CHAPTER 131: CHAPTER 130: WHO IS ZHAO HUOWANG?

Lu Yan had realized the special connection between the Xianxia version and the urban version long ago.

The Xianxia version possesses a powerful Extraordinary System, granting lifespans of hundreds or even thousands of years after cultivation.

But because this path to longevity is extremely difficult, establishing Foundation before the age of thirty is already exceptional, reaching Core Formation before a century is a rarity among millions, and further cultivation realms become even more challenging, consuming exponentially more time.

In contrast, the urban version lacks Extraordinary Abilities, where everyone can only maintain the lifespan of ordinary people.

Once lifespan ends, one "dies" in the urban version, but can still appear in the Xianxia version.

The most direct example of this is the renowned writers and celebrities Lu Yan encountered in the Cyan Simurgh Sect who had already died.

Their lifespan in the urban version had ended in total death, yet they have hundreds of years of long lifespan in the Xianxia version.

This also led to a special situation where generally only Cultivators younger than 120 years can appear in the urban version.

This age is extremely young in the Xianxia version, where normally reaching the Golden Core at this age is already the limit.

Yet before him, Mu Chunqiu, practiced such profound Youthful Appearance Skill in a lawless era, along with the aura of majesty emanating naturally, all made Lu Yan associate his cultivation with a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

A Nascent Soul at 103 years old, would be impossible in other sects.

But if it were the Taiyi Sect, it’s not without hope.

After all, Sect Leader Taiyi cultivates Feng Shui Techniques and explores ancient tombs, gaining treasures from these archaic graves relies on fortune, and with enough fortune, one can advance from Qi Cultivation to Golden Core in nine years.

The appearance of a centennial Nascent Soul is quite reasonable.

After organizing his thoughts, a wave of irrepressible joy surged within him.

Mu Chunqiu promised Lu Yan a personal collection; a Golden Core cultivator’s collection and a Nascent Soul True Monarch’s treasury are completely different concepts.

Moreover, Mu Chunqiu is a Feng Shui Master and one of the Taiyi Sect Main Lineage, whose wealth is unimaginably vast.

At this moment, Lu Yan already couldn’t find words to refuse, fearing that another polite decline might provoke Mu Chunqiu to revoke this promise, so he immediately nodded and said:

"Thank you, Master Mu!"

Only then did Mu Chunqiu stroke his beard in satisfaction.

The reason he was prepared to bestow his collection to Lu Yan, besides Lu Yan saving He Dongsheng multiple times, was also because he found this respectful junior quite pleasing to the eye.

At over a hundred years old, having witnessed eras shifting, urban society today is restless, and it’s rare for anyone with wealth and status to treat an old man so respectfully, which made him very gratified.

If not for this, he would have just casually thrown something to settle it, and wouldn’t let Lu Yan select from his personal collection.

"However, I have one request, I hope Master Mu will grant it."

"Feel free to speak."

Lu Yan said solemnly: "Recently I joined the Archaeological Association, and am not familiar with many things, so I’d like to postpone selecting the collection for a while."

Taking the collection in the urban version might just end up with another antique without much substantial value.

Even if it’s placed somewhere far away before the version update, it might vanish with temporal shifts.

Even if lucky, the next version might not be Xianxia, and it may not turn into anything valuable, taking it beforehand is too risky.

Leaving it with Mu Chunqiu and selecting after a Xianxia version can ensure Lu Yan’s gain with maximum stability.

If entering a high-energy version during this period, the promise could be used to acquire treasures.

"It’s no big deal, whenever you wish to come choose, just ask Dongsheng to bring you to me."

Mu Chunqiu agreed lightly to this.

After speaking, Mu Chunqiu casually instructed He Dongsheng with a few words, then didn’t linger much and directly took a cab to leave.

He Dongsheng, taking advantage of not having seen Lu Yan for a while, brought him to a restaurant.

Over a meal full of food and drink, Lu Yan learned about He Dongsheng’s current situation.

At first, Mu Chunqiu took in He Dongsheng, but didn’t make him a disciple until in subsequent archaeological digs, He Dongsheng showed astounding fortune.

While others were severely injured by the traps in the tomb, He Dongsheng was unscathed, always finding the correct path.

Mu Chunqiu realized He Dongsheng’s remarkable fortune, and accepted him as a disciple immediately.

As a defining characteristic of Mu Chunqiu’s lineage, fortune is key, and aptitude is secondary.

Thus, He Dongsheng transitioned from a con-artist to an inheritor of the Taiyi Sect Main Lineage, a testament to life’s unpredictability.

"Brother Lu, rest assured!"

He Dongsheng, with a flushed face, patted Lu Yan’s shoulder, eyes drunk and dazed.

"You’ve helped me so many times, whatever you want, just ask, I’ll steal it from my master’s treasury for you!"

He Dongsheng’s words gave Lu Yan quite a scare.

Realizing Mu Chunqiu is a Nascent Soul, Lu Yan indeed had mischief in mind about stealing from the treasury.

But after weighing the pros and cons, Lu Yan abandoned this tempting thought.

Robbing a Nascent Soul’s treasury, even if he’s just a normal person in the urban version, would drag in heaps of trouble.

Moreover, even after getting it, only few items might hold real value after several version changes.

It’s better to safely secure a guaranteed reward than gamble with greed.

Lu Yan immediately refused:

"One should think twice before speaking such things, he is your master after all."

"Master always says he’s reaching his end, and his treasures will be left to me, aren’t they mine then?"

Hearing the words "reaching his end," Lu Yan couldn’t help twitching a corner of his mouth, silently teasing in his heart.

"At this pace, even when your lifespan ends, your master will probably still be perfectly alive."

After another round of drinking, seeing He Dongsheng getting more drunk, Lu Yan finally asked the question he’d long wanted to ask.

"Brother He, you once mentioned Zhao Huowang, do you know if there’s anything of value left by Zhao Huowang?"

In the Xianxia and cyber versions, Zhao Huowang is present, and what Zhao Huowang left provided great help to Lu Yan.

So Lu Yan was curious about what urban version’s Zhao Huowang had seen.

Already drunk, He Dongsheng tilted his head thinking for a long time, then asked Lu Yan:

"Zhao Huowang... who is that?"