"However, you don't need to worry now; the beast tide is still in the brewing phase and far from breaking out," said Ancestor Qiu Xuan.

"Moreover, I have also informed the major sects. Shortly, they will send people to jointly resist the demon beasts."

Upon hearing this, everyone let out a sigh of relief—it wouldn't erupt immediately, which was good.

At the very least, it gave them time to prepare.

Ancestor Qiu Xuan glanced around and suddenly smiled, "I heard from Hongyi there's a new Guest Minister. Who might that be? Come, let me see."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ping's heart tightened as he quickly stepped out from the crowd, showing respect, he stepped forward a few paces, bowed, and said, "Junior Xu Ping greets the Ancestor."

Instantly, he felt a probing gaze fall upon him, seemingly trying to see through him.

Xu Ping felt a surge of pressure in his heart.

"Good, good, good, truly a young and promising talent. There's no need to be nervous; as long as you act earnestly, whether you're a Guest Minister or my disciple, we treat everyone equally... Now, step back." Thankfully, with Ancestor Qiu Xuan's words, that probing gaze vanished.

"Yes, Ancestor!"

Xu Ping returned to his original position, looking overwhelmed with favor.

Facing a Golden Core cultivator, the pressure was indeed immense.

Afterward, Ancestor Qiu Xuan said a few more polite words, left Hongyi behind, and then dismissed everyone.

...

As Xu Ping walked out the door with the crowd, he exhaled lightly.

Facing a Golden Core cultivator, the pressure was truly immense.

When that gaze fell upon him, it was like needles on his back.

Not relaxing at all.

"Looks like our hard days are coming," sighed Xu Zhixuan beside him.

"This is my first time experiencing a beast tide. Would Fellow Daoist Xu be able to tell me the specifics of a beast tide?" Xu Ping inquired.

"I haven't experienced one either."

"However, I heard some older Foundation Establishment cultivators say that in the history of Qiu Xuan Immortal City, there have been three beast tides in total. The shortest lasted eight months, and the longest was five years..." Xu Zhixuan said.

"Five years?"

Xu Ping was slightly stunned—the duration of the beast tide was indeed too long.

Upon closer thought, the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range was vast and rich, and who knows how many demon beasts were in there.

Perhaps the demon beasts in the beast tide were just a fraction of them.

"Although the beast tide lasts a long time, Qiu Xuan Immortal City is guarded by a third-rank array and hasn't been breached yet," Xu Zhixuan reassured.

"I hope this beast tide can also be successfully weathered," Xu Ping couldn't help but sigh.

'Even if the beast tide hasn't erupted yet, my days ahead certainly won't be so leisurely,' he mused inwardly.

...

...

When the Golden Core ancestor confirmed that the beast tide would erupt early, Qiu Xuan Mountain didn't hold back and announced it publicly.

After all, it made no sense to keep it secret.

"How could this happen?"

"Wasn't the last beast tide just thirty years ago? How could it erupt so early this time?"

"My uncle died in the last beast tide..."

"The beast tide is erupting? Good, fortune lies in risk!"

...

Cultivators in Qiu Xuan Immortal City were worried, scared, saddened, or hopeful... yet none of it could change the fact that the beast tide was about to erupt.

To cope with this beast tide, Qiu Xuan Mountain made ample preparations, offering heavy rewards and inviting cultivators to guard the city and hunt demons.

Array masters, talisman masters, artifact refiners, among others, were all given generous treatment.

Arrays in various parts of the Immortal City were being reinforced.

Residential properties and caves were collectively discounted.

Even so, many cultivators still withdrew from Qiu Xuan Immortal City.

The city's marketplaces were no longer as bustling as before.

Many cultivators avoided the beast tide.

However, for some enterprising cultivators, it was a rare opportunity.

There were also more foreign cultivators exuding evil qi in the city.

...

Two months later, at Qiu Xuan Mountain.

Cultivation room.

Xu Ping sat with his eyes closed, silently cultivating.

After an unknown period.

Suddenly!

His aura began to rise.

Whoosh!

A surge of air lifted his robes, but quickly dissipated.

Xu Ping opened his eyes, a gentle blue light flashed.

"Phew!"

He let out a long breath.

"After spending so much time, I've finally mastered the Longevity Skill!"

A hint of joy flashed in Xu Ping's eyes.

He used his divine sense to examine the changes within himself.

Firstly, his cultivation speed had increased by a third, which meant his breakthrough to mid-stage Foundation Establishment would be sooner.

Additionally, the purity of the liquid mana in his dantian, or in other words, the quality, had also improved, with the patterns on the surface of the liquid mana becoming clearer.

The improvement in mana quality also represented an increase in combat power.

Among cultivators with the same conditions, the one with higher mana quality had distinctly higher combat power and endurance.

Most importantly, his lifespan had unexpectedly increased.

Xu Ping opened the proficiency panel, focusing his gaze on the lifespan section.

His lifespan had changed from '268' to '273', an increase of five years.

Xu Ping couldn't help but feel a bit of delight, but when thinking about the impending beast tide, that joy quickly faded.

"There's still a long way to go."

After finishing his cultivation, Xu Ping left the cultivation room and went to the small courtyard.

"Is Elder Xu home?"

At this moment, a voice called out from outside the courtyard gate.

Xu Ping opened the array and saw an unfamiliar Qi Cultivator from 'Qiu Xuan Mountain' standing at the gate.

"Elder Xu, I am a disciple who guards the mountain. Someone claiming to be an acquaintance of yours is looking for you at the foot of the mountain," said the Qi Cultivator respectfully.

"An acquaintance of mine?" Xu Ping's heart stirred, "Could it be...."

"Thank you, I'll go with you to have a look," he said.

...

...

At the foot of Qiu Xuan Mountain.

A lean old man paced back and forth, looking somewhat nervous.

"It's you, Friend Zhang, looking for me," Xu Ping's voice came before his arrival.

Zhang Yan turned toward the sound and, seeing Xu Ping approaching, couldn't help but step forward with a smile on his face, "Elder Xu."

"You specifically came to find me. What is it? Surely, not just to reminisce," Xu Ping teased.

"I do have a small matter," Zhang Yan smiled awkwardly. After a moment's pause, he organized his words and said, "Qiu Xuan Immortal City is about to face a beast tide. As a mere Qi Cultivator, even with the array's protection, I fear for my life."

"So, I wish to temporarily leave Qiu Xuan Immortal City and return after the beast tide has passed."

"Indeed, being in the Qi Refining Realm during a beast tide is dangerous," Xu Ping nodded.

He actually had another thought, that Foundation Establishment Cultivators were also extremely at risk during a beast tide.

He wanted to run away himself, but as a Guest Minister of Qiu Xuan Mountain, he couldn't leave now.

Of course, he had to prepare a fallback plan in case Qiu Xuan Mountain was breached by the beast tide, for a proper retreat.

"But recently, all Spiritual Boats in Qiu Xuan Immortal City are fully booked. Even with Spirit Stones, I can't get a ticket," Zhang Yan smiled awkwardly. "So I wanted to ask you, Elder, if you had any way."

After a moment of silence, Xu Ping replied, "I don't have any way myself, but I can ask around for you."

"Thank you very much, Elder!" Zhang Yan looked delighted.

"Wait for me here. I'll be quick," Xu Ping nodded.

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