Many of their advanced beast transformation secret arts required these materials. So while he could sell them for personal reasons, if Wei Tu planned to delay payment, he would have to refuse this big deal.

"Don’t worry, Brother Hu. Before leaving the Ying Ding Tribe, I borrowed quite a bit from Divine Master Du Long and the others. That’s more than enough to buy all the Beastmaster Sect’s tier-4 hides and blood. It might not be enough to bid on rare treasures at this fair, but for this purchase, it’s plenty." Wei Tu smiled faintly, lying without hesitation.

Red Mirror Master, Yan Gongcheng, and Holy Son Faguang—three Nascent Soul cultivators—had all died at his hands. Their fortunes varied, but each of them carried a good amount of top-grade spirit stones. The total was impressive.

Now that he had spirit crystals for cultivation, he didn’t value "top-grade spirit stones"—which were a step below—as much. Converting them into Golden Flame Pearls to boost his combat power suited his needs far better.

"Borrowed spirit stones?" Hu Yantu’s expression cleared. He no longer doubted it. If he were in Divine Master Du Long’s place, he too wouldn’t mind spending from his own pocket to support a highly promising Nascent Soul cultivator in mastering the talisman arts.

…

Hu Yantu wasn’t the only one trying to make a deal with Wei Tu. The Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor and Old Ghost Cai also valued Wei Tu’s deep skills in both alchemy and talismans. In fact, one big reason they had travelled so far to attend the secret market fair was for Wei Tu.

With their own resources, it was difficult to acquire other precious treasures here. But because Hu Yantu had "cut in early," Wei Tu kept his word and didn’t reveal that he had already become a tier-4 talisman master capable of making tier-4 talisman treasures.

Still, to keep this circle of benefits intact, Wei Tu promised that when his alchemy reached tier-4, he would help them refine the corresponding tier-4 spirit pills as soon as possible.

"Fellow Daoist Wei’s immortal path is long. Reaching tier-4 in alchemy is just a matter of time." Hearing this, the Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor and Old Ghost Cai grinned like blooming chrysanthemums and showered him with praise.

While the four of them discussed deals in private, the secret market fair was in full swing.

As with the last fair, Wei Tu saw many rare treasures that made him want to buy. But unlike last time, now he had the means to do so. Still, to avoid suspicion and attention, he suppressed the urge and kept a low profile.

‘Once I reach mid Nascent Soul, I can show a bit more.’ His eyes glinted as he decided he would make a small display at the next fair. By then, even if petty people plotted against him, he would have enough strength to deal with it.

When it’s time to fight, he would fight. When it’s time to lie low, he would lie low.

…

Two days later, the fair ended as scheduled.

Just like last time, Alliance Master Tan gave a speech to the newly joined Nascent Soul cultivators about the benefits of trading for the items he sought.

"As long as any of you can find the grade-A treasures listed in this jade slip, not only will I exchange for them with equal-value cultivation treasures, but I will also grant the trader one reasonable request… Of course, for grade-B or grade-C treasures, if you bring enough of them, granting a request is also possible."

When his words fell, most cultivators present—except a few veterans—looked excited and carefully examined the jade slip’s contents.

When Wei Tu saw several cultivators step forward to trade with Alliance Master Tan, he thought for a moment, set aside his concerns, and also stood up.

Trading privately with Alliance Master Tan had better secrecy, but it was also riskier. A crowd meant news could leak and attract thieves. But the more Tan worried about this, the safer Wei Tu would be.

At least, that was how he saw it. He wasn’t afraid of Hu Yantu, Old Ghost Cai, or the Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor scheming against him.

"Yinchen Stone?" Alliance Master Tan’s face, hidden behind his mask, showed mild surprise when Wei Tu approached. From what he knew, Wei Tu was still a newly advanced Nascent Soul, having only reached the realm a few years ago.

"Friend Xuanshe, quite the fortunate find," Alliance Master Tan said with a glint of approval in his eyes.

With his status and cultivation, Wei Tu was, in his eyes, just a junior.

He reached out, drawing in the jade box Wei Tu handed over. Inside were three Yinchen Stones. He examined them carefully, then gave a small nod, clearly pleased. "These three Yinchen Stones are of good quality, meeting the grade-C treasure standard. Friend Xuanshe, have you decided what item you want to trade for?"

"And also, what kind of request do you want me to grant?"

Normally, Alliance Master Tan wouldn’t promise wishes for grade-C treasures. But with Wei Tu, he intended to make a small exception. After all, for a newly advanced Nascent Soul to find Yinchen Stones showed that his immortal fortune was strong. That meant there was a chance Wei Tu might bring other treasures for trade in the future.

"A request?" Wei Tu was a bit surprised. He hadn’t thought that trading Yinchen Stones would also earn him the promise of a late Nascent Soul expert. But now wasn’t the time to overthink it.

First, he named the item he wanted—"a cultivation spirit pill"—then paused to consider before stating his request. "If possible, I want the tier-4 pill recipes in your possession, Alliance Master Tan."

The Nascent Soul cultivation spirit pills were the core reason Alliance Master Tan could draw so many Nascent Soul cultivators to trade with him. That strongly implied he was a tier-4 alchemy master.

Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish, and he feeds himself for life. If he could, Wei Tu wanted to make those tier-4 spirit pills himself for his own cultivation. Of course, trading Yinchen Stones wasn’t enough to buy the alchemist’s experience. The recipes alone were a more realistic goal.

"Tier-4 pill recipes?" Alliance Master Tan looked surprised, but not overly so. As the leader of the Flying Immortal Alliance, he was well aware that Wei Tu was a top-grade tier-3 alchemist.

"These few tier-4 recipes should last you several hundred years of cultivation." After a moment’s thought, Alliance Master Tan flipped his palm, brought out a blank jade slip, copied the recipes, and handed it to Wei Tu with a burst of mana.

Then, from his sleeve, he produced a green pill bottle and gave it to him. "Inside are two Jingcui Pills, tier-4 lower-grade pills most suitable for a newly advanced Nascent Soul like yourself. This pill is also included in the recipes I just gave you." He smiled as he spoke.

Hearing that, Wei Tu’s face showed gratitude. He cupped his hands in salute and thanked him.

The trade done, he didn’t linger for more talk. After taking his leave, he rejoined Hu Yantu and the other two waiting nearby, then they all flew out of the venue together.

…

Once they were clear of the venue, Wei Tu made an excuse to part ways with Hu Yantu, Old Ghost Cai, and the Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor, staying alone in Abyssal Marsh Immortal City.

"I wonder what item Fellow Daoist Wei traded with Alliance Master Tan," Old Ghost Cai said casually, glancing at Hu Yantu and the Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor. But the other two weren’t easy prey—they caught the implication instantly.

The Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor gave a half-smile and spoke plainly. "What? Old Ghost Cai, you want to kill him and take his goods? Rob Fellow Daoist Wei?"

"This…" Cai was momentarily at a loss. After a moment, his face cooled, and he snorted. "Don’t tell me, Old Woman Yu, that you don’t want the cultivation spirit pills he has? Your lifespan isn’t long."

"The pills in his hand might help us break through our bottlenecks. And if we could also get the treasures he took from the Stone Demon Sect, you and I might even have the chance to reach mid Nascent Soul."

At those words, though her face still carried mockery, Yu’s heart wavered. Breaking through to mid Nascent Soul would give her access to many more life-extending secret arts than she currently had.

But before she could respond, Hu Yantu acted first.

"Old Ghost Cai, Old Woman Yu, if you two want to be enemies with Brother Wei, count me out. I won’t tell Fellow Daoist Wei about this, but from here on, we part ways."

His eyes turned cold. With a flick of his sleeve, he flew off.

Unlike the other two, Hu Yantu knew Wei Tu had a tier-4 talisman treasure. With that, Wei Tu might not match the three of them in raw power, but in a duel, he could certainly protect his life.

And even if the three of them killed Wei Tu, how would they split the spoils? Hu Yantu hadn’t forgotten that unlike them, he was a former Zheng Kingdom cultivator. If they killed Wei Tu, they’d eventually turn on him too.

So just from a strategic standpoint, he had to stand on Wei Tu’s side.

‘In fact… joining hands with Wei Tu, there’s a fair chance we could kill the other two instead.’

Hu Yantu’s mouth curled into a cold smile. He was already thinking of ways to get rid of Old Ghost Cai and the Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor. If the Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor died, the Beastmaster Sect could swallow the Yu Clan’s property and spirit lands, growing stronger once again.

Hu Yantu, though grateful for the Yu Clan’s shelter back when the Beastmaster Sect was struggling, was willing to take the risk for the sake of his sect’s future.

Half a day later, he circled back to Abyssal Marsh Immortal City. While purchasing Jinyan Pearls from Wei Tu, he also passed along news of what Yu Clan’s Old Ancestor and Old Ghost Cai were planning.

"Ambush and rob me?" Wei Tu wasn’t surprised in the least. The moment he had traded Yinchen Stones with Alliance Master Tan in front of them, he had already considered that this might happen.

Those two were only casual acquaintances. Such a turn was nothing unusual.

"Thanks, Brother Hu, for letting me know."

"My strength may be average, but I’m still willing to help you fend off this ambush," Hu Yantu said heartily, patting his chest.

But the very next moment, Wei Tu’s answer caught him completely off guard. Wei Tu refused—flatly and without hesitation.

"Brother Wei, that’s Cai and Old Woman Yu working together… Don’t underestimate them just because they’ve been polite to you before," Hu Yantu reminded him.

"I know. But I’m confident I can escape them." Wei Tu smiled faintly, still declining.

His combat power now had skyrocketed compared to a year ago. For retreat, he had Curse Ghost Blood Escape. For offense, Blood Seal of Life Stealing and dual cultivation of body and magic.

Never mind just Cai and Old Woman Yu—even if Hu Yantu joined them, he would remain unafraid. On the contrary, having an ally around meant worrying about his secrets being exposed, which could limit how much of his real strength he could show.

"Very well. If you’re sure you can get away, then I won’t interfere," Hu Yantu sighed, dropping the idea and taking his leave.

…

With Hu Yantu’s warning in mind, Wei Tu left Abyssal Marsh Immortal City without having Old Ancestor Chilong hide his presence. He deliberately released his aura along the route he would take, baiting Old Ghost Cai and Old Woman Yu to come for him.

He wouldn’t casually rob another cultivator—but if the opportunity came to reverse an ambush, he was more than happy to take it.

"Robbing and killing brings a golden belt." Whether in the mortal world or the cultivation world, this truth never failed.

"They’re here." On a vine-covered valley ridge, Wei Tu halted, golden light flashing in his eyes as he looked toward the figure racing toward him in the distance.

"Cai? Alone?" He frowned in puzzlement.

According to Hu Yantu’s information, both Cai and Yu were supposed to block him together. Just Cai seemed far too underpowered.

"Old Ghost Cai, where’s Old Ancestor Yu?" Wei Tu’s expression hardened as he looked at the black-robed, bald-headed elder driving a magic weapon toward him.

"What? You know who I am?"

The words made Cai’s face change drastically. He stopped cold and retreated several hundred steps, glancing around with unease.

He wasn’t stupid—he could hear it in Wei Tu’s tone. Wei Tu had already known of the ambush. The one who spilled it was clearly Hu Yantu, the first to split off from him and Yu.

"That damned Hu Yantu ruined everything," Cai snarled, gritting his teeth.

"Where’s Hu Yantu? Wei Tu, bring him out!" Cai kept his distance, shouting in anger.

When Hu Yantu left, he had sworn he wouldn’t leak the plan.

Seeing this reaction, Wei Tu understood instantly—Yu had likely refused Cai’s invitation to join the ambush, just as Hu Yantu had, though Hu had gone one step further and told him in advance.

Otherwise, Cai wouldn’t look so rattled right now. In a two-on-two, or even two-on-one, neither Cai nor Yu would have feared him openly.

"So it’s just you coming for me after all," Wei Tu said with a cold smile, feeling a faint relief.

After all, his ties with the Yu Clan weren’t bad. He had never forgotten how Yu Jianglong and the others once guarded his daughter Wei Yan. If they turned on each other, he wouldn’t hesitate—but he’d still feel a twinge of regret.

"Where’s Hu Yantu?" Cai’s brow furrowed as his divine sense swept the area.

He had a killing move prepared—fine for Wei Tu alone, but if Hu was here too, he’d have to run.

But before he could confirm anything, Wei Tu was already closing in at a speed not inferior to a mid Nascent Soul cultivator.

"A newly advanced Nascent Soul, and you dare rush me?"

For a moment, Cai’s heart skipped, but then he burst into loud laughter, thinking the heavens themselves had delivered Wei Tu, this reckless fool, right into his hands.