Chapter 186: Discussing the Dao, the Order from the Sect, and the Fall of the Xiahou Family
by xennovelChu Qingyi lay gracefully on the bed.
Her pale jade-like face had a slight blush, her slender and elegant body tensed, and her narrow phoenix eyes were tightly closed.
Her long, dense eyelashes and tightly pressed lips trembled slightly.
She had been unconscious before, with no awareness.
She didn’t feel anything when Lu Changsheng used Seven-star Sword Qi to expel the poison.
But now, as she woke up, she was fully conscious.
She could clearly feel a warm hand pressing on her chest, making her feel awkward and very uncomfortable.
At the same time.
The sharp and domineering sword qi slowly flowed into her body from this palm, giving her an indescribable comfort.
It felt like a gentle warm breeze blowing in the icy snow.
Making her feel like she was bathing in the warm sun.
As the sword qi continued to move through her body, expelling the poison, she felt as if she was soaking in a hot spring, her entire body warm and very comfortable.
Even her Qi seemed to be faintly guided by this sword qi.
“What’s happening?”
Chu Qingyi’s phoenix eyes remained closed, not understanding what was happening.
Why did his sword qi have such an inexplicable attraction to her?
“Is it because of the sword?”
Chu Qingyi murmured to herself.
Since she could remember, she had been in the Azure Cloud Sect, raised by Yun Wanshang.
From a young age, she was introverted, not talkative, and had little interest in most things.
But once, after seeing Yun Wanshang’s sword, she felt a strange interest and a sense of familiarity.
Yun Wanshang, upon learning this, said she had a ‘sword heart.’
After cultivating, she became a sword cultivator.
It turned out she indeed had extraordinary talent in the way of the sword.
Her sword heart was clear, and she was devoted solely to the sword.
She not only mastered one of the Azure Cloud Sect’s core techniques, the “Cloud Peak Sword Technique,” but also excelled in the way of the sword.
At this moment, she vaguely sensed that this inexplicable attraction was coming from the man’s sword qi.
This sword qi felt as familiar and attractive as when she first saw her master’s sword, making her feel close.
It made her want to discuss the sword with him.
“Phew!”
At this moment, Lu Changsheng felt that the corpse poison in Chu Qingyi’s heart vessels had been mostly expelled, so he withdrew his hand from the soft and smooth area and exhaled deeply.
“Mmm~”
As his hand left, Chu Qingyi, who was quietly experiencing the profoundness of the sword qi, couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.
Her weak and delicate body, now mostly free of corpse poison, felt an aching sensation.
Her tightly bound feet inside her jade boots slowly relaxed, and her cold voice carried a bit of coquettishness.
This soft moan made Chu Qingyi’s pale face blush, her beautiful eyes lowering, not daring to look at Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng seemed not to have heard this charming soft moan.
He said to Real Man Chiyan with a serious expression, “Real Man, I have tried my best to expel the corpse poison from Qingyi Fairy’s heart vessel. With my ability, I cannot completely eradicate the remaining poison.”
He was telling the truth.
To completely expel the remaining corpse poison clinging to her bones, he would have to use the Seven Luminaries Heart Lamp.
Only by continuously burning the poison with the heart lamp’s fire could it be gradually refined.
But he clearly didn’t need to go to that extent.
And he didn’t want to reveal too much.
“Thank you, young friend Han.”
“Please rest and recover, and then help my niece Qingyi with her dantian poison. Our Azure Cloud Sect will certainly reward you generously and owe you a favor.”
Real Man Chiyan had been protecting Chu Qingyi’s heart vessels and monitoring her vitality.
Knowing that the corpse poison in her heart vessels had been mostly resolved.
It was enough to make it back to the Azure Cloud Sect.
But the poison had invaded not only her heart vessels but also her qi sea and dantian.
If not treated in time, it would damage her foundation.
Any damage to the foundation could even affect her core formation, which was very serious.
Saying this, she handed a bottle of pills to Lu Changsheng to help him recover his Qi.
“Yes, let me recover my Qi first.”
Lu Changsheng took the pills and bowed slightly.
“Thank you, Daoist Han.”
Chu Qingyi also calmed herself, her face slightly flushed, and softly thanked Lu Changsheng.
“No need to be polite, Fairy Qingyi.”
“I am a friend of Fairy Xiyue. Thanks to her, I was able to take your sect’s spirit ship.”
“So I’m willing to help as much as I can.”
Lu Changsheng smiled and said.
He had boarded the spirit ship thanks to a ticket given by Xiao Xiyue.
The Azure Cloud Sect had this information on record.
Afterward, if the sect investigated, they would find out that he knew Xiao Xiyue.
So he directly mentioned his acquaintance with Xiao Xiyue.
It was also a way to show some friendliness to the Azure Cloud Sect.
“Daoist Han is actually a friend of my junior sister.”
Chu Qingyi was a bit surprised to hear this.
Although she often carried out missions outside and didn’t spend much time with her junior sister Xiao Xiyue.
She knew that her junior sister, due to practicing the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Technique, was like the moon in the sky, unaffected by emotions or external matters.
She had little interest in anything besides cultivation.
Let alone interacting with people.
Unexpectedly, the Daoist Han in front of her could become friends with her junior sister.
But thinking about the Seven-star Sword Qi that Lu Changsheng used to expel her poison, she felt slightly relieved.
Such a person was indeed someone her junior sister would be willing to associate with.
“I didn’t expect young friend Han to be a friend of my niece Xiao.”
Real Man Chiyan was also a bit surprised to hear this.
Then she smiled.
With this connection, she felt closer to Lu Changsheng.
“I was fortunate to meet Fairy Xiyue during her training.”
Lu Changsheng said politely.
The two of them did not ask further.
Those who could board this spirit ship generally had some connection to the Azure Cloud Sect.
Either they were part of a cooperating faction.
Or they were under the sect’s jurisdiction.
Or they were related to the sect’s disciples.
Lu Changsheng took the pills and sat cross-legged to restore his Qi.
These pills were Top-Tier Second-Tier pills.
After about half an hour, Lu Changsheng’s Qi was mostly restored.
“Fairy Qingyi.”
He looked at the bed, where Chu Qingyi, with her slender waist and long, straight legs, lay gracefully, and spoke.
“Sorry to trouble you, Daoist Han.”
Chu Qingyi’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she spoke softly.
Then she closed her beautiful eyes.
Lu Changsheng reached out his hand and placed it on her soft, flat abdomen.
Allowing the Seven-star Sword Qi to better enter her dantian and expel the poison.
“Mmm~”
As the Seven-star Sword Qi flowed into her dantian, Chu Qingyi’s body tensed, and she couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.
If the previous Seven-star Sword Qi moving through her body to expel the poison from her heart vessels made her feel like she was soaking in a hot spring, warm and comfortable.
Now, the sword qi entering her dantian seemed to resonate with her Qi and foundation in a special way.
It made her feel an inexplicable closeness to Lu Changsheng.
“Relax a bit.”
Lu Changsheng looked at Chu Qingyi and showed a slightly strange expression.
Chu Qingyi was clearly poisoned by corpse poison.
Why was her face blushing, and why did she keep moaning?
Could the corpse poison contain some aphrodisiac component?
“Luckily, she met me, Lu.”
“If it were someone else, they wouldn’t be able to calmly expel the poison.”
Lu Changsheng thought to himself.
Even though he had seen much in life, he had to admit that Chu Qingyi was very attractive.
Her delicate and beautiful face, graceful curves, surpassed many women.
Even now, pale and weak, she still had a rare cold elegance among female cultivators.
Moreover, as a true disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect, she had extraordinary talent.
If he could marry her and have children, their children would surely have great talent.
“Hmm?”
Lu Changsheng’s hand rested on her smooth, flat abdomen, and the Seven-star Sword Qi slowly flowed into her dantian, expelling the poison.
He noticed that when his Seven-star Sword Qi entered the depths of Chu Qingyi’s qi sea and dantian, it resonated with her Qi and foundation.
This feeling was very strange.
He had never encountered it before.
“Is it because Fairy Qingyi is also a sword cultivator?”
Lu Changsheng thought in surprise.
This situation was very rare.
Generally, it only happened when the cultivation techniques had some similarities.
But this resonance made his Seven-star Sword Qi flow more smoothly in Chu Qingyi’s dantian, like a fish in water.
It had no other effect.
To be honest, maybe the two of them discussing Dao and swordsmanship, sharing cultivation experiences and techniques, could provide some inspiration and help.
However, Lu Changsheng’s Seven Luminaries Great Freedom Sword Manual was already thoroughly mastered through the system’s inheritance, so there was nothing to discuss.
“It seems that this young friend Han’s cultivation technique is extraordinary. It can resonate with our Azure Cloud Sect’s ‘Cloud Peak Sword Technique,’ sharing some similarities.”
Real Man Chiyan had been using his power to maintain and stabilize Chu Qingyi’s life force.
At this moment, he vaguely sensed something unusual and was surprised.
The core sword technique of their Azure Cloud Sect, the ‘Qingyuan Sword Technique,’ was a side-door level technique.
Lu Changsheng’s technique resonating with this sword technique indicated that Lu Changsheng’s cultivation technique was also extraordinary.
At least it was a side-door level technique.
A lone cultivator practicing such an inherited technique indicated he was not simple and had great fortune and opportunities.
“Indeed, if he were an ordinary lone cultivator, he wouldn’t be able to associate with a genius like Xiyue Junior Sister.”
Real Man Chiyan glanced at Lu Changsheng.
“Alright.”
After a long time, Lu Changsheng withdrew his hand after removing most of the corpse poison from Chu Qingyi’s dantian and sea of qi, and cupped his hands in thanks.
“Thank you, Daoist Han.”
Chu Qingyi suppressed her tense body, barely preventing herself from making another embarrassing moan.
Possibly from suppressing her voice for so long, her clear and cold voice now carried a bit of a hoarse, magnetic quality.
“Fairy Qingyi, you’re too kind.”
Lu Changsheng slightly cupped his hands.
He thought to himself that her restrained demeanor had a unique charm.
“Young friend Han, you’ve worked hard this time.”
“This is a Second-Tier High-Tier Breaking Stage Pill, which helps with the breakthrough from mid-stage Foundation Establishment to Late-Stage Foundation Establishment. Please accept it.”
“Also, our Azure Cloud Sect owes you a favor for this. If you need anything in the future, you can bring this token to our Azure Cloud Sect.”
At this moment, Real Man Chiyan took out a porcelain bottle and a token and spoke.
This was both to thank Lu Changsheng for saving Chu Qingyi and to show that their Azure Cloud Sect was willing to befriend such a talented lone cultivator as Lu Changsheng.
“Such a generous gift, I feel quite undeserving.”
Seeing this pill, Lu Changsheng thought, “As expected of a large sect, they are truly generous.”
A first-tier High-Tier Breaking Stage Pill for the breakthrough from mid-stage Qi Refinement to Late-Stage Qi Refinement was worth 1,200 Spirit Stones.
But a Second-Tier High-Tier Breaking Stage Pill for the breakthrough from mid-stage Foundation Establishment to Late-Stage Foundation Establishment was worth over ten times that.
It was worth more than 20,000 Spirit Stones.
Moreover, such pills were very rare.
They were priceless in the Market.
Often, even with money, you couldn’t buy them without proper channels.
Real Man Chiyan probably saw he was at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, so she gave him such a pill as compensation.
“As long as young friend Han doesn’t mind, it’s fine.”
Real Man Chiyan said with a smile.
Given that the Azure Cloud Sect owed him a favor, a generous gift was just a gesture.
But since Lu Changsheng and Xiao Xiyue were friends, and she had a good impression of him during the detoxification process, she was willing to be a bit more generous.
“Thank you, Real Man!”
“In that case, I’ll go rest first.”
Lu Changsheng said.
Since most of Chu Qingyi’s corpse poison was removed, it wasn’t appropriate for him to stay longer.
Moreover, the detoxification process had been mentally exhausting.
He had to focus intently to avoid harming Chu Qingyi with his sword qi.
“You’ve worked hard, young friend.”
Real Man Chiyan nodded.
She then instructed a Azure Cloud Sect disciple outside, “Xuanfeng, arrange a luxurious guest room for young friend Han.”
“Yes, Elder.”
The Azure Cloud Sect disciple named Xuanfeng immediately responded.
Seeing Lu Changsheng had been in the room for so long, he knew Lu Changsheng must have had some effect on Chu Qingyi’s poison.
He was also more polite to Lu Changsheng, making a gesture of invitation, “Daoist Han, please.”
Then he led Lu Changsheng to a luxurious guest room.
This luxurious guest room was about thirty square meters.
Compared to ordinary guest rooms, this room was filled with Qi.
The Qi maintaining the operation of the spirit ship also flowed into this third-floor room, allowing for meditation and cultivation.
Unlike ordinary guest rooms where Qi was scarce.
To meditate and cultivate, restore power, one could only rely on pills, Spirit Stones, spirit wine, Spirit Tea, and other means.
“I wonder how significant this favor is. Can it help me obtain the qualification to purchase spiritual land from the Azure Cloud Sect?”
Lu Changsheng didn’t pay much attention to the environment. He took out the token given by Real Man Chiyan from his Storage Bag.
He immediately thought of using the favor from the Azure Cloud Sect to obtain the qualification to purchase spiritual land.
For other matters, he had no need to trouble the Azure Cloud Sect for now.
“I’ll ask Xiyue about the weight of this favor.”
Lu Changsheng thought to himself while looking at the token.
He planned to ask Xiao Xiyue about the extent of this favor.
This way, he could maximize the benefit of this favor.
“By the way, this spirit ship won’t return to the Azure Cloud Sect first before heading to Nine Heavens Immortal City, will it?”
Lu Changsheng put away the token and looked at the sea of clouds outside the window.
If it returned to the Azure Cloud Sect first and then set off for Nine Heavens Immortal City, it would delay the journey by one or two months.
However, five days later, the spirit ship slowly stopped.
Lu Changsheng saw a man and a woman board the spirit ship.
“Are they from the Azure Cloud Sect?”
Lu Changsheng wondered.
One of them was at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, the other he couldn’t see through.
Either they had some treasure to conceal their cultivation, or their strength surpassed the Foundation Establishment stage.
After a long time.
He heard a knock on the door.
The door opened, and Chu Qingyi stood outside.
“Daoist Han.”
Chu Qingyi cupped her hands to Lu Changsheng.
Although her breath was still weak and chaotic, her complexion was much better than before.
Her luxurious white palace dress, long black hair tied into a high ponytail, and a sky-blue spirit sword on her back.
Her phoenix eyes were long and sharp, filled with determination. She was like a sharp sword unsheathed.
“Fairy Qingyi.”
Lu Changsheng looked at Chu Qingyi in front of him.
He thought her demeanor was similar to Xiao Xiyue’s, cold and aloof, making her hard to approach.
But Xiao Xiyue’s demeanor lacked this sharpness, being more noble and pure.
However, this sword fairy’s demeanor also had a stunning beauty.
“Daoist Han, I remember your life-saving grace.”
“If you need anything in the future, you can come to the Azure Cloud Sect.”
Chu Qingyi said to Lu Changsheng.
“Fairy Qingyi, you’re too kind.”
“If I have the opportunity, I will certainly visit the Azure Cloud Sect to discuss Dao and swordsmanship with you.”
Lu Changsheng smiled and cupped his hands.
He was willing to build relationships with such sect geniuses.
After all, every relationship could help in the future development of his family.
As for other thoughts, it was not impossible.
Such a talented sword fairy would make a great mother for his children.
But with Xiao Xiyue’s relationship, he felt awkward about pursuing her senior sister.
After all, she had a Golden Core stage master.
If her master knew, he feared she would cut him down with a sword.
“Okay.”
Chu Qingyi’s beautiful eyes showed a bit of joy at his words.
She was not interested in most things, only in swords.
When Lu Changsheng detoxified her, the resonance with the Seven Luminaries Sword Qi made her feel a strange familiarity, so she wanted to discuss swordsmanship with him.
But she was severely injured and couldn’t move conveniently.
And she didn’t know how to ask.
After all.
She wanted to share cultivation experiences and swordsmanship insights, but others might not be willing.
Now that Lu Changsheng took the initiative, she was naturally very happy.
After a simple farewell.
Chu Qingyi left with the two new arrivals on a small Spirit Boat, turning into a stream of light and quickly departing.
“The spirit ship will now officially return.”
“Due to our sect’s matters delaying your journey, we will refund thirty percent of the ticket price in Spirit Stones as compensation. Please understand.”
At this moment, Real Man Chiyan’s voice echoed on the spirit ship.
This was to give a simple explanation to all the passengers.
Everyone naturally had no objections to such compensation.
Because even if Real Man Chiyan and the Azure Cloud Sect gave no compensation or explanation, they could only endure it.
“Finally, we’re setting sail.”
Hearing this voice and seeing the spirit ship heading to Nine Heavens Immortal City again, Lu Changsheng let out a long breath.
He thought they would be delayed by one or two months.
At this speed, it will only take ten days to half a month.
He thought it was fine.
Immediately, he took out a brush and paper to continue drawing talismans.
Half a month later.
A Spirit Boat entered the Azure Cloud Sect.
On Caiyun Peak, Yun Wanshang saw the Spirit Boat and immediately flew out like a rainbow.
She had been in seclusion. Upon hearing about her disciple, she came out to wait for Chu Qingyi’s return.
“Greetings, Caiyun Zhenren.”
“Greetings, Caiyun Zhenren.”
The two people on the Spirit Boat saw Yun Wanshang and bowed.
“Thank you both.”
Yun Wanshang nodded.
At that time, traveling from the Azure Cloud Sect to the giant spirit ship was too far, so she had them go nearby instead.
Then, she looked at the pale and disordered Chu Qingyi and asked with concern, “Qingyi, how are you?”
“Master, I am fine now.”
Chu Qingyi looked at her master and bowed.
She spoke, “Master, I did not fail. From my investigation into the Xiahou family’s ancestral land, the Xiahou family should be a hidden faction of the Heaven Corpse Sect.”
“Under the Blackwater Pool, there is a Yin vein. The Xiahou family uses this Yin vein to raise and refine corpses.”
“Also, based on my guess, the Xiahou family should have more than one false core immortal.”
Chu Qingyi reported her findings.
“A hidden faction of the Heaven Corpse Sect.”
“As expected, I didn’t think the Xiahou family would hide so deeply.”
Yun Wanshang’s beautiful eyes turned cold as she spoke.
“Under the Blackwater Pool, there’s a Yin vein. No wonder the Blackwater Pool, originally a second-rank inferior spiritual vein in a harsh environment, was chosen by the Xiahou family to root their family and spend a lot to cultivate the spiritual vein.”
The false core immortal beside her also spoke.
“Qingyi, let’s report this to the sect leader together.”
Yun Wanshang, with an imposing aura, took Chu Qingyi to the Cloud Peak Hall.
She had Chu Qingyi truthfully report the Xiahou family matters to the Azure Cloud Sect Leader.
“Xiahou family, Heaven Corpse Sect.”
“It seems the Xiahou family is indeed one of the hidden factions of the Heaven Corpse Sect.”
“Now, the Heaven Corpse Sect leader and the Five Poison Sect leader challenge True Lord Xuanjian, intending to invade our Jiang Kingdom. The hidden factions of the Heaven Corpse Sect, the Five Poison Sect, and the Yin Ghost Sect are also stirring and surfacing.”
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader spoke with a calm yet majestic voice after hearing the report.
“Since the Xiahou family is under our Azure Cloud Sect’s jurisdiction and has now been exposed, we should deal with it early.”
“Junior Sister Caiyun, why don’t you lead a team to handle this?”
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader looked at Yun Wanshang and spoke.
“Okay.”
Yun Wanshang nodded.
Then she said, “Qingyi has done a great job investigating the Xiahou family. After this battle, I believe Qingyi’s Condensing Crystal Pill can be confirmed.”
“Agreed.”
The Azure Cloud Sect Leader pondered for a moment and nodded.
Outside Qingzhu Mountain.
That day, a Azure Cloud Sect disciple landed with a Spirit Boat.
“Greetings, Senior.”
Seeing the Azure Cloud Sect disciple, the Lu Family guards immediately bowed.
“Have the person in charge of Qingzhu Mountain’s Lu Family come out.”
The Azure Cloud Sect disciple spoke in a stern voice.
“Please wait, Senior.”
The Lu Family guards did not dare to delay.
They immediately sent a message to notify Lu Miaochang and the patriarch Lu Yuanzhong.
Soon, Lu Miaochang and Lu Yuanzhong hurried over.
“The order from the sect: The Blackwater Xiahou family colluded with the demonic path and harmed our Cloud Peak disciples. Now, we summon all families to attack together!”
Seeing Lu Yuanzhong, the Azure Cloud Sect disciple took out a token and spoke loudly.
“The Blackwater Xiahou family colluded with the demonic path?”
Lu Yuanzhong and Lu Miaochang were shocked by this news.
After all, the Blackwater Xiahou family was a major family in the cultivation world.
A family with a false core immortal.
It was a family the Lu Family looked up to.
But now, the Azure Cloud Sect said the Xiahou family colluded with the demonic path and summoned all families to attack, meaning they intended to completely wipe out the Xiahou family.
“Qingzhu Lu Family obeys the order!”
Lu Yuanzhong did not dare to think too much and respectfully responded.
These families under the Azure Cloud Sect’s jurisdiction usually only needed to pay tribute on time, and the Azure Cloud Sect would not interfere.
But when the Azure Cloud Sect gave an order, they had to obey unconditionally.
Not only Qingzhu Mountain.
The Yu Family of Bihu Mountain, the Zheng Family of Centipede Ridge, the Bai Family of Hundred Bird Lake, the Ning family of Xishan, the Zhao Family of White Tiger Mountain, and other families under the Azure Cloud Sect’s jurisdiction all received the order.
After all, the Azure Cloud Sect wanted to destroy the Xiahou family, not just by sending a core formation immortal to kill all members of the Blackwater Xiahou family.
Even a core formation immortal would miss some.
Moreover, destroying the Xiahou family included the affiliated families, Markets they controlled, and disciples outside.
If everything was done by the Azure Cloud Sect alone, it would require too many resources and disciples, which could cause significant losses.
So, at this time, the families under their jurisdiction played a role.
Today, while writing, I missed something in the middle, so there will be an extra update tomorrow.