152: Chapter 152 Entering the Sea, Temporary Stability

In the year Chu Zhan turned thirty, he achieved a Breakthrough to the Late Stage of the Spirit Lake Realm.

Yu Rumeng was uncharacteristically pleased and personally cooked a table full of dishes.

Taking the first bite, Chu Sheng was stunned. This woman... could actually cook? And it wasn't half bad?

Seeing his shocked expression, the corner of Yu Rumeng's mouth lifted slightly. 'What, did you think this Palace Master Su Yousi only knew how to kill?'

Chu Sheng silently took another bite, thinking to himself that her skills were far inferior to Li Zhiyi's, but he dared not say it aloud.

Chu Zhan ate with gusto, sauce smearing his mouth, while Chu Dou kept putting food in his bowl, neglecting his own meal.

Shoveling a mouthful of rice, Chu Zhan said with a full mouth, 'Little brother, you eat too.'

Chu Dou replied, 'I'm not hungry, you have more.'

Watching his two sons, Chu Sheng suddenly felt old.

Even though his current Lifespan, if he didn't exert himself, could last seven or eight hundred years, why did he feel old?

Old Grandfather's voice drifted faintly from the ring. 'Because your heart is old.'

Chu Sheng said, 'Could you please not interrupt when I'm feeling sentimental?'

Old Grandfather replied, 'No.'

In reality, Chu Sheng took a gulp of tea, smacking his lips. 'Yu Rumeng can actually cook? This woman is getting more and more interesting.'

He paused, his gaze settling on Chu Sheng's face in the scene. 'But when Chu Sheng says he feels old, he means it.'

Seeing his son already thirty, how could he not feel old?

Although with his cultivation level, living seven or eight hundred years was easy, matters of the heart had nothing to do with Lifespan.

Cultivators at the Dao Palace Realm had a Lifespan exceeding a thousand years.

Yu Rumeng was several hundred years old, but within the span of a long Lifespan, she was still considered young.

Su Yousi and Old Man Styx were even older; it was said that when Yu Rumeng was still a child, they were already famous throughout the demonic lands.

Chu Sheng sometimes wondered, just how many years had these old monsters lived?

A thousand years? Two thousand? Or even longer?

Chu Sheng asked Old Grandfather, 'In your prime, how long could you live?'

Old Grandfather was silent for a moment, his voice somewhat hoarse. 'A Lifespan of several thousand years. This old man lived over two thousand years. Whatever's left is enough.'

Chu Sheng heard the desolation in his tone.

For a powerful Cultivator, living to the end of their natural Lifespan was exceedingly difficult.

Unless you turtled up in an Immortal Cave like a coward, but even that carried risks.

Especially in a murderous place like the demonic lands; if you don't provoke others, others will come to provoke you.

There were too many ways for things to go wrong. Chu Sheng had seen too many Geniuses fall midway.

Those once-glorious names ultimately became engravings on tombstones, or sometimes not even that.

In reality, Chu Sheng remained silent for a long time.

Looking at the Chu Sheng in the scene asking about Old Grandfather's Lifespan, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

'Over two thousand years...' he murmured to himself.

'Old Grandfather lived over two thousand years, and in the end, only a wisp of remnant soul remained.'

'Chu Sheng has lived less than a hundred years and already has a bunch of people he can't let go of.'

He took a deep breath. 'This damn cultivation world, living any length of time is suffering.'

Zhou Wantang returned to the Zhou Family for a visit and was treated as an honored guest.

Zhou Lie personally greeted her at the door, holding her hand and saying, 'Wantang, you've finally returned. Your father has missed you terribly.'

Zhou Wuliu stood behind him, wearing an ingratiating smile, calling her 'sister' repeatedly. 'Sister, you've really made something of yourself now. Your little brother will have to rely on your care in the future.'

Zhou Wantang's face remained expressionless, but she remembered what Chu Sheng had said—so opportunistic.

Back when she was driven from the family, these people hadn't worn such expressions.

But she didn't say anything, merely offering a faint smile. 'Father, you're too kind. Brother, you're too kind.'

Chu Sheng was strolling through the city when he saw Chu Zhan sparring with several demon generals.

One swing of his axe per opponent, sending them sprawling and searching for their teeth.

Chu Zhan sheathed his axe, grinning widely. 'My thanks for conceding.'

The demon generals scrambled to their feet, clasping their fists. 'Young Master Chu is formidable. We are impressed.'

Chu Sheng watched from a distance, thinking to himself, this kid is becoming more and more like his mother.

Back in the day, Yu Rumeng was just as overbearing, lashing out with her whip regardless of who you were.

Old Grandfather said, 'A tiger father does not beget a dog son.'

Chu Sheng said, 'Are you complimenting me or him?'

Old Grandfather said, 'Both.'

Chu Dou's Alchemy skills were almost catching up to Zhou Wantang's; he could now refine fourth-grade Medicinal Pills.

He refined a batch of Soul-Nourishing Pills for Yu Rumeng. After taking them, she closed her eyes to sense their effects for a moment before saying, 'Not bad. A bit inferior to what your aunt refined last time, but already very good.'

Chu Dou was so happy he jumped up, banging his head on the doorframe and raising a bump on his forehead.

Clutching his head, he grinned through gritted teeth. 'Don't worry, Mother. Next time I'll definitely surpass Aunt.'

Yu Rumeng reached out and ruffled his hair. 'Good. Mother will be waiting.'

Chu Sheng laughed heartily, nearly doubling over. 'That kid Chu Dou is on a completely different wavelength from his brother.'

'One's a brute, the other's a tech nerd.'

'These two sons have managed to cover both the martial and scholarly aspects.'

He wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. 'But Yu Rumeng is quite gentle with Chu Dou too. I thought she only doted on the eldest.'

The minor skirmishes between the righteous and demonic factions finally escalated into a localized war.

The cause was a demon general from the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons who went pillaging within Tianfeng Kingdom's borders and was surrounded and killed by Jiang Yuenü's troops.

The Hall of Ten Thousand Demons was furious and dispatched forces in retaliation. Tianfeng Kingdom refused to yield an inch, and the two sides clashed fiercely at the border.

When the news reached the Nine Nether Palace, Su Yousi summoned Yu Rumeng for a council.

Yu Rumeng left with a calm expression but returned with a grave one.

She said to Chu Sheng, 'War is coming. This one will be bigger than the last.'

Chu Sheng asked, 'How long?'

Yu Rumeng said, 'I don't know.'

Chu Sheng's heart sank.

He knew the storm had finally arrived.

In the last great war, he had almost died at the Duanhun River.

This time? Would he be able to return alive?

Old Grandfather's voice sounded gravely from within the ring. 'Don't overthink it. When soldiers come, we have generals to block them; when water comes, we have earth to dam it.'

Chu Sheng nodded. 'I know.'

Chu Sheng began closed-door cultivation, striving to break through to the Sea Opening Realm.

Heavenly Demon Body, Taixu True Scripture, and the feedback from Many Children, Many Blessings—all three forces worked in tandem.

He swallowed a handful of Medicinal Pills, circulated his Cultivation Technique, and the spiritual power within his body surged like a tidal wave.

After three months in seclusion, he finally broke through to the Early Stage of Sea Opening.

On the day he emerged, the entire city shook. Devilish Qi soared into the sky, and Demonic Beasts within a hundred-mile radius prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling.

Chu Zhan stood waiting at the door, grinning widely. 'Father, you've finally reached Sea Opening. If you hadn't broken through soon, I would have surpassed you.'

Chu Sheng slapped the back of his head. 'Nonsense. I was almost caught up by you, kid. Your father isn't old yet.'

Chu Sheng watched this scene, the corner of his mouth lifting. 'Sea Opening. Finally reached Sea Opening.'

He paused, his gaze growing somewhat complex. 'But this level of cultivation still won't be much to look at in the coming war.'

'Sea Opening? Sea Opening is nothing. In the demonic lands, you could knock over a whole bunch of Sea Opening Cultivators with a single brick.'

He sighed. 'The road ahead is still long.'

Yu Rumeng also entered closed-door cultivation.

She wanted to further consolidate her Middle Stage Palace Building cultivation and attempt to break through to the Late Stage.

Chu Sheng gave her all his savings from over the years—Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures—piled high on a table. 'Ask for more if it's not enough.'

Yu Rumeng glanced at him, didn't stand on ceremony, swept her sleeve, and took everything.

Chu Sheng looked at his now-empty Storage Pouch, his heart aching with every twinge.

Old Grandfather laughed from within the ring. 'You're quite generous.'

Chu Sheng said, 'Of course. She's my wife. Who else would I give it to?'