Chapter 422: Lu Wangshu’s First Battle

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

Lu Wangshu faced the five approaching attackers, her pink lips tightened as her delicate face grew serious. Talismanic light swirled around her, before shooting out to confront them all.

At the same time, a black umbrella appeared above her head, spinning rapidly to transform into countless Nine-Nine Mystical True Lots that surrounded her.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

Their spells collided, creating a series of explosive crashes that formed a terrifying wave of Spiritual Energy.

“Gasp! This girl is facing five Foundation Establishment cultivators at once, yet she’s not at a disadvantage.”

“You call that not being at a disadvantage? She’s burning through so many talismans in one go! This isn’t just a fight, it’s burning money!”

“I’ve heard about how talisman users burn money like it’s nothing, but now I’ve finally witnessed it.”

“Damn it, she’s burned through enough Spirit Stones in a single clash that I couldn’t earn them in ten years!”

“If she keeps relying on talismans like this, she might be able to hold out for a while, but driving away five people seems difficult.”

“Exactly. If she can’t trap them with her Talisman Formation and runs out of talismans, it’ll be disastrous for her.”

“Who’s that woman in white? Why hasn’t she made a move yet?”

At the entrance of the Market, many cultivators watched the battle in mid-air, whispering amongst themselves.

Lu Miaoge, Li Xingruo, and LiiXingyu also arrived at the scene.

However, upon seeing the battle outside, they didn’t immediately join in.

“One, Nine! Seal, Suppress, Trap, Annihilate!”

Lu Wangshu’s entire body glowed as if draped in a nine-colored talisman robe, her figure graceful, long black hair fluttering, and her beautiful eyes sharp.

In an instant, dozens of talismans shot towards the five men, sealing, suppressing, intercepting, and annihilating them from all sides, leaving no gaps.

“Hmph, little girl, I’d like to see how many talismans you have!”

“Such a method is truly astonishing.”

“So this is what a talisman user can do. If this little girl can control so many talismans, how many can Lu Changsheng control?”

“This girl must be eliminated. If she grows any further, she’ll become another Lu Changsheng!”

The five Foundation Establishment attackers saw Lu Wangshu’s fierce advance and became more apprehensive.

If it weren’t for the fact that they outnumbered her five to one, they wouldn’t dare to take her on.

After all, in a one-on-one fight, they’d probably be obliterated by her talismans within a few rounds.

This made them all the more determined to kill her, wanting to eliminate such a talented individual while she was still in her cradle.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

The clashes continued non-stop, with Lu Wangshu’s talismans bombarding them so relentlessly they couldn’t get close.

Faced with such a situation, the five men abandoned their offensive and switched to defensive stances, spreading out and relying on their Spirit Tools while waiting for an opening.

“Hmph!”

Lu Wangshu let out a cold snort. She realized they were too afraid to fight directly and intended to drag it out, hoping to exhaust her.

She quickly formed hand seals, her slender, fair fingers glowing with a crystalline light as they traced lines in the air.

In a flash, a golden talisman took shape.

From one grew two, from two to four, from four to eight.

In no time, ninety-nine talismans appeared, forming a Talisman Formation that encircled her, making her look divinely beautiful.

“What kind of technique is this? An illusion?”

“No, those are talismans. Drawing talismans in the void—is this the legendary Void Talisman Drawing?”

“Gasp, Lu Changsheng has hidden his abilities too deep! All these years, he’s never shown such methods. Who knew he was holding back!”

“If it weren’t for his daughter, no one would’ve known the Talisman Making Inheritance of the *Lu Family* was so astonishing!”

Everyone was shocked by Lu Wangshu’s abilities.

The Jiang Kingdom had no well-known Talisman Making Inheritance.

And though there were occasional talisman users, there were only a few records related to them.

So techniques like Void Talisman Drawing were something almost no one present had heard or seen before.

Seeing Lu Wangshu’s methods now, they were all left stunned.

It became clear that the Talisman Making Inheritance of the *Lu Family* was extraordinary!

Beside her, Xiao Xiyue watched her daughter’s display with a faint, comforting smile.

Without realizing it, the baby she once cradled had grown to such heights.

She still remembered when she and Lu Changsheng had brought Lu Wangshu into the world at the Hongye Valley Marketplace.

“She’s only in the early stages of Foundation Establishment. She can’t hold out for much longer!”

“Exactly. Her fighting skills aren’t refined. She’s just bombarding recklessly. It won’t be long before she runs out of talismans and magic power!”

“Be cautious, don’t be careless!”

The five men looked at Lu Wangshu and Xiao Xiyue with serious expressions, communicating through their Divine Senses.

Yet, despite everything, they felt incredibly stifled that they were struggling against a mere Foundation Establishment junior.

“Now!”

After a moment of stalemate, Lu Wangshu looked at the talismans arranged above her and suddenly grew resolute as her fingers danced.

On her smooth, fair forehead, a nine-colored talisman slowly emerged, outlining an ancient symbol.

“Buzz!”

The talisman turned into a profound, complex nine-colored divine rune.

As soon as it appeared, the talismanic light around Lu Wangshu exploded, converging into a massive talisman several zhang in size.

At the same time, ripples appeared in every direction, forming countless talismans spinning madly.

“Nine-Nine, Mystical Talisman Formation, Golden Light Immortality!”

Lu Wangshu formed hand seals and chanted clearly.

Immediately, the talismans fused with each other, creating an incredibly sturdy golden barrier that trapped the five Foundation Establishment cultivators inside.

“Hmm, not good!”

“An early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator dares to try and trap us? How overconfident!”

“She’s using such techniques, yet she’s now too focused to multitask. Kill her!”

Seeing the golden barrier closing in with golden light from all directions, the five men rushed towards Lu Wangshu.

However.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

Golden barriers suddenly appeared, isolating them all, trapping them within.

“Kill!!!”

The five men’s eyes sharpened, and their magic power surged as they attacked the golden barrier, refusing to believe an early-stage Foundation Establishment junior could trap them.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

The golden barriers seemed endless. As soon as one was shattered, another regenerated.

“Thousand Fathoms of Water Bring Down the Vast Torrents!”

Lu Wangshu formed hand seals again and chanted, conjuring countless talismans to form another Talisman Formation.

The two formations fused, and from the golden barriers, roaring waves surged towards the five men, relentless and all-consuming, as they seemed to corrode their flesh and magic power.

“Endless Burning Flame!”

“Golden Lotus in the Realm of Fire and Water!”

A nine-colored talisman between Lu Wangshu’s brows flickered as her hands continued forming seals. The Xuan Yuan Pearl within her dantian spun wildly, releasing stored magic power.

For an average Foundation Establishment cultivator, like Lu Wangshu, such attacks would drain their power quickly.

However, even with the Xuan Yuan Pearl, Lu Wangshu’s charming face turned slightly pale from exhaustion.

For a moment.

The roaring waves crashed, the flames blazed into the sky!

All the talismans behind her converged, the light surging as golden lotuses filled with deadly sharpness and slaughter headed towards the five men.

“Pfft, pfft, pfft—”

In an instant, three early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were severely injured, spitting blood under the attacks of water, fire, and the golden lotuses. Their auras weakened.

“To think she’s actually gaining the upper hand against five opponents!”

“Talisman users, so terrifying!”

“Once a Talisman Formation is complete, no one of the same level can oppose it!”

“When facing a talisman user, you must end the fight quickly. If you wait for her to complete her formation, it’s over.”

“Isn’t she supposed to be in the early stages of Foundation Establishment? How does she have such vast magic power?”

“Lu Wangshu of *Bihu Mountain*… First there was Lu Ping’an, now Lu Wangshu. What kind of fortune blesses the *Bihu Mountain Lu Family*?”

When the onlookers saw this, they were all deeply shocked and apprehensive.

“Sister Wangshu is amazing!”

“I never knew Sister Wangshu was so powerful.”

“Wow, go, Sister Wangshu!”

Lu Qingyan, Lu Qingze, Lu Qingqi, and other members of the *Lu Family* watched in amazement.

They couldn’t believe that their usually carefree sister was so fierce, making them all incredibly excited.

In the crowd, a few individuals looked at Lu Wangshu and Xiao Xiyue in the sky, their expressions shifting between light and dark.

“Fellow Daoist, stop! We admit defeat and are willing to leave!”

One of the Foundation Establishment attackers realized that if they continued to fight, they would die here, so he shouted towards Lu Wangshu.

“Indeed, little friend. We are willing to compensate!”

Another Foundation Establishment cultivator also spoke up.

They had come here just to cause trouble, to hinder the *Hongye Valley Marketplace*, not to lose their lives.

The other three didn’t speak but were also harboring thoughts of retreat.

They knew that if they kept fighting and waited for Lu Changsheng or the Azure Cloud Sect cultivators to arrive, they’d be in serious trouble.

“Hmph, you come to my Market and cause trouble, and now you think you can leave so easily? Do you think *Bihu Mountain* is so easy to bully?”

Lu Wangshu’s hair fluttered as her face, unparalleled in beauty, turned icy.

As she spoke, she continued forming hand seals, causing countless talismans to materialize, forming golden lotuses that continuously attacked the five men.

The Nine-Nine Mystical True Lots arranged around her also began to merge with the golden lotuses, emitting an endless sharpness.

“Pfft, pfft, pfft—”

Suddenly, one of the Foundation Establishment cultivators was pierced under the talisman formation’s onslaught, spitting blood and on the verge of death.

“Youngster, do you really want to go down with us?”

A mid-stage Foundation Establishment attacker shouted.

He knew that if he didn’t fight with everything he had, he might fall here today.

“Go down together? Try me!”

Lu Wangshu continued forming seals with one hand, while drawing talismans in the void with the other, creating Spirit Talismans.

“This junior is so arrogant! Let’s take her down!”

The Foundation Establishment cultivator let out a long howl, using a secret technique that caused his aura to soar as he started risking everything.

Meanwhile, out of the remaining four, two had already died, their bodies covered in blood.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

The remaining three fought desperately, frantically attacking the formation, trying to break through and kill Lu Wangshu.

But the formation had fully taken shape. No matter how hard the three fought, they couldn’t break through. Despair crept into their hearts.

“Whoosh—”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a masked Foundation Establishment cultivator rushed towards Lu Wangshu, murder intent fierce in his eyes.

“Courting death!”

Xiao Xiyue, standing nearby, her eyes like the bright moon of the Ninth Heaven, shot out a cold, crystalline light as she suddenly raised her hand and struck.

“Buzz—”

An invisible ripple spread out, making the charging Foundation Establishment cultivator’s body stiffen.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

Muffled explosions echoed from within his body, causing him to tremble violently and spit blood.

His head tilted to one side, and he died instantly, his aura vanishing as he plummeted from the sky, his face frozen in disbelief.

“Th-this…”

“Who is that woman?”

“She instantly killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator with one strike!”

“No wonder Lu Changsheng entrusted the Hongye Valley Marketplace to his daughter, Lu Wangshu. It turns out there’s such a powerful cultivator guarding her!”

Everyone watching was stunned.

They hadn’t expected the white-clad woman with Lu Wangshu to be this fierce.

And with just one strike, she killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

“So this is the strength of a true disciple of the Immortal Sect…”

Lu Yuanzhong and Lu Muping, who knew Xiao Xiyue’s identity, were horrified as they watched her in midair.

Lu Qingze and Lu Qingyan couldn’t help but wonder about her relationship with their father.

They were the ones in charge of the Market’s affairs, yet they hadn’t known there was someone so powerful here.

“Hmph!”

Seeing this, Lu Wangshu tightened her lips.

Then, with one final set of hand seals, she softly whispered: “Nine-Nine Mystical True Talisman—Divine Phoenix!”

“Screech!”

A screech echoed through the heavens and earth.

All the talismans around Lu Wangshu merged, transforming into a golden phoenix surrounded by red light.

The phoenix stood several zhang tall, its body flowing with golden radiance, and burning with intense flames, making Lu Wangshu seem both sacred and noble, a beauty beyond words.

“Die!”

Lu Wangshu brought her fingers together, her eyes cold as she pointed towards the three remaining cultivators.

Immediately, the Divine Phoenix let out a screech and burned fiercely, engulfing the three who had been trapped inside the golden barrier.

“Ah—”

“I refuse to accept this!”

The three had already despaired after seeing Xiao Xiyue take action, knowing their fate was sealed.

Faced with the Divine Phoenix, they howled in regret, their hearts filled with endless remorse.

If they had chosen to flee at the very beginning, they would’ve escaped unharmed.

Even if they had fled halfway, they might have had a chance.

But they never imagined that Lu Wangshu, a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, would possess such terrifying abilities, leading them to their doom.

Moments later.

The Divine Phoenix and its flames dissipated into the air.

Five bodies of the attackers fell from the sky.

Three of them were charred black, and as they fell, the wind blew, leaving only their robes, Artifacts, and remnants behind.

“To think her methods were so…”

“Lu Wangshu of *Bihu Mountain*… Her combat power is not inferior to the peak of Foundation Establishment, is it?”

“It depends on the situation. If you ambush her or act before her formation is complete, she’s just an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator!”

“First there was Lu Ping’an, and now there’s Lu Wangshu.”

“No, back when Lu Ping’an only repelled the mid-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Tao Family. But this Lu Wangshu, she killed five Foundation Establishment cultivators on her own.”

“When Lu Changsheng had just broken through to Foundation Establishment, he used a Talisman Formation to kill three of the Yu Family, establishing the *Bihu Mountain Lu Family*. Now his daughter has killed five Foundation Establishment cultivators on her own!”

“With such children, who can stop the rise of the *Bihu Mountain Lu Family*?”

Everyone looked up at Lu Wangshu in the sky, their expressions dazed, not knowing what to say.

Shock, surprise, envy, and jealousy filled their eyes.

They were stunned and envious that Lu Changsheng had such an astonishingly talented son and daughter like Lu Ping’an and Lu Wangshu.

Either of these two alone could lead a family to prosperity for a hundred years, advancing the family further.

And now, the *Bihu Mountain Lu Family* had both of them.

However, for those like Lu Yuanzhong and Lu Muping who knew Lu Qingshan, they were even more astonished and envious.

“Given her capabilities, even Qingshan wouldn’t be a match for her, would he?”

Lu Yuanzhong murmured to himself, deeply amazed.

Who would have thought that apart from Lu Qingshan, Lu Changsheng had such an extraordinary daughter.

And this daughter wasn’t even sent to an immortal sect but was raised by him.

However, looking at Xiao Xiyue, whose entire body was now glowing with a soft moonlight, he felt at ease.

After all, Lu Wangshu not only had Lu Changsheng as a father but also Xiao Xiyue as a mother.

“Phew!”

Lu Wangshu let out a long breath, her face slightly pale.

This battle was truly her first significant one.

So she had exerted herself too much and was overly drained.

But upon seeing the results of her battle, a smile appeared on Lu Wangshu’s delicate face.

“Wangshu, let’s take these bodies back. We’ll have Enforcement Palace investigate the situation.”

Xiao Xiyue sent a message to Lu Wangshu.

It was obvious that the sudden appearance of six Foundation Establishment cultivators was the work of another force.

Whoever dared disguise themselves as bandits and act so openly in broad daylight gave the Azure Cloud Sect the authority to investigate.

Usually, if the situation didn’t escalate, the Azure Cloud Sect wouldn’t spend the time and energy to address it.

But Xiao Xiyue, being a true disciple of the sect and a direct disciple of the Enforcement Palace Lord, could have this matter investigated with ease.

“Ah, I burned them. Is it still okay?”

Lu Wangshu was taken aback slightly as she heard this.

During the fight, she was still a bit nervous.

So she didn’t hold back, and the last three were almost turned to ashes.

“It’s fine; these three are enough.”

Xiao Xiyue replied softly.

She hadn’t reminded her daughter earlier, not wanting to distract her and cause her to hold back.

Then, the two of them quickly cleaned up the battlefield and returned to the Market’s entrance.

The gathered cultivators looked at the two of them with respectful, fearful expressions, instinctively parting to make way.

“Qingze, Qingyan, Cousin Muping, can you handle the cleanup here?”

Lu Wangshu asked with a smile.

Since something like this had happened in the Market, it was necessary to handle the aftermath and calm the people down.

But like her father, Lu Changsheng, she didn’t enjoy managing daily affairs.

“Alright.”

Lu Qingze and Lu Qingyan, still immersed in the aftermath of the battle, nodded in agreement.

“Wangshu, you’ve worked hard. Leave the rest to us.”

Lu Muping took a deep breath and nodded.

He then hovered in the air and cupped his hands towards the crowd, saying, “Fellow Daoists, we apologize for today’s events at the Market and for wasting your time.”

At this time, after exchanging a few words with Li Xingruo, Lu Miaoge also stepped forwarr, using an amplification technique to announce, “As compensation, next year our *Bihu Mountain Lu Family* will auction off a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill at the Hongye Valley Marketplace.”

“And if any of you have the materials for a Foundation Establishment Pill, our *Bihu Mountain Lu Family* welcomes you to come and have it refined.”

“Our *Bihu Mountain Lu Family* has always adhered to the principles of cooperation and mutual prosperity. The family’s business association is currently being established, and we invite any of you who are interested to visit the Hongye Valley Marketplace or *Bihu Mountain* to discuss potential partnerships.”

“As a cooperating partner, if our *Bihu Mountain Lu Family* acquires any Foundation Establishment Pills in the future, they will be offered to you first.”

Lu Miaoge declared..

She made it clear that their family doesn’t wish to make enemies with other families or forces.

They hope for cooperation and mutual prosperity, working together towards a brilliant future.

The raid on this Market made Lu Miaoge and Li Xingruo reallze that the forces targeting them were not simple.

Otherwise, it would’ve been impossible to send six Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Given the situation, their *Bihu Mountain Lu Family* couldn’t rely solely on strength to defeat everyone.

They needed to form more alliances.

Not that they would expect all these forces to pledge allegiance to them.

But they had to make it clear that there were benefits for those who were willing to ally with them.

If there were grudges, or any under-the-table actions, their *Bihu Mountain* wasn’t to be trifled with either.

“What? A genuine Foundation Establishment Pill!”

“What?! Didn’t they just auction off an inferior Foundation Establishment Pill? How could they offer another one next year!”

“Priority for internal partners…”

“Patriarch Lu is so generous! *Bihu Mountain* sure is generous!”

Many cultivators were overjoyed upon hearing this and shouted loudly.

Some rogue cultivators started considering whether they had a chance of obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill if they joined *Bihu Mountain*.

“Foundation Establishment Pill…”

The various forces heard this and, besides being tempted, understood something else.

It seemed that *Bihu Mountain* currently wasn’t lacking in Foundation Establishment Pills.

Lu Miaoge, speaking on behalffof *Bihu Mountain*, actively extended goodwill to the outside world.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, Lu Miaoge suddenly sensed sommthing and took out a Yin-Yang Communication Talisman.

“What? Flower and Fruit Mountain is under attack?”

Lu Miaoge saw the message froo Flower and Fruit Mountain and frowned slightly.

She immediately realized that someone had seized the opportunity to attack Flower and Fruit Mountain.

“Madam Lu,”

At this moment, several Foundation Establishment ancestors stepped forward, wanting to discuss business collaboration.

“I have some matters to attend to. In a few days, our *Bihu Mountain* will hold a Foundation Establishment ceremony for my daughter, Wangshu.”

“If any of you want to discuss business collaborations, you’re welcome to come to *Bihu Mountain* then.”

Lu Miaoge apologized..

She wasn’t too familiar with the details of the business collaboration; that would be up to Lu Xingyang and the others to decide.

And now, seeing the emergency call from Flower and Fruit Mountain, she needed to rush over and assess the situation.

“Very well. I will surely come then.”

“Madam Lu, congratulations on raising such a Phoenix child as Miss Wangshu!”

“Miss Wangshu is so incredibly talented, the future is boundless for her. She is destined for the Golden Core stage.”

The Foundation Establishment ancestors, regardless of what they were thinking, all stepped forward to offer their congratulations and praise.

As for the recent trouble caused by the attackers, it slowly faded from their minds with the announcement of the ceremony.

“Miaoge, if you go alone, it could be dangerous. I’ll go with you.”

Lu Yuanzhong spoke out, worried as he heard that Lu Miaoge was heading to Flowwr and Fruit Mountain.

“Dangerous…”

Lu Miaoge paused slightly upoo hearing this.

She had Third-Tier Talismans, a Second-Tier Puppet, and even the Golden Armored Bean Mother, so dealing with ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators wasn’t an issue.

But Lu Yuanzhong’s words made her more cautious.

“Uncle, you stay here with Father. I’ll ask Xiyue to come with me.”

After a brief contemplation, Lu Miaoge said..

Then, she found Xiao Xiyue and explained her intentions.

“Alright.”

Xiao Xiyue looked at her daughter and nodded.

Then, the two women made simple disguises and quietly left the Hongye Valley Marketplace for Flower and Fruit Mountain.