《Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao》


 Chapter 1 Time Travel

    In the deep mountains at midnight, all was deathly still. Dark clouds masked the sky, and Great Wind rustled the dense jungle with a whispering sound.


    On a rarely trodden mountain path, a skinny youth slowly opened his eyes.


    The boy appeared young, his delicate face slightly pale, dressed in a gray robe that had been washed to near white. Carrying a wooden bookcase on his back, he was clearly a Schr making his way through the mountains.


    "Oh, where am I?" Lu Yu muttered, rubbing his forehead that was faintly in pain.


    "I can''t keep drinking like this, it''s truly too ufortable!" After saying this, he realized his surroundings and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. His brain, still somewhat dizzy, became alert instantly.


    "Where is this? Wasn''t I drunk and taken to my dorm!" As a mid-aged man from the 21st century, ustomed to socializing in the workce, he remembered being in his dorm after drinking, but who could tell him why he was in this wilderness?


    Only then did he notice that his gradually growing beer belly had vanished, and upon closely examining his body, Lu Yu arrived at a startling conclusion.


    "I have traveled through time!" Being deeply influenced by inte literature, he realized this at once. What followed was deep fear.


    He didn''t know if this was merely a joke from some powerful being or a pure stroke of fate, but now fully aware, he understood that in such an environment, if he didn''t take some action, death might well be his end.


    Without the luxury to consider anything else, Lu Yu got up and continued along the mountain road forward. He didn''t know what awaited him, nor was clear about the world he had entered, but he could be certain it was set in ancient China based on the attire of the body he inhabited.


    The cold wind blew against Lu Yu''s frail body, causing him to shiver involuntarily as the roars of wild beasts asionally echoed through the mountains. Fear, like a Poison Snake, bit at his Heart Sea, forcing him to hasten his pace.


    Just as Lu Yu''s emotions were about to copse, a glimmer of firelight appeared in the distance, warming his heart that was filled with fear.


    That strand of human light was so warm, Lu Yu greedily gazed at the distant firelight; to him, it was the light of hope. Without a moment''s hesitation, he headed straight for the source of the light.


    In the darkness, human thoughts tend to amplify, and what might typically feel like a short amount of time seems to stretch on. Lu Yu felt this, for although he felt he had been walking for many hours, his destination still seemed far out of reach.


    The roars of wild animals near his ear quickened Lu Yu''s steps, and after passing through a dense jungle, a dpidated ancient temple appeared before him. Broken walls and ruins, the once majestic temple gate had already copsed, and wild grass as tall as a man grew densely. The hanging que was also in ruins, barely discernible with the character "Lan."


    Entering the temple gate, what came into view was a great hall, equally dpidated, even the once majestic Divine Statue had copsed to the ground, only that head informed passersby it was once a Buddha statue, with a campfire quietly burning beside it.


    By the fire sat a strange man with a youthful face yet dense beard, and a pair of bright eyes behind him, a peculiar wooden box was strapped to his back.


    Perhaps it was the sight of another person, Lu Yu felt his body rx, his vision darkened, and then he knew no more.


    Lu Yu had a long dream, where he was a cautious office worker, a diligent and studying student, guests wearing masks of fake smiles, and his parents'' attentive gazes.


    In his dreams, he could not distinguish whether he was the middle-aged man who spent his days entangled in the pursuit of fame and fortune or the spirited young man.


    Contradictory thoughts filled his mind, causing him a splitting headache and making him want to scream loudly.


    Just when Lu Yu felt as if his brain was about to tear apart, a cool breath flowed in from outside.


    This coolness allowed him to put aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind and to calm down to carefully consider his own situation. By carefully recalling everything in his mind, he suddenly had an epiphany that the ttery and mask-wearing life were Lu Yu''s, and the one who studied diligently and achieved academic sess was also Lu Yu.


    With this thought, it seemed as if a light burst forth from the Heart Sea, and the world instantly became bright. In this warm light, the memories from Earth and this world merged into one.


    Actually, Lu Yu had crossed over long ago, but regrettably, his young body could not bear the vast memories, hence he had not been able to remember it. Because of this, Lu Yu had been clever since childhood, often uttered astonishing statements that made the vigers proim him an Immortal descended to the mortal world.


    It was only during this studying journey that a sudden illness had triggered the memories sealed deep within his soul.


    After the memories merged, Lu Yu no longer felt the difort he had before, but instead felt his body brimming with vitality. His eyes, which had been tightly shut, also slowly opened.


    At that moment, everything inside the decrepit temple came back into his field of view. It was still that warm me, still that unique young man, but at this moment, Lu Yu feltpletely at peace.


    "Thank you, young sir, for letting Lu Yu stay," Lu Yu naturally bowed and saluted the young man.


    "There''s no need for formalities; my name is Yan Dan, and I am a swordsman!" The young man''s voice was filled with a masculine air, yet Lu Yu had not seen where he kept his sword.


    Lu Yu and the young man began to chat, finding themselves unexpectedly in tune. Yan Dan was carefree and his words brimmed with the vitality of youth, while Lu Yu, with experiences from two worlds, had a broad range of knowledge and could touch upon any subject.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Just as they were enjoying their conversation, Yan Dan suddenly burst intoughter and said, "Brother Lu, I don''t know if you believe in Ghost Deities?"


    This abrupt change in topic made Lu Yu involuntarily pause, and for a moment, he actually did not know how to respond.


    It was then that Lu Yu noticed that a rustling sound suddenly came from outside the decrepit temple, as if a giant python was crawling on the grass outside, its huge mouth open and ready to choose someone to devour. The fear stemming from the depths of his soul caused goosebumps all over Lu Yu''s body.


    Several ck branches, simr to Poison Snakes, slowly crept up from around the decrepit temple, casting mottled shadows under the glow of the firelight.


    "Waited so many days, have you finally decided to show yourself! Monster, this time I''ll see where you can escape to!" Yan Dan, looking at the scene outside the temple, showed no fear, instead, he was thrilled.


    "Brother Lu, wait a moment for me to y this evil beast, then we can have a good chat!" Before waiting for Lu Yu to respond, he rushed out of the temple quickly.


    Lu Yu stared nkly at Yan Dan''s departing figure, filled with doubts that he did not know whom to share with.


    He had not expected that on the first day of his crossover, he would witness the legendary monsters. Having been human in two lives, he had never seen what a Monster looked like; truth be told, there was actually a trace of excitement in his heart.

 Chapter 2 Flying Sword Vanquishes Evil

    Lu Yu sat alone by the campfire in silence, the outside world devoid of any sound, as if everything that had happened was just a dream.


    Just then, a figure appeared outside the door.


    She was an extremely beautiful girl, who could rank highly even for Lu Yu, an Earthling well-versed in beauty.


    She was dressed in a gorgeous silk long dress, her thin garments entuating her graceful figure, so beautiful it seemed beyond this world. Herrge, captivating eyes were full of enchanting gazes.


    "Kind sir, may I rest here for a moment?" the girl asked in an ethereal voice, crisp like the song of a hundred birds.


    Gazing at the pitifully charming beauty, Lu Yu felt no inner turmoil. To be honest, if he hadn''t been walking the mountain road for so long, he wouldn''t have imagined anyone maintaining such pristine clothes in the wilderness, untouched by a speck of dust¡ªshe was either a fairy or a demon.


    "Sure, this temple isn''t owned by my family!" Despite realizing something was off about the girl, Lu Yu decided to stick to the script; angering the demon out of embarrassment would have been a foolish loss.


    Although the girl was a bit surprised by Lu Yu''s response, she still happily sat next to him.


    At that moment, Lu Yu felt a deep malice, as if he were being stalked by a starving tiger, making his skin crawl.


    This was a spiritual rm, a result of the fusion of two souls that gave Lu Yu such sharp intuition.


    "Sir, are you perhaps cold? I see you shivering all over!" the girl said as she slowly moved closer to Lu Yu.


    "Miss, please have some self-respect. I, Lu, am a gentleman of integrity. In these wild hills, I implore you to maintain your dignity!" Lu Yu struggled to suppress the fear in his heart as he continued to wildly ad-lib.


    "How could I be one of those self-disrespecting women? My mother passed away early, and after my father remarried, he and his new wife would beat and scold me. I had no choice but to flee from home. Seeing that you, sir, are an honest and dependable person, I allowed myself the thought of offering to share mypany in your rest.


    I hope you will not disdain me for being alone and helpless and take pity on me, allowing me a ce to stay."


    Lu Yu looked at the demon in shock; he really hadn''t expected his first encounter with a demon to be with such a drama queen, with such a remarkable talent for storytelling.


    But he also knew the demon was running out of patience. Frically, his mind searched for a way to survive. When he saw the overturned incense burner behind him, he suddenly had an idea.


    "Where has this fortunee from that I should receive such favor from the miss!" he eximed, his face betraying a lecherous expression.


    The demon seemed just as surprised by Lu Yu''s drastic change; moments ago, he had been sitting upright like a man of honor, but now he''d transformed into a glutinous lecher.


    But at this point, she was out of options, the prey already on the hook; she wouldn''t be fussy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The girl''s lithe body fell into Lu Yu''s arms, and he was met with the sight of a stunning face. But Lu Yu was very clear that this was no amorous encounter; he was more like a prey being admired by a clever hunter, and Lu Yu was unfortunately the food that could no longer escape.


    "Ah!" What followed was not an erotic scene, but a piercing scream.


    In just the blink of an eye, the two who had been gazing into each other''s eyes with seemingly tender affection hadpletely torn off their masks. Before the hunter could enjoy her catch, the prey had already begun its counterattack.


    A handful of incense ash hit the demon squarely. The incense ash, an offering to the gods, had been permeated with divine power over a long time, naturally carrying the characteristic to dispel evil.


    For the demon, this incense ash was like burning charcoal. Entering its body, it caused unbearable pain, and she couldn''t help but howl in anguish.


    "Damned schr, I''ll y you alive!" What was once a beautiful face had transformed into one covered with bark-like features, aged and gnarled; her clear voice had turned raspy and unpleasant. Her delicate fingers had be ck branches, lunging at Lu Yu.


    Gazing at the terrifying sight before him, Lu Yu no longer felt fear. People never know just how brave they can be until the very end. He watched with interest as the branches came at him, silentlymenting that his first intimate encounter with a demon would end like this.


    "Monster, face my sword!" In that critical moment, a robust voice came from outside the temple, sounding to Lu Yu like heavenly music¡ªit was Yan Dan who had rushed over.


    A sword light shed, piercing the demon with speed faster than thunder, and the seemingly sturdy woody exterior crumbled like paper under the sword light, offering no resistance.


    The demon''s body seemed to split open, bright light shining through the cracks, and in a short time, the demon was dissipated by the light.


    Lu Yu stared nkly at the branches turning to powder before him, secretly relieved. Had Yan Dan arrived even a momentter, Lu Yu would have been done for there and then.


    "Brother Lu, I''m truly sorry. I was lured away by the demon''s ploy, almost letting you fall prey to its malice. Yet you are truly extraordinary, to have inflicted such harm upon the demon!" Yan Dan said, looking at Lu Yu with amazement. He truly hadn''t expected this seemingly frail schr to achieve so much.


    "You tter me, you tter me. It was Brother Yan''s flying sword that was impressive¡ªit annihted the demon in an instant. That is truly formidable!"


    Lu Yu also curiously sized up this brother he had just met, genuinely surprised to find that he was the legendary Sword Immortal. That dazzling sword light earlier, even to the untrained eye, was obviously extraordinary, and the seemingly powerful demon was cut down as easily as paper beneath the flying sword.


    "s! I can''t yet consider myself a true Sword Immortal, I have merely stepped onto the path," Yan Dan said with a slight sigh.


    "This isn''t considered a Sword Immortal?"


    "A real Sword Immortal nurtures an Immortal Sword, capable of beheading from a thousand miles away with a flying sword. If such a person encountered this demon, there''d be no need to unsheathe their sword; a mere wisp of Sword Qi would suffice to scatter its soul to the winds!"


    "Could Brother Yan enlighten me further?" Inside, Lu Yu was filled with anticipation about the ways of the Sword Immortal.


    "The path of the flying sword values sincerity above all, with cultivation focusing on nurturing and honing."


    "To nurture a sword is to gradually enhance its Spiritual Nature through the Contemtion Technique, until it responds to one''s will."


    "Once its Spiritual Nature is fully developed, the flying sword gains various marvelous uses. Thereafter, one must hone its edge through battle, strengthening its Sword Qi. When that is achieved, one will be able to behead from a thousand miles away and also fly with their sword."


    Yan Dan slowly shared what he knew about the cultivation of flying swords, and Lu Yu listened with an ardent heart. Bing a Sword Immortal was indeed what he aspired to be.


    As the two conversed and walked, they soon saw a towering tree standing before them, shooting up into the clouds, its entirety pitch ck. A pile of white bonesy under it, creating quite the fearsome sight.


    "Goodness, how many people have been devoured to create such a pile of bones." Lu Yu''s eyes widened as he stared at the enormous pile of bones and eximed in shock.


    "This demon is cunning by nature and excels at beguiling travelers. I had heard of its notoriety and came to y the demon. Unexpectedly, the demon was overly cautious and dared not face me. Had it not been for Brother Lu''s incense ash, I might not have been able to harm the demon''s soul."


    Just then, the two suddenly saw a red-beaked crow fly out from the tree. Yan Dan quickly drew his sword to strike it, but the crow dodged and flew off toward the northwest.


    "What a sly monster, hiding a part of its soul in that crow. I wasn''t careful and let it escape," Yan Dan said, clutching his flying sword, grinding his teeth. After speaking, he shot Lu Yu a strange look.


    "Why is Brother Yan looking at me like that?" The look in Yan Dan''s eyes gave Lu Yu the creeps, prompting him to quickly ask the reason.


    "I won''t hide it from you, that demon hid part of its soul in that red-beaked crow. I was careless and let it get away. This demon is vengeful and will certainly seek out trouble for the both of us in the future. I''m not worried for myself, but you..." Yan Dan trailed off.


    "What should I do then? Could I be your disciple and learn the art of the flying sword?"


    Yan Dan looked speechlessly at Lu Yu, who wore an expression full of hope, and said, "Our Sect doesn''t ept disciples lightly, and besides, I am not yet qualified to take on disciples!"


    "I see, then let''s forget about it. But you muste up with a solution for me; otherwise, sooner orter, I''ll fall to that demon!" Lu Yu did not insist, knowing that Yan Dan, so young, likely did not have the authority to take him as a disciple.


    "Don''t worry, I have thought of a way for you. Although I can''t impart to you the fundamental Great Dao, our Sect has documented many subsidiary Techniques. I will teach you a Technique of offense, which will surely leave that demon with no way to retreat!"


    "You should not underestimate these subsidiary techniques. While they may not lead directly to immortality, their lethal force is in no way inferior to the Taoist Laws!" Yan Dan exined.


    However, he was actually overthinking it. Where would Lu Yu know the difference between these things? To him, Yan Dan''s willingness to teach was a favor, and his choice not to was proper. Lu Yu was clear about that distinction.


    "Brother Yan, don''t underestimate me. To be taught by you is a fortune beyond measure. How could I, Lu, be so greedy? It''s just, what exactly is the difference between these so-called subsidiary techniques and the regrly mentioned ''righteous paths''?" Lu Yu asked about his own doubts.


    "The biggest difference between subsidiary techniques and the righteous path of cultivation is that although the former has many marvels, it still does not lead to eternal life or prolonged vision. At most, they extend one''s lifespan. Moreover, the majority of those techniques pursue quick sess, thus harboring many hidden dangers!"


    "The technique I will pass to you actually originates from the way of the flying sword. In terms of offense alone, it ranks among the top of these subsidiary techniques. Its only drawback is that,cking a fundamental Law, it cannot extend lifespan or be used for long durations!"


    After exining, Yan Dan went on to detail the cultivation technique, which excited Lu Yu immensely. The pathway of the flying sword truly dominated in terms of offensive power¡ªeven a flying sword cultivated through this subsidiary technique had many marvelous uses. The only issue was the absence of a path to immortality. No matter how astutely one practiced, they could not extend their lifespan.


    Instead, excessive use could harm the Spiritual Nature of the flying sword, requiring one''s Essence Blood for ritual refinement and risking damage to the very foundation!


    But Lu Yu understood that Immortals surely had restrictions on taking disciples; otherwise, the world would already be overflowing with Cultivators. Thus, he was unwilling to plead any further with Yan Dan, to avoid straining their rtionship.


    "You''re in luck. The main body of this demon is a tree, and its tree heart is a rare material imbued with Spiritual Nature. A flying sword forged from it will certainly be replete with Spiritual Nature, and with its Five Elements belonging to wood, it has the wondrous effect of nourishing the body!"

 Chapter 3 The Taoist Turns into a Sheep

    Over the following days, Yan Dan worked on crafting a Flying Sword for Lu Yu while engaging in heartfelt conversations, their bond growing deeper.


    One morning, just like every day, Lu Yu sat cross-legged in the dpidated temple, enhancing the Spiritual Nature of the Flying Sword with the Contemtion Technique taught by Yan Dan.


    "Brother Lu, let''s part ways today," said Yan Dan, looking at Lu Yu who had just finished his Contemtion Technique.


    In fact, Lu Yu had also guessed that in the following days, Yan Dan would likely return to his sect; from then on, they would be as distant as Immortals, with future meetings bing difficult toe by.


    Yan Dan was the first friend Lu Yu had made after the fusion of his soul, and now that they were parting, Lu Yu felt a pang in his heart, but he knew that all gatherings muste to an end eventually.


    "I''ve greatly enjoyed our talks over these few days. Since we are parting today, Brother, I don''t have much to offer, but I wish Big Brother Yan a long life and sess in your cultivation," Lu Yu said dejectedly.


    "Then I also wish Brother Lu sess in all you aspire to and a smooth journey through life. If one day you enter an Immortal Sect,e find me at Mount Shu!" Yan Dan, being a carefree soul by nature who disliked goodbyes, shot eastward as a rainbow light as soon as he finished speaking.


    Lu Yu looked in the direction of Yan Dan''s departure and couldn''t help but sigh, "Mount Shu. I wonder if it''s the same one from the books or just a coincidence. What kind of world have I really crossed into?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this thought, Lu Yu felt depressed. With such low status, he was like a frog at the bottom of a well, only able to see a small patch of sky and entirely incapable of understanding the world he was in.


    For someone ustomed to the information explosion of the modern world, this was truly unfriendly.


    "Forget it, at least I''ve learned the technique from Brother Yan, and now I possess a means for self-protection in this world of demons and ghosts!" He looked closely at the Flying Sword in his hand.


    The emerald green sword body, with its wooden texture, gave it a unique beauty, and a faint green glow shimmered on its surface.


    As Lu Yu admired the small Flying Sword, the more he looked at it, the more he liked it. Through several days of Contemtion, he could clearly feel a faint consciousness emerging on the Flying Sword.


    Moreover, he hade to understand the wondrous nature of this Flying Sword: highly sensitive to demonic essence, it could detect hidden demons and ghosts. This single advantage was enough to make Lu Yu ecstatic. Demons were masters of disguise, impossible to guard against, but with the Flying Sword''s alert, he could sleep in peace.


    Besides, the Flying Sword was crafted from the essence of an Ent, nourishing the body and enhancing his strength. Carrying it for a long time could fortify his health and keep illnesses at bay.


    Thest characteristic,mon to all Flying Swords and most praised among Sword Immortals, was its unmatched prowess in battle.


    The rising sun cast a nket of light, tenderly caressing all life on earth. After a night''s rest, every creature began its daily routine anew. Under the golden sunshine, Lu Yu lifted his head and looked toward the faint outlines of a distant city, murmuring to himself, "New world, here Ie!"


    Wan City, located in the southeast of the Chen Kingdom, is blessed with a mild climate perfect for rice cultivation.


    On this day, Wan City''s sky was clear, and a gentle breeze whisked away small dust clouds across the ancient city''s surfaces.


    The harmonious scene consisted of gray tiles and green stone bs on the roads, with a Schr caught up in the surroundings.


    He wore a faded gray robe and carried a dark red wooden bookcase on his back. The worn red patina revealed its age. It was Lu Yu who had walked out from the old temple!


    Full of interest, the Schr was observing everything around him. As a person who had traveled through time, even with the soul of this world''s Lu Yu integrated within him, the memories of other cities could notpare to the reality before his eyes.


    Listening to the various hawking voices around him, Lu Yu couldn''t help but reflect that the lives of the ancients weren''t as bleak as he had imagined.


    Before long, Lu Yu arrived in front of an inn. It wasn''t particrly luxurious, but the signboard that read "Tongfu Inn" caught his eye!


    However, to his disappointment, it was just an ordinary inn, no different from any other in this world.


    Inside, there was neither the so-called Thief Saint nor a charmingndy, just an ordinary-looking waiter, earnestly soliciting customers!


    "Guest, are you stopping for a meal or staying the night?" The waiter, with a coarse cloth draped over his shoulder, asked the refined-looking Schr standing before him.


    Lu Yu had wanted to act as generously as the heroes from the stories, requesting the best room, a jar of fine wine, and a few dishes. However, feeling the thin wallet in his embrace, he had no choice but to swallow those words back down.


    "Just an ordinary room will do!" Lu Yu said, a bit disheartened.


    Seeing Lu Yu''s expression, the experienced waiter could tell that this Schr wasn''t wealthy, yet he still led Lu Yu enthusiastically into the inn, calling out "One ordinary room!" with a tone that carried a unique charm as they walked.


    Inside the inn was a small courtyard, surrounded by a two-story building where the guest rooms were situated. In the center of the courtyard was a pen provided for guests who came on horseback or with livestock.


    Within the pen, there weren''t many horses¡ªjust two¡ªbut several smallmbs caught Lu Yu''s attention!


    "Where did thesembse from? They are so adorable; this is my first time seeing such creatures!"


    "Not just you, guest, even I have never seen them before! It''s quite strange, actually. A Taoist Priest brought thesembs, but no one knows where they came from or where they are going!"


    As Lu Yu listened to the waiter''s words, the Flying Sword in his embrace trembled slightly; he was well aware that thesembs likely had something to do with Evil Techniques!


    "Thesembs look quite thirsty, haven''t you given them any water?"


    "The Taoist Priest instructed that his animals did not require feeding, so we didn''t bother!" the waiter said hesitantly, feeling a slight pang of guilt, as if his service hadn''t been diligent enough.


    "I find thesembs so cute," said Lu Yu, "How about I give them some water? If the Taoist Priest mes anyone, I''ll take full responsibility and ensure you, brother, won''t have any trouble!" Although he couldn''t grasp the Taoist Priest''s intentions, Lu Yu, warned by the Flying Sword, wouldn''t simplyply with the other''s wishes.


    Under the waiter''s anxious gaze, Lu Yu drew some water from the well in the center of the courtyard and slowly fed it to thembs.


    What happened next was horrifying: the plump whitembs turned into chubby three-year-old children the moment they drank the water!


    Their chubby cheeks were marred by exhaustion; they didn''t even have the strength to cry before copsing to the ground, unconscious.


    The waiter hurriedly held the child in his arms,pletely overwhelmed and unsure of what to do.


    However, Lu Yu didn''t hesitate. He took the water from the bucket and fed each of the remainingmbs. In no time, they all transformed into children. The eldest looked about five or six, the youngest not even two, all of them appearing so forlorn and pitiful it was heart-wrenching to see.


    "That Taoist is a Demon, kidnapping so many children... who knows which helpless souls this heartless wretch has snatched away!" Themotion had already alerted the other guests in the inn. Upon witnessing this appalling scene, everyone became indignant.


    No matter the era, people despise traffickers. In just a short while, some were calling for a government officer, while others were rallying the crowd to confront the Demon.


    The situation quickly grew chaotic. Someone shouted that they saw the Demon approaching, and like a rock thrown into a pond, the waves of anger swelled. The enraged crowd surged forward, ready to teach this inhuman creature a lesson.


    Lu Yu did not join in the mob''s quest to punish the Taoist. Considering that the Taoist dared tomit such acts, he must have had some tricks up his sleeve, so it was a bit risky to go forward recklessly.


    It wasn''t long before the government officers were aroused. The street instantly became a noisy mess with onlookers, people chasing the Demon, and others taking advantage of the chaos.


    No one knew how much time had passed before themotion subsided. The crowd looked around only to find that the Demon had long since disappeared.

 Chapter 4 Summoning Spirits and Dispatching Generals

    Lu Yu rested in his room for a while, put his luggage down, and then slowly made his way to the inn''s main hall, ready to order some food to pay tribute to his stomach.


    Those who had gone out to join in the excitement had gradually returned to their ces. This scene was, after all, just a fleeting episode in their lives, and would be nothing more than additional fodder for conversation in the future.


    "It looks like that malevolent Taoist is in for trouble!" said someone well-informed, showing off in front of others. This prompted a buzz of excitement among the crowd, urging him to share his exclusive news with everyone.


    "What you don''t know is that the child who was saved at first turns out to be the young master of the Prefectural Governor''s family!"


    "I heard that our Prefectural Governor had his son at an old age and dotes on the child the most."


    "Exactly, and one of the government officers who had been to the County Governor''s Office recognized the young master at a nce. Once the news reached the Prefectural Governor, he was infuriated and issued a sea arrest warrant offering a hundred taels of silver for the capture of that person, dead or alive."


    Lu Yu ate his in dishes, listening to the constant discussion around him, and for the first time felt truly alive in another world, not dreaming or ying a game.


    "I say, waiter bro, what''s with that look of gloom and doom?" The only thing that bothered Lu Yu was the waiter''s sullen face.


    "Customer, it''s a disaster!" The waiter didn''t share the same enthusiasm, for he had been anxious since learning that the malevolent Taoist had escaped the encirclement.


    "Oh! What disaster could there be when everything was fine? You''re young; why are you so pessimistic?"


    "Customer, don''t you see? That malevolent Taoist, having had his ns ruined by us, won''t let us off easily. That guy''s got skills and who knows what evil techniques he''ll use to harm our lives.


    I haven''t even taken a wife yet!" The waiter was irritated by Lu Yu''s calm demeanor, feeling that this gentleman hadn''t realized the gravity of the situation, and internally cursing himself for interfering in business that wasn''t his.


    "Haha, I thought it was something serious. Don''t be afraid. If anything, I''m the mastermind here, and you''re at most an essory. If I''m not worried, what''s there for you to fear? If that malevolent Taoist seeks revenge, he shoulde for me first."


    Lu Yu''s words had no effect and only made the waiter''s face look even more bitter.


    In the night of Wan City, where the moon shone and stars were sparse, people had already gone to sleep early in this entertainment-deprived ancient era; only the night watchmen rhythmically pped their ppers on the streets, informing people of the time.


    In a dpidated temple north of the city, a horse-faced Taoist with a prominent mole on his face looked hatefully at the night sky, revealing him to be the malevolent Taoist who had escaped during the day.


    "Damn meddlesome Schr, ruining my trade. I''ll make sure you pay for this." The Taoist muttered resentfully.


    He had just made connections with the Blood Cult and gone to great lengths to gather these children to bring to the Main Altar of the Blood Cult. He fantasized about the generous Sect Hierarch passing down the Immortal Law to him, enabling him to indulge in luxury and longevity.


    But who could have predicted that in Wan City, a meddling Schr would ruin everything? Just thinking about the Sect Hierarch''s divine skills sent a chill down his spine, and he grew to hate Lu Yu even more inside.


    "Humph! Since you dared to ruin my ns, don''t me me for being ruthless!" After saying that to himself, the Taoist took out an ebony que from his bosom.


    "To die at the hands of my Ghost General would be a fortune for this brat." With a fanatical look, he gazed at the ebony que in his hand. He hadn''t used this technique often, but its power was extraordinary, allowing him to relish in a perverse pleasure, the feeling of easily controlling the life and death of others in the palm of his hand addicted him.


    He quietly chanted a spell, and soon enough, a fierce ghostly entity with a green face and fangs crawled out from the ebony que. The ferocious ghost was hideous, with buckteeth exposed, sparse red hair on either side of its head, and a shiny, pointy skull. Its only striking features were the tworge eyes gleaming with a menacing light.


    The Taoist was pleased with the ghostly entity he had summoned, feeling exceptionally suave. Hemanded the entity to merge, and the ghost stretched out its w, grabbing at the top of the Taoist''s head, and pulled out a transparent figure from the body¡ªit was the Taoist''s soul and spirit.


    As soon as the soul and spirit appeared, it instantly floated onto the ghostly entity, making the somewhat sluggish ghost suddenly more agile.


    "This feels really good!" The ghostly entity let out a grating voice, which on closer inspection was actually the Taoist''s own tone.


    "It''s a pity that staying possessed for too long will harm my soul and spirit. Otherwise, bing a Ghost King like this would allow me to go anywhere in this vast world without fear!" The Taoist said with some regret.


    After saying this, he turned into a wisp of blue smoke and quickly floated towards the Tongfu Inn. In no time at all, he arrived at the inn''s entrance. The Taoist had already collected Lu Yu''s scent, and using the ghost body, he sniffed out Lu Yu''s location. However, for some reason, deep inside he felt a slight resistance, not wanting to get close to where Lu Yu was at all.


    Shaking his massive head, he thought he was being paranoid and stopped dwelling on it. Hatred had gradually filled his heart, and at this moment, all he wanted was to torment Lu Yu. Of course, the waiter with the weak will was not going to be spared either.


    Being incorporeal, passing through walls and over thresholds was as easy for the ghostly entity as drinking water. Walking into the room, he saw Lu Yu asleep on the bed, snoring soundly.


    Watching Lu Yu sound asleep before his eyes, the Taoist''s rage intensified, as he himself had be like a rat crossing the street. Yet this fellow was slumbering so sweetly here.


    In the Taoist''s mind, a variety of thoughts had already shed by. He was ready to savor the expression on the loathsome Schr''s face when tortured. Thinking of this, his ugly ghostly face was full of excited color.


    Extending a thick ghost w, the Taoist prepared to extract Lu Yu''s soul and spirit first, before slowly dealing with him.


    However, just as the ghost w was about to touch Lu Yu''s body, the Taoist discovered in horror that the Schr he had considered as prey had suddenly opened his eyes, looking at him with great interest. Those eyes held excitement, amusement, and curiosity but conspicuouslycked fear.


    As someone who had been through the trials of life, how could he not know that he had encountered a tough nut to crack? He had already thought of retreating.


    Just then, a sword light shone from within Lu Yu''s embrace, which in the eyes of the ghostly entity was so pure and bright, much like the sunlight in the heat of summer.


    A pain that pierced to the heart was transmitted through the ghostly entity''s body to the Taoist''s soul and spirit; in an instant, the Taoist felt as if he was being sliced by a thousand knives.


    By the time he recovered from the pain, he found a small green sword had already pierced close to his side. The body he had once been so proud of, the Ghost King''s Physique, proved to be as fragile as paper in front of this tiny sword, melting away in an instant.


    Without time to feel the pain, the Taoist''s soul and spirit was already scattered by the Flying Sword, with no chance for reincarnation.


    "Sword Immortal, Flying Sword!" The Taoist only left these words before hepletely dissipated from the world, taking his lifetime of sin with him.


    The next day, as the people of the Tongfu Inn were discussing the strange screams from the previous night, Lu Yu had already packed his bags and left the ce under the inquisitive gaze of the Waiter.


    Following the Flying Sword''s guidance, Lu Yu headed north, and after half a day''s journey, he finally arrived at the ruins of the temple where the Taoist had taken shelter.


    The dpidated temple was in an inconspicuous corner, surrounded by deste wastnd ¨C even the beggars in the city were reluctant to take refuge there. Lu Yu sighed to himself, acknowledging that the Taoist had indeed chosen a good hiding spot.


    Parting the waist-high overgrown weeds, he walked into the run-down temple. A figure in a Taoist robe was lying quietly on the ground, none other than the nefarious Taoist.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At this moment, he still breathed, but the body without its soul and spirit was already that of a vegetable.


    Lu Yu was not polite. He started to search the Taoist to find out what treasures he was hiding. He knew well that a person like the Taoist would trust no one, and all his valuable possessions must be on his person.


    As Lu Yu had predicted, he found a good deal of Silver on the Taoist. Aside from that, there was a book and an Ebony que.


    Opening the book, Lu Yu couldn''t help but be overjoyed, "This is perfect timing, what a great find."


    It turned out that the Taoist had somehow obtained a book of cultivation notes, which included records of some lesser-known Techniques, such as the Invisibility Technique the Taoist had used earlier to escape, and the technique for nurturing ghosts with the Ebony que ¨C all clearly detailed in the book.


    What was even more valuable was that the Taoist had recorded his own cultivation experiences alongside.


    "This Taoist has really been good to me," Lu Yu said, not shying away from the vegetable lying next to him, and began to enthusiastically examine the book.


    After a while, Lu Yu sighed deeply and rubbed his swelling forehead, feeling fortunate, "It seems that the Taoist didn''t have this book for very long. Otherwise, if he had fully mastered the techniques within, it would have been troublesome."


    What Lu Yu didn''t know was that the Taoistcked talent and whatever he took up, he couldn''t stick with for more than three days. He wouldn''t settle down to delve into the secrets of the book. Only the segment detailing the Express Technique for summoning andmanding spirits deeply pleased him.


    After managing to kill a passerby and capturing that person''s soul and spirit, he fancied himself to be a genuine cultivator.


    The Taoist had a good eye and instantly spotted the most valuable Technique in the book. Unfortunately, in his haste for sess, he chose the Express Technique.


    The Technique was originally intended for the Ritual Refinement of Dharma Protector Spirits. After capturing ghosts, one should use Secret Technique to create Spirit Nurturing Incense, enhancing the power of the Dharma Protector Spirits with the Power of Incense and Fire.


    Asthis, the resulted Dharma Protector Spirit was bnced and righteous, with the ability to suppress evil and exorcise demons, making it quite outstanding among the sidestream left-handed techniques.


    It is a pity that the Taoist was too reluctant to part with his wealth and considered this upstanding technique too slow to take effect. Therefore, he resorted to using human blood for the Ritual Refinement, turning a proper Dharma Protector Spirit into a Ferocious Ghost!


    Lu Yu sighed at the Taoist''s short-sightedness, while continuing to flip through the book. He found it recorded the creation of various talismans and some cultivation anecdotes. He felt deeply that the author of this book was indeed a warm-hearted predecessor.


    The Taoist, having only learned some superficial knowledge, was eager to show off and really failed to capture the true value of the treasure mountain he had stumbled upon.

 Chapter 5 Slaying the Demon

    In the days that followed, Lu Yu purchased the items he needed and left Wan City. On the outskirts in a cave of West Mountain, he built a hut to dwell in, practicing the techniques he acquired from books and simultaneously waiting for the arrival of the escapee Demon Soul.


    On this morning, the sun was already high in the sky. Lu Yu held a talisman he had drawn himself, bit open his middle finger, and gently wiped it across the talisman.


    "Swift!" As soon as the word left his mouth, the talisman ignited without me, and instantaneously, a bolt of lightning struck the ground seven steps in front of Lu Yu, leaving behind a shallow pit.


    "Phew! I finally seeded. If it didn''t work this time, my purse would have beenpletely empty!" Lu Yu looked at the pit before him and heaved a deep sigh.


    He had spent nearly all of his time these past few days on inscribing talismans, utilizing countless materials, but finally, he grasped the key points of talisman inscription and made a truly functional talisman.


    The warnings of the Flying Sword became more frequent in recent days. Lu Yu knew that the day the Demon woulde knocking was drawing near. Thus, he had to enhance his abilities by any means possible and couldn''t ce all his hopes on the Flying Sword alone.


    It was also because the Swordsmanship he''d cultivated wasn''t orthodox; at present, he could barely execute the Flying Sword Technique twice, and any more would harm his foundation, a loss outweighing any gain.


    As Lu Yu had anticipated, that night was enveloped by heavy clouds and the ferocious wind swept across the forest sea, making waves of sound. Seeing that a torrential rain was about to fall, it seemed to confirm the old saying: "A storm is brewing, and the wind is building strength!"


    Lu Yu sat upright in his cave, having done all he could to prepare for everything. If he still wasn''t a match for the Demon, then he would have to resign to fate.


    Before long, the voice that he had heard in the dpidated temple echoed in his ears once more¡ªhe knew that the long-awaited Demon had arrived!


    There was no nervousness or fear as imagined, but rather a sense of relief as if a heavy stone had finally been lifted from his heart.


    Approaching the entrance of the cave, he caught sight of the Demon. Its body was as dark as ink, practically invisible in the night, but the demonic glow in its red eyes and red beak drew attention. Upon closer inspection, ck feathers covered its body! Lu Yu surmised that the Demon''s current form was most likely rted to its Remnant Soul possessing a Red-Beaked Crow.


    To his relief, it seemed that the Demon, having been severely damaged previously, had lost most of its sanity and now bore no resemnce to its former sly and cunning visage!


    With this in mind, Lu Yu felt steadier; a demon that had lost its sanity wasn''t as difficult to deal with as he had imagined.


    When the Demon caught sight of Lu Yu, hatred immediately filled its spirit, and its form radiated a dangerous red light. It let out a cacklingugh and rushed at Lu Yu with incredible speed.


    However, before it could reach the mouth of the cave, a bolt of thunder descended from the sky, striking it squarely on the head. The presence of the Demon weakened in an instant. Heavenly Thunder was the bane of evil beings, and had the thunder not been summoned by Lu Yu using a talisman with limited power, that single bolt would have been enough to im the Demon''s life.


    Seeing that the Demon wasn''t killed by the thunderbolt, Lu Yu gave a silent sigh of relief. It was fortunate he hadn''t beencent and had prepared thoroughly; otherwise, considering the Demon''s condition, it might''ve found some way to boost its power.


    What Lu Yu didn''t know was that, after the Demon Remnant Soul fled from Yan Dan and possessed a Red-Beaked Crow, it had escaped westward until itnded at a farmer''s household, where it killed all eight family members. Using their vengeful energy, it reconstituted its Ghostly Body.


    Although this technique allowed it to regain some strength, the overwhelming vengeful energy robbed it of what little sanity remained, turning it into a bloodthirsty monster.


    The only thought remaining deep in its mind was the deep-seated hatred for Lu Yu and Yan Dan. Yan Dan had already returned to his sect, and with the Demon''s ability, it couldn''t find him; therefore, Lu Yu, being closest, became the target of its vengeance.


    The Demon, struck by Heavenly Thunder and now even more savage and terrifying, had hateful blood-red eyes and seemed heedless of its own wounded body, charging mindlessly toward Lu Yu''s location.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As it approached Lu Yu''s cave abode, a basin of ck dog''s blood was poured down upon it from above.


    The moment the ck dog''s blood touched the Demon''s body, it was as if a basin of water had been thrown onto a fierce ze. Copious amounts of white smoke rose instantly, mixed with the Demon''s piercing screams.


    Although Lu Yu had always heard that ck dog''s blood was extremely effective against ghostly entities, he had not expected it to be this powerful.


    Seeing the Demon in excruciating pain, Lu Yu naturally wouldn''t miss such a golden opportunity. He waited for the right moment, and his Flying Sword instantly shot out.


    The bright sword light shed and vanished in an instant, and in a split second, it had already arrived in front of the Demon. There was no doubt that this strike would hit its mark.


    A mournful scream caused Lu Yu to feel dizzy and his head to throb. He could feel that his Flying Sword seemed to have stabbed into a morass, engulfed by mud, unable to move in the slightest.


    The only thing thatforted him was that even though the Flying Sword did not kill the Demon, after these several assaults the Demon was already at the end of its strength. Lu Yu thus took out his final technique.


    He pulled out an Ebony que from his bosom, bit open his own middle finger, and smeared his fresh blood onto the que. He silently chanted a spell and shouted, "Quickly!"


    The Ebony que flew to midair, and suddenly a strong suction force emerged from it. The Demon seemed to sense that the situation was dire. In a moment of crisis, it actually regained its senses and immediately attempted to flee.


    However, it was already far too weak to resist the power of the technique to confine andmand spirits, and could only be slowly pulled into the Ebony que amidst its unwillingness.


    Lu Yu watched as thest bit of the Demon''s body was pulled into the que, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief, his legs gave way, and he involuntarily sat down on the ground.


    What followed was a surge of joy, "Hahaha!" Lu Yu couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    Ever since he had arrived in this world, the Demon had always been a sword hanging over his head. Lu Yu did not know when it would strike at him, and over time it seemed to be his Heart Demon, sometimes appearing in his dreams to devour him bite by bite.


    Now that the Demon had been subdued, Lu Yu felt a sense of peace and joy wash over him, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.


    "I can finally take a good look at this beautifulndscape!" Lu Yu said to himself happily.


    After a while, Lu Yu finally calmed his excited emotions and had the chance to assess his gains from this battle.


    What used to be an entirely ck Ebony que had now turned a dark red color, resembling the finest redwood, and gradually a human figure emerged on the surface that was once smooth, though it was still too blurry to distinguish whether it was a man or a woman.


    Lu Yu knew that the first step ofmanding his Dharma Protector Spirit had been achieved. Since this ghostly entity was transformed from a Demon Remnant Soul, it should be stronger than a protector formed from ordinary souls and spirits.


    The reason it was still blurred and genderless was that he had not yet nourished it with the energy of incense. The Dharma Protector Spirit was still unborn, and his heart held a bit of anticipation; he did not know what his protector would look like or what kind of Divine Skills it would possess.


    Touching his empty pockets, Lu Yu sighed involuntarily. This Dharma Protector Spirit was also going to be quite the expense.

 Chapter 6 Rescue at the Mountain God Temple

    The second day, the torrential rain had passed, and the sky was cloudless. Lu Yu gently inhaled the air of the earth washed by the rain, filled with the fragrance of soil.


    Now, with the vast sky above, he could leisurely explore this magical world. Feeling rxed and curious, Lu Yu embarked on his heart''s journey. His next destination was Yunzhou, where it was rumored that Immortals resided; he hoped to visit, and if he could enter an Immortal Sect, that would be even better.


    Yunzhou, in the eastern part of Great Chen, was famed for its beautiful mountains, clear waters, and spiritually gifted individuals, especially the area around Mount Tianmu, which was teemed with legends of Immortals, with many swearing they had seen one.


    As a result, many people came to Yunzhou seeking immortality, making it a distinctive trait of the region.


    In recent days, Lu Yu had been deeply affected; in just a few days, he saw at least four groups of people alling to Yunzhou in search of fate with the Immortals. Their minds filled with thoughts of glory and riches after learning the Immortal Law, and some even harbored ill intents tomit wrongdoings once they gained abilities.


    Seeing this, Lu Yu shook his head and chose to deviate from the main path, instead walking the less traveled countrynes.


    Confident in the protection of his Flying Sword and Dharma Protector Spirit, he disregarded day and night. Whenever he felt like walking, he walked; and when he didn''t, he would find a ce to lie down, using the sky as his nket and the earth as his bed, somewhat mimicking the lifestyle of an Immortal.


    That day, Lu Yu was in high spirits and, despite it being deep into the night, he continued his unhurried pace towards Mount Tianmu.


    The distant fire halfway up the mountain reminded Lu Yu of the day he first transmigrated into this world. A simr fire had warmed him, providing him the ability to survive in this dangerous world. Laughing lightly, he felt a bit nostalgic, though it hadn''t been many days since. He wondered how his good friend was faring in their Sect now.


    So, Lu Yu decided to change his ns, intending to rest by the fire for the night as a reminiscence of the past.


    Upon reaching his destination, he found it to be a Mountain God Temple, notrge but well-maintained, clearly attended to regrly by vigers nearby.


    The red temple doors were nked by paintings of two small demons, presumably the Mountain God''s gate-keeping demons. Lu Yu gently pushed open the temple door and saw a young man and woman sitting around the fire inside. They looked about his age and seemed to be siblings, watching him enter with faces full of caution.


    "Apologies for the intrusion, friends. May I humble request shelter for the night?" Lu Yu said, bowing as he remembered people in this world did.


    His schrly appearance was convincing to the people of this world. Seeing Lu Yu''s attire, the siblings lowered their guard and introduced themselves.


    The elder brother was named He Yingchao, and the sister was He Yinglian. They were from a Martial Arts Family and had recently ventured into the martial arts world.


    As neers to the martial arts world, their hearts were not yet tainted by the tumultuous human world, and they still upheld a pure heart of integrity.


    They had been sent by their parents to wish a revered elder a happy birthday. Unexpectedly, on their way home, they encountered a group of human traffickers. Known for abhorring evil, they could not let these malefactors go unpunished.


    However, these traffickers had notable skills, and the siblings barely managed to eliminate them.


    But their troubles had only just begun. Within a few days, a demon started hunting them down. It seemed to possess immortality, reviving a few days after each death despite its mediocre skills.


    Having never witnessed such bizarre events, the siblings, tormented over the days, lost their will to fight and could only flee.


    Lu Yu listened with great interest to the siblings recounting their experiences, feeling as if he had opened his eyes to a new world.


    So, this was what the martial arts world was like¡ªhe felt as if the scenes of des and swordfights that he had read about in books hade alive, vividly unfolding before him.


    Just then, a strange cry came from above: "Hehe, can''t the little ones run anymore? You''ve killed me so many times, it''s only fair for your grandpa to kill you once!"


    Hearing this voice, the siblings seemed to recall something terrifying and instantly turned pale.


    "Don''t worry, I am quite merciful to the fairer sex. After I kill them, I''ll take good care of you, miss," the voice continued.


    "Stop your tricks ande down here!" Lu Yu shouted loudly at that moment.


    Despite hismanding voice, to the demon, it sounded like thunder from the Nine Heavens, rendering himpletely immobile and overwhelmed by fear.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    With a loud smack, a figure fell from the roof to the ground¡ªa man wearing a blood-red robe, his face pale as paper.


    The man, looking terrified, stared at Lu Yu. He had never imagined there could be someone in the world who could produce such a sound, realizing he had encountered a true master.


    Lu Yu also felt a surge of pride, having slowly deduced this use of the Flying Sword over the past few days. He embedded Sword Qi within the sound, and although it did not harm the enemy, its deterrent effect was first-rate. He had named it: Sword Qi Thunder Sound.


    The siblings had been tormented by this immortal monster for days. Seeing the demon naturally infuriated He Yinglian, who drew her sword and immediately stabbed the demon to death.


    Just then, the person suddenly transformed into a pool of flowing blood, swiftly slithering towards the temple gate like a giant red python, leaving behind only a shriveled husk of skin.


    As it left, it didn''t forget to threaten them, "Dare to spoil our Blood Cult''s ns, and you all shall await your deaths!"


    A bright sword light suddenly appeared, streaking like lightning to the side of the red python in an instant. With a scream, the red python was pinned to the ground.


    A sizzling sound followed, and the volume of the blood visibly diminished rapidly, disappearingpletely within moments.


    Lu Yu frowned as he watched his Flying Sword return, realizing the loss to its spiritual nature was much greater than he had anticipated.


    "Yan Dan once said that some techniques excel in corrupting magical treasures; could this be one of them?" Lu Yu muttered to himself.


    Unsure of what exactly the Blood Cult was, the nature of their techniques suggested they were far from benign.


    "Thank you for saving our lives, senior!" The siblings'' voices of gratitude pulled Lu Yu from his thoughts, and he saw them looking at him with admiration.


    "No need for formalities. Since you siblings uphold justice, I could not stand by and watch you be harmed by an evil technique." Lu Yu waved his hand.


    The siblings were exceedingly excited, feelingpletely satisfied with their adventure in the martial arts world. They hadpleted their family''s mission, acted righteously, escaped after being chased, and even met such a remarkable senior. It truly made their trip worthwhile.


    "May I ask where you n to go next, senior?" He Yingchao asked, eager to apany such a master, hoping to learn a few moves if possible, which would be enormously beneficial.


    "Stop with the senior. I merely learned some minor and deceptive skills. If you don''t mind, you can just call me Big Brother Lu!"


    After chatting for a few moments, Lu Yu noticed He Yinglian looking anxious, as though she had something to say but dared not speak, her fair face flushing red.


    "What''s the matter? Is there something else you want to say?"


    "Big Brother Lu, could you perhaps escort us for a part of the way? Those demons surely won''t let this matter rest easily!"


    Seeing that Lu Yu did not oppose, He Yinglian gathered her courage and started recounting their ordeal.


    It turned out that during their mission to eradicate some human traffickers, they had encountered a Taoist Priest near death who, before dying, had tasked the siblings with passing information about the traffickers to a master at the Xuantian Temple in Yunzhou.


    Ever since they epted this task, the sinister demon began pursuing them, and only then did they realize that they had stumbled into a grave conspiracy.


    "Treading on thin ice all the way, even passing by The gates of hell, have you ever regretted it?" Lu Yu asked with a smile.


    "There''s fear, but no regrets. Upholding righteousness has been our father''s teaching since we were young. If we cowered from death, we wouldn''t have the face to return home to meet our parents," He Yingchao said decisively, his eyes firm and gleaming with an unusual light.


    "Very well, since you are so determined, I will apany you through fire and sword." Lu Yu saw the light of humanity in them and felt a surge of boldness in his heart.

 Chapter 7 Dharma Protector Divine General

    In the following days, the group traveled together, and as time passed, they became familiar with each other. Lu Yu found that the siblings indeed had courageous hearts; the sister was naive and adorable while the brother was calm andposed. Theirpany was veryfortable.


    The siblings also learned about the practice of cultivation from Lu Yu, and felt as though a new and wondrous world had appeared before them, a world they had never seen before.


    What surprised them was the peace and calm they encountered along the way; no one was pursuing them to kill them anymore. Instead, they enjoyed a leisurely journey filled with sightseeing and joyful moments.


    Lu Yu took this opportunity to learn some swordsmanship from the siblings. Although he had the Flying Sword by his side and a Dharma Protector Spirit following him, hecked experience in closebat. In short, Lu Yu was a qualified mage for long-range attack but had no ability in close-quarters battle.


    Moreover, his Techniques were not sustainable, so learning some boxing and swordsmanship seemed extremely necessary.


    Little did he know that his idea would catch He Yinglian''s interest. Whenever they had time over the next few days, she eagerly taught Lu Yu martial arts, thoroughly enjoying her role as a teacher.


    During this process, they discovered that Lu Yu seemed to have an outstanding talent for martial arts, primarily because his body appeared frail but was actually very well-founded. Plus, the insights gained from the fusion of his past and present lives enabled him to learn twice as much with half the effort, which amazed both siblings.


    Lu Yu himself knew that his Flying Sword deserved the credit. The Wood Attribute of the Flying Sword had the effect of nourishing his physique, and considering the exceptional material of his sword, the effects were naturally even better.


    Time passed slowly as they taught and learned from each other. One day, the weather turned gloomy, with dark clouds heavily nketing the sky, creating an oppressive atmosphere.


    The trio arrived at a vige, which was a wee sight after spending some time traveling through the wilderness. Seeing other people felt heartwarmingly familiar.


    However, the vige seemed to be preparing for some major event; people were gathering by arge river at the entrance of the vige, where an altar had already been set up.


    The altar was divided into three levels. On the first level, there was arge copper incense burner already filled with incense sticks. The second level disyed offerings of pork, mutton, and beef, while on the highest level, two children sat squarely.


    A boy and a girl, both looking fair and tender, were quite adorable as they happily munched on fruit.


    Seeing this, Lu Yu and hispanions were full of doubts.


    They had seen divine worship before but had never seen children ced on an altar; they had no idea what sort of custom this was.


    Just as they were puzzled, an old hag with a weasel-like gaze appeared among the crowd, looking rather entric. Given the respect the surrounding people showed her, she was likely the vige''s Shaman Woman.


    With thick makeup painted on her face, dressed in a bright red robe, and with rooster feathers stuck in her hair, she looked ratherical and ludicrous, simr to the clowns Lu Yu had seen in his previous life.


    The Shaman Woman bowed and prostrated herself with incense first, and then began to dance in front of the altar. Of course, the dance was quite ugly, but she was deeply engrossed in it, making strange noises as she moved, simr to someone with a mental disorder. However, no one around her dared tough, and all watched the ritual with solemn expressions.


    Soon, the Shaman Woman was drenched in sweat and ceased her unappealing dance. She then shouted in a shrill voice, "Begin the worship of the River God!"


    Only then did Lu Yu understand that this vige was worshiping the River God. However, he still didn''t understand the role of the children and continued to watch patiently.


    Several strong vigers lifted the animal offerings and threw them into the river. After a while, a whirlpool suddenly emerged on the previously calm surface of the water. A dark hole appeared and sucked in all of the sacrificial animals.


    "There really is a River God!" eximed He Yinglian, looking at the whirlpool with a surprised expression.


    Yet the vigers'' faces showed no joy at the sight of their offerings being epted by their divine spirit; instead, they were solemn, with some young people even disying a fierce grimace.


    "My poor child, he''s only six years old!" a mournful voice cried out from the crowd. Lu Yu then noticed a woman, tears streaming down her face, looking at the children on the altar. The people around her supported her, biting their lips and looking angrily at the whirlpool on the river but not daring to speak out.


    The Shaman Woman didn''t change her expression even after hearing the woman''s words; she kept urging the able-bodied men in front of her, "Hurry and sacrifice the offerings to the River God, or else if he gets angry, he will send a flood to drown your vige!"


    Lu Yu and hispanions now understood that the two children were intended to serve the same purpose as the previously offered animals.


    "Humph! In this vast world, there are still people who use children as sacrifices; that''s not a River God, clearly that''s a Demon!" He Yingchao could not stand by and watch this happen, and shouted loudly in disapproval.


    He Yingchao''s words instantly drew the attention of the Shaman Woman, who, in a fit of anger, said, "Are you not afraid that the River God will be enraged? Drive these ignorant outsiders away at once." Her emotions so intense, the feathers on her head shook at an rmingly fast rate, resembling abative rooster.


    "I want to see what kind of monster dares to consume young boys and girls under the broad daylight," retorted He Yingchao, unfazed by the Shaman Woman with Lu Yu, whom he regarded as an expert, supporting him from behind. He picked up arge bluestone and hurled it forcefully towards the whirlpool.


    A roar burst forth from the vortex, and soon after, a massive snakehead emerged, its eyes likenterns scanning around, its fierce gaze passing over everyone before settling on Lu Yu and hispanions, for by this time, all others were stricken with panic.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The giant python, opening its massive maw, charged towards Lu Yu and his friends, leaving deep marks on the riverbank, its body covered in green scales that gleamed with a metallic luster.


    He Yingchao''s martial arts were not considered lowly in the Jianghu, and ordinary attacks were easy for someone like him, who practiced martial arts, to dodge. Moreover, he discovered that although the python was formidable, it was not impossible to deal with and was much easier than those unpredictable and strange techniques.


    He moved deftly, not only easily dodging the python''s attack but also managing to counterattack now and then. Sadly, the creature''s body seemed as if it were cast from steel, and striking it only resulted in a ng of metal, without inflicting any damage.


    He Yinglian, seeing this, drew her treasured sword to assist, sparks flying as it struck the python.


    The python, enraged, whipped up huge waves with its vast body, blowing sand and stones into the air. The tiny grains of sand had now be the most terrifying hidden weapons in the world, forcing the siblings to dodge in disarray.


    A golden light descended from the sky, instantly shielding the swirling sand and stones from the area, allowing the exhausted siblings a chance to catch their breath.


    As the golden light faded, what came into view was a majestic Divine General d in Golden Armor with a determined face, surrounded by green ribbons, extremely handsome in appearance. The vigers around dropped to their knees, proiming the descent of an immortal.


    The Divine General offered Lu Yu a slight bow, saying, "Your Excellency," his voice booming like a great bell, immediately resounding throughout the entire vige.


    Lu Yu looked in surprise at the Dharma Protector Spirit who had bowed to him. He hadn''t expected that his own protector had gained a slight consciousness, and he spected it likely had to do with the quality of the Demon Soul.


    "Capture this monster!"manded Lu Yu.


    With an affirmative sound, the Dharma Protector Spirit reached out a hand towards the giant python.


    The giant python, however, was not about to be captured without a fight, and opened its immense jaws, ready to swallow the Dharma Protector Spirit.


    One was a demon beast with a hardened demon body; the other, a Dharma Protector Spirit with boundless strength. Thus began a battle like sparks meeting a.


    An enormous shockwave swept the surroundings, terrifying the people into scattering in all directions; none had the mind to watch the spectacle any longer.


    Even He Yingchao and his sister dared not get too close to the battlefield, only managing to hurriedly protect the two children and retreat to a distance.


    After a while, the dust settled, revealing the situation inside. The python wrapped its body tightly around the Dharma Protector Spirit, but its head was gripped firmly in the spirit''s hand, roaring helplessly with its sizable mouth agape.


    Then, the ribbons around the Dharma Protector Spirit suddenly lit up with green light, and all the flowers, nts, and trees emitted a verdant glow, flying towards the spirit.


    As those lights entered the body of the Dharma Protector Spirit, the evenly matched conflict shifted dramatically.


    The protector, sping the snake head, suddenly exerted a great force and hurled it to the ground with a thunderous impact.


    The python, dazed by the throw, had barely recovered before the Dharma Protector Spirit mounted it, pummeling its head with fist blows like a torrential downpour, dazing the creature with stars in its eyes.


    The shocked onlookers witnessed a scene they would never forget: the seemingly invincible River God of their imaginations was pinned to the ground and brutally beaten by a Heavenly General descended from the heavens.


    At first, the python struggled, but the intensity of its resistance soon diminished, signaling its impending demise.


    As expected, the python gradually fell silent, lying motionless on the ground, lifeless.


    At this moment, the cloudy skies suddenly parted, and brilliant sunlight beamed down on the Dharma Protector Spirit, bestowing upon it an air of solemn majesty.

 Chapter 8

    "Long live!" Unknown who shouted first, this cry acted like a signal, instantly igniting the vigers'' passion. They shouted and hugged each other, tears involuntarily sliding from the corners of their eyes. Over the years, which family hadn''t lost a child to the giant python''s mouth?


    The source of their fear had now died, and they felt as if the mountain pressing down upon their heads had thunderously copsed. Some vigers, who incredibly hated the giant python, overcame their fear, rushed to the python''s corpse, and fiercely kicked it twice. Yet even in death, the python''s sturdy body was not something themon folk could affect; all they got was sore feet.


    With a gentle wave of his hand, Lu Yu made the Protector Spirit transform into a streak of golden light that disappeared. Watching the overjoyed vigers in front of him, he couldn''t help but smile himself, feeling somewhat like an immortal vanquishing demons and evils.


    "Humph, you thought you could escape? I, young master, was watching you."


    Turning his head, Lu Yu saw He Yingchao holding the Shaman Woman by one hand, carrying her over as if she were a small chicken.


    "Big Brother Lu, this Shaman Woman tried to flee once she saw the giant python dead but I caught her and brought her back."


    At that moment, the Shaman Woman, who was a far cry from her previous imposing demeanor, was trembling in fear having seen the invincible River God killed so quickly. When she saw Lu Yu looking at her, she couldn''t help but involuntarily urinate.


    Lu Yu awkwardly touched his nose; he looked quite refined. Was he that frightening?


    It was only then that the excited vigers noticed the situation here, and they all knelt before Lu Yu and hispanions to express their gratitude for the assistance.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Lu Yu and hispanions quickly helped these people to stand up. Seeing the Shaman Woman trembling on the ground, the vigers were full of righteous indignation and wanted to rush up to punish her severely.


    "Don''t rush, let me ask her some questions first," Lu Yu extended his hand to stop the impulsive vigers. He was very curious how this Shaman Woman had colluded with the giant python.


    The Shaman Woman had already been terrified out of her wits, and didn''t dare hide anything, so she recounted the whole story truthfully.


    It turned out that the Shaman Woman was once a fisherman''s wife. The couple often fished in the river for a living. Then, one day, thunder boomed and lightning struck the river surface. While fishing in the river during this scenario, the couple got terrified and fled in panic, only to encounter the python that swallowed her husband.


    Desperate and panicking on the boat, the Shaman Woman made wild promises that she would deliver boys and girls for the beast to eat, as she had heard that demons preferred such meals.


    Unexpectedly, the giant python could understand human speech, and spared the Shaman Woman. After returning home, she started to proim that she had encountered a River God whomanded that the vige must sacrifice boys and girls. Initially, the vigers thought she was mad and ignored her.


    Then, the Shaman Woman made the python stir up waves and flood the vige''s fertile fields, thereby coercing the vigers to periodically sacrifice boys and girls.


    After listening to the story, Lu Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Being able to understand human speech, it likely isn''t an ordinary demon beast." However, they had no way of tracing the origins of this demon beast at that moment.


    Later, Lu Yu had He Yingchao use his Flying Sword to dissect the giant python; after all, every part of a demon beast was valuable. Its fresh blood was an excellent material for talismans, the hard scales could be used to forge Treasure Armor, and its meat could strengthen and invigorate the body. Lu Yu wouldn''t let go of these riches.


    As Lu Yu was closely contemting the uses of the demon beast, amotion attracted his attention.


    A butcher holding a blue hairpin approached Lu Yu: "Reporting to the Immortal Chief, while processing the beast''s body, I found a hairpin glowing brightly in its stomach." Having said that, he handed the cleaned hairpin to Lu Yu.


    Lu Yu examined the blue hairpin carefully and noticed that it resembled a Flying Sword, with a faint Sword Qi surfacing on it. He silently spected: Could it actually be a Flying Sword?


    Thinking this, his heart surged with excitement; this was his first time seeing a fully nurtured Flying Sword. Unfortunately, the spiritual nature of the Flying Sword might choose its own master. When he had tried tomunicate with the Flying Sword through his thoughts and received no response, he knew he was not destined to wield it.


    "What a beautiful hairpin!" He Chaolian, beside him, couldn''t help but exim as she looked at the hairpin in Lu Yu''s hand.


    Suddenly, the previously quiet Flying Sword shed a gentle green light and instantly flew into He Yinglian''s hands.


    Lu Yu, speechless, stared at the scene before him, feeling no privilege as a transmigrator. Not only was there no system or golden finger in sight, but now, after finally seeing a treasure, it seemed not meant for him.


    However, despite the bitterness in his heart, Lu Yu felt no envy towards the young girl. Smiling with anticipation, he told He Yinglian, "It seems you and this treasure are fated. Why not take it now!"


    Overjoyed at hearing this, He Yinglian''s face lit up with delight, and she crisply said to Lu Yu, "Thank you, Big Brother Lu!"


    After cing the hairpin on her head and with her radiant face blushing, she nced at Lu Yu and asked, "Big Brother Lu, do I look pretty!"


    Caught in the throes of youth, that hint of charm briefly stunned Lu Yu.


    He quickly dismissed the thought, considering that, back on Earth, she was still a minor. Lu Yu believed himself not to be so beastly.


    "This is no ordinary hairpin; it must be a Flying Sword. Flying Swords have Spiritual Nature, and you must not neglect it," Lu Yu quickly changed the subject.


    He Yinglian seemed to notice Lu Yu''s embarrassment and burst into a bell-likeughter, "Got it, Big Brother Lu." Her call of ''Big Brother Lu'' was so elongated, it left Lu Yu awkwardly touching his nose.


    Lu Yu and hispanions did not dare to linger, declining the vigers'' warm hospitality, and hastily left the small vige. They had matters to attend to, not to mention the assassins whose origin they still didn''t know if they hadpletely evaded.


    The days that followed fully proved they had indeed escaped from the assassins; perhaps the assassins were toocent, always assuming that dealing with two neers to Jianghu should be an easy task, and thus, they didn''t take it seriously.


    The group serenely made their way to their destination, the seat of the Yunzhou State Capital ¡ª Wan City.


    As the center of both economics and politics in Yunzhou, Wan City was also the fief awarded to the fifth son of the Lord of the Great Chen. With its beautiful sceneries and brilliant people, it was a jewel of the region.


    The Great Chen had seen two hundred years of peace; by now, Wan City had grown into arge city with a poption of several hundred thousand. Its tall, solidly-built walls resembled a giant beast sprawled upon the earth from a distance.


    The huge city gates were bustling as Lu Yu and his twopanions quietly entered among the crowd.


    The liveliness of Wan City was extraordinary. Its strategic location determined its economic level; further, its status as a state capital enhanced its prosperity, turning it into the pearl of Yunzhou.


    Lu Yu looked around the city with interest, finding it hard to believe that he could one day cross the vast river of history and witness a slice of it firsthand.


    Just then, a carriage whizzed past, startling the nearbymoners who quickly dodged away, disying angry expressions on their faces!


    "Whose carriage is this, being so arrogant? Is there now anymore?" He Yingchao wondered aloud.


    "You must be from out of town, right?" someone warm-hearted inquired.


    "Could this carriage have some significant background?" Lu Yu asked.


    "You outsiders may not know, but we old residents do; that was a carriage from Prince Huai''s Mansion. We always avoid it; who doesn''t know that Prince Huai is the fifth son of the current King and is highly favored!"


    Even after hearing the name of Prince Huai, He Yinglian still felt indignant. To them, the people of Jianghu, thews of the Imperial Court were never highly regarded. Her brother quickly pulled her aside and whispered, "Don''t stir up trouble, remember our mission!"


    He Chaolian could only stamp her foot in frustration and followed her brother to the Taoist Temple.

 Chapter 9 Turmoil in Yunzhou

    After inquiring in various ces, Lu Yu and the others finally arrived at their destination: Xuantian Temple.


    However, what appeared before their eyes was a decrepit Taoist temple, mottled walls, and an old gate whose paint had long since peeled away, coupled with a ring dog hole in the wall corner, made them feel as though they hade to the wrong ce.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Since we''re here, we should at least ask around to know if it''s the Xuantian Temple that person spoke of," Lu Yu said, sensing the confusion of the He siblings and encouraged them.


    He Yingchao tapped on the door carefully, fearing that a careless knock might cause the rickety old gate to fall apart.


    With a creaking sound, the dpidated gate slowly opened, and a slovenly Old Taoist appeared before them!


    The Old Taoist was wearing a gray Taoist robe, perhaps due to not being washed for a long time, it was covered in grease stains, and if one did not look closely, the original color was indiscernible.


    The wrinkled face was adorned with grizzled beard, and the reddened eyes were somewhat swollen.


    "Who are you youngsters, disturbing this old Taoist for no reason? Off with you!" Having said that, he burped, instantly filling the air with a strong smell of alcohol, causing Lu Yu and hispanions to frown involuntarily.


    "May I ask if you are Taoist Priest Tiantong? We have been entrusted by a person to deliver a message," He Yingchao said, prepared to fulfill thest request of the dying man, despite the significant difference between this Old Taoist and the one he had envisioned.


    "Oh! Indeed, I go by the Taoist name Tiantong, but what message do you have for me?"


    He Yingchao looked at the Old Taoist hesitantly, then raised his head to look at the que above, triple-checking before saying, "We encountered a dying Taoist priest on the road, and he entrusted this letter to us before he passed, asking us to ensure it was delivered to Taoist Priest Tiantong of Xuantian Temple." He then took out the letter from his bosom.


    The unkempt Taoist extended his withered hands and solemnly received the crumpled letter that had once been dampened by blood, reading it over carefully several times. A rare expression of sorrow appeared on his usually indifferent face.


    "Foolish child! Why did you have to descend the mountain and plunge into this turmoil?" he sighed deeply after speaking.


    The demeanor of the Taoist changed after that, respectfully inviting the group into the temple with a solemn expression.


    "You all were willing to risk your lives to deliver a message for my nephew. I thank you for that. You may rest well in my temple for the next few days, and after a few days, I will send you away from this ce of strife," the Old Taoist said indifferently to Lu Yu and the others, as if he had something weighing on his mind.


    In the following days, the three guests stayed at Xuantian Temple. Despite its dpidated state, upon closer observation over the days, they realized that it was indeed an extraordinary ce, with a unique aura circting around it.


    The Old Taoist had also changed his previously untidy manner, suddenly donning a new Taoist robe. His hair, previously in disarray, was nowbed impably. He looked as though he had shed decades.


    However, Lu Yu keenly noticed a peculiar radiance in the Old Taoist''s eyes, as if someone hadid down a heavy burden, transforming entirely, reminding Lu Yu involuntarily of a phrase from his past life: "Long confined in a cage, one yearns to return to nature."


    Meanwhile, in the underground chamber of Prince Huai''s Mansion, a middle-aged man in a python robe was speaking anxiously to a red-haired person: "The secret letter has already arrived at Xuantian Temple, didn''t you say it was foolproof?"


    The middle-aged man''s eyes suppressed a fury to the extreme, wanting to erupt yet feeling somewhat afraid.


    "Has the prince gotten impatient? I too had not expected two youngsters newly entered into the world of martial heroes to actually escape the pursuit of the Blood Guards. It seems to have a lot to do with that schr named Lu Yu," the red-haired man said unhurriedly.


    "It''s toote to say anything now, the secret letter has already fallen into the hands of the Taoist from Tiantong. I estimate it won''t be long before my royal father gets the message, and by then, neither you nor I can escape!" Thinking of his father, a man of high cunning and strategy, a wave of fear welled up inside him.


    "What''s there to fear? The arrow is already nocked on the bowstring, this can be used as a pretext to raise troops and cleanse the monarch''s side!" The red-haired man spoke, as if his words echoed with the sound of metal, and his eyes were actually brimming with a murderous intent.


    "This..." The middle-aged man still hesitated, sensing that things were not so simple.


    "Does the prince want to entrust his life and death to that indifferent father of yours, or do you hope your brothers will treat you kindly in the future?" There was a hint of sarcasm in his words.


    "Hmph! Expecting them to be kind and gentle is simply a joke. Have you prepared what you promised?" The middle-aged man had made up his mind, gambling for a future.


    "Rest assured, the three thousand Blood Guards fear neither life nor death, know no pain, undying and indestructible. With but a singlemand from the Great King, the world could change its master."


    "In that case, good. I hope the Blood Guards are truly as you say, otherwise if I fail, you''re not going to fare much better, the things you''ve done are enough for you to die many times over!" He finished his speech, flinging his sleeves, and left the Underground Chamber.


    Not long after Prince Huai left, a door suddenly appeared on the wall of the Underground Chamber, and an old man in a red robe came out, saluting the red-haired man, "Sect Hierarch, it may be premature to let Prince Huai stir up trouble now; it might not lead to great sess."


    "I never intended it to be a great sess!" The red-haired man smiled and said.


    Looking at the surprised expression on the elder''s face, he continued, "Do you think the Fortune and Destiny of The Dynasty is easy to provoke? Now is not yet the time. I am merely using this fool to refine my Great Law. My Cultivation Technique has reached a critical juncture; I just need a massacre to seed in forging the Divine Blood Body and create the River of Blood.


    Then, how many in this world could kill me?"


    "Sect Hierarch is ingenious and farsighted, your subordinate wishes for the Sect Hierarch''s divine power to be fully realized and to rule the world." The old man ttered his own Sect Hierarch obsequiously.


    "Go down now, prepare the Array well. After the sess, I will grant you eternal life alongside me!"


    The elder went down joyously, and in the moment that door closed, one could seemingly see the flowing blood and the mountainous piles of White Skeletons inside, and a faint stench wafted from within.


    That day, the Old Taoist was getting ready to escort Lu Yu and the others out of the city, but as he opened the main gate, he felt an unease, as if a great disaster was imminent. He quickly urged Lu Yu and the others to follow him into the Taoist Temple, shutting the main gate tightly.


    "Taoist Priest, I''m not sure what''s happened for you to be so nervous," Lu Yu asked.


    "The moment I opened the gate just now, my Soul was unsettled, and I felt an imminent disaster. It seemed as if there was a Sea of Blood before me. Us cultivators attach great importance to sudden premonitions, as they are always closely rted to oneself. So I conjecture that some change may have urred.


    This temple is protected by a Formation I have set up; if any mishap urs, it can be considered the safest ce in the city!" The Old Taoist exined with lingering fear.

 Chapter 10 Liu Peiran

    Just when everyone was at their wit''s end, a morous noise suddenly came from outside the temple, faintly discernible as the wailing of themon people, apanied by the nging of metal from the marching army.


    From outside the door, a shouting voice could faintly be heard: Prince Huai is rebelling!


    The few of them looked at each other, utterly baffled as to why Prince Huai would plot a rebellion. Firstly, hecked the support of the local noble families and ns, and secondly, he didn''t have sufficient troops. Where did he get the courage to raise an army and rebel?


    "Xue Wuyi, your heart is truly ruthless, to actually demand the lives of these innocent townspeople!" the Old Taoist said furiously, his anger boiling over.


    Lu Yu carefully pondered the name Xue Wuyi. In the Old Taoist''s mouth, it seemed to be the mastermind behind Prince Huai''s rebellion, but the connection between the two was unknown.


    "There''s no point in hiding it now. My nephew risked his life to send a secret message, which said that Prince Huai is colluding with Xue Wuyi, and a great disaster is feared!"


    "Xue Wuyi was once a friend of mine; it''s a pity he didn''t possess the right principles to join our Zhengyi Sect. I don''t know where he learned an evil technique and established the Blood Cult, proiming himself as the Sect Hierarch."


    "Because his technique was harmful to people and was besieged by the righteous path, he disappeared from then on. Who would have thought he was hiding here, in league with Prince Huai?"


    "This man is extremely cruel and ruthless, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals. His technique requires human blood as a base, to nurture a River of Blood, which grants him immortality as long as the river does not dry up. If I''m not mistaken, he probably wants to use the lives of tens of thousands of Wan City''s citizens to refine his evil technique."


    Hearing this, Lu Yu''s scalp tingled, and he was secretly shocked in his heart. Xue Wuyi was truly ruthless, sacrificing tens of thousands of lives for his own technique¡ªa total disregard for humanity.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The shouts and killing outside the door were relentless; He Yinglian and her brother also had looks of realization on their faces. Great Chen had long been at peace, and war was a distant memory, but the noises outside told them how close the war actually was to them.


    Before they could sigh about the unpredictability of life, several dozen men dressed in red appeared on the walls of the Taoist temple.


    Although there were several dozen of them, when they spoke, it was eerily in one voice.


    "Liu Peiran, it''s been almost thirty years since west met, hasn''t it?" It was then that Lu Yu and the others learned that the Old Taoist was named Liu Peiran.


    "You''ve finally learned this technique too. Have you gone mad? To use so many people''s lives for your own ambition?"


    "You''re still the same as before, too kind and soft-hearted. Heh, if you weren''t like this, how would you have fallen to such a state, dying alongside your stubborn and decaying sect? I still remember how spirited you were thirty years ago, and now you''re just an old man!"


    "The sect has treated me with enormous kindness, so what if I give my life for it? My only regret is that I should not have let you go out of old affection back then. Now, all the cmity suffered by the townspeople is my fault!" the Old Taoist said angrily.


    "Good, it''s best not to think of the past. I''m not going to hold back today. Today, you and I will settle this once and for all, with either you dead or me alive!"


    No sooner had the voice fallen than the dozens of Blood-robed People suddenlyunched an attack at the Old Taoist. However, an invisible wall seemed to rise up on the temple''s walls, blocking all their attacks from outside.


    The Old Taoist was muttering incantations, with his right hand''s index and middle fingers joined together and pointing forward, a Fire Dragon appeared out of nowhere, roaring as it charged towards these eerie foes.


    These people suddenly lined up to block the Fire Dragon''s roar, but their defense was as weak as paper. In an instant, they were incinerated by the Fire Dragon.


    Lu Yu and the others watched, dumbstruck. Whether it was the Old Taoist or the Blood-robed People, their strangeness and strength were like nothing Lu Yu and the others had ever seen.


    "Is this person really dead?" Lu Yu questioned, feeling that this supposed mastermind had died too quickly.


    "Dead? It''s not that easy. He just sent a few incarnations to cause some trouble. This guy has countless avatars, so this loss is just a triviality to him!"


    Following the departure of the eerie incarnations, the rebels from the city came next. They ughtered the innocent people of the city as if they had gone mad.


    Lu Yu and hispanions were so enraged by the atrocitiesmitted by these rebels that it felt as if their chests would explode with fury. Unable to contain themselves, they had already joined the fray, weapons in hand.


    Their martial skills were extraordinary, far superior to those of the slovenly trained soldiers who only knew how to bully men and dominate women. In no time at all, they left a swath of corpses in front of the Taoist temple.


    However, what they hadn''t noticed was that the blood of all the dead in the city seemed to be drawn by some mysterious force, gradually seeping out from the bodies and converging towards the same direction.


    A peculiar aura was spreading through the city, incessantly magnifying the murderous intent in everyone''s heart. At first, it was just the rebels killing indiscriminately without any sense of reason.


    As time passed, more and more people joined the feast of ughter; some were martial artists with the heart of a ferocious tiger, others were chivalrous heroes who could not stand to see such tyranny.


    But at this moment, they were all participants in this strange massacre, and the ughter continued unabated.


    The sky waspletely enveloped by thick, dark clouds, yet within that deep, oppressive darkness flickered a disturbing hint of red, striking fear into the hearts of those who saw it.


    Lu Yu looked up at the ominous sky, and with his heightened spiritual senses, he realized that something was amiss. It seemed that everyone was being influenced by a mysterious force that amplified their innate desire to kill.


    "Taoist Priest, what is this?" As Lu Yu gazed at the hellish scene before him, he felt a dryness in his mouth and sensed that this might be part of a conspiracy.


    "s! Xue Wuyi''s formation has been set, and at this point, Wan City is doomed to be a hellish graveyard, fuel for his cultivation!" Liu Peiran said with a sense of burnt-out resignation.


    "Is there really no way to stop him?" Lu Yu asked urgently, his words betraying a hint of reproach, as he had always believed that the Taoist before him was not without the means to counter.


    "Do you think I do not wish to,yman? But look around the Taoist temple!"


    As Lu Yu took in the Taoist''s words and looked around, he realized, to his surprise, that the temple had been unknowingly surrounded by a group of blood-robed people.


    "Zhengyi Sect''s Tiantong Taoist, I hope you can stay here quietly. Should you step out of this temple, I fear today you shall perish, body and spirit obliterated," the leading elder said, revealing himself to be the same old man who had previously spoken with Xue Wuyi in the secret chamber.


    "What joys does life hold, and what sorrows does death bring? As an old Taoist who has lived nearly sixty years, reaching such an age is not so premature in the mortal world, and it is enough!" Liu Peiran suddenlyughed aloud.


    The entire Taoist temple suddenly burst forth with boundless light, drawing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth frantically into the frail body of the old Taoist.


    However, at that moment, the seemingly frail body appeared to be forged of fine steel, absorbing the most violent spiritual energy between heaven and earth without missing a trace.


    A "crack" like the shattering of porcin emanated from the Taoist''s body, and multiple fractures appeared; dazzling light shimmered through the cracks.


    "Forgive me, threeymen, but I''m afraid I won''t be able to watch over you shortly. Your lives and deaths will have to depend on yourselves," the Old Taoist said, seemingly enduring immense pain, his voice shaking slightly.


    No sooner had his words faded than the Taoist''s body turned to ash in the radiant light, and a figure identical to the Taoist, carrying immeasurable light, walked out from the ashes.


    Spiritual energy from the surroundings continuously poured into the figure.


    "Primordial Spirit?" the blood-robed elder eximed in horror.


    "No, you''ve forcefully elevated to the Primordial Spirit Realm, and it won''t be long before you die here, your soul scattered to the winds," the elder said, having taken a moment to recognize the truth of the situation.


    "Even so, a Primordial Spirit is still a Primordial Spirit!" The old Taoist was not afraid of his soul scattering to the winds. He had borne humiliation for the sake of his sect for a lifetime and decided to shine in the most brilliant light at thest moment of his life. At this moment, he was no longer the shabby Tiantong Taoist, but the once-great talent, Liu Peiran.


    With a gentle flick of his finger, Liu Peiran sent the blood-robed elder flying, his aura turning extremely weak, clearly having sustained serious injuries.

 Chapter 11 The Battle Concludes

    The Taoist robe swished lightly and a good half of the Blood-robed People turned into flying ash. He leapt up to the Nine Heavens, his eyes flickering with Heavenly Thunder. He gently spoke to Prince Huai''s Mansion not far away, "Come and fight!"


    The gentle words gradually grew louder until atst they seemed like sounds from heaven, resounding across the sky.


    "Very well, this is Liu Peiran, this is the opponent I acknowledge. If you wish to fight,e and fight!" Apanying the voice was Xue Wuyi, the mastermind from behind the scenes.


    Liu Peiran radiated boundless light, appearing like a colossal sun suspended in the sky. Meanwhile, Xue Wuyi controlled a surging River of Blood on the ground.


    The world seemed to split in two, one side was a sky aze with dazzling white light, and the other was a great earth with roaring seas of blood.


    This was a duel between top experts in the Cultivation Realm, a Primordial Spirit True Man in the Great Chen was considered the pinnacle of existence, a person capable of founding a Sect.


    But now, two cultivators who had reached the stage of Primordial Spirit were fighting, a rare spectacle for those still in the middle of their cultivation.


    At this moment, Lu Yu had no interest in observing this great battle. For him, the priority was how to survive under the hands of these Blood-robed People.


    By now, he had exhausted all his means; a huge Dharma Protector Spirit guarded by his side, and the Flying Sword in his arms had transformed into a beam of deathly light, ceaselessly reaping lives.


    At this point, Lu Yu could no longer afford to worry about the repercussions of using the Flying Sword, his only thought was to survive.


    Sword Qi surged, and the Blood-robed People fell like wheat under the scythe, yet seemingly endless waves of them madly pressed forward as one batch fell, another would crazily rush up.


    Lu Yu was hacking until he felt numb inside, his heart void of any thoughts but the mechanical swinging of his sword.


    Meanwhile, the grand battle in the sky continued. Liu Peiran, transformed into his Primordial Spirit, appeared like a Divine Spirit, summoning powerful spells effortlessly; Fire Dragons soared and Heavenly Thunder descended.


    But the Sea of Blood of Xue Wuyi seemed like an endless abyss. No matter how many spells entered, they merely stirred up waves of blood and failed to harm him in the slightest.


    Xue Wuyi merged with the River of Blood to form a towering dragon that surged towards Liu Peiran.


    Liu Peiran, in turn, transformed into a towering Giant cloaked in me, his eyes containing thunder.


    The giant battled the dragon, and though the river of blood continuously tainted his body, the mes made it impossible to harm Liu Peiran''s Primordial Spirit. Instead, it crisped with a sizzling sound.


    The two were at a stalemate, but as time passed, the Giant''s vitality gradually weakened. Liu Peiran''s Primordial Spirit, drawn from an unsustainable source, began to falter as its strength waned.


    At the same time, Lu Yu also reached a critical moment of life and death. The once massive Dharma Protector Spirit now appeared ethereal, as if it would vanish in a few moments, and Lu Yu''s face was deathly pale. He had drained too much of his Life Force and could hardly hold on.


    "Is this where it ends for me?" Lu Yu questioned himself, looking at the increasingly blurry and shaky scene before him, he knew he had reached his limit. Yet there was a deep unwillingness in his heart; he had ultimately failed to protect the He siblings.


    "No!" In the moment of fainting, Lu Yu seemed to hear a piercing cry, likely from He Yinglian, before losing consciousness.


    He Yinglian stared at Lu Yu, who had fallen while protecting her and her brother. Her heart was filled with despair and anger.


    At that moment, the hairpin in her hair suddenly moved with the wind, transforming into a green longsword.


    The longsword, glowing with a jade-green light, danced in the air andnded in the hands of an extremely beautiful Fairy.


    This Fairy was breathtakingly gorgeous, a beauty that seemed tailored for the phrases ''destroyer of states and cities'' ¨C her eyebrows arched like distant mountains, her eyes clear as springs, graceful as a startled swan and supple as a swimming dragon.


    The Fairy held the treasured sword, cast a brief nce at He Yinglian, then turned to look at the battling duo. That one look sent a shiver through Xue Wuyi, panic rising in his heart as he faced the cold-faced Fairy.


    "Fairy Biyou! Weren''t you supposed to have ascended to be an Immortal in the Heavenly Court?"


    It''s important to note that this Fairy was no ordinary character. If we talk about the geniuses of the Cultivation Realm in the Great Chen Dynasty over the recent centuries, she''d be second to none.


    Dominating an era, she made many brilliant cultivators feel inferior; she ascended to Immortality in merely a hundred years and even received the Heavenly Imperial Edict, turning into a legend of an era.


    What Xue Wuyi received in response was a bright sh of Sword light. The Sword light sliced through the sky, pierced the River of Blood, and severed the Blood Dragon, causing Xue Wuyi to scream in pain. In just one strike, the previously unconquerable Xue Wuyi was severely injured, his prestigious name living up to its fame.


    By this moment, Xue Wuyi well understood that Wan City was no ce for him to linger. Not waiting for Fairy Biyou''s second strike, he transformed into a River of Blood and fled.


    The dark clouds gradually dispersed, and the sun reappeared before everyone''s eyes, making everyone involuntarily drop their weapons and cry out at the hellish scene before them.


    The once prosperous Wan City had turned into ruins, and numerous impoverished citizens had perished in this disaster.


    Liu Peiran somberly gazed at the various facets of life on the ground, sighing involuntarily. Looking up at the now clear blue sky, he muttered to himself, "Master, brother, I aming!"


    The Primordial Spirit transformed into tiny specks of light that scattered over Wan City, purifying the blood-contaminated ground. Those weakened by the River of Blood were nourished by this light, unknowingly returning to normal. This was thest act the Taoist performed for thend he had lived in for many years, at the end of his life.


    The Taoist Tiantong of the Zhengyi Sect died suddenly.


    As everything in Wan City settled, far away in the Capital of the Great Chen.


    The State Preceptor of the Great Chen, the Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi, was standing on a tall tform.


    This tform was named Zhaixing, implying that one could pluck the stars with their hands, showcasing its imposing height.


    "Junior brother, I never imagined you would leave before me!" His words carried an indescribable sorrow, as those sharing the celestial moniker in this generation were destined to be sacrificialmbs of this era.


    "State Preceptor, is there news from Wan City?" Beside the State Preceptor stood a person in a dragon robe, his face aged yet still distinguished and regal¡ªit was the reigning Monarch of Great Chen.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "My junior brother, Taoist Tiantong, has sacrificed himself in his path; I''m afraid the situation in Wan City is quite dire!" Indeed, they had already surmised several possible scenarios when they received the secretmunication but still harbored hope that things might take a turn.


    Hearing the State Preceptor''s words, the Monarch of Great Chen stood silently, the wind sweeping across the tform enveloping both men in solemnity.


    "Hahaha, it seems everyone thinks I am old and frail!" The King suddenly burst intoughter, but his eyes held not a trace of mirth, only a deep severity.


    "I entrust everything to you, State Preceptor!" he said, bowing deeply to Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi.


    Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi sighed softly, "It appears His Majesty''s resolve is firm. Well, I shall sacrifice this life to divine Heaven''s Secret for Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will keep his promise, and after this, let the Zhengyi Sect and the Great Chen settle their karmic debt."


    "My word is my bond; I will not break my promise!"


    Reassured by the Monarch''s promise, Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi then instructed his men to prepare the necessary items.


    Shortly after, several ck banners, depicting the sun, moon, and city, were erected at the Observatory, and an altar with the Jade Seal of Great Chen was set up in the middle.


    Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi walked around the altar, casting spells, and even without wind, the ck banners slowly stirred the atmosphere, a profound and mysterious aura emitting from the altar.


    Suddenly, a whirlwind arose, breaking the gpoles and disarraying the altar. Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi stopped walking, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood.


    The True Man staggered a few steps, then slowly seated himself on the tform, facing the eagerly awaiting Monarch of Great Chen, he said, "I am honored to fulfill my duty. I have divined a sliver of Heaven''s Secret, which I hope will satisfy Your Majesty."


    He then shared all he had learned, speaking until his breaths became weaker and finally ceased.


    A young Taoist dressed in a robe approached from afar and said to the monarch, "My teacher''s uncle has ascended. Honoring hisst wish, I will take his body back to the Zhengyi Sect. From today, our sect will close its doors for thirty years, and I hope Your Majesty will understand."


    "Taoist Tianyi has exhausted his wisdom for Great Chen, and I will certainly honor hisst wish," the monarch replied.


    Hearing this, the Taoist lifted the body of Qingyun, bowed deeply, and transformed into a rainbow light, shooting straight toward the sect''s gates, leaving the Monarch of Great Chen alone at the altar, the emperor standing at the railing looking out over the vastnds, his eyes filled with a deadly intent.


    The next day, everyone in Great Chen knew¡ªPrimordial Spirit True Man Tianyi, a divine figure in the hearts of ordinary people, had ascended. The nation mourned, and the Emperor''s Order of Recruitment was also spread throughout thend, making people curious about who would be the next State Preceptor of Great Chen after Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi.


    At that time, in ces unavable to ordinary people, the cultivation realm was abuzz with various pieces of news.


    "Tianyi has passed, signaling the impending fall of Great Chen. This is the time for us cultivators to descend from the mountains to aid and reshape the nation."


    "The Zhengyi Sect has backed Great Chen to great advantage for two hundred years producing outstanding disciples. It stands as the foremost Taoist sect in the cultivation realm; however, now it has withdrawn from thepetition for the dragon, allowing other sects a chance to shine."


    Many cultivation sects sent their disciples and followers into the world to find the Hidden Dragon, ready to support their chosen candidate to vie for control of the realm, thus sharing in that person''s fortune and destiny as cultivation nourishment.


    Some practitioners of unorthodox paths also seized this opportunity to practice evil techniques and refine treasures, and for a time, the previously tranquil Great Chen cultivation realm became tumultuous, because with the great cmity impending, these cultivators found it hard to maintain peace of mind or rity of heart, naturally giving rise to numerous tribtions.

 Chapter 12 Green Lotus Taoist Sect

    At the same time, Lu Yu felt as if he were groping in the darkness continuously but could never find a way out. Just as he was feeling frustrated and clueless about how to escape this darkness, a voice came from outside.


    "This person has been lying here for so many days, why hasn''t he woken up yet?" The voice belonged to a young girl who did not sound very old.


    "Brother Wang said that he forcibly used the dark arts and thus injured his origin, even if he wakes up, he can''t enjoy a normal lifespan."


    "Ah! That severe? I heard that our junior uncle really cares about him, he has visited him several times these past few days."


    "What do you think? If it weren''t for our junior uncle pleading with the Sect for the Life-Creating Pill, this person would have been long gone. I heard that this junior uncle is the one the founder of our Sect spoke of: ''capable of prospering our Sect, one lotus, two clouds,'' and he referred to ''one lotus''."


    The two young girls chattered about some interesting events within the Sect, which inadvertently allowed Lu Yu, who was lying on the bed, to gradually understand the environment he was in.


    That day in Wan City, the fairy incarnated into a sword and drove back Xue Wuyi. Not long after, people from the Green Lotus Sect arrived at the scene.


    Originally, the founder of the Green Lotus Sect was extremely adept at divining Heaven''s Secret. On the day of his ascension, he left the words: ''capable of prospering our Sect, one lotus, two clouds''.


    The ''two clouds'' had been long recruited into the Sect, but sadly they had never been able to find this ''one lotus'', until He Yinglian acquired the Qomgupi Sword and summoned Fairy Biyou''s incarnation which then revealed Heaven''s Secret. They did not dare dy and were the first to arrive at the scene.


    It was only afterward that people from the Zhengyi Sect arrived, but by then everything had already calmed down.


    He Yinglian, being the ordained individual of the Green Lotus Sect and furthermore acknowledged by Fairy Biyou, was naturally taken into the Green Lotus Sect, and both Lu Yu and He Yingchao benefitted from this association and were taken in as well.


    Unfortunately, Lu Yu had risked his life in that great battle, using the Flying Sword repeatedly without counting, which had damaged his foundation. If it were not for He Yinglian''s distinguished position, pleading for the help of the Sect''s seniors, he would probably be dead by now.


    Lu Yu''s consciousness gradually returned to his body, and he slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying on an ancient wooden bed surrounded by silk and satin that, while simple, exuded an undeniably immortal aura.


    "Ah! You''re awake!" The young girl was extremely surprised to see Lu Yu awake, and hurried out to spread the news,


    Soon, a crowd of people came in. He Yinglian rushed in, thrilled, and seeing Lu Yu''s still pale face, she couldn''t help but throw herself on him, crying, "Big Brother Lu, you''ve finally woken up!"


    Lu Yu felt a warm surge in his heart as he looked at the girl crying tears like rain in front of him, andforted her by patting her head, "Stop crying, see, I''m fine!"


    But He Yinglian had already taken Lu Yu''s hand and started chattering nonstop about what had happened during this period, including how she entered the Sect and how the leader of Misty Peak took her as a disciple in ce of his teacher, instantly elevating her to a position of notable seniority within the Green Lotus Sect.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    While they were conversing, they didn''t notice a handsome young man among the crowd looking at Lu Yu with a jealous expression.


    Over the following days, Lu Yu stayed in the Green Lotus Sect to recover. He had thought about joining the Green Lotus Sect, but when he proposed this to He Yinglian and didn''t receive a reply for several days, he knew in his heart that it probably wasn''t going to be possible.


    As expected, that day Lu Yu was meditating and visualizing in his own residence when a middle-aged Taoist gently pushed the door open. Lu Yu had also gotten familiar with many people from the Sect in the past few days and recognized him as Brother Wang, who managed the external affairs of the Sect.


    "Excuse the disturbance, Layman Lu." Brother Wang was a kind man, deeply respected by the Sect''s disciples, and since he was adept at social interactions, he managed many of the Sect''s external affairs.


    "May I know what brings Brother Wang to me today?"


    Brother Wang seemed somewhat embarrassed as he spoke, "Not to hide from Layman Lu, the Sect Leader is already aware of your desire to join our Sect. Unfortunately, being a person of wealth and status, you may not be suitable for our Sect."


    Lu Yu was curious, having already guessed that he might not be able to enter the Green Lotus Sect, but he was unclear about this term ''person of wealth and status'' and so he asked, "May I inquire what this ''person of wealth and status'' means and if there is any criterion for it?"


    "What is referred to as ''wealth and status'' actually signifies being estranged from the Immortal Dao. To be frank, the transmission of the Immortal Dao ces great importance on Fortune and Destiny. Generally, those with shallow Fortune and Destiny are not admitted into the Sect, as the Sect''s Fortune and Destiny is intricately linked to each disciple and cannot be taken lightly."


    "Are you saying my Fortune and Destiny are shallow?"


    "Layman Lu''s Fortune and Destiny are quite unique. While ordinary people have varying degrees of Fortune and Destiny, yours is almost zero, resembling that of a dead person, yet it changes constantly. Under normal circumstances, the elders of the Sect would be willing to make an exception to admit you into the Sect, but at this moment, there are someplications."


    Although Brother Wang''s words were somewhat cryptic, Lu Yu had already understood most of it. If he was not mistaken, theseplications likely had something to do with He Yinglian.


    Being a reborn individual, he was not rigid in his thinking and knew that since he had been informed, it must be the result of an internal assessment of pros and cons by the Sect. Even if he persisted doggedly, it probably would not change anything.


    Moreover, having spent some time healing in this ce, he had witnessed many instances of backstabbing within the Sect, which was far from his ideals of what cultivation should be. Thus, he did not cling too deeply to the idea, let alone harbor any resentment.


    "Brother Wang, in a situation like mine, how should one pursue the path of cultivation if they wish to?" Naturally, Lu Yu had not given up hope. Having been reborn into a world with Immortals, he was eager to see what the heavens had to offer.


    "As far as I know, people like Layman Lu are best off encountering a great power who preaches the Dao. These powerful beings, with their profound mana and deep Fortune and Destiny, preach without concern for Fortune or Destiny. Unfortunately, such opportunities are now extremely rare in this world."


    Lu Yu silently nodded his head; having a direction was enough.


    "Even so, I will be leaving tomorrow. I have caused much disturbance during my stay, and I hope your Sect can excuse this."


    Brother Wang was a bit surprised by this response; he had thought Lu Yu would persist a bit longer, yet the man was decisively moving on.


    When he returned to report to the Sect Leader, after listening carefully, the Sect Leader said, "Such a temperament is truly rare. If not for the Xu Family''s obstruction, I would have really liked to make an exception and admit him into the Sect. Well, for the harmony of the Sect, we must let him go.


    I have a copy of the ''Yellow Court ssic'' handwritten by our Founder; give it to him, hoping he can fulfill his wishes one day."


    Having made up his mind, Lu Yu was not the type to linger. The next day, he bid farewell to the heartbroken He Yinglian and, guided by Brother Wang, slowly walked out of the Immortals'' Cave Mansion.

 Chapter 13 First Encounter with a Monkey

    Atop Yunfeng Mountain in the Great Chen Dynasty, the weather of midsummer was blistering hot, the sky void of a single cloud, as the sun cast a dappled light through the dense leaves onto the forest path.


    By the side of the path, an old man sat on the ground, his calloused hand slowly supporting his leg, while moans of pain escaped his lips.


    At this moment, a young schr approached from the other end of the path, wearing a slightly faded green robe and a treasured sword at his waist. He appeared young with handsome features, though hisplexion was somewhat pale.


    "Elder, are you alright?" the schr asked with concern as he slowly helped the old man to his feet.


    "I''m fine! I''m fine!" the old man said, waving his hand while secretly pulling a dagger from his waist and viciously stabbing towards the schr.


    With a "whoosh," a sh of sword light streaked by, and the old man''s dagger was still in midair when a sword had already pierced through his chest.


    At the same time, a flying needle shot out from the woods, aimed straight at the schr''s face. The schr drew his sword and with a slight flick, he knocked the hidden weapon to the ground. Several people had by then leaped out from the woods, weapons in hand, ring fiercely at the schr.


    "Impressive skills! Unfortunately, you''ve offended the wrong person. We''ll be taking your head, brother!" the leader dered as he charged towards the schr.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The schr was none other than Lu Yu from the Green Lotus Taoist Sect.


    Lu Yu''s swordsmanship was like clouds in the sky, elusive and lightning-fast, even while under the attack of four men his movements showed no sign of panic. One assassin''s head was severed with a single sweep of the de, and soon all the assants became corpses strewn across the path, their blood staining the peaceful forest.


    "Good! Very good! A fine specimen indeed. My banner is missing a main soul, and you certainly are an excellent choice!" a hoarse voice spoke, as Lu Yu turned to see a withered-faced elder in ck, holding a white banner and slowly approaching from among the trees.


    The elder seemed unconcerned by the bloodshed on the ground as he walked towards Lu Yu, white banner in hand. Lu Yu then noticed the mournful white banner bearing a terrifying ghostly visage, sending shivers down his spine as he gripped his sword tightly.


    "Don''t worry, it will be over soon, and afterward, you''ll work well for me!" the elder said, his words apanied by a strange, skin-crawling cackle. With a gentle wave of the white banner, two wraithlike shadows emerged and rushed towards Lu Yu.


    Only upon their close approach did Lu Yu realize those shadows were two ferocious ghosts, charging at him with dizzying shrieks.


    Lu Yu, relying on his deft movements, continuously evaded the ghosts'' attacks and looked for opportunities to strike back. However, the ghostly entities had no physical form; no matter how he attacked, it had no effect. As time passed, his speed began to slow, and the two ghosts swiftly cornered him, ready to consume him.


    Even the elder, still waving the banner, began to smile as he seemed to foresee Lu Yu''s impending doom. But just as the ghosts were about to devour Lu Yu, he calmly retrieved a nanmu box from his chest.


    A blinding white light burst forth from the box, instantly eradicating the two ghosts as if they were snowkes meeting hot coal, not even allowing a scream to escape. The relentless white light, after destroying the ghosts, shot straight at the elder with the white banner.


    "Sword Immortal!" The elder, terrified by the scene, desperately raised the white banner hoping to block the light, but it was as if the banner was made of paper, torn asunder in an instant. The elder looked down at the gaping hole in his chest, never managing to utterst words before he was lifeless.


    After ying the elder, the white light made a turn and instantly returned to the box, transforming back into a small wooden sword.


    As Lu Yu gazed at the bodies scattered around him, he sighed deeply upon recalling the ''Sword Immortal'' the elder had called out just before his death. Lu Yu was well aware of his own capabilities; how could he be considered a Sword Immortal? At best, he was just a mortal who had learned some Sword Rearing Techniques.


    "Old Immortal! Old Immortal!" Suddenly, a voice with a strange ent echoed from the bushes. Lu Yu looked intently and saw a golden monkey appear before him, bowing incessantly. Staring at the golden monkey, he had a suspicion but could hardly believe it!


    "Which mountain are you from, Monkey? I''m no immortal, and I don''t dare ept your homage!" Lu Yu waved his hands repeatedly.


    "I am the Monkey King from the Water Curtain Cave in the Huaguo Mountain, who just heard someone call you Sword Immortal and hoped the immortal could teach me the secret to eternal life!" The monkey said eagerly, about to bow again.


    Lu Yu quickly supported the monkey and said, "I''ve only learned some rudimentary sword rearing techniques, how could I possess the secret to longevity? Like you, I too am searching this vast world for immortals!"


    When Lu Yu heard the monkey''s introduction, it was as if a heavy stone had finally fallen in his heart, and he realized where he was. It turned out to be the Journey to the West. The monkey in front of him was to be the awe-inspiring Great Sage Equalling Heaven, which suddenly filled him with a sense of surrealism.


    However, he still managed to suppress the turmoil in his heart and continued to speak as usual.


    The monkey, upon hearing Lu Yu''s response, couldn''t hide the disappointment on his face. He had ventured across the sea in search of immortals, drifting across oceans ever since he stepped into the human world. By his own wits, he had learned the humannguage and since then mingled in society, traversing mountains and rivers solely in pursuit of those legendary immortals.


    Unfortunately, the fates were elusive; he had not found them despite such a long pursuit, facing yet another empty joy just when he thought he had caught a glimpse of hope.


    "I too am a seeker of immortals and have traversed the mountains and rivers of thisnd, yet have not found an immortal willing to teach their technique. Recently, I''ve heard that there are immortals to the west across the sea, and I''m preparing to set sail.


    If you don''t mind, the two of us could travel together, what do you say?" Having said this, Lu Yu feigned calm, though inside he was already nervous. He''d made this suggestion because he remembered that the monkey seemed to have sought the teachings of Bodhi in Xiniu Hezhou, and as far as he knew, the Great Chen Dynasty he was in should belong to the Southern Continent.


    "Yes, yes!" The monkey was instantly overjoyed, dancing with happiness. He had endured many hardships in his quest for immortality and, by nature, loved the hustle and bustle and couldn''t stand being alone. Havingpany was naturally something to wee with open arms. Moreover, since Lu Yu was a human, it would be more convenient moving through the human world.


    Hearing the monkey''s reply, Lu Yu finally felt relieved. The idea of heading west across the sea came to him because he remembered from the Journey to the West that the monkey first sought immortality in the Southern Continent without sess, which led him to venture westward across the sea to meet Bodhi.


    Just as Lu Yu and the monkey had agreed to seek immortality together, atop a high peak within the Green Lotus Taoist Sect.


    This was the meditation ground for Elder Xu of the Green Lotus Taoist Sect. At this time, it was solemn and quiet. The immortal boys and immortal maidens who usually served the elder had been ordered to leave the residence and not to eavesdrop.


    A pnded fiercely on Xu Guangyuan''s face, with force enough to render him unable to stand steady and inadvertently falling to the ground while instinctively covering his cheek.


    At this moment, none could see Xu Guangyuan as a cultivator; instead, he looked despondent and disbelieving as he looked at his father, having never been struck like this before in his life.


    "You vile spawn, your own doings have brought this upon us. Who asked you to send Wu Guang Taoist to assassinate Lu Yu, when I, Xu Ming, have lived a life of a hero? How could I have sired a son as foolish as you?"


    "It''s just that I couldn''t stand it. All He Sister admired was that schr."


    "Silence! He Sister is what you call her? The Sect Leader took her as a disciple on behalf of the teacher. He Yinglian is my equal; you should be calling her He Martial Aunt."


    "I know you''ve fancied He Sister ever since she joined the sect, but you''re being foolish. That schr is merely a mortal, blocked from the path to immortality. In time, he will belong to a different world than He Sister. Why exhaust your schemes against him? Remember, those of us who cultivate are adept at divining Heaven''s Secret.


    If one day He Sister discovers that you tried to assassinate that schr, what will you do?"


    Xu Ming''s words made Xu Guangyuan stand there, stunned, as he realized that his thinking had been too naive.


    "Luckily that schr has some skills and is safe for now, and is even setting out to sea with some monkey in search of immortals. It''s likely they will never meet again. It''s also my fault for indulging you too much since you were young, allowing you to be so short-sighted andcking in wisdom. This matter is settled; you shall reflect on your actions in the Yin Wind Cave.


    Without my permission, you are not to leave on your own."


    Upon hearing this, Xu Guangyuan tried to rise and plead, knowing that the Yin Wind Cave where the chilling wind scraped bones was a ce for those who hadmitted grave errors within the sect. But one nce at his father''s icy gaze told him that the decision was final and unchangeable, so he could only hang his head and nkly answer, "Yes."

 Chapter 14 Crossing the Ocean

    The vast ocean sprawled boundlessly, arge ship moored at a wharf constantly battered by the waves, bustling with peopleing and going. It was a merchant ship headed to Xiniu Hezhou, trading specialty goods back and forth between the southern regions and Xiniu Hezhou, carrying both cargo and passengers. Just as the ship was fully loaded and ready to set sail, a voice called from afar, "Captain!


    Wait a moment!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    A schr d in a green robe, with a tightly wrapped servant in tow, hurriedly approached from a distance. The schr had delicate features and wore a treasured sword at his waist, while the servant was short and sported a hairy face resembling Thunder Lord''s mouth.


    "Schr, you mustn''t have mistaken the ship, my ship is indeed bound to traverse this vast ocean towards the west!" The captain, a man in his forties with a square face projecting straightforwardness and a skin deeply tanned from years at sea, contrasted strongly with the delicate features of the schr.


    "Captain, there is no mistake, my brother and I are indeed heading west to join our rtives! May I ask if the captain could give us a lift?" the Schr asked with a smile while bowing courteously.


    "Since it''s to join rtives, there''s no issue. I won''t make it difficult for you. It''s ten silver per person as passage fare on my ship. However, let me be clear, the fortunes on the high seas are unpredictable¡ªif a mishap urs and you lose your lives, I''m not responsible!"


    The Schr nodded with a smile and pulled out twenty silver pieces from his bag. A sharp-eyed sailor spotted the thick bag containing not much money, but only several neatly arranged books, and couldn''t help muttering, "A true impoverished schr!"


    The Schr, apparently having heard the faint muttering, smiled at the sailor. This schr and his servant were none other than Lu Yu and Monkey, who had traveled for nearly half a month to finally catch this ship bound for Xiniu Hezhou; otherwise, they would have had to make their own raft and head west.


    Following the sailor''s lead, the two found their cabin which was small with two wooden beds and no other decoration.


    "ording to the captain, it will be three months before we reach Xiniu Hezhou. It seems we''ll just have to settle in here for a while," Lu Yu said, sitting on a wooden bed, addressing the continually curious Monkey.


    "Schr, this ship really is impressive, much grander than the raft I sailed on. It truly befits the name of the Monkey King of The Water Curtain Cave in Huaguo Mountain!" Monkeymented enthusiastically while touching the cabin walls.


    Only after bing acquainted with Monkey did Lu Yu realize that the Monkey King was an endlessly energetic being, akin to a curious child, always asking questions. He would not engage much because he knew that once he did, Monkey would bombard him with more questions. Yet, perhaps, this was what the Taoist scriptures referred to as the heart of a simple child.


    Lu Yu then opened his bag, took out a copy of the Sutra of the Southern Court, and began reading quietly.


    Strangely enough, although Lu Yu had read this scripture before and never felt anything magical, ever since meeting Monkey and perhaps knowing that he could glimpse the eternal life through Monkey''s opportunity, or maybe because he now knew he was in the world of Journey to the West without that feeling of sincere apprehension, he felt the whole world seemed different.


    It seemed as if the previously blurry world had turned clear, and the mountains, rivers, and vegetation that Lu Yu had never paid attention to before now seemed alive, making everything look profoundly familiar.


    Only when he read the Taoist scriptures again did he realize their deep poetic essence; although not touching directly on any Cultivation Technique, he felt the Great Dao of heaven and earth was wholly contained within them.


    In the following period, Lu Yu stayed reclusive, spending his days reading inside the cabin, and after the initial excitement, the Monkey diligently studied the human race''s script, feeling that not knowing how to read was not a quality bing of an immortal aspiring for eternal life like the Monkey King. It would be embarrassing to admit he couldn''t read.


    As time gradually passed, when they were halfway through their journey, the ship suddenly rocked violently. Lu Yu and the Monkey hurried out of the cabin, only to find dark clouds covering the sun and fierce winds brewing, signaling the imminent arrival of a storm.


    The usually gentle and calm sea churned with high waves that continuously pped against the ship. The slight creaking sounds from the ship could be faintly heard as the Captain, with a stern face, looked towards the horizon. His years of sailing experience told him this was going to be a rare storm.


    "Lu, you''d better hurry back to the cabin, the storm is about to start!" Just as he finished speaking, a thunderp roared through the sky, scaring the Monkey into quickly hiding in the cabin, for Heavenly Thunder was considered a punishment from heaven and earth, especially clear to someone with a profound Spiritual Nature like the Monkey.


    He could even feel the ultimate destruction within the thunder, making the proud Monkey King inwardly vow that one day he would face the thunder without flinching.


    Lu Yu, watching the Monkey''s retreating figure, couldn''t help but smile, finding it unimaginable that the normally fearless Monkey would have something he feared. He turned and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Captain, but as the saying goes, ''Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles.'' I would like to witness the grandeur of this sea storm myself!"


    The Captain looked at Lu Yu in surprise, internally admiring the Schr''s uniqueness and said no more objections as he was busy directing the sailors to secure the sails and protect the cargo.


    Lu Yu watched the dark clouds at the horizon, felt the terrifying waves, and gradually rxed more and more, his heart filled with calm joy. Soon, the rain poured down, washing the sea''s surface, and the thunder and fierce winds seemed to y a symphony unique to nature itself, intoxicating Lu Yu.


    He closed his eyes but could still sense the currents beneath the sea, the raindrops falling from the sky, and the moisture hidden within the clouds. He wanted to embrace these mists but felt as if there was always a barrier he couldn''t break through. However, Lu Yu wouldn''t feel frustrated about it, perhaps the right opportunity had not yete.


    The storm came swiftly and left quickly; soon, the wind ceased and the rain stopped, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the thick clouds directly onto the ship, Lu Yu spread his arms wide, savoring the magic and beauty of nature, his heart peaceful and content. A rainbow appeared from the horizon, vibrant and breathtakingly beautiful.


    The sailors also stopped their work, quietly enjoying this rare moment of peace. Perhaps this was the greatness of nature; it gave the storm but also provided sunshine and a rainbow after the calm.


    Although Lu Yu hadn''t managed to ovee that barrier this time, he vaguely felt that his gain from this sea journey was enough to benefit him for a lifetime. Thinking this, he couldn''t help but express a radiant smile and called out to the still-hidden Monkey, "Monkey,e out and see the rainbow!"


    Meanwhile, at the Great Thunderp Monastery on Mount Ling, the Tathagata was teaching scriptures in a mesmerizing and captivating way, when suddenly, he paused and gazed far towards the east. Looking down, he saw his chief disciple, Golden Cicada, stealthily dozing among the monks, and couldn''t help but smile deeply and meaningfully.


    Many Great Spiritual Practitioners also sensed a vague divine intent at that moment, and one of them couldn''t help but sigh, "It''s starting now!"

 Chapter 15 Worshiping Teacher Bodhi

    After arriving at Xiniu Hezhou, the Schr and the Monkey continued their search for Immortals, but without any sess. One day, they reached a high mountain where thousands of peaks thrust upward like spears, and countless cliffs unfolded like screens. The sun''s reflection lightly locked the greens in a misty glow, while the retracted rain left the dark hues coldly harboring blue.


    Ancient vines entwined around old trees and an old crossing marked the secluded path. Exotic flowers and auspicious grass grew alongside tall bamboo and lofty pines. Tall bamboo and lofty pines, millennia old, eternally green, rivaled the Blessed Lands; exotic flowers and auspicious grass, blooming all seasons, outshone the mythical Peni.


    Close by, the sound of a mysterious bird calling, clear streams gurgling from the source. Layers of valleys wrapped in orchids and lilies, moss grew everywhere on the cliffs. The dragon veins under undting mountain heads were auspicious, and surely a venerable hermit was hidden here, unnamed.


    There''s a saying: a mountain does not need to be high to have an Immortal''s charm; waters do not need to be deep to house a dragon''s spirit. Lu Yu observed this mountain and sensed deep spiritual charm, as if, beyond the woods, one could see the vast ocean, opening one''s mind.


    It seemed as if a voice inside him was suggesting that the Immortal fate he''d been seeking had finally arrived; he couldn''t help but joyously say to the Monkey, "This mountain is so full of Taoist essence, it must be the dwelling of an Immortal!"


    At that moment, they suddenly heard a song from afar: "Watching the chess game pieces worn, chopping wood with rhythmic thud, walking calmly near the cloud-lined mountain pass, selling firewood and bartering for wine,ughing madly in self-contentment. The path shrouded in autumn grandeur, he lies by the moon, resting his head on a pine root, waking up at dawn.


    Recognizing the old forest, ascending cliffs and crossing ridges, with an axe he cuts the dried vines. Bundling them up, he sings along the way to the market, where he trades them for three measures of rice. Free from pettypetitions, with fair prices abound, without schemes or clever calctions, no honor or disgrace, tranquilly he prolongs his life.


    Where he meets others, if not an Immortal, then a Taoist, sitting in tranquil discussion of the Yellow Court ssic."


    The minute the Monkey heard this, his spirits lifted immensely and he eximed, "Sitting and discussing the Yellow Court ssic¡ªthat''s truly an Immortal." Having learned much during his time with the Schr, he knew that the Yellow Court ssic was a true testament of the Taoist sect. Without waiting for Lu Yu, he swiftly leapt forward, leaving Lu Yu standing there, dumbfounded.


    Watching the Monkey''s retreating figure, Lu Yu smiled and shook his head, then walked forward at a leisurely pace. At this moment, he was certain that the mountain they were on was indeed Mount Fangcun. Unlike the Monkey, he felt less of the fear of missing out.


    Soon, he could see the Monkey eagerly talking to a Woodcutter, waving his furry hands and shouting, "Schr! Schr! This truly is the dwelling of Immortals,e quickly!" He then rushed towards the mountain summit in haste.


    After thanking the Woodcutter, Lu Yu quickened his pace towards the legendary Dojo. He passed through a deep forest to a path paved with green stone bs, which soon opened up to reveal an Immortal''s Cave Mansion right before his eyes.


    The surroundings were filled with strange and exotic nts exuding bursts of fragrance; two ancient pines grew lushly, full of character. On a cliff by the Cave Mansion stood a stone tablet inscribed with tenrge characters "Mount Fangcun, Crescent Star Cave." Lu Yu thought to himself: indeed, this is the dwelling of an Immortal.


    Looking carefully, he couldn''t spot the Monkey, but then he suddenly burst outughing. It turned out that the usually bold Monkey, now at the doorway of the Immortal''s dwelling, dared not knock and was instead hiding in a pine tree, snacking on pine nuts and ying around.


    "Don''tugh at me, Schr," said the Monkey as he jumped down from the tree, handing a handful of pine nuts to Lu Yu. "I was just enjoying these tasty pine nuts!" Lu Yu tried one and found it bursting with spiritual energy and delicious vor, just as the Monkey had imed.


    Just then, with a creaking sound, the once tightly closed doors of the Cave Mansion slowly opened, revealing a small child from inside. The child, dressed in a tailored Taoist Robe, looked adorable and finely sculpted. The Taoist Child, unafraid of strangers, looked at Lu Yu and asked, "Are you the two Cultivators my master spoke of?" Lu Yu quickly turned around and replied, "Yes, it''s us, it''s us."


    "Just now, the master was preaching from the dais and hadn''t even retired to rest when he told me toe wee you two Cultivators," the child said, and then led them into the Cave Mansion.


    Beyond the grand entrance, the view opened spectacrly to reveal that the inside of the Cave Mansion was indeed a Cave Heaven of its own;yer uponyer of precious halls and towers, room after room of pearl pces and shell pavilions, unspeakably serene and secluded dwellings, all the way beneath the Jade Terrace.


    There they saw the Ancestor Bodhi seated on the tform, thirty young Immortals standing by his side.


    Lu Yu secretly observed the ancestor and indeed found him to be a Taoist possessed of a mystical aura who spontaneously created a spiritual charm around him, sopelling that one could forget the mundane world. He quickly pulled the monkey and they both knelt down repeatedly, bowing and saying, "Master, master, your disciple sincerely pays tribute! Sincerely pays tribute!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Bodhi the patriarch asked, "From whence do you two hail?" "Your disciple is but a schr from the Chen Kingdom in the southernnds, who, upon hearing of the Immortal n, was inspired with a heart for the Tao and has followed the path of seeking immortality and imitating the Tao toe here, hoping that the patriarch will ept him!" After speaking, Lu Yu continued to bow and perform the rituals.


    "Good, good, seeking the Tao with such dedication ismendable! And where are you from?" Having praised Lu Yu, he then asked the monkey. The monkey promptly recounted its own origins.


    Listening to the conversation between the patriarch and the monkey, Lu Yu then felt as if he were truly in this mythical world and could not help but exhale at life''s unpredictability, while on the other hand, the monkey, having been given the name Sun Wukong by the patriarch, was already jubntly dancing and leaping around.


    It was only upon being pulled by Lu Yu that he realized his conduct was somewhat unseemly, and he quickly knelt down to thank the patriarch.


    As the story goes, Lu Yu and Wukong had taken their vows at the patriarch''s guidance, earning their Taoist names, and then stayed in Crescent Star Cave.


    There they spent their days discussing the scriptures and practicing calligraphy, incense burning, and, in their spare time, sweeping, weeding the gardens, cultivating flowers, pruning trees, collecting firewood, carrying water, and operating the water mill.


    The patriarch gave lectures on the Tao every five days, discussing content that epassed everything, effortlessly integrating teachings from both Buddhism and Taoism.


    On this particr day, which coincided with the patriarch beginning his lecture, the patriarch was seen seated upon the Jade Terrace, looking down at the many disciples below and saying, "Mortals all envy the immortals'' eternal life, but do you know of the ssifications of these immortals?" All the disciples shook their heads.


    "In this world, there are five types of immortals: heavenly, earthly, human, divine, and ghostly. Each of these types of immortals can achieve eternal life, yet each has its distinctions."


    "Dare I ask the patriarch how these five differ?" A disciple from the seats below asked.


    "Heavenly immortals gather the Three Flowers at the top and direct the Five Qi towards the primordial. Earthly immortals do not gather the Three Flowers at the top; they unify the Five Qi within the chest to form a Cave Heaven.


    Human immortals neither gather the Three Flowers at the top nor cultivate the Five Qi within the chest; they only cultivate the Primordial Spirit to achieve yu hua and ascend. Divine immortals rely on Incense Prayer Power or by forging an immortal body; their life span is endless as long as the incense burns.


    Ghost immortals seek life after death, using Yin energy as their essence, traversing freely through the Netherworld."


    When the patriarch concluded his teachings, everyone exited in turn. Just as Lu Yu was about to leave with his fellow disciples, he was suddenly pulled aside by the monkey who said, "Schr, I have discovered a wonderful ce, follow me and you''ll find it beneficial!"


    Sun Wukong, being the Lingming Stone Monkey, knew the arts of transformation, recognized the auspicious times, and understood the advantages of thend, besides being able to move stars and alter constetions, naturally discovering some fine things. Hearing this, Lu Yu naturally knew that the monkey had again found something worthwhile, and therefore he quietly followed the monkey outside.


    It turned out that the monkey had found a peach grove while cutting firewood in the back mountains, and at this time, the peaches were ripe. The monkey then invited Lu Yu to join him for a hearty feast. Coming from Huaguo Mountain which is famous for its abundant flowers and fruits, the monkey knew a tasty fruit when he saw one.


    The fruits they would eat were definitely spirit fruits, which when consumed over time could enhance bodily health and extend life. Once one embarked on the path of cultivation, eating such fruits was greatly beneficial to one''s practice.

 Chapter 16 Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment

    Lu Yu and Wukong, full from mountain peaches, chatted happily on the back hill. Soon, the sun set behind the West Mountain, and the two made their way back to the dojo together. After walking for a while, they passed a small river. Gazing at the ceaselessly babbling stream, Lu Yu couldn''t help but reflectively say, "Thus passes the past, ceaseless day and night."


    For a moment, all the memories of the past surged into his heart. Scenes shed before his mind: one moment he was a diligent ordinary youth on Earth, and another, he was a baby just born. He was also a devoted student in the Great Chen Dynasty who studied through bitter cold, and a seeker of the Dao who roamed the world with his sword.


    The final image settled on a tempestuous storm at sea, where the Schr with arms wide open embraced the vast ocean.


    At this moment, Lu Yu felt as though the world had opened its heart to him. The feeling that had once appeared in the vast ocean re-emerged, and the surrounding water vapor seemed toe to life, constantly moving towards him.


    "The highest goodness is like water, water benefits all things and does notpete. It dwells in ces that most detest, and thus it is nearly in harmony with the Dao." A passage of scripture suddenly appeared in Lu Yu''s mind, and, as if blessed by sudden enlightenment, he rxed his body.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The surrounding spiritual energy was swept up by the water vapor, continuously rushing towards Lu Yu and entering his body through his pores and orifices, flowing into his meridians. The movement was so intense that it formed a visible misty vortex above his head.


    Just then, Lu Yu seemed to see the babbling brook flowing continuously through the meridians in his body, mending those that had been damaged from frequent use of the Flying Sword, and finally gathering in his Dantian, slowly converging into an ocean. By this time, Lu Yu was no longer an ignorant youth.


    Having listened to the Ancestral Master''s teachings for so long, though he had not received a direct Cultivation Technique, he had gained a general understanding of cultivation.


    This was Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, a condition experienced by ancient powers in the past. At the dawn of time when the world first opened and no cultivation techniques were transmitted, these great beings were enlightened by the spiritual charm of heaven and earth and self-realized the Taoist Laws.


    Theyter taught throughout the realms, leading to the prosperous era of cultivation that followed.


    A cultivator who achieves Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment perceives the Heavenly Dao and realizes the Taoist Laws personally tailored for them, naturally fitting them perfectly. Cultivating in this way progresses exceptionally fast, far surpassing inherited teachings.


    "It''s actually Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, Schr, you''re truly incredible. This is your first step into the path of cultivation!" The Monkey, realizing the reason and feeling envious, said enthusiastically.


    Lu Yu, carefully sensing the changes within his body, understood this was what was known as Qi Cultivation Practice. Looking at the delighted Monkey, he excitedly said, "Yes, after ten years of seeking the Dao, I''ve finally stepped onto the path of immortality."


    "I just wish I knew when I, too, could step onto the path of cultivation and learn the Art of Eternal Life!" Perhaps seeing his old friend finally embark on the path of cultivation made the Monkey feel a bit anxious.


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry¡ªthe right time hasn''te yet. Believe me, Monkey, your wish will be fulfilled," Lu Yu said with a gentle smile.


    As they approached the entrance of the dojo, they saw the Ancestral Master waiting there with a whisk in hand. Seeing the two approach, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Self-realizing the Taoist Laws, Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment. From now on, you are a cultivator indeed. Well done! Well done!"


    Seeing the Ancestral Master, Lu Yu quickly greeted him. Now that he had stepped onto the path of immortality, he was full of confusion about how to proceed with his leisurely journey. Encountering the Ancestral Master, he quickly expressed his doubts.


    "Foundation Establishment is only the beginning of cultivation; thereafter, it''s about umting Qi and nurturing the Soul until the day the Soul can leave the body¡ªa state known as Yin God. Once Yin God is achieved, one must absorb the essence of the sun and the moon until the day the Soul can manifest in daylight, which is called Yang God."


    "After achieving Yang God, you must stimte the Five Qi within your chest. At that point, one can be called a Scattered Culturator. Stimting the Five Qi allows one to be called Taiyi, and gathering the three flowers at the crown makes one Great Luo."


    The Ancestral Master slowly detailed the path of cultivation, and both Lu Yu and the Monkey listened captivately, already imagining the divine transformations of each realm.


    "Having reached the Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, I will now teach you the technique to absorb the essence of the sun and moon." Having said that, he stretched out his hand to touch Lu Yu''s forehead. Lu Yu felt an extremely mysterious aura prate his mind, and suddenly he knew many things. He couldn''t help but marvel silently at the unfathomable wonders of the Immortal Law.


    Ever since his Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, Lu Yu had to rise early each day. At the moment when the sun was just rising, he would operate his cultivation technique and breathe in the Purple Qi. This Purple Qi, born from the confluence of the yin and yang of heaven and earth, serves as the mother and nourisher of all beings.


    For cultivators, breathing in Purple Qi was a way to purify the spiritual power within their bodies and nurture their souls. Truly, it was the legendary act of seizing the creation powers of heaven and earth.


    One day, as usual, Lu Yu was breathing in the Purple Qi when, at sunrise, he saw the clear qi rising and the murky qi descending, marking the confluence of yin and yang. A stream of Purple Qi appeared from horizon, and breath by breath, strands of Purple Qi were continually drawn in. Suddenly, Lu Yu felt an itchiness all over his body, and the thought to jump up crossed his mind.


    Just as the thought surfaced, he found himself already standing in the void, looking down to discover his physical body sitting below.


    "Is this the Yin God leaving the body?" Lu Yu muttered to himself. Just then, the first rays of the morning sun began to cover the earth, and at the moment the sunlight touched Lu Yu, a soul-deep pain shed through him, causing him to hurriedly dive back into his physical body.


    He had almost forgotten that exposing a newly emerged Yin God to sunlight was akin to suicide, only after absorbing enough of the essence of the moon and transforming the Yin God into a Yang God could one walk under the sun.


    As Lu Yu was immersed in the wonders of the Yin God, suddenly a bell rang, signaling the time for the ancestral master''s sermon. The disciples had already started flooding towards the great hall.


    The ancestral master preached arousingly, his words as captivating as flowers scattering from the sky and golden lotuses sprouting from the ground. Skillfully he unfolded the teachings of the Three Vehicles, epassing the subtleties of myriadws. Slowly waving his fly-whisk, he sprayed pearls and jades, his voice booming like thunder shaking the Nine Heavens.


    He spoke now of the Dao, now of Chan, melding the three traditions as naturally as if they were one. With one word, he expounded the earnest principles of devotion, guiding us towards the profound mystery of inherent nature. The disciples listened, utterly mesmerized, and the Monkey King danced in joy.


    Thus, the ancestral master paused his teaching to inquire about the Monkey King''s time at the monastery.


    The ancestral master said, "The mountain is called Decayed Peach Mountain. You have eaten there seven times, so it must have been seven years. What do you wish to learn from me now?"


    Lu Yu listened to the conversation between the ancestral master and the Monkey King and saw the unique opportunity that fell into the Monkey King''sp. While many fellow disciples wereining about the Monkey King, Lu Yu was secretly happy for him.


    Lu Yu''s journey of seeking the Dao was arduous, and the Monkey King had never had it easy either. It was only after meeting Lu Yu that his life started to improve somewhat. Now he was about to achieve his wishes, and Lu Yu felt genuinely happy for him, even though he had known this day woulde.


    "It seems I need to work harder; I can''t let the Monkey King get too far ahead!" Lu Yu thought to himself. He was well aware that for someone like the Monkey King, a ''Child of the Era'', stepping on the cultivation path would be truly terrifying.


    In less than a hundred years, the Monkey King had evolved from an ordinary Monkey King into the Great Sage Equalling Heaven capable of causing Havoc in Heaven. Although many spected that the Immortal Gods might have been lenient, it still attested to the Monkey King''s frightening talent for cultivation.


    The night was clear, with the full moon hanging high and cool breezes blowing. Everyone had fallen into sleep. The Monkey King carefully climbed out of bed, tiptoed towards the door, and rxed a little when he saw no signs of his fellow disciples waking up. He then slowly made his way towards the attic where the ancestral master resided.


    Just as the Monkey King left, Lu Yu also opened his eyes. Looking at the clear moon through the window and feeling the coolness of the night, he knew exactly what the Monkey King was up to.


    He could even imagine the current scene in the ancestral master''s attic: the Monkey King kneeling on the ground, the ancestral master sitting cross-legged on the tform, revealing the Cultivation Techniques one after another. Thinking of this, Lu Yu let out a knowing smile and then continued his sweet dreams. It was a fine night, he thought to himself.


    The next day, it was the Monkey King''s robust voice that woke the disciples. They were unaware he had received a fortunate opportunity, and he was now in an excited state. Of course, this event might seem insignificant in another disciple''s life but would have a tremendous impact on the Three Realms.

 Chapter 17 Scholar Treasure Refinement

    Days passed by gradually, and since the Monkey had received his master''s techniques for cultivation, his progress was advancing by leaps and bounds. Before long, Lu Yu, during his nocturnal Soul Travel to absorb moonlight, saw a Monkey dancing and making faces in front of him, also absorbing the moonlight.


    Seeing the Monkey''s incredibly rapid progress in cultivation, Lu Yu couldn''t help but marvel at the terror of this Child of Heavenly Destiny, for whom the difficult hurdles of cultivation seemed as easy as drinking water. Of course, it wasn''t long before he no longer felt closely pursued by the Monkey, because the Monkey had reached the Realm of the Yang God before him!


    Of course, regarding being surpassed by the Monkey, Lu Yu had been prepared inside, yet he hadn''t expected it to happen so quickly, giving him the feeling that what was so-called Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment might just be a myth passed down incorrectly.


    One day after the master finished imparting his teachings, he called Lu Yu and the other to his side and said, "Both of you have now achieved minor sess in your cultivation,prehended the essence of techniques, and recognized the roots, already embodying the Divine Body, yet you are merely preparing against the ''Three Disasters''."


    "Master speaks in error. I always hear that with high cultivation and virtue, one can live as long as heaven, with water and fire ovee, one is free from all illnesses, so how can there be such Three Disasters?" the Monkey asked, puzzled.


    The master replied, "Everything in nature follows a cycle of growth and decay, life and death; this is the fundamentalw.


    The path to bing a Heavenly Immortal goes against nature, how can it be without cmities, especially since the techniques you practice are of the Heavenly Immortal''s Great Dao, seizing the creation of heaven and earth and the mysteries of the sun and moon, thus there are the ''Three Disasters''."


    "Five hundred yearster, a Thunder Cmity will strike you. You''ll need to see through your nature and understand your heart in advance to evade it. If you evade it, your life willst as long as heaven''s; if not, you will die. Another five hundred yearster, a Fire Cmity will burn you.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This fire is neither celestial nor mundane; it is called ''ignis fatuus.'' It will start burning from the Gushing Spring Point beneath you, prating the Mud Pce, turning your five viscera to ash, all limbs decaying, turning a thousand years of arduous cultivation into illusion. Another five hundred years, and then a Wind Cmity will strike you.


    This wind is neither from the southeast nor from the northwest, not the gentle breeze of gold or the wind of flowers and trees but is called ''Strong Wind.'' It will enter from the fontanelle, passing through the Dantian, piercing nine orifices, dispersing bones and flesh, resolving itself. So, all must be evaded."


    Although in his previous life he had read about these so-called Three Disasters, having the master exin it still sent shivers down his spine as if he could already see himself perishing under these three cmities. He hastily kowtowed and worshipped, asking the master to teach him a Disaster Evasion Technique.


    The master replied, "I have two types of techniques, one is the Celestial Constetion Techniques,prising thirty-six transformations; the other is the Earthly Fiend Techniques,prising seventy-two transformations."


    The Monkey hastily said, "Disciple wishes to delve deeper, let me learn the Earthly Fiend transformation." The master then allowed the Monkey toe forward and he imparted the incantations to him.


    Lu Yu said, "Disciple is naturally slow-witted, let me learn a Celestial Constetion Transformation." The master still had hime forward to impart each incantation to him one by one.


    Lu Yu had also thought about learning the seventy-two transformations, but he knew that the reason the Monkey''s seventy-two transformations were so formidable was not because the techniques were powerful but because the Monkey was a Lingming Stone Monkey, naturally able to see through the heart and mind, most suited for this Art of Transformation, and additionally, the Monkey was quick-witted, naturally appearing formidable.


    Lu Yu,cking the Monkey''s abilities, worried that coveting more learning in the Earthly Fiend transformations could likely impede his own cultivation.


    After learning the incantations, Lu Yu realized that this Art of Transformation was generally referred to, which could naturally change a thousand forms in the mundane world. However, the most formidable aspect of this technique was that if there was Essence Blood of the Ancient Exotic Beasts, one could transform to appear indistinguishable from the original form.


    The so-called distinction between thirty-six and seventy-twoy in this. Yet, the Ancient Exotic Beasts had long since disappeared from the world; ordinary people were fortunate to encounter one once in their lifetime, let alone gather so much Exotic Beast Essence Blood.


    Several days passed, and Wukong, having mastered the Realm of the Yang God, received the Art of the Somersault Cloud from the Grandmaster. From then on, the monkey was overjoyed, spending his days frolicking outdoors and was rarely seen. Lu Yu felt no envy; although his cultivation progressed slower than the monkey''s, he advanced steadily, step by step.


    The technique he perceived was profound, akin to the sea that embraces streams and rivers. If he were to seed in one day, a vast ocean would exist within his Dantian, which he called the Boundless Sea Technique.


    Cultivation knows not the passing months or the heat and cold of years. In the span of three years, which felt like the flick of a finger, Lu Yu continued his unbroken practice, and his Yin God gradually reached perfection. One day, he suddenly felt his Soul stabilize, and when he tried Soul Travel under the sunlight, he found no difort at all, realizing he had reached the Realm of the Yang God.


    "Schr! I''ve found what you were looking for," a voice announced, apanied by an Auspicious Cloud. A spirited golden-furred monkey leaped down from the cloud, holding a pile of soil, none other than the aplished monkey, Sun Wukong.


    The soil in his hands was no ordinary soil. It was the Five-Colored Soil that the monkey had collected from the Four Great Continents during his travels, gathered on behalf of Lu Yu.


    "Good, good, good, you''ve really outdone yourself, monkey," Lu Yu said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the Five-Colored Soil. This material was crucial for his future path, and without the monkey''s aid of the Somersault Cloud, it would not have been so easily obtained.


    A few dayster, on the tform in front of the dojo, the monkey and Schr stood facing each other. In an instant, both transformed into giants a hundred zhang tall. With a single stomp of their foot, they tore open a huge fissure in the ground from which fierce Earth Fire erupted, shooting up to the sky and turning it a fiery red.


    This technique, known as the Embodiment of Heaven and Earth, was derived by Lu Yu from the Taoist scriptures. Once transformed into a giant, his mana increased manifold, capable of moving mountains and overturning seas¡ªLu Yu''s most proud spell.


    As soon as the Earth Fire emerged, the rest of the disciples quickly took their ces at the four corners, linking their mana to draw four peculiar patterns, recognizable to any cultivator as the famed Four Spirits Array.


    No sooner had the array been drawn than it emanated multicolored light, forming four Sacred Beasts in the air: the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and ck Turtle, reigning over their respective directions. At that moment, Lu Yu threw the Five-Colored Soil upward, and itnded steadily above the Earth Fire.


    The spectral images of the Four Spirits stabilized the Five-Colored Soil. Under the relentless burning of the Earth Fire, the soil gradually morphed. When Lu Yu saw that the heat was optimal, he dared not be careless. A wisp of Purple Qi exhaled from his mouth, spiraling towards the Five-Colored Soil. Before long, the melted and reshaped soil gradually took on the form of a Treasure Vase.


    Just then, the sunlight intensified, and soon the stars and moon appeared together.


    For a moment, the sun, moon, and stars shared the sky, casting three divine rays upon the Treasure Vase, which continued until the light slowly dispersed and everyone could clearly see its features: pure white like jade, with drawings of the sun, stars, and the moon above and a vast sea below, undoubtedly a rare treasure.


    "Haha, thanks to all my fellow disciples!" Lu Yu gazed at the Treasure Vase in the sky, feeling utterly satisfied, and he couldn''t help but burst intoughter and quickly expressed his gratitude to his fellow disciples.


    The fellow disciples were also ted, after all, their contribution had yed a part in the creation of this Magical Treasure, and temporarily, the front of the dojo was abuzz with excitement.

 Chapter 18 Visit the Monkey

    Just as everyone was feeling cheerful, someone loudly suggested, "Wukong, didn''t Master teach you the Disaster Evasion Technique some time ago? How well have you mastered it?"


    "I won''t hide it from you, elder brothers. Firstly, it was taught by Master, and secondly, I''ve been diligently practicing day and night. I''ve mastered several variations."


    "Take advantage of this good time and give us a demonstration, let us see," the crowd cheered.


    The Monkey braced himself and straightened his clothes, "Please propose a challenge, elder brothers. What would you like me to transform into?" One of the elder brothers then pointed to the pine tree in front of the gate, "How about transforming into a pine tree for us to see, would that be alright?"


    The Monkey had hardly finished speaking when he shook his body and transformed into a pine tree, lush and indistinguishable from the one standing at the gate, prompting the crowd to apud and cheer. This apuse drew out the patriarch, who upon understanding the situation, said to Wukong, "I won''t me you, but you should leave."


    The disciples knelt down and pleaded upon hearing this, hoping the patriarch would retract hismand.


    However, at this moment, Bodhi the Patriarch unexpectedly became unusually stern, unlike his former self, and no matter how the crowd pleaded, he did not relent. In the end, the Monkey had no choice but to bid farewell to everyone, and as he said goodbye to Lu Yu, the Monkey said, "Schr, if you ever leave the mountain, be sure to visit me at Huaguo Mountain!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Lu Yu nodded and promised, "I''ve always heard you talk about how wonderful Huaguo Mountain is; I''ll surely visit if I get the chance! Make sure you treat me well then!"


    "Of course, Lao Shun is not petty. Lu Yu, Master, elder brothers, Lao Shun is leaving now!" With those words, he somersaulted and disappeared without a trace. Lu Yu watched the Monkey''s fading figure, feeling a sense of loss. He had grown ustomed to the Monkey''spany, and suddenly felt deste, knowing that since Monkey had left, the patriarch might not be far behind.


    In the time that followed, Lu Yu was slowly mastering his Magical Treasure, which he named ''Great Dao Treasure Vase,'' hoping that one day the Treasure Vase could epass everything within the universe, truly living up to the name of the Great Dao.


    The Treasure Vase was Lu Yu''s life-bound Magic Artifact, usually nurtured within his Dantian. Seeing his sess in treasure refinement, the patriarch transmitted to him the Method of Sacrificial Refinement for Magic Artifacts.


    It was then that Lu Yu realized the great change in the patriarch recently, less stern and more benevolent, a refreshing change from the aloof figure he used to be.


    From that day forward, the patriarch lectured daily on the Dao, holding nothing back. Lu Yu, of course, knew this was a great opportunity for him and listened attentively.


    He did not know how long the lectures went on until he looked back to find his brothers had vanished, and even the Crescent Star Cave had disappeared, leaving only the patriarch sitting under an old pine tree, expounding on Heaven''s Secret.


    "Lu Yu, our fates have exhausted their course! Having you in this realm, my life has not been in vain!" the patriarch sighed after finishing his teachings. Before Lu Yu could react, he saw the patriarch''s figure gradually fading, leaving only his final smile and encouraging gaze deeply imprinted in Lu Yu''s heart.


    Just then, in the distant chaos, a colossal Buddha awakened from slumber, holding the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, with twenty-four Stabilizing Sea Beads glittering around him, within which were countless Buddha Lands, worshipped by all beings.


    "Who awakens from the great dream first, only I know in life. The dream has been quite long; I never thought it would develop sentience, the marvel of creation is truly ineffable! It''s time for this era''s curtain to rise," the Buddha murmured to himself.


    Lu Yu gazed nkly at the emptiness in front of him, and although he had been mentally prepared, he still couldn''t bear recalling the moments he''d spent cultivating here.


    "Mount Fangcun in the spiritual tform, Crescent Star Cave. So it is, haha!" Lu Yuughed heartily, but tears involuntarily streamed down his face, as Bodhi the Patriarch and those elder brothers had vividly lived in his memory, and he did not want to admit that all of it had been merely a great dream.


    "Is the power of a Saint so terrifying?" Lu Yu thought inwardly, a dream that evolved into a Cave Heaven.


    "Young man, what brings you alone to this deep mountain? It''s really too dangerous. If wild beasts set their eyes on you, it could be perilous!" a hunter going up the mountain spotted Lu Yu standing alone on the hillside and couldn''t help but warn him.


    "Thank you, my good sir!" Lu Yu wiped his tears and turned around with a radiant smile, then leapt upward, where a white cloud appeared under his feet and flew towards the sky, soon disappearing, leaving the hunter to hurriedly bow in worship.


    Heading east, Lu Yu prepared to return home, pondering how he had been away for thirty years and had no news regarding the well-being of his family. However, before that, he intended to visit Huaguo Mountain to see the monkeys, a Blessed Land he had longed to see for a long time that nurtured the monkeys.


    His Cloud Soaring Technique, also a legacy from his ancestors, though notparable to the Monkey''s Somersault Cloud, could still allow him to visit the North Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening. It took less than half a day before Huaguo Mountain was already in sight.


    Upon closer observation, Huaguo Mountain truly deserved its reputation as the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents and the origin of the Three Inds. It was indeed a fine ce, rich in Fortune and Destiny, with clear waters and picturesque mountains, where Spirit Fruit was abundant and flowers bloomed all the time.


    "Which Demon King are you, showing no manners at all? If you wish to meet our Great King, why note down quickly!" A sharp voice came from Huaguo Mountain. Just as Lu Yu was observing the mountain closely, a little monkey patrolling the area had already spotted him.


    "Tell your Great King that Schr Lu Yu hase to visit!" Lu Yu said to the little monkey with a smile on his face.


    "What kind of Demon King are you, calling yourself ''Schr'', such a strange title!" The little monkey, puzzled, walked toward The Water Curtain Cave, muttering as he went.


    Soon, the monkey appeared, dressed in Golden Chainmail Armor, wearing lotus silk cloud-walking shoes, and a phoenix-winged purple gold crown, walking towards Lu Yu with a crowd of monkeys surrounding him.


    "Schr, you''vee to see me, Lao Shun!" the monkey said enthusiastically as soon as he saw Lu Yu.


    "I''ve just got some free time and came to see you at Huaguo Mountain right away! Tsk tsk, quite an impressive setup you have here, you really do resemble the Monkey King!"


    Upon hearing this, the monkey gleefully burst intoughter, grabbed Lu Yu by the arm, and led him inside, saying, "Let me give you a good tour of my Water Curtain Cave Heaven!"


    As they leapt into the waterfall, Lu Yu looked closely and indeed saw an Immortal Blessed Land. Inside the cave was another Cave Heaven with overwhelming Spiritual Energy. There were stone tables, stone chairs, and stone benches, nothingcking, making him exim, "You monkey indeed are enormously fortunate to dwell in such a Cave Heaven and Blessed Land!"


    "It''s you, Schr, who know the right things to say. Whatever you say, Lao Shun always finds itforting. Wait, let me show you a treasure." While speaking, the monkey reached into his ear and pulled out a golden iron rod, upon which the words "Ruyi Jingu Bang" in gold briefly shed on its surface.


    The monkey tossed the Jingu Bang upward, uttering the word ''grow'' repeatedly, and the rod began to expand with the sound, soon transforming into a towering pir.


    "What a Divine Weapon, varying in size at will. Monkey, where did you acquire such a Divine Weapon!" Seeing the long-admired Ruyi Jingu Bang, Lu Yu couldn''t help but express his admiration.


    "This is the Stabilizing Sea Divine Iron left by Great Yu during his conquest of the floods. That Old Dragon King in the East Sea failed to recognize its value, keeping it under dust until he met me, Lao Shun. If you want treasures, I can take you around the East Sea Dragon Pce, where that old dragon seems to have plenty of treasures!"


    "Let''s not, I have my Treasure Vase, which is enough. Monkey, remember it''s your cultivation that matters most. Besides, I''ve heard that Old Dragon is stingy, and now that you have his treasure, he''s unlikely to let it go. I suspect he''s already on his way to the Heavenly Court toin!" warned Lu Yu as he looked at the delighted monkey.


    "What does it matter if heins, am I, Lao Shun, the type to be afraid? Moreover, you are well aware of my methods, daring them toe and never to return!" the monkey replied carelessly.


    Seeing the monkey''s expression, Lu Yu knew that his words had been in vain, but he also understood that the monkey was destined to be a major figure in a great cmity, and his actions appeared to be manipted by the great powers of the heavens. Nowadays, Lu Yu felt powerless to intervene, despite his desire to help.

 Chapter 19 Sword of State

    Huaguo Mountain was a ce where it always seemed like springtime, with spiritual fruits scattered everywhere and lush trees thriving all around. A schr in a green robe stood atop the mountain summit, staring nkly at an open space ahead, lost in thought.


    A voice came from within the forest, "Schr, have you discerned anything?" A majestic monkeyy leisurely on a tree branch, still holding an unfinished bunch of bananas. It was none other than Wukong and Lu Yu, who were traveling through Huaguo Mountain.


    "Monkey, your fortune and destiny are immense. This ce is the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents and the origin dragon of the Three Inds, where the fortune and destiny of the Divine Land converge. If someone indeed has designs on this, it must be part of some earth-shattering scheme. By the way, do you still have the broken stone fetus from when you were born?"


    "I was clueless when I was born, but somehow a voice in my heart told me that object was important, so I hid it in that cave over there!" After saying this, he pointed, and sure enough, there was a cave about five hundred meters away.


    When they got to the cave, Lu Yu indeed found some broken stone pieces, on which could vaguely be seen holes and sockets arranged ording to the Nine Pces and Eight Trigrams.


    "Schr, what use is this thing?" the monkey asked. He knew that though the Schr was no match for him in magicalbat, when it came to extensive knowledge and strong memory, the Schr was far superior to him.


    "This object is your centa. If someone harbors ill intent, they could use it to cast spells and curse you. You must hide it well. Moreover, it''s a fine thing, having absorbed the essence of the sun and moon and being linked to your destiny.


    Someday, it could be refined into an external avatar of yourself, indistinguishable from the real one!" Lu Yu said, examining the stone piece carefully in his hands.


    "Then this really is a good thing, I must hide it well!" the monkey quickly snatched the stone piece back.


    "You monkey, I''m not going to steal your stone, see how flustered you are. Come on, let''s enjoy a good drink. Bring out your treasured Monkey Wine and treat me properly."


    Lu Yu stayed in Huaguo Mountain for several days, during which he spent his time discussing Taoistws and observing military training with the monkey. He also personally trekked across Huaguo Mountain, feeling he had gained much from the experience. However, as there are no feasts that don''te to an end, Lu Yu knew it was time for him to leave.


    "Schr, why leave? Just stay here in Huaguo Mountain with me, and you can be the second Great King. Wouldn''t it be better for us brothers to stay together?" The monkey was very reluctant to see him go. In terms of friendship, Lu Yu was probably the first friend he made in his life.


    "Monkey, Huaguo Mountain is your home, and I have my own home too. Besides, what would it look like for a human to mingle among monkeys? I have a long way to go when I leave here. You must practice diligently and not be too impetuous or violently aggressive!" Although Lu Yu knew the monkey might not take his advice to heart, he couldn''t help but say it anyway.


    After saying this, auspicious clouds rose under his feet, and soon he was far from Huaguo Mountain.


    Traveling from east to south on cloud, suddenly a golden light blocked Lu Yu''s way. Upon closer inspection, it was treasure light bursting forth from the ground. Lu Yu descended from the clouds and after searching carefully for the source of the golden light, he found a piece of Divine Iron in a depression among the mountains.


    Looking at the ancient patterns on the surrounding rock walls, it dawned on him that this ce was where the legendary Yu the Great had refined the Nine Tripods.


    "So this means, this piece of Divine Iron must be the leftover scrap from when the Nine Tripods were originally forged. What I can''t fathom, though, is why it would emit divine light upon my arrival, clearly showing a connection with me," Lu Yu said to himself, weighing the Divine Iron in his hand, puzzled about why it resonated with him.


    However, as the old saying goes, to refuse what heaven offers is to invite trouble. Naturally, Lu Yu wouldn''t make such a mistake. Before long, he decided to forge the iron into a weapon, especially since he had achieved some mastery in his cultivation but was still missing a weapon.


    Lu Yu found a ce where Earth Fire erupted violently. The heat was intense. He threw the Divine Iron into the magma and chanted a spell. The magma surged violently, constantly scouring the Divine Iron. As time passed, the Divine Iron gradually melted.


    Lu Yu manipted it to take the shape of a long sword, then he took out the wooden sword he had long been refining with the Contemtion Technique from his bosom.


    This sword had already achieved great Spiritual Nature, having been refined daily with Contemtion Technique. However, limited by the material and refining process, it had not yet be a true Flying Sword.


    Now that he had acquired Divine Iron, Lu Yu would certainly not miss this great opportunity. Taking out the Treasured Sword, he slowly stroked the de and softly said, "Now your opportunity hase.


    As long as you endure the initial pain, you will transform from a chrysalis into a butterfly, and henceforth be an Immortal Sword!" The sword trembled and let out a series of nging sounds, as if responding to Lu Yu.


    "Very well, very well, since you are willing, then this matter is pretty much set!" Lu Yuughed heartily, and after he finishedughing, he tossed the Treasured Sword. As soon as the sword left his hand, it shattered into pieces, turning into green starlights and falling into the Divine Iron sword.


    The sound of the sword nging loudly grew as the long sword gradually shed its fiery red color, revealing a slowly forming Treasured Sword. Just as the sword took shape, purple lightning struck down nine times in session, yet not even slightly damaging the Divine Sword. As the lightning ceased, two ancient seal characters appeared on the sword: Sword of State.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Sword of State? Why does this name sound so familiar?" He said to himself while examining his newly-acquired Treasured Sword.


    Just as Lu Yu acquired the sword, not more than a hundred miles away, a Daoist in ck Robes was controlling a swarm of insects devouring innocent vigers. This Daoist, who called himself Master of Spirit Insects, learned the Art of Raising Gu from some unknown source.


    He had a penchant for ughtering, and periodically he needed the Essence Blood of mortals to feed his Gu Insects, earning a fearsome reputation in the region.


    At that moment, the Daoist in ck Robes looked up in the direction of Lu Yu, clearly seeing the nine bolts of Heavenly Thunder strike down.


    The terror of the Heavenly Thunder was profound, but the Treasure Light that shone as the Sword of State was forged was equally dazzling. With one nce, the Daoist knew that a Treasure had appeared in the world and immediately coveted it.


    He chanted Incantations and the Gu Insects, which had been devouring the vigers, flew beneath his feet, clustering into a mass of dark clouds. With a light leap, he stood atop the clouds and flew straight in the direction of Lu Yu.


    As he approached Lu Yu, he immediately noticed the treasured sword in Lu Yu''s hand. At this moment, the newly born Sword of State still had its treasure light uncontained, with its body shimmering in gold and the ancient seal characters "Shang Fang" gleaming with profound significance, clearly marking it as an extraordinary Immortal Sword.


    Looking at Lu Yu, who was young and had the appearance of a Schr, the Daoist in ck Robes guessed he was a lucky fellow, who had stumbled upon the emergence of a treasure by chance. Malicious thoughts instantly rose in his heart.


    "Young Schr, this treasure isn''t something for your kind to enjoy, just hand it over to me obediently, and I''ll leave you with your whole body," said the Daoist in the wilderness without any scruples, openly threatening to kill Lu Yu.


    Lu Yu, gazing at the brazenly arrogant and ugly Taoist before him, noticed not a hint of spell fluctuations around him. At a nce, he seemed to be a cultivator of an unorthodox path, someone who, upon gaining some abilities that were slightly out of the ordinary, held himself in high regard. Moreover, looking at the resentment engulfing him, he likely had not refrained from killing.


    "I''ve heard that only those with virtue can possess treasures. I wonder, what virtues do you possess, Old Taoist, that make you think you can own this item?" Lu Yu asked.


    "Spare me your sophistry. I have hated you bookworms all my life, and today, I will let you experience the agony of a thousand insects gnawing at your flesh," said the Taoist, whose eyes shed viciously as he seemed to recall some unsavory past event. He raised his hand and summoned a swarm of insects that transformed into a skull-faced specter charging at Lu Yu.


    Lu Yu watched the Daoist in ck Robes cast his spell calmly, having already nned to use this morally corrupt Taoist to test his sword. With a gentle swing of the Sword of State in his hand, a sword light instantly burst forth from the de, as if the Milky Way had descended from the Nine Heavens to the mortal world.


    Since Lu Yu''s cultivation had reached a certain level, his understanding of the Way of the Flying Sword had deepened daily. He had already integrated his insights into the Way of Water with the sword light, forming a unique Sword Intent of his own.


    However, his own Flying Sword material had been average at best, unable to withstand his immense Sword Intent, which was why he hadn''t been able to unleash it until now.


    As the Sword Intent-infused sword light sliced through the swarm, within just a moment, the Gu Insects appeared as if they were savagely cut to pieces, and the enormous skull-faced specter copsed instantly. Gu Insects lingering with sword light fell from the sky like falling stars, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.


    The Daoist in ck Robes stood agape at the sight before him, not finding the scene remotely pleasant. A chill that rose from the depths of his heart made him shudder uncontrobly.


    These Gu Insects were not easily cultivated to such a scale; they were his reliance formanding power in this realm. Now that someone had obliterated them with a single sword strike, his pain was imaginable.


    At this moment, he dared not express any anger. The disparity between him and the young man before him was simply too vast¡ªjust one sword strike had brought down all his Gu Insects. How could he not realize that he had kicked an iron te this time?


    The Taoist suddenly knelt on the ground, crying a river of snot and tears.


    "I, a lowly one, failed to recognize Tai Shan and have disturbed the esteemed gentleman''sw framework. I beg of you to see the hardships of my cultivation and spare my pitiful life. In my next life, I will be a bull or a horse to repay your immense kindness and great virtue," he said with resolution, knowing well he was no match for Lu Yu, and promptly put on an act of sincere repentance.


    He hoped the Schr opposite him was one of those new to the world of cultivation, believing a well-executed show of face might afford him a sliver of a chance to live.


    However, what he received was not an answer, but another sword light.


    As his head flew into the air, his lingering consciousness could still see the Schr''s icy gaze, and only then did he realize that this was not some na?ve young novice he had imagined.


    Lu Yu looked indifferently at the beheaded corpse of the Daoist in ck Robes, feeling very calm inside. Perhaps the Taoist''s words might have deceived those unacquainted with the ways of the world, but Lu Yu was clear about whaty in the Taoist''s heart.


    With a gentle wave of his hand, a Secret Tome flew out from the Daoist''s embrace. People like the Daoist in ck Robes, who had a cold nature, had no one in the world to trust. Being selfish, they were never willing to share anything good with others, so they often carried most of their possessions with them.


    For Lu Yu at this moment, what the Daoist thought were rare treasures were mundane to him. Only the Cultivation Technique held some value, at least enriching the methods he could use against his adversaries.


    Upon carefully reading the tome in his hands, he found it recorded various Raising Gu Techniques, an overwhelming array that was dazzling to behold. There were also insights penned by the Taoist, revealing that this Daoist in ck Robes indeed had some talent in Gu cultivation.


    Lu Yu, who had already achieved photographic memory through his cultivation, simply looked through the tome once and memorized everything in it. With a slight motion from him, the book spontaneouslybusted.


    The Raising Gu Techniques recorded in this book were not considered orthodox; several required the sacrifice of human lives in their evil methods. Lu Yu did not wish such things to spread and harm others, so he decided to burn the book clean.


    Having burned the book and put away the Sword of State, Lu Yu heaved a slight sigh, "It''s time to go home. I wonder how my family is faring." However, with his current level of cultivation, he had an innate sense¡ªhe just didn''t want to believe it. After saying this, he rode up on Auspicious Clouds and flew straight toward the Great Chen Dynasty.

 Chapter 6 Departure

    Lu Zhang respectfully took the wooden que, his heart filled with joy. Now, he no longer needed to worry about those bizarre evil techniques, as he certainly did not wish for a repeat of the recent experiences.


    Afterward, the two of them casually discussed the situation. Lu Zhang understood that his uncle was no ordinary man, a great sage even without his cultivation skills. Thus, he shared the adversities he had faced, hoping his uncle could provide some guidance out of the maze.


    "Now in Great Chen, the deer is lost, and chaos reigns supreme. This is an age of great conflicts. Like you, many hidden dragons abound. However, the path of the dragonpetition is unfathomable, and a single misstep could lead to death and the dissolution of one''s path. Do you know the mysteries of this dragonpetition?"


    Lu Yu looked at his nephew''s puzzled face and began to exin further.


    "As the saying goes: Hidden dragons should not be used. Your hidden dragon is still very young, its ws and teeth not yet fully developed, so you should keep a low profile, silently waiting for the changes in the situation. If you rush to strive for victory, you might just end up a sacrifice for the king.


    Let me give you a few words: build your walls high, stock up on provisions, and dy proiming kingship."


    These words from Lu Yu opened Lu Zhang''s eyes. Although he had established a foundation, no one had analyzed the strategic situation for him at this level before. Now, having heard Lu Yu''s words, he had clearer strategic ns for the future.


    Joyfully thanking his uncle, he still hesitated to leave. Lu Yu, of course, knew what his nephew was thinking. Recently, he had been getting close to Liu Qingyun without stop, almost wearing the word "recruit" on his face, but Liu Qingyun had yet to give an inch.


    "What? Still want to steal away my good-for-nothing disciple?" Lu Yu teased.


    "Not to conceal from uncle, Qingyun''s martial arts and knowledge of military strategies are outstanding, truly a rare talent. I don''t have many capable people under me, so I was hoping uncle might let him follow me out of seclusion." Lu Zhang was frank, as a leader of a great power, he had the necessary thick skin.


    "Qingyun is a person destined by the stars, meant to walk through this trial by ughter. However, the time is not yet ripe. He still has much to learn, and I promise you, once his learning isplete, I will send him down the mountain to assist you."


    Lu Zhang had been waiting just to hear these words; with Lu Yu''s promise, he left happily.


    "You''ve been listening for so long,e out now!" Lu Yu said softly.


    A young figure appeared outside the courtyard, it was Liu Qingyun, the very person Lu Zhang wanted to recruit.


    "I hope the master will forgive me," Liu Qingyun said apologetically as soon as he appeared.


    "I know you carry a sea of blood in your heart, but now is not the time. If you rashlye forth, not only will you fail to avenge, but you might also lose your own life. It''s better to diligently cultivate under my guidance until the time is right, when you will naturally have the chance to personally take your revenge."


    Originally, Liu Qingyun had abandoned the idea of revenge as his enemy''s power was overwhelming. The person who had trapped his father had long held a high position, backed by the former Sixth Prince, now King of the Great Chen Dynasty.


    However, the arrival of Lu Zhang had given him hope. Lu Zhang was a rebel king, with his own territory and army, offering him the chance to overthrow the Imperial Court and avenge himself.


    Thus, faced with the olive branch Lu Zhang threw, he was tempted, yet he did not dare to decide on his own. This was the scene of Lu Zhang sounding out Lu Yu, and having now obtained his master''s promise, he finally felt a huge relief.


    The weather was clear that day, with the morning sun warming the lush green earth, dispelling the night''s chill. The sky was a cloudless azure, and the radiant sun had just risen.


    The Lu family''s courtyard was bustling as Lu Zhang and his wife paid respects to the ancestors before bidding farewell to Lu Yu. Having been away from Yuzhou for such a long time, he was understandably anxious.


    Surrounded by guards, the couple boarded their carriage. Lu Zhang lifted the carriage curtain for onest look at his homnd that filled his dreams, and he sighed softly.


    "I do not know when I can return."


    "Husband, do not fret, Yuzhou is not far from here. As long as we strive diligently, I believe that soon this ce will be ours," Han Jiangxue consoled her husband.


    Gripping his wife''s hand tightly, Lu Zhang was filled with boundless ambition: "You are right, sooner orter, this ce will be ours."


    The Great Chen Dynasty was now teetering, signs of its demise bing increasingly obvious daily.


    Various Cultivation Sects had dispatched their disciples to enter the mortal world in search of the Hidden Dragon, ready to support their chosen one in the struggle for supremacy, thus sharing in that person''s Fortune and Destiny as sustenance for cultivation.


    There were also those from unorthodox paths who wished to seize this opportunity to practice Evil Technique and refine treasures, turning the once tranquil Cultivation Realm of the Great Chen into a roiling sea of chaos. It was precisely because a great cmity was about to arise that these cultivators could no longer remain calm and clear-minded, thus naturally inviting more disasters.


    Inside a dpidated Taoist Temple, a plump Taoist Priest bowed deeply before a row of ancestral tablets: "Disciple must find a True Dragon in the mortal realm to support, so as to glorify our sect, and I pray for the blessing of all ancestral masters!" Having said this, he shouldered a huge bundle and hopped down the mountain, withrge steamed buns vaguely visible inside the loosely tied bundle.


    Lu Zhang and his party proceeded methodically towards Yuzhou. Unlike the bleak and gloomy atmosphere on their journey here, everyone''s face now beamed with smiles.


    With their king in good health again, and the support of such a powerful elder, they were all full of confidence in their future.


    Han Jiangxue too was visibly happy, having prepared for the worst initially, but now delighted by the unexpected turn of events.


    "After some time, once we have conquered thisnd, let''s take Qian''er to visit Uncle and ask him to divine for the children. I have heard that someone like Uncle, with true cultivation, can cast spells as soon as he speaks."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Haha, of course, Qian''er is after all the eldest grandson of the main line of the Lu Family. Uncle will surely not forget him. This time I specifically brought a Jade Pendant for him, a treasure blessed by Uncle''s spell, and I witnessed Uncle draw down the Starlight from the heavens onto the Jade Pendant," Lu Zhang said as the couple whispered among themselves.


    While they were talking, they heard a noisymotion ahead.


    Lu Zhang frowned and asked, "What happened? Have we encountered robbers again?"


    "My lord has not encountered bandits, it''s just that there is a Taoist Priest who has copsed drunk by the roadside ahead," came the reply.


    Lu Zhang and his wife alighted from the carriage to check, and indeed found a portly Taoist Priest lying by the side of the road, his body reeking of alcohol.


    "How much has he drunk to smell so strongly!" Han Jiangxue eximed, covering her nose.


    "However, we cannot leave this man here in the wilderness; if wolves or tigers were toe, he might lose his life. Let us help the Taoist Priest onto the carriage," Lu Zhang suggested.


    But the captain of the guard said, "Mydy, we have only one carriage. If we let this Taoist Priest on, what about you and the lord?"


    "Never mind, have you forgotten that I too came through life and death when I was ill? As for thedy, she is also adept with bow and horse. Yuzhou is not far; my wife and I can just as well gallop through the countryside and enjoy the spring scenery," Lu Zhang waved his hand and said.

 Chapter 20 Reunion with He Yinglian

    Lu Yu''s heart was secretly shocked; indeed, the founders of these sects were brilliant individuals, each one sharp and cunning. The n had been set for such a short time, and these people had already received definite news and had even begun to make their arrangements.


    This was exactly what Lu Yu was most worried about: if all the appointed City Gods were from among the sect members, firstly, it would be unfairly disadvantageous for the loose cultivators, and secondly, it would be difficult to manage these people who were in collusion with their sects. If they caused any disasters, wouldn''t it ruin the immense merit he was meant to achieve?


    Upon seeing Lu Yu lost in thought, Su Mei immediately realized that this young-looking schr was indeed the person presiding over the Divine Enthronement.


    In her heart, she was secretly astonished; she had already highly regarded Lu Yu, considering him a rare Great Spiritual Practitioner within the Great Chen Dynasty, but to see him granted the permission by the Underworld to oversee the Divine Enthronement confirmed that she had ultimately recognized his true capabilities.


    "It was myck of insight, unable to recognize Mount Tai," Su Mei said, not expecting that the gentleman had the means to preside over the Divine Enthronement, which surely meant he had a limitless future ahead of him.


    Su Mei naturally understood that sessfully overseeing the Divine Enthronement would herald tremendous opportunities; Lu Yu''s path of cultivation would undoubtedly be smooth hereafter. Her tone became respectful, and her address to him shifted from ''fellow cultivator'' to ''Mister.'' "


    "It was merely a coincidence, as well as Empress Hou Tu not disdaining my humble cultivation, that entrusted me with such an important task," Lu Yu admitted once Su Mei guessed the reason, for at his current level of strength, there really was no rival for him in the entire Great Chen Dynasty. His ambitions had long targeted figures like Monkey who could traverse the Three Realms freely.


    "Since Mister is presiding over the Divine Enthronement, I dare to ask if my Fox n''s younger generation qualifies for the list, would Mister discriminate against them on ount of their unusual origins?" Now that she was aware of the situation, Su Mei naturally wanted to understand Lu Yu''s standards clearly, to seek benefits for her n''s younger generation.


    "All sentient beings across the world are within the scope of scrutiny; those who are intelligent and upright will be divine spirits¡ªthese are my standards." The City God is the master of a city''s Underworld and is responsible for the welfare and life and death of its citizens; the responsibility is significant.


    Lu Yu''s requirement was to rather have fewer, but better quality candidates; he did not want the divine spirits he appointed to harm the living.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Upon hearing this, Su Mei''s face lit up with joy. Those like her, creatures of different origins aiming to achieve spiritual transcendence, most feared those so-called orthodox sects, which would attack all demons and ghosts irrespective of whether they hadmitted any misdeeds.


    Seeing this, she bowed gracefully, forming a perfect curve, and sincerely said: "Mister is truly apassionate person. On behalf of all the kind-hearted beings of different origins in Great Chen, I thank Mister for his grace."


    Lu Yu, however, waved his hand; his spirit had immersed itself in sensing the mysteries aligned with the Dao through the rank of earthly positions, hence he maintained a disposition indifferent to joys and sorrows.


    "Speaking of which, Mister, are you aware of the cultivation grand event being held in the Capital of Great Chen?" Su Mei suddenly changed the topic.


    Lu Yu then came out from his unusual state of mind, feeling intrigued when he heard Su Mei''s words, and asked, "What event is it that even a cultivator like you finds interesting?"


    "The State Preceptor of the Great Chen, Jinguang Taoist, is preparing to host a grand event called the Dao Discussion Assembly in the capital, aiming to rank the cultivation sects of Great Chen. Moreover, there are generous gifts to be bestowed, the most precious being a scroll of the Heavenly Book."


    "This Heavenly Book was secretly taken by an Immortal to the mortal realm from the Heavenly Realm;ter, although the Immortal was captured and returned to the Heavenly Court, the Heavenly Book remained scattered in the mortal world. The spells recorded in the Heavenly Book are all renowned mystical techniques in the Three Realms, extremely rare toe by."


    "The spells recorded in this scroll of the Heavenly Book are renowned for summoning winds and rains. Considering Mister is most skilled in Water Arts, gaining this Immortal Law would certainly greatly increase your strength."


    At the mention of mystical techniques, Su Mei immediately piqued Lu Yu''s interest. Speaking of divine skills, he was never reallycking. Between the Cosmic Projection he had devised himself, the Doppelganger Technique he learned from the monkey, and the Freezing Curse he mastered in the Underworld, he possessed some of the topbat mysticisms.


    However, the Technique to Summon Wind and Rain truly resonated with his own system of magic. He had once tried to deduce its workings but always failed to grasp it properly.


    After thanking Su Mei for her information, the two chatted about the matters of the Cultivation Realm in Great Chen for a while. Mostly, it was Su Mei speaking, and Lu Yu listened intently. His stay in Great Chen had been brief, and he had met only a few cultivators there. Therefore, hecked aprehensive understanding of the entire Cultivation Realm of Great Chen.


    Before long, Su Mei took her leave. Lu Yu nced at the visibly anxious Liu Qingyun and said, "What''s the matter? Can''t sit still after hearing that I''m going to the Capital?"


    Looking down, Liu Qingyun said, "Sir, I''ve never been to the Capital all my life. And that person is there, I must meet him!" As he lifted his head, his eyes burned with mes of hatred.


    Lu Yu smiled knowingly, empathizing with Liu Qingyun''s sentiments. He thought it was indeed time to introduce Liu Qingyun to the young talents of the Cultivation Realm in Great Chen.


    "Then why don''t you hurry and pack your things? I don''t n on providing you with a new set once we get to the Capital," he teased.


    Lu Yu''s words delighted Liu Qingyun, who hurriedly went inside to gather his belongings.


    Beneath Lu Yu''s feet, auspicious clouds formed, carrying him and Liu Qingyun towards the Capital of Great Chen.


    Fengjing was the heart of Great Chen and was by far the most bustling location, as the center of the entire Great Chen Dynasty. The people of Fengjing held pride in their hearts, looking down on outsiders as uncouth bumpkins who were less worldly.


    However,tely, the people of Fengjing were surprised to see many outsiders in their city. Each of these strangers carried an air of nobility, and they were all exceptionally handsome or beautiful. Evenpared to the descendants of the city''s aristocrats, these neers appeared more distinguished and superior, dealing a blow to the typically proud locals of Fengjing.


    A group of six young individuals, four men and two women, d in white Taoist robes adorned with lifelike blue lotuses as if they were real, walked on the bustling streets of Fengjing. Faintly visible on their sleeves was the crest of a sword.


    "Aunt He, I heard that aside from the Zhengyi Sect who has sealed themselves off from the outside, all the major sects have sent their heirs to vie for the title of number one in the Cultivation Realm," one of the younger girls in the group said as she held a stick of candied haw bought from a street vendor, looking up at the woman leading at the front.


    "Lihuo Sect''s Zhuge Yan, Taibai Sword Sect''s Wu Wei, and Danqing Sect''s Wu Rong are said to be participating in this grand event. Whoever takes the first ce can im the title of the top young cultivator of Great Chen!"


    "Hmph! I think as long as Aunt He takes action, the title of the top young cultivator will never fall into the hands of others." The speaker was full of confidence in the so-called Aunt He.


    "Well, Aunt He is our Green Lotus Taoist Sect''s top sword cultivator. Her Immortal Sword has never suffered a defeat across the sky. I think those so-called geniuses from other sects are no match for Aunt He."

 Chapter 21 Discussion on the Way Conference

    Among their conversation, there was nothing but admiration for Uncle He, deeply feeling that their uncle could dominate the current era, just as Ancestor Master Biyou did many years ago, his sword bringing silence to all directions.


    Yet Uncle He, the subject of their discussion, did not respond; he simply walked in silence at the forefront of the group.


    Gazing at the bustling streets before her, He Yinglian found herself reminiscing about the time she and Big Brother Lu had roamed the city together. Since their parting that day, she had heard nothing from Lu Yu, who was rumored to have traveled overseas with a strange monkey in search of immortality and the Taoist Way.


    Sometimes, she wondered if Big Brother Lu had already passed away, but in her heart, she harbored a wish, hoping that one day she could still see Big Brother Lu''s radiant smile.


    "Qingyun, do you think this mask suits me?" a familiar voice reached her ears.


    He Yinglian''s usually still heart suddenly surged with emotion. With trepidation, she followed the direction of the voice and soon saw a familiar silhouette.


    He was just as tall and reassuring as he had been more than a decade ago. He Yinglian stared nkly at the figure before her, wanting to speak but not knowing where to begin. She fumbled with her clothes in a fluster, hoping to present her most beautiful self to the person before her.


    Over the years, she had made a name for herself wielding the Qingyou Sword, and people had begun to call her the second Ancestor Master Biyou. Who would have thought that this Frost Fairy, famous in the cultivation realm of Great Chen, could be so utterly at a loss?


    After a moment, sheposed herself and said to the person before her, "Big Brother Lu!"


    Lu Yu was discussing with Liu Qingyun whether to buy a mask for fun. Upon arriving in Fengjing, he had isted his senses, admiring the ancient city with its long history like an ordinary person, as if he could already see the majestic city''s eventual decline in mes, perhaps witnessing its final glory.


    A familiar voice came, and turning his head, he saw a face beaming with smiles. He Yinglian had shed her former naivety and, with her cultivation achievements, exuded confidence and a heroic spirit. Standing on the bustling street, she was like a fairy descended from the Nine Heavens, her beauty indescribable.


    "Little Yinglian! Haha, it''s been so long, and you''ve grown into a fine young woman!" Lu Yu was overjoyed to see an old acquaintance.


    "By the way, where''s your brother? Why didn''t hee with you?" Lu Yu looked around but did not see He Yingchao anywhere.


    He Yinglian looked at Lu Yu before her, privately resenting; wasn''t she pretty enough? Why did it seem that Big Brother Lu felt nothing at all?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Brother is preparing for a breakthrough in his realm, so he did note down the mountain this time. By the way, Big Brother Lu, where have you been all these years? I had people search everywhere for you but found nothing.


    I even thought you had died!" said He Yinglian, her eyes reddening slightly, which left her fellow disciples following behind quite perplexed, having never seen their uncle with such an expression, almost like a little girl.


    "I traveled over the ocean with that monkey and, after much hardship, managed to be the disciple of an old ancestor and cultivate until recently, when I returned to Great Chen. I forgot to mention it to you all!" Lu Yu said, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile.


    "So, does that mean Big Brother Lu is also a cultivator now?" He Yinglian asked with a face full of surprise.


    "I suppose that''s one way to put it, although there''s still a difference between what I do and what other cultivators like you do."


    Hearing Lu Yu''s words, He Yinglian''s eyes became exceptionally bright, and she said joyfully, "Big Brother Lu, are you also here in Fengjing for the Debate Conference?"


    Lu Yu nodded, "I also heard that the State Preceptor of the Great Chen Dynasty is holding a Debate Conference here, inviting all cultivators from around the world, so I came to join the excitement."


    "That''s great! Big Brother Lu can join us."


    Lu Yu looked at He Yinglian, who was full of anticipation, and said, "I''m afraid that won''t be possible, I still have some matters to attend to in Fengjing. Once I''ve finished them, I''lle and find you, how does that sound?"


    He Yinglian nodded happily and said, "It''s a deal then! Big Brother Lu, you can''t go back on your word!"


    At this moment, the members of the Green Lotus Sect didn''t know what to say; this was their famously cold Frost Fairy, and now she was behaving like a girl in the throes of springtime, something they didn''t even dare to imagine. They couldn''t help but admire the man before them, wondering what charm he possessed to have bewitched their Auntie He.


    "Eh! This person looks so familiar. I remember now, he''s the Schr who entered the sect with Auntie He, isn''t he? And he''s still alive! I heard the Sect Leader say he had damaged his foundation using forbidden arts and was likely to be short-lived, but now he doesn''t seem weak at all!" someone recognized Lu Yu and eximed.


    Suddenly, several people began discussing Lu Yu excitedly, and at that moment, a Taoist appeared in the distance. He was dressed in the same Taoist Robe as He Yinglian and herrades, holding a horsetail whisk, with a hairpin made of jet ck jade stuck in his bun, his demeanor casual and carefree, the very picture of an immortal.


    "Junior Sister He, aren''t youing to our sect''s residence with your Senior Brother? You all are a bitte!" the Taoist said with a smile.


    "Got it, Senior Brother Xu!" He Yinglian turned around and saluted the Taoist.


    "Big Brother Lu, we''ve made a promise, you muste! When the timees, just ask around for the Green Lotus Sect''s residence to find me!" He Yinglian didn''t forget to remind Lu Yu before leaving.


    Only then did Xu Ming notice that He Yinglian had been talking to a man all this time. His junior sister was famously cold as frost and kept men at bay, but now she was close with a man in such a changed manner, a curious event indeed.


    Upon close examination, he found the man in front of him strangely familiar. A sh of insight reminded him that this was the Schr his unfilial son had sent people to kill. Good heavens, the man had damaged his foundation and after so much time was still lively and thriving in the world, which likely meant he hade across some fortune overseas.


    Xu Ming spected in his heart but showed no change in his expression.


    Watching He Yinglian and the others leave, Lu Yu smiled and shook his head. He truly hadn''t expected to encounter He Yinglian here. He had long known that He Yinglian liked him, but his heart was set on the Way, with no time to dwell on romantic affections. To avoid hurting this kind girl, he had always yed dumb, hoping that time would dilute these emotions.


    Holding the mask he had bought, Lu Yu, apanied by Liu Qingyun, walked into an inn with a light step. He ordered some of the inn''s signature dishes and, while dining with Liu Qingyun, gazed into the distance towards the location of the Imperial Pce.


    In the Imperial Pce stood a towering edifice known as Zhaixing.


    At that moment, two people stood on a high tform there: one with a pale face, bloodshot eyes, d in a Dragon Robe ¡ª the current King of the Great Chen.

 Chapter 22 First Glimpse of Prominence

    "My father once had the former State Preceptor of Heaven''s Secret, Tianyi Zhenren, divine the destiny of thisnd here. Afterwards, he summoned the feudal lords from all directions to the capital and imprisoned them, believing that this would dy the decline of the dynasty.


    Little did he expect that within just ten years of my ascendance to the throne, the dynasty would already be in a precarious state. Could this be the destiny decreed by Heaven?" said the Lord of the Great Chen, his spirits declining.


    "What is Heaven''s decree? Who can truly define it? Does Your Majesty intend to ept this as fate?" This was a very thin Taoist with prominent cheekbones and a prominent forehead, wearing a long goatee, dressed in a yellow robe of his sect, holding a gemstone-embedded horsetail whisk in his hand¡ªJinguang Taoist, the current State Preceptor of Great Chen.


    "ept fate? Humph, Heaven''s decree is not to be feared. Everyone says to follow Heaven''s decree, but I wish to go against it!"


    "Haha, since Your Majesty is so determined, I must certainly lend my full support. The flesh and blood of these cultivators are rare elixirs. Using them as ingredients will surely refine a Precious Pill, enabling Your Majesty to break free from the constraints of Dragon Qi and gain a glimpse of the path to immortality," Jinguang Taoist said.


    Jinguang Taoist''s words seemed to ignite the King''s inner ambitions, ambition flickered in his blood-shot eyes.


    "But can these cultivators really act ording to our n?" At this moment, the King still could not be sure whether Jinguang Taoist''s n would be sessful.


    "The people of the world all act for gain. With the lure of fame and profit, even the ''Immortals'' spoken of bymoners will fall into our trap!" Jinguang Taoist said with full confidence.


    The next day, the great debate arrived as scheduled, and many cultivators, rarely seen on ordinary days, appeared one by one like fish crossing the river. Even many figures who were considered deceased by the Cultivation Realm also showed up at the event.


    The crowd was buzzing, and some nimble-minded folks even dared to set up small stalls in the open space of the venue, causing others to follow suit.


    An Imperial Pce eunuch appeared in the center of the venue, announcing the start of the debate and disyed the rewards for this time. However, the legendary Heavenly Book was nowhere to be seen.


    "His Majesty has said: ''The Heavenly Book is a divine object, not to be easily shown to themon folk. Only the number one person in the Cultivation Realm is qualified to view the Heavenly Book, and His Majesty promises that this person can also choose any item from the Imperial treasury as a reward.''"


    This reward could be considered extremely generous. Knowing that the King of the Great Chen, although unable to cultivate himself, was often in contact with cultivators, many extremely rare cultivation resources were stored in the treasury, only essible to State Preceptors for their use.


    This opportunity excited not only the loose cultivators but also the children of famous families, who all showed hopeful expressions. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, the eunuch no longer said more, bowed to the audience, and slowly stepped down from the high tform, leaving the vast stage to the cultivators of Great Chen, for they were the main characters of this conference.


    The rules of the conference were simple: draw lots to determine opponents, and the losers leave after each round.


    In the following days, thepetition was fiercelypetitive, and arge number of young talents emerged. Among them, Zhuge Yan of Lihuo Sect, Wuwei Zi of Taibai Sword Sect, Wu Rong of Danqing Sect, and He Yinglian of Green Lotus Sect were all strong contenders for first ce.


    The strength disyed by these individuals did not surprise anyone, as they were already well-known prodigies among the major sects in the Cultivation Realm of Great Chen.


    Only a young man named Liu Qingyun surprised everyone, appearing to have a low realm, yet, for some reason, he excelled in magicalbat. His Silver Spear could break ten thousand techniques, and as he attacked, starlight surrounded him, allowing him to pass through challenges and stand shoulder to shoulder with a few of Heaven''s chosen.


    However, today this rising young man encountered his match in Zhuge Yan from the Lihuo Sect.


    Zhuge Yan was skilled in various Fire Techniques, especially the Art of Fire Control, which he had perfected to a state of brilliance. With a wave of his hand, fierce mes would appear, and soon the entire venue turned into a sea of fire.


    Xu Ming furrowed his brow and said to the elder of the Taibai Sword Sect beside him, "Has the State Preceptor set up some kind of Formation nearby?"


    "What''s so strange about that? We are all cultivators, and when we make a move, it''s inevitable that it will affect the surroundings. They must have prepared a Formation in advance to prevent the battle''s aftershocks from affecting the Imperial Pce," said the elder of the Taibai Sword Sect, appearing unconcerned.


    Xu Ming was a bit rmed by the Formation the moment he saw it, which was why he asked. Hearing the elder say this, he naturally didn''t pursue the matter and quickly refocused his attention on the match.


    At that moment, Liu Qingyun, holding a Long Spear and d in starlight, looked like a Celestial God descending to earth. His Silver Spear created an imprable defense, pushing back the surrounding mes and even leaving him with spare energy to attack Zhuge Yan.


    Zhuge Yan, too, hadn''t expected this seemingly young man to be so difficult to handle. Liu Qingyun''s body, which daily absorbed and refined the starlight from the heavens, was no longer that of a mortal. Ordinary mes could hardly harm him, and with his innate Divine Power, once he got close, typical cultivators couldn''t resist at all.


    However, Zhuge Yan was no ordinary man. Proficient in Fire Techniques, he wasn''t thrown into disarray by Liu Qingyun''s attacks and, with a gentle gesture, the legendary Lustrous Purifying me appeared.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Lustrous Purifying me, said to burn all things and purify all objects in the world, emerged. Liu Qingyun immediately felt ufortable as soon as the fire appeared. The mes, immensely powerful, would continue to burn if they clung to the body. Even though he had formed a Ster armor, it could not extinguish the me. His armor was visibly consumed at a rate visible to the naked eye.


    Just as the mes were about to burn through the armor, Liu Qingyun shouted loudly. Although it was broad daylight, a star suddenly appeared in the sky, shining brightly. Those knowledgeable people all recognized that this star was called the Breaking Army.


    "So, he is a person favored by the Heavenly Star, no wonder hisbat prowess is so strong despite his low realm," several Sect eldersmented, all of them experienced cultivators who recognized this sign of being favored by the Heavenly Star.


    "I''ve heard that everyone favored by this Breaking Army is an unparalleled general. I wonder what the future holds for this child," one elder mused, already considering taking him as a disciple. A person favored by the Heavenly Star often had tremendous Fortune and Destiny, and forming a master-disciple rtionship could be extremely beneficial for their future cultivation.


    "I see that this child has a method in his attacks, and the way he breathes highlights the flickering starlight, clearly showing that he has cultivated a Technique. Such Techniques seem to be specially made for those favored by the Heavenly Star. I wonder which master was able to deduce such a Technique," someone also recognized the mystery of Liu Qingyun''s cultivation technique, praising it highly.


    Back on the stage, Liu Qingyun, enhanced by the Ster Force, suddenly reversed his declining momentum and, in an instant, rushed up to Zhuge Yan, gently thrusting his Long Spear forward.

 Chapter 23 The Path to Longevity

    A fiery shield appeared out of thin air, Zhuge Yan was best at controlling fire, and in his hands, one could say it was capable of endless transformations. If not for Liu Qingyun''s Starlight Armor being too strong in defense, this fight would have ended long ago.


    The battlefield seemed to fall into a searing state when suddenly, Zhuge Yan said,  "I never expected you would push me this far, but the title of the first, I must im."


    "Red Lotus!"


    The mes on the ground suddenly converged towards the center of the arena, forming a giant lotus made of fire that enveloped Liu Qingyun within.


    With a "boom," the Red Lotus exploded to reveal the battered Liu Qingyun inside.


    By then, Liu Qingyun looked exceptionally disheveled, his body charred and wounded all over, with a faint smell of burning lingering. Yet, his back remained straight as a rod, and his eyes were still filled with fighting spirit.


    "Truly a warlord by nature!" the onlookers around the battlefield couldn''t help but exim at such a fierce scene.


    "Qingyun, admit defeat." To everyone''s surprise, it was He Yinglian from the Green Lotus sect who uttered these words.


    Hearing He Yinglian''s words, Liu Qingyun''s face was filled with reluctance, but he also understood that he indeed had reached his limit, and to continue fighting would likely damage his foundation.


    "Understood, Master Aunt!" Liu Qingyun replied dully and then dragged his exhausted body off the stage, while He Yinglian quickly took out healing medicine to bandage his wounds.


    "Big Brother Lu really, letting youe to such an event at your young age and not evening over to check on you," He Yinglian rarelyined about Lu Yu.


    "The teacher must have important matters to attend to, besides, it was my request. I just wanted to see for myself the gap between me and the world!" Liu Qingyun''s eyes shone exceptionally bright while saying this, that kind of heartfelt pursuit was so fervent it gave He Yinglian standing beside him a sense of heat.


    "From now on, I''m afraid your name will rise to prominence, being able to fight to this level against Zhuge Yan from Lihuo Sect at such a young age, this is enough to draw the world''s attention," He Yinglian sighed as she spoke, truly not expecting that this young man following behind Big Brother Lu would burst forth such dazzling brilliance.


    "As long as the teacher doesn''t feel disappointed, that''s good!" Liu Qingyun looked up with a smile on his face.


    Meanwhile, several elders seated on the high tform were also shocked by Liu Qingyun''s previous performance and began discussing animatedly.


    "It''s a pity, if this child wasn''t at such a low realm, the oue with Zhuge Yan would be uncertain," someonemented Liu Qingyun''s loss.


    "Such an extraordinary physique, I fear not even the typical Demon Race possesses such a formidable body," others eximed over his astonishing physique.


    "Don''t know who taught the disciple, not imparting him a superior technique, just letting such talent remain stranded in the Qi Cultivation Realm, what a waste of a gem in the darkness," some criticized his teacher for not teaching superior techniques, leading to his low realm.


    "You are mistaken about that, this child''s teacher is definitely not an ordinary person. You think he is stuck in the Qi Cultivation Realm forck of techniques, but it''s quite the opposite¡ªit must be intentional by his teacher!" Elder Liu from the Danqing Sect was extremely experienced, rumored to have once entered the Heavenly Court, very knowledgeable and worldly.


    His statement suddenly sparked great interest among the others, who all looked forward eagerly, ready to hear his further exnation.


    "If I''m not mistaken, this child''s master must have great hopes for him, wishing him to follow the way of the Celestial Immortal Dao, just like the ancient immortals did,"


    Those seated were allte bloomers on the path of cultivation, with limited knowledge about the so-called Celestial Immortal Dao.


    Seeing their puzzled looks, Elder Liu sighed slightly and said, "It''s normal that you haven''t heard of it. The Celestial Immortal Dao has extremely high requirements on a person''s innate talent, temperament, opportunities, and enlightenment. As a result, it''s gradually been reced by the Spiritual Dao we practice.


    However, every person endowed with Great Divine Power is a product of the Celestial Immortal Dao."


    "The first threshold of the Celestial Immortal Dao is the Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, where one must self-enlighten to the Taoist Laws. Cultivators like us, who follow the standard Foundation Establishment Technique, are destined not to achieve it, unless a person with top-notch Divine Skills custom-makes a cultivation technique for us to practice step by step."


    When they heard of Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, they couldn''t help but take a sharp breath. Those were just a few light words, but they signified a talent capable of starting a new sect. Although they were known as experts, they felt somewhat ashamed whenpared to such individuals.


    "He must be an esteemed expert, otherwise, why would he dare let his own disciple take such a path!" Elder Liu said, watching Liu Qingyun''s departing figure.


    The subsequent battles were calm as a still pond. The favored sons of heaven finished their matches in a very crisp manner, disappointing the surrounding spectators who were hoping for a spectacr battle like the one between Liu Qingyun and Zhuge Yan.


    The day''s excitement ended just like that, and Liu Qingyun, dragging his weary body, returned to the small courtyard rented by Lu Yu in Fengjing.


    As soon as he entered the door, he found Lu Yu sitting solemnly on a stone stool in the courtyard, engrossed in reading a scroll.


    Upon seeing Liu Qingyun enter, Lu Yu put down the scroll and asked, "Lost?"


    "Yes!" Even now, Liu Qingyun''s heart was full of unwillingness. He believed that he could have done better, to tell the whole world that his teacher''s disciple was no weaker than anyone else.


    Looking at Liu Qingyun''s frustrated face, Lu Yu couldn''t help butugh. He was very pleased with his first disciple who had set the foundation for their sect. Not just for his talent and intelligence but his respect for the way and his teacher. He certainly didn''t want his disciple to be like those in melodramatic TV shows who betray their masters.


    "Do you feel that your realm is too low, and if your mana were stronger, then you could have ovee your opponent?"


    Liu Qingyun nodded, that was indeed what he was thinking.


    "Teacher, I heard that someone like me could break through the realm if I have follow-up techniques," Liu Qingyun said eagerly, looking at Lu Yu.


    "I naturally have follow-up techniques, but Qingyun, are you sure you want them?"


    Liu Qingyun looked puzzled, wondering why he wouldn''t want a technique.


    "You have been cultivating for so long, and I have not mentioned somemon knowledge about cultivation, hoping you could focus on establishing a solid Tao Foundation. Now that your foundation is stable, it''s time for me to tell you about the future path of cultivation, and you need to make a decision for yourself,"


    "There are currently five prevailing cultivation paths in the world, known as the Five Immortals. Each of these paths can lead to immortality, hence the name. They are derived from Heaven, Earth, Human, Gods, and Ghosts."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Liu Qingyun took a deep breath silently. He had always thought there was only one path of cultivation because it seemed that only the Spiritual Dao practiced by Zhuge Yan and others existed in Great Chen. Hearing Lu Yu''s exnation, he felt as if a new world had opened up to him. He didn''t dare interrupt and eagerly looked at Lu Yu, anticipating the rest of his exnation.

 Chapter 24 Five Immortals

    "Those who cultivate the Way of Celestial Immortals emphasize following the naturalws to stir up the Five Qi within their chests, condensing three flowers at their crown, until their efforts yield a body that endures through myriad cmities, and a Primordial Spirit thatsts forever, unperished even should heaven and earth cease to exist," Lu Yu exined.


    "The Earthly Immortal Path emerged because it was extremely difficult to inspire the three flowers through the Five Qi, leading some great beings to forge a new path by merging their Five Qi with a Cave Heaven and Blessed Land instead of pursuing the Five Qi, bypassing the condensing of the three flowers at the crown, and aiming to exist as long as heaven and earth," he continued.


    "As the universe stabilized, the Great Dao became more concealed, and cultivators found it increasingly difficult to perceive the Dao and to stimte the Five Qi, thus leading to the emergence of three great paths: those of human gods, spirits, and ghosts," Lu Yu borated.


    "These three paths forge new routes and no longer pursue the Five Qi, focusing solely on cultivating the Primordial Spirit.


    However, the techniques for cultivating the Primordial Spirit vary; the Human Immortal Path sees the physical body as a vessel for navigating the world, pursuing ascension and transformation into a celestial being by using the physical body as a resource to ultimately yang-ize the Primordial Spirit, achieving a Divine Position, and ultimately sculpting a Dharma Body by absorbing the pure energies of heaven and earth."


    "The Paths of Spirits and Ghosts, on the other hand,pletely abandon the physical body, seeing it as a burden: one absorbs Incense Prayer Power to forge a Dharma Body while the other absorbs the turbid energies of heaven and earth to forge a body worthy of the Ghost King," he added.


    Liu Qingyun listened intently to Lu Yu''s exnations, envisioning a vast and profound world of cultivation far beyond what he had imagined of Great Chen.


    "Sir, ording to what you''ve said about the cultivators in Great Chen striving for ascension, the Primordial Spirit path they follow must indeed be the Human Immortal Path."


    "Well said, my young student! The Human Immortal Path is prevalent in Great Chen. The other paths are seldom practiced, but it''s because Great Chen is located at the frontier of Southern Zhanzhou, its innate spiritual influence pales inparison to that of Dongsheng Shenzhou, where thend is exceptionally conducive to cultivation.


    Hence, it''s not surprising that the Celestial and Earth Immortal paths have faded away there," Lu Yu responded.


    "In the world, aside from those mighty beings who can tailor cultivation techniques for themselves, everyone cultivating the Way of Celestial Immortals will encounter their first major hurdle: Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment."


    "Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment requires one to perceive the Taoist Laws oneself. Only then can one avoid detours, as true understanding can onlye from within; what others teach is, after all, just their understanding. As the saying goes: ''Learning brings life, imitation brings death,'' and that''s exactly the point," Lu Yu stated.


    Turning to look at Liu Qingyun with a stern face, Lu Yu said, "The time hase for you to make a choice. If you wish to follow the path of Great Chen''s cultivators, I will teach you the subsequent techniques. If you wish to cultivate the Way of Celestial Immortals, you must endure bitterly in this realm and wait for your own opportunity to arise."


    "Sir, I have made my decision, I wish to cultivate the Way of Celestial Immortals, I want to achieve Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment!" Liu Qingyun said decisively, without a moment''s hesitation.


    "Are you sure you have considered this well? This path is not easy to travel. Many talented individuals have wasted years at this stage, ultimately retreating in disappointment. Are you prepared to endure being scoffed at and suffering bitterly?" Lu Yu asked with a severe tone, his words seemingly as cold as a chilling wind, causing Liu Qingyun''s hair to stand on end.


    Yet, he remained unswayed in his resolve, standing tall and firm, his gaze steadfast despite his master''s stern expression and daunting description.


    "Good, this is the mindset needed on the path of cultivation. I give you ten years. If you can achieve Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment within ten years, you will continue on the Way of Celestial Immortals; if not, I will teach you the subsequent techniques of the Human Immortal Path," Lu Yu said, already having ns for Liu Qingyun''s future.


    "However, you need not worry too much, after all, I am the custodian of the Divine Enthronement process, and if all else fails, I can secure a Divine Position for you to achieve immortality," Lu Yu said, his tone lightening as he smiled.


    Liu Qingyun looked speechlessly at his master who had just been so grave, realizing once again his teacher''s penchant for dark humor.


    "By the way, sir, what is that book you are reading so intently?" Liu Qingyun had noticed the book in Lu Yu''s hands early on and sensed an ancient aura enveloping it.


    "You mean this, the Heavenly Book?" Lu Yu said lightly, brandishing the book in his hand.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The Heavenly Book! Could it be the volume from the Imperial Court''s treasury?" Liu Qingyun asked, though he had already concluded that the book Lu Yu held was indeed the prize for this discourse conference.


    "Exactly, their formation was loose, and I didn''t have to exert much effort to get in. However, the storeroom had a terrible smell so I took it out. Oh, and I brought you a gift too!" After finishing his words, he summoned the Treasure Vase and a Silver Spear flew out from it, its killing aura formidable.


    Liu Qingyun grabbed the Silver Spear and examined it closely before saying, "Isn''t this the Star Destroyer Spear, forged from a meteorite by the founding Great Ancestor?"


    Upon close inspection, indeed, two characters were found on the body of the spear: Star Destroyer.


    The more Liu Qingyun looked at it, the more he liked it, and he quickly thanked Lu Yu, "Thank you, sir. But won''t the treasury theft be traced back to you?"


    "I reckon they won''t have the time or the inclination," Lu Yu estimated.


    Lu Yu''s words suddenly made Liu Qingyun tense. The implication of the sir''s words was that this discourse conference was just a smokescreen, and the Imperial Court seemed to intend to achieve some unspeakable secret through it.


    "You should stay away from the venue tomorrow. I suspect that if the Imperial Court harbors ill intentions, tomorrow would be the perfect opportunity to act. Don''t get yourself involved," Lu Yu advised Liu Qingyun.


    "But, Master He is still in there!" Liu Qingyun became anxious at once as he hade to regard He Yinglian as a family elder over the past few days.


    "What''s the panic? I''m here, aren''t I? Tomorrow, I will have a good meeting with this Jinguang Master!"


    The next morning, the venue of the discourse conference was already buzzing with excitement; everyone anticipated the day''s battles.


    All the sects'' favored talents had persevered to this day, anticipating a battle of wits and skills. Having gotten used to the overwhelming victories of the previous days, the crowd was excited, and there were even bets ced on which proud talent could win the title of number one in the Cultivation Realm.


    As a group of people were heading to the tform, Elder Liu suddenly frowned.


    "Elder Liu, what''s wrong?" someone noticed his hesitation.


    "I don''t know why, but I just had a feeling of heart-pounding fear which then disappeared." Elder Liu''s words made the others also cautious. Cultivators'' inexplicable premonitions were to be taken seriously, representing an alert from the depths of the soul. Even those adept at deducing Heaven''s secrets could not pinpoint anything unusual.


    "Perhaps I am overthinking it." Seeing that no one could deduce anything, Elder Liu spoke to reassure everyone.


    Although the conference went on normally, that brief episode still cast a shadowy veil over this grand event.


    The battle of the talents was naturally not as nd as the previous days, and it was no exaggeration to say these individuals represented the future of the Great Chen Cultivation Realm.

 Chapter 25 Jinguang Taoist

    Xu Ming watched He Yinglian, using the unique swordsmanship of the Green Lotus Sect, suppress Wuweizi of the Taibai Sword Sect, feeling extremely pleased.


    The members of the Taibai Sword Sect had always been arrogant, iming that with a sword from Taibai, they were unmatched, and they looked down upon the Green Lotus Sect, thinking they only relied on the fame of Fairy Biyou to have some prestige in the so-called Sword Dao.


    Now that He Yinglian suppressed Taibai, it truly vented the bitterness in his heart, making him feel veryfortable. However, to avoid angering these sword maniacs, he still tried hard to restrain his facial expressions to prevent himself from bursting intoughter.


    Just then, a faint, unknown fragrance drifted over, smelling slightly of chrysanthemum, filling him with curiosity about its origin.


    However, before he could ponder it for long, he found himself unable to move, and knowing the strange fragrance was poisonous, he hurriedly tried to summon his mana, but found that the normally docile mana now felt like a huge mountain, unmovable no matter how his soul struggled, he couldn''t help but think: What a potent poison.


    The several elders nearby also noticed something was wrong, but by then it was toote and they too couldn''t move.


    "It would be better for all of you not to waste your strength. This poison is my meticulous creation, crafted from one hundred and eight precious materials in a medicine furnace over eighty-one days, ensuring that even if a Great Luo Immortal came today, he wouldn''t be able to move a bit," a voice dered.


    As the voice fell, a Taoist slowly stepped forward, wearing a striking red Qiangjin crown, dressed in a deep ck silk robe, stepping in green, billowing cloud-stepping boots, and wearing a yellow, flowing official''s tassel.


    He was tall yet very gaunt, with prominent cheekbones and a thin strand of goatee, he was none other than the current State Preceptor of the Great Chen Dynasty, Jinguang Taoist.


    "Jinguang Taoist, what is your purpose in poisoning us?" someone fiercely questioned.


    "Nothing much, merely that I need to refine something and am missing one ingredient. I hope you all can assist," Jinguang Taoist replied leisurely, fingers twirling his goatee.


    "What are you missing?" Hope ignited in them, as where there''s a need, there''s room for negotiation.


    "What''s missing is the flesh of cultivators on Earth. Since all of you cultivate the Primordial Spirit and the Great Dao, these bodies are just useless carcasses that you will eventually discard. Wouldn''t it be perfect to give them to me?"


    Upon hearing this, they knew Jinguang Taoist clearly wasn''t giving them a way out. Though their cultivation of the Primordial Spirit and the Great Dao meant using their bodies merely as transitional vessels, they regarded them as rafts to cross the bitter sea of life, which without, they couldn''t survive.


    They were about to protest, but Jinguang Taoist was not in the mood for further talk. Having managed with difficulty to assemble all the major figures of the Great Chen cultivation realm, he naturally wanted to hasten things.


    At hismand, arge force of armored soldiers suddenly appeared around the venue, armed and even pushing catapults.


    The once revered immortals now looked likembs ready for ughter. Unable to use their mana, how could they resist the arrowsunched from the catapults? Instantly, wails filled the air, and some, unwilling to die this way, desperately tried to flee, only to find a massive formation had risen around the venue at some unknown time, trapping them inside.


    Members from various sects huddled together trying to withstand the rain of arrows, but without their mana, they couldn''t resist, and soon casualties urred.


    Several elders watched as their cherished disciples died tragically before their eyes, feeling utterly deste.


    To their further despair, the bodies of the deceased were transforming into red ash, swirling around the venue.


    Jinguang Taoist walked with firm steps, chanting spells, his body surging with mana. Under the effect of the spell, the red ash transformed into numerous crimson eyes floating around the venue.


    Strange eyes blinked in the air, adding an even more eerie feel to the atmosphere.


    Jinguang Taoist let out a piercingugh, "Don''t rush, take your time. Soon, you will all transform into my eyes, and together we shall enjoy eternal life. How wonderful will that be!"


    "Bah! Demon Lord!" the crowd spat in disgust.


    "Demon Lord, what a fine title. Perhaps I should call myself the Demon Monarch from now on!" Jinguang Taoist was in exceptionally high spirits, even finding the time to mock the remaining onlookers.


    Just then, the weather changed dramatically. The previously clear sky suddenly became overcast with dense clouds, and a fierce wind swept up dust across thend, signaling that a storm was on its way.


    "Where did this raine from?" Jinguang Taoist frowned, having not sensed any signs of impending rain.


    The wind howled and the rain poured, making it impossible for the soldiers to fight in such conditions, forcing them to retreat.


    The rain grew heavier, seeming to turn the entire world into a water world. In this torrential downpour, a Schr slowly walked out from the curtain of rain. Dressed in ordinary schrly attire with a treasured sword at his waist and holding a list of unknown material in his hand, he walked leisurely through the heavy rain, yet his clothes remainedpletely dry.


    "Where did this Schre from, daring to meddle in my affairs?" Jinguang Taoist red furiously.


    The answer was a fierce wind borne with heavy rain transforming into a massive wave that crashed down directly at him. Jinguang Taoist hastily tried to resist the wave with his mana, but he was swept away like a solitary boat in the storm.


    "Big Brother Lu!" He Yinglian eximed with joy, she had not expected Lu Yu to appear by her side in her moment of despair, just as he had years ago.


    "Summoning wind and rain?" Several elders recognized the Divine Skill Lu Yu was using; it was clearly the technique of summoning wind and rain recorded in the Heavenly Book.


    Jinguang Taoist was blown away by the giant wave and skidded across the ground for dozens of meters before he could stop. He stood up and red fiercely at Lu Yu, "Seeking death!"


    Pulling out a small furnace, he blew gently and a faint yellow smoke flew towards Lu Yu, obviously the same poison that had afflicted the crowd earlier, only now it seemed much more potent.


    The smoke struggled to advance in the rain and barely reached near Lu Yu. Lu Yu then summoned the Treasure Vase and the virulent poison that Jinguang Taoist took pride in was all sucked into the vase.


    "Thanks for the State Preceptor''s poison!" came Lu Yu''s calm voice, which infuriated Jinguang Taoist to the point of steaming with rage.


    He then took out his own treasured sword and charged at Lu Yu. At this moment, the world was already surrounded by water and since Lu Yu was primarily trained in Water Arts, he naturally maneuvered the water waves with ease and blocked all of Jinguang Taoist''s attacks.


    Seeing his prolonged attacks were in vain, Jinguang Taoist grew increasingly anxious and yelled, "Are you not going to take action? Don''t you want your treasured medicine?"


    As soon as these words fell, the Lord of the Great Chen appeared holding the Jade Seal, "State Preceptor, don''t deceive me. I have yet to see the treasured medicine you promised me!"


    Though he spoke these words, the Lord of the Great Chen knew that he and Jinguang Taoist were bound together for better or for worse and must support each other fully.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 26 Mysterious Withered Branch

    Suddenly, everyone felt a change in the aura of the entire venue, as if a tremendous force had descended upon this narrow piece of heaven and earth.


    "Human Path Dragon Qi suppression, what use is that? Isn''t the Jinguang Taoist also under suppression? Even though he is the revered State Preceptor, under such suppression, he surely can''t be that strong!" someone eximed in surprise.


    However, to everyone''s astonishment, the Jinguang Taoist indeed wasn''t afraid of this Fortune and Destiny suppression. They saw him, spirited, brandishing a treasured sword and attacking Lu Yu, boastfully saying, "Didn''t expect this, did you? I am actually not affected by Fortune and Destiny suppression. Meddlesome Schr, I''m taking your head right now."


    A piercing sword light shed, a phantom-like Celestial River shed across the sky, and the Jinguang Taoist, who had just been smug, suddenly let out a scream, flew backward, and desperately shouted, "Why, how are you not affected by Human Path Fortune and Destiny suppression, how is this possible!"


    A deep sword mark appeared on the body of the Jinguang Taoist, and his Taoist robe was already stained with blood. His face, previously arrogant andcent, was now filled with disbelief.


    "Everyone knows that the Human Path Fortune and Destiny naturally repels all cultivators. However, ''immune to all Techniques'' is just talk. There are ''Innate'' things between heaven and earth, born naturally immune to Human Path Fortune and Destiny suppression. Am I right, Jinguang Taoist?" Lu Yu said indifferently.


    Only then was the Jinguang Taoist taken aback and soon noticed the list in Lu Yu''s hands. He instantly understood the situation, "Innate Spiritual Treasure."


    "Unexpectedly, there is such a master within the Great Chen Dynasty. Tomand the winds and rain, you must have just learned to use it to this extent, and with an Innate Spiritual Treasure at your side, who exactly are you, to lower yourself to this tiny ce!"


    Lu Yu bowed lightly and said, "The Schr Lu Yu is indeed a person from the Great Chen Dynasty."


    "What a Schr, Lu Yu, I will remember you, you forced this upon me!" the Jinguang Taoist said in a fit of rage.


    All of a sudden, he tore open his blood-stained Taoist robe, revealing his pale upper body, chanting a bizarre spell.


    Lu Yu watched quietly, finding the scene very familiar but couldn''t recall where he had heard of such methods.


    Along with the Jinguang Taoist''s spell, the previously formed sinister eyes, influenced by a mysterious force, instantly flew onto the body of the Jinguang Taoist.


    As soon as they made contact, they burrowed into his flesh, and in an instant, four pairs of eyes appeared beneath the Jinguang Taoist''s ribs.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Jinguang Taoist shouted loudly, and the sinister eyes suddenly opened, shooting out dazzling golden light. The blinding golden light shone in all directions, causing unbearable pain to anyone who saw it, making them roll on the ground in agony, including the Primordial Spirit Elders.


    Seeing this, how could Lu Yu not recognize what this Divine Skill was? He unfurled the scroll and held it in front of his eyes. The golden light hit the scroll and vanished without causing a ripple, disappearing without a trace.


    Lu Yu raised his Sword of state, a fierce Sword Qi struck directly at the Jinguang Taoist, the sword energy with the Celestial River illusion instantly gashed and ruined several of the Jinguang Taoist''s eyes.


    At that moment, the Jinguang Taoist suddenly took out a piece of withered branch and ced it in front of himself. The Sword Qi reached the branch and was as if it had struck a great mountain. The immense sound wave swept across, damaging all the surrounding buildings, but the Jinguang Taoist narrowly escaped the catastrophe.


    He activated the full force of his mana and directed it toward the mysterious withered branch. The branch emitted a gentle glow and suddenly flew towards Lu Yu.


    Lu Yu was shocked, thinking that Jinguang Taoist had unleashed some formidable secret technique. This withered branch was indeed powerful, as his full-strength strike had not left even a scratch on it.


    To his surprise, as the branch flew in front of him, he realized that the previous spectacle was just Jinguang Taoist bluffing. Just as his attention wavered for that moment, Jinguang Taoist transformed into a giant centipede and burrowed underground, disappearing from sight.


    "Such decisive action, could he be the future Demon Lord of a Hundred Eyes?" Lu Yu muttered to himself as he watched the now-vanished Jinguang Taoist.


    At times like this, Lu Yu deeply envied the Monkey''s Somersault Cloud, which was very handy for both fighting and fleeing. Although he pondered day and night over this technique of riding the clouds, it was never as good as what was passed down from the ancestors.


    Picking up the mysterious withered branch, Lu Yu examined it closely and discovered it was full of innate energy. No wonder Jinguang Taoist could withstand the suppression of the Human Path''s Dragon Qi. Indeed, this was an Innate Spirit Root that had been damaged.


    "It''s unclear which Spirit Root this is. There are rumors that when heaven and earth first opened, the Innate Spirit Roots descended from the outer chaos. Upon entering the Three Realms, they would inevitably face cmities. This must be one of the Spirit Roots that couldn''t withstand those cmities," Lu Yu spected in his heart.


    Even so, the innate spiritual energy was not lost. If there was a chance, it might still be possible for it to recover, although the effectiveness of the damaged Spirit Root might notpare with those of the top-tier ones.


    With a gentle wave of his hand, a stream of Divine Water shot into the sky, and the rain washed over thend. Those whose mana had been depleted due to poisoning suddenly noticed their bodies could now move slowly, and they were overjoyed.


    Lu Yu held up the Great Dao Treasure Vase, and saw that the rain from the sky was quickly being absorbed into the vase. Not long after, the wind ceased, the rain stopped, and the clouds dispersed, revealing the shining sun bathing the earth.


    What was once a magnificent venue was now in ruins, and the cultivators who had been full of vigor now wore expressions of sorrow and anger, staring fixedly at the surviving king of the Great Chen Dynasty.


    By this point, the King of the Great Chen had been utterly dumbfounded. As the great battle concluded, his heart had turned to ash; all his painstaking pursuits had amounted to nothing but Illusory Flowers Reflective Moon¡ªa mere fabrication by Jinguang Taoist to exploit him.


    Regrettably, his greed had clouded his judgment long ago, and by the end, he was in too deep to retreat, inevitably leading to this oue. However, he remained indifferent to the hatred of the cultivators. As the King of the Great Chen, no one dared to confront such immense karmic consequences by killing him.


    Yet, Lu Yu was the one he feared the most, simply because this man was not suppressed by the Human Path''s Fortune and Destiny, and there was a chance he might have a way to avoid karma, hence he looked at Lu Yu with an uneasy heart.


    However, Lu Yu did not care about the cautious thoughts of those around him. To him, attending this Dao Conference was just a coincidence. If it weren''t for the divine skill of calling the wind and summoning the rain fitting his methods perfectly, he would have been reluctant toe here.


    Nevertheless, since he was here, he naturally hoped to use this opportunity to establish the ordinances of Divine Enthronement.


    Suddenly, he flew up to the high tform and unfurled a list. A profound and mysterious atmosphere immediately filled the air, and everyone looked up in astonishment at the young expert, wondering what he was nning to do by standing so high.

 Chapter 27 Promoting the Great Catastrophe

    Lu Yu unfolded the Earth Ranking and in that instant, felt his heart merge with the list, entering that peculiar state where one neither revels in material joy nor wallows in personal sorrow. At this moment, his eyes could see the grey Cmity Qi permeating between heaven and earth. With a gentle push of his hand, the Cmity Qi that enveloped the entire Great Chen flowed like water.


    Under his deliberate guidance, it descended upon the cultivators'' heads.


    After obtaining the Earth Ranking, he had learnt that this Divine Enthronement served two purposes, one was to select City Gods for the Underworld and to test the strengths and weaknesses of the City God system.


    The second reason was because Great Chen''s Immortal Path flourished excessively, the inflow and outflow of Spiritual Energy were unbnced, and a great cmity was needed to settle the ount, sending those cultivators with superficial roots and virtues unworthy of their positions into the cycle of Reincarnation.


    In that instant, all cultivators in Great Chen felt a premonition, as the great cmity descended, regardless of their cultivation level, they must take part in this worldly chaos, either by ying demons and eradicating evil or by helping to stabilize the realm. Otherwise, a great disaster would befall them.


    "Countless lives, all falling into cmity," Lu Yu''s words echoed like a curse in the ears of all cultivators.


    When the crowd below came to their senses, they looked up only to find that Lu Yu had already disappeared.


    "What just happened? Why do I feel like a great disaster is looming over me?" Some were still not reacting.


    "With the great cmity upon us, I fear we all must traverse this world once more, otherwise a cmity will befall us and death may be unavoidable," said onepanion, causing the person to be greatly shocked.


    The news of the cmity''s arrival spread from Fengjing to all corners in an instant, and the entire Cultivation Realm of Great Chen became tumultuous at once.


    However, Lu Yu, the cause of all this, had already returned to his old home with his disciple, Liu Qingyun. Gazing at the old Apricot Tree he hadn''t seen for a long time, Lu Yu felt extremely delighted, and the Apricot Tree seemed equally happy to see their return, its blossoms swaying on the branches.


    "Isn''t it strange why I dragged you away and didn''t let you exact revenge on that King who has lost his nerve?" Lu Yu asked Liu Qingyun with a smile.


    "I know that Master must have a reason for doing this, but I couldn''t help myself when I saw that foolish ruler," Liu Qingyun replied.


    "A King bears the hopes of the entire nation and carries the Fortune and Destiny of the whole country. Therefore, if he is killed, there will inevitably be a bacsh from that vast Fortune and Destiny. Not even an Immortal would dare to act recklessly, let alone you, myd. I reckon if you had killed him, you would have died on the spot from the bacsh of Fortune and Destiny," Lu Yu exined.


    "Is there really no way to punish this foolish ruler?" Liu Qingyun asked through clenched teeth, his heart feeling as if torn by a Poison Snake at the thought of his entire family executed by the foolish King.


    "Haha, matters of the Human Path should naturally be settled through the Human Path; a change of dynasty will naturally allow for his execution!"


    Those words from Lu Yu brightened Liu Qingyun''s eyes, and he seemed to have found the direction for his vengeance. His mood gradually calmed.


    The two then lived a rare period of tranquility. Lu Yu felt as if he had returned to the rhythm of his days learning arts on Mount Fangcun, spending his days in cultivation. The seeds of the great cmity had been sown¡ªhow many City God sprouts would emerge was beyond his control. What he needed was only the patience to wait.


    For Liu Qingyun, however, this period was not going well, for he saw no hope for Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment, and as time passed, his mood grew increasingly irritable.


    "Qingyun, how can you glimpse the opportunity of the Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment with such a restless and impatient heart?" Lu Yu reminded.


    It was only then that Liu Qingyun abruptly awoke from his reverie, reflecting on the recent period with lingering fear in his heart, and thought privately, "No wonder the master said that this path has trapped many of the world''s most brilliant talents. I, Liu Qingyun, considered myself above others, yet nearly fell victim to the Heart Demon. I must hasten to offer my thanks to Lu Yu."


    "I am your master, the guide on your path of cultivation, and these are my duties. Now that your Qi Cultivation has reached a bottleneck, I have calcted for you, and as a person fated by the Heavenly Star, you must visit that household. Your opportunity for sess on the Immortal Path lies there.


    In theing days, my nephew will face a trial, and it is an excellent opportunity for you to serve him and make a name for yourself in this world!"


    Upon hearing these words from Lu Yu, Liu Qingyun''s heart filled withplex emotions. On one hand, he had a great vengeance to fulfill and was destined to go to the human world; on the other hand, he had grown ustomed to life here, used to being at his master''s side.


    "Do not act like a petnt child, we are not parting in life or death. Depart with caution, and I, your master, will await your good news!"


    The following day, Liu Qingyun packed his belongings, looking around the room he had lived in for a long time. It was this small room that had offered him refuge and warmth when he was at his lowest, and now he had to leave it, his heart heavy with reluctance.


    As he stepped out of his room, he found Lu Yu already waiting in the courtyard. The old apricot tree was blooming as splendidly as ever, as if its flowers would forever continue to blossom.


    "Ready to leave? The old apricot tree seems to wish to see you off too!" said Lu Yu with a smile on his face.


    As Lu Yu spoke, the old tree covered in apricot blossoms suddenly showered down a sky full of petals, fluttering like butterflies. Afterward, it visibly grew in front of one''s eyes; and soon, all the blossoms had fallen and eighteen yellow apricots hung from its branches.


    Lu Yu picked one of the apricots and tasted it, saying, "Not bad, it''s much sweeter than when I was a child."


    Liu Qingyun also tried one. As soon as it entered his stomach, he felt a warm current flow into his body''s meridians, enhancing his physical strength, which hadn''t progressed in a long while, by a notch, and his eyes suddenly brightened.


    "Eat three of these apricots, any more will have no effect on you. Give the remaining ones to Lu Zhang as a gift from me, his elder. Do not let the hustle and bustle of the mortal world distract you from your cultivation," Lu Yu earnestly advised.


    Following his words, Liu Qingyun carefully packed the apricots. He suddenly knelt and kowtowed three times, saying, "Disciple is dull-witted, and eternally grateful for the master''s unremitting guidance, day and night. As I embark on this long journey, I hope the master takes care. Disciple now departs!" These three kowtows were heartfelt, deeply moving Lu Yu.


    "Go on! An eaglet must learn to fly on its own. Go and witness the chaos of this world, observe the lives of beings in this great cmity, and I hope that when you return from your travels, you remain the same youthful spirit."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And so, with Lu Yu''s sincere anticipation, Liu Qingyun left what he regarded as his second homnd, embarking alone on his own journey of cultivation.


    Lu Yu sighed as he looked upon the empty courtyard, unable to help feeling a sigh of loneliness, having grown used to Liu Qingyun''s presence.


    "This boundless mortal world indeed has great influence, constantly stirring the human heart.


    If one is not careful, one might lose the motivation for cultivation." In that instant, a thought of not wanting to cultivate flickered through Lu Yu''s mind, but fortunately, being mindful and self-aware, he recognized it as a negative emotion arising from the influences of the mortal world and promptly freed himself from that state of mind.

 Chapter 28 Battle Against the Serpent King

    That night, under the bright moon, Lu Yu, as usual, sat in meditation practicing Qi Cultivation. The essence of the sun and moon beckoned the lung''s Metal Qi, which when Metal Generates Water flowed into the kidneys, passed through the liver and transformed into Wood Qi, and in turn summoned Heart Fire to spur the spleen into producing Earth Energy.


    The Five Elements circted endlessly in creation.


    At that moment, he sensed something and walked to the door, where he found a monkey''s Soul, prostrate in the courtyard. He observed it carefully and felt an air of familiarity. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the Red-Buttocked Horse Monkey, a monkey under Sun Wukong''smand¡ªthe monkey that had been appointed as Marshal Ma.


    "Ah, Marshal Ma! It has been a long time! What brings you here today?" Lu Yu had once stayed on Huaguo Mountain for a while and was quite familiar with these monkey spirits because he enjoyed exining to them the intricacies of cultivation practice. Thus, they had immense respect for this great friend of their King.


    The Marshal of Huaguo Mountain, upon seeing Lu Yu, was very pleased, "Master, it''s been a long time since west met, and yet you still possess your elegant demeanor. My Great King has proimed himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven and is hosting a grand assembly of demons.


    He has specifically sent me to invite you to the feast!" Having said that, he respectfully handed the invitation over to Lu Yu.


    Lu Yu unfolded the invitation and found inside the monkey''s awkward and unsightly characters, roughly outlining his own experiences. In the letter, he cursed the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord as a deceitful old man, whose actions had caused him to be ridiculed.


    Now that he had proimed himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, he was determined to wash away the shame of being called Protector of the Horse and, thus, was hosting a grand banquet to spread his fame, inviting Lu Yu, his dear friend, to the feast.


    Seeing the childlike handwriting of the letter brought a smile to Lu Yu''s face. This vanity-driven monkey indeed hade this far. He thought it had been quite some time since he''dst seen his good friend, and it would be nice to visit Huaguo Mountain.


    "I have received the invitation. Tell your Great King that I will be there on time for the banquet. Since you''re spirit wandering in the night, I won''t keep you. It''s important for you to hurry back," said Lu Yu.


    He had a good rtionship with the monkey spirits and had wanted to offer a resting ce in his courtyard, but since Marshal Ma was in soul travel form and Great Chen was far from Huaguo Mountain, there might not be enough time to return before dawn.


    "Understood, Master. We shall await your distinguished presence in Huaguo Mountain. When the timees, we hope you will stay for a longer visit," said the marshal, who then performed a parting salute as taught by Lu Yu before turning into a breeze and leaving.


    On the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit in the Eastern Land of Superior Virtue, flowers vied for beauty, and trees were lush and verdant. A g bearing the four characters "Great Sage Equalling Heaven" fluttered high on the peak of the tallest mountain.


    The Mountain of Flowers and Fruit was exceptionally lively today; the monkeys rose early to sweep the courtyards and arrange the venue. Soon, demon kings from all directions arrived one after another. In an instant, the entire mountain was pervaded by an overwhelming demon aura, drawing the attention of the immortals and gods from afar.


    Within The Water Fall Cave where the banquet had begun, sat a majestic monkey at the center, clothed in Golden Chainmail Armor, with lotus silk cloud-walking boots on his feet and a phoenix-winged purple gold crown on his head. It was the protagonist of this feast, the self-proimed Great Sage Equalling Heaven, Sun Wukong.


    To his left and right were six demon kings, each emitting a powerful demon aura¡ªSun Wukong''s six sworn brothers: the Bull Demon King, the Serpent King, the Roc Demon King, the Camel King, the Macaque King, and the Guru King. They were all renowned demon kings, and Lu Yu sat among them, observing these famed demons closely.


    "Who is this schr, and what right does he have to sit as an equal among us?" The Serpent King, who had a penchant for devouring humans, was greatly discontent to see a human sitting on an equal footing with them, the demon kings.


    "The schr is a brother of mine, Sun Wukong. How could he not be seated at this table!" The Monkey King furrowed his brow. Although he often frolicked with these demon kings and felt a certain kinship with them, when it came to depth of affection, surely Lu Yu, who had always apanied him in seeking the Dao and Immortals, held more significance.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "If this Demon King is not convinced, how about we spar to see if I deserve to sit at this table!" Lu Yu naturally knew that the Monkey was standing up for him, but he also wanted to properly assess the strength of these famous Demon Kings. Compared to the Monkey, Lu Yu felt that even if he were not a match for them, his life would not be in danger."


    "What bravery! Just for that statement, I, Old Bull, toast to you!" The leading Bull Demon King said boisterously. The other Demon Kings also cheered him on.


    "You''ve got guts, Schr, but don''t regret itter!" With those words, the Serpent King took out his personal weapon, a Trident, stood in mid-air, and issued a challenge to Lu Yu.


    Lu Yu certainly wouldn''t refuse and soared into the sky. The Serpent King, with his Trident in hand, followed closely.


    Suddenly, the wind rose and clouds surged. The Serpent King, following the path of the Battle Immortal, attacked with wide and powerful swings, putting pressure on Lu Yu like a mountain bearing down. However, Lu Yu''s swordy was light and clever.


    Knowing that the Demon race possessed strong bodies, he didn''t match them in physical strength but instead adopted a strategy of engaging in an extended battle without confronting them head-on.


    The Serpent King might have had a tough physique and enormous strength, but ever since Lu Yu had stimted the Five Qi, he had been refining his body day and night. The Body Forging Technique heprehended was also verypatible with him, so at this point, his flesh was no weaker than that of the Serpent King.


    The two exchanged blows evenly, but strength could notst forever, and before long, the Serpent King began to lose his patience. He styled himself the Great Saint of the Sea and could not bear the shame of being unable to defeat a human Schr after such a long struggle.


    However, Lu Yu''s sword was truly difficult to handle, as even a graze from the Sword light could cause injury, which was a serious headache for the Serpent King.


    As time passed, the Serpent King increasingly found it difficult to keep up his strength, while Lu Yu became more and more vigorous. The Boundless Sea Technique heprehended was exactly about umting and releasing in waves, especially suited for drawn-out battles. Suddenly, he went from defense to offense, and his Sword light seemed to turn into a midday sun, encircling the Serpent King.


    The Serpent King inwardly cursed and jumped towards the sky to escape the encirclement of Sword light, nning to suppress Lu Yu with his speed. Unexpectedly, at that moment, he heard Lu Yu softly utter the word "Stop."


    Instantly, he felt as if his body and Soul were frozen, unable to move at all. That''s when Lu Yu summoned the Treasure Vase, which grewrger with the wind and smashed down towards the top of the Serpent King''s head.


    The smash left the Serpent King dizzy, unable to control his own body, and he spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood. By the time he recovered his senses, he saw that the troublesome Flying Sword was already firmly positioned at his forehead.


    By then, the Monkey and a few others had already rushed to the battlefield. The Monkey pulled Lu Yu back, and the Bull Demon King persuaded the Serpent King. They all said, "We''re all brothers here, let''s not ruin the harmony!"


    Having tested the capabilities of his two Magical Treasures, Lu Yu naturally agreed. Although the Serpent King felt humiliated, he knew that Lu Yu had shown restraint, so he gracefully epted the out and soon the atmosphere of the feast became merry again.


    However, from that point on, no one dared to underestimate Lu Yu, and no one dared to object to his seating at the banquet, as after all, they were not the Serpent King able to withstand that Immortal Sword. Thus, the guests and the host enjoyed themselves, toasting andughing together.

 Chapter 29 Seeing Lu Zhang Again

    However, Lu Yu was indifferent to the hustle and bustle; he had onlye to attend the banquet to see the Monkey. As for other Demon Kings who wished to talk to him, he did not refuse anyone who came, but he also had no desire to speak with those who didn''t wish to engage with him, content to enjoy his ownpany.


    The banquetsted for seven days. Aside from attending on the first day, Lu Yu spent the following days wandering among the mountains and waters of Huaguo Mountain, enjoying himself with a semnce of a True Immortal with the Way. The Monkey knew his temperament well and didn''t disturb him, allowing Lu Yu to enjoy a rare tranquility.


    One day, Lu Yu climbed a mountain to watch the sunrise. The sea in the distance birthed clouds and mists. In the early morning, the bnce of yin and yang manifested, pure Qi rose, and turbid Qi descended, the Qi of the Primordial Yuan erupted, creating and transforming the myriad things of heaven and earth.


    "How great is the Primordial Yuan, from which all things draw their beginning; it truly governs heaven." Watching this miraculous scene, Lu Yu couldn''t help but recite the words he had seen in Taoist scriptures, understanding the principles they talked about.


    He knew that the gains he was making now might not seem evident, but they would all be nourishment for his cultivation, and there woulde a time when he could make use of them.


    "Schr, you''re really enjoying yourself!" With a leap, the Monkey jumped to Lu Yu''s side. He had finally sent off all the Demon Kings who hade to the banquet and had hurried over to see an old friend.


    "I''m but a mere idler, how can I be as busy as you, Great Sage Equalling Heaven, in weing and sending off guests every day! I only hope you haven''t forgotten that cultivation is the foundation.


    Fame is but a passing cloud, and one must not mistake the means for the end!" Lu Yu said to the excited Monkey, knowing that someone had already designed his path of cultivation, but still feltpelled to remind him.


    After all, external forces are ultimately just that, external. Although the Monkey''s consumption of Peaches of Immortality and theft of the Golden Core made his mana formidable and envied by many, the downside of such rapid progress was that it was all mana with no cultivation insight, meaning hisck of Daoist nature also invisibly limited his development.


    "Schr, you''re still like the same old bookish tutor! Don''t worry, I haven''t neglected my cultivation amid the fun¡ªI certainly don''t want you surpassing me!" the Monkey said with an air of generosity.


    "That Binding Spell you used earlier, you must teach me. It''s really powerful! If you don''t teach me, I won''t let you leave!" The Monkey, recalling how Lu Yu had immobilized the Serpent King, was eager and immediately started to plead with Lu Yu.


    "It''s possible to teach you the Binding Spell, but have you cked off in your cultivationtely?" Lu Yu couldn''t resist nagging a bit more.


    "I''ve figured out that Divine Skill of three heads and six arms you mentioned before. I''ll teach you too, I certainly won''t take any advantage of you, Schr," Sun Wukong stated with a generous expression.


    Lu Yu looked at the Monkey, feigning grandeur, silently knowing this guy''s temperament. If there was any other spell that caught his interest, he would pester him day and night until he learned it. The Law of Heaven and Earth was learned from him in just such a manner.


    However, he hadn''t expected that the Monkey would really deduce the Divine Skill of three heads and six arms from the bits and pieces he had mentioned, and Lu Yu couldn''t help but inwardly sigh at how the Lingming Stone Monkey was indeed perspicacious and wise at heart.


    Meanwhile, Liu Qingyun, who had descended the mountain to bid farewell to his teacher, had also reached Yuzhou. Looking at the grand Yuzhou mansion before him, Liu Qingyun sighed with a multitude of emotions, recalling his home was once in such a mansion. It was a pity that the once majestic homnd had now been buried in mes, and visiting now would likely only yield a view of ruins.


    The soldiers guarding the gate saw a strange young man, thinking he was another admirer of their General. Recently, Lu Zhang had takenplete control over all the powers of Yuzhou. Under his diligent governance, the people of Yuzhou were living peacefully and prosperously, with each day better than thest.


    As such, many were grateful to Lu Zhang, and numerous young people looked up to him as their idol, with visitors frequentlying to pay their respects.


    However, the General''s Mansion had its own troublestely. Before the new year, Yuzhou had waged war with the neighboring state of Jinzhou. Unexpectedly, the leading general, Lu Zhang, was injured by a hidden arrow and had since been bedridden, unable to rise. Consequently, the war had been progressing unfavorably, and morale was running low.


    "Young man, don''t linger around the General''s Mansion. Our General doesn''t have so much free time to meet with you. If you are seeking to enlist, it''s a pity, because you should head to the big camp in the west of the city to join the army.


    The General loves his soldiers like children, often sharing their hardships ¨C you''re more likely to see him there," said the soldier at the gate, not forgetting to advertise for the mansion''s recruiting camp.


    "Please report that the old home''s Liu Qingyun hase to visit!"


    Only then did the military officer notice Liu Qingyun''s extraordinary bearing, d in a white robe with a long spear on his back, his face like a bright moon and his eyes like stars, truly remarkable. Not daring to show any negligence in his heart, he hurried into the mansion to report.


    Soon, Han Jiangxue was seen running out with her son, Lu Chengqian. Seeing the young man who had grown up before her eyes, she eximed with joy, "Qingyun is here! Did your unclee with you?" she finished, looking behind Liu Qingyun.


    "Qingyun pays his respects to sister-inw. The teacher did note this time; he only ordered me to descend the mountain to support Big Brother Lu!"


    Han Jiangxue, upon hearing this, inevitably showed a look of disappointment. However, she also knew that a cultivation practitioner like Lu Yu tended to lead a reclusive life. She then spoke warmly to Liu Qingyun, "It''s really great that you came. Your Big Brother Lu mentioned you just a few days ago, saying you promised toe help us afterpleting your studies, yet you were nowhere to be seen."


    Afterward, she led Liu Qingyun into the mansion, while pulling her son to the front, "This is my son, Lu Chengqian. You young men should get to know each other well."


    Han Jiangxue naturally knew of Liu Qingyun''s capabilities and naturally hoped her son could establish a good rtionship with him.


    Liu Qingyun did not refuse, as he was also curious about Lu Chengqian, who was the grandson of his own master.


    In the conversation that followed, Liu Qingyun found that although Lu Chengqian was young, he possessed exceptional insight. Having helped his father with state affairs from a young age, he was indeed remarkably capable.


    Moreover, with his gentle demeanor andcking the fierce aura of Lu Zhang, he indeed made a favorable impression, which prompted Liu Qingyun to praise him, much to the delight of Han Jiangxue.


    The servants passing by had never seen their mistress so amiable with a young man. Knowing that Han Jiangxue ran a tight ship at home, rarely indulging in smiles andughter, even with the Princely Heir Lu Chengqian, she had never been so approachable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Upon entering the inner courtyard, they found Lu Zhang lying in bed, hisplexion pale. Next to him sat an extremely portly Taoist, conversing about something unknown.


    "Big Brother Lu, what happened to you?" Liu Qingyun asked.


    "Ah, Qingyun, I''m embarrassed for you to see me like this. A few days ago, I was careless on the campaign and took a poisoned arrow shot. If not for Taoist Priest Chang Chunzi concocting an antidote, you probably wouldn''t be able to see me!" Lu Zhang spoke of the incident with some residual fear.


    "No wonder the teacher said Big Brother Lu you recently faced a difficulty. Then my arrival is timely. Speaking of which, the old apricot tree in the courtyard bore fruit, the teacher asked me to bring some for you to taste." He then took out apricots from his luggage.


    Seeing that the apricots were golden like jade, with a golden aura seemingly flowing around them, Lu Zhang inhaled their fresh scent, which made him feel incrediblyfortable, and he joyfully said, "I didn''t expect that I would still be able to taste the fruits of this old apricot tree. I remember eating them often as a child, I wonder if the taste has changed!"

 Chapter 30 First Battle

    After cing the apricot in his mouth, the sweet taste transported Lu Zhang back to his childhood days, where he eagerly watched his uncle climb the tree with his parents working the fields nearby, scolding andughing at the uncle''s antics.


    No sooner had the apricot settled in his stomach than it turned into a warm current. In an instant, Lu Zhang felt his poisoned, weakened body rapidly healing, even the arrow wound seemed to itch as if mending.


    "This apricot!" Lu Zhang suddenly realized that the old apricot tree in his childhood home was no longer just any tree¡ªonly the legendary Immortal Fruit could have such miraculous effects.


    "If I''m not mistaken, this old tree has probably developed a spirit due to Immortal Law bestowed by Mr. Lu, turning it into an Immortal Seed. For ordinary people, this fruit can strengthen the body, fortify the essence, vitalize the living, and mend the bones.


    For those of us who cultivate, it''s an excellent spiritual item," Chang Chunzi exined to Lu Zhang, trying hard to peer at him with his small eyes.


    After spending such time together, how could Lu Zhang not understand his intentions? He then turned to Liu Qingyun and asked, "I wonder how many fruits this old tree has borne this time; are there any left?"


    "This tree bore fruit overnight, producing eighteen yellow apricots in total. Apart from the two that the master and I ate, I brought the rest," Liu Qingyun answered.


    "Chang Chunzi, the Taoist priest, is a Mage apanying the Yuzhou Army; he has performed admirably during this time. I shall boldly ask for an apricot for the priest to savor!" Lu Zhang dered.


    Hearing this, Liu Qingyun said, "These apricots were indeed brought for you by the master to distribute as you see fit, Big Brother Lu!" With that, he handed over the remaining apricots to Lu Zhang.


    "During this period, the priest has worked tirelessly and deserves a reward. I know that for cultivators like the priest, riches hold little allure. This apricot is given to reprieve his efforts," Lu Zhang said before taking an apricot and handing it to Chang Chunzi.


    At that moment, Chang Chunzi was already beaming with joy, his normally small, round eyes nearly disappearing in his mirth.


    "Thank you, General, serving you is part of my humble duty!" he said, his words modest, but his hands were quick to ept the apricot, instantly popping it in his mouth without regarding the astonishment of Lu Zhang.


    While eating, hemented, "Indeed, it''s an Immortal Fruit; the taste is truly exceptional!"


    While they were talking, a sudden report came from outside the door¡ªit was the Vanguard General Wu You of King of Pingnan, issuing a challenge outside the city.


    "Hmph! A mere buffoon, thinking that because I am injured, the morale of my troops must be scattered and daring toe and challenge us!" Lu Zhang fumed with rage; this Wu You was merely an opportunist who now dared to unt his power in Yuzhou, seizing the chance while Lu Zhang was seriously injured.


    "Big Brother Lu, don''t be angered. I''ve just arrived in Yuzhou and haven''t made any contributions yet. Why not take Wu You''s head as a weing gift?" Liu Qingyun suggested.


    Hearing this, Lu Zhang''s eyes instantly lit up. He knew Liu Qingyun''s capabilities well. In terms of military knowledge, his was deeply rooted and superior to many high-ranking generals under hismand. After being trained by his uncle for so long, he was undoubtedly one of the top figures in the world.


    He immediately ordered Liu Qingyun be appointed as a General and let him lead his Personal Guards into battle.


    Outside Yuzhou City, Wu You was sitting proudly on horseback, leading his vast army. He seemed to envision the magnificent sight of the city burning in mes, a scene where blood and fire would build his reputation, freeing him from the title of the little brother-inw to the King of Pingnan.


    The gates of Yuzhou City suddenly opened, and a young general in white robes rode out on his horse. Wu You saw this andughed, saying, "It seems Yuzhou really has no one, sending a milk-faced young boy to battle, you probably haven''t even stopped nursing yet!"


    Liu Qingyun couldn''t be bothered to waste words with such a person and, holding his long spear, he rode forth.


    Seeing this, Wu You was overjoyed and thought to himself, "After all, he''s just a greenhorn, choosing to duel generals at his first battle."


    This dueling of generals was a practice during warfare wheremanders from the opposing sides would fight one-on-one. Naturally, the morale of the victor''s side would soar, while the loser''s side would be disheartened. However, such duels demanded high skills from the generals, and those not confident in their own abilities seldom chose this option.


    For those new to the battlefield,cking experience and having not gone through life-and-death trials, unless they were exceptionally talented, they would inevitably panic, which was a big taboo in dueling generals.


    Wu You galloped forward, wielding the Copper Hammer and aimed for Liu Qingyun''s head. Although he had attained his current position through nepotism, his martial skills were not inferior to others.


    Seeing Liu Qingyun looking young and studious, and not like someone who practiced martial arts frequently, he figured thetter wouldck the necessary strength, so he wanted to overpower him with his own might right from the start.


    But the moment their weapons shed, Wu You felt as if he had collided with a wild bison charging at high speed. His Copper Hammer, which weighed a hundred pounds, felt as if made of paper and y, was instantly sent flying by the Silver Spear; with a single thrust, Liu Qingyun unseated him from his horse.


    Seeing this, the soldiers of the Yuzhou Army burst out in exhrating roars: "Yuzhou, Yuzhou!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The sound swept through the battlefield like thunder, and Liu Qingyun felt as if endless strength surged within him. He shouted loudly, "Follow me!" and the soldiers of Yuzhou Army eagerly followed.


    When the army of the King of Pingnan saw their vanguard crushed, their morale plummeted. Seeing the Yuzhou Army''s unstoppable momentum caused their spirits to sink even further.


    Seeing Liu Qingyun leading his troops in an unstoppable charge, fear instantaneously took root in their hearts.


    Liu Qingyun, dressed in his white robe, charged into the enemy ranks as if entering a realm devoid of opponents. Themanders sent by the King of Pingnan to stop him were killed almost instantaneously upon confronting him. He broke into the centralmand tent in an instant, causing the King of Pingnan to hastily retreat. Liu Qingyun roared loudly and chopped down the central army''s g.


    The army''s g is the soul of its force, and with its fall, the situation became dire. The enemy troops lost their will to fight, each thinking only of fleeing.


    Chang Chunzi stood atop the Yuzhou City Wall, alongside a nearly recovered Lu Zhang, watching Liu Qingyun charge left and right, causing chaos within the ranks of the Marquis of Pingnan''s army.


    "Duels, charges, ying generals, capturing gs¡ªall done in one breath. Congrattions, my lord, for he is truly a born warrior!" Chang Chunzi could not help but exim in admiration upon seeing Liu Qingyun''s performance.


    He was also secretly amazed, "Truly fitting for someone destined by the Destroyer Star, capable of defeating thousands of enemies!"


    Lu Zhang was overjoyed as well; as a man experienced in warfare, he loved such fearless and invincible generals the most. Although he had many renowned generals under hismand, there were few like Liu Qingyun, who could decapitate enemy generals amid thousands of troops.


    "With the deep hereditary knowledge of the Qingyun Family and having studied many days by his uncle''s side, today is truly a day for him to make a name for himself!" Lu Zhang also sighed in remembrance.

 Chapter 31 Scholar Xiao Ke

    The officials from Yuzhou also chimed in one after another, as everyone could see Lu Zhang''s great favoritism toward Liu Qingyun. Moreover, Liu Qingyun''s recent charge through the battle lines and killing of enemies had indeed been a blood-pumping spectacle, earning him continuous praise that greatly pleased Lu Zhang.


    While the Yuzhou officials were busyvishing praise on each other, Liu Qingyun had been charging back and forth through the army, fighting countless rounds. His white robe was smeared with blood, and his normally gentle and handsome face was devoid of its usual warmth, his eyes filled with the murderous aura of a demon from Hell.


    At this time, the army of the King of Pingnan was in utter disarray, the chaos during their panic often proving more brutal than the battle itself, as the Yuzhou Army pressed their advantage, forcing them to leave innumerable corpses along their path.


    King Li Xin of Pingnan had been carried by his own guards for who knows how long. They had run from day until night before finally stopping to rest. Looking around, he realized that he was left with only a handful of people, the rest having been killed or scattered.


    Surrounded by dense forests and the harsh caws of crows echoing in his ears, a sorrowful chill arose in his heart.


    Li Xin thought with irony, "I have spent my life in military strife; never have I faced such a humiliating day, forced to flee in panic by a mere youth in a white robe. What a joke," his words heavy with disillusionment.


    "Do not be saddened, my lord. Victory and defeat aremon in war. This Yuzhou is nothing but an uncivilized wastndpared to our Jinzhou, rich in natural beauty and resources. Once we regroup and prepare, we can face them again," the strategists around him advised in unison.


    These reassuring words soon restored Li Xin''s confidence. He revived his spirit and said, "You are right. My Jinzhou is vast and rich; even if we suffer a defeat, we can quickly regain our primordial qi. The narrow and barbards of Yuzhou will never recover from a defeat. It''s just unfortunate that Wu You, with his grand ambitions but poor skills, led us to this disastrous defeat."


    Wu You, born into poverty, had only risen so swiftly because of the Prince''s favor. "And yet, instead of being constantly vignt and alleviating the Prince''s worries, all he does is strut about, disying his bravado. If it weren''t for hiscency leading to his downfall from his horse, damaging our army''s morale, we would never have suffered such hardship," Li Xin fumed.


    Humans tend to build up or tear down, and Li Xin merely needed a scapegoat for the military defeat. People eagerly stepped forward, especially those who were not on good terms with Wu You, tirelessly denouncing him to avoid being associated with him.


    Watching everyone vigorously denouncing Wu You, Li Xin suddenly felt listless; perhaps he was finally feeling his age and no longer had the ambitious drive of his younger days.


    Upon returning to his estate, Li Xin removed his war-stained clothes and turned to ask his attending maid, "Where is the Princely Heir? Why has he note to pay his respects?"


    Li Xin was very displeased as he said this. His son had shown remarkable talent from a young age, so he had high hopes for him. But ever since his Taoist uncle died suddenly, his son had be temperamental.


    The entire person became anxious and made more mistakes. Li Xin initially thought he was grieving and gave him time to adjust, but instead of improving, his son had be increasingly indulged in drink and debauchery, showing no ambition.


    "The Princely Heir...," stammered the maid, too scared to speak.


    Li Xin suddenly flew into a rage, knocking over a screen, and strode toward his son''s room.


    He had barely reached the door when he heard the faint sound of revelry, fueling his fury. Thinking of his own uncertain fate in battle while his much-anticipated son indulged himself at home, his anger was uncontroble.


    He kicked open the door and saw his son frolicking with several beautiful women. He harshly pped the Princely Heir across the face, knocking him to the ground with the force.


    By this time, he had realized that his son had bepletely unrecognizable, devoid of all vigor, spirit, and presence. His countenance was sullen, his eyes lifeless, which deeply rmed his father, who had no idea what had happened to the young man.


    With shaking hands, long pondering ensued before he slowly lowered his palm and turned his back to the others,manding, "The Princely Heir''s health is poor. He shall recuperate at home from now on!"


    After speaking, he left without turning back, his deste figure resembling not the powerful Prince but an old man in his dying years.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Moreover, this statement was a death sentence for the Princely Heir, indicating that Li Xin had lost all hope in his son''s ability to continue his legacy.


    The Princely Heir of Pingnan cupped his bruised face, his expression forlorn, lost in his thoughts.


    This was the consequence of stealing Fortune and Destiny. Such spells could defy fate and disrupt the natural order, and if they failed, they would strike back at the user. How could a pampered scion of heaven withstand such recoiling, thus altering his temperament drastically?


    As the conflict between Yuzhou and the King of Pingnan concluded, Lu Yu also began saying farewell to the Monkey; he had resided in Huaguo Mountain to teach the Monkey the Freezing Curse and to learn the ability to manifest multiple limbs.


    Lu Yu was persuaded by the Monkey to stay a few more days, finally leaving with great reluctance. Before departing, the Monkey kept reminding him to visit often, which made Lu Yu bothugh and cry.


    After leaving the Monkey, Lu Yu rode the clouds and in a brief moment, he was already within the Great Chen Dynasty. Suddenly, he felt a sensation in his liver, a precursor that the Innate Primordial Qi was about to be activated, which, from his experience, Lu Yu knew well.


    Descending from the clouds, he did not rush home but leisurely walked through the fields, immersing himself in the natural aura of the earth. The surrounding flora felt very familiar to him; at that moment, he seemed to merge with the whole world.


    Under this extraordinary feeling, it was unknown how much time had passed before Lu Yu was roused by a suppressed sob. Following the crying, soon he saw a schr in a green robe, hiding his face and weeping under a tree.


    "It is said that a man should seldom shed tears; may I ask what troubles you so deeply?" Lu Yu inquired.


    Realizing someone was nearby, the schr hastily stood up, and, flustered, said, "You tter me with your attention. They say ''schrs are good for nothing,'' and today, I, Xiao Ke, have learned this truth." After speaking, he quicklyposed himself, evidently someone who cared a great deal about his appearance.


    "Heaven never seals off all exits; perhaps you could share your troubles with me and clear the worries from your mind, who knows, you might find a turning point," Lu Yu consoled the schr.


    Encouraged, Xiao Ke began to recount his story.


    "I am but a poor schr. My parents gone, I''ve lived alone, farming and studying. One day, while resting from my fieldwork and reading, I''m ashamed to admit I had to stop my studies midway due to poverty, so I didn''t recognize many characters. A woman happened by and kindly taught me the characters I didn''t know."


    "She was exceedingly beautiful, like a Heavenly Immortal descended to earth. She did not mind my iplete literacy and continued to teach me to read. She introduced herself as Yan Niang, the youngest daughter of the wealthy Su family nearby. Day and night, as we spent time together, affection grew, and we privately vowed to each other.


    But then, to my shock, she revealed that she was not from the human race but a Fox Spirit, who had taken a liking to teaching me because she often saw me reading in the mountains, thus leading to our encounter."

 Chapter 32 Elder Master Su

    "Who knew that the word ''affection'' would blossom unexpectedly from daily interactions? I watched her anxious heart and couldn''t help but smile. I had known for a long time she was a fox because one day she identally revealed her tail."


    "But I was not afraid. Since my parents passed away, I''ve been exposed to scorn and knew well the wickedness of human hearts. Sometimes, I felt that Yan Niang, naive about the worldly ways, was far more endearing than those who seemed virtuous but were actually thieves and prostitutes."


    "I still remember her surprise when she heard me say this; she covered her little mouth, looking ever so adorable. Later, we married and supported each other. Though we lived in poverty, our days were incredibly harmonious and beautiful."


    "Who would have known that one day Yan Niang''s rtives woulde, iming to offer her to a Demon King as a concubine? How could I agree? But they were all Spiritual Beasts, and how could I stand against them? I was quickly struck down, and it was only Yan Niang threatening to take her own life that saved mine."


    "Feeling utterly disheartened, I was ready to hang myself, but the rope was not sturdy and broke. Ovee by grief, I couldn''t hold back my tears; I''m so sorry for having disturbed you, brother."


    Lu Yu listened quietly to Xiao Ke''s story, full of sympathy for the tragic couple. He said, "Perhaps this was divine protection that you didn''t die, for how could you face Yan Niang''s deep sacrifice? She risked her life to save yours; dying would have betrayed her."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Moved to tears once more, Xiao Ke said, "Indeed, I must live well and think of a way to rescue Yan Niang."


    "Have your rtives left yet?" Lu Yu asked, changing the subject.


    "Yan Niang said she wanted to stay one more night at home to break off the rtionship; she should still be there!" After finishing, he looked at Lu Yu in surprise, wondering about the meaning behind his question.


    "Then lead the way. I''m hardly a skilled warrior, but I have defeated some demons and will try to rescue your wife."


    "Brother Lu, think it over. Those Spiritual Beasts are immensely powerful; don''t risk your life for our sake!"


    Lu Yu boldly dered, "When injustice is done, I must intervene. Lead the way!"


    Upon arriving at Xiao Ke''s house, they found the Fox Spirits gathered, drinking riotously and dressed indecently.


    "Xiao Lang, who asked you toe? Leave immediately!" Yan Niang spotted Lu Yu and Xiao Ke at once and hurriedly spoke up.


    Lu Yu then began to scrutinize Yan Niang, realizing she was not as beautiful as Xiao Ke had described, certainly notpared to He Yinglian and Su Xiuniang. However, as the saying goes, ''Beauty lies in the lover''s eyes''; looking at Xiao Ke, it was evident that to him, Yan Niang surpassed all others.


    Gently, he pulled a tree from outside the yard, weighing it in his hand, feeling it was quite suitable for sweeping people out the door.


    While the Fox Spirits were still drinking heavily, they suddenly found arge tree appear before them and were swept out before they could react; only then did they see Xiao Ke standing in the yard with a Schr.


    "Fine, for my little sister''s sake, I spare your life, Xiao. Ungrateful man, daring to return!" The Foxes'' eyes gleamed fiercely.


    They were met with the tree trunk in Lu Yu''s hand; only then did they realize that the Schr in front of them treated therge tree like a toy. Watching them draw their bows and Arrows toward Lu Yu, who effortlessly swept them to the ground with a single swing of the tree, not allowing them to get within a yard of him.


    Upon closer inspection, those arrows on the ground were clearly just reed poles.


    "Stop embarrassing yourself with such trivial illusions, and get out of here!" Lu Yu burst out with amanding aura, immediately causing the fox spirits to scamper away in terror, and soon they disappeared without a trace.


    "Brother Lu, you''re incredibly strong; that tree looked like a mere straw in your hands." Xiao Ke couldn''t help but exim.


    Lu Yu put the tree down and dusted off his hands, "This is nothing. I have a friend who is truly strong!"


    "This concubine thanks the gentleman for the rescue, but I have family members whose master is a Demon King. If he learns of this, he mighte looking for trouble. We should leave this ce quickly," Yan Niang advised.


    "No worries, even if the Emperor of Heaven himself were toe today, I would keep you all safe," Lu Yu thought to himself, considering that he had fought against the Demon Race''s Great Saint, what was there to fear from a mere Demon King.


    Three hundred miles away from their residence, within arge mountain,y the gathering ce of the Su n Fox Tribe. The tribe leader was an old fox at the Realm of the Yin God, who called himself Elder Master Su.


    At this moment, Elder Master Su, slightly corpulent, was lying on a rattan chair wearing a brocade robe, his face benevolent but his small eyes gleaming with shrewdness. He was half-listening to the youths recounting the recent events.


    "Oh! So, this Schr is extraordinarily skilled. But that shouldn''t be the case, though Su San and the others are worthless, they still possess some cultivation. How could they not stand against a mere Schr?"


    "Elder Master, you may not know, but this Schr, I don''t know what kind of connections he has. The moment he exerted his presence, my calves started trembling involuntarily, and I was so frightened that I forgot all about the Mystic Spell Scripture," one exined.


    Listening to this, Elder Master Su slowly opened his eyes. He had lived a long life and naturally knew some things that the younger generation was unaware of. Such phenomena were clear warnings from the True Spirit, indicating that the opponent indeed had the strength to kill them.


    "Elder Master, it''s bad news! The Iron-back Wolf King has arrived and is demanding that we hand over the person!" someone eximed.


    "Elder Fox, I advise you to hand over the person immediately. Don''t force me to start ripping apart this fox den!" The Iron-back Wolf King was clearly not a patient man, as he had already barged into theirir.


    The Iron-back Wolf King, d in iron armor and wielding a steel sword, had a wolf''s head on a human body, hisrge fangs protruding and his crimson eyes filled with cruelty.


    "Great King, let''s talk this over, please don''t start a fight, it wasn''t easy for this old man to fix up this house, and I''d hate to see it get destroyed. It''s not that I refuse to hand over the person, but my junior is being protected by someone, and I really can''t fetch him!"


    The old fox''s eyes whirled around as he spoke, nning to let this brute test the Schr''s depth. If the Schr truly was a high-level being ying among mortals, he might give this rude creature a run for his money.


    "What? You mean to say you all couldn''t handle a single Schr? Such a bunch of pussies. Take me to him and watch how I deal with that ignorant fool!" the Wolf Demon burst intoughter after hearing the old fox''s words.


    "Great King, you might not know, but the Schr''s strength is not small. It would be better for you not to go," the old fox provocatively said to the Wolf Demon.


    "Hmph! You think I am like you cowards! Let me tell you, I just came from Huaguo Mountain, the gathering ce of many Demon Kings, and I have even seen those legendary seven Great Saints of the Demon Race. A mere Schr won''t stand a chance!"

 Chapter 33 Xu Jianglin

    Of course, the Wolf Demon was just boasting. How could such a minor character possibly attend the banquet at Huaguo Mountain? He merely nced from afar and managed to score a meal. If it weren''t for his boss''s connections with the Serpent King, he wouldn''t even have gotten that meal.


    Naturally, within the borders of Great Chen, there weren''t many formidable figures, so no one was there to call out his bluff.


    After finishing his bold and arrogant promation, he charged towards Lu Yu''s location. The old fox was naturally not going to miss this entertaining scene and hurriedly called his descendants to follow.


    Suddenly, the locals noticed a dark cloud flying across the sky in the distance, faintly carrying a stench of blood. Everyone hid in their homes thinking a thunderstorm was approaching. However, those with knowledge realized it was a Demon''s cloud and couldn''t help but sigh, "A nation on the brink of copse must have monsters; who knows whose family will suffer this time!"


    The dark cloud didn''t stop for even a moment, billowing straight toward Xiao Ke''s home and soon arrived in front of the courtyard door.


    A gigantic wolf''s head emerged from the cloud,manding with an overpowering presence, "People inside, listen up! Hurry out and meet your death at the hands of this Great King!"


    Lu Yu was having a conversation with Xiao Ke and his wife. Hearing the shouting outside, he couldn''t help butugh, "That unweed guest arrives so promptly. Let''s go have a look, shall we?"


    Xiao Ke was the first to step outside. The sight of the massive wolf''s head startled him; he had never seen a demon so up close before. The fox spirits from the Su Family had all transformed into human shapes, and without a close look, one couldn''t tell the difference from a human.


    The Wolf Demon, upon seeing Xiao Ke emerge, didn''t take him seriously. Such a frail Schr wouldn''t even suffice to get stuck between his teeth. However, when he saw the person who came out after, cold sweat instantly drenched his entire body.


    Even though he had only watched from a distance, he saw the confrontation between Lu Yu and the Serpent King very clearly. The sword light that pierced the heavens was so terrifying that sometimes he would wake up from dreams in a fright.


    Now that this formidable enemy appeared before him, he was so petrified that he didn''t know what to do.


    "Old Fox, I have some urgent business to attend to, so I''ll be leaving first." Leaving behind this baffling statement, the Wolf Demon turned tail and ran, not daring to linger for a moment.


    As the old Fox and his family stood dumbfounded, a sliver of sword light from the Sword of State at Lu Yu''s waist cut through the sky, like a shooting star racing towards the Wolf Demon.


    A scream was heard, and although the Wolf Demon''s figure was no longer visible, a white skull with an obvious crack fell from the sky.


    Lu Yu picked up the strange skull and carefully examined it, sighing, "Such a sinister Magic Artifact. It''s hard to tell how many people''s blood it has absorbed."


    Through this eerie artifact, Lu Yu seemed to see countless impoverished people being ughtered, just to refine a Magic Artifact. He gained a profound understanding of the indifference of the Great Dao.


    Meanwhile, Elder Master Su and his family stood gaping at the fleeing figure of the Wolf Demon. Before they had time to react, they realized the once indomitable Iron-back Wolf King had already been forced into a desperate escape.


    The old Fox turned to take a closer look at the Schr. He was dressed in a green robe and ck shoes, with a wooden hairpin on his head, indistinguishable from an ordinary person. His gaze shifted to the sword at Lu Yu''s waist, and immediately cold sweat soaked his clothes.


    Even though the sword was still sheathed and had not shown its edge, the glimpse of Sword Qi moment ago had already made the old Fox''s body tremble. He couldn''t imagine the splendor when the sword would be drawn.


    "Old Fox, have you seen enough?" Lu Yu asked Elder Master Su with a smile, yet his eyes did not hide any killing intent.


    "High Immortal, please spare my life! This little old one was forced into this, helpless to act otherwise. I hope the High Immortal can spare my entire family for Mei''er''s sake," the old fox clearly knew that the life and death of his family rested in Lu Yu''s thoughts and repeatedly kowtowed, pleading for mercy.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Inside the inner courtyard, Yan Niang could hardly bear to watch her father prostrate himself but dared not to plead with Lu Yu.


    "Enough, I see that you, old fox, are surrounded by an air of innocence with no prior offences of harming others. This time I will spare you, but if there''s a next time, my sword won''t be so lenient!" Lu Yu thought it over; the old fox may have yearned for power and status, but he evidently had no past offences of harming others.


    Lu Yu wasn''t a bloodthirsty person either, and this warning would probably suffice.


    Upon hearing Lu Yu''s words, the old fox felt as if he had received a great pardon, hurriedly bowing in thanks before rushing home with his family. Before leaving, he turned back to Su Mei and said, "Yan''er, do not resent your father. I too waspelled and had no choice. From now on, fend for yourself, and if you need any help, feel free toe to our home!"


    Meanwhile, the unfortunate Iron North Wolf King was frantically fleeing towards the northwest. After a long time, he finally saw a military camp. Hastily descending from the clouds, he transformed into a dark-faced man and headed to the camp while the soldiers around nodded and greeted him, calling him ck Commander.


    This was the encampment of the Great Chen''s ck Wolf Army, recently under themand of General Xu Jianglin, a general who rose to prominence in Great Chen.


    Entering the general''s tent, the Wolf Demon kneeled and said, "General, your subordinate Iron-back greets you!"


    A handsome man in a ck robe sat upon the main seat, engrossed in a military text. Tall and slim, his eyes filled with a chilling killing intent and cruelty starkly contrasting with his delicate facial features. This was General Xu Jianglin, hailed as the pir of Great Chen in recent years.


    Xu Jianglin, looking at the kneeling Wolf Demon, noticed the sword scars on him and waved his hand to dismiss everyone around them.


    "What went wrong on your mission?" The mild words felt like thunder to the Wolf Demon, who was acutely aware of the means of hismander.


    Hastening to recount everything he had seen and experienced along the way, he especially emphasized how formidable Lu Yu''s strength was.


    After hearing Iron-back''s ount, Xu Jianglin fell into deep contemtion, "Dressed as a Schr, with a sword at his waist. Could it be him?" The incident at Fengjing had spread far and wide; that Schr, with a simple deration that ''all myriad beings will fall into cmity,'' had forced every cultivator in the Cultivation Realm of Great Chen to descend the mountains and face the cmity.


    It remained a terrifying memory.


    "Well, I originally nned to borrow the Fox n''s fortune and destiny, but it''s no great loss without it. Have you brought what I asked from the Great Saint?" Xu Jianglin asked the Wolf Demon, his cruel eyes emitting a terrifying red glow.


    "I have, I have!" Iron-back quickly took out a Jade Pendant from his bosom, containing a drop of bright red blood.


    "Good! With this drop of Serpent Essence Blood, I can better conceal my identity," Xu Jianglin stared fixedly at the Jade Pendant in his hand, his eyes zing with red light.


    At the same time, Lu Yu was bidding farewell to Xiao Ke and his wife. The couple had grown even closer through this cmity, their love as resilient as gold, making Lu Yu, a bachelor, feel rather pitiful. So, disregarding the couple''s insistent pleas, he left their home.


    He strolled leisurely, walking amidst the mountains with a tranquil and serene demeanor, perceiving the exuberant vitality of Wood Qi between heaven and earth.

 Chapter 34 Big Black Donkey

    "Stop! I opened this mountain, I nted these trees, if you want to pass through here, what''s the next line again?" A voice suddenly appeared at the side of the road.


    "Leave behind some silver for the road." Lu Yu instinctively continued the phrase. Looking around, it turned out to be a Big ck Donkey speaking humannguage, imitating the act of robbery.


    "Exactly, exactly, that''s the line!" The Big ck Donkey was delighted. He had heard the storyteller say that as long as he recited these words, the foolish humans would obediently offer up fine wine and riches, but after waiting for half a day he didn''t see any action from the person opposite him.


    "Damn swindler, Lao Hei ought to eat you for deceiving me!" Seeing that Lu Yu did not prostrate and offer up riches as he had imagined, the Big ck Donkey grumbled discontentedly.


    "What are you looking at? Hurry up and offer your valuables, or Lao Hei will swallow you whole!" The Big ck Donkey said, quite annoyed.


    "Alright then, please, ck Lord, swallow me whole. If I so much as frown, I''m not a man!" Lu Yu got into the spirit of y and decided to tease the Big ck Donkey properly.


    The Big ck Donkey was taken aback. He truly hadn''t expected someone to actually let him devour them, thinking to himself: Could this be one of those simpletons mentioned by the storyteller?


    Then he thought again, he had asked me to eat him, so I can''t me myself. Besides, I haven''t yet tasted the vor of human flesh.


    With this thought, he made up his mind, opened his big mouth, and went for the schr before him, but the expected crisp crunch did not happen. His teeth seemed to have bitten into steel, and with a pop, a shiny white tooth broke out from his mouth.


    The Big ck Donkey immediately rolled around the ground in pain, muttering as he did, "Could it be that the storyteller didn''t deceive me, and that all schrs are Star Immortals descended to earth, not to be eaten?"


    Lu Yu, watching the treasure-like Big ck Donkey in front of him, also found it amusing. Clearly, this Donkey Demon had been bamboozled by some storyteller from who knows where.


    "How is it? Does human flesh taste good?" Lu Yu asked in a mocking tone.


    "How would I know without tasting it? Come here and let me bite you again, and I''ll find out," he replied.


    "Sure, sure, but I think it wouldn''t be good manners to be eaten headfirst. How about I stretch out my arm for you to have a bite?"


    "Good idea, maybe you just naturally have a hard head. Quickly, extend your arm and let me take a bite."


    Lu Yu held out his lily-white arm, dangling it enticingly in front of the Big ck Donkey, who took a bite at it¡ªthen another tooth got knocked out.


    "No more, no more, I won''t eat you, Schr, you''re just too strange, are you made of iron or steel?" The Big ck Donkey realized something was amiss and said as he started to run away.


    Gently grabbing his tail, Lu Yu said with a smile, "That won''t do. Today, you must eat me, and if you can''t, don''t think about leaving."


    The Big ck Donkey struggled violently but found that Lu Yu''s hand was like an iron mp, firmly holding him back, and he immediately sensed trouble. At his wit''s end, he tried kicking hard, only to feel like he had struck stone; his hoof was in terrible pain, but the schr seemed unchanged.


    "Since you can''t eat me, I''m sorry, but now I''ll have to eat you." Lu Yu said, showing his pearly white teeth with a smile.


    Seeing this, the Big ck Donkey was immediately scared out of his wits, and Lu Yu''s handsome smiling face looked like a terrifying demon in his eyes. Shaking his big donkey head, he said, "I''m just an old ck donkey, the meat would taste awful."


    "I''ve heard it said: Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground. I might not have the chance to taste dragon, but trying donkey isn''t out of the question."


    Big ck Donkey inwardlymented his ill fortune, thinking that he had just prepared to open his stall when he encountered this disaster. Now that it opened its mouth to eat him, he didn''t know what to do.


    However, the potential of living beings is boundless; one never truly knows how strong they are until they reach the brink of extinction.


    The usually foolish Big ck Donkey suddenly had a burst of brilliance at this moment, and he shouted, "Storyteller, you didn''t leave!"


    This shout sessfully diverted Lu Yu''s attention. Mainly because Lu Yu was extremely interested in the storyteller who had transformed an ordinary demon into its present state¡ªa true oddball.


    Seeing that he had seeded in shifting the attention, Big ck Donkey couldn''t care about the pain and with a fierce struggle, left his tail in Lu Yu''s hand, then bolted straight for his home.


    Lu Yu looked at the bloodied donkey tail in his hand with a mixture ofughter and tears. How small-hearted could Big ck Donkey be? Just a scare had reduced him to this state.


    He wasn''t in a hurry. Capturing a whiff of Big ck Donkey''s scent in the air, he followed the trail at a leisurely pace.


    Big ck Donkey was fleeing in a panic, running in a way he had never done even before he developed sentience, due to hiszy nature. In no time, he reached his cave dwelling.


    It was a natural cave dwelling with a spring inside. Big ck Donkey had stumbled upon this treasure by chance. Drinking from the spring had gradually granted him mana, and he gained sentience, bing a legend among demons.


    While drinking water from the spring''s eye, he said, "Damn Schr, daring to pull off ck Lord''s tail. One day, I''ll hang you in the air and pluck your hairs out one by one."


    Imagining himself plucking Lu Yu''s hair one strand at a time and picturing Lu Yu''s screams, he cheered up and snorted, "Humph! Let him grind grain for ck Lord then. If he doesn''t do well, he won''t get anything to eat."


    "Oh! Whom does ck Lord n to make grind grain, and even withhold their meal?" A mocking voice reached Big ck Donkey''s ears.


    "Of course, it''s that damn Schr!" blurted out Big ck Donkey.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Only after he said this did he btedly realize something was amiss. There should be no one else in the cave dwelling. From where did that voicee, and why did it sound so familiar?


    Lifting his massive donkey head from the side of the spring, he saw a smiling Lu Yu standing beside him, eyeing his body with an amused look.


    "What do you want to do? You shouldn''t bully donkeys like this." There was a note of fear in Big ck Donkey''s voice, like a young girl being bullied.


    But Lu Yu didn''t respond to him, instead, he looked around carefully, assessing the cave dwelling''s environment.


    The dwelling was quite simple: an open space of about three hundred square meters. The ceiling, made of some kind of stone, emitted a soft white light. The ground was covered with fresh green grass that looked quite pleasing. At the deep end of the dwelling was the spring''s eye, with water slowly bubbling forth.


    "What a nascent Cave Heaven and Blessed Earth; you really waste natural resources, you dull-witted creature. If this Blessed Land''s nascent form is not carefully nurtured, I fear the spiritual energy will one day be exhausted and it will degrade into the mundane!"mented Lu Yu.

 Chapter 35 Enlightenment Tea Tree

    Having finished speaking, he sat down beside the spring. He had just closely observed and knew that this ce was the core of the Blessed Land and also the nodal point of the earth veins of this mountain.


    As his mind sank into the earth veins, he saw the massive earth veins resembling rivers of varying sizes in the world, crisscrossing beneath the pitch-cknd, emitting a faint green glow. These glows were not harsh on the eyes; on the contrary, they looked veryfortable. On some of the nodes, there were dazzling globes of light shing.


    Lu Yu knew that these nodes were the Cave Heavens in the human realm.


    He didn''t have the chance to closely observe the beauty of the earth veins and merely caught a fleeting glimpse before he converged his mind. At this moment, the most important thing was tob through the earth veins to stabilize the nodes here. Otherwise, as the earth veins shifted, the nodes would move as well, causing this ce to gradually be an ordinary cave dwelling.


    Only bybing through and stabilizing the nodes could he make full use of this opportunity.


    As he drove the Primordial Spirit Force, the flow of the earth veins gradually became regr, and the node he was on also stabilized. If someone, like Lu Yu before, observed the earth veins, they would find that the node here was already shimmering with light globes. Although not intense, it was different from the state that could vanish at any moment before.


    Lu Yu then quietly breathed a sigh of relief. This Blessed Land had never beenbed through since its birth. If he had dyed for a few more days, he feared the spiritual energy would have faded, and this pool of spring water would have gradually dried up, eventually bing a mere ordinary cave.


    Thinking of this, he couldn''t help but nce at Big ck Donkey, thinking to himself that it was also because this silly creature, unknowingly, only kept drinking the spring water, elerating the change of the earth veins.


    Big ck Donkey, seeing Lu Yu looking at himself, thought, "What are you looking at? Have you never seen such a handsome and dashing donkey?" However, what he said was, "Immortal Chief, do you have any instructions?"


    Although there were no expressions discernible on that long donkey face, the look in his eyes and his tone were filled with ttery.


    Lu Yu didn''t have that much time to deal with this silly creature, asbing through the earth veins was of utmost importance. As hebed through the earth veins, the Cave Heaven waspletely stabilized.


    Suddenly, Lu Yu felt as if he and the Cave Heaven were merging, as though he had transformed into the whole Cave Heaven, with his organs faintly vibrating as if something were about to emerge and merge with the Cave Heaven.


    Lu Yu clearly understood that this was the path of cultivation of the Earthly Immortal Dao. If he wished, he could integrate his own Five Qi with the Cave Heaven after fully activating them, thus achieving the body of an Earth Immortal without the need to arduously seek the opportunity of ''Five Qi Toward the Yuan''.


    However, at this moment, he had only activated one Qi of Innate, still far from the ''Five Qi Toward the Yuan'', so there was no need to rush a decision.


    With a calm mind, a strand of Innate Qi, prompted by this faint vibration, was activated from his liver. A faint green aura quickly escaped through Lu Yu''s orifices; this was the Innate Wood Qi, the essence of all living things. As soon as it appeared, the grass in the Cave Heaven grew wildly, frightening Big ck Donkey into crying out.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lu Yu, with luck on his side, quickly took out the Spirit Root he had obtained from Jinguang Taoist. The original scattered aura, as if finding its direction, instantly gathered and clung to the Spirit Root.


    A faint green light shed, and the Innate Qi disappeared. Lu Yu also quietly breathed a sigh of relief, as this Innate Qi without a carrier and Divine Skills would dissipate in an extremely short time.


    Nowadays could not bepared to ancient times when the Innate Qi was already nearly exhausted. Every strand of Innate Qi was highly precious. If it was wasted, Lu Yu felt he might as well die.


    With the Spirit Root having received the Innate Qi, it gradually shed its scorched outer shell, and a tiny sprout poked its head out. Lu Yu grasped the Spirit Root, and an image appeared in his mind.


    It was a time of Chaos, without top or bottom, left or right, without past or future, only boundless stillness and darkness. Suddenly, a strand of light stretched out from the Chaos, the first strand of light within. Initially weak, it soon became a vast sea of light, followed by a loud boom.


    The heavens and the earth were thus cleaved asunder, a giant wielding a colossal axe swung it through Chaos. The demons of Chaos fell like rain, giving rise to a new world, a world distinctly different from Chaos. The universe now had distinctions of up and down, left and right, and the passage of past and future.


    With the sky held high in one hand and the earth underfoot, the giant grew with each breath, transforming nine times a day, divine in the heavens, sanctified upon the earth.


    Eventually, a brilliant world emerged amidst the Chaos, with the heavens round and the earth square. Those spirit roots and spiritual treasures that survived within Chaos, along with the lingering gods and demons, poured into this new world in droves.


    However, by this time, the giant had transformed into the heavens and the earth itself, and the initialws of this realm were established. Thus, cmities descended. Lu Yu seemingly transformed into a tea tree, carrying the aura of the Great Dao Principles.


    As he entered the barriers of this realm, nine stripes of Purple Cloud Divine Thunder struck from the heavens, causing the tea tree to splinter into pieces.


    Its main body turned into a ck branch, while the remaining spiritual charm scattered across the heavens and earth, manifesting into various tea trees.


    "An Enlightenment Tea Tree? It''s no wonder that such a defiance of heaven would attract nine bolts of Purple Cloud Divine Thunder, injuring its origin." Lu Yu finally understood the whole story.


    He carefully examined the budding branch in his hand, feeling the unique aura of the Enlightenment Tea Tree, indeed inherently close to the Dao.


    nting the tea tree beside the Spiritual Spring, he saw the branches grow visibly fast, turning into a small sapling in no time.


    "It''s a pity that its origin was damaged, its efficacy could neverpare to before. Yet, it is enough to stabilize my fortune and destiny," Lu Yu muttered to himself.


    Big ck Donkey stared nkly as Lu Yu performed a series of operations, realizing that he had indeed encountered a true master this time. He wished he could give himself a big hoof for robbing such a person; now his life and death were in another''s hands, wondering how he would live his future days.


    He licked his huge donkey face and obsequiously said to Lu Yu, "My lord, only a sublime Immortal like you deserves to reside in such a fine ce. Considering the humble one''s service in finding this blessednd for my lord, I hope my lord will show mercy and let me go!"


    After saying this, he widened his eyes, trying hard to look sincere, but unfortunately, his nature meant that no matter how he acted, he still exuded a sly air.


    "Oh! From what you say, I really should reward you properly," Lu Yu said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.


    The Big ck Donkey was overjoyed upon hearing this, secretly thinking there might be an unexpected windfall. Thinking that Lu Yu, as a profound master, only needed to show a little generosity and it would be more than enough for him, he was very excited.


    "I am willing to serve before and behind the saddle for my lord!" He quickly offered up a ttering saying he had heard from a storyteller.


    "Since you''re so sincere, I shouldn''t disappoint you. I''ll agree to your request!" The response from Lu Yu made the Big ck Donkey suddenly start; when had he made a request?

 Chapter 36 Majestic Chu Yun

    Lu Yu extended his hand, his index finger and middle finger joined together as he lightly touched the top of Big ck Donkey''s head, and Big ck Donkey instantly felt something like a seal being nted within his soul and spirit.


    "Since I don''t have a mount, and you so readily offered to serve before and behind the saddle, the role is undoubtedly yours," Lu Yu said to Big ck Donkey with a chuckle.


    Big ck Donkey''s initially joyful expression froze instantly; he seemed to have trouble believing as he asked, "Me? A mount?"


    "Yes, didn''t you volunteer for it? I think with your plump and sturdy body, you''re definitely suited for the job!"


    At that moment, Big ck Donkey just wanted to curse, but when he saw Lu Yu''s amusing smirk, he dared not say anything else and could only mumble grumpily, "Thank you, master."


    Lu Yuughed heartily, taking a close look around his well-arranged haven and noticing the spiritual energy in the Cave Heaven bing denser with the ley lines'' flow. The grass on the ground was lush, with a scattering of faint blue flowers blooming among it, which was quite pleasing to the eye.


    "Not bad, not bad, I finally have a Blessed Land of my own. Although it''s just a fledgling state, with proper management, it can eventually transform into a real Cave Heaven and Blessed Earth. By then, it will suffice as my dojo," he mused.


    "People often say that in cultivation, one needs spell, wealth,nd, andpanion. Now I can really say I have what is known as nd.''" Lu Yu couldn''t help but feel emotional, his heart filled with a strange sense of pride, like he had just bought a house, veryforting.


    "Next, I must n for the City God matter. Now that I have sessfully stimted two strands of Innate Qi, if I can handle this well, with the help of merit and fortune and destiny, there''s hope of stimting another strand of Innate Qi," Lu Yu thought to himself.


    He turned to Big ck Donkey, who looked as if he had lost all enjoyment in life, and said, "You clumsy thing, guard the haven well. I have important matters to attend to in the Human Path. Don''t drink recklessly from that spring! Only drink once every seven days!"


    Upon hearing that Lu Yu was leaving, Big ck Donkey sprang up from the ground and said excitedly, "Don''t worry, I, ck Lord, will definitely take good care of it. You go on ahead!" His pride was evident.


    However, when he saw Lu Yu''s stern face, he quickly added, "Master, go ahead, I will definitely guard the home well." He looked utterly loyal, almost as if he was about to beat his hoof against his chest.


    Lu Yu looked at this treasure of a donkey speechlessly, shook his head, and left the haven. A cloud of auspicious clouds rose under his feet, and he was off.


    Big ck Donkey watched Lu Yu''s retreating figure carefully, bursting into glee only after confirming Lu Yu was well away: "Haha, that damn Schr is gone. ck Lord is free! I''ll eat his Treasure Treeter and then leave this ce." He had long since noticed the sapling was an excellent item, and greed filled his heart.


    But no sooner had this thought arisen than he felt a tremendous pain deep in his soul, as if a sharp sword was slicing through his spirit, causing him to cry out in agony and roll on the ground continuously.


    While rolling, he cried out, "Master, spare me, I won''t dare do it again!"


    It truly was miraculous; shortly after he finished speaking, his head stopped hurting. He tumbled up from the ground and stood up, but the shadow in his heart made him dare not harbor any more ill thoughts.


    Lu Yu, soaring through clouds and fog, sensed the activation of the mark he had ced on Big ck Donkey and guessed that the simple creature must have harbored some crooked thoughts. Unfortunately, it underestimated Lu Yu. The mark was a spell developed by Lu Yu from the Freezing Curse.


    Anyone marked by it would be unable to resist the Sword Intent triggered by the mark unless their Primordial Spirit was stronger than Lu Yu''s. When activated, the Sword Intent would naturally slice their soul and spirit.


    Located in the central part of Great Chen, Izumo Mountain towered majestically, the scenery magnificent and grand, earning its title as the paramount peak of Great Chen. It had long been the object of poets and schrs'' admiration, thus leaving behind many poems of praise.


    At this time, in the height of summer, trees thrived, and the mountain paths were covered with lush greenery interspersed with wildflowers of every hue. Bees and butterflies danced about, creating a scene of thriving prosperity.


    A Schr ambled along the path, dressed in a blue robe and carrying a treasured sword. He moved leisurely, asionally stopping to study the engravings left by predecessors intently. Should he find an excellent verse, he would p withughter, appearing every bit the schr wandering in search of knowledge with his sword.


    Where the mountains were high and forests dense, wild beasts roamed. As the Schr studied a stone stele from a former dynasty with great concentration, a Bengal tiger with a white forehead emerged from the foliage.


    A tiger''s roar brought a gust of wind, the so-called ''dragon in the clouds, tiger in the wind''. This tiger had been hungry for many days, and upon seeing Lu Yu, it could hardly wait to pounce, poised to bite and almost ready to snap off the Schr''s head.


    With its mouth wide open, the tiger''s foul stench assaulted the Schr, and its sharp teeth glinted with a cold light in the sun. Its red tongue was covered in dense, white barbs, and should this bitend, the Schr''s head would likely burst open like a smashed watermelon.


    But then, an incredible scene unfolded: the gaping maw of the tiger could not mp shut, as if someone held its jaws apart by force.


    In the realm invisible to mortal eyes, a Ghost General stretched out his hands, holding the tiger''s mouth wide open to prevent a single bite from reaching the Schr.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Ghost General appeared mighty and valiant, with rugged features and a firm square face exuding seriousness. He wore a battle robe, quite tattered and stained with faint traces of blood.


    The desperately hungry tiger, unable to reach the delectable morsel before it, became increasingly ferocious. It struggled wildly, trying to break free, but could not move an inch closer to the Schr, drooling all over the ground in longing.


    "Seems this is the rumored ''Mountain God''s Muzzle Lock''?" the Schr muttered to himself.


    Having finished speaking, he watched the restrained tiger with keen interest, clicking his tongue in amazement. The Ghost General roared in frustration, urging the foolish Schr to escape, but he knew in his heart that, as a Yin God, he was invisible to the mundane world, and thus the Schr could neither see nor hear him.


    "Quite the annual ordeal, must be tough," the Schr said gently, his words reaching the Ghost General''s ears. It was then that he saw the seemingly frail Schr flick his sleeve effortlessly, and the tiger, like a kite with a broken string, was flung into the air and tumbled down the cliff, its fate unknown. The Ghost General realized that he had encountered a true expert.


    Lu Yu, the Schr, had left Mountain Luoxia in search of a prestigious mountain to raise an earth-ranking list.


    As the struggle for the Human Path dragon was about to reach its climax, many Cultivators had descended from the mountains due to the Cmity Qi stirred by him and thus, he too needed to hurry in constructing the Divine Enthronement Altar and raise the Earth Ranking. After all, not every individual destined to be enshrined as a City God was a Cultivator.


    Raising the Earth Ranking would create a space for these Lost Souls to cultivate and await Divine Enthronement.

 Chapter 37 Shi Qingfeng

    However, this mountain wasn''t randomly chosen. ording to the Underworld''s n, in order to tightly integrate the City God''s Path with the Human Path, it was necessary for the master of the Human Path to worship thend and sign the divine-human pact.


    This divine-human pact was naturally extraordinary, and the mountain selected would benefit, thus bing a unique fengshan site within the Great Chen territory, and could not be chosen carelessly.


    Yet, Lu Yu had traveled across many famous mountains in Great Chen but still hadn''t found his ideal one until he heard the rumors of the Mountain God''s Silenced Beasts a few days ago, which piqued his interest to visit the mountain.


    The Mountain God''s Silenced Beasts was a magical legend from Izumo Mountain in recent years. It began with a hunter encountering a fierce beast attack while hunting in the mountains, but to his surprise, the fierce beast could not bring himself to bite the hunter.


    Likewise, when fierce beasts broke into the viges at the base of the mountain, they also could not bring themselves to harm anyone at thest moment.


    Some elders imed that the Mountain God of Izumo Mountain had silenced the beasts'' mouths to prevent them from harming humans, which made the incense offerings at the Mountain God Temple of Izumo Mountain much more abundant than before, even inspiring some literati and schrs who visited to write stories about it and spread them widely.


    However, from the start, Lu Yu used his Dharma Eye and discovered that this supposed Mountain God of Izumo Mountain had fallen at some point, leaving only a Gold Seal that symbolized the Mountain God''s position within his Law Domain.


    Seeing the Ghost General holding back the tiger''s mouth from harming him, he realized that this Ghost General was the one worshiped as the Mountain God of Izumo Mountain by the people.


    The Ghost General looked into the distance and said, "It''s not about hardship, just peace of mind."


    Lu Yu pped andughed, "What a phrase, ''just seeking peace of mind.'' Are you interested in sharing your story? I''m quite a good listener."


    Lu Yu smiled at the Ghost General. Honestly, he was very curious about him, wondering what kind of experiences led him to speak such words.


    The Ghost General lifted his head to nce at the sky, his expression seemingly returning to the past. He paused for a long time before sadly saying, "My name is Shi Qingfeng, originally a Military General of Great Chen. To serve as a soldier and fight on the battlefield was my entire life."


    "I took pride in serving in the martial ranks, always charging ahead in every battle. Although I sometimes got injured, I enjoyed that life. Until one day, I followed my General to exterminate bandits."


    "It was a very calm night. We stormed into the bandit''s stronghold, but what I saw weren''t detestable robbers, just a group ofmon people who couldn''t afford the heavy taxes. At that moment, I hesitated."


    "I''ve encountered the fiercest enemies and crawled out of piles of corpses, but no moment had ever frightened me as much as that night. Among that group were young children, looking at me with innocent eyes as if questioning why I was killing them. My hands trembled terribly, yet the General still ordered us to eliminate all of them, needing this deed to pave his way for promotion."


    "After that, I couldn''t face myself. Every night I would dream of those children, their eyes staring at me in silence; every time I would wake up startled. Eventually, I made a decision."


    "I became a deserter, a disgraceful deserter, the kind I had once despised the most. I fled from the army, travelling northward until I got here, only to die under an unexpectedndslide. It''s ironic; having wed my way out of death numerous times, myrades in the army said I was tough, but an abruptndslide took my life.


    Perhaps it was karma, retribution for having killed those innocent people."


    Lu Yu quietly listened to the Ghost General''s tale, never imagining that such a mighty and robust man could possess such apassionate heart. To maintain one''s true nature amidst ughter and temptation is truly no easy feat.


    "And then what happened, what made you think of doing such things?"


    "When I woke up, I found myself turned into a ghost. For some reason, the supposed Soul-Reaping Messenger never came for me, and I became a lone, wandering spirit in Izumo Mountain."


    "One day, I saw a hunter entering the forest. He was already quite old, but his youngest daughter was about to be married, and the family was too poor to afford a decent dowry. Thus the hunter, who had long since given up hunting, had no choice but to take up his old trade again, hoping to catch a fine pelt to add to his daughter''s dowry, just so she could have a better life at her husband''s."


    "The love of parents knows no bounds. I followed him, watching as he crawled in the cold snow for half a day, shivering to the bone yet daring not to make a sound, for fear of scaring away the prey he had waited so long for. In the end, he finally captured a fine snow fox, but when that hungry wolf appeared before him, he despaired.


    The look in his eyes reminded me of the women and children who died by my hands, and I couldn''t help intervening to assist him."


    "After the first timees the second. People always find endless reasons to convince themselves to do what they want, and I was no exception. Even though I could feel my power fading every time, my heart felt remarkably at peace¡ªperhaps that''s why the Soul-Reaping Messenger didn''te for me; to let me atone in this way."


    Shi Qingfeng slowly shared his past, without a hint of the chill that should emanate from a Shadow Soul. The light from within him was enough to warm any heart.


    "Only the guilty need to atone, Shi Qingfeng, what sins do you need to redeem? In the end, it''s just the unease of a man too kind!"


    "Perhaps you''re right, who would have thought that I, a man with hands stained in blood, could be called a good man!" Shi Qingfeng said with a wry smile as he looked at his ghostly hand, which had be somewhat fierce-looking.


    But Lu Yu smiled and replied, "It''s hard to be a good person, even harder to be a perpetual good man. That''s why every good man should be respected. How long do you n to shoulder this destiny?"


    "I haven''t thought about it, as long as I live another day in this world, I''ll persist for one more day!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    His words were in, but they deeply moved Lu Yu. Not everyone had such awareness. So, he handed over the Gold Seal he had acquired from the Mountain God''s Domain to Shi Qingfeng.


    "I think if you want to help more people, this item should suit you!"


    "What is this?" Shi Qingfeng took the Gold Seal and felt a very familiar aura from it. Although he had not been granted the Divine Position of Izumo Mountain, the vigers had long worshipped him as the Mountain God, and he''d already established a faint connection with the Gold Seal. If he persisted for another decade or so, he might naturally be the Mountain God of Izumo Mountain.


    "This is the Gold Seal of the Mountain God of Izumo Mountain. If you refine it, you will be the Mountain God of the vast Izumo, and you will be able to help even more people. This path is not easy to walk, have you made your decision?"

 Chapter 38 Wang Guan

    Shi Qingfeng, holding the Mountain God''s Gold Seal in his hand, pondered for a long time before saying, "I am willing to try, and if one day I forget my original intention, I hope you can kill me!"


    After speaking, he began to refine the Gold Seal. The Gold Seal was originally ownerless, and Shi Qingfeng had been worshipped as the Mountain God for many years, so the refining process went very smoothly. In no time, Shi Qingfeng''s originally fragmented ghostly voice flickered with golden light, and soon a majestic man in a war robe appeared before Lu Yu.


    "It seems that your reputation as the Mountain God of Izumo Mountain is well-established, otherwise you wouldn''t have refined the Mountain God''s Gold Seal so quickly. First, stabilize your divine position, as I will need your help with something soon!"


    Shi Qingfeng merely grunted in response and did not ask what Lu Yu needed help with. Although they had not known each other for long, deep in his heart, he was very willing to trust Lu Yu.


    It is strange how people work; some people, despite many years of acquaintance, never quite fit together, while others can be close friends in just a brief span of time.


    Once Shi Qingfeng sessfully stabilized his divine position, Lu Yu finallyid out the matter concerning the City God.


    "Establishing the City God brings order between heaven and earth, and a rightful way between life and death. This is beneficial for heaven, earth, and all beings. Though I, Stone Someone, am not talented, I am willing to lend you a helping hand."


    With Shi Qingfeng''s promise, Lu Yu began to build an altar on the summit of Izumo Mountain. The altar was 365 meters in circumference and three meters high, divided into three levels.


    The first level depicted scenes from the Eighteen Levels of Hell, the second disyed Great Chen''s Mountains and Rivers, and the third depicted various deities, representing the three talents of heaven, earth, and humanity.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Once the altar wasplete, Lu Yu spread out the Gold que in his hand, and it flew above the altar, emitting a faint light. A ck vortex appeared in the middle of the que, which was the space prepared for the deification of individuals, capable of protecting their souls and spirits.


    In the Imperial Pce of Fengjing, Great Chen, the pce, with its orderlyyout and red bricks and golden tiles, was a magnificent sight. Inside the pce, everything shone with gold and splendor, the epitome of luxury, with countless eunuchs and pce maids divided to the left and right.


    At this moment, each of them was trembling with fear, hardly daring to breathe when outside the pce, amanding voice rang out, "You servants, hurry up and let me in to see the Emperor!"


    There stood an old man in red official robes, holding a Jade que, his face bearing the marks of time, being stopped by several eunuchs outside the pce.


    This was Wang Guan, the Grand Preceptor of the current dynasty. As a veteran of three reigns and the Emperor''s mentor, his words carried immense weight in the Imperial Court. He was known for his integrity and willingness to directly criticize, which made the Emperor rather fearful of him.


    "Grand Preceptor, please don''t make it difficult for us, the Emperor has said he does not wish to see you," one of the leading eunuchs said tremulously.


    "What does the Emperor mean by this, not attending court for days and neglecting government affairs, and being bewitched day and night by that woman Su Wenji? With such behavior, how can he face the ancestors of Great Chen!" the Old Grand Preceptor shouted, his voice prating the doors of the pce and reaching the ears of the Emperor resting inside.


    At this moment, the King of Great Cheny on a bed, luxuriously enjoying the services of several beautiful women; a beautiful woman in pce attire was gently massaging his temples.


    The woman was stunningly beautiful, with a graceful figure and an exquisite face¡ªespecially her eyes, which captivated souls and seized spirits, exuding an astonishing charm.


    While gently massaging, she softly said in a voice that resembled the chirping of a hundred birds, "Perhaps His Majesty should still meet with the Grand Preceptor. It would be a shame to damage the Grand Preceptor''s dignity on my ount, after all, he holds great sway as a veteran of three reigns."


    Her words, though spoken tenderly, caused the Emperor to furrow his brow. He considered the so-called veteran, who, unting his role as his former teacher and guardian minister, held excessive prestige in the Imperial Court. Should he harbor rebellious thoughts, the Emperor''s throne would be anything but secure.


    "Hmph! Announce my decree: say that Master Wang, due to his old age and frailty, should not exert himself further. As a special favor, I will allow him to retire home to recuperate. As for court affairs, he should not concern himself."


    When these words reached Wang Guan''s ears, he widened his eyes in disbelief and asked the eunuch beside him who delivered the message, "Did His Majesty really say that?"


    Upon seeing the eunuch nod, Wang Guan slowly removed his official hat, took off his robe, and then stood outside the grand hall shouting, "Since His Majesty wishes me to resign from my post, then I shall resign. Yet as a guardian minister, I cannot keep my peace unless I speak."


    "His Majesty, being the Emperor, should prioritize the matters of the state over indulgence in pleasures. Neglecting merit and ignoring the officials while disregarding the people of the world are absurd acts. I urge His Majesty, from this day forward, to revive his spirits and execute the enchantress Su Wenji to restore the court''s discipline!"


    Far from appreciating Wang Guan''s earnest advice, it only sparked the Emperor''s defiance. Grinding his teeth, he raged, "This old fool, always so self-righteous, acting like a constant mentor despite being just a subject. It''s infuriating!"


    Su Wenji, kneeling on the ground, tearfully pleaded, "I am but a mere woman, how could I possibly disrupt state affairs? I don''t know how I have offended the Old Grand Preceptor to deserve such repeated threats on my life." She then buried her face in the Emperor''sp and cried bitterly.


    Furious already, the Emperor''s anger further red at these words: "Wang Guan isn''t even my father yet he dares to meddle with my women!" He immediately issued another decree.


    The gist was that ever since his novice ession to the throne, he had relied entirely on the teacher for guidance¡ªthat in essence, Wang Guan controlled the Imperial Court, taking credit for good deeds while shifting me for bad onto the Emperor and argued that matters of the harem were personal to the Imperial Family, which foreign ministers like Wang should notment upon.


    This decree undeniably stripped Wang Guan of his dignity, trampling it beneath contempt. How could such a proud old man endure such humiliation?


    Furiously, Wang Guan bellowed, "Former Emperor! I have failed in your trust¡ªnow that signs of Great Chen''s downfall are manifest, and I can''t inspire the Emperor to diligence, how can I face you in the Nether Springs? Besides, having lived a life transparent, how can I endure such an insult? If His Majesty refuses to see me today, I shall throw myself against the pirs outside this grand hall!"


    Wang Guan''s outburst frightened the surrounding eunuchs and pce maids, yet the Emperor inside the pce seemed deaf to it all, not uttering a single word.


    An eerie silence enveloped the surroundings of the grand hall. Seeing no reaction to his words, Wang Guan, heartbroken, violently threw himself against a pir outside the hall, blood flowing from the pir to the ground in front of the hall, staining his thrown-down official hat and robe a vivid red.


    On the first mountain outside Fengjing City, two Taoists stood at the peak, silently watching the scene. The older one sighed and said, "Amentable end for a renowned minister of the era, now merely a wronged ghost lingering through the dynastic changes."

 Chapter 39 On the List

    "The way of Heaven is vast and mighty, those whoply will prosper, those who resist shall perish, it was destined that Wang Guan''s staunch defense of the Great Chen would lead to this oue," another spoke.


    "Where did you find this Fox Spirit? Her methods are indeed extraordinary, ying the Lord of the Great Chen in the palm of her hand with such ease."


    "From the Qingqiu Fox n, I expended great effort to borrow such a Fox Spirit. Only a Fox n connected with the Fortune and Destiny of our human race can avoid the suppression of Fortune and Destiny.


    Considering this King plotted against us, how can we dissipate the hatred in our hearts without ruining him utterly?" The Taoist gritted his teeth as he spoke, the hatred in his heart intensifying when he recalled the disciples who perished under the Jinguang Taoist''s grand formation.


    "Speaking of which, have you found out if that master who influenced that day had a hand in it? A single word from him brought such a disaster to everyone in the Great Chen¡ªit''s truly terrifying." Thinking of how that Schr had lightly spoken a single word that brought cmity upon the entire Great Chen, he shuddered with both awe and fear of such power.


    "I suspect it has something to do with Lu Zhang of Yuzhou, but I dare not confirm. Every time I divine Heaven''s Secret, I''m blocked by an expansive ocean that no one dares to breach. If such a master makes the slightest move, he will be sensed. In fact, many believe he has already sensed it, he just chooses not to stoop to our level," he said, his tone thick with envy.


    "Indeed, he is a master who has achieved great sess in the practice of Celestial Immortal Dao, rich in techniques and without any weaknesses. No wonder they say that among the Five Immortals, the Heavenly Immortal is the most esteemed."


    "What? Regretting not choosing the path of the Heavenly Immortal Dao back then?"


    "Regret? Not really; I know my limits. With my talents and gifts, walking the path of the Heavenly Immortal Dao would be a dead end. Not to mention initiating the Five Qi, just the Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment would deplete mepletely," he said.


    Anotherughed heartily upon hearing this, "Exactly, how many have seeded on the path of the Heavenly Immortal Dao since ancient times? Our path of the Primordial Spirit, although slightly inferior in Combat Mysticism, is superior due to the lower requirements for Cultivation, allowing for step-by-step progress.


    Remember how the genius Xu Ziming of Xuan Yuan Sect didn''t believe this and is now stuck in the Qi Cultivation Realm for nearly thirty years, his vitality beginning to decline. It seems he might not evenplete the path of the Primordial Spirit."


    "Xu Ziming, ah, I remember he was once hailed as a Primordial Spirit Seed, but ever since he heard of the Celestial Immortal Dao and insisted on Cultivating it, who would have thought such a brilliant figure would be stuck at the Heavenly Gate Foundation Establishment?"


    "However, I heard that he has descended the mountain this time, ready to vie for that name of Divine Enthronement. After all, that is a position of eternal life."


    "Indeed, not just him, many who can''t break through to the Primordial Spirit havee out. This is a position recognized by the Underworld Court as a Righteous God, and the control over Yin and Yang isn''t small at all."


    "s! It truly confirms the saying: ''All beings are trapped in cmities.''"


    When the King of the Great Chen heard the news of Wang Guan''s suicide by collision against the pir, he was stunned; he hadn''t expected Wang Guan to be so resolute, choosing death to demonstrate his convictions. Suddenly, he remembered the detailed teachings of this elder teacher from his youthful days, and a sense of guilt arose in his heart.


    "The Grand Preceptor was too rash, isn''t this casting His Majesty into fire? How will the people of the world view His Majesty now?" Su Wenji''s light words made the Emperor furrow his brows, thinking to himself that his old teacher was too selfish, tarnishing his own reputation just to trap him in such an unjust situation.


    "After all, he was my teacher, and a great minister entrusted by the Former Emperor; let''s give him a decent funeral," he said, thenmanded the eunuchs and pce maids to collect Wang Guan''s body.


    After Wang Guan died, his soul and spirit left his body, watching as the Court Eunuchs collected his body. He effortlessly passed through the grand doors of the pce and saw the King of the Great Chen, whom he had desperately but unsessfully wished to meet.


    Looking at his former disciple, Wang Guan felt a sense of unfamiliarity for the first time. Was this still the young man who had once stood before him, full of vigor and ambition, directing the future of the kingdom?


    Now he looked hollowed by indulgence in wine and women, his face pale with dark circles under his eyes, markedly haggard. The light that once shone in his eyes had long since faded, bing dim and turbid.


    When he saw Su Wenji, he was shocked. The beauty before him clearly had five fox tails, yet the people surrounding her seemed not to see them.


    Anger welled up in Wang Guan''s heart. He med all the changes in the Emperor entirely on Su Wenji, believing it was this enchantress who had led the ruler astray and caused the current situation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In truth, it was his own selfishness at y. If the Emperor had not harbored such thoughts, how could a Fox Spirit wield influence over his will within the Royal Court and make him me everything on a woman¡ªamon failing among these schrs.


    At that moment, only one thought upied Wang Guan''s mind¡ªto kill the enchantress before him, hoping to make the Emperor see reason. But before he could get close, he found that Su Wenji suddenly turned to look at him. Her five tails flew through the air, instantly striking Wang Guan''s soul and spirit and sending them flying out of the grand hall.


    "This old fool, even in death won''t find peace. Had I known this mess, I would have stayed away," murmured Su Wenji softly.


    "What''s wrong, my beloved?" the Emperor, noticing Su Wenji''s pallor, asked with concern.


    "It''s nothing. I am just frightened by how the Grand Preceptor Wang just left us," she immediately portrayed a fragile demeanor, which touched the Emperor greatly.


    "My love, fear not. Tomorrow I will have people vacate the pce to the east. We''ll move there. This ce is too close to the grand hall; those ministers are too bothersome. It''s less vexing if they''re out of sight," the Emperor reassured her.


    Watching Su Wenji happily agree and the adoration on her face, he felt as if he had regained some of his former spirited self.


    At this point, he only wanted to escape. After the failed plots of the Jinguang Taoist, he knew he might meet an unfortunate end, having offended those Cultivators who were sure to seek revenge. Now, he merely wanted to indulge while he could, although he found it strange that these Cultivators had not yet troubled him.


    Having been repelled by Su Wenji with a blow, Wang Guan''s soul and spirit were severely damaged. He sensed a unique pull, thinking to himself, "Could it be the Underworld Court calling me? Yet why do I not see any Soul-Reaping Messengering?""


    As time passed, this strange attraction grew stronger, involuntarily drawing his soul and spirit toward Zhongzhou.


    Upon arriving, Wang Guan realized that he was not at the Underworld Court, but rather at the majestic Izumo. He had traveled and studied there in his youth, familiarizing himself with such renowned mountains, puzzled why he had been brought here now.


    At that moment, he saw two figures atop the mountain facing the wind: one dressed as a Schr and the other as a Military General. Beside these two was an enormous altar, even more majestic and grand than the Heavenly Altar used for celestial observances in Great Chen. Hovering above it was a wondrous list emitting a faint glow, the source of that peculiar attractive force.

 Chapter 40 Sudden Changes

    "So it is Grand Preceptor Wang Guan, I have long admired your great name." Lu Yu bowed his hands to Wang Guan.


    "May I ask, Sir, why exactly have Ie here?" Wang Guan, seeing that the Schr carried an extraordinary demeanor and an indescribable air of carefree ease, thought he must be a person of high standing and therefore posed the question.


    "This ce is the site of my divine enthronement, you may call it the Altar of Deification. That list hanging there is the Earth Ranking, and the Grand Preceptor''s name is already upon it." Having said this, Lu Yu went on to exin everything about the City God, which made Wang Guan''s eyes light up.


    "I''ve lived such a long life in folly and like to think I''ve done some good for the country and the people. However, whenpared to the grand gestures of the various Yamas and Empress Hou Tu in the Underworld, it''s likeparing a grain of rice with the bright moon.


    To carve a new path for all beings under heaven, to make yin and yang orderly, life and death governed¡ªhow could I miss out on such an illustrious event?" Wang Guan was that traditional breed of schr, with a simple love for the people. Knowing the benefits the City God would bring to all beings in the three realms, he naturally would not refuse.


    It wasn''t longevity he sought, but the well-being of the millions.


    "You should enter the ranking, otherwise your soul form will grow weaker by the day." Shi Qingfeng, as Mountain God and the custodian of this Altar of Deification, guided Wang Guan.


    "Sir, I have an impolite request. After all, the Emperor and I share a ruler-minister and teacher-student rtionship. Even though it''s hard to defy fate, I still wish to give him onest reminder, and I hope you will allow it." Wang Guan requested, sensing that if the Schr before him disagreed, he would not be able to leave this ce on his own.


    "It''s hard to defy destiny, and even if you go, it''s likely to be in vain. Why waste the strength of your soul?" Lu Yu advised. This Old Grand Preceptor had his soul wounded by a strike from Su Wenji, and if he were to forcefully intrude on the dreams of the sovereign, it would only worsen his injuries, potentially harming his foundation.


    "Do what we can, and leave the rest to fate!" Wang Guan said, his voice full ofment.


    Lu Yu raised his hand and saw a breath of energy fly out from the Earth Ranking andnd upon Wang Guan''s soul form, instantly releasing an aura of profound mystery from his body.


    "With this energy, you will be able to move unhindered. Resolve this karma and return quickly."


    Wang Guan acknowledged and then transformed into a breeze, heading straight for Fengjing. The Yin God traveled swiftly and returned to the Imperial Pce in no time. As he prepared to enter, the fortune and destiny of the Human Path were stimted and bore down upon him, making him feel as if a mountain weighed upon his shoulders, immobilizing him.


    Then, the energy on his body flickered, and the immense weight disappeared.


    Upon entering the pce, he saw the Emperor lying on the dragon bed, with Su Wenji beside him, fanning with a palm-leaf fan.


    Su Wenji frowned and said to Wang Guan, who had returned, "I never thought you''d have such fortune and destiny. Why have youe back to seek revenge on me?"


    "Hmph! I have nothing to say to a demoness like you. Today I am here to warn the Emperor; after today, our karma will be settled."


    "That''s for the best. I was only returning a favor for someone else. If there''s anyone to me, it''s him for letting his greed offend those Cultivators." Su Wenji did not want to take the fall for the Cultivation Sects that hid behind the scenes. After all, the man before her was no longer what he used to be and would eventually rule as a City God overseeing yin and yang.


    There mighte a day when she would need his favor.


    By this time, Wang Guan had calmed down. Not wishing to talk further with Su Wenji, he immediately entered the Emperor''s dream.


    Chen Fei sank into a deep slumber, as if he were a child once again, sitting prim and properly in the ssroom of the Imperial Academy. Although he detested it, he always took great care to conceal his true thoughts for the sake of crafting a perfect image in the eyes of his teacher and his imperial father.


    Mr. Wang entered the academy punctually as he always did, the only difference being that he seemed to have aged considerably, his white beard and the wrinkles on his face softened the authoritative figure he once was. It was then he realized something was amiss; Wang Guan was already dead, so this must be a dream, he couldn''t help but mutter to himself.


    "Your Majesty, your old subject will take leave first. Please take care, cherish your loyal ministers, distance yourself from the petty ones, and rejuvenate Great Chen." Wang Guan thought he would have many things to instruct this disciple, but when the words came to his lips, he found nothing else to say.


    He simply uttered these final words and then took his leave from the dream, transforming into a breeze and flying towards Chu Yun Mountain. As he passed the peaks outside Fengjing City, he saw two Taoist priests bowing to him from the summit and couldn''t help but snort coldly.


    "It seems the Old Grand Preceptor has quite an issue with us!" the elder Taoist priest said with a smile.


    "Being as clever as he is, he probably guessed that we had a hand in it. But now that he has severed his worldly ties, he cannot interfere in the matters of Great Chen."


    "I didn''t expect him to have such fortune and destiny for a long-lived position to fall into his hands so easily. It will be troublesome if a future City God holds a grudge against us."


    "No matter, after all, as a god of the Underworld, he must abide by thews of the Netherworld. Besides, our Cultivation Sects will inevitably take the lion''s share of the City God''s influence. There''s no need to worry about him; he can''t support everything on his own."


    Wang Guan arrived at Chu Yun Mountain and, after bowing to Lu Yu and Shi Qingfeng, who were drinking together, he entered into the Earthly Rankings, where there exists an environment that nourishes the soul.


    "It seems Lord Wang is not in high spirits!" Shi Qingfengmented with augh.


    Raising his cup, Lu Yu drank and said, "After all, it''s the ce where he struggled all his life; to watch it fall apart before his eyes must be tough to bear."


    At this, Lu Yu recalled a verse from a y he heard in a past life and unwittingly hummed, "I watched him build the vermilion tower, I watched him entertain his guests, I watched his tower copse."


    "Where did you hear this rustic ditty? It''s quite charming." Shi Qingfeng, having never heard such a tune, asked in surprise.


    "Ha-ha, it''s a secret, can''t tell!" Lu Yuughed, clinking his cup with Shi Qingfeng''s while his gaze couldn''t help but drift towards the sky, the scenes of his past life seeming now like distant memories.


    The news of Wang Guan''s death spread quickly throughout Great Chen, stirring indignation among schrs. This minister who served three emperors and was a leader in the Great Chen literary world had made such a disheartening exit, leaving everyone feeling a surreal sense of loss.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Everyone felt the Imperial Court''s frailty, and those with ulterior motives began to stir. The signs of a dying nation were inlyid out before all the people.


    Meanwhile, in Zhongzhou, which had been gued by disasters, the White Lotus Sect gathered followers andunched a rebellion. Millions of disced people swelled the ranks, leaving Zhongzhou in disarray. The North''s ck Wolf Army was ordered to suppress the rebellion in Zhongzhou.


    The shadow of war now loomed over the heads of the people of Great Chen; whereas the previous power struggles had been somewhat covert, the uprising led by the White Lotus Sect had torn through the veil,ying bare the Imperial Court''s weaknesses for all to see.

 Chapter 41 Zhu Gang

    All those with ambition could no longer contain their wild desires and began their respective actions. As the saying goes, "When a single hair is pulled, the whole body is affected," and thus, the entirety of Great Chen fell into the throes of war.


    Li Xin of Jinzhou naturally did not want to miss such an opportune moment and marshaled the vast army of Jinzhou to march grandly toward Yuzhou.


    Since hisst failure, King of Pingnan, Li Xin, had remained in Jinzhou, silently recovering his damaged strength and waiting for the chance to exact revenge. When the world suddenly shifted, and the White Lotus Sect''s rebellion unfolded the grand curtain of the dragon struggle, he could no longer hold back and prepared himself to cleanse his previous disgrace.


    At this moment, Li Xin was within his private residence listening to his scouts report back. He paced back and forth in the hall, frowning as he spoke, "So, it''s Liu Qingyun who has taken the lead in Yuzhou?"


    Seeing the scout nod, he couldn''t help but sigh, "How did Lu Zhange across such good fortune to have such a fierce general? I used to serve in the same court as Liu Qingyun''s father and intended to recruit him to my side. Yet, no matter how I tried to entice or incite them, they were not taken in."


    "Your Highness, there''s no need to worry. Liu Qingyun is indeed formidable but not invincible. A few days ago, a valiant hero arrived at my residence, exhibiting exceptional martial skills and boundless strength, capable of contending with him.


    I was just about to rmend him to your Highness." This was Shi Jin, a very schrly gentleman from the prominent Shi family of Jinzhou, who always served as Li Xin''s chief advisor.


    "Oh! You''re not one to praise others lightly, bring this person to me for an audience." Shi Jin''s words sessfully captured Li Xin''s interest.


    Knowing that Liu Qingyun once, with his white robe and Silver Spear, had moved almost invincibly through the battlefield, leaving a profound impact on him, Li Xin was convinced that if Shi Jin deemed this personparable to Liu Qingyun, he must be extraordinary.


    Soon, a burly giant over two meters tall walked in, a mass of muscle with fierce eyes, dragging an enormous Wolf Fang Club that etched a deep mark in the Green Stone b, indicating the club''s weight. Bowing before Li Xin, the man said, "My humble self, Zhu Gang, pays his respects to the King of Pingnan!"


    The moment Li Xinid eyes on Zhu Gang, he was certain that the man was no ordinary individual. Such physique and strength were indeed rare, and he was somewhat convinced of what Shi Jin had mentioned. Naturally, he adopted the demeanor of a gracious noble who respects talent, "Truly a valiant hero. It is indeed a blessing rued over three lifetimes for this prince to have Zhu Gang''s assistance."


    He then scrutinized Zhu Gang, asking, "Such a powerful hero, howe you''re not adorned in armor?"


    "To speak the truth, my size is excessivelyrge and I have found no armor to fit, leaving me exposed as such."


    Li Xin immediately called over the person responsible for weapon manufacturing and instructed, "Don''t dy in taking the hero''s measurements for custom-made armor."


    Li Xin could already imagine the oue once this massive man charged into battle d in armor. It would surely be a devastating blow.


    The more he observed Zhu Gang, the more satisfied he became. Atst, he too had a peerless fierce general capable of charging into enemy formations, and his hope for the uing battle was rekindled.


    "Steward, instruct the kitchen, I want to hold a banquet to honor Hero Zhu," said Li Xin, in high spirits, ordering the servants. He nned to gather his civil and military officials and introduce them to Zhu Gang to boost morale.


    Afterward, he appointed Zhu Gang as Vanguard General and personally led a force of one hundred thousand toward Yuzhou City.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As time flows like water, Zhu Gang, as Vanguard Officer, sessfully arrived at Yuzhou City after several days of travel. By that time, Yuzhou City had long since shut its gates. Countless soldiers were gathered for its defense, and the sun reflected off their des, casting a stark white, chilling light, filling the scene with a deathly silence.


    "Yuzhou City is not easy to conquer," Zhu Gang had already concluded in his heart.


    A messenger was sent out to call for a duel, and in no time, the city gates opened. Out rode a young man in a white robe, wielding a Silver Spear. It was none other than Liu Qingyun.


    As soon as he appeared, he saw Zhu Gang, who had been recently appointed by Li Xin as the Vanguard General for this siege. Zhu Gang was a burly man, cloaked in heavy armor, mounted on a rhinoceros, looking imposing and majestic. Zhu Gang''s massive body was too much for an ordinary horse to bear, so it was only through Li Xin''s previously acquired exotic beasts that such a mount was found for him.


    "Who is thising general? State your name!" Liu Qingyun called out.


    "You insolent boy, I am Zhu Gang, the vanguard of the King of Pingnan. Surrender quickly; my iron rod does not feast on vegetables. Soon, I''ll scatter your brains," Zhu Gang retorted.


    Liu Qingyun couldn''t be bothered to engage in a war of words and charged at him, spear in hand. As soon as they shed, both felt a shock of fear.


    "Where did Li Xin find such a freak with such great strength?" Liu Qingyun thought, recalling the intelligence gathered from Yuzhou. He found no mention of someone named Zhu Gang, but from their brief exchange, he already sensed this man would not be easy to handle.


    Zhu Gang was equally startled; though Liu Qingyun looked frail, he possessed tremendous strength, and the force conveyed seemed mixed with an extraordinary power that made Zhu Gang quite ufortable.


    Casting aside any underestimation, both fought with all their might. The battle instantly reached a fever pitch; they struck at each other with all their force, neither gaining the upper hand. Liu Qingyun''s firepower was fully unleashed, with starlight shimmering, his Silver Spear creating an imprable defense.


    Zhu Gang was not to be outdone, enveloped in a ck aura, wielding the Wolf Fang Club with the force of a thousand jun.


    The battlested from day until dusk, the sun had already set behind the hills, yet neither man could determine a victor. In the heat of the battle, Zhu Gang suddenly threw off his armor and let out a terrifying roar, his face appearing incredibly fierce in the night.


    Liu Qingyun was unafraid. The Destroyer Star in the sky radiated a dazzling light, shining upon him as if he were d in ayer of armor made from starlight. The two engaged in closebat, sending a massive surge of energy in all directions that caused the watching soldiers to involuntarily step back.


    When they parted, Liu Qingyun''s hands shook slightly as he tightened his grip on the Silver Spear. Zhu Gang didn''t fare much better; Liu Qingyun''s recent thrust had pierced his belly, and if not for the protectiveyer of fat, the blow could have been fatal.


    As the battle reached this point, both were gasping for air. Seeing this, bothmanders realized that continuing the fight was unlikely to yield a clear winner, so they sounded the retreat, nning to fight again the next day.


    Liu Qingyun entered the central tent within the city, removed his armor, revealing clothes already drenched with sweat, looking as though he had been fished out of water.


    "Are you alright, Qingyun?" Lu Zhang, looking at the panting Liu Qingyun, asked with concern.


    "My lord, do not worry. It''s just that the battle was long, and I am somewhat exhausted. I''ll recover after a short while," Liu Qingyun reassured him.


    "Zhu Gang is indeed a tough adversary. It''s a good thing that you faced him alone today. The thought of such a force charging into our ranks is too dreadful to contemte," Lu Zhang felt uneasy even thinking about Zhu Gang''s towering figure during daylight.

 Chapter 42 Demon Eats Human

    "News from the eyes of Jinzhou has it that this Zhu Gang was recently rmended to Li Xin by Shi Jin; apparently, he used to live by farming in the mountains," Hu Shengliang, as the grand steward of Yuzhou, included intelligence gathering within his scope of responsibilities.


    "I doubt he was really a farmer. In today''s battle, there was a brutal aura about Zhu Gang, and while it was obscured by the murderous air of the army and not clearly discernable, I can assure you he is not human," Chang Chunzi also offered his view.


    "Are you saying that this Zhu Gang is a demon?" Lu Zhang also showed interest, as having a demon as amander would surely be problematic for Li Xin if the word got out.


    "But we have no solid proof, and the fellow is hiding within the army, using the malevolent aura of the troops to mask his own demon aura. If he doesn''t reveal his true form, I fear no one will believe our words," Hu Shengliang cautioned.


    "Haha, my lord, don''t be impatient. I understand the nature of these demons the best. I sense that Zhu Gang''s aura is violent, and I estimate he isn''t the kind to follow rules. In a few days, he will likely expose his true nature. For the next few days, let''s just drag it out with them and wait for changes," Chang Chunzi suggested.


    "Lao Hu, do we have enough food supplies?" Since they nned to draw out the enemy''s army, food supplies were of the utmost importance.


    "Rest assured, my lord. In recent times, we have staunchly implemented the strategy of building high walls, umting grain, and acting slowly in dering kingship. Currently, we have ample supplies, enough tost our army for a year," Hu Shengliang said, quietly admiring Lu Yu''s wisdom, which was integral to Yuzhou''s direction and its current development.


    Upon Zhu Gang''s return to the big tent, he was greeted with cheers from King of Pingnan''s men, as Liu Qingyun had almost be a nightmare for them, wielding his Silver Spear and causing all generals under King of Pingnan to lose face.


    "General Zhu is truly extraordinary. Liu Qingyun always prides himself on his bravery and has always looked down on us. Now that the general has clipped his wings, let''s see how he can still swagger before us," several generalsvished praise, cultivating a good rtionship with such a brave figure might prove beneficialter.


    "I''m starving to death, Lao Zhu, I have an enormous appetite, and I hope my lord can satisfy it!"


    "Of course, after fighting for a day, I will have someone prepare a meal for the general right away," Li Xin was naturally very generous at this moment, with a wave of his hand, a banquet was prepared. Today, Zhu Gang had managed to salvage his reputation, and he was very pleased.


    However, once he witnessed Zhu Gang''s eating behavior, he realized that what he imed about his appetite was an understatement¡ªit was like a bottomless pit. Food that would be enough for thirty people for one day was not even enough to fill the gaps between his teeth. He had to hurry and instruct his servants to keep bringing more dishes.


    The soldiers around were also wide-eyed; they had never seen anyone with such an enormous appetite and marveled at the sight.


    "General Zhu''s unparalleledbat strengthes from his appetite," this remark spread throughout the Jinzhou Army after that night.


    The next day, Zhu Gang still came forward to issue a challenge, and naturally, Liu Qingyun was unwilling to show weakness. The two fought to a standstill again, and by evening, the call to retreat was sounded.


    That night was not as lively as the one before. After the initial excitement had passed, Li Xin also realized that his situation was still not optimistic. His distant campaign had failed to break the stalemate, and seeing his food supplies progressively dwindling, he felt an unspeakable urgency.


    Zhu Gang''s heart was filled with a boiling rage. He had originally thought that, with the declining influence of the Human Path''s Fortune and Destiny during these tumultuous times, he would be able to blend into human society to enjoy wealth and honor, andter return to the mountains to boast to other demons.


    However, he never expected to encounter such a troublesome character as Liu Qingyun in Yuzhou City, who, to his surprise, was not inferior in strength and whose strange Star Force seemed to restrain him somehow. After two days of fighting, Zhu Gang was extremely irate, feeling an inexplicable urge to tear apart each person who passed by.


    In the following days, life was a repeated pattern with the two armies facing off in front of Yuzhou City. One night, Zhu Gang returned to hisrge tent and, seeing that half of his food was missing, could not contain his anger, "What''s going on, why is there so little food?"


    "General, our provisions are running low, and the next supply has not yet arrived. We had to make cuts," exined the personal guard attending to Zhu Gang, even though he inwardly sneered at the thought that, with the General eating so much every day, it was a question of how many more days they couldst.


    Upon hearing this, Zhu Gang''s heart surged with tyranny. He thought to himself, "This Li Xin doesn''t seem capable of aplishing anything. A single Yuzhou City has him trapped to death. Perhaps it''s better to have a full meal today and then return to the mountains."N?v(el)B\\jnn


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    With that thought, his eyes glinted with a violent light, and he revealed his true form¡ªa wild boar demon. His long tusks jutted out, his eyes blood-red, and his huge pig''s mouth looked exceedingly ferocious.


    The personal guard had never seen such a vicious demon before. Just as he was about to cry out, Zhu Gang grabbed his head and bit down. In an instant, flesh and blood flew everywhere in a gruesome sight. After devouring his personal guard, Zhu Gang felt even hungrier and tricked the several guards at the door intoing in, swallowing them all whole.


    Chang Chunzi stood atop the turret of Yuzhou City''s walls, gazing into the distance at Li Xin''s camp. Suddenly, a surge of Demon Aura shot into the sky at the moment Zhu Gang revealed his true form, which made Chang Chunzi stroke his beard andugh, "As expected, the nature of a demon is hard to tame. He couldn''t hold back after all. Notify General Liu and our lord right away¡ªthe time is ripe."


    At hismand, all of Yuzhou City sprang into action like a massive war machine. Within moments, everyone was prepared and in position.


    "Brothers, the time to make our mark is now!" Liu Qingyun mounted his horse and rallied his troops. Behind him, the soldiers of Yuzhou were filled with a feverish look in their eyes. They believed that with Liu Qingyun leading the charge, they would be invincible, a reputation he had built with each sword and spear strike during this time.


    Meanwhile, Zhu Gang''s transformation into a demon was eventually discovered, and Jinzhou Camp descended into chaos. The ordinary soldiers were already terrified by Zhu Gang''s fierce appearance, and he, now driven by savagery, cared not that he was among his own army. Wielding the Wolf Fang Club, he fought and devoured, turning Jinzhou Camp into a veritable hell on earth.


    Liu Qingyun charged into the camp with ease, and upon seeing the cannibalistic Zhu Gang, he was enraged and shouted, "Monster, meet your death!"


    "Perfect timing. How else could I quench the hatred in my heart if not by eating you!" Zhu Gang''s eyes shone with tyranny and a cold murderous intent.


    The battle was on the verge of erupting, but this time Liu Qingyun was not fighting alone. A bolt of lightning struck from the sky, hitting Zhu Gang squarely on the head, making him shudder.


    "Qingyun, make it quick¡ªwe have more important matters to attend to!" The voice of Chang Chunzi came from behind. It turned out he too had joined the battlefield this time.

 Chapter 43 Breaking Jinzhou

    Zhu Gang let out a thunderous roar, raising the Wolf Fang Club high above his head and striking down upon Liu Qingyun with the force of Mount Tai descending. Liu Qingyun exerted himself to block the attack and realized that Zhu Gang, having revealed his true form, had be much stronger than before, to the point where for a moment he actually struggled to defend himself. Continue your story on empire


    It was then that Chang Chunzi made his move. With a flick of a Talisman, mes sprang up out of nowhere, engulfing the body of Zhu Gang, who was after all born a Pig Demon. Even as his hair caught fire, he did not mind the pain and continued fighting, for Liu Qingyun offered him no chance to catch his breath.


    Liu Qingyun engaged in closebat, while Chang Chunzi, hiding behind him, relentlessly flung Talismans at Zhu Gang''s head as if they cost nothing. It wasn''t long before Zhu Gang could no longer hold on. He had already begun to think of retreat, but in the method of battle, even the slightestpse in focus could lead to a drastic drop inbat ability.


    Liu Qingyun seized the opportunity and blew Zhu Gang''s head off with a spear thrust.


    The remaining soldiers, having witnessed such a terrifying and formidable demon get its head blown off by a single spear thrust from Liu Qingyun, were petrified andpletely devoid of fighting spirit, each and every one of them falling to their knees to beg for mercy.


    Liu Qingyun had no time to deal with the surrendering soldiers; with Zhu Gang dead, he naturally sought to press the attack to expand their victory. He spurred his horse forward, raising his spear, and bellowed, "Yuzhou Army, charge!"


    The morale of the Yuzhou soldiers surged in an instant. For them, that silver spear and white robe on the battlefield was their battle g; all they needed to do was to follow the charge. In contrast, the Jinzhou Army turned pale at the sight of Liu Qingyun, their will to fight utterly vanquished.


    Thus, that very night, the Yuzhou Army chased them northward, scattering the several hundred thousand-strong Jinzhou Army. They captured nearly one hundred thousand prisoners; it could be said that after this battle, King of Pingnan, Li Xin, had lost his momentum and could no longer pose a threat to Yuzhou.


    The news of the great victory reached the city, and the citizens cheered and celebrated. Nothing could bring them greater peace of mind than victory. With chaos engulfing thend, battles and death everywhere, Yuzhou, under Lu Zhang''s governance, had enjoyed such a rare period of peace, leaving the locals yearning for Lu Zhang to win every battle and take the world for themselves.


    Should that happen, Yuzhou, as the birthce of the dragon''s rise, would be famous throughout thend.


    Lu Zhang held the Treasured Sword, standing atop the city wall, staring at the Yuzhou Army chasing the enemy northward, and with a soft sigh, hemented, "I never thought that I, Lu Zhang, would one day be unable to even set foot on a battlefield!"


    As a self-made man, he had spent the first half of his life in the military, always leading his troops from the front lines. Now, to only be able to stand on the gate and watch the battle unfold made him feel a deep sense of loss.


    "If our lord has to personally charge into battle now, it would be a disgrace to us all. Besides, swords and spears are blind; if our lord were to suffer any misfortune, we would be without a leader. How could you, my lord, match Qingyun in ying generals, seizing gs, and leading troops into battle?


    Better to leave such opportunities for glory to the younger generation," Hu Shengliang said with a smile, stroking his beard.


    "Your words do make a lot of sense; ultimately, the world belongs to the young," Lu Zhang said with a chuckle, shaking his head.


    "Old Hu, next you''ll need to prepare the provisions and baggage carefully for me. I''m going to take the army to Jinzhou City soon; it''s time to uproot this King of Pingnan, Li Xin." Lu Zhang turned his head to look at Hu Shengliang, his eyes shimmering with an ambition called wild ambition.


    "Rest assured, my lord, these supplies will be ready within three days," Hu Shengliang of course knew that now was the best opportunity to deal with Jinzhou, and these supplies and provisions had actually been prepared by him days ago¡ªno one was more aware of Yuzhou''s strength than he was.


    Despite its low profile, it was all part of a strategy to conceal its brightness and bide its time. After such a long period of development, Yuzhou had long since ceased to be the wilderness others saw it as. Hu Shengliang seemed to be able to foresee the astonishment on everyone''s face when they formally stepped onto the stage ofpeting for supremacy.


    Fate has its own magic, as to who would have thought that Hu Shengliang, nearing sixty, would experience such a turn of events. Now in Yuzhou, he was second only to one and above tens of thousands. Every major and minor affair in Yuzhou had to go through his hands. Thinking of this, Hu Shengliang felt an instant surge of motivation.


    While his body was still able, he wanted to seize the moment to do some work for Lu Zhang. After so many years of support from humble beginnings, he had longe to regard Lu Zhang''s family as his own.


    While Yuzhou was actively preparing for war, ready to counterattack Jinzhou, a great battle broke out in the heart of Great Chen, Zhongzhou, that concerned the course of the entire realm.


    The war between the ck Wolf Army and the White Lotus Sect touched the hearts of everyone in thend. Zhongzhou had long since lost its former prosperity. With sessive disasters and wars sweeping across thend, Zhongzhou was now akin to hell on earth. Starved refugees devoured everything edible on thend with bloodshot eyes.


    White Skeletonsy exposed in the fields, with not a chicken to be heard for thousands of miles. It wasn''t just a description found in books but a visible reality. The horrific legend of resorting to cannibalism was constantly reenacted, giving those in these chaotic times an unreal feeling.


    Standing on a hill and looking at the vast surge of refugees, Bai Chengchou felt quite pleased with himself. He was originally just andlord from the countryside, and who knew what great virtue he had umted in his past life to be noticed by the Sect Hierarch of the White Lotus, entrusting him with the significant responsibility of leading the uprising in Zhongzhou.


    "Holy Maiden, what do you think of my army?" Bai Chengchou pointed to the dense crowd below the hill and said to the woman beside him.


    "They are nothing but a rabble," the woman, dressed in white with a white veil covering her face, revealing only her captivating eyes, was the White Lotus Holy Maiden, second only to the Sect Hierarch in the White Lotus Sect. She single-handedly controlled the propagation of the White Lotus teachings in Zhongzhou, demonstrating her evident prowess.


    Bai Chengchou, upon hearing these words, showed a sh of displeasure on his face. He considered himself as one of the most important figures within the White Lotus Sect, yet this so-called Holy Maiden had always been aloof towards him, often dousing him with cold water which he found very unsatisfying.


    However, since he needed to rely on her at the moment, he dared not offend her and could only force a smile and say, "Isn''t that why I have you, Holy Maiden? I still need to rely a lot on you!"


    "It is said that the ck Armored Armying this time is not an easy opponent to handle. Do you have confidence in your heart? If you mess up the Sect Hierarch''s big ns, do you know what the oue will be?" The Holy Maiden''s light words made Bai Chengchou think of the man who had given him everything.


    He was an enigmatic man, his heart''s desires unknown to all. Nobody knew his true identity or the reasons for his actions, but just the thought of his methods was enough to send a shiver down even a stalwart figure like Bai Chengchou.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 44 White Lotus Sect

    "Thismander of the ck Armored Army, Xu Jianglin, was reportedly a frail Schr before. For unknown reasons, he suddenly changed his temperament and joined the military. In just a few short years, he single-handedly established the ck Armored Army and became a very mysterious figure. My scouts have been dispatched far and wide but haven''t found more information.


    Honestly, I''m quite unsettled about this," Bai Chengchou admitted frankly.


    Hearing this, the White Lotus Holy Maiden couldn''t help but frown and muttered to herself, "It seems he is a troublesome character indeed!" A sense of vignce had already risen in her heart.


    "Report, traces of the Imperial Court''s troops have been discovered ahead, and by the looks of the banners, it should be the ck Armored Army!"


    Upon hearing this, Bai Chengchou and the White Lotus Holy Maiden instantly tensed up, looking at each other and saying, "An army marching so swiftly must undoubtedly be elite troops."


    They quickly gave orders to prepare the main force for battle while they themselves sped on their horses towards the front.


    Soon, the dense ranks of the ck Armored Army appeared before them. The dark glow of their iron armor and their uniform steps indicated to them that this was definitely a force of elite troops. The two exchanged a look, knowing that the greatest test had arrived.


    Wu Jiang rode out on his horse, gazing at the vast expanse of people, andughed to the person next to him, "Such a rabble actually managed to rout the Imperial Court''s forces; it seems that Great Chen is indeed in decline."


    As the vanguard of the ck Armored Army, Wu Jiang was qualified to disdainfully evaluate the opposing army which, in his eyes, barely counted as an army at all but rather a mob of rebels, hence his words were full of contempt.


    "Beat the drums and charge! Let these bumpkins see what an elite force truly looks like!" heughed heartily and waved his hand, issuing the firstmand.


    The resonant sound of drums rang out, and every soldier in the ck Armored Army immediately focused their attention, knowing this was themand to attack. Tightening their grip on their weapons, they roared and charged along with the army.


    Like a ck river, the ck Armored Army surged forward into the White Lotus Sect''s positions with an unstoppable momentum. In an instant, screams and battle cries rose and fell across the battlefield, where closebat turned gruesome, showcasing the most brutal aspect of war at that moment.


    Life at that moment was as fragile as weeds on the ground, with the ck Armored Army like the chilling wind of deep winter, killing all in its path.


    Usually, at this stage in a battle, the oue would be practically decided. A single fleeing soldier could spark a chain reaction, and often, the most terrifying thing wasn''t the enemy''s steel sword but rather one''s ownrades'' footsteps.


    This was when the true terror of the White Lotus Sect showed itself. Through their usual preaching, they had deeply rooted their faith in these simple-minded people''s hearts. At this moment, they were fanatical, willing to sacrifice themselves for their beliefs.


    The course of the battle didn''t proceed as Wu Jiang had imagined. As time went on, he realized just how extraordinary these rebels were. Each of them had a frenzied look and no fear of death in their eyes. What kind of troops were these? Wu Jiang couldn''t understand.


    He didn''t know these people lived in Hell on earth. When they were deceived with a false hope, even if there was just a slight possibility, they would convince themselves to believe, for those engulfed in darkness often refuse to give up any glimmer of light.


    The vast numbers were the strength of the White Lotus Sect, using swarm tactics they trapped the ck Armored Army tightly within the crowd. Every soldier of the ck Armored Army valiantly fought hard; they were all battle-hardened warriors, but there were simply too many people. After cutting down one, another charged forward. Even the strongest warriors tire and run out of strength eventually.


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    "Holy Maiden, if this continues, our most devout followers will all perish!" Bai Chengchou was also bing anxious. These were their most fanatical believers, who had always fearlessly driven their victories in every battle. If these people died here on this battlefield, the team would be difficult to lead in the future.


    The White Lotus Holy Maiden was, of course, aware of this situation. These worshippers were those she had arduously gathered over great hardship. She then instructed her subordinates to set up an altar, and holding a token, she cast a spell on the altar, causing a great fog to suddenly appear and envelop the battlefield instantly.


    Wu Jiang was fighting with all his might when a dense fog suddenly appeared before him. Soon, he could no longer see the figures around him, although the sounds ofbat were still clearly audible, he could not see a trace of his enemies or his own men.


    It was at this moment that the roar of a warhorse reached his ears, and a military general d in armor and wielding a Guan Dao appeared before him.


    This general was very tall, but his face was indistinct. The Guan Dao in his hand flickered with a deadly white chill, clearly not an easy opponent to contend with.


    The two instantly shed in battle, exchanging blows evenly, neither able to gain the upper hand over the other.


    As time passed, Wu Jiang sensed something was amiss. The general opposite him seemed never to tire, attacking at the same frequency as at the start. Strangely, though he had been shing with him for so many rounds and had been sliced a few times, he bore no wounds.


    "This is wrong!" Wu Jiang realized something was amiss. Using the brief interval when their weapons crossed, he leapt out of the fray. Suddenly, he discovered that the military general he had been fighting for so long had disappeared, and the fog was gradually thinning. When he looked around, he couldn''t help but gasp.


    During his intense battle, his men had beenpletely wiped out by the people of the White Lotus Sect. Now, he leaned on his war saber, breathing heavily. The battle had exhausted him greatly.


    "It seems it took the Holy Maiden''s intervention. Such an elite force quietly perished on the battlefield; the spell is truly terrifying. But why haven''t we ever seen such spells on the battlefield before?" Bai Chengchou, born of low status, didn''t know much about the affairs of the Cultivation Realm.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "The world is in great turmoil now, the mandate of Great Chen is about to end, the human path''s fortune and destiny can no longer be suppressed. Previously, under the suppression of the human path''s fortune and destiny, all divine skills and Taoistws were greatly diminished," the White Lotus Holy Maiden exined.


    After speaking, she no longer concerned herself with the matters of the battlefield and left with her subordinates.


    "This general, the battle is over now, why not surrender quickly? The White Lotus Army is in desperate need of talents. If you are willing to join, a great future lies ahead," Bai Chengchou had been observing Wu Jiang and perceived him to be a fierce warrior. He immediately felt a desire to recruit such talent.


    He was well aware of the weaknesses of the White Lotus Army; the rebels, untrained in formal military tactics, could handle battles with the wind in their favor, but couldn''t match a true army. The recent battle had clearly shown him the disparity, so he very much hoped to recruit Wu Jiang.


    "The ck Armored Army has only generals who die in battle, never generals who are captured," Wu Jiang, though utterly exhausted, was a soldier through and through, his pride preventing him from surrendering.

 Chapter 45 Wolf Demon Attacks the Camp

    Continuing the fierce fight with a War Saber in hand, he was already at the end of his strength. How could he face the overwhelming army? Yet, he had never given up. Covered in countless wounds, he died from exhaustion, and his Lost Soul headed straight for Izumo Mountain, where, under Shi Qingfeng''s guidance, he entered the earthly rankings to recuperate.


    "s! What a staunch and steely man, send the order to give him a grand burial!" Bai Chengchou, as a warlord of the chaotic times, still had that much magnanimity.


    Inside the tent of the ck Armored Army, Xu Jianglin was carefully observing the map when he suddenly heard a series of noisy sounds, furrowing his brows he asked, "What is it? What''s with themotion?"


    The trusted aide guarding the tent quickly replied, "General, urgent news hase from the front lines¡ªGeneral Wu Jiang has died in battle!"


    "Where is he? Bring him in quickly! What''s Wu Jiang ying at? A group of Rebels could actually take his life?" Xu Jianglin was well aware of Wu Jiang''s capabilities. Since he had decided to act, it must be that the band of Rebels were not very strong. Yet, this band of weak Rebels actually managed to annihte the entire vanguard of the ck Armored Army.


    There must be reasons that he did not know about, so he needed to know the details.


    Soon, the trusted aide brought the soldier who came to report into the tent. Seeing the soldier with a dirtied face and wounds, Xu Jianglin, uncharacteristically, did not get angry but merely asked, "Tell me the situation at the front lines one by one. Why did we fail?"


    The soldier recited from his memory till he spoke of the strange fog, still a bit traumatized, "Just when we were about to im a great victory, a thick fog suddenly appeared. It was so dense that we couldn''t see our own hands, and although we could hear the sounds of the battle close by, we couldn''t find ourrades. Later, those Rebels appeared, and for some reason, they just couldn''t be killed.


    Just when we managed to kill them, they would reappear after a while. By the time the fog had lifted, there were very few of us left."


    Listening to the soldier''s detailed description, Xu Jianglin, supported his forehead with his hand and thought deeply for a long time. Then, he waved his hand and said, "I understand. Go rest well."


    Watching the departing soldier, he thenmanded the trusted aide, "Call ck Back in here!"


    Soon, the General ck Back entered the tent, Xu Jianglin gestured for everyone around to leave, and then his demeanor suddenly changed and he no longer looked like the gentle schr from before. His body emitted a tyrannical aura, and his eyes shed with a terrifying red light.


    "Tell me! What exactly happened, and how did Wu Jiang really die?"


    ck Back, already frightened by Xu Jianglin''s aura, hurriedly replied, "ording to my observations, it must have been a Cultivator who intervened. Behind that White Lotus Sect, there must stand a high-level expert from the Cultivation Realm. That fog was summoned by the White Lotus Holy Maiden using a Spell, and those undying, eerie soldiers were all Paper Effigies."


    "Have you figured out the origins of these people?" Xu Jianglin wasn''t surprised by the news. He was no ordinary man; after hearing the soldier''s description, he had realized that a Cultivator had intervened.


    "I don''t know, the person behind the scenes never came out. But from the charms and sacred water they used, I smelled a strong scent of blood," ck Back quickly ryed the information he had gathered, knowing well that his master, the Great King, was not an easy-going person, and it was only in recent times he had slightly softened his behavior to hide his true identity.


    "A smell of blood? It seems they are not on the path of righteousness, and hiding their identity is probably because they cannot withstand scrutiny. But I don''t care who they are if they dare to stand in my way; they must die!" Xu Jianglin''s eyes surged with a fierce glint.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "How are the Wolf Guards that I asked you to train?" Xu Jianglin changed the topic.


    "Reporting to the Great King, there are already two thousand people. The physique of the human race is really too weak, and very few can withstand the Great King''s bloodline transformation!"


    "Two thousand people are enough. Tonight, you will lead the Wolf Guards tounch a night attack on the White Lotus Sect''s main camp."


    That night, the sky was densely enveloped by dark clouds, casting everything into pitch darkness. Although the weather was not favorable, it was an absolutely fortunate day for the members of the White Lotus Sect, having just achieved a significant victory during the day,pletely annihting the vanguard of the elite ck Armored Army.


    At this time, everyone at the White Lotus Sect was immersed in a sea of joy,pletely unaware that danger had stealthily descended upon them.


    Outside their camp, a troop of men had quietly approached. Each of these men was burly, d in ck clothes, and their eyes gleamed crimson in the darkness, presenting a terrifying sight.


    "Men, the Great King has said that there are no restrictions tonight, unleash yourselves and kill," said Heibei, who instantly transformed into an upright Wolf Demon with crimson eyes, bared fangs, dark dense fur, and long, icy ws gleaming coldly.


    Upon thismand, those burly men also tore off their clothes and transformed into Wolf Demons. They howled towards the sky, and their howls sent shockwaves across thend. Amidst these howls, the cloud-covered sky cracked open to reveal the bright, full moon.


    The moonlight seemed to drape these werewolves in ayer of silvery armor. With eyes aglow, they charged into the White Lotus Sect''s main camp.


    This was a dance of ughter, a bloodthirsty feast, the final grace granted by the hunters to their prey. These werewolves were incredibly strong, their bodies covered with tough skin that resisted ordinary swords and sabers. Moreover, their terrifying forms struck terror into the members of the White Lotus Sect, leaving them utterly disheartened and flustered.


    Some were so frightened their legs gave way, while others prayed sincerely on the ground, hoping their divine spirits would save them.


    However, all of this could not stop the werewolves'' rampage. It wasn''t long before the camp was strewn with corpses, and after feasting, the werewolves disappeared into the depths of the dark, leaving chaos behind.


    "What exactly happened? Why did the entire camp fall silently like this?" This time, it was Bai Chengchou who frowned. Justst night, everyone in a camp had been killed, the scene aplete mess, with signs of savage animal bites everywhere.


    "Did the nearby military camps say thatst night there seemed to be an rming howl of wolves here?"


    "A howl of wolves, since when can a pack of wolves do such a thing?" Bai Chengchou did not believe that an ordinary pack of wolves could aplish this.


    "A pack can''t, but what if it were Wolf Demons?" The words of the White Lotus Holy Maiden reached him from behind.


    "Holy Maiden, you''ve finally arrived. Are you saying this was done by Wolf Demons?" Bai Chengchou found it hard to believe at first, but then he turned his mind to the realization that if miraculous Taoistws were a reality, the appearance of a demon might not be so surprising after all.


    "Although the presence is faint, I am sure it is the aura of a demon. The ground has wolf fur left on it, and our use of spells during the day destroyed the vanguard of the ck Armored Army. So, it seems that at night, the Wolf Demons came to attack our camp. It seems that Xu Jianglin is not an easy opponent to deal with. I will report this matter to the Sect Hierarch to see how he decides.


    You must intensify patrols during this period to prevent such an incident from happening again."

 Chapter 46 Monkey News

    Bai Chengchou''s face still bore some worry, after all, the so-called demons had appeared, and he truly didn''t know how to deal with this situation.


    "You also need not worry," the White Lotus Holy Maiden consoled Bai Chengchou, "They definitely dare not act rashly. You must know that now a great cmity has befallen the Cultivation Realm, and many righteous cultivators have descended from their mountains to face it. If it bes known that they acted, these so-called reputable sects will surely clean house.


    Ultimately, the oue of this war must fall to the military."


    Meanwhile, Lu Yu had already handed over the matters of the earthly rankings to Shi Qingfeng and had turned to return to his dwelling at Mountain Luoxia.


    The Big ck Donkey was idly staring at a freshly sprouted tender branch in the cave, feeling quite depressed as he recalled Lu Yu, who had left. Ever since the incidentst time, he''d always felt as if there were a pair of eyes watching him from behind, which made him extremely ufortable.


    "When will you grow up, you little thing? You''re not even enough for one bite for me." The creature still harbored nefarious intentions towards the Enlightenment Tea Tree. If it hadn''t been for the Enlightenment Tea''s foundation being injured, the True Spirit within would have already beaten this foolish creature thoroughly by now.


    "Not to mention where that damned Schr has gone, leaving ck Lord all alone here. It''s so boring!" The Big ck Donkey let out a shout, his voice echoing in the empty cave dwelling.


    "What are you wailing like a ghost or howling like a wolf here for all by yourself?" Suddenly, a voice came through, startling the Big ck Donkey, who rolled right off the ground. When he steadied himself and looked, he realized it was Lu Yu who hade back from outside.


    "Master, you have returned. Xiao Hei has missed you greatly and has been longing day and night for your safe return." The Big ck Donkey changed his earlier cursing tone to a fawning one, and by the looks of it, he was just short of rushing forward to hug Lu Yu''s legs.


    "Oh! Is that so? How rare for you to have such sentiment." Lu Yu didn''t believe a word the Big ck Donkey said, knowing that this foolish creature probably wished that he had died outside so that it could lead a carefree life.


    The Big ck Donkey chuckled sheepishly, but inside he cursed: "Damn it, why didn''t you die out there? My poor freedom, my beloved earth and blue sky."


    Lu Yu couldn''t be bothered with this treacherous Big ck Donkey and instead walked over to the Enlightenment Tea Tree to carefully observe the sapling''s growth.


    After watching for a while, he finally nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad, it''s growing well. Although it has lost a great deal of its Spiritual Charm, as long as the life force is restored, those charms spread throughout the world can still be retrieved."


    The sapling of the Enlightenment Tea Tree seemed to understand Lu Yu''s words as it trembled its tender young branches, from which Lu Yu could clearly feel a sense of joy.


    In the following days, Lu Yu no longer went out but concentrated on managing his abode. He leveled the ground inside the cave and made stone tables and chairs. He also nted some spiritual medicine seeds, as the effects of the Wang Ling Spring were extraordinary, and his Treasure Vase could condense Divine Water. It would have been a waste not to nt some spiritual medicines.


    After several repairs, this primitive dwelling finally took on a bit of the air of the abode of Immortal n. Although there were no precious materials, there was an elegance throughout, and Lu Yu nodded in satisfaction. "In this world, I finally have a ce to find refuge and establish myself."


    That night, with the bright moon high in the silent sky and only the breeze rustling through the trees, Lu Yu sat in his cave dwelling with his body rxed, spiritual energy circting through his organs as he conducted his daily cultivation.


    "Who is this monkey that dares to run wild on ck Lord''s territory!" The shouting of the Big ck Donkey awoke Lu Yu from his cultivation. He followed the voice outside and saw that it was Marshal Ma from before. The monkey had his scent on him, so naturally, he could follow the scent to find him.


    This could be considered the contact list of the Journey to the West world; only those who were trustworthy would leave their scents with each other. What''s more, having this scent meant that some curse techniques could harm the physical body.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Sir, this is something good that our Great King brought down from the Heavenly Court. He instructed me to personally deliver it into your hands!" With that, he handed over a small gourd. Lu Yu knew it to be a kind of storage magic artifact from Huaguo Mountain.


    Upon opening it, he saw a Golden Core and a Peach of Immortality inside. The peach was enveloped in a purple aura, and the Golden Core had nine patterns on it, indicating that they were both of superior quality. Lu Yu smiled knowingly and, for some reason, suddenly remembered the time when he and the monkey had feasted on peaches atop the mountain in Cave Heaven.


    The monkey never forgot to share his treasures with him.


    "How is your Great King now?" Lu Yu sighed softly as he asked.


    Marshal Ma suddenly knelt on the ground, crying, "Sir, to be honest, our Great King has gotten into big trouble this time. He told me not to say anything, but I know that this time, the Great King will likely not escape his fate. I hope you can save him!"


    Lu Yu also sighed deeply upon hearing this. He was well aware that the monkey had caused great trouble, but this was all part of the schemes of mighty beings. Even with his capabilities, going there would be futile. He had also advised the monkey to think carefully before acting, yet that was the proud Great Sage Equalling Heaven who would not easily change.


    "I am already aware of your Great King''s situation. You can rest assured that his life is not in danger, but it''s you smaller monkeys who might face deadly peril!"


    Martial Ma was first overjoyed and then rmed, quickly prostrating himself and pleading, "I implore you to save our lives, sir!"


    Lu Yu pondered for a long time as he gazed into the distance at the sky, with the fortune and destiny of Great Chen fully in view. After thest war, Lu Zhang had sessfully taken Jinzhou, and the King of Pingnan, Li Xin, hadmitted suicide. Lu Zhang had also officially entered the stage to contend for control of the world.


    Meanwhile, the situation in Zhongzhou had fallen into a strange equilibrium between the ck Armored Army and White Lotus Sect. Although local warfare had never ceased, neither side had engaged in a major battle again, as if quietly waiting for something.


    Everyone knew that this was merely the calm before the storm, and soon the struggle for the dragon of Great Chen would reach its most intense moment¡ªa moment that would decide the fate of thend.


    For Lu Yu, this moment was equally significant. As the war escted, it was very possible that Lu Zhang''s side would encounter various situations, and he had to be ready to descend the mountain and lend assistance at any time. After all, the sess of Lu Zhang was tied to his own appointment as City God, and he could not afford to be negligent.


    After a long while, Lu Yu let out a heavy sigh and said, "It''s hard to find peace of mind, and I don''t know if my n will seed."


    He wanted to fight side by side with the monkey out of friendship, but he didn''t dare to do so because he knew the depths behind the grand Journey to the West. This was a stage set by many Saints together, and with his current level of cultivation, it was like trying to stop a cart with one''s arm. He could only hope to assist at the fringes.


    Despite this, Lu Yu had to risk his life, for the waters of the Journey to the West world were too deep. Many powerful beings lurked behind the scenes, and you couldn''t gauge their strength or choices. A single misstep could mean danger to one''s life.


    He said to Marshal Ma, "Stay here and wait for me for a few days, and I will think of a solution for you!"

 Chapter 47 The Manifestation of True Monarch

    At the mouth of Guan River in Guanzhou, Eastern Land, the scenery was exquisite. The Guan River meandered past, and on one side of it stood the Temple of True Monarch Yang Jian.


    True Monarch Engshen was famous for his power; the temple was perpetually surrounded by followers, making the area as loud as a bustling market. Various stalls were set up in front of the temple door, offering a dazzling array of goods that captivated the visitors.


    Among those stalls was a young Taoist Priest, behind whom hung a couplet: "Knows the astronomy above, foresees five hundred years ahead. Understands the geography below, perceives five hundred years behind."


    His grandiose ims surprised the local people, but as he was so young, no one approached him for divination or fortune-telling. The Taoist Priest seemed not to care, spending his days absorbed in a Taoist scripture, resembling a Schr in demeanor.


    The sky filled with dark clouds, a sudden whirlwind cleared the street, hurrying the stall owners to pack up their goods because rain seemed imminent, prompting the ordinary folk to head home to avoid getting wet.


    However, the rain did note for quite some time; what no one saw was that following the whirlwind, a young man appeared in front of the temple. He wore a hat adorned with three crests and a pale yellow garment. Gold-threaded Boots matched with Coiled Dragon Socks, and a jade belt ornately decorated with the eight treasures pattern.


    At his waist, a slingshot shaped like a crescent moon, holding a Three-pointed Double-edged Spear in his hand.


    If anyone had looked closely, they would have recognized that this young man bore an exact resemnce to the temple''s divine statue¡ªit was none other than the renowned first divine general of Guan River Mouth, True Monarch Yang Jian of the Divine Enthronement.


    This True Monarch observed mankind with great interest, his demeanor calm and collected. Those who did not know his reputation might have had a hard time associating him with the veteran general of the Divine Enthronement battle.


    Yang Jian''s gaze quickly fell on a Taoist Priest he didn''t recognize, standing in front of his own temple, d in a Taoist Robe and deeply engrossed in the Taoist scripture, thoroughly content and joyful, yet the couplet behind him boasted immensely.


    "Master, this Taoist Priest has been here for several days now, boasting so greatly yet no one has sought his fortune-telling!" said the temple Judge upon noticing Yang Jian''s curious expression.


    "Indeed, he does boast greatly; let me assess his abilities!" Yang Jian spoke as he transformed himself into a Schr dressed in white, holding a folding fan, elegantly making his way to the Taoist''s stall.


    "This Taoist Priest speaks so boldly, iming to know five hundred years ahead and five hundred years behind."


    "Do you think I am merely boasting?" the Taoist Priest showed not an ounce of insecurity.


    "I certainly believe youck such ability." Yang Jian was astonished by the Taoist''s thick skin, unafraid to be called out.


    "Oh! Would you dare to make a wager with me?"


    "I would not hesitate. But if you lose, I will destroy your signboard and banish you from Guanzhou!"


    "I have no other requests. If I win, you just need to agree to do one thing for me."


    Having said that, he gave a respectful bow, calm andposed, "Please proceed with your question, kind sir!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Taoist Priest, since you im to know five hundred years ahead and five hundred behind, I won''t make it difficult for you¡ªjust figure out who I am and my past deeds." Yang Jian truly doubted the Taoist could achieve this, knowing that foreseeing five hundred years ahead might be possible for the great powers of the heavens, but foreseeing five hundred years into the past was a feat only a few reclusive Saints could manage, thereby firmly believing the Taoist Priest was merely bluffing to scare people.


    The Taoist Priest, eyes closed, pretended to calcte for a while before responding: "Kind sir, you are no ordinary person. You are a rtive of the Heavenly Emperor, who oncemanded the storm in the battle of Divine Enthronement, True Monarch Yang Jian of Jade Void indeed!"


    Upon hearing this, Yang Jian''s expression changed. He was initially searching for entertainment, but unexpectedly, it seemed he had been outwitted.


    Opening his third eye between his eyebrows, he discerned that the Taoist before him hid an aura of Taoist charm about him, with steam rising around him and a Treasured Sword apanying him¡ªa clear sign of a well-practiced individual, indeed it was Lu Yu, who had traveled far from home.


    "Very well, very well, to think someone plotted against me. I will not be petty¡ªif you can escape with your life from my hands, agreeing to one of your requests is of no concern!" After speaking, the True Monarch revealed his true form and, holding the Three-pointed Double-edged Spear, thrust at the Taoist.


    Lu Yu dared not treat the matter lightly; Yang Jian was not like the Serpent King, for this person was a legitimate sessor of the Jade Void and a veteran of many battles. Known for his great fame in the Divine Enthronement War, he was none other than Engshen. Lu Yu quickly unsheathed the Sword of State and parried Yang Jian''s blows.


    The two fought from the ground up into the sky, and Lu Yu noticed that Yang Jian''s attacks were both broad and seamless. Not daring to sh directly, he could only opt for evasivebat.


    However, for a warlord like Yang Jian, with his rich experience in Magical Combat, how could he not see through Lu Yu''s tactics, closing in to exploit his weapon''s longer reach, pressing Lu Yu continuously.


    Lu Yu then felt the pressure as Yang Jian, who had cultivated the physically tough Eight-Nine Mystical Art, seemed as hard as a Magical Treasure; even the Uneven Sword striking him emitted a sound of shing metal.


    Taking no chances, Lu Yu wielded the Sword of State continuously. He shed creating streaks of Sword Light, with waves of Sword Intent illuminating the entire sky with brilliant light.


    "Well done!" Yang Jian shouted, transforming into a hundred-zhang-tall giant. Lu Yu, not to be outdone, also transformed into a giant, and the two continued their battle.


    Yet, whether it was the robustness of his Mana, his experience in Magical Combat, or the toughness of his body, Yang Jian surpassed Lu Yu in all aspects, gradually wearing Lu Yu down.


    "Stop!" At amand, Yang Jian involuntarily ceased his onught as the Treasured Sword in his hand became a beam of Sword Light, darting straight for Yang Jian''s face.


    Yang Jian seemed not to have anticipated this Technique, and momentarily caught off guard by Lu Yu''s stratagem, transformed into a magpie at thest moment, dodging the Sword Light.


    Seeing Yang Jian use the Art of Transformation, Lu Yu, in no way inferior, transformed into a mighty eagle and fiercely pounced toward the magpie, only for the magpie to swoop to the ground and turn into a leopard reaching for the eagle.


    Lu Yu dodged the leopard''s w and transformed into a fierce-spotted tiger pouncing at the leopard, only to find a giant elephant already waiting for him. In haste, he turned into a mouse and aimed for the elephant''s trunk.


    In that brief moment, the two demonstrated a series of rapid transformations, truly showing what myriad changes meant. However, ultimately Yang Jian''s realm surpassed Lu Yu''s, and soon Lu Yu felt his energy waning.


    Yang Jian would not miss this excellent opportunity and revealed his true form, stabbing Lu Yu with his spear.


    There was no bloodshed; the Lu Yu who was stabbed turned instantaneously into a pool of clear water, shimmering with stardust.


    "What a beautiful Doppelganger Technique!" Even Yang Jian could not help but praise. This technique was so wless that even Yang Jian had not realized when Lu Yu had employed this method.


    "You are very good, a worthy opponent indeed. If you can withstand this strike, I will grant you a request," Yang Jian said, his fighting spirit fierce,ughing while holding the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword.


    As he spoke, the originally hundred-zhang-tall giant began to grow evenrger, and soon a heaven-piercing, earth-touching giant appeared before him, standing with his feet on the ground and his head touching the sky.

 Chapter 48 One Strike

    All beings of the Three Realms saw that enormous divine being and immediately began discussing animatedly, with knowledgeable ones eximing uncontrobly, "Isn''t that the True Monarch? Who could possibly have forced him to disy such Divine Skills?"


    "Is this what truly embodies the Law of Heaven and Earth?" Lu Yu muttered to himself, realizing that his own transformed giant paled inparison.


    But there was nothing he could do, as Yang Jian, a renowned expert in the Three Realms, had been stalled in the Five Qi Realm for a long time, unable to touch the threshold of Five Qi towards the beginning, yet his many years of refinement had made his mana formidable.


    Lu Yu, after all, was new to cultivation and his mana was significantly weakerpared to such experts. Probably only the Monkey, with his extraordinary talent and having consumed the Golden Cores and Peaches of Immortality, possessed such a foundation.


    The giant standing between heaven and earth, wielding a Three-pointed Double-edged Sword, struck at Lu Yu, the intense pressure making himpletely unable to move. Determined, he called out the Treasure Vase and drank all the Three Lights Divine Water inside it.


    The Three Lights Divine Water, possessing the Power of Creation, could replenish mana; with this sip, he had used up all the Divine Water he had umted over the years.


    Having swallowed the Three Lights Divine Water, Lu Yu felt as if his entire body was about to explode, with fine cracks appearing on his flesh, and blood slowly seeping out of these ces. With this powerful force, Lu Yu was finally able to move freely.


    However, faced with Engshen''s full-strength strike, he had no n left but to meet it with his treasured sword in hand.


    Soon, the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword, along with the strong Gang Wind, reached Lu Yu. At the moment of the weapons'' sh, Lu Yu felt as if the whole world was pressing down on him; the pressure made him a bit scared but also somewhat excited, seemingly igniting a me deep within him.


    The usually calm Lu Yu suddenly felt an urge to roar at the sky, his voice deformed under the tremendous pressure, "Open for me!"


    The Peaches of Immortality and Golden Core he had ingested were rapidly absorbed by his body under the massive pressure, and the ces that were cracked shone with a ze-like glow. As time ticked by, Lu Yu never felt time move so slowly. Just when he thought he couldn''t hold on any longer, the immense power began to diminish, and he rxed his tense nerves.


    At this moment, he looked exceptionally wretched; his Taoist Robe, worn as part of his act, had been torn to shreds by the Gang Wind, and his body was drenched in blood from his many wounds.


    This tragic scene even drew a sideways nce from Yang Jian, who resumed his true form and sighed, "I''m now very curious about what terms you want to propose that made you fight so desperately."


    Lu Yu looked at Engshen with a wry smile, knowing that the other had shown mercy. He said, "A decree from the Heavenly Court will soon arrive, requesting the True Monarch to capture the Great Sage Equalling Heaven on Huaguo Mountain. I wish to ask a favor, hoping that the True Monarch will spare the lives of those monkeys when the timees!"


    "Oh? Is it that monkey who rebelled against the Heavenly Court?" Although Yang Jian didn''t care much for matters of the Heavenly Court, the ruckus caused by the Monkey King was significant enough to reach his ears.


    "Why not try to persuade me not to capture this Monkey King?" Yang Jian asked with a smile.


    "I am self-aware and would never impede the True Monarch. Besides, seeing that you have been stuck at the threshold of Five Qi toward the beginning for years, you probably wish for a great battle to seek an opportunity. How could I ask such a thing? To be able to preserve the lives of that monkey and his descendants would be good enough," Lu Yu said with a bitter smile.


    Even if he could persuade Yang Jian, what use would it be when there are other experts in the world? The destiny of the Monkey King had long been determined; what good were Lu Yu''s slight arms and legs? It would be better to preserve the Monkey King''s legacy and quietly await his return after oveing his tribtions.


    "Heavenly virtue treasures life, and I, Yang Jian, am not a bloodthirsty person. I agree to this. But since you''re a friend of that Monkey King, let me ask you, how does hepare to me?"


    "I think he must be the very opponent that True Monarch has been waiting for."


    The words of Lu Yu made Yang Jian''s eyes light up, having an evenly matched opponent was indeed the most precious thing for him at this moment. Since Lu Yu possessed extraordinary strength and had personally exchanged blows with him, his words were naturally credible.


    "Good!" Yang Jian said the word with emphasis, one could imagine the excitement in his heart, he had a strong premonition that the opportunity he had been earnestly seeking was about toe.


    His eyes turned to the east, as if he could see that monkey thousands of miles away, his fighting spirit soaring. In this moment, his presence was that of the once invincible great general of the Three Realms, Yang Jian of the Jade Void, showing his divine might as Engshen.


    After thanking Yang Jian for his insistence to stay, Lu Yu did not dare to dy a moment longer, after all, Marshal Ma was waiting in the cave for his news.


    When Marshal Ma saw Lu Yu again, he was greatly shocked, Lu Yu''s appearance at this time was somewhat terrifying. In the eyes of Marshal Ma, Mr. Lu had always been refined and cultured, with an extraordinary demeanor, he had never seen him in such a disheveled state.


    Breathing weakly, his body covered in wounds, blood incessantly seeping from his flesh, the sight was somewhat horrifying.


    "Mr. Lu, are you alright!"


    "It''s nothing, I have fortunatelypleted the task and secured a promise, the lives of you little monkeys can be spared!" Lu Yu also let out a long sigh of relief, after all, he did not haveplete confidence in this matter beforehand.


    Having exined his agreement with Yang Jian to Marshal Ma, he said, "When the timees, you must hide beneath the Water Curtain Stone Bridge and must not show your heads. The True Monarch will intercept the rest of the Heavenly Court''s forces himself, remember this well!" Lu Yu repeatedly cautioned.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for nning on our behalf, we are eternally grateful." Marshal Ma expressed his sincere gratitude, tears already forming in the corners of his eyes, feeling that they little monkeys had been a hindrance, having prevented their Great King from getting away and causing Mr. Lu to end up like this.


    "s! My abilities are modest, and this is all I can do for the monkey," said Lu Yu with a waned interest.


    Watching the retreating figure of Marshal Ma, Lu Yu muttered to himself, "The winds of the times are ultimately upon us!"


    In the ever-spring-like Huaguo Mountain, when the monkeys received the message from Marshal Ma, the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, always stubborn and unyielding, fighting the heavens and battlling the earth, disyed a rare sentiment of mncholy.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Schr, I wonder if I will have the chance to see you again in this lifetime." He was well aware the trouble he had caused this time was not minor, and in order not to involve Lu Yu, he had not allowed Marshal Ma to say too much. Little did he expect that Marshal Ma, worried about his safety, would reveal everything to Lu Yu.


    Actually, at this moment, the Monkey King also realized something was amiss. There were so many Peaches of Immortality in the Peach Orchard of Immortality that even if he ate them day and night without stopping, they would only amount to a drop in the bucket. Moreover, he wasn''t foolish enough to eat all the peaches.


    The Tushita Pce is where the Elder Lord resides, situated above the thirty-third heaven. Yet he somehow found himself there in a daze, and as for the Golden Core, it was unguarded as though it had been ced there just waiting for him to steal it¡ªthere weren''t even any child servants tending the mes, let alone a gatekeeper.

 Chapter 49 The Great Battle Begins

    However, the Heavenly Court had ample reason to campaign against him, iming he had stolen everyst Peach of Immortality from the Peach Orchard of Immortality and had eaten all of the Nine-Turn Golden Pills that Grand Supreme Elderly Lord had concocted for the Jade Emperor.


    "This is a trap!" the Monkey assured himself, and with that thought, he could not help but bitterugh.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Always proiming himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, holding his head high, he had never imagined he''d be manipted like a clown to the apuse of others. Now, with his great error made, he had no chance to turn back, leaving the everpetitive Monkey feeling deeply dejected.


    After his dejection came anger, rage zed in his heart. He bellowed skyward, unwilling to be yed by others. Now that Lu Yu had eliminated his concerns from behind, he could finally unleash himself and wreak havoc, no longer hesitating. His spirit to battle against the heavens erupted, scattering the clouds in the sky.


    Just then, a sudden report arrived that the grand army of the Heavenly Court was approaching, and the Nine Luminaries Star Lords were already calling out challenges outside.


    "Good, since you force my hand, how about I create the chaos you so desire!" At that moment, the Monkey bristled with the intent to fight, desperately needing to vent. He donned his battle robes and took out his Ruyi Jingu Bang, then charged out of his cave.


    Seeing the Nine Luminaries Star Lords at the entrance, he didn''t say a word and raised his iron rod to strike. Seeing his aggressive demeanor, the Star Lords also drew their weapons, not daring to take him lightly.


    "What''s gotten into this monkey, has he swallowed gunpowder? Usually, when he sees us, he''s all smiles, calling us brothers, but today, he starts fighting without a word."


    "Be careful, this monkey has gone mad. Don''t get careless and get injured; his Ruyi Jingu Bang is no trifling matter."


    While the Nine Luminaries Star Lords were still inwardly grumbling, the Monkey was already fighting furiously, not caring about past rtionships. His iron rod blocked and parried left and right, causing the nine Star Lords endless grief.


    As seasoned members of the Heavenly Court, they knew well that there was a great secret behind the Monkey''s repeated defiance of Heavenly Stripes without consequence. The funniest part was that he had even been officially titled the Great Sage Equalling Heaven. Now, respecting the prestige of the Heavenly Emperor, they had to take action.


    Seeing the Monkey in a frenzy, they already felt the desire to retreat. They exchanged looks, and dragging their weapons, they fell back in defeat and rushed to the central army tent, where they said to Devaraja, "This Monkey King is extraordinarily valiant! We couldn''t stand against him and have fled from the battle."


    Devaraja Li Jing merely furrowed his brow, looking at the nine Star Lords with a sense of speechlessness. He knew that Sun Wukong''s rage was not ordinary, but the Star Lords were alsopetent, not supposed to falter so quickly. A nce told him these folks were not putting in their full effort.


    He understood, though. The Monkey''s origins were extraordinary, and he generally had a good rtionship with everyone. Moreover, this time the Jade Emperor had clearly used the Monkey as an excuse to reduce everyone''s share of the Peaches of Immortality ¡ª who could be happy about that?


    Therefore, he said nothing else, thinking it best to finish the mission swiftly. He then dispatched the Four Great Heavenly Kings, the twenty-eight Star Immortals, and the one hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers, arranging them into eighteenyers of heaven and earths.


    Seeing this, the Monkey felt no fear. Knowing that the Schr could now take care of his lineage of Monkeys and Monkey descendants, the current Sun Wukong was free of any concerns; this was when he was at his strongest.


    The stronger the enemy, the more it ignited his fighting spirit. Holding his iron rod aloft, he faced the vast array of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals without any fear, and yelled, "Take this stick from yours truly, Old Monkey!"


    The Golden Hoop Rod suddenly grew as tall as the heavens; the Monkey King also employed the Great Divine Power of Law of Heaven and Earth. As he swung the Golden Hoop Rod, it whipped up a fierce wind that swept across the heavens and the earth, the East Sea roiled in an instant with towering waves crashing against the sea surface, causing many aquatic tribes below to flee in panic.


    East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang looked at the swaying Crystal Pce and could not help but sigh, "s! My poor Dragon Pce, what sins have we wrought!"


    The Four Great Heavenly Kings, fourteen star immortals, twelve Celestial Branches, protective deities from all five directions, four ministries, stars of the east and west, two gods of the north and south, Five Great Mountains, every celestial saw the monkey''s posture and knew he was infuriated.


    "Well, this Monkey is really angry, disying such an attitude."


    "Nonsense, if you had a scandal as big as stealing all the Peaches of Immortality pinned on you, you''d explode too."


    "I''m scared, it''s better to step back, this monkey obviously doesn''t recognize anyone now, getting hurt by him wouldn''t be worth it."


    "That isn''t good though, how would we exin this to the Jade Emperor?"


    "What exnation do we need? me the stolen Peaches of Immortality on the monkey, push him to take the fall¡ªwho would believe that? He''s not foolish enough to eat all the peaches himself; could his small frame handle it?"


    "Who doesn''t know his little schemes? This time the Peaches of Immortality had matured once in nine thousand years; he wouldn''t let such divine substances enter our mouths."


    "Say less, after all, he is the revered Heavenly Emperor, returning empty-handed wouldn''t look good superficially. Below are seventy-two Demon Kings; if we capture one or two, it''ll look better."


    As this was said, everyone''s eyes lit up¡ªwho would want to antagonize the monkey in his current state? Capturing a few Demon Kings would also count aspleting their task.


    So a strange scene unfolded on the battlefield: many immortals avoided the monkey whenever they saw him and rushed toward other demon kings who were desperately charging forward; those unwitting demon kings, originally hoping to make a name for themselves, ended up as scapegoats.


    This chaotic battlested from day to night, and the monkey had almost vented his frustration. Seeing that it was getting dark, he was toozy to continue entangling with the celestial gods. Using an external technique, he pulled a handful of hairs, chewed them, and shouted, "Transform!" Instantly, he turned into hundreds of Great Saints, all wielding Jingu Bangs.


    The immortals of the Heavenly Court quickly stepped aside, shouting, "Impressive, Monkey, truly formidable!" However, their faces showed no signs of distress, only shouts from their mouths.


    Seeing this, Li Tianwang was at a loss for words. Indeed, these fellows had been mingling in the Heavenly Court for a long time, each skilfully doing the bare minimum.


    However, he felt this was eptable as well; at least he, as themander, could report to the Jade Emperor. They failed to capture the Monkey, but all his subordinate Demon Kings were caught, which counted as a merit.


    Thinking this, he waved his hand to let the indolent fellows retreat, pondering how to report to the Jade Emperor, given that the formalities still had to be observed.


    The monkey returned to his cave and counted his troop, finding none of his monkey or monkey grandchildren missing. On the contrary, those demon kings and Demon Soldiers who had surrendered were all captured, filling his heart with myriad emotions. He looked around at the frightened monkeys and began tofort them, "Victory and defeat aremon for soldiers.


    The ancients said, ''To kill ten thousand enemies, you lose three thousand of your own.'' Moreover, the captured leaders were merely tigers, leopards, wolves, badgers, and foxes. None of our kind was harmed, so why worry? Although he forced me to use the Doppelganger Technique and retreat, he still set up camp at the foot of our mountain.


    Let''s guard vigntly, have a hearty meal, get a good night''s sleep to restore our spirits. Tomorrow, watch as I use the Great Divine Power to capture these Heavenly Generals and avenge the others."

 Chapter 50 Yang Jian Arrives

    At the same time, reports of the battle at Huaguo Mountain had reached the desk of the Jade Emperor. He frowned and said, "These fellows have really lived up to expectations, sneaky and cunning, unwilling to exert effort."


    "Had we not anticipated this? Otherwise, why would we have clutched the nine-thousand-year-old Peaches of Immortality to ourselves? After all, they''re not our direct lineage. They''ve harbored grudges over the years. Otherwise, why would they have pushed us to undergo rebirth through tribtion?


    It was precisely these people who resented being listed on the Investiture of the Gods and losing their freedom."


    "Now, with the imminent changes in the Three Realms, it''s normal that these people have started plotting. We must focus on cultivating our own loyalists. It''s a pity that, despite our offers, these people with their profound backgrounds have turned a blind eye to us," said the Queen Mother of the West as she walked out from behind the screen and began to gently massage the Jade Emperor''s temples.


    "The Saints have resolved to rey the chaos of the primordial world, and we will inevitably lose our supreme status between heaven and earth. We must seize the opportunity to strengthen our forces," sighed the Jade Emperor, thinking that he had not easily used his power to achieve his current status. Now, though, he was reluctant to give it up.


    Just then, the two of them heard a crisp sound. It turned out that General Juan Lian, in a moment of carelessness, had shattered a zed Lantern, and both turned their gaze toward this seemingly honest and stout general.


    "Did you hear anything?"


    The Jade Emperor''s icy words sent a chill through Juan Lian. As the Jade Emperor''s guardsman, he considered himself somewhat familiar with the supreme ruler of the Three Realms, a monarch with sky-reaching mana, adept at forbearance and schooled in strategy. As the nominal ruler of the Three Realms, he certainly qualified, even the highly renowned Great Emperor Zhen Wu had to bow his head to him.


    However, the words just exchanged between the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother unsettled him, the secrets infused in those few phrases excited yet frightened him, inadvertently causing him to break the zed Lantern nearby.


    "This servant deserves death. I heard nothing just now. I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!" he said, hurriedly kowtowing.


    The Jade Emperor inwardly chided himself for his carelessness, habituated to his unrivaled status, he had not realized the presence of General Juan Lian beside him.


    Yet this news absolutely could not be spread. It was an agreement made with the Saints. Only by guarding this secret could he calmly execute his ns, amassing enough resources to face the crisis on the approaching day.


    "Remember, today you heard nothing," said the Jade Emperor, his words like a cold wind from the Nine Heavens, chilling to the bone yet providing Juan Lian with a sigh of relief that at least his life was spared.


    "However, while the death sentence may be spared, the offense of shattering the zed Lantern cannot be forgiven. Summon the guards to take Juan Lian down and give him eight hundredshes before casting him into the mortal world," Juan Lian realized with terror that he was unable to speak a word, foolishly allowing the Heavenly Soldiers outside to drag him away.


    "After all, he''s an old servant who has followed me for a long time. A proper reason is needed!" murmured the Jade Emperor, rubbing his forehead.


    "I understand Juan Lian''s nature as well. Honest and loyal, he probably doesn''t have the courage to spread rumors. Just in case, Your Majesty can punish him in the name of discipline, and use the Flying Sword to pierce him, preventing him from reaching shore," the couple swiftly decided Juan Lian''s fate in a brief exchange.


    Meanwhile, at the South Sea''s Putuo Luojia Mountain, thepassionate and merciful Bodhisattva Guanyin, having been invited by the Queen Mother to the Peach Banquet, ascended with her eldest disciple Muzha to the Treasure Pavilion in the Jade Pool, where they saw the chaotic scene of the assembly¡ªa prelude to the subsequent matter involving Yang Jian, which I will not delve into here.


    Not to mention, upon receiving orders from the Heavenly Court, Yang Jian immediately perked up, taking the Six Brothers of Meishan and twelve hundred grassroots gods in front of his tent towards Huaguo Mountain.


    "Congrattions, Brother Yang, on soon achieving what you desire!" The Six Brothers of Meishan had a brotherly bond with Yang Jian and naturally knew that their own elder brother was currently struggling at the threshold of the Five Qi towards the Primordial, urgently needing a vigorous and fierce battle.


    That day, upon hearing what Lu Yu said, they knew this battle should be wagered on the Monkey."


    "I don''t know if this Monkey''s as formidable as Lu Yu imed, but being able to retreat from the battle against unnumbered immortal gods is not an achievement of the undeservedly reputed." Full of fighting spirit, Yang Jian saw the uing battle not as a means to wash away the shame of the Heavenly Court but as an opportunity to catch a glimpse of fate."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The crowd moved mightily towards Huaguo Mountain, and from a distance, they saw a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers surrounding the mountain so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through, with eighteen Heavenly Nets stretching between heaven and earth.


    "My goodness, such a grand sight indeed. No wonder the Monkey dares to call himself the Great Sage Equalling Heaven."


    "If he weren''t so capable, how could he contend with our big brother?"


    Excited, Yang Jian found that the more seriously the Heavenly Court took the situation, the stronger proof it provided of the prowess of his opponent. It had been a long time since he had anticipated a battle this much.


    Li Tianwang had heard of Yang Jian''s arrival and had already brought Nezha and the Star Lords to meet him, only to hear himugh loudly, "Eng, it has been a while. Today, we can finally see your former splendor again."


    The surrounding Star Lords were also eager for a good show, as most of them were veterans from the Investiture of the Gods. They had all seen the power of Yang Jian''s Eight-Nine Profound Art.


    Since peace settled across the three realms, this once War God-like figure had not really taken action for a long time, and they were curious to see just how far this direct disciple from the Jade Void hase nowadays.


    "Is that Monkey truly so troublesome?" What Yang Jian cared about was the Monkey''s fighting strength, as he turned to inquire with Nezha who had previously battled with the Monkey.


    "This Monkey has learned some Divine Skills from who knows where; his physical body is unyielding and his Primordial Spirit is strong. If it weren''t for the apparent difference from your Eight-Nine Profound Art, Brother Yang, I would have thought another had learned it.


    Moreover, he is cunning, versatile and possesses a variety ofbat Divine Skills, truly very difficult to handle," Nezha recalled his encounter with the Monkey and had to admit the Monkey was indeed a top-notch Battle Immortal.


    Listening to this only brightened Yang Jian''s eyes, his surging battle intentions no longer containable, they burst forth from his body, sweeping up a fierce wind that engulfed Huaguo Mountain.


    Inside the Water Curtain Cave, the Monkey was napping when this tumultuous aura awaked him. Anxiously, he asked his monkey subjects about the situation outside.


    "Great King, just now, a detachment of Heavenly Soldiers came from the east. They were different from the usual lot and went straight into the Heavenly Court''s main tent. This surge of aura came from there," they reported.


    "I reckon that''s the True Monarch Eng showing his divine presence, very good. I was just looking to give Schr a good lesson on his behalf," the Monkey had been brooding over Lu Yu''s affairs, feeling sorry for him because Lu Yu had risked his life to do him a favor, and also because Lu Yu actually believed the Monkey could be captured by Yang Jian, which stirred a rivalry in his heart.


    Now, feeling this towering battle intent, his own pride was ignited. He was determined to prove to Lu Yu that Yang Jian couldn''t trouble him.


    Dressed in armor and holding the Jingu Bang, he leaped out of the Water Curtain Cave and instantly spotted Yang Jian in the distance, wielding his Three-pointed Double-edged Sword.

 Chapter 51 The Battle Concludes

    The two top battle immortals of the Three Realms finally came face to face, their powerful auras intertwining in the void, creating winds and waves with lightning suddenly appearing in the sky. Nearby, immortal gods and demons alike held their breath and watched intently, focused on the battle of the highest caliber in the Three Realms.


    In the blink of an eye, the twobatants shed together, the meeting of the Jingu Bang and the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword creating a thunderous roar that echoed through heaven and earth, causing those with weaker cultivation to cover their ears involuntarily.


    As soon as they engaged, both fighters'' eyes brightened; these were worthy opponents. For warriors like them, nothing could be more exhrating than a match against an equally matched adversary.


    "Good!" Yang Jian burst into heartyughter, his hands never ckening. His Three-pointed Double-edged Sword moved as if it were part of his own body, continuously striking at the Monkey.


    The Monkey, unwilling to show weakness, swung the Jingu Bang with such force that each move seemed as though Mount Tai was bearing down.


    At the height of the battle, both wielded the Law of Heaven and Earth, and two towering giants instantly appeared between heaven and earth.


    This spectacle was witnessed by all in the Three Realms, causing a massive uproar. Since the Divine Enthronement, there hadn''t been a battle of this magnitude in the Three Realms.


    Many bornter simply could notprehend the level of their strength; the sight of their immense power piercing through heaven and earth was truly terrifying. They did not know who these two mighty beings were, the battle exceeding the limits of their understanding.


    "Is this truly the pinnacle of power in the Three Realms, the genuine Law of Heaven and Earth?" Those who knew of such Divine Skills naturally recognized them, but in their memory, weren''t such manifestations of the Law of Heaven and Earth supposed to be only a hundred feet tall giants? Never had there been such a heaven-reaching sight.


    "The one wielding the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword must be Yang Jian, also known as the True Monarch Revealing the Sacred, or Pure Origin Mysterious Way True Monarch.


    Since the battle of Divine Enthronement, this True Monarch hasn''t been seen in action; now, his prowess certainly lives up to the name of the War God." Of course, those who survived the battle of Divine Enthronement naturally recognized this famed War God.


    "And who is this Monkey who matches him blow for blow? When did such a Great Spiritual Practitioner appear in the Three Realms?" The Monkey had entered the sce and rose quickly, with many still unaware of his name. However, through this battle, the Monkey''s title as the Great Sage Equalling Heaven truly spread throughout the Three Realms, establishing his formidable reputation.


    At this moment, Yang Jian and the Monkey paid no mind to the shock of all the beings in the Three Realms; they only had eyes for each other. The two giants that pierced through heaven and earth stirred up gales with their movements, which only began to abate after traveling ny thousand li.


    Lu Yu, feeling the cool breezeing from afar, marveled at the sight of the two fighters. Even from tens of thousands of li away, he could clearly see them battling, recognizing that with these two, the Law of Heaven and Earth was indeed a Great Divine Power between heaven and earth.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The roar of the battle reached him from the distance, like the rolling thunder of Heavenly Thunder, the shes reverberating through heaven and earth. Lu Yu stared intently at the battle; such a rare level ofbat was not to be missed for even a moment.


    The Big ck Donkeyy on the ground, hooves over his head, hugging his head tightly, and cried out in horror, "It''s over, it''s over, is the sky falling?"


    People in the mortal realm, startled by such a disy, prayed ceaselessly to the Buddhas in the sky, not knowing what was unfolding, with fear taking root in their hearts.


    A massive Barrier appeared on thend, epassing most of Eastern Shengzhou and a portion of Southern Zhanzhou, supported by nine Qi Pirs. The vast surges of air and tremors that approached the Barrier were eradicated as if they had never existed. The creatures within the Barrier felt nothing at all.


    "Is this the Nine Tripod Barrier set by Emperor Yu? It''s difficult to believe that thend of Kyushu will be the grand domain where the Human Path thrives. These Nine Tripods draw their energy from the Fortune and Destiny of the Human Path, bing stronger as the Human Path grows stronger.


    Our human race''s legendary heroes were truly extraordinary," Lu Yu marvelled at the strength of the Nine Tripod Barrier while soothing the agitated Sword of state, which was particrly lively, being of the same origin.


    "When there''s time, I must truly explore the scenery of Kyushu!" For some reason, such a thought popped into Lu Yu''s mind.


    At that moment, rays of light suddenly gleamed in Huaguo Mountain. The high mountains and greatnds were infused with the Power of Incense and Fire. These were blessings from the Mountain Gods and Earth Gods, strengthening the mountains andnds to prevent them from shattering under the impact of the fight between the two.


    "No wonder there haven''t been any Great Spiritual Practitioners making their move after the Divine Enthronement; the heavens and earth simply cannot withstand the battles of such beings." Lu Yu watched the world, trembling and almost copsing under the aftershocks of the fight between Monkey and Yang Jian, and mused.


    He suddenly had a thought that perhaps a world without Immortal Gods might indeed be the best for the human race.


    The battle between the giants continued. One wielded the power of the Eight-Nine Arcane Art, the other the Vajra Indestructible Body. The Three Realms were unstable amidst the battle, but with the appearance of these tactics, there was no longer a danger of the heavens and earth copsing.


    Monkey and Yang Jian also breathed a sigh of relief. When the heavens and earth trembled earlier, they, too, had been worried, for this entailed the well-being of all creatures of the Three Realms. If their fight were to destroy this world, not even death a hundred times over could atone for their sins.


    Now that the heavens and earth had calmed, the two were ready to disy all their skills. Suddenly, an even more formidable aura than before arose, with fierce winds sweeping and huge waves crashing, hidden creatures within thousands of miles cowering, fearful of bing coteral damage.


    The fightsted a full day and night, with both sides getting stronger and braver by the moment. Suddenly, Yang Jian shouted, and his body was enveloped in the Five Qi, which seemed to be coalescing into one, returning to the state of Chaos.


    Monkey was taken aback and understood that Yang Jian had found his opportunity, now touching the threshold of transforming the Five Qi into primordial essence. Envious at heart, his will to fight waned, and the thought of retreat arose.


    Afterward, the two began to employ various transformations, but ultimately, Monkey was captured by the sneak attack of the Vajra Bracelet.


    Marshal Ma, seeing his Great King captured, knew the situation was unrecoverable and had long since hidden the monkeys behind the Water Curtain.


    Juling Shen, Invigorated as if with strides that could cover leagues, headed towards Huaguo Mountain. Since his humiliating defeat by Monkey, earning him the nickname of ''pustule'' and being theughing stock of the Heavenly Court, resentment had festered in his heart.


    However, not daring to provoke the powerful Monkey, he seized the chance to exact his revenge upon sight of Monkey''s capture, naturally wanting to retaliate against Monkey''s offspring on Huaguo Mountain.


    But hardly had he arrived at the foot of Huaguo Mountain when a group of Grassroot Gods blocked his path.


    "I am Juling Shen, Divine General under Devaraja. Who dares to block my way?" Juling Shen red furiously.


    "So you are the ''pustule.'' The Demon Monkey was captured by our True Monarch. Naturally, it should be our responsibility to clean up Huaguo Mountain. Are you trying topete for credit here?" The Six Brothers of Meishan, already armed and stepping forward, would never allow Juling Shen to enter. If any of the little monkeys were injured, they would lose face.

 Chapter 52 Lu Yu Arrives

    Juling Shen looked at the well-prepared Six Brothers of Meishan and those Grassroot Gods before him and knew that he couldn''t enter on his own; he didn''t persist but just snorted coldly and left.


    "What a petty man, too scared to provoke that monkey so he thought about picking on these little ones!" The Six Brothers of Meishan always despised those who bullied the weak.


    "He was called a pus-filled blister by that monkey, a phrase that spread throughout Heavenly Court; now he''s be aughingstock throughout the entire capital, naturally he''s furious. But this kind of act of revenge on the monkey''s descendants is truly disgraceful."


    "Let him be, as long as we protect Huaguo Mountain, it''ll be fine. If that person who once fought with Yang Jianes here again and dares to cross over, he might well suffer." The few thought of that person, feeling amazed at how such two skilled individuals suddenly emerged in the three realms, previously unknown and potentially disciples of some highly skilled master.


    Yet, soon they saw mes erupting from Huaguo Mountain, causing them to curse loudly, "Who set the fire without our orders?"


    Before long, a Grassroot God came to report, "It wasn''t us who set the fire; it was Li Tianwang''s men, by the time we got there the fire had already grown fierce."


    The Six Brothers of Meishan frowned, "I heard those monkeys are hiding in The Water Fall Cave; this fire shouldn''t harm them, but this guy took advantage of the situation¡ªtruly disgraceful."


    Therefore, they ordered their subordinates to be vignt and forbade anyone from entering Huaguo Mountain again.


    The great battle had ended, and the people of Heavenly Court had already returned to Heavenly Court, while the Six Brothers of Meishan also returned to the mouth of Guan River with the Grassroot Gods. They did not enter deeper into the mountains as they still considered themselves enemies. Now, with Yang Jian''s rising fame, it would not be good if someone used this against them to spread rumors.


    Marshal Ma kept the monkeys hidden under the Water Curtain Cave, not daring to make a sound. For them, waiting was agony. After several days without hearing any cries from outside, they figured the Heavenly Army must have returned and finally sent a small monkey to scout.


    The scenery of Huaguo Mountain was nothing like before¡ªA great fire had turned the entire mountain into scorched earth, and the Six Sages of Meishan didn''t spare those little demons who had revolted against Heavenly Court alongside Sun Wukong.


    Bodiesy everywhere, and fresh blood stained the mountain red. The Demon Kings of Huaguo Mountain, once dominant, were now either dead or had fled.


    The wide, clear river in front of the Water Curtain Cave was now filthy as well, with ruined weapons and gs soaking in the blood-red waters, evoking a sense of destion.


    Upstream there was a wide waterfall, behind which was a hidden stone bridge, and a small monkey quietly emerged from under the bridge, carefully surveying his surroundings.


    This glimpse shocked the little monkey¡ªWas this still the Huaguo Mountain where he had grown up ying? The bird songs and fragrances of flowers, the dense jungle of before had vanished, reced now only by blood and mes, the new theme of Huaguo Mountain.


    Tears flowed uncontrobly from the little monkey''s eyes, a sad testament to the destruction of his home and the sorrow of having nowhere to return to.


    Soon, as if unable to await the return of the little monkey inside, other monkeys emerged one after another from various hiding spots, all stunned by the sight before them.


    The monkeys who had always lived in the Blessed Land of Huaguo Mountain had never seen such a brutal scene. For a moment, these monkeys, having just narrowly escaped disaster, stood bewildered in front of the waterfall. Their Great King had been captured and taken to the Heavenly Court, and no one was left to lead them. They were utterly lost.


    Just then, an auspicious cloud descended from the sky, and a young Schr, with a treasured sword at his waist and a gracefulposure,nded. It was Lu Yu, who had rushed over from the Chen Kingdom.


    He had been preaching by the river for several days, guessing that the great battle at Huaguo Mountain had ceased, before he finally set out. After all, he was far from being a match for the immortals of the Heavenly Court at the time, let alone thinking about changing the monkeys'' fate.


    The matter of the Journey to the West seemed merely a scheme for the spreading of Buddhism in the east, but upon closer consideration, something seemed off. Though the power of faith was indeed a remarkable force, it was dispensable for the Great Luo Immortals and even less significant for the high and mighty Saints.


    Therefore, Lu Yu concluded that there must be undisclosed schemes by the powerful deities in heaven, which is why he dared not show himself in this turmoil lightly.


    The only thing he could do was to watch over the monkeys'' homnd and take care of their offspring.


    Nevertheless, even he was shocked by the sight before him, having not anticipated the war to be so devastating. He wondered what the Jade Emperor was thinking; could it be that he intended to use bloodshed to dere the majesty of the Heavenly Court?


    The arrival of Lu Yu gave the monkeys quite a scare, as they were already on edge, sensing danger in every rustle of leaves. But when they saw that it was Lu Yu, they all breathed a sigh of relief.


    These monkeys certainly recognized Lu Yu. Although he had not visited Huaguo Mountain often or stayed for long, anyone familiar with their Great King knew that Mr. Lu held a special ce in Sun Wukong''s heart ¡ª even the Demon Kings who frequently came to drink at Huaguo Mountain could notpare, so they were thrilled to see Lu Yu.


    "Mr. Lu, you''vee. Thanks to your wisdom, we were able to escape safely from this war," Marshal Ma remembered Lu Yu''s advice and had led the monkeys to quietly hide under the stone bs.


    "Mr. Lu, please save our Great King with your divine skills. He has been captured by the Heavenly Court for many days now!" Marshal Ma viewed Lu Yu as his only hope and thus knelt on the ground, begging desperately.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "s! It''s not that I won''t save him, but I truly am powerless. I always advised the monkey to cultivate his character and avoid recklessness. Unfortunately, he did not take my advice." At these words, the monkeys'' faces turned ashen; for them, Sun Wukong was their faith.


    "However, rest assured, the monkey will not lose his life over this. However, it might be a long time before you see him again!" Lu Yu shifted his tone, finally putting the monkeys at ease.


    In fact, having seen thest of the Heavenly Court''s stance, the young monkeys also understood that their Great King had caused a serious trouble and didn''t hold much hope.


    Lu Yu, ignoring the expressions of the monkeys, looked over the devastated Huaguo Mountain, and thought to himself, "Since I''m here, I must keep watch over the monkeys'' home. This situation is a bit hard to overlook."


    Just then, as if the sky, previously clear for thousands of miles, suddenly filled with clouds, arge group of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals appeared. Leading them was a big man with a beard, holding a Giant Axe and wearing armor, cursing under his breath.


    "Hmph! That damned Protector of the Horse has ruined my reputation for an entire lifetime. If I can''t deal with him, why can''t I deal with his monkey descendants? I must spill blood into rivers this time, or else I won''t be able to quell the rage in my heart!"

 Chapter 53 Nezha

    This person was none other than Juling Shen, the Vanguard Heavenly General who led the first expedition against Huaguo Mountain. He had once boastfully imed that he would capture the Monkey in one fell swoop, only to have his face pped resoundingly, which led to his once-respected name being dragged through the mud, turning him into aughingstock in the Heavenly Court.


    This disgrace had gnawed at his heart, but he did not dare to trouble Sun Wukong. Instead, he now vented his anger on the little monkeys of Huaguo Mountain.


    "You demon monkeys, this time I am determined to catch you all in one," dered Juling Shen as he looked down at the group of monkeys below.


    "Heaven abides by the virtue of preserving life; I implore you to show mercy and spare the lives of these monkeys," Lu Yu decided to initially try diplomacy before resorting to force, given that this dimwit officially represented the Heavenly Court.


    Who knew that Juling Shen was such a fool? Hearing Lu Yu''s words only fueled his arrogance more.


    "Who is this Schr who dares to stick his nose into such trifles? I think you must be part of the monkeys'' faction as well, and now I can take care of you along with them!" His murderous intent red as he red fixedly at Lu Yu.


    "Sorry, you might not be able to handle that!" Lu Yu said with a smile to Juling Shen. After his battle with Yang Jian, Lu Yu had gained a clearer understanding of his ownbat strength. After diligently cultivating for such a long time, he had be a master in the Five Qi Realm. Except for the few exceptional ones such as Yang Jian and the Monkey, ordinary people really couldn''t handle him.


    The despised look in his eye and his indifferent tone fueled the Heavenly General''s rage. Grinding his teeth, he spat out, "Ignorant Schr, if you seek death, I will oblige you."


    Juling Shen transformed into a hundred-zhang-tall Giant holding a Giant Axe and swung it at Lu Yu. Naturally, Lu Yu did not show any weakness and also used Law of Heaven and Earth.


    "Has Law of Heaven and Earth be somon nowadays? It seems like everyone knows it," Juling Shen felt utterly frustrated. This Divine Skill was originally his signature move, but after the battle between the Monkey and Yang Jian, everyone knew what the true Law of Heaven and Earth looked like, leading many to think that Juling Shen had disgraced this Divine Skill.


    Witnessing Lu Yu employ it now, his annoyance was palpable.


    As Lu Yu fought with Juling Shen, he realized why the Monkey had mockingly called Juling Shen a puss-filled sore¡ªhe really was all bark and no bite. Since achieving sess in his cultivation, the only beings Lu Yu had actually crossed hands with were the Serpent King and the True Monarch, each extraordinarily powerful inbat, which made Lu Yu extremely cautious before any fight.


    It was only after engaging inbat that he discovered how mediocre Juling Shen''s martial abilities were; the god had a shallow foundation and was simply no match for Lu Yu. It took only a few exchanges before Lu Yu had him running for his life, head in hands.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This was a blow to Juling Shen''s pride. He had always relied on his innate Divine Power and gifted Divine Skills, considering them unrivaled, and believed there were few in the world who could best him. However, he unexpectedly faced consecutive embarrassments at Huaguo Mountain.


    Out of furious embarrassment, he cast aside any sense of shame and, with a wave of his hand, ordered his Heavenly Soldiers to swarm Lu Yu with no regard for strategy, hoping to overwhelm him with sheer numbers.


    As Lu Yu watched the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals charge toward him, he couldn''t help but feel a surge of pride. Even though he was fully aware of the Monkey''s destiny and felt powerless to change it, and couldn''t stand shoulder to shoulder with the Monkey in battle due to concerns about the powerful entities behind him, deep down he harbored a raging fury.


    Now having the chance to sh with the multitude of Heavenly Soldiers and Generals eased some of the regrets in his heart.


    A Treasure Vase suddenly materialized from nowhere, and from its mouth emerged a jet of water. The stream was notrge at first; however, as it rushed toward the Heavenly Court''s battle formation, it grewrger andrger, eventually bing a vast, overwhelming river.


    The river surged with mighty waves; any Heavenly Soldiers or Generals touched by its waters found themselves helplessly swept into the current. Only then did they realize that this was no ordinary water, for it seemed to have the ability to seal their Mana.


    This was a new Divine Skill of the Treasure Vase that Lu Yu had developed by refining with the Innate Qi, capable of transforming ordinary water into Xuan Yuan water. This type of water was first, heavier than ordinary water, and second, it could grind away a person''s Mana.


    Lu Yu had not had this ability for long, and the water in the Treasure Vase was only Yuan Heavy Water, otherwise these Heavenly Soldiers would have been crushed to death by the water the moment they were swept into it.


    Juling Shen struggled ceaselessly in the water, preparing to escape from it, never expecting that Lu Yu''s Sword light would keep circling above his head, scaring him from daring to rush upwards, and in a moment of inattention, he ingested a great deal of water.


    Just as these Heavenly Soldiers were about to drown in the water, suddenly a ze of mes fell from the sky. The fire seemed unusual, instantly steaming up vast amounts of water vapor the moment it touched the riverwater, creating a truly spectacr sight.


    After the steam dissipated, there appeared a Child Servant holding a Fire-tipped Spear and standing on Wind Fire Wheels; it was Third Prince Nezha from the Heavenly Court.


    Nezha had unintentionally discovered that Juling Shen was venturing to the mortal world to settle personal grudges in private. Knowing that Wukong came from an extraordinary background, and after the previous battle allowed Yang Jian to sessfully step into the threshold of the Five Qi Realm, Nezha decided toe to Huaguo Mountain to prevent Juling Shen from doing Wukong a favor.


    Unexpectedly, he saw the struggle between Lu Yu and Juling Shen, which piqued his interest. Although Juling Shen was a fool, he was quite loyal to Li Jing and his son, and as a general who had once fought in battlefields, Nezha, having not had a major fight for many years, had his fighting spirit ignited by thest battle with Wukong.


    Seeing a skilled person like Lu Yu, he naturally could not resist the urge to spar earnestly.


    "What Schr dares to strike a Divine General of the Heavenly Court?" Nezha opened with an assertive challenge.


    "Great Chen, Lu Yu!" came the calm reply from Lu Yu''s mouth, Nezha inwardlymended him, as not everyone had the courage of Lu Yu.


    You must know that this is a lineage of the direct troops of the Heavenly Court; if one truly provokes the Jade Emperor, there may be nowhere in heaven or earth to find peace.


    However, Lu Yu was truly unafraid. As a transmigrator, his greatest advantage was his familiarity with future trends. He was very clear that the entire attention of the current Heavenly Court had already gathered on the so-called Journey to the West, with every immortal preparing to gain benefits from this great cmity.


    The co-sovereign of Heavenly Court was of course no exception, taking advantage of Wukong''s actions to reduce the supply of Peaches of Immortality to the other immortals.


    Now that Wukong had been captured and brought back to the Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor''s attention must be focused on Wukong, thus he was convinced that the Heavenly Emperor currently had no interest in attending to these trifles. Besides, Wukong being the heaven-appointed protagonist is fated to achieve his rightful fruit one day.


    Being adept in tactics, he surely did not wish to fall out too badly with Wukong.


    Seeing Lu Yu''s nonchnce, Nezha was not angry. To him, the prestige of the Heavenly Court had nothing to do with him. The only thing he wanted was an exhrating battle.


    Since the Divine Enthronement cmity had passed, the powerful ones no longer appeared, and the Three Realms had been calm for quite a while, which was incredibly frustrating for a warlike person like Nezha.


    Thest battle with Wukong had just reached its peak when he was caught off guard by a surprise strike, leaving him unsatisfied; hence, maintaining the Heavenly Court''s majesty was just a pretense, finding a reason to fight was the reality.


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