Eternal Life by Daily Divination

“Big Brother, you… you broke through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment?”

“Yes, it was a fortunate breakthrough.”

“Fortunate?”

Xu Fugui’s face was filled with envy. He wished he could have a fortunate breakthrough too.

After so many years, his cultivation had remained stagnant at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, having barely increased at all.

After all, he had failed at Foundation Establishment twice before finally succeeding. Just reaching that stage had exhausted his potential. On top of that, he had been busy managing his restaurant and family affairs over the years, leaving him with little time for cultivation.

Now, he had placed all his hopes for his own cultivation path onto the younger generation.

“Big Brother, you’re turning one hundred and you’ve broken through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment! This is one joyous occasion on top of another. We have to go all out for the banquet; it can’t be a small affair!”

“I know. I’ll leave it all to you. Come find me after the banquet to settle the Spirit Stone costs.”

“You got it!”

Xu Fugui immediately beamed, unable to hide his grin.

「For the next few days.」

Whether they were Sect Disciples, Noble Family Descendants, or Loose Cultivators, nearly everyone Li Chang’an was acquainted with received an invitation to his birthday banquet.

Xu Fugui compiled all the names into a list and handed it to Li Chang’an.

Li Chang’an felt a headache coming on as he looked at the densely packed list of names.

’I really do have a lot of friends.’

Just the Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the various major Golden Core Influences alone numbered more than fifty!

’The Mo Family alone is sending over twenty Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Are they trying to eat me out of house and home? Oh well, they’ll be bringing gifts anyway…’

After all, Li Chang’an had saved quite a few members of the Mo Family, including Patriarch Mo himself on two separate occasions. Plus, he shared a close relationship with Mo Qingxue.

The Tier Three Mechanism Technique he had gifted them last time had also been a tremendous help to the Mo Family.

By now, he was practically considered one of their own.

Additionally, he had helped many people from the Mu Family.

Although Li Chang’an’s motive was the Cyan Profound Spirit Liquid, the transactions had been pleasant for both sides, and they had formed a solid friendship.

Many people were coming from the Jin Family, the Xiao Family, and others as well.

Someone was even coming from the Talisman Zhang Family.

The guest was Zhang Qingfeng, who had once accompanied him into the Ghost Vine Forest to help Mu Siyue search for her parents’ remains.

Xu Fugui said, a bit puzzled, “Big Brother, I sent an invitation to the Zhou Family, but they never replied. It seems like none of them plan to come. Did you have a falling out with them?”

“It’s a bit complicated.”

Li Chang’an shook his head slightly and solemnly warned Xu Fugui.

“Fugui, from now on, do not interact with anyone from the Zhou Family alone. Minimize your contact with them as much as possible.”

“This…”

Xu Fugui was taken aback, understanding the gravity of the situation.

He didn’t ask any more questions, simply committing Li Chang’an’s warning to memory.

Li Chang’an continued to look over the list.

Besides the Foundation Establishment Cultivators from Golden Core Influences, there were also numerous Foundation Establishment Ancestors from Foundation Establishment Influences, as well as many Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators.

Almost all of them were people with whom he had business dealings.

The skills he publicly displayed in both pill concoction and Talisman Painting had reached Tier Two Top Grade, granting him a considerably high status. Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators sought to befriend him under the pretext of buying pills or talismans.

A quick count showed that the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators attending the birthday banquet would exceed one hundred and fifty!

The number of Qi Refining Cultivators was simply too high to count.

In addition, two Golden Core Cultivators would also be attending!

Mo Qingxue and Pei Yingyao had both clearly stated they would come.

The scale of this birthday banquet for Li Chang’an, a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, was comparable to that of some Fake Pill Masters.

’This next month is going to be busy.’

He sighed, just hoping the banquet would be over soon.

Just then, a streak of fiery red Spiritual Light suddenly shot across the distant horizon.

The Spiritual Light landed in the courtyard, transforming into the beautiful figure of a woman in a fiery red dress—it was Zheng Qingqing!

A smile spread across Li Chang’an’s face as he sensed that her aura had reached the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment.

“Qingqing, it’s been a long time. Where have you been all this while?”

“The Western Cultivation Realm.”

Zheng Qingqing replied with a smile, her eyes like pools of water as she gazed affectionately at Li Chang’an.

The two had been apart for a long time.

「In the days that followed.」

Li Chang’an dumped all his other duties on Xu Fugui, who groaned endlessly from the workload.

He, on the other hand, stayed in his immortal’s abode with Zheng Qingqing, discussing the Dao and cultivation, while also talking about the Western Cultivation Realm.

The reason Zheng Qingqing had gone to the Western Cultivation Realm was to search for several types of Anomalous Fire.

Her innate talent was average, and her Spiritual Root was only Middle Grade. The reason she was able to advance to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment so quickly was inextricably linked to those Anomalous Fires.

The Ten Thousand Flames Heaven-Burning Technique that Li Chang’an had given her all those years ago had been of immense help.

“Qingqing, what is the Western Cultivation Realm like?”

“It’s similar to the Southern Domain Cultivation Realm, but stronger overall.”

Zheng Qingqing explained in detail, her tone gentle.

The Western Cultivation Realm has more Golden Core Influences than the Southern Domain Cultivation Realm, including Five Great Sects and Ten Great Noble Families.

That cultivation realm has also descended into internal strife.

The Five Great Sects are warring with one another.

Zheng Qingqing benefited from this chaos, obtaining a total of three Heaven and Earth Anomalous Fires.

With the boost from these Anomalous Fires, the cultivation efficiency of her Ten Thousand Flames Heaven-Burning Technique was now comparable to an ordinary Celestial Grade Technique!

“Chang’an, if you hadn’t given me this Cultivation Technique, I would have had no hope of reaching the Golden Core stage in this lifetime.”

Zheng Qingqing’s beautiful face flushed red. Despite having a Fire Spirit Root, she was as gentle as water, and she thanked him earnestly.

…

Time flew by, and the day of his hundredth birthday finally arrived.

「On this day.」

All of Changqing Mountain was bustling with excitement in an unprecedented spectacle!

Streaks of light cut across the sky, like countless meteors from beyond the heavens, descending upon Changqing Mountain.

In addition, numerous Flying Ships, Mechanical Flying Birds, mid-air pavilions, and flying beast mounts hovered outside Changqing Mountain.

From the peak to the foot of the mountain, the air thrummed with the sound of drums and music. A cacophony of voices rose up, and not a single seat was empty!

“Haha, Daoist Li, I knew all along that the bottleneck to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment couldn’t stop a prodigy like you! I’m not late, am I?”

Zhang Qingfeng from the Talisman Zhang Family arrived, his face all smiles as he presented a congratulatory gift.

Li Chang’an accepted the gift and replied with a smile.

“Daoist Zhang, you’ve arrived at just the right time. Please, take a seat!”

The seat he arranged for Zhang Qingfeng was in a special location, close to the cultivators from neutral families like the Mu and Xiao Families, but farther from those affiliated with the Mo Family and the Cyan Cloud Sect, so as to avoid any unnecessary conflict.

As time went on, more and more guests arrived.

「By noon that day.」

Everyone on the list had arrived.

The grand and solemn birthday banquet officially began.

Jin Ming of the Jin Family was the first to rise, a wide smile on his face as he raised his cup to Li Chang’an at the head table.

“A toast to Daoist Li on his hundredth birthday!”

Immediately after, all the other cultivators, except for the two Golden Core Cultivators, rose to their feet.

“Congratulations to Daoist Li on his hundredth birthday!”

“Congratulations, Elder Li…”