Dao Companions Help Me Live Forever

Huang Xiaoliu was born in the county town of Lanling, under the jurisdiction of the Wangshu Mansion. His ancestors were genuine tenant farmers, serving the Huang family, a prominent clan in the area, in cultivating the fertile land.

Because he was the sixth child in his family, he was named Xiaoliu (Little Six). The whole family lived a life that was neither rich nor impoverished.

It wasn't until he was twelve years old that he displayed his talent in cultivation for the first time.

As a result, the family tightened their belts to support his cultivation. Xiaoliu lived up to everyone's expectations and diligently cultivated for thirty years. Now, he has reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, neither high nor low in strength.

In their tenant farming village, he is already one of the top three experts.

Shortly after he broke through to the late stage of Qi Refining, due to his clean background, the Huang family promoted him to be the local supervisor, elevating his status and position.

Thus, a typical rise from a humble background occurred.

If nothing unexpected happens, in another two generations, and if there are cultivation talents in each generation of their family, there is a chance to cultivate a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Then, their name can be added back to the Huang family genealogy, becoming a collateral member of the Gold Core family, and thus gaining a noble background.

However, plans can never keep up with changes.

The beast tide arrived.

Similar to the situation in Qiufeng City, the Huang family had to consolidate their strength and retreat to the Immortal Cave, a spiritual vein, to resist the impact of the beast tide together with the local clan forces and the city lord's mansion.

His cultivation base is still decent, so he was chosen by the Huang family and can bring three people with him to enter the mountain protection formation.

However, he couldn't abandon his large family.

In order to support his cultivation in the past, his two older brothers remained unmarried even at the age of thirty, while his three sisters were married off early because their husbands offered a few extra Spirit Stones as dowry.

The resources he initially used for cultivation were saved from his family's meager income, and every Spirit Stone was soaked in the blood and sweat of his family.

How could he turn a blind eye to their danger when the crisis came?

However, he was insignificant, and the three spots given to him by the Huang family were already the limit.

He bid farewell to the Huang family and turned around, taking his whole family and their belongings, embarking on the road of escape.

However, the dangers on the road would not spare them just because they were unfortunate people. On the contrary, dangers would only target people like them.

The county town of Lanling is only three hundred miles away from the Wangshu Mansion.

The three hundred miles of escape route is soaked with the blood of ordinary people.

This road is a carnival for bandits.

In Huang Xiaoliu's view, sometimes human hearts are even more terrifying than the beast tide.

Ordinary people, carrying all their belongings and the new hope for survival, struggle hard, but end up becoming prey in the eyes of others.

Even though he is a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining, he still doesn't have the ability to protect the entire extended family.

After decades of rooting and growth, the Huang family is no longer the same as before, with eight family members. The parents are not mentioned, the older sister is married and has her own in-laws, and the in-laws also have their own relatives.

The same goes for the older brother, whose sister-in-law's family is also a large extended family.

There are nearly a hundred relatives involved in various relationships.

Among these people, more than half have given up cultivation and are at the lowest level. After all, cultivation is resource-intensive, and without sufficient talent, having a cultivation base of one or two levels to tend to the crops is enough.

They also don't bother cultivating those lethal spiritual arts. If they have the time, it's more practical to learn some martial arts.

When these people encounter specialized bandits who target cultivators, the outcome is predictable.

Huang Xiaoliu watched helplessly as the team of over a hundred people dwindled along the way, leaving behind several corpses almost every day.

Fortunately, those powerful bandits didn't pay attention to them.

Only those weak and powerless bandits clung to them like hyenas, occasionally tearing off chunks of flesh.

Fortunately, after getting closer to the capital city, those bandits didn't dare to appear randomly.

From anger at the beginning to silence later on, Huang Xiaoliu's spirit gradually grew weary.

All he could do was protect his closest family members.

He knew that other relatives were complaining and cursing him behind his back, but he could only pretend not to hear anything.

He thought he could protect everyone, but he discovered his own powerlessness.

All he could do was tightly grip the Spirit Stones, quickly restore his magic power, and improve his cultivation base even by a tiny bit.

He had never desired power as much as he did now.

Since breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining and becoming a supervisor from a tenant farmer in the Huang family, he had unconsciously slackened in his cultivation.

After all, he had been cultivating for such a long time, and now that life at home was good, he couldn't help but enjoy it.

His cultivation was never for the path of immortality. That goal was too far away from him. He just wanted to make life better for his family.

But everything now told him that the false prosperity and peace were only temporary illusions. When chaos approached, the only thing that could protect himself and his family was the power he controlled.

...

Now, the Huang family lives in the poorest slum in the capital city, squeezed together with other refugees, without even a house to live in, only crude huts.

Although life still has various problems, at least the level of danger has greatly decreased.

As night falls, Huang Xiaoliu sits in front of the hut keeping watch, while the other family members have already squeezed into the cramped huts and fallen asleep, exhausted.

He recalled the recent rumors circulating among the "high-level cultivators" in the slums, who were at the peak of Qi Refining. Staring at the blazing bonfire in front of him, he secretly made a decision.

The second half of the night arrived.

There were rustling sounds coming from the shack.

Huang Xiaoliu's parents came out together.

Huang Xiaoliu's parents were also cultivators, but their cultivation bases were not high, one at the second level of Qi Refining and the other at the third level of Qi Refining.

This was the cultivation base they achieved after Huang Xiaoliu became prosperous and found them spiritual pills to assist in their cultivation.

Because of their cultivation bases and the better life they had in recent years, they both looked like middle-aged people in their forties or fifties, just with darker skin.

"Son, your mother and I will stay here for the second half of the night. You go rest first."

"Father, mother, I want to take a gamble."

Huang Xiaoliu didn't get up, but threw a piece of dry wood into the bonfire. The flames rose higher, illuminating his weather-beaten face.

"Son, you are now the pillar of our family. You have the most experience. Your mother and I have been farming our whole lives and have never left the fifty-mile radius around the county town. Whatever you want to do, you must have your own plans. We won't interfere."

Huang Xiaoliu's father said so.

His mother added, "Mother will listen to your father."

"Father, mother, you continue to rest. With my cultivation base, I can go without sleep for a few days. I will stay up for the second half of the night."

Huang Xiaoliu's gaze gradually became resolute, and his voice carried a firmness that brooked no interference.

The next morning, Huang Xiaoliu entered the bustling inner city with most of the Spirit Stones his family had saved in recent years.

...

"The Great Unity Society!"

Huang Xiaoliu looked up at the golden plaque and unconsciously read the name.

According to rumors, the Great Unity Society was founded by a kind-hearted and compassionate Rogue Cultivator. Its principles were "for me, for everyone" and it had received strong support from the Lord of the Prefecture.

In less than two months since its appearance in the Wangshu Prefecture, it had already supported several Foundation Establishment cultivators in breaking through to the Gold Core Realm, as well as dozens of Qi Refining cultivators in breaking through to Foundation Establishment, most of whom were Rogue Cultivators.

And he was here to find hope.

"Fellow Daoist, are you also here to participate in the Great Love Project?"

A beautiful female cultivator in a figure-hugging cheongsam uniform appeared in front of Huang Xiaoliu, wearing a polite smile on her face.

She was the receptionist of the Great Unity Society.

Facing the female receptionist, Huang Xiaoliu, who had dealt with fields his whole life, couldn't help but feel his heart pounding, feeling a sense of self-deprecation.

"Yes, yes."

The so-called Great Love Project involved depositing Spirit Stones to participate in a lottery, hoping to win big.

Of course, whatever was won had to be repaid.

But everyone felt it was only natural and even felt grateful.

Who wouldn't like someone who could lend money without looking at relationships? Who wouldn't feel grateful?

"Alright, this way, please."

The receptionist paid no attention to Huang Xiaoliu's absent-mindedness and invited him to the back hall.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait in line here. It will be your turn soon."

Following the receptionist's guidance, Huang Xiaoliu looked ahead and saw a long line snaking forward.

His heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

"So many people?"

The receptionist had already turned to leave, but upon hearing this, she turned back and sighed at Huang Xiaoliu, saying, "Because there are too many people in this world who need help."

Huang Xiaoliu was stunned for a moment, then silently nodded.

Half an hour later, Huang Xiaoliu finally reached the front of the line.

The person registering them was a middle-aged cultivator sitting behind a table, expressionless and exuding a deep and imposing aura, similar to what Huang Xiaoliu had only felt from the ancestor of the Huang family.

This was actually a Gold Core cultivator!

Huang Xiaoliu was once again shocked by the background of the Great Unity Society.

"Do you know the rules?"

The middle-aged cultivator asked indifferently, his Divine Sense had already swept over Huang Xiaoliu's body, confirming his cultivation base.

"I know."

Huang Xiaoliu quickly nodded and handed over a storage bag containing one thousand Spirit Stones.

On the way here, the staff of the Great Unity Society had explained the specific rules of the Great Love Project to them.

The Great Love Project was about helping people. The so-called "for me, for everyone." As long as these Qi Refining cultivators deposited one thousand Spirit Stones in the Great Unity Society, they could immediately participate in the lottery.

Once drawn, you can obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, which you must take immediately to prevent private resale.

After successfully breaking through, you need to make up for the price difference of the Foundation Establishment Pill within ten years.

If you fail, the Great Unity Society will not make things difficult for you, but you will lose the opportunity to participate in the Great Love Project.

If you are not drawn, Spirit Stones cannot be refunded, but you will have a chance to continue drawing once a year thereafter.

"Since you know, I won't waste words."

The middle-aged cultivator took the Spirit Stones, scanned them with his Divine Sense, and easily counted them. Then he took out a green jade token from the table.

"This is your drawing token, go wait in the back."

Huang Xiaoliu took the jade token, feeling its warmth in his hand. It was light and delicate, but it felt inexplicably heavy.

Then he was led to the backyard by someone.

"There are cultivators from the Great Unity Society secretly guarding the courtyard. No cutting in line, no leaving the line after joining, leaving the line means losing eligibility."

In the center of the courtyard, there was a large cauldron filled with stone balls. The stone balls were about the size of an adult's fist and were grayish-white.

This cauldron was called the Great Love Cauldron, and it contained one hundred stone balls, ten of which were real. Each real ball contained a Foundation Establishment Pill.

These stone balls were made from the stone material of Spirit Stones mines and had the ability to block Divine Sense. Even Qi Refining cultivators like them couldn't penetrate the stone material.

Many cultivators lined up in front of the cauldron and handed their jade tokens to a female cultivator in the same uniform as the one outside, but with more intricate sleeve decorations. Then they reached into the cauldron.

It was clear that the cultivator drawing the ball was very nervous, and even the other cultivators in the line became nervous.

Pfft!

The stone ball was crushed into powder by the cultivator, revealing nothing inside.

The cultivator drawing the ball turned pale and wanted to say something, but was glared at by the female cultivator and staggered backwards.

He could only walk to the side in embarrassment, but his eyes were fixed on the cauldron.

If he couldn't draw ten real balls, he was afraid he would cause a scene.

Huang Xiaoliu didn't know why, but he also felt anxious.

Was he too impulsive? He dared to risk his entire fortune. If he ended up like the cultivator just now, how would he end up?

But at this point, he had no room for regret.

In silence, the line slowly moved forward, occasionally erupting in cheers as someone drew a real ball.

It was a golden pill that was unforgettable at first sight.

The cultivator who drew it stood proudly on the side, contrasting sharply with the disappointed crowd next to him.

Next, they would break through in the cultivation chamber provided by the Great Unity Society.

When it was Huang Xiaoliu's turn, there were still about thirteen or fourteen stone balls left in the cauldron, but only seven real balls had been drawn. In other words, there were still three Foundation Establishment Pills inside.

His chances were high!

Huang Xiaoliu couldn't form his current mood. He dumbly handed the jade token to the female cultivator and placed his hand on a stone ball.

Knowing that Spiritual Sense was useless, he couldn't help but probe with his Spiritual Sense, but he found nothing.

The stone ball was like wrapped in a layer of mist, making it impossible to see through.

He hesitated for a while, and the female cultivator hadn't urged him, but the cultivator behind him became anxious.

"Fellow daoist, hurry up. You're almost shining the ball."

"Yeah, thirteen out of three, what are you hesitating about?"

"Dammit, if you don't draw, let me do it!"

...

The excitement on the faces of the cultivators behind him was evident after waiting for so long. Their chances of drawing a real ball were high.

If it weren't for the staff from the Great Unity Society watching the scene, the cultivators behind them would probably have fought for these few spots.

"This one then."

Huang Xiaoliu grabbed a stone ball, and his Magic power surged. With a crisp sound, the stone ball cracked open, revealing one of the Foundation Establishment Pills sealed in amber, shining golden.

"Dammit, one less again!"

The cultivator behind him cursed, but Huang Xiaoliu was enveloped in joy.

"I got it! I got it! I got it!"

"Tsk tsk, another crazy one!"

The cultivators watching on the side sighed, unable to stop their envy. Their eyes were even more fiery as they looked at the cauldron.

For the next period of time, Huang Xiaoliu didn't know how he passed. He just held the Foundation Establishment Pill tightly in his hand, waiting for all the stone balls in the cauldron to be drawn, and sure enough, there were ten Foundation Establishment Pills.

Some cultivators who were not convinced left in disappointment, while receiving the drawing token for one year later issued by the Great Unity Society.

...

In the quiet room, Huang Xiaoliu calmed his mind and adjusted his state quietly.

He had only broken through to the ninth level of Qi Refining while his family was on the run, so it hadn't been long. Although there was a possibility of breaking through to Foundation Establishment now, it was still risky, and the success rate would not be too high.

But the Datong Society would never give him the opportunity to leave with the Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, since he had come, he was prepared.

The situation was chaotic and there was no time for hesitation.

This time, he was lucky to obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill, which was the closest he had ever been to the Foundation Establishment Realm in his life.

Originally, he had almost no chance of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage in his lifetime.

"One thousand Spirit Stones for a breakthrough opportunity, it's worth it!"

Huang Xiaoliu gritted his teeth and swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The breakthrough began!

...

Three days later.

Huang Xiaoliu walked out of the quiet room with a dazed expression. The Datong Society staff waiting at the door were first stunned, then showed a respectful expression on their faces.

"Congratulations, senior, on a successful breakthrough. Please come this way."

"Okay, okay."

Huang Xiaoliu was still not used to his new identity as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and even had respect for the lower-level cultivators of the Datong Society.

Soon, Huang Xiaoliu was led into a hall by someone.

In the hall, a dignified old cultivator was waiting. He didn't hide his own aura and turned out to be a Gold Core cultivator!

Huang Xiaoliu respectfully bowed.

"Junior Huang Xiaoliu, greetings to senior."

"Haha, we are family now, just call me Qi Lao."

Due to his outstanding work ability, Qi Chunshen was transferred to the headquarters of the Datong Society in the capital city, where he continued to shine.

"Greetings, Qi Lao," Huang Xiaoliu responded readily.

"Then I will call you Xiaoliu."

Qi Chunshen smiled and said, "Xiaoliu, now that you have broken through, you should know the rules of the Great Love Project. You must repay the debt of the Foundation Establishment Pill within ten years. Do you have any questions?"

"No."

Huang Xiaoliu shook his head, confident in repaying the debt.

Being a Foundation Establishment cultivator was already a mid-level position, and he could easily earn several thousand Spirit Stones a year by working as a guard for any business association.

The market price of the Foundation Establishment Pill was only around ten thousand Spirit Stones, and he had managed to save up enough in the past few years.

Qi Chunshen asked, "Xiaoliu, do you have any plans after your breakthrough? How do you intend to repay the debt?"

Huang Xiaoliu shook his head and said, "Not at the moment."

Qi Chunshen, with a kind and gentle expression, said, "Then let me introduce you to a job. You know that the Datong Society has such influence and helps bottom-level cultivators like you. This cannot be done without the support of the Lord of the Mansion."

"The Lord of the Mansion is deeply aware of the harm caused by Demonic Beasts, so he plans to prepare an army to exterminate them, but there is a shortage of manpower."

"So I thought of recommending you to join."

Huang Xiaoliu's face changed slightly. "Qi Lao, Junior still has family to take care of and it's inconvenient to be far away."

Qi Chunshen seemed not to hear his refusal and continued to smile, "Don't worry, your salary will be high, you can earn three to four thousand Spirit Stones every year. In three to four years, you will be able to repay the debt and be free."

"Even if you unfortunately die in service, we will not trouble your family. Instead, we will provide them with generous compensation."

Huang Xiaoliu fell silent.

Qi Chunshen calmly waited.

"Qi Lao, can I truly be free?"

Huang Xiaoliu had long known that there was no such thing as a free lunch, and at this moment, he felt not much anger, but rather a sense of relief, as if things were just as he expected.

Qi Chunshen frowned, "Do you think I, a true cultivator, would deceive a junior like you? I'm just afraid that you won't be willing to leave when the time comes."

"The elite team led by the Lord of the Mansion, if it weren't for the lack of manpower at the Preceding Entry Stage, do you think you would have been selected?"

Huang Xiaoliu nodded, "Qi Lao, I'm willing."

"Is it truly voluntary? Our society's leader has already said that we must never force you. The Datong Society has never been an organization that bullies men and dominates women."

Qi Chunshen reiterated.

Huang Xiaoliu smiled bitterly, "It is voluntary."

Half a month later.

Huang Xiaoliu, along with a group of newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivators who voluntarily joined the army to exterminate demons, as well as Qi Refining cultivators who heard that the monthly salary was high and that they could apply for Foundation Establishment Pills by making achievements, joined the army and began their life on the front lines.

The transformation from a spiritual farmer to a soldier came so unexpectedly. (End of this chapter)