Chapter 84: (1): Long Xuans Background

Long Xuan walked to the medicinal garden, instructed his clone to harvest all the mature spiritual herbs, and then hung the storage bag filled with herbs on wood clone. He then drained the clone's spiritual energy, reducing his cultivation level to the initial stage of Spirit Gathering.

He had always used this method to conceal his cultivation level. In his view, no method of hiding one's cultivation was truly safe unless it involved genuinely lowering it. Only then could he be absolutely secure.

Long Xuan was very confident in his disguise, believing that even the Gu King wouldn’t be able to detect that he was hiding his cultivation. With this in mind, he sent wood clone towards the broken straw hut where Elder Long resided.

Wood clone knocked on the door. After a voice inside called out to enter, wood clone, feeling nervous, pushed the door open and walked in.

"Elder Long, I’ve brought you the herbs!"

Elder Long, still half-lying on a chair, glanced at him sideways and laughed, "Alright, stop hiding your cultivation level. Your disguise may fool others, but it won't fool me."

Long Xuan's expression froze instantly. He was completely stunned. Wasn’t it supposed to be undetectable even by the Gu King? How could he have seen through it so quickly? Did he have some kind of cheat?

What the hell! He's got a cheat!

Elder Long looked him up and down with great interest and marveled, "The clone created by the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' is indeed flawless. Most people really can’t see any flaws."

"Ever since the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' was brought out from the ancient tomb, it has spread everywhere, and many people have learned it, but most of them encountered problems."

"Many people, after just condensing their clone, were killed on the spot by their own clone, which then took their place, with outsiders being completely unable to detect the switch."

"I had no interest in such a deadly cultivation method, but your clone seems to be quite stable. I wonder how you manage it."

Elder Long scrutinized him carefully but wasn’t overly curious. In his view, even if it could be stabilized, it was only temporary.

What he didn’t know was that Long Xuan hadn’t practiced the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' at all. Although his 'Ten Absolute Scripture' borrowed a lot from that method, he added many of his own innovations. Even the number and attributes of clones had changed, with the original text having been altered beyond recognition.

With the help of his cheat, the method he created was already perfect, with no loopholes, having eliminated the pitfalls of the 'Sun and Moon Heart Sutra' to the greatest extent.

He took the Purple Demon Flame formula, feeling speechless. He already had this formula; what was the point of this?

But he quickly became alarmed. This formula was one of the Long Clan’s most secret treasures, yet it was being handed over to him so openly? How was that possible?

Long Xuan’s expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly said, "Elder Long, you must have made a mistake. This is the Long Clan’s exclusive secret method. I’m not qualified to learn it."

Elder Long looked at him and smiled meaningfully, "Do you know that before the Long Clan settled in this village, there were no people with the surname Long here?"

Hearing this, Long Xuan was shocked, showing disbelief. Could it be that he really had the bloodline of the Long Clan? Was he the illegitimate child of some powerful Long Clan Gu cultivator left outside? Did he actually have strong backing? Could it be such a coincidence?

No wonder Elder Long didn’t choose anyone else to tend to his medicinal garden, but specifically chose him.

No wonder he was given such a high salary. He hadn’t thought about it much before, but now it made sense—why would Elder Long share the harvest with him?

The salary Elder Long gave him was that after handing over the required amount of spiritual herbs, any extra would belong to him. It seemed like an incentive, but in years of great harvests, his salary was absurdly high.

Mortal labor was the cheapest, with a single spiritual stone being considered generous. Why would Elder Long share the harvest with him? Could it be that he really had a strong background?

But then again, if he truly had the Long Clan’s bloodline, why would the Long Clan ignore him? This didn’t quite make sense, leaving Long Xuan confused.

"Could it be that I really have a strong background?" Long Xuan immediately asked in surprise.

"There's no need to doubt it," Elder Long smiled as he looked at him. "You do have a strong background, but it’s not just a coincidence. To be precise, all the mortals with the surname Long in this area have a strong background."

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