Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

At night, Xu Ming was still sitting in his courtyard, placing the red longsword on his lap, quietly meditating.

Even though there were still no signs of the Immortal Sword “Hongxiu” awakening, Xu Ming remained committed to comprehending the way of the sword every day, maintaining his connection with it.

Once Hongxiu finally awakened, he could directly refine it into his life-bound flying sword without needing any adaptation period.

But seriously, how long was this big sister planning to sleep?

He had so many questions he wanted to ask her.

Besides, she was like a walking encyclopedia—if there was anything he didn’t understand, he could just ask her.

As the saying goes, “An elder at home is like a treasure.”

And this big sister wasn’t just any ordinary “treasure”—she was an ancient existence that had survived since the primordial times.

If he ever found himself in a dangerous situation, this ancient big sister would surely be able to offer valuable advice.

He put away the sword and then practiced a round of boxing.

It wasn’t just the way of the sword—his martial arts couldn’t be neglected either.

That being said, Xu Ming felt that both his Qi Cultivation and Martial Path had reached a bottleneck lately.

But he wasn’t in a rush. His cultivation had been advancing too quickly before, mostly due to facing numerous life-and-death situations.

Now that life had settled down a bit and there were fewer mortal dangers, it was only natural that his progress had slowed. This was a good time to consolidate his foundation.

After completing his daily training, Xu Ming took a bath in his courtyard.

Yes, even in Dragon City, one could take a bath.

Although it was located under the sea, the city felt no different from being on land—as if all the surrounding seawater had been drained away.

In Dragon City, despite being deep underwater, one could still brew tea and boil water.

However, if one paid close attention, there was still an imperceptible flow of water in the surroundings.

Xu Ming wasn’t entirely sure how this worked—perhaps it was due to the grand formations in place.

Because the moment he left Dragon City, everything felt different—it truly felt like being submerged in the deep sea.

Xu Ming planned to get some sleep and then find out more about the “Northern Sea Abyss” the next day.

Just how dangerous was it?

Otherwise, the Dragon Empress wouldn’t have told him to “take care of himself.”

But the problem was—he was completely unfamiliar with this place.

And he had no idea who to ask.

As for the officials from Wu Kingdom who had accompanied him to Dragon Palace, they were just as clueless about the Northern Sea Abyss as he was.

All they knew was that the Dragon Empress of the Northern Sea was stunningly beautiful and immensely powerful.

In other words, those guys were basically here for sightseeing.

“I should ask that old turtle,” Xu Ming thought to himself.

Although his relationship with Minister Turtle was limited to their brief interactions during his reception, at least there was some level of acquaintance.

Besides, what he wanted to ask wasn’t exactly top-secret information.

If he prepared a few gifts and paid a polite visit, Minister Turtle might just be willing to tell him something.

Otherwise, who else could he ask?

He couldn’t possibly go directly to the Dragon Empress, could he?

Now that she had confirmed he wasn’t the reincarnation of her former lover, she had completely lost interest in him.

She might not even be willing to meet him anymore.

“Tap. Tap. Tap.”

Just as Xu Ming was about to step into his room, the gate of his courtyard was suddenly knocked on.

Curious, he glanced outside, wondering who would come looking for him so late at night.

Opening the gate, he was met with the sight of a man dressed in the long robe of the White Deer Academy.

The man appeared to be in his thirties or forties, wearing a gentle smile.

In his eyes, Xu Ming even caught a hint of admiration.

But—Xu Ming had no idea who this man was.

“Sir, you are…?” Xu Ming cupped his hands in a respectful salute.

“My name is Lu Xiaoliu, a disciple of White Deer Academy and a friend of Mo Chi. Back when Mo Chi was studying at the academy, we were classmates. May I ask if you are Xu Ming of Wu Kingdom?” Lu Xiaoliu returned the salute.

“Yes, I am Xu Ming.” Xu Ming nodded. “I didn’t expect you to be a fellow student of Mr. Xiao. Please, Master Lu, come in.”

Xu Ming didn’t sense any hostility from this man. Even if he was an enemy, he wouldn’t dare act recklessly in the Dragon Palace—unless he had a death wish.

Not to mention, the man had claimed to be a former classmate of Mr. Xiao.

Strictly speaking, Mr. Xiao was Xu Ming’s teacher, which made this man his Uncle-Master.

“Haha, then I won’t be polite.” Lu Xiaoliu stepped into the courtyard without hesitation.

Xu Ming boiled a pot of water, made a cup of tea, and pushed it toward Lu Xiaoliu.

“Much appreciated.” Lu Xiaoliu took a sip, smacking his lips in satisfaction. “Tsk, tsk. The North Sea Dragon Palace’s Sea Bud Tea is already delicate and smooth, but paired with your tea-making skills, it’s truly a pleasure. Did Mo Chi also teach you the art of tea brewing?”

Xu Ming chuckled. “You flatter me, Master Lu. My tea-making skills are nowhere near Mr. Xiao’s level.”

He refilled Lu Xiaoliu’s cup and politely asked, “May I ask what brings you here, Master Lu?”

Lu Xiaoliu took another sip, showing no sign of being overly formal with Xu Ming. “This time, I was sent by the academy’s headmaster as an envoy to the Dragon Palace. When I heard you were here as well, I thought I’d drop by. After all, I’ve frequently heard your name and was curious about what kind of student Mo Chi had taken under his wing.”

As he spoke, Lu Xiaoliu suddenly grinned. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to borrow money or ask for favors.”

Xu Ming shook his head. “Master Lu, you jest.”

This man did resemble those distant relatives who never kept in touch but suddenly showed up to rekindle the connection.

And usually, such relatives were either here to ask for help or borrow money.

But—Xu Ming felt that Lu Xiaoliu was different.

There was an air of indifference about him, as if he was utterly unconcerned with the affairs of the world.