Be the Hardest Working Demon Cultivator!

Chapter 73: 73, Forever Young for Twenty Years

A modest hill, half-covered in piled snow, looked lifeless at a glance, yet sunshine brightened the other half, where even birds and beasts played merrily. Such a spectacle could only be witnessed at the border between Vast Cold State and Qingzhou.

Tan Shuchang rode a rainbow of rosy clouds, walking out from Vast Cold State. When he passed this place, he couldn’t help but take an extra look at this marvelous scene.

With sixty-three years of cultivation under his belt, and having not stopped once since leaving the Peach Blossom Wonder, the journey that would normally take a common cultivator at least a month, he had completed in less than two days.

"It really is like day and night are split..."

Tan Shuchang marveled and then immediately continued on his way.

However, he quickly came to a halt because a county town had appeared before him. With his grand arrival, he had also caught the attention of the cultivators in the area.

Suddenly, with a clap of thunder, a Mountain-Sea Beast spanning dozens of yards—a Water Marsh Thunder Jiaolong—came into Tan Shuchang’s view.

This Water Marsh Thunder Jiaolong locked gazes with Tan Shuchang, hesitating initially but quickly coming to a decision before speaking in human tongue, "Is this Tan Shuchang Tan Daomarshal himself?"

"You recognize me?" Tan Shuchang was somewhat surprised. He had once had a good relationship with a Water Marsh Thunder Jiaolong; they had almost become sworn brothers. But that Jiaolong was quite unremarkable within its own clan.

"Ah haha..." Hearing Tan Shuchang’s question, the Water Marsh Thunder Jiaolong let out hearty laughter before swiftly changing the subject, "The battle between Tan Daomarshal and Long Zhangyuan, a disciple from Heavenly Sword Mansion, has now spread throughout the entire Zi Xuan Dynasty. Many of my colleagues feel indignant on behalf of Tan Daomarshal!"

"This has spread too?" Tan Shuchang was taken aback, but he soon understood that it must have been the doing of that swordsman.

Even if it wasn’t, it was somewhat related to him.

It seems Heavenly Sword Mansion, just like Luoja Mountain, is very enthusiastic about causing trouble for the Heavenly Sword Sect.

One took the opportunity to rescue him and then let loose the details of that battle; the other purposefully delayed him for half an hour to create an illusion and took the chance to share a portion of the Nine Apertures Martial Demon with him.

The latter’s intention, Tan Shuchang had not initially considered. After all, he wasn’t a person with the cunning of a demon; he was just an ordinary person.

"It has spread, it has spread!"

The Water Marsh Thunder Jiaolong waved its claws, seemingly answering Tan Shuchang’s question, but deep within those bell-like eyes, it concealed a profound meaning.

It was as if it were answering another question entirely.

"Don’t worry about it," the Water Marsh Thunder Jiao said only after seeing Tan Shuchang savoring the Immortal Peach and looking quite satisfied, "I wonder if Tan Daoist would be willing to meet some of my clan’s younger generation? Oh, right, none of my clan’s younger generation has ever been involved in the political arena, so they are somewhat unruly and even a bit insensible.

Please be understanding with them, Tan Daoist!"

"Fellow Daoist, just bring them out!" Having received such a great favor, how could Tan Shuchang refuse?

Especially since it was something that had been agreed upon before he arrived.

So, for the sake of the Immortal Peach, even if a foolish Jiao dragon wanted to attempt a bite at him, Tan Shuchang had decided to let bygones be bygones.

Upon hearing Tan Shuchang’s words, the Water Marsh Thunder Jiao immediately called over its clan’s younger generation.

In an instant, mist rose abruptly from the ground, and the very earth seemed to transform into waterways, accompanied by faint thunderclaps.

This was an accompanying phenomenon of the Water Marsh Thunder Jiao, a natural ability inherent to this type of Mountain-Sea Beast.

It wasn’t Divine Skills, yet it was as good as Divine Skills.

Soon, Tan Shuchang saw several figures, each several zhang long, emerging from the mist. These young Water Marsh Thunder Jiaos were only a few years old, so even though they possessed spiritual intelligence and could even recognize words and scriptures, they could not yet speak human language.

Upon their appearance, these young Water Marsh Thunder Jiaos opened their eyes wide, some with astonishment, some with admiration, and some gazing at Tan Shuchang with fervent eyes.

Tan Shuchang naturally felt that these gazes were somewhat peculiar, but seeing as these Water Marsh Thunder Jiaos merely observed from a distance without approaching him, he did not say anything.

After all, he wasn’t very familiar with Water Marsh Thunder Jiaos, and he was unclear about the nature of such Mountain-Sea Beasts during their juvenile stage.

"Alright, alright, little fellows, you’ve seen the real person now, and I’ve fulfilled what I promised you. Now, will you go back and learn how to navigate the political arena?" At this point, the adult Water Marsh Thunder Jiao that had invited Tan Shuchang spoke up.

At these words, the juvenile Water Marsh Thunder Jiaos all nodded their heads, and then, with the sound of thunder, they disappeared without a trace.

"Many thanks to Tan Daoist for gracing us with your presence. I don’t have much of value here, just one more Immortal Peach. My superior has long coveted it, but I didn’t want to give it to him, so please accept it, Daoist!"

Tan Shuchang intended to refuse, but then he thought of a young girl who had once employed the Mountains and Rivers Map on his behalf, and so he accepted the Immortal Peach.

After all, such a divine treasure was hard to come by unless by chance, and every Immortal Peach tree bore fruit only to wither on its own, impossible to obtain through artificial cultivation.