Chapter 390: Zhoutian Star Sword Embryo, Heavenly Fragrance Gu!

A golden Spirit Boat carried a young man and a young woman.

The man looked around twenty years old, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He had an imposing presence, wearing a white and gold robe with a distinguished air.

The woman appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, with delicate and serene beauty. Her slender figure was draped in a stunning Rainbow Feather Garment, her beautiful eyes filled with anticipation.

“Xiaozhu, there’s still another month of travel. Don’t be too eager.”

Lu Qingshan found it amusing to see his sister showing a face full of excitement since they disembarked from the Spirit Ship at Qingyun Market Town. It was as though she was anxious to return home.

Although he also missed home

as a man who roams the world, home can be anywhere. He wasn’t as homesick as his sister.

“Mm.”

Lu Qingzhu responded softly, then sat down on the Spirit Boat and quietly said, “Brother, do you think the gifts we brought for Qingqi and Qingxuan will make them happy?”

“The leftover Foundation Establishment spirit materials should be useful for Qingsong, right?”

On this trip back, she had prepared many gifts for their parents and younger siblings as an older sister.

“They’ll definitely like them. Xiaozhu, you’ve put so much thought into it. Even if they don’t, they’d better like them for my sake.”

Lu Qingshan habitually ruffled his sister’s hair and casually said, “As for Qingsong, if four Foundation Establishment Pills aren’t enough for him to establish his foundation, he might as well find some tofu and knock himself out.”

His sister, Lu Qingzhu, had only used three Foundation Establishment Pills to establish her foundation.

If his brother, Lu Qingsong, couldn’t establish his foundation with the remaining four, Lu Qingshan would be too embarrassed to acknowledge him as his brother.

Absolutely disgraceful!

“Brother!”

Lu Qingzhu was already used to her brother’s offhand remarks and rolled her eyes at him.

At that moment, the jade pendant at her waist suddenly emitted a gentle glow.

“Hm?”

Lu Qingzhu was startled, then looked at her brother, saying, “Brother, it seems that one of our siblings is nearby.”

“Oh?”

Lu Qingshan raised an eyebrow and nodded with a smile, meeting his sister’s gaze, “In that case, let’s go take a look.”

In a dense forest with ancient trees towering overhead, lush greenery filled the area.

Lu Ruyi was swiftly passing through, riding on her Flying Leaf Artifact.

She had been shaken by the events at White Tiger Mountain earlier in her life and chose to venture out for training.

Eighteen years had passed, and her cultivation had progressed from the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

Moreover, recently, she had an opportunity in a ruined Cave Dwelling and reached the Ninth Level of Qi Refining. Now, she planned to return home and cultivate steadily, aiming to break through to Foundation Establishment before turning sixty.

But for some unknown reason, she was being hunted down shortly after leaving the ruins.

Having already used her Avatar Talisman and the only Second-Tier talisman she had in the ruins,

she was now forced to run for her life while being pursued by five Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators.

“At this rate, I’ll never be able to shake them off”

Lu Ruyi glanced at the figures behind her, her expression cold and grim.

After all her years outside, she had finally gained some opportunities and saw hope for Foundation Establishment.

But now, it looked like she was going to die out here, and that filled her heart with unwillingness.

At that moment, she noticed her Identity Token emitting a gentle light, and a formless aura indicated that a sibling had responded to her.

She had activated the token earlier, a desperate attempt out of sheer hope.

After all, few of her siblings were currently out traveling.

And the Jiang Kingdom’s immortal cultivation world is so vast, what were the chances they would meet?

“I wonder which sibling it could be.”

Lu Ruyi mused silently.

The siblings who ventured out from her family all had decent cultivation, at least at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.

And each was equipped with talismans from their father, enough to deter Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

Five figures gradually closed in on Lu Ruyi.

“Everyone, we have no personal grudge. Could you please spare me a way out?”

Lu Ruyi looked at the shadows, gripping her Rosary Umbrella Artifact tightly as she raised her voice.

“Spare you? We will, as long as you hand over the opportunity from the ruins.”

One of the figures spoke directly.

“The opportunity from the ruins? Perhaps you’re mistaken. I’m just a simple cultivator; how could I have such a thing?”

Lu Ruyi still didn’t understand why she had been targeted.

Everyone who had explored the ruins with her was dead, so no one should have known, logically.

“Hmph! If that’s the case, then you can just die!”

One of the Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators summoned a flying dagger, attacking Lu Ruyi.

“Clang!”

Lu Ruyi quickly opened her Rosary Umbrella, which emitted a shimmering light to block the attack. However, her footing on the Flying Leaf Artifact became unstable, and she nearly fell.

In the face of such an assault, she could only defend herself while fleeing.

As for handing over the opportunity, she knew that stopping would result in certain death.

At that moment, a golden Spirit Boat sailed toward them.

On the boat stood a man and a woman. The man looked down at the situation below, and with a flick of his finger, a golden sword light about several feet long appeared.

The sword light tore through the air with terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, all five Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators had blood holes in their foreheads and collapsed to the ground with a ‘thud’.

“Ah?”

Lu Ruyi stared at the scene in disbelief, completely stunned.

What just happened?

She looked up at the man and woman on the Spirit Boat, her eyes filled with confusion.

Aren’t they one of our siblings?

But since when did our family have such formidable siblings?

And she had never seen them before.

Though, the woman did bear a slight resemblance to Aunt Miaoge.

“I am Lu Ruyi from Bihu Mountain. Greetings to both of you.”

Lu Ruyi cupped her hands and made a respectful gesture, somewhat apprehensive as she introduced herself.

“Sister Ruyi? I’m Qingzhu, Lu Qingzhu.”

Lu Qingzhu gracefully descended from the Spirit Boat, visibly pleased.

She had a vague impression of Lu Ruyi.

But after decades of not seeing each other, they had both changed significantly and hadn’t recognized each other.

“Qingzhu? You’re Little Sister Qingzhu!?”

Lu Ruyi was surprised as she stared at the Foundation Establishment expert before her, never expecting her to be Aunt Miaoge’s daughter, Lu Qingzhu.

She remembered Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingzhu well from before. She knew that several years ago, they were both taken as disciples by a revered master and hadn’t been home since.

She quickly recognized Lu Qingshan’s identity from his features and demeanor.

She couldn’t help but feel shocked and envious.

“Lu Qingshan.”

Lu Qingshan landed the Spirit Boat, looked calmly at Lu Ruyi in front of him, and introduced himself.

Their father had far too many children.

Aside from his sister Lu Qingzhu and his brother Lu Qingsong, he didn’t feel much affinity for the rest of his siblings.

The Lu Ruyi in front of him even felt somewhat like a stranger.

“Qingshan, Qingzhu, thank you both.”

Lu Ruyi didn’t mind Lu Qingshan’s attitude and expressed her gratitude.

She then briefly explained her situation and why she was being hunted.

“Since Sister Ruyi is also returning home, let’s go back together with us. My brother and I are also heading there.”

Lu Qingzhu spoke in a soft and gentle voice.

“Alright.”

Lu Ruyi nodded.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

At that moment, Lu Ruyi frowned slightly, taking out an ancient, worn-out long box that looked like it was made of deadwood.

This was one of the treasures she had obtained in the ruins. She didn’t know what material it was made from, and she couldn’t open it. She planned to ask her father to take a look after getting home.

But now, the long box was acting oddly, as if it wanted to approach Lu Qingshan.

“Qingshan, this is a box I got from the ruins. It was always silent, but it seems to be responding to you now.”

Lu Ruyi said in a slightly bewildered tone.

Such a situation was extremely rare.

If a treasure was truly able to recognize its own master, it would at least be a legendary Spiritual Treasure.

But if this box were a Spiritual Treasure, that would be too astonishing.

“Oh?”

Lu Qingshan raised an eyebrow at her words, took the wooden box from Lu Ruyi, and immediately sensed a feeling of closeness and desire coming from it.

He tried channeling his Sword Qi into the wooden box.

The dull surface of the box began to glow brilliantly, and with a ‘crack,’ its outer shell disintegrated and vanished.

Inside, there lay a Celestial Sword Embryo.

The sword embryo was only three feet long, but it looked like a blunt weapon, still unsharpened—completely unremarkable as it floated silently in front of Lu Qingshan.

“This… is a divine Artifact that concealed itself and chose its own master!”

Lu Qingzhu observed this and was astonished.

Next to her, Lu Ruyi looked utterly baffled.

What was going on?

Was the most precious item she got from that ruin really this sword embryo?

Did she find an invaluable treasure but failed to recognize its worth?

“Sharp eyes.”

Lu Qingshan looked at the sword embryo with a faint smile, reached out, and said, “Let’s see if you’re worthy of becoming my sword!”

“Buzz!”

As soon as Lu Qingshan gripped the sword embryo, it flared with the dazzling light of countless stars as he infused it with Sword Qi and power.

With a single slash forward,

the seemingly dull sword embryo unleashed a meteor shower of starry light, grand and vast, tearing open deep crevices with sword energy ahead.

“The Celestial Sword… It’s the Celestial Sword Manual!”

As Lu Qingshan gripped the sword, information about the sword and a sword manual flooded into his mind.

He learned that the sword’s name was the Celestial Sword, and it had already developed spiritual awareness, reaching the rank of a Fourth-Tier flying sword.

However, because its previous master had perished and there was no one to nourish it with power, the sword had degraded from a Fourth-Tier flying sword to its current state as a Third-Tier sword embryo, with nearly all of its sentience lost.

The last flicker of sentience had resonated with Lu Qingshan’s sword intent, causing it to choose him as its master.

This sword manual was the original master’s technique, called the ‘Celestial Sword Manual.’

“The Sword Piercing the Big Dipper and the Celestial Sword Manual certainly go hand in hand.”

Lu Qingshan smiled and thought to himself that he truly was favored by fortune.

His father had found a sword seed earlier that he couldn’t use and gave it to him.

Now, this convenient sister had found a sword embryo she couldn’t use and directly handed it over to him.

“Sister Ruyi, since this sword and I are fated, it has already recognized me as its master. If you need anything, I can offer you compensation.”

Lu Qingshan said as the sword embryo transformed into a streak of starlight and entered his body, settling into his qi sea Dan Lake, soaking in the nourishment of his power.

Although the sword embryo had degraded,

as long as he nourished it properly, it would be much easier for it to advance in the future.

In fact, Lu Qingshan thought it was a good thing that it had degraded into a sword embryo.

During the process of nourishing it, he could shape it into the form he desired.

“Since this sword is fated with you, Qingzhu, it’s yours. Consider it repayment for saving my life just now.”

Lu Ruyi shook her head.

She had read about treasures choosing their masters in storybooks before.

But experiencing it herself still left a bittersweet feeling in her heart.

After all, it was clear to anyone that such opportunities weren’t simple!

But since this sword had chosen her own brother, she felt a bit more at ease.

If it had been taken by some rogue cultivator or villain, only to form an instant bond with them, she would have felt utterly frustrated.

“Sister Ruyi, since you’re returning home to prepare for Foundation Establishment, I have some Foundation Establishment Pills, spiritual materials, and medicinal pills for cultivation.”

Lu Qingzhu, who was standing beside them, immediately took out several treasures and medicinal pills from her Storage Bag, handing them to Lu Ruyi.

Her brother was always straightforward and didn’t like to owe favors.

Even though they were siblings, she still tried to compensate her.

That way, her brother wouldn’t keep it on his mind, wanting to repay the favor but unsure how to bring it up.

“That’s not necessary—”

Lu Ruyi was tempted, but felt embarrassed to accept.

“You should take it. Besides, my brother and I have already established our foundations, so we don’t need them. They’re just right for your Foundation Establishment.”

Lu Qingzhu laughed softly, her gentle tone making her seem like a breath of fresh spring air.

Lu Qingshan said nothing, as he cleaned up, disposing of the five looter corpses with a wave of his hand, and piloted the Spirit Boat, carrying the two of them back to Bihu Mountain.

One month later,

Lu Qingshan, Lu Qingzhu, and Lu Ruyi returned to Bihu Mountain.

Lu Miaoge and Lu Miaohuan werr delighted to hear that the siblings had returned.

“Mother, why do you look like a demonic cultivator? So sinister and terrifying.”

Lu Qingshan couldn’t help but tease when he saw his mother’s appearance.

“If you can’t talk nicely, then just stay silent!”

Lu Miaohuan immediately smacked the back of his head, angry as she spoke to him.

Her features were sharp, with bright red lips colored with what looked like blood, and faintly shadowed eyes, resembling a villainous female boss.

“Auntie, you look very stylish and beautiful in this look.”

Lu Qingzhu covered her mouth and chuckled gently, her demeanor calm and soft.

It was only in front of their parents that her brother acted like a teenager who had never grown up.

“Xiaozhu is better at talking.”

Lu Miaohuan tapped her son’s forehead again before turning to Lu Qingzhu with excitement, “Oh, Xiaozhu, you’ve achieved Foundation Establishment!”

Thanks to the unique properties of the Bizarre Prison Demon Flower, Lu Miaohuan had already advanced to the Fourth Layer of Foundation Establishment, so she immediately recognized Lu Qingzhu’s cultivation level at a glance.

“Mm. I owe it all to my brother; that’s how I managed to achieve Foundation Establishment.”

Lu Qingzhu glanced at her brother and smiled softly.

“At least he knows what to do.”

Lu Miaohuan’s exquisitely beautiful face lit up with a smile, and she then asked her son about his experiences at the Golden Sun Sect over the years and the sword trials at the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Even though she had learned a lot through messages, hearing her son talk about it felt completely different!

“Ruyi, it must have been tough for you all these years on your own. How did you meet Qingshan and Qingzhu?”

Lu Miaoge showed concern for u Ruyi.

Her mother had been a mortal, and had returned to Ruyi County many years ago with Lu Ruyi’s other siblings, and didn’t stay on Bihu Mountain.

“Auntie, I was attacked and being chased at the time. Thank goodness for Qingshan and Qingzhu.”

Though Lu Ruyi had taken age-defying spirit pills, she now appeared about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, showing a mature aura.

“You weren’t hurt, were you? Who did this?”

Lu Miaoge’s voice was gentle nd her presence was as calming as water.

“Auntie, I’m fine. It was probably just a few rogue cultivators.”

Lu Ruyi softly shook her head.

“Good. We can talk more at home. Tonight, we’ll throw a feast in your honor to welcome you back.”

Lu Miaoge led the three childden to Biyun Peak.

She later took Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingzhu to visit Lu Qingqi and Lu Qingxian.

“Qingxuan, Qingqi, this is your Big Brother Qingshan and your Big Sister Qingzhu.”

Lu Miaoge introduced the younner siblings to them.

The siblings were already five years old. One was lively and energetic, and the other quiet and polite.

“Big Brother, Big Sister.”

Lu Qingqi, naturally outgoing, warmly hugged Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingzhu, chattering excitedly as she asked them questions.

Lu Miaohuan had told her many stories about Lu Qingshan when she was younger, so she greatly admired this brother she had never met before.

Lu Qingxian, who stood beside them, was quiet and composed. After politely greeting his elder siblings, he simply listened to Lu Qingqi talk with them.

“Mother, where is Father?”

Lu Qingshan realized his father hadn’t appeared and asked.

“Your father had some business to attend to in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.”

Lu Miaohuan said directly.

“Am I destined to always miss him when I’m home? Why is it that whenever I’m here, he’s not?”

Lu Qingshan said with exasperation as he held his sister, Lu Qingqi.

On this trip back, he intended to ask his father for guidance on the Seven Luminaries Great Freedom Sword Manual.

After breaking through to Foundation Establishment, he had realized how profound the manual was, and he needed his father’s advice to comprehend the more advanced levels.

“Your father has been away for about a year and should be back in a few months. How long do you plan to stay this time?”

Lu Miaoge’s gentle voice was ike soothing water.

“There’s no rush this time. My sect doesn’t have much going on for now.”

Lu Qingshan grinned, and then asked about his brother Lu Qingsong and how things were with their maternal grandfather.

In the outskirts of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range,

several Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators were being chased by a giant Second-Tier bear.

Despite their Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivation, they were no match for this Second-Tier bear.

When they were forced into a desperate situation, a roar suddenly echoed from the depths of the mountain range, tearing through the sky.

“Roar!!!”

The sound was like thunder, shaking the trees and rustling the leaves, causing the cultivators’ hearts to tremble.

Already at death’s door, they heard the roar and immediately lost their control over their spiritual powers, tumbling to the ground.

As they faced despair and believed they were about to be killed by the giant bear, the ferocious beast roared once more before suddenly dashing deeper into the mountain range.

“What just happened?”

The survivors exchanged glances, completely bewildered.

“Could that roar have been the howl of a Third-Tier demon king?”

“A demon king? Could there be another beast tide emerging from the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range?”

“Beast tides typically happen once a century, though, right?”

The group was perplexed but noticed an intense energy surge above them.

Looking up, they saw what appeared to be a comet streaking across the sky, heading out of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range so fast that they couldn’t even make out what it was.

Meanwhile, a massive and terrifying beast, resembling a wolf-tiger hybrid with wings on its back, hovered menacingly in the air, radiating wind and thunder, making their faces pale and their hearts race.

Moments later, the beast reluctantly returned to the depths of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

“That… That’s the Wind Thunder Howler, a Third-Tier demon king!”

One of the cultivators swallowed hard, his voice hoarse.

“That roar earlier must’ve belonged to the Wind Thunder Howler!”

“Why would the Wind Thunder Howler appear in the outskirts?”

“It seems like a comet flew by just now… Could that have been the light of a Golden Core Formation cultivator?”

“Do you think a Golden Core Formation cultivator provoked the Wind Thunder Howler?”

The group speculated about the situation.

Not daring to linger, they quickly took out medicinal pills, recovering some strength before swiftly leaving the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

Regardless, the appearance of the Wind Thunder Howler indicated something was happening in the mountain range, and if a beast tide broke out, they would surely perish if they hadn’t made it back to the Market in time.

At the same time, hundreds of miles away from the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range,

a comet landed, revealing a man and a woman.

The man was dressed in a luxurious dark robe, with a handsome yet slightly ragged appearance.

The woman had a graceful demeanor, wearing a lake-blue dress that accentuated her elegant figure.

“Damn that Wind Thunder Howler. When I break through to Golden Core Formation, I’ll come back and slay it!”

Lu Changsheng cursed in frustration.

He had been gleefully sweeping through the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, collecting the essence of spiritual veins when, out of nowhere, the Wind Thunder Howler suddenly attacked him.

The Wind Thunder Howler was immensely powerful, rumored to possess the bloodline of an ancient true howler and had awakened its innate divine ability. Naturally, Lu Changsheng, with Ling Zixiao in tow, couldn’t engage it in battle.

It wasn’t just a matter of whether they could win or not.

There were other demon kings in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

If he had fought the Wind Thunder Howler head-on and attracted the attention of other demon kings, it would’ve been a disaster.

So, considering the circumstances, all he could do was run away with Ling Zixiao.

This was indeed the first time since his debut that Lu Changsheng had been so humiliated that he had to flee.

If it hadn’t been for the Star Disk, Nine-Treasure Jade Ruyi, and Third-Tier Talismans, he wouldn’t have been able to outrun the Wind Thunder Howler. He could only have dealt with it swiftly using the Ghostly Head from the Netherworld and formation techniques.

“My darling husband, you collected too much of the essence of the spiritual veins. Some of those spiritual veins might’ve been subsidiary veins of the larger ones, which could’ve stirred up the Wind Thunder Howler.”

“Or it could’ve been that you killed certain beasts like the Rampaging Thunder Tiger that were connected to the Wind Thunder Howler.”

Ling Zixiao smiled as she spoke.

It was the first time she had seen her husband in such a difficult position.

Perhaps because of her deep trust in Lu Changsheng, she wasn’t frightened at all by a demon king like the Wind Thunder Howler.

Lu Changsheng lived up to her trust, his evasion techniques were impressive, far exceeding the speed of an ordinary Golden Core Formation cultivator, leaving the Third-Tier demon king Wind Thunder Howler unable to catch up.

“That’s possible.”

Lu Changsheng nodded.

Although he didn’t go out of his way to provoke demon kings,

he had caused too much trouble while sweeping through the Second-Tier beasts, which might’ve drawn the attention of a Third-Tier demon king.

“My darling husband, demon kings like the Wind Thunder Howler are very intelligent and have keen senses. If you want to continue collecting the essence of spiritual veins, you’ll have to stay far away from this area. Otherwise, the Wind Thunder Howler will notice you again.”

Ling Zixiao continued.

“I think we’ve collected enough this time. There’s no need to change locations.”

Lu Changsheng shook his head.

Aside from attracting the attention of the Wind Thunder Howler, everything else had gone smoothly, and the gains were substantial.

From his assessment, the spiritual vein essence he had gathered was enough to nourish the Sumeru Cave Heaven to the peak of the Second-Tier, maybe even upgrade Lingxiu Cliff to the Second-Tier.

So he planned to return home directly.

Besides, the storage bags he brought were almost full. Going any further would be a waste.

“Alright.”

Ling Zixiao smiled.

She then set up a protective formation to hide their aura, allowing their powers to recover before heading back to Bihu Mountain.

Lu Changsheng had expended significant energy while running at full speed.

If it hadn’t been for the Xuan Yuan Pearl, he wouldn’t have had enough power.

“If I had gone all out, could I have slain that Wind Thunder Howler?”

Lu Changsheng pondered as he held two Top-Tier Spirit Stones, meditating.

He had over a hundred Third-Tier Talismans with him. Setting up a formation to kill a Third-Tier demon king wouldn’t be an issue.

But he wasn’t sure he could handle the Wind Thunder Howler’s innate divine ability.

As Lu Changsheng and Ling Zixiao recovered and began their journey back to Bihu Mountain, news of the Wind Thunder Howler incident also reached the Spirit Control Sect.

Upon hearing the news, the Spirit Control Sect was unsure why the Wind Thunder Howler behaved that way and sent people to investigate.

Thirty years ago, a beast tide had severely weakened the Spirit Control Sect, making them extremely cautious about any movements in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

Qingzhu Mountain.

Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingzhu brought Lu Qingqi and Lu Qingxian to visit their maternal grandfather, Lu Yuanshan Ding.

Lu Yuanshan Ding was already over a hundred years old.

Even though he had taken numerous precious medicinal pills and Longevity Pills, he still looked visibly old, with white hair.

Seeing his grandchildren return made him ecstatic, and his spirit revived.

Especially since they had both achieved Foundation Establishment, he was beyond excited.

With both of his daughters having achieved Foundation Establishment, and his grandchildren too, his family now had three Foundation Establishment cultivators protecting them. It was something he had never dared dream of before and he now felt his life was complete.

“Qingqi, Qingxuan, when you grow up, you must cultivate diligently like your brother and sister.”

Lu Yuanshan Ding gazed at the younger siblings and saw in them the shadow of the younger Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingzhu. His voice was kind and warm.

“Don’t worry, Grandfather. When I grow up, I will cultivate hard. Not only will I reach Foundation Establishment, but I’ll also become a Golden Core Formation expert!”

Lu Qingqi grabbed her grandfather’s beard with her small, white hand and giggled.

“Good, good, good! When you reach Golden Core Formation, come to Qingzhu Mountain and tell your grandfather.”

Lu Yuanshan Ding laughed as he hugged his granddaughter.

At that moment, Lu Yuanzhong brought Lu Chenghua to the small courtyard and greeted Lu Yuanshan Ding, Lu Qingshan, and the others.

After a short while, Lu Yuanshan Ding looked at Lu Qingshan and asked softly, “Qingshan, would you be willing to spar with Chenghua?”

Not long ago, Lu Yuanzhong mentioned that he wanted to see the difference between their family’s core lineage and the geniuses of the Immortal Sect.

Nowadays, Qingzhu Mountain is not what it used to be.

The family’s governing technique is the ‘Pangyuan Rotating Wheel Technique’ given by Lu Changsheng.

Lu Chenghua, not only gifted, is also the only person in the family who has mastered this technique!

“Hmm?”

Hearing this, Lu Qingshan glanced at Lu Chenghua, who was at Foundation Establishment Stage, Layer One.

Under normal circumstances, a cultivator of this level wouldn’t be qualified to spar with him.

However, since his grandfather had spoken, Lu Qingshan nodded and smiled casually, “Of course.”

“Thank you, Uncle Qingshan.”

Lu Chenghua, a few years older than Lu Qingshan, was still very polite due to their seniority difference.

But there was still a hint of pride on his face.

He was the only one in Qingzhu Mountain who had mastered the ‘Pangyuan Rotating Wheel Technique,’ and the first in the family to form a flawless Dao Foundation!

Even if he was not equal to a top genius like Lu Qingshan, he believed he wasn’t far behind.

A few moments later, they arrived at an empty field on Qingzhu Mountain.

“Begin,” Lu Qingshan, tall and straight like a heavenly sword, said calmly.

“Qingshan, you’re not going to draw your sword?”

Lu Yuanshan Ding, who knew his grandson was a sword cultivator, was a bit puzzled by his not drawing his sword.

If anyone else had said that, Lu Qingshan would have retorted, ‘Is that person even worthy of making me draw my sword?’

But facing his grandfather, Lu Qingshan contained himself and smiled, “It’s just a sparring match.”

“Uncle Qingshan, I’m coming!”

Lu Chenghua’s eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke, forming hand seals, and his body emitted a deep, heavy aura of spiritual power.

Immediately, a yellow earthen ring appeared, rotating heavily as it pressed towards Lu Qingshan.

Lu Qingshan simply flicked his finger, and sword energy burst forth, shattering the earthen ring instantly.

“This…”

Lu Yuanzhong and Lu Yuanshan Ding were both shocked.

Even Lu Chenghua was momentarily breathless.

He hadn’t expected his offensive move to be so easily neutralized.

With a serious expression, he quickly formed more hand seals, and two more earthen rings gathered, overlapping each other as they pressed down on Lu Qingshan.

However, Lu Qingshan again flicked his finger, and the sharp sword light exploded, shattering both rings.

Seeing this, Lu Qingzhu thought of asking her brother to go easy on Chenghua.

But she knew he never did such things.

Moreover, with Lu Chenghua’s strength, even if her brother pretended to go easy, it would still be useless.

She whispered to her grandfather, “Grandfather, Brother’s strength is quite formidable, so it’s not easy to see it in a simple spar. Chenghua’s skill is actually pretty good.”

Lu Yuanshan Ding heard these words and, seeing the situation, didn’t know what to say for a while.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuanzhong was filled with shock.

He was well aware of Lu Chenghua’s strength, which was not much inferior to his own.

But in front of Lu Qingshan, it was as if Chenghua was a child—completely unthreatening.

If Lu Qingshan really wanted to take action, he could probably defeat both him and Chenghua in a single move.

“Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Qingshan.”

Lu Chenghua gave a bitter smile and sighed helplessly, ending the sparring match somewhat anticlimactically.

However, Lu Qingshan remarked that Chenghua’s strength was quite good, and he would rank above average within the Immortal Sects.

Hearing this, Lu Yuanzhong felt much more at ease.

The family had invested much effort in training Chenghua for over ten years.

If he was only considered low-tier within the Immortal Sects, they would have been desperate.

But through this sparring match, they gained a rough understanding of the geniuses and Golden Core Formation candidates in the Immortal Sects.

One month later.

Lu Changsheng and Ling Zixiao returned to Bihu Mountain.

“Hmm? Qingshan and Qingzhu are back?”

Lu Changsheng had just arrived home when he heard the news of his children’s return, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

He thought that his return had been timed well.

If he had been delayed for a few more months, his children might have already returned to the Golden Sun Sect.

After hearing that Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingzhu had gone to Qingzhu Mountain and White Tiger Mountain, he went to the Sumeru Cave Heaven, where he took out one Mountain River Cauldron after another.

“Sumeru!”

Lu Changsheng called towards Sumeru.

These spiritual vein essences didn’t require him to set up a formation. Sumeru could refine these essences by itself to nurture the spiritual veins.

“Yes, Master.”

Sumeru’s voice was ethereal and pleasant as it placed each Mountain River Cauldron into the earth’s veins.

However, Lu Changsheng kept one Mountain River Cauldron aside, intending to use it later to upgrade Lingcui Cliff, where his spiritual herbs were cultivated.

Afterward, Lu Changsheng used a bunch of demon cores that he’d collected and gave them to Hong Lian, embedding them into the Ancient Beast Taming Talisman.

His Black Water Flood Dragon Dao Weapon had been in development for a long time.

However, it was incredibly resource-hungry.

Due to limited resources over the years, Lu Changsheng had cut back on his investment in this.

Now that he had acquired more demon cores, he decided to feed them entirely to see if he could develop a few Second-Tier Dao Soldiers soon.

After doing all of this, Lu Changsheng recalled that he still had a lottery chance he hadn’t used.

He went to the peak of the mountain, under the Sumeru Tree, and thought, “System, start the lottery!”

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Gu insect ‘Heavenly Fragrance Gu’!]

[The reward has been sent to the system space. The host can check it anytime.]

A pattern of a pink silkworm appeared on the spinning wheel, followed by the system notification.

“Hmm, a Gu insect?”

Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow at the reward.

With the Peach Blossom Gu and Hope Gu, he had a good impression of the Gu insects from the system.

He thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have more of them.

He focused on the system space, where the Heavenly Fragrance Gu appeared…

[Gu insect: Heavenly Fragrance Gu]

[Grade: Heavenly Spirit Gu]

[Description: The Dao of heaven has its yin and yang, people have their good and evil, beauty and ugliness. Fragrance is universally liked, and heaven’s fragrance is favoured by all under heaven.]

“This Heavenly Fragrance Gu’s effect sounds a lot like the Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body.”

Lu Changsheng noticed the similarity as he examined the Heavenly Fragrance Gu before him.

He had already learned the general effects of his Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body through Hong Lian.

This spirit body could be divided into two aspects.

Immaculate!

Heavenly Fragrance!

The Immaculate aspect ensured that the body remained flawless, with all meridians connected. Before reaching Foundation Establishment, there would be no bottleneck, lifespan would be extended, and resistance to toxins would be higher, reducing pill toxins.

The Heavenly Fragrance aspect was most noted for producing natural scent.

This fragrance induced feelings of closeness and had an aphrodisiac effect during intimate moments.

According to Hong Lian, if the owner of the Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body breaks through to the Golden Core Stage, they would be blessed with enhanced fortune.

Though the concept of fortune is abstract and hard to prove.

During the process of breaking through from Golden Core to Nascent Soul, an Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body could experience a slightly weaker tribulation.

“Extract!”

Lu Changsheng extracted the Heavenly Fragrance Gu, gaining more understanding.

“It does have some similarities with the Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body.”

Lu Changsheng was surprised as he examined the Heavenly Fragrance Gu in his hand.

Once refined, this Gu insect would produce a fragrance from the owner’s body, making others feel good about them.

When the Gu insect is raised to the second tier, this effect will intensify.

Not only will it make others feel good, but it will also make them reluctant to harm the owner.

When the Gu insect reaches the third tier, even enemies who smell the fragrance will hesitate to cause harm.

At the fourth tier, the fragrance will begin to enhance destiny and fortune in a mystical way.

But raising this Heavenly Fragrance Gu is quite troublesome.

At the first tier, it can be nurtured with ordinary floral scents.

At the second tier, it requires the scent of rare spiritual herbs.

At the third tier, it becomes more difficult, requiring the scents of spiritual plants and flowers with heavenly roots.

As for the fourth tier, it goes beyond ordinary scents, requiring divine incense—essentially the worship and incense offerings of others!

“Raising this Heavenly Fragrance Gu is too difficult. The Peach Blossom Gu is so much simpler; the Hope Gu doesn’t even need to be raised.”

“I already have the Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body and the Peach Blossom Gu. If I refine this Heavenly Fragrance Gu too, I’ll really turn into some kind of male succubus.”

Lu Changsheng stroked his chin as he thought.

However, he had no intention of refining the Heavenly Fragrance Gu.

As it stood, he always sealed the fragrance of the Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body.

He only unsealed it during Dual Cultivation as a form of pleasure.

Otherwise, what’s the point of a man exuding fragrance all the time?

If he added the Heavenly Fragrance Gu, he’d be walking around in a cloud of scent.

The thought of it made Lu Changsheng shudder.

“When I visit the Jin Kingdom, I should prepare a gift for Yaoyao. She was born in the Five Poison Sect, so she probably has a Gu insect that’s her life partner. This Heavenly Fragrance Gu would be a fitting gift.”

Lu Changsheng thought about the daughter he had never met.

This daughter, possessing the Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body, would greatly benefit from refining the Heavenly Fragrance Gu during her growth.

Plus, fragrances on a manly figure is just weird.

But it would be completely normal and charming on a lovely girl.

“I wonder how Yaoyao is doing now.”

Lu Changsheng thought about his daughter, who had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and sighed.

So much time had passed; when he finally went to the Jin Kingdom, he would love to meet his daughter, Meng Xiaochan.

He really wanted to bring her home. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be easy unless he forcibly brought her back.