Chapter 215: Meng Xiaochan: Master, It’s the Locking Emotion Gu

The moonlight was frosty, and a gentle breeze blew.

Atop the Spirit Pond Mountain, all was quiet.

Only the nearby pine trees swayed gently, making a soft rustling sound.

This sound carried a hint of loneliness and desolation.

Time passed, though it was unclear how long.

Nangong Mili slowly opened her eyes.

Earlier, when facing Lu Changsheng, her heart had raced uncontrollably.

Love, hatred, tenderness, anger, and bitterness surged within her, making it impossible to face Lu Changsheng directly.

Her entire being felt overwhelmed, as if submerged by a tidal wave.

Now, with Lu Changsheng gone, her heart gradually calmed.

“Xiaochan, tell me, what’s going on between you and that dog Lu Changsheng?”

Nangong Mili looked at her disciple, her expression complex as she spoke.

“Master…”

Meng Xiaochan’s face paled upon hearing her master’s words.

She knew her master had realized something about the Locking Emotion Gu.

She bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood. Her body trembled as she stuttered, unable to speak.

“Sigh!”

Nangong Mili silently watched her disciple.

Seeing Meng Xiaochan in this state, she let out a deep sigh.

She was now certain that something was wrong with Lu Changsheng.

Her feelings for Lu Changsheng must have been the result of some trickery.

And Meng Xiaochan likely knew what was happening.

But she too had been affected by Lu Changsheng.

The impact on her was much deeper than on Nangong Mili herself.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be showing such a reaction.

“Take your time to recover.”

Nangong Mili glanced at her disciple, said nothing more, and closed her eyes again.

Meng Xiaochan caught a fleeting look of disappointment in her master’s eyes.

Her heart ached as if cut by a knife. She bit her lip harder, drawing blood.

Her heart trembled as she struggled to choose between her master and Lu Changsheng.

Finally, she coughed up blood, her face as pale as paper, and uttered a sentence.

“Master, it’s the Locking Emotion Gu.”

In the night sky, a Spirit Boat glided under the moonlight.

A man and a woman stood on the boat.

The man had handsome features and a tall, straight posture. He wore a long green robe and had an otherworldly aura.

He was like a fine jade tree, or a majestic mountain peak, captivating to behold.

The woman had delicate features, her hair coiled up. She wore a light blue dress and had a graceful, dignified figure.

Her face was pale and bloodless, making her appear both full-figured and fragile.

But her beautiful eyes were like autumn waters, bright and spirited. Anyone who saw this woman wouldn’t dare underestimate her.

“My lord.”

Ling Zixiao noticed Lu Changsheng’s troubled state and gently held his hand.

Though she didn’t know the details between Lu Changsheng and Nangong Mili,

She knew Lu Changsheng was bothered by this matter.

“Could it be that my lord has fallen in love with Nangong Mili?”

Ling Zixiao wondered to herself.

She couldn’t think of any other reason for Lu Changsheng’s sudden change towards Nangong Mili.

But falling in love with Nangong Mili would be understandable.

After all, Nangong Mili’s beauty and charm were enough to move even her, a woman.

Whenever Lu Changsheng and Nangong Mili were intimate, she couldn’t help but marvel at how such a beautiful woman could exist.

It’s just that Nangong Mili was too seductive and domineering, which Ling Zixiao disliked.

“I’m fine.”

Lu Changsheng held Ling Zixiao’s hand and smiled faintly.

He wasn’t actually upset about Nangong Mili.

It was just that this parting had made him a bit sentimental.

He felt that his abilities were still too weak.

One woman carried his child, the other was deeply in love with him.

Yet now, faced with the Heavenly Sword Sect’s pursuit and kill order, he could only leave their fates to chance.

“Mm.”

Seeing that Lu Changsheng didn’t want to talk about it, Ling Zixiao didn’t press further and just softly acknowledged.

She then held Lu Changsheng’s hand as they stood side by side on the Spirit Boat.

Recently, a major event had occurred in the Qingyun region.

The Xiahou remnants, having turned to demonic cultivation, were causing havoc everywhere.

They had even managed to destroy the Feng Family Castle in a single night.

This Feng Family Castle was a major clan at the Foundation Establishment level.

They had three Foundation Establishment masters presiding over the clan.

Although one Foundation Establishment elder had died during the previous attack on the Xiahou clan,

The family still had two Foundation Establishment elders remaining.

Their clan’s strength and foundation were extraordinary.

Yet such a powerful Foundation Establishment clan was destroyed in one night by demonic cultivators.

When this news spread, it sent shockwaves throughout the Qingyun region.

Especially among the clans and factions that had participated in the Azure Cloud Sect’s attack on the Xiahou clan.

They all feared that the Xiahou remnants, now demonic cultivators, would seek revenge on their families.

During this time, all families and Markets increased their patrols and heightened their vigilance.

After all, for the Feng Family Castle to fall in one night, there must have been internal problems.

Otherwise, even with a False Core powerhouse attacking, it wouldn’t be possible to breach and destroy such a cultivator clan in just one night.

In Qingzhu Valley, at the Lu Family residence.

“Miaoge, is there still no news from Changsheng?”

Lu Yuanshan Ding asked his daughter, Lu Miaoge..

Due to the previous incident with Lu Miaofeng, Lu Miaoge hadn’t returned to he Hongye Valley Marketplace and had been overseeing the family.

Not only the clan, but with Lu Changsheng gone for so long, the Lu Family was anxious. The women’s quarters also needed Lu Miaoge to calm people’s heerts.

“No.”

Hearing this, Lu Miaoge bit her lip and shook her head slightly, her mood somewhat low.

Lu Changsheng had been away for a year and three months now.

Such a long absence naturally worried her.

Especially with the Xiahou Demonic cultivator incident, the entire Qingyun region was unsettled.

Lu Changsheng was usually quite punctual in these matters.

If he said a year, it was usually a year.

But now, over a year had passed, and he hadn’t returned, which really made her worry.

“Sigh.”

Hearing this, Lu Yuanshan Ding let out a soft sigh.

He asked about this partly because the family’s situation wasn’t good, and he hoped Lu Changsheng, a Second-Tier Talisman Master, would return soon to support the family.

On the other hand, he was also concerned about Lu Changsheng’s situation.

After all, the cultivation world was unstable now, and Lu Changsheng wasn’t safe outside.

“Miaoge, now that the Xiahou Demonic cultivators are causing trouble everywhere,”

“With our ancestor injured, if the Xiahou family attacks, our clan will surely struggle to resist and face destruction.”

“So the ancestor and I have discussed and decided to have you take some of the children to the Jiulong Market or the Qingyun Market Town.”

Lu Yuanshan Ding looked at Lu Miaoge and said..

For a clan, the most important thing was fresh blood.

Now the Lu Family was in a precarious situation and couldn’t afford any mishaps.

This recent demonic incident at the Feng Family Castle worried Lu Yuanzhong and the Lu Family’s upper echelons.

They feared the demonic cultivators might find their way to Qingzhu Mountain.

Given Lu Yuanzhong’s current condition, if demonic cultivators attacked, the Lu Family would be in great danger.

So they thought of having Lu Miaoge take some of the clln’s direct descendants to a large Market town.

This way, even if demonic cultivators attacked, some of the Lu Family’s bloodline would be preserved elsewhere.

Hearing this, Lu Miaoge bit her lip, her mood heavy.

She knew the family was preparing for the worst.

“Father, the family needs people to stay and maintain order now,”

Lu Miaoge spoke up..

She suggested that other family members could take the children away, while she stayed to oversee the family.

After all, the Lu Family didn’t have many Late-Stage Qi Refining fighters left.

“Miaoge, these children need someone to look after them.”

“Moreover, Qingshan and Qingzhu are almost at the age to start cultivating.”

“If something really happens to the family, only you can raise these children to adulthood.”

“So, I think you’re the most suitable person for this task.”

Lu Yuanshan Ding knew what his daughter wanted to say and spoke before she could.

The family wanted to arrange for some direct descendants to be sent away.

But they couldn’t send too many at once.

Doing so would cause panic and severely weaken the family.

Although he was a family cultivator, he was also a father.

He had his own intentions.

He wanted his daughter to handle this matter.

To send away Lu Qingshan, Lu Qingzhu, Lu Qingsong, and all these children.

“Father, Changsheng has a Foundation Establishment friend from the Azure Cloud Sect who holds a position in the Green River Market.”

“I can take these children to the Green River Market and ask her to help look after them.”

“Afterwards, we can send an elder from the clan to the Green River Market to care for the children, so I can return to oversee the family.”

After a moment of silence, Lu Miaoge spoke up..

She thought about sending the children to the Green River Market.

Xiao Xiyue held the position of Record Keeper in the Green River Market.

As long as they asked Xiao Xiyue to look after these children, their safety would be assured.

Even if something happened to the Lu Family, neighboring clans or hostile forces wouldn’t dare to completely eradicate them.

Moreover, this action would also publicly reveal her family’s relationship with Xiao Xiyue, which could serve as a deterrent to some extent.

As for whether Xiao Xiyue would agree, she felt quite confident about that.

Due to Lu Wangshu, she had met Xiao Xiyue twice and they had talked quite a bit.

Besides, she would also be sending Lu Wangshu over this time.

“Good, you can make the arrangements then,” Lu Yuanshan Ding nodded, his face showing delight upon hearing his daughter’s words.

He was also aware of Lu Changsheng having a Foundation Establishment friend in the Azure Cloud Sect.

Doing this could indeed serve as a deterrent to others to some extent.

Although it wouldn’t deter demonic cultivators,

it could still intimidate some of the neighboring family forces eyeing their Lu Family.

Then, Lu Miaoge and Lu Yuanshan Dinn discussed which disciples to bring along on this trip.

After all, the Lu Family’s Spirit Boats were limited and could only carry twelve people.

Lu Miaoge, Lu Qingshan, Lu Qiigzhu, and Lu Qingsong already took up four spots.

A Spirit Boat was gliding through the clouds.

“Only half a month’s journey left!” Lu Changsheng, sitting cross-legged on the Spirit Boat, looked at the Jade Slip map.

Seeing that there was about half a month’s journey left before reaching Qingzhu Mountain, his heart stirred with excitement, eager to return home.

After all, when he set out on this trip, he had only planned for a year.

But by the time he got home, it would be a year and a half.

Without even thinking about it, he knew his family must be very worried about him.

“I wonder how Miaoyun, Sister Miaoge, and Grandmother will react when I return home and reveal that I’ve broken through to Foundation Establishment.”

Lu Changsheng thought about how his family members would look when he returned home and announced his Foundation Establishment breakthrough.

Although in the entire Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation world, Foundation Establishment cultivators weren’t considered much,

for low-level cultivators and families like Qingzhu Mountain, Foundation Establishment was enough to be revered as a king!

How many low-level cultivators’ lifelong dream was just to break through to Foundation Establishment!

“With my talent, breaking through to Foundation Establishment at this age might be a bit early.”

“But the cultivation world is full of opportunities, so I guess it’s somewhat explainable.”

Lu Changsheng mused to himself.

Without realizing it, he was already thirty-nine years old.

Twenty-one years had passed since he awakened his memories at the Heart-Questioning Platform of the Azure Cloud Sect.

He was barely at the age of forty, supposedly when one becomes free from doubts.

However, for a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a lifespan of two hundred years, forty was still considered prime!

Just then, a system notification sounded.

[Congratulations, host’s offspring has given birth to a descendant. You have gained one chance to draw a lottery.]

“Hm? Offspring has given birth to a descendant?”

Lu Changsheng was slightly stunned upon hearing this system notification.

A moment later, he realized it must be his son Lu Wuyu and Li Xue’er who had given birth to a child.

“Sigh, without realizing it, I’ve become a grandfather.”

Lu Changsheng felt somewhat emotional thinking about his son Lu Wuyu already having a child.

He thought about how he hadn’t been able to visit Ruyi County in this past year or more.

By now, quite a few of his children should have started families.

“I wonder if Ping’an has returned.”

Lu Changsheng then thought about his eldest son, Lu Ping’an.

Back then, this son had said he would go out to gain experience for a few years.

When he left, Lu Ping’an hadn’t returned yet.

Now, calculating the time, Lu Ping’an should have finished his experience-gaining journey and returned home.

He was curious, wondering if this son of his had made any progress or changes during his time away.

He did have a bit of favoritism towards this eldest son.

If he still aspired to cultivate, he would give him the Hope Gu to help him on the path of cultivation.

“System, draw lottery.”

After his thoughts wandered for a moment, Lu Changsheng focused his mind and began the lottery draw.

The system’s lottery wheel appeared.

Accompanied by a golden light that began to rotate.

Soon, the golden light stopped.

[Ding! Congratulations, host has obtained the treasure: Spirit Eye Spring!]

[The reward has been deposited in the system space, host can check it at any time]

An image of a miniature spring eye with gurgling water appeared from the lottery wheel, accompanied by a system notification.

“Spirit Eye Spring!?”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes lit up with joy when he saw the reward he had drawn this time.

He naturally knew what this Spirit Eye Spring was.

The world has spiritual energy, and in places where spiritual energy is concentrated, spirit veins of varying sizes form.

Large spirit veins might extend unbroken for tens of thousands of miles.

Small spirit veins might be less than a mile, pitifully narrow.

But regardless of size, once a spirit vein forms, it automatically emits faint spiritual energy.

Allowing the spiritual energy in the covered area to circulate endlessly.

However, the spiritual energy produced in different parts of these spirit veins is not uniform.

The places where spiritual energy is most concentrated and dense are naturally most suitable for meditation and cultivation, or for planting spiritual plants, so they are called “spirit eyes” in the cultivation world.

Spirit eyes are generally formless and colorless, and can only be sensed based on the concentration of spiritual energy.

Or one can request a ‘feng shui master’ or ‘dragon seeker’ to find them.

Any place called a spirit eye represents the location with the most abundant spiritual energy in the nearby spirit vein.

If the spiritual energy of a spirit eye is extremely dense and can maintain this state for a long time, it may gradually produce a physical form, becoming a spirit eye object.

For example, spirit eye pearls, spirit eye stones, spirit eye springs, spirit eye trees, and so on.

The spiritual energy emitted by these spirit eye objects is much more concentrated and pure than ordinary spirit eyes.

Cultivating near a spirit eye object can be said to yield twice the result with half the effort.

What truly delighted Lu Changsheng was that such spirit eye objects could be used to create or upgrade spirit veins!

He wanted to establish a family.

But the highest grade Spirit Land he could find was only Second-Tier.

The reason was simple.

Second-Tier spirit veins were already the highest that ordinary cultivators could find.

Third-Tier spirit veins were extremely rare and almost all had owners.

And Lu Changsheng still had ‘tree planting’ on his mind.

The Lingming Treasure Tree and Sumeru Tree King in his system space.

The Lingming Treasure Tree was fine.

A Second-Tier spirit vein could barely sustain it.

But for the Third-Tier Sumeru Tree King, planting it on a Second-Tier spirit vein would obviously be very challenging, consuming a lot of spiritual energy.

At that time, it would undoubtedly affect the spiritual energy circulation of the entire Spirit Land, and even the operation of the family’s grand formation.

“I wonder what grade this Spirit Eye Spring is.”

“If it’s Third-Tier, wouldn’t I be able to have a small area with Third-Tier spiritual energy!?”

“If so, the situation with the Sumeru Tree King would be resolved.”

Lu Changsheng pondered, looking towards the system space.

[Treasure: Spirit Eye Spring]

[Grade: Third-Tier Lower]

[Description: A wondrous object created by nature, capable of continuously producing Third-Tier spiritual energy. Combined with formations, it can create a small Second-Tier lower spirit vein.]

“Third-Tier lower, capable of creating a Second-Tier lower small spirit vein.”

Lu Changsheng was delighted as he looked at the information about this Spirit Eye Spring.

He thought to himself that the system indeed hadn’t disappointed him.

The effect of this spirit eye object was similar to what he had learned from books.

However, no cultivator who obtained a spirit eye object would use it to create a spirit vein.

Doing so would be a complete waste.

The most suitable use was to carry it around.

Or place it in a Cave Dwelling to increase cultivation speed.

At worst, it would be used to upgrade a spirit vein.

“A Third-Tier lower Spirit Eye Spring.”

“With this Spirit Eye Spring, at least the spiritual energy for the Sumeru Tree King is solved.”

Lu Changsheng thought to himself, planning to use this Spirit Eye Spring for the Sumeru Tree King.

He was a bit curious, as the Sumeru Tree King had its own small world within, nurturing its own realm.

Could this Spirit Eye Spring be directly placed inside the Sumeru Tree King?

If it could be placed inside, wouldn’t it be like having a continuous charging power bank for the Sumeru Tree King’s internal world?

“Young Master, are you so happy because we’re about to reach home?” At this moment, Ling Zixiao, who had been resting on the Spirit Boat, woke up and saw Lu Changsheng’s smiling face, asking with a gentle smile.

She noticed that Lu Changsheng liked to smile for no reason.

However, this smile made people feel very comfortable and at ease, like gentle sunlight or a spring breeze in March.

“Yes, we’re about half a month’s journey away from arriving,” Lu Changsheng said with a smile.

As they got closer to home, his eagerness to return grew stronger.

Looking at Lu Changsheng’s sincere smile, Ling Zixiao felt that she couldn’t see through this man.

Born as a son-in-law, yet in just over twenty years, he had grown to such a level.

Although his methods and combat power were astonishing, and his talent unparalleled,

he usually didn’t show any of the arrogance typical of geniuses, always wearing a gentle and casual expression.

At this moment, about to return home, the smile on his face and the longing in his eyes were just like those of an ordinary person, clearly different from many other cultivators.

“Zixiao, once we return, I should have a way to resolve your Dragon Chant Physique issue.”

“Then you’ll be able to fully recover and start cultivating again.”

Lu Changsheng glanced at Ling Zixiao, who was smiling at him, and chuckled softly.

“Mm.”

Ling Zixiao let out a gentle laugh. She stood up, linked her arm with Lu Changsheng’s, and rested her head lightly on his shoulder. Together, they gazed at the sea of clouds below.

In her heart, she felt a mix of anticipation and curiosity about Qingzhu Mountain and Lu Changsheng’s family.

The third generation is about to emerge. We need to come up with a generational name. Is there something that feels immortal and cultivator-like, with a deeper meaning? Ancient generational names and Taoist ones all seem quite ordinary.

Please help!