Chapter 330: Accidentally Involved in the Red Dust, Vulgar Development

Ye Fan's question really stumped Lin Meng; how would she know what it feels like to live through eight hundred years?

Eight full hundred years—you'd have to ask the unearthed dried corpses.

Ordinary people living to ninety is already considered long-lived; some places call ninety-year-olds centenarians, but in the cultivation world people routinely live over a hundred—truly incomparable.

Lin Meng thought about Ye Fan's question, then replied:

"You need to have confidence in yourself; you entered Foundation Establishment at fifteen. Although the road ahead gets more perilous, I believe with your talent and effort you will definitely form a Nascent Soul within five hundred years."

"You don't know this, but I know a cultivator with five-colored mixed spiritual roots—a total waste root, essentially no talent for cultivation—but guess what? He formed a Nascent Soul in just two hundred years; anything is possible!"

"Remember this: accidentally provoke the red dust, develop vulgarly—you'll definitely be stronger than him."

As Lin Meng finished speaking, Ye Fan's confidence surged and his doubts vanished.

"Immortal sister, is that senior you mentioned really a five-spiritual-root cultivator? Normally such talent would struggle to reach Foundation Establishment, yet he actually formed a Nascent Soul—he's a true role model for us cultivators; I want to follow his example."

Lin Meng heard Ye Fan speaking as if injected with chicken blood, and she nervously licked her lips.

She still shouldn't tell Ye Fan more details about that mixed-spiritual-root senior; the small green bottle isn't something everyone has, and most successes can't be replicated.

But her words of comfort to Ye Fan weren't just empty talk; one must move forward with hope.

She didn't know how cruel the cultivation world truly was, or whether one could cultivate to Nascent Soul and higher realms, but she knew that man proposes, heaven disposes.

After Ye Fan calmed down, he carefully pondered Lin Meng's eight-character maxim.

Accidentally provoke the red dust, develop vulgarly.

He knew the first four characters meant not to waste time on love and romance; companions like the Supreme Elder who support each other forward are ultimately hoped for but unattainable.

Those with a pure mind and few desires are often better suited for cultivation.

But the last four characters, Ye Fan truly couldn't grasp.

"Immortal sister, what does "develop vulgarly" mean?"

Lin Meng scratched her head and said:

"It means don't be reckless, don't start pointless fights, don't do futile deeds; think before you act—if there's no benefit, we don't do it; if there is, we strive for more."

"When dealing with others, keep your eyes open; if they harm you, harm them back; if you can't win, run; if you can't escape, know the times, hide your light and nurture obscurity—there's no shame in that."

"Also, engrave the four words 'become stronger' in your mind; if you can do these, not succeeding will be hard."

As Lin Meng spoke at length, Ye Fan took out his little notebook and recorded her words one by one, nodding in agreement from time to time.

"Immortal sister, I've noted it down; every point you made is sound, I've recorded them all, and I'll keep them as my personal motto to remind myself."

Lin Meng felt a little embarrassed; she had just spoken offhand, but this kid was earnest—he actually took notes.

"You don't have to go that far; these tips are for loose cultivators. If you can find a backer and take shelter under a big tree, your cultivation path will be much easier."

Ye Fan heard this and silently sighed—finding a backer is easier said than done.

He then said, "How difficult it is to become a disciple of an Inner Sect Elder in the Cloud Heaven Sect!"

Moreover, an Inner Sect Elder's authority isn't that great; even becoming their disciple doesn't bring many benefits.

Unless you become a disciple of the Supreme Elder—then, as the Immortal sister said, it's truly a big tree to take shelter under…

"Look, the Supreme Elder is coming our way!"

"Indeed! What's going on? Are they still competing on stage?"

"Shh, keep it down—these two Supreme Elders are said to be willful; don't provoke them."

The disciples discovered that the two Supreme Elders were actually walking through the air toward the disciple crowd, and they were both surprised and delighted.

Ye Fan heard the sound and quickly looked up; as his eyes caught the shadows of the two Supreme Elders, his vision blurred and the next second his notebook was gone.

Ye Fan never expected that the two Supreme Elders had come for him—more precisely, to look at his notebook!

Oh no, oh no—the maxim the Immortal sister gave him has fallen into the Supreme Elder's hands; could something bad be about to happen?

Ye Fan felt a surge of worry, but then heard a clear, ethereal laugh beside him.

"Husband, you lost—this little guy isn't drawing for us; he's writing."

Xuan Ling laughed, her hands resting on her dao companion Dao Lingzi's shoulders; her beautiful features were lively yet exuded a unique aura of strength, making people admire her beauty but dare not stare too long.

Dao Lingzi snorted coldly, tossed the notebook back to Ye Fan, and added:

"These few lines are quite interesting, but the handwriting is terrible."

After receiving the notebook, Ye Fan quickly put it away; considering that this Supreme Elder had praised the Immortal sister's maxim as interesting, he let the comment about his bad handwriting slide.

"Little one, what's your name?"

Dao Lingzi, who looked far less approachable than Xuan Ling, glared at Ye Fan and said:

Ye Fan composed himself and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Supreme Elder, my name is Ye Fan, a newly promoted inner sect disciple."

Upon hearing that, Dao Lingzi gave a casual grunt.

"You reached Foundation Establishment at fifteen—your foundation isn't bad. Since I used you as a wager and made my spirit child Ling Er laugh happily, I'll reward you with an opportunity; present your treasure, and if Ling Er is satisfied, I'll give it to you."

Having spoken, Dao Lingzi waved his hand and summoned a long sword.

The sword was black as ink, its sword aura fierce even before leaving the sheath.

At that moment, everyone in the training field who recognized the sword gasped in shock.

Even the line of Inner Sect Elders lurking in the shadows couldn't sit still; they flew over, bowed, and then fixed their unblinking gaze on the black sword before Dao Lingzi.

"Supreme Elder, isn't this the sword you wore during your Golden Core period? Are you really going to give it to a Foundation Establishment novice?"

"This sword is a top-tier magical treasure; even the Sect Leader has asked for it and you never agreed—how can you think of giving it to him now? It's unacceptable!"

The inner sect disciples were burning with envy—not targeting Ye Fan on purpose, but because this sword is extraordinary, a top-tier treasure nurtured beside the Supreme Elder for a hundred years, truly exceptional.

Dao Lingzi merely replied lightly upon hearing that:

"How could it be unacceptable? This kid made Ling Er laugh—don't you know how long it's been since your spirit child, the Supreme Elder, last laughed? A full two months!"

The Inner Sect Elders: "……"

The sword belongs to this venerable one; how this venerable one disposes of it is none of your business!

Moreover, this venerable one only said he has a chance to obtain it, not that it will definitely be given to him; it also depends on what this little brat can bring out to please Ling'er.

Ye Fan stood in a stake-like stance, dazed for a while, finally understood.

It turned out that I accidentally blundered into it, letting the two Supreme Elders make a bet on him; as a result, the female Supreme Elder laughed, the male Supreme Elder got pleased and decided to reward him!

What a fine sword! He must find a way to obtain it!