Chapter 519 Breakthrough, the Astonishing Effect of the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus!
Bihu Mountain.
Sumeru Cave Heaven, Longevity Hall.
Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged, a shimmering azure lotus seat before him floating gently, emanating a mysterious aura.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
As Lu Changsheng continued his refinement, the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus shone brilliantly.
Innate Dao patterns seemed to intertwine on the lotus platform and petals, exuding an ancient charm, a return to the Great Dao, incredibly mysterious.
"Boom!"
After an unknown amount of time, the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus suddenly burst forth with countless rays of light, its brilliance dazzling, innate Dao patterns flashing wildly, merging with Lu Changsheng's Yin-Yang power.
Lu Changsheng formed hand seals and let out a soft shout.
The Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus in his dantian shot out directly, hovering above his head, its light flowing and radiant.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
This Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus intertwined with the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus before him, forming a powerful tide of spiritual energy.
In an instant, the spiritual energy of the entire Sumeru Cave Heaven was stirred, surging wildly towards Lu Changsheng and the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus.
"Sumeru."
Lu Changsheng remained seated with his eyes closed, diverting a wisp of his mind to communicate with the Sumeru Tree King.
He instructed it to stabilize the spiritual energy of the cave heaven, not to affect others, and then gather the spiritual energy towards him.
"Yes, Master!"
Sumeru's ethereal, pure, soft, and misty voice rang out, controlling the spiritual energy of the cave heaven.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"
Countless streams of spiritual energy swept towards Lu Changsheng's cave, forming a vortex of spiritual energy above the Longevity Hall.
"What is this?"
Honglian, Lu Miaoge, and Meng Xiaochun, who were cultivating in the Sumeru Cave Heaven, sensed something and opened their beautiful eyes.
Realizing that this was caused by Lu Changsheng's cultivation, Lu Miaoge and Meng Xiaochun watched for a while and then stopped paying attention, continuing their meditation.
Only Honglian's beautiful eyes shone brightly, filled with astonishment as she watched this scene.
Amazing, simply astonishing!
This surge of spiritual energy was completely unlike what a cultivator who had only broken through to the Core Formation stage a few years ago would create.
Even the spiritual pressure and vortex of spiritual energy created by a peak Core Formation cultivator practicing supernatural techniques are nothing more than this.
"What is Young Master doing now?"
Honglian asked in surprise and confusion.
Over the decades, she had witnessed many miracles and things beyond common sense from Lu Changsheng.
But these things beyond common sense never stopped; she could see them from time to time.
Just recently, she saw her disciple Lu Lingxiao. She
could tell at a glance that this disciple had obtained some kind of fortuitous inheritance, a divine object of heaven and earth.
Otherwise, there would be no way he could have suddenly improved!
And it was obvious without even thinking that this fortuitous inheritance came from Lu Changsheng.
"With Young Master's condition, he will probably reach the Nascent Soul stage in less than a hundred years. I can't fall too far behind."
Honglian felt a lot of pressure.
She had a spiritual embryo body and a Nascent Soul soul!
As long as she had enough resources, she could break through to the Nascent Soul stage in a hundred years at most.
But facing Lu Changsheng's growth speed, which was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, she still felt a lot of pressure.
However, it was precisely because of this that she admired Lu Changsheng even more.
I eagerly await the day when Lu Changsheng reigns supreme over the Southern Wilderness, the Northern Plains, and even the Central Continent.
At that time, I too can return to my peak and journey with him to the Northern Plains cultivation world to investigate what happened back then and
see the current state of the Vermilion Bird Palace. Inside
the Hall of Longevity ,
the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged wildly, pouring into the Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus.
The spiritual energy throughout the hall was so dense it was almost like water or mist, hazy and indistinct.
As time passed, the spiritual energy in the Sumeru Cave Heaven thinned considerably. The spiritual energy Lu Changsheng inhaled and exhaled
was simply too exaggerated
. It was several times more surging than the spiritual energy needed to break through to the Core Formation stage.
"Chirp!"
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes, his pupils burning like two torches, filled with yin and yang energy.
The Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus before him instantly intertwined with innate Dao patterns, radiating profound energy, and entered his Qi Sea and Dantian.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
The Yin-Yang Five Elements Dao Foundation and the Yin-Yang Great Dao Golden Core radiated boundless light, resonating with the Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus.
In an instant, the innate Dao patterns of the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus flashed wildly, intertwining with his Yin-Yang magic power, cleansing his Qi Sea, dantian, flesh, bones, meridians, and dantian.
At the same time, Lu Changsheng's cultivation at the peak of the third level of Core Formation seemed to break through invisible shackles, his magic power circulating autonomously like a vast ocean bursting its banks, attempting to break through to the next realm.
Faced with this situation, Lu Changsheng remained calm and unmoved, slowly circulating the Yin-Yang Creation Scripture.
One day, two days, three days...
In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.
"Buzz!"
A trembling sound rang out.
Lu Changsheng's appearance was solemn and dignified, his body clear and flawless, with endless Yin-Yang energy flowing through him, as if he were wearing a Yin-Yang robe, sacred and inviolable.
In his Qi Sea and dantian, on the foundation of his Dao, the black and white Yin-Yang Great Dao Golden Core shone brightly.
The glassy Yin-Yang patterns on the surface were constantly regenerating, as if interpreting the trajectory of the Yin-Yang Great Dao, surging with powerful Yin-Yang magic power.
"Fourth level of Core Formation."
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
When he was adrift in the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus, his cultivation had already reached the peak of the third level of Core Formation.
These past few days, after completely refining the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus and creating his second dantian, he directly broke through the bottleneck between the early and middle stages of Core Formation.
The improvement from the early to the middle stage of Core Formation was significant.
The quality of his mana almost doubled!
He even felt that his mana now surpassed that of a fifth-level Core Formation cultivator amplified by the Nine Treasures Ruyi Bone.
This was the improvement brought by the Yin-Yang Great Dao Golden Core!
Each breakthrough brought mana quality several times higher than others at the same level!
The Nine Treasures Ruyi Bone was indeed profound.
But this amplification could not be achieved with the foundational effects of the Great Dao Golden Core!
Besides mana, Lu Changsheng's divine sense also advanced further.
He possessed the Taiyi Soul Body.
Each breakthrough brought a higher level of improvement in his soul and divine sense than ordinary people.
At this moment, Lu Changsheng was unsure of the extent of his divine sense.
He felt he was only one step away from the Nascent Soul level of divine sense!
"However, this step is like an insurmountable chasm."
"Without a stroke of luck, it won't be so easy to cross."
Lu Changsheng murmured to himself, continuing to look at the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus in his dantian.
Although he had long known that the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus was extraordinary, far surpassing the Heavenly Yuan Treasure King Lotus
, he was still somewhat surprised by its effects after truly refining it into a second dantian.
First, this Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus possessed a mana storage capacity hundreds of times greater than the Heavenly Yuan Treasure King Lotus!
Lu Changsheng didn't know the upper limit of this mana storage capacity.
Because he couldn't fill it up.
He couldn't possibly fill it up.
Continuing to store mana would already exceed his current capacity.
Second, this Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus possessed the ability to obscure heavenly secrets and make calculations.
Now that Lu Changsheng had completely refined the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus as a second dantian, unless there was a top-tier diviner or some kind of divination treasure, it would be impossible to calculate his situation.
In fact, his heavenly secrets were currently blocked, making calculations impossible.
Third, the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus is compatible with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, allowing it to harness the source of this energy for its own use, replenishing its mana, physical strength, and so on.
This ability is incredibly powerful!
Previously, the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus only absorbed and exhaled spiritual energy to restore mana, with its efficiency multiplied.
But now, the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus can draw upon the source of spiritual energy to replenish itself, and even slightly enhance the power of its supernatural abilities.
It's important to understand that possessing the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus as a second dantian already grants mana several times, even dozens of times, that of an ordinary person.
Now, when fighting, it can also use the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus to constantly restore its mana and physical strength, practically a human perpetual motion machine!
"My Nine Treasures Ruyi Bone possesses nine great supernatural abilities. If it's just a slight increase in the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit, with the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus, I might even be able to maintain it permanently."
Lu Changsheng was overjoyed, deeply realizing how much this Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus could help him.
Moreover, he was only at the fourth level of Core Formation.
This Heavenly Yuan Treasure Lotus was at the peak of the fourth rank, allowing him to use it indefinitely.
As his cultivation level increases, the effects of this Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus will not only not weaken, but will also unleash even greater power.
After all, at his current cultivation level, he hasn't even utilized one-tenth of the Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus's effects.
Even its most basic ability, the mana stored in the Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus as a second dantian, is like stirring a large vat with a toothpick.
"If I can't fill the Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, I can't directly use the cave heaven as my personal abode to grow spiritual herbs and plants like a Heavenly Origin True Monarch,"
Lu Changsheng murmured to himself, realizing several problems.
For example, if he refines the Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus into a second dantian and puts too many things in the cave heaven, it will put a great burden on him, making
it difficult to use the Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus's abilities during battles.
"Sigh, it's still too weak."
"I guess only when I break through to the Nascent Soul stage can I unleash the true power of this Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus."
Lu Changsheng sighed.
He knew that giving such a fourth-tier imperial lotus as a second dantian to a Core Formation cultivator was simply a waste of a precious resource.
However, Old Ancestor Lu had already squandered enough resources, so he didn't care.
"This Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus can be kept at home for Xiao Chan, Xi Yue, Miao Ge, and Zi Xiao to use when they break through to the Core Formation stage."
He lightly raised his hand, looking at the Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus he had previously used.
Now that he had the Heavenly Origin Imperial Lotus, this Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus was naturally no longer needed.
Therefore, Lu Changsheng planned to keep this Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus at home for his wives, concubines, and children to use in the future.
Whoever needed to break through would refine it into a second dantian to accumulate a foundation of magical power.
After the breakthrough was completed, the mark would be erased, and it would be given to the next person.
However, repeatedly refining and erasing the mark would deplete the spirituality of this Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus.
After three to five times, it could no longer be used.
"Now that I've broken through to the fourth level of Core Formation, I should be able to make a trip to the Great Dream Marsh later, which should be much smoother."
Lu Changsheng put away the Heavenly Origin Treasure Lotus, stretched, and his bones trembled and crackled.
He planned to go to the Great Dream Marsh to replenish his stock after the magic weapon was forged and Bai Ling was born.
Thinking of Bai Ling, he went to the side hall and looked at Bai Ling, who was sleeping soundly on the white jade bed.
Bai Ling now spends most of her time sleeping, and her sleep is getting deeper and deeper.
She was unaware of his arrival.
Lu Changsheng stepped forward, sat beside the bed, and gently stroked her pale cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"Brother."
Bai Ling seemed to sense something, waking up groggily, her voice weak, her soft, smooth cheek gently rubbing against Lu Changsheng's hand.
"Ling'er, I'm here. You rest well,"
Lu Changsheng said softly.
"Mmm~"
Bai Ling hummed softly, then rested her head on Lu Changsheng's hand and continued to sleep peacefully.
Seeing Bai Ling like this, Lu Changsheng felt a pang of heartache.
Even if a cultivator's condition weakened during pregnancy, it would never be as bad as Bai Ling's. She
was almost like a hibernating beast.
However, the fetus in Bai Ling's womb had become increasingly vigorous these past few days, and Lu Changsheng could clearly sense the fetus's breathing.
After quietly staying with Bai Ling for a long time, he continued to instruct Xumi to notify him immediately if anything happened to Bai Ling, and then left the Changsheng Palace.
Because he had excessively absorbed the spiritual energy within the cave, it was somewhat thin and would need some time to gradually return to normal levels.
However, since the Sumeru Cave currently only contained him and Honglian, both Core Formation cultivators, it wouldn't be a problem.
Lu Changsheng looked at the three Heavenly Origin Lotuses in the Spirit Eye Spring.
After so many years of nurturing, these three Heavenly Origin Lotuses had hardly changed.
It could only be said that without the Myriad Spirit Bottle, even after another thousand years, these Heavenly Origin Lotuses would hardly grow into Heavenly Origin King Lotuses. On the other
hand, the Five Elements Spirit Fruit Tree not far away had begun to bear fruit.
With the Myriad Spirit Bottle, it was estimated that it would mature in another three years.
"Congratulations, Young Master, on your cultivation reaching another level!"
Just then, the elegant and noble Honglian walked out of the Longevity Hall and congratulated him.
Seeing Lu Changsheng's still lingering aura of magical power, beneath Honglian's seemingly calm face, her heart was already churning with shock.
Mid-stage Core Formation!
Although she couldn't be completely certain,
as a Nascent Soul True Monarch in her previous life, she could still sense that something was amiss with Lu Changsheng's magical power.
He's likely broken through to the mid-stage of Core Formation!
This speed is simply astonishing, unprecedented!
She still vividly remembers the scene when Lu Changsheng broke through to Core Formation.
Only seven years have passed since then. Even as a Nascent Soul True Monarch in her previous life, she found it unbelievable that he
had progressed from Core Formation to the mid-stage in just seven years! "It's just a matter of some fortuitous encounters," Lu Changsheng chuckled. This wasn't modesty. His rapid growth was indeed due to fortuitous encounters. Thanks to the accumulated wealth of his children, the effects of the Yin-Yang Fusion Pill, and the Nascent Soul essence of the Heavenly Origin True Monarch, he had shortened the time considerably. Otherwise, given his current busy schedule, with no time for quiet meditation and cultivation, how could he have broken through so rapidly? "Fortune and luck are both part of strength, a component of growth. Young Master, your talent is unparalleled, and your fortune boundless; this is to be expected," Honglian flattered. She then added that her spiritual body was almost fully consolidated. To improve rapidly, she needed a massive amount of resources and rare treasures. Therefore, he planned to travel for a while to resolve the issue of cultivation resources. "Travel?" Lu Changsheng pondered slightly upon hearing this. Currently, the cultivation resources at home were sufficient to support his wife, concubines, and children. However, for Honglian's spiritual embryo body, a Core Formation cultivator, the cultivation resources required were something he couldn't readily provide. After all, such resources were not insignificant. It would be best if Honglian could travel and earn resources herself. "In a few years, I plan to go to the Great Dream Marsh. You will come with me," Lu Changsheng said. Although he trusted Honglian, there were still many things at home. For example, the crafting of magic weapons still required Honglian's help. Moreover, he and Honglian hadn't yet broken through the final barrier. This was something their relationship had reached; Lu Changsheng could break through at any time if he wanted. However, since she was a Nascent Soul True Monarch in her previous life, Lu Changsheng still respected her and needed a suitable opportunity. Traveling together later would allow them to deepen their relationship, and then naturally progress towards a more intimate relationship.
Chapter 520 Entering the Secret Realm, the Evil-Repelling Golden Thunder!
Purple Cloud Gorge.
The entire gorge stretches for a hundred miles, flanked by towering mountains and fractured cliffs.
The steep cliffs, illuminated by dappled light, appear as if draped in a flowing purple veil, shrouded in mist.
With the opening of the Purple Nether Secret Realm, figures can now be seen intermittently within the gorge.
These are all cultivators, some on foot, some wielding magical artifacts, and some riding spirit beasts.
Only a very small number travel in groups of three or five, aboard spirit boats.
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: t͎͎͎k͎͎a͎͎n͎͎.c͎͎o͎͎m͎͎—super convenient!]
"Roar roar roar—"
Just then, a low roar like muffled thunder resounded.
Three terrifying black figures, shimmering with ghostly light, soared through the clouds, pulling a massive azure spirit boat as it sped towards them.
"Hiss! That's a three-headed second-tier demon!"
"What kind of force is this, daring to travel so arrogantly!"
"Keep your voice down, if someone hears us, we might offend them."
"A three-headed dragon demon? What a grand gesture!"
"Lu? Which Lu family is this?"
The cultivators traveling along the way were all horrified by this scene, stopping to the side and proceeding with extreme caution.
Especially those flying on magical artifacts or riding spirit beasts, they quickly landed to the side to avoid being intimidated by the aura of such a second-tier demon.
"This is Ziyun Gorge. Once we pass through, we'll reach the Ziyou Secret Realm."
On the spirit boat pulled by the three-headed black water dragon, Lu Ping'an said to Lu Qingxuan and the other members of the Lu family.
After speaking, he looked at the three-headed black water dragon and reprimanded it in a deep voice: "Behave yourself, don't scare people."
Hearing Lu Ping'an's words, the three-headed black water dragon roared, and the terrifying aura emanating from its body immediately subsided considerably. Clouds and mist filled the air as it roared towards the Ziyou Secret Realm.
Not long after, the three black water dragons passed through the canyon and arrived at the altar at the end.
At this time, the altar was surrounded by cultivators, numbering nearly a thousand.
"So many people."
"The Purple Nether Secret Realm."
"The number of people is not yet complete; many forces have not yet arrived."
On the spirit boat, Lu Qingxuan, Lu Qingyan, and the Lu family members from Qingzhu Mountain were all surprised by the scene before them.
Even though they knew that the Purple Nether Secret Realm was extremely lively,
they had never seen so many late-stage Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered at once.
"Three second-tier great demons! What force is this!"
"The Lu family, which Lu family?
" "This person is only a Foundation Establishment cultivator, how can he have such a grand display?"
"This is somewhat similar to the dragon that appeared when the Lu family patriarch of Bihu Mountain got married!"
At the same time, the cultivators around the altar saw the three black water dragons in the sky and looked on with suspicion and surprise.
Although the Purple Nether Secret Realm had gathered almost all the forces of the Jiang Kingdom.
Aside from a few Core Formation level forces, other Foundation Establishment families, and even Pseudo-Core Formation families, generally didn't make a big show of themselves when traveling.
If Lu Ping'an were a Pseudo-Core Formation cultivator, it would be perfectly normal to them.
But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, such a grand display seemed somewhat unworthy of his position.
"This person is Lu Ping'an, the eldest son of the Lu family of Bihu Mountain. Although he only has a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation level, his body refinement has already reached the quasi-third level, comparable to a Pseudo-Core Formation True Person!" "
What? He's the Lu Ping'an who suppressed the Sima family's ancestor Sima Tong in his early years and became famous in one battle!"
"I've heard that this child is incredibly talented. Before he was even a hundred years old, his body refinement had reached the quasi-third level. With such talent, as long as he doesn't die young, he'll most likely become a third-level body cultivator!"
"I didn't expect Bihu Mountain to attach so much importance to this Purple Nether Secret Realm, sending this person directly."
"This seems to be Bihu Mountain's first time participating in the Purple Nether Secret Realm, so naturally they'll take it very seriously."
There were quite a few clan cultivators and Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Qingyun region here.
Upon seeing Lu Ping'an on the spirit boat, they immediately recognized him and whispered among themselves.
Many others who had never seen Lu Ping'an before but had heard of his name also looked on curiously.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, you may come here."
A powerful force, seeing that Lu Ping'an seemed to be looking for a place, immediately invited him.
The location outside this secret realm was also quite particular.
A good location, one that was conspicuous, would make recruiting cultivators and acquiring spiritual herbs and rare treasures much easier later.
Seeing this, Lu Ping'an spotted a familiar Foundation Establishment cultivator, smiled and nodded, signaling the Black Water Flood Dragon to land.
Seeing this, the cultivators nearby immediately made way for him with respectful expressions.
"I am Li Yunjie, from Hundred Cliffs Mountain, greetings to Fellow Daoist Lu."
Someone immediately stepped forward and greeted Lu Ping'an politely.
"These must be the heroes of Bihu Mountain? Truly, each one is an outstanding individual. When we enter the secret realm, we can look out for each other."
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lu! I've long admired your name, and seeing you today, it's certainly well-deserved!"
Not only the cultivators and forces allied with Bihu Mountain,
but also many families and forces they hadn't dealt with before stepped forward to exchange pleasantries.
After all, the two families had no enmity, and getting to know each other wasn't a bad thing. Moreover,
if the young members of both families met, it could prevent them from killing each other when entering the secret realm later, and they could even cooperate.
However, some forces watched the Lu family and their group with cold eyes.
"Hmph!"
Clad in silver armor, the beautiful Lu Qingyan saw someone looking at her with hostility and snorted coldly, refusing to back down.
This force was none other than the Sima family of Xuanwu Ridge.
The feud between the two families was almost impossible to resolve.
It was obvious that once they met in the secret realm, they would inevitably clash, fighting to the death.
"Sister Yan, you must be careful. Forces like the Sima family, the Jin family, the Yuan family, and even the Beast Taming Xu family might target our family,"
Lu Qingxuan whispered a warning.
Although the Lu family only had deep-seated grudges with the Sima family of Xuanwu Ridge and the Jin family of Jinlong Ridge
, a powerful family attracts attention.
The rise of Bihu Mountain was too fierce, already threatening the interests of many families.
Given the opportunity, these forces might all target the Lu family.
After all, a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator was a backbone force for any family or power.
Every death of one was a significant loss.
"Don't worry."
"We know."
Lu Qingyan, Lu Chensha, Lu Yunfei, and the others nodded to each other.
Lu Qingxuan didn't need to say much; they all understood.
They would even strike first if they encountered the Jin family, the Sima family, or forces affiliated with either.
The fierce competition among major families in the Purple Nether Secret Realm had become an unspoken rule.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Qingxuan placed a pre-prepared sign in front of them,
indicating that the Lu family of Bihu Mountain was recruiting guest retainers with specialized skills and offering high prices for spiritual herbs and rare treasures.
With the impressive display of three black water dragons, many rogue cultivators came to inquire about their requirements.
Lu Qingxuan responded gently and generously to each person, explaining his family's conditions.
Time passed slowly.
The remaining cultivators, apart from a few rogue cultivators, were mostly from major families.
Only major families could time their arrival perfectly.
At this moment, three top-tier second-order Qilin horses pulled a jade chariot shrouded in rosy light, stretching across the sky and attracting much discussion.
"The Five Elements Wang Family! I've heard the Wang Family has declined, and their ancestor's lifespan is nearing its end, but judging from this display, they show no signs of decline."
"Of course! Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. A family power like the Wang Family, even with a break in the Core Formation stage, can maintain its power for several generations with Pseudo-Core Formation cultivators." "
However, with the Wang Family ancestor dead, whether Five Elements Mountain can be defended is another matter."
Many people discussed animatedly.
Seeing this, Lu Qingxuan, Lu Qingyan, Lu Chensha, and others looked at the Five Elements Wang Family with boundless longing in their eyes.
A Core Formation family!
The ultimate goal of all family powers!
Once they ascend to the status of a family, they are equivalent to a regional lord, independent and autonomous, no longer needing to pay tribute to the immortal sects!
Like the Purple Nether Secret Realm, they can directly stand high above, above others.
Not long after, the Xu family of Beast Taming arrived.
The Xu family's power was even greater than the Wang family's. Amidst the swirling clouds, a purple ferocious bird exuded terrifying might, pulling a radiant divine ship.
The aura emanating from this ferocious bird caused countless people in the arena to tremble.
Even Lu Ping'an's Black Water Flood Dragon trembled.
This was a near-third-tier demon beast. It
was only one step away from advancing to a third-tier demon king!
"The Xu family, the Beast Tamer, is truly domineering!"
"But they have the backing to back it up. Years ago, the Xu family's ancestor directly smashed the Five Elements Wang family's mountain gate, and the Wang family didn't dare utter a single word."
"The Xu family not only possesses several clan-guarding sacred beasts, but also Water Serpent Dao Soldiers and Fire Crow Dao Soldiers, suppressing the family's foundation. They can be considered the number one family in our Jiang Kingdom!" "
However, I heard that two Pseudo-Core Formation True Persons died in the Xu family before."
As the Beast Tamer Xu family arrived, some people whispered gossip about the Xu family.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
In the sky, the three-headed Qilin horse of the Five Elements Wang family roared and howled in response to the provocation of the Xu family's ferocious bird. Its voice was like rolling thunder, stirring up layers of rosy light.
"Screech!"
The ferocious bird of the Beast Taming Xu family was not to be outdone, and the two sides clashed fiercely.
"Xu family brat, if you want to fight, let's have a match now!"
The pseudo-core ancestor on the Wang family's jade chariot took a step forward, his pseudo-core level magic power surging, and said coldly.
Although the Five Elements Wang family was not as powerful as the Beast Taming Xu family,
they would not lose face.
In their early years, they had been humiliated by the Xu family's ancestor and become a laughing stock.
If they were to back down now, wouldn't they be even more ridiculed?
"Why is the Wang family ancestor so angry?"
The pseudo-core Xu family member stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly.
Although he had only recently broken through to the pseudo-core level, his strength was no match for the pseudo-core Xu family member in front of him.
But with the quasi-third-tier demonic beast provided by his family, he was not afraid of his opponent.
However, he couldn't possibly fight the other party here, so he signaled the ferocious bird to withdraw its imposing aura.
"Hmph!"
The fake core cultivator from the Wang family snorted coldly upon seeing this, without pressing the matter further.
The Xu family patriarch stood on the divine ship, his hawk-like eyes surveying the other forces below.
When he saw Lu Ping'an's location, his eyes narrowed slightly, then he looked at the Black Water Dragon.
"Dao soldiers! The Lu family of Bihu Mountain actually possesses a method for cultivating Dao soldiers!"
Xu Yinglong, hailing from the Xu family of Beast Taming, possessed the method for cultivating Dao soldiers.
Through the strikingly similar appearance and aura of the three black water dragons, he instantly deduced that they were cultivated using some kind of Dao soldier breeding method.
Moreover, this method was quite extraordinary. It was no
less powerful than his own Water Snake Dao soldiers and Fire Crow Dao soldiers,
and perhaps even surpassed them in some aspects.
"This Bihu Mountain family is truly overestimating themselves. A family with no accumulated foundation dares to dream of cultivating Dao soldiers of this level, without even considering their own capabilities."
"However, this Dao soldier cultivation method is somewhat similar to my family's Water Snake Dao soldiers."
After a moment of sneer and mockery, he considered finding an opportunity to seize this Dao soldier cultivation method.
After all, his Xu family of Beast Taming was renowned throughout the world for its foundation in beast taming.
This method of cultivating Dao soldiers could not only be used to cultivate Dao soldiers and increase their foundation, but also to verify and learn from it.
"Hmm?"
Lu Ping'an sensed something and looked up at Xu Yinglong in the sky.
Seeing Xu Yinglong looking at his black water dragon, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Hehe."
Xu Yinglong exchanged a brief glance with Lu Ping'an and looked away.
Although Lu Ping'an had the record of suppressing the Sima family patriarch, Sima Tong,
in his opinion, a near-third-tier body refinement cultivator was only comparable to his own spirit beast strength.
They were not on the same level at all.
"Xiao Yan, Chen Sha, Yun Fei, you guys need to be careful of the Xu family later."
Lu Ping'an saw the hostility in Xu Yinglong's eyes and said to Lu Qingyan and the others.
He also instructed Lu Qingxuan to mention the Xu family more often in the future.
"Don't worry, big brother, we understand."
The group nodded in response, all knowing that their family's rise had brought them into the Xu family's sights.
As a Core Formation family in the Qingyun region, the Xu family would definitely not want to see another Core Formation family rise!
Not long after, the Divine Blade Shangguan family, Danxia Mountain, and Huanyin Sect arrived one after another.
Lu Qingxuan and the others had only heard of these forces, never having seen them up close.
Today, they gained a general understanding.
After a long while, the Qingyun Sect, Yuling Sect, Luoxia Sect, and Tianjian Sect finally arrived one by one.
The arrival of these four great immortal sects, in terms of their imposing presence and the spirit of their disciples, far surpassed that of the other forces.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
After chatting for a while, the Core Formation cultivators of the four great immortal sects, holding their tokens, arrived at the purple altar.
Accompanied by surging purple light and interwoven runes, a massive void portal slowly appeared, exuding an ancient and vicissitudes.
"Is this the Purple Nether Secret Realm?"
Lu Qingxuan, Lu Qingyan, Lu Chensha, and the others were all incredibly shocked as they looked at the portal, which resembled a black hole vortex.
"The Purple Nether Secret Realm will last for one month."
"You may all enter the secret realm, but you must abide by the following rules."
The Core Formation cultivator of the Tianjian Sect spoke indifferently, tossing out a huge yellow notice that hovered in mid-air, indicating the rules of the secret realm.
"Once you enter the secret realm, you must be extra careful. Try to regroup as soon as possible and don't act alone."
"If you encounter danger, discard the spiritual herbs immediately; there's no need to risk your life."
Lu Ping'an instructed the group again.
An elder brother is like a father.
At this moment, he understood how his father had felt years ago when he and Lu Quanzhen entered the Purple Nether Secret Realm—a heavy heart filled with worry.
"Don't worry, elder brother, we understand."
Lu Qingyan and the others respected and trusted Lu Ping'an as their elder brother, speaking respectfully.
Even though they too felt some weight and pressure, they still smiled, appearing calm and collected, their eyes burning with intense fighting spirit.
"Elder brother, we're going."
"Ancestor, we're going."
After the people from the major forces had mostly gone in, the six of them, along with the four from Green Bamboo Mountain, addressed Lu Ping'an.
"Yes, be careful."
Lu Ping'an replied in a deep voice.
"Sister Yan, Brother Chensha, Brother Yunfei, Brother Qingze, Brother Mingfeng, Sister Ziyun, your little brother awaits your triumphant return."
Lu Qingxuan bowed earnestly to the group.
Then he bowed to the four from Qingzhu Mountain to say goodbye.
"Mm."
The ten nodded, then mounted their flying magical artifacts and rushed into the gate.
"Don't worry, Big Brother, Sister Yan, Brother Chensha and the others are exceptionally strong. They will definitely be safe and sound and return in triumph."
Lu Qingxuan noticed his older brother's worry and comforted him.
This wasn't entirely reassurance.
Except for a few with poor talent, most of the Lu family disciples cultivated exquisite-level techniques, or even unorthodox-level techniques.
Therefore, in terms of foundational combat strength, they were not inferior to any other force. They
were on par with Core Formation level forces or immortal sect disciples.
Moreover, this time, all six of them had talismans and puppets by their side.
Except for the top batch of immortal sects, one-on-one situations were basically not a problem.
"Mm."
Lu Ping'an nodded, without saying anything more.
He had been to the Purple Netherworld before and knew very well that in the secret realm, in addition to personal combat strength, adaptability and luck were also tested.
If you're unlucky and encounter a powerful demonic beast or an ambush, no matter how strong you are, you'll find it hard to escape.
Bihu Mountain.
Hundred Refinement Peak, Alchemy Room.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"
Lu Changsheng instructed Li Xingruo and his son Lu Xingchen on alchemy.
Lu Xingchen focused intently on the dark gold alchemy furnace before him, his hands constantly forming hand seals to control the earth fire with fire control techniques.
When he saw the furnace brimming with spiritual energy and wisps of medicinal fragrance, he immediately cast a series of spells into it.
Then, with a deep shout, he unleashed the furnace-opening spell: "Open!"
"Buzz!"
The furnace lid burst open, billowing hot air rising and dazzling light spreading.
"Collect!"
Lu Xingchen looked at the billowing hot air, collecting nine pills into his palm, his eyes filled with joy.
[Congratulations to the host for having their first offspring become a second-tier alchemist, granting one chance to draw a prize!]
At the same time, a system notification sounded in Lu Changsheng's mind.
"Xingchen, congratulations! From now on, you are a second-tier alchemist."
Lu Changsheng smiled at his son.
This son had a good talent for alchemy.
However, in his early years, he had focused his time and energy on cultivation, and his alchemy skills were only at the beginner level.
But after breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage and gaining divine consciousness, learning alchemy became much easier.
"It's all thanks to Father and Aunt's guidance."
Lu Xingchen said, cupping his hands, his tired face unable to hide his happiness.
Second-tier alchemists were of noble status and respected everywhere.
He was now the first member of the Lu family, besides Lu Changsheng and Li Xingruo, to advance to the second-tier alchemist, so he was naturally overjoyed.
"Hehe, go back and rest well. Spend more time with Jingyi and Xuangan these days."
Lu Changsheng chuckled, telling him to go back and rest first, and then continued to watch Li Xingruo refining pills beside him.
"Judging by the time, the Purple Nether Secret Realm should be opening soon, right?"
Looking at Lu Xingchen leaving, Lu Changsheng suddenly thought of his children who were going to the Purple Nether Secret Realm.
He gave each of his six children three second-tier talismans and a top-tier first-tier puppet.
It wasn't that he was stingy;
he simply felt that since they had chosen to hone their skills, giving too many—each child a second-tier puppet—would be meaningless.
"System, draw a prize,"
Lu Changsheng thought to himself, letting out a soft breath.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained a third-tier lightning seed: Evil-Repelling Golden Lightning!]
[The reward has been sent to your system space; you can check it at any time.]
Chapter 521 Heaven and Earth Thunder Root, Lu Chensha!
"Evil-repelling Golden Thunder? This is the Heaven and Earth Thunder Root?"
Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow upon seeing this reward.
There are many natural spiritual objects in the world:
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Plants, the essence of water, the spirit of the earth's veins.
The primordial seed formed from thunder is called the Heaven and Earth Thunder Root.
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Its effect is similar to the Thunderous Flame and Burning Heart Flame he had previously drawn.
Both were formed by chance, nurtured by the creation of heaven and earth, developing a bit of spirituality, and then forming a primordial thunder seed.
If one cultivates thunder-attribute techniques and refines a thunder root, it can be transformed into one's own thunder technique, greatly increasing the power of thunder-related spells and supernatural abilities.
However, compared to Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire, thunder is more violent and domineering, and difficult to control.
Like the spiritual fire of heaven and earth, many people, including alchemists and weapon refiners, study methods of controlling fire, trying to subdue and refine it.
But lightning is much rarer.
Not only is the root of heaven and earth lightning even rarer, but it is also much more difficult to control and refine.
Lu Changsheng's mind stirred slightly as he looked at the details of the Evil-Repelling Golden Lightning.
[Lightning Seed: Evil-Repelling Golden Lightning]
[Quality: Third Tier]
[Description: Ten-thousand-year-old Golden Lightning Bamboo, under the bombardment of heavenly lightning, gave birth to a bit of spirituality, forming a primordial lightning root. Its attributes are yang and domineering, with the effect of exorcising demons and warding off evil. It has a certain restraining effect on the demonic path and the ghost path.]
"Restrains the demonic path and the ghost path?"
Lu Changsheng immediately thought of the Yinming Ghost Sect of Jin Kingdom.
However, he did not have the idea of causing trouble for the Yinming Ghost Sect in the short term.
Unless he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, he could at most intimidate the Yinming Ghost Sect.
After all, with the protection of the fourth-tier great formation, even if he broke through to the late Core Formation stage or even the peak Core Formation stage, he would not be able to do anything to the Yinming Ghost Sect.
"This kind of Heavenly Thunder Root is extremely violent; even Core Formation cultivators find it difficult to refine."
"Although someone in my family cultivates thunder-based techniques, they cannot refine this third-tier thunder seed."
Lu Changsheng thought to himself, deciding to refine this Evil-Repelling Golden Thunder later.
Firstly, no one in his family needed it.
Secondly, through the Thunderous Dragon Flame, he knew that even without cultivating fire or thunder techniques, purely physical combat, the attack effect enhanced by this kind of Heavenly Spiritual Fire and thunder was quite good.
Currently, the effect of the Thunderous Dragon Flame was only average.
If he refined another thunderous source, his close-combat effectiveness would be further enhanced.
Moreover, his Thunderous Dragon Flame was inherently extremely yang and strong, carrying thunder attributes.
If he refined this Evil-Repelling Golden Thunder, perhaps the two could be combined, doubling their power.
Even if the effect wasn't great, when he no longer needed it, the Thunderous Dragon Flame and the Evil-Repelling Golden Thunder could still be separated and kept at home as a foundation.
Purple Nether Secret Realm.
A somewhat damp forest filled with the stench of decay.
Lu Qingyan opened her eyes, instantly placing a talisman in her palm and cautiously surveying her surroundings.
After confirming no one was around, she breathed a sigh of relief and took out a map from her storage bag.
Although her family didn't have much experience with the Purple Nether Secret Realm
, her father had prepared information about it for all of them.
It detailed several landmark locations and scenery,
indicating which places contained which spiritual herbs and which were more dangerous—very detailed indeed.
Lu Qingyan compared the map with the scenery before her, roughly determining her location. Then she took out her family's identity jade token and infused it with spiritual power.
Instantly, a faint aura pulled her in, telling her that a member of the Lu family was in the distance.
She didn't rush there, quietly waiting for the others to activate their tokens.
About fifteen minutes passed, and four auras were sensed from afar.
"Where's one?"
Lu Qingyan frowned slightly.
The six of them had already planned
to activate their tokens as soon as they entered the secret realm,
then gather around the spiritual spring pool.
If two people are close together, they will meet nearby.
How come a quarter of an hour has passed and one person is still missing?
"Could they have been teleported to a dangerous location?"
Lu Qingyan, dressed in silver armor and wielding a silver spear, was beautiful and heroic.
The Purple Nether Secret Realm uses random teleportation.
Some are directly teleported to the core area, where spiritual herbs and medicines abound.
Others are immediately surrounded by monsters, or even sent to a deadly place.
Although the probability of this is small, it cannot be ruled out.
"It's also possible that the location is too remote, or somewhere where it can't be sensed."
She pondered for a moment, then quickly walked towards the Spirit Spring Pool.
However, she remained very vigilant and cautious throughout, lest someone ambush her along the way. This was
because a group of people in the Purple Nether Secret Realm had abandoned entering the central area and were hunting cultivators in teams on the outer perimeter.
In a valley.
"Damn it!"
Lu Yunfei's body erupted with a golden light shield, his face extremely grim.
He hadn't expected to be teleported to a valley surrounded by wolves as soon as he entered the secret realm.
Although these Blood Shadow Wolves were all first-tier demonic beasts, their sheer numbers were overwhelming.
If it weren't for the second-tier Golden Light Talisman, he would have almost perished.
"At this rate, I have no way to break through."
"Once the Golden Light Talisman's energy is exhausted, I'll be in danger again. The only option is to use the 'Substitute Talisman.'"
Lu Yunfei knew he couldn't break through on his own.
The only way was to use the Substitute Talisman his father had given him.
But each member of the Lu family only had one Substitute
Talisman. It was a true life-saving talisman.
He was reluctant to use it so soon after entering the secret realm.
Moreover, the Substitute Talisman would randomly teleport him, and he was worried he'd be teleported to some dangerous place again.
"Roar—"
Just as he was trying to find a way to break through, he suddenly heard a deafening roar. "
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"
A fierce wind swept up the cliff, carrying a strong, foul stench towards Lu Yunfei.
He looked up and saw a massive, blood-red wolf king that had appeared on the cliff at some unknown time.
The wolf king let out a low growl, its entire body radiating a blood-red light, like burning blood flames, as it pounced towards him, exuding a terrifying aura.
"Not good!"
Lu Yunfei felt a chill run down his spine, his scalp tingling.
He had sensed something was wrong just now; this wolf pack didn't have a second-tier wolf king.
Unexpectedly, the wolf king wasn't here.
He quickly formed a hand seal, creating an earthen wall in front of him.
But the other blood wolves beside him roared and charged in instantly.
"Roar roar roar—"
The wolves swarmed, and the blood-red wolf king unleashed a burst of blood-red energy that struck him, its power as imposing as a mountain, terrifying to the soul.
"Bang!"
Lu Yunfei was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, his blood churning.
The golden light shield on his body dimmed considerably, almost dissipating.
However, under the bites of the other blood wolves, the light shield began to crack and shatter.
"Damn it!"
Lu Yunfei knew he couldn't hesitate any longer.
If he were to use the substitute talisman after the golden light talisman shattered and he was seriously injured, the situation would be even more dangerous.
"Buzz—"
The 'Substitute Talisman' between his brows suddenly ignited, unleashing a mysterious power that enveloped his entire body.
Then, like a streak of rainbow light, he shot out, leaving behind a lifeless puppet, torn to pieces by the wolves.
Lu Chensha sat cross-legged atop a gleaming, jet-black centipede covered in legs and with a ferocious appearance, cautiously observing his surroundings.
Upon closer inspection, one could see specks of black fire shimmering on the centipede's abdomen.
Riding a centipede like this, while somewhat conspicuous,
was the safest option for Lu Chensha.
On one hand, a top-tier first-order centipede could intimidate others.
On the other hand, demonic beasts like centipedes possessed extremely keen senses, far surpassing those of cultivators of the same level.
They could immediately detect any movement or fighting in the distance, preventing ambushes.
However, this approach naturally had its drawbacks.
Cultivators, seeing Lu Chensha clad in magical artifacts and riding a centipede, might find him troublesome and not consider him prey.
But for demonic beasts, the centipede's aura was a provocation, and they wouldn't care about such things.
Not long after,
"Huff, huff—"
Heavy breathing footsteps came from the nearby forest.
Lu Chensha's expression tightened slightly as he saw a wild boar, entirely black and resembling a small mountain, charging towards him.
Its eyes were bloodshot, its tusks sharp, its hair like steel needles, and its body emanated wisps of demonic energy, exuding a terrifying aura.
This was a peak first-tier demonic beast.
It was estimated to be only half a step away from advancing to the second tier.
Facing this wild boar demonic beast, Lu Chensha was wary and slightly raised his hand.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
Suddenly, black specks glowing with fire swarmed towards the wild boar from under the centipede's belly, forming winged black ants.
These black ants, like sharp blades, pierced directly into the wild boar's blood-red pupils, causing it to hiss and bleed from its eyes.
"Hiss hiss hiss—"
At the same time, the centipede raised its body, its ferocious mouth spewing out dark, venomous mist.
"Roar roar roar—"
The wild boar roared in pain, trying to escape.
But the black ants clung tightly to it, gradually charring its black-furred body.
Lu Chensha stood on the centipede, observing the surroundings through the Filthy God Insects, then maintaining his distance in pursuit.
The wild boar seemed to know it couldn't escape, charging at Lu Chensha like a madman.
However, after a brief struggle with the centipede, its massive body collapsed with a crash, charred and dripping with blood.
"Hiss hiss hiss—"
The black ants clinging to it began to frantically devour the wild boar's flesh, weakening its life force until it finally died.
Lu Chensha watched this scene calmly.
He already knew the strength of the Iron Fire Ants.
Therefore, when his elder brother Lu Ping'an led them on their training, he forbade Lu Ping'an from using the Iron Fire Ants.
"Once I break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, I can cultivate and control even more Ironfire Ants. At that time..."
Lu Chensha was increasingly looking forward to the end of the Purple Nether Secret Realm and his breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage.
Currently, his divine sense could only control eight hundred Ironfire Ants at its limit.
But if he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, the number he could control would increase several times over!
Eight hundred Ironfire Ants would be like a black fire cloud!
Eight thousand Ironfire Ants would be a fire cloud that blotted out the sky!
If there were eighty thousand Ironfire Ants, he would be an army all by himself.
"However, to control tens of thousands of Ironfire Ants, I'm afraid I'll need to break through to the Core Formation stage first,"
Lu Chensha chuckled self-deprecatingly, suppressing his thoughts.
After the Ironfire Ants had devoured half of the wild boar demon beast before him, he took out a boning knife, dissected the wild boar's flesh and blood, and then stored it in his insect nest bag. The
reason his Ironfire Ants grew and reproduced so quickly was inseparable from his insect nest bag.
Not only was it suitable for the Ironfire Ants to reproduce and survive, but when demon beast flesh and blood were placed inside, it would automatically transform into flesh-and-blood insect pellets.
After finishing everything, the fire ants vanished like grains of sand, hiding in the belly of the centipede. Lu Chensha then rode the centipede forward to rejoin the others.
"You brat from Bihu Mountain, you're unlucky to have met us today!"
A young man nearly two meters tall and a cold, beautiful woman in her mid-twenties sneered at Lu Qingze.
As they spoke, they immediately unleashed their magical artifacts and attacked him.
Knowing that the two were from the Sima family of Xuanwu Ridge and their strength was no less than his own, Lu Qingze didn't linger.
He immediately pulled out a high-grade first-tier Divine Wind Talisman from his robes, activated it, and turned to flee. Besides the talismans, magical artifacts, and puppets provided by their families, they had also prepared some of their own methods for entering the secret realm.
For members of the Lu family, purchasing talismans was very convenient, and they usually carried several on hand.
"Hmph, trying to escape!"
Seeing this, the two Sima family cultivators immediately gave chase, unwilling to let Lu Qingze go.
This time, the Sima family directly issued an order: if any cultivators from the Lu family of Bihu Mountain were encountered, they should be killed without mercy.
For each person killed, a Foundation Establishment spiritual item would be awarded!
If two were killed, priority would be given to obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills!
With such conditions, how could they possibly pass up the opportunity?
Several days later.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
After seeing the Iron Fire Ants kill the two cultivators, Lu Chensha rode his Thousand-Legged Centipede forward, using the Filthy God Insect to sense the surrounding situation and check for any remaining ambushes.
Once he confirmed the danger was over, he went forward to clean the bodies and storage bags of the two men.
"No wonder there's a saying that murder and arson bring wealth; just these two people yielded thousands of spirit stones."
"If I were to earn this much from my monthly allowance and the income from raising spirit beasts, it would probably take me ten years to earn this many spirit stones."
Lu Chensha looked at the storage bag in his hand, somewhat wistfully.
Bihu Mountain provided a monthly resource allowance, so they weren't particularly short of spirit stones.
But even if they weren't short, who would complain about having too much money?
Looking at their usual family tasks or busy work outside, they could only earn a few hundred or a thousand spirit stones a year at most.
Within the secret realm, killing two cultivators yielded thousands of spirit stones, a
fact that still stirred a sense of感慨 (gan3 kai3, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, often including nostalgia and regret). "Their ambush was quite dangerous; thankfully, I had the Thousand-Legged Centipede and the Foul God Insect."
"However, their methods are quite suitable for me."
"I could easily imitate them, luring them with spirit herbs, or disguising their corpses as if they were being devoured by demonic beasts, a mutual destruction, leaving only storage bags, and then having the Iron Fire Ants hide within the bodies."
"As long as someone greedily approaches, I can directly command the Iron Fire Ants to act."
"Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators wouldn't even be able to react."
Reflecting on the situation, Lu Chensha suddenly had an idea.
He felt that if he did this, he could easily amass a fortune.
But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he was startled.
This was his first time killing someone.
Perhaps because it was entirely the Iron Fire Ants who did it, he felt nothing.
It was like killing demonic beasts before.
But this thought of treating human life so lightly, of the survival of the fittest, still shocked him.
Neither his previous personality nor the teachings of Bihu Mountain had ever shown him such disregard for life and recklessness.
"He who walks by the river will eventually get wet. Many choose to become treacherous cultivators or evil cultivators because they taste a little sweetness."
"If we do this, we might encounter some powerful figures. It's more important to regroup first."
Lu Chensha dismissed this thought, tidied himself up, and continued on his way.
But those thoughts, his first killing, still made him realize how much he disregarded life.
His heart underwent a silent change.
About half a day later, Lu Chensha met up with Lu Qingyan and Lu Qingze.
Both bore the marks of battle.
Lu Qingze, in particular, was pale, having not only exhausted himself but also suffered considerable injuries.
Lu Chensha, riding on the centipede, was clean and tidy, without a single wrinkle.
"The Sima family,"
Lu Chensha heard Lu Qingze say, indicating that if they encountered them later, they would fight back.
Two days later, Lu Mingfeng and Lu Ziyun arrived.
The two of them were relatively close at the time, so they met up first.
Both of them showed signs of battle, but were not injured; they had only encountered demonic beasts along the way.
"Only Yunfei is left. He must have been teleported to some remote place, which is why the token can't sense him," Lu Qingyan said
with a somewhat grave expression.
This situation was usually extremely dangerous.
"So what do we do now? Should we search for spiritual herbs on the outskirts and wait for Yunfei's condition, or should we head to the central area?" Lu Mingfeng asked. "We haven't gained much from this trip to reunite. We can stay here and see if Yunfei can sense us," Lu Qingze said after a moment's thought. He also needed to use this time to heal his injuries. "Alright." Everyone agreed and began to move together. Although Lu Qingze was injured and didn't fight much, Lu Qingyan, Lu Chensha, Lu Mingfeng, and Lu Ziyun were enough to handle most situations. As the five began their exploration, most of the clan cultivators and immortal sect disciples in the secret realm had already grouped up and started cleaning up any lone cultivators. If they were fellow clan cultivators in groups of three or five and had no animosity, they would tacitly pass each other by, or only make a brief exchange. A few days later, Lu Qingyan and Lu Chensha encountered the cultivators from Golden Dragon Ridge. Upon meeting, both sides were naturally filled with hostility. "Kill!" The Golden Dragon Ridge cultivators also numbered five. However, they noticed Lu Qingze was injured. Moreover, the Lu family had just been through a battle and was somewhat weakened, so they wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to kill one or two of them. "Whoosh whoosh whoosh—" They unleashed their magical artifacts and spells, directly attacking Lu Qingze, intending to kill him first. "Hmph!" Lu Qingyan, clad in silver armor and wielding a silver spear, directly blocked their path. "Buzz!" Although Lu Qingze couldn't use much magic power, he still had puppets. Furthermore, Lu Chensha had given him his own puppet, allowing him to control two puppets simultaneously. "Puppets!?" The Golden Dragon Ridge cultivators' eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing this, but they weren't overly surprised. The Lu family of Bihu Mountain was renowned for its talismanic arts, but its most widespread business was puppetry. Not only had they monopolized the Red Leaf Valley market, but even the puppet market in their Golden Dragon Ridge area had been taken over by Bihu Mountain. Lu Mingfeng and Lu Ziyun, one wielding a flying sword and the other casting a spell, respectively. "Buzz!" Lu Chensha stood behind the three, seemingly performing a hand seal to cast some secret technique. However, he was secretly controlling the Iron Fire Ants, then seizing the opportunity to make them fly like black swords towards one of them. "Wind Dragon Technique!" Upon seeing this, the Jin family cultivator surged with spiritual energy, creating a silver hurricane like a dragon, sweeping towards the Iron Fire Ants. However, the Iron Fire Ants, like black swords, pierced directly through the hurricane, breaking through his protective magic shield, causing his chest to explode with a scorching pain. Immediately afterward, the black sword transformed into a swarm of Iron Fire Ants, covering his entire body and tearing at his flesh. "Ah—!" he immediately roared in agony. "Kunfei!" The others nearby were shocked and quickly cast spells to drive away the Iron Fire Ants. In this situation, fearing they might injure Jin Kunfei, they dared not attack too fiercely. The iron fire ants were merely repelled, remaining unharmed and continuing to burn and gnaw. Jin Kunfei screamed in agony, his spiritual energy surging, but he could only repel a few iron fire ants. "Kill!" Lu Qingyan and the others were somewhat surprised by the iron fire ants' abilities. They had instantly broken through the opponent's spells and protective shield. However, seeing the Jin family in disarray, they immediately launched a fierce attack. "Hiss hiss hiss—" At this moment, the centipede also hissed forward, indiscriminately spewing poisonous mist. However, Lu Chensha and the others had already prepared antidotes and each put one in their mouths. "Hold your breath! Go!" The Jin family cultivators shouted immediately upon seeing this. Seeing Jin Kunfei covered in black ants, his flesh charred and dripping with blood, they dared not linger. They knew the five members of the Lu family were not simple, and they were no match for them. "Sister Yan, don't chase!" Lu Chensha shouted as he saw Lu Qingyan seemed about to give chase. Although his Iron Fire Ants could quickly eliminate Qi-Cultivation cultivators by surprise, their numbers were currently insufficient for a group attack. Moreover, the Purple Nether Secret Realm was dangerous; if other forces witnessed their battle, they might reap the benefits. Lu Qingyan and the others naturally understood this, so they intercepted and killed Jin Kunfei, who was being entangled by the Iron Fire Ants, and then abandoned the pursuit. "Chensha, you really are a master of disguise," Lu Mingfeng said to Lu Chensha with some emotion. Previously, when the six of them accompanied Lu Ping'an on his training, Lu Chensha hadn't shown too much of his abilities, nor had he used the Iron Fire Ants. And these past few days, with the five of them on their mission, Lu Chensha hadn't needed to use the Iron Fire Ants either, so they didn't know his true strength. "It was just luck; I caught them off guard," Lu Chensha said modestly. He knew that the opportunities he received from his family were greater than those of other Lu family members, so he usually kept a low profile to avoid attracting envy. "You've done a great job on this trip to Chensha, so his storage bag is yours." Lu Qingyan glanced at her younger brother. In her memory, Lu Chensha had always been very low-key and didn't have much of a presence. The only thing she remembered about him was his good talent for beast taming; their father seemed to have entrusted him with the care of the family's Black Water Dragon. "Everyone has contributed, how can I accept this? I'll just pick a few items first," Lu Chensha said with a smile. Afterward, the group packed up and found a cave to meditate and rest. Once they were in good condition, they discussed their options and decided to head to the central area. They hadn't sensed Lu Yunfei for some time, so he had likely been directly teleported to the central area. Because the Purple Nether Mountain in the central area was constantly shrouded in mist, it was likely that the token's aura was blocked.