Chapter 587: Mysterious Turtle Foretells Fortune and Misfortune, Lu Qingxuan Manages the Family!

Immortal City of Da Mengze.

In the City Lord’s Manor, a wave of spiritual energy surged and fluctuated.

However, for a third-tier spiritual vein like the City Lord’s Manor, this sort of fluctuation was insignificant.

By a pool after a long while.

“You stupid turtle, you’ve finally advanced to the Second Tier. If you hadn’t, I would’ve turned you into turtle stew!”

Lu Wangshu admonished the ice-blue giant turtle in front of her, which was surrounded by surging blue waves and cold air.

Her father, Lu Changsheng, had given her this Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle as a pet when she was four years old.

She cherished this Spirit Pet, feeding it diligently every day and often riding it to Bishui Lake to fish.

As time passed, all the Spirit Pets at home advanced to the Second Tier, even her sister Lu Linghe’s giant panda did so, but her Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle had shown no signs of progress.

After arriving in Immortal City of Da Mengze, it finally reached the Second Tier thanks to the various water-attributed materials she acquired.

But with this slow growth, she no longer hoped for it to advance to the Third Tier.

After all, the saying ‘A turtle outlives three generations, outlasts its owner’ isn’t a joke.

Even with immense resources, it was difficult to significantly speed up the growth of such a long-lived Spirit Beast.

Any further investment would bankrupt her.

Maybe it was time to ask her dad for a new Spirit Pet.

“Woooo.”

The newly advanced Second-Tier Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle, now over ten feet across its shell, felt extremely wronged.

One should know that a spiritual turtle’s lifespan far exceeds that of ordinary Spirit Beasts.

To reach Second Tier in less than sixty years was already quite fast.

Of course, this speed was also due to Lu Wangshu’s and Lu Changsheng’s constant care. Without it, it might take at least a century to advance to the Second Tier.

“Now that you’ve advanced to the Second Tier, you’ve also gained new techniques. Show me your new Flying Evasion technique.”

Lu Wangshu instructed the Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle in front of her.

Although riding a large turtle didn’t exactly enhance her image.

Possibly due to nostalgia, she had grown fond of this turtle and found a certain charm in riding it.

Hearing her words, the Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle excitedly answered. Cold air emanated from its feet, and its shell shimmered with crystalline light as it began to fly.

However, having only just advanced to the Second Tier, it hadn’t yet mastered its new abilities and flew straight into a nearby array barrier with a ‘thud’, ending up sprawled on its back.

“You foolish turtle, stupid turtle! I knew better than to expect anything from you. Even after advancing to the Second Tier, you’re still just a foolish turtle!”

Lu Wangshu’s expression remained blank as her desire for a new Spirit Pet peaked.

This Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle might only be good for frustrating her, leaving no reason to keep raising it!

“Woooo—”

The Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle may be foolish, but as a Heaven-Tier bloodline Spirit Beast of the Second Tier, it was still very intelligent. It looked at Lu Wangshu with wrongly accused eyes, indicating that it wasn’t yet familiar with its abilities.

It then got up and tried to show off its other newfound abilities.

“Mysterious Turtle Foretells Fortune and Misfortune!”

Hearing the name of the ability, Lu Wangshu’s eyes lit up with surprise.

“Woooo!”

The Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle nodded eagerly, indicating that it was very sensitive to danger and could foresee and alert her to it.

“This means, you’re not entirely useless, you stupid turtle.”

As someone who had received excellent education in cultivation, Lu Wangshu knew how practical this ability could be!

It was practically like having half a fortune-teller, an oracle, by her side!

The ability to foresee fortune and misfortune meant she might be able to test her luck in Da Mengze exploring for opportunities.

However, thinking of her top bodyguard Lu Lingxiao not being around, she suddenly felt a bit less enthusiastic.

After all, treasure hunting and adventuring were a lot like playing a game—it just wasn’t as fun alone.

Moreover, Lu Lingxiao had the Sight technique, Heavenly Son’s Art of Qi Observation, which could discern dense spiritual energy spots and detect treasures.

Though she had cultivated Sight techniques herself, they only improved her eyesight, letting her pierce through illusions, something far inferior to Lu Lingxiao’s abilities.

“In that case, I’ll give you one more chance to prove yourself.”

Lu Wangshu addressed the Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle.

She then tested the turtle’s combat abilities.

Its offense and escape capabilities were just average for a Heaven-Tier bloodline.

However, its defense was off the charts.

The usual techniques from early Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t harm it.

Withdrawing into its shell could even nullify techniques from mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Only late Foundation Establishment techniques could inflict some damage.

This Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle was basically a top-tier tank!

Once the Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle stabilized its realm and mastered its abilities, Lu Wangshu eagerly set off for Da Mengze to explore and test her luck.

Since adventuring alone was boring and her younger sister Lu Linghe frequently clamored to go out for training, she decided to bring her along this time.

Although Lu Linghe was only in the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Her Dual Cultivation of the Flesh and Spirit, along with her top-quality Spirit Tools, Talismans, puppets, and Second-Tier Spirit Beast, surpassed many Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“Little He, you must listen to your sister and behave, okay?”

Ling Zixiao did not stop her daughter from going out with Lu Wangshu.

As someone who managed the City Lord’s Manor and was busy with various tasks every day, she didn’t have much time to care for and accompany her daughter, so she was happy to see her get out and have fun with Lu Wangshu.

As for Lu Wangshu’s usual teasing of her daughter, that was merely customary between sisters, something she didn’t take seriously.

“Don’t worry, Mother!”

Lu Linghe, dressed in a red, energetic outfit, wore her hair, usually styled in a bun, in a high ponytail, exuding both lively charm and heroic spirit.

“Wangshu, if anything happens, crush the Jade Talisman immediately.”

Ling Zixiao reminded Lu Wangshu once more.

She was confident in her husband’s precious daughter. As a Talisman Master, Lu Wangshu wielded countless Third-Tier Talismans, along with the treasures her husband had gifted her. Unless she encountered a Third-Tier Demon King or a Golden Core cultivator, she was unmatched.

Even a False Core cultivator would likely fall before Lu Wangshu in direct combat.

“Aunt, don’t worry.”

Lu Wangshu responded playfully and then led Little He out of the Immortal City through the Manor’s passage.

“Sister, where are we going?”

Excited, Lu Linghe looked at the endless ocean as the Wind-Fire Wheels appeared beneath her feet and she held the Black Dragon Spear, her small face brimming with excitement.

“Adventures like this shouldn’t be rushed. Let fate guide us.”

Lu Wangshu spoke leisurely, releasing the Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle.

“Stupid turtle, if you can’t sense a great opportunity, I’ll make turtle soup out of you and feed it to Little He!”

She harshly warned the Cold Jade Mysterious Turtle.

Then she handed a fishing rod to Lu Linghe, and the sisters sat on the turtle’s back for a quiet fishing session, aimlessly drifting.

Bihu Mountain.

Now that the Lu Family’s old patriarch, Lu Changsheng, had advanced to Golden Core, and had become Dao Companions with True Person Xiyue of the Azure Cloud Sect, the Bihu Mountain Lu Family was flourishing, filled with vitality.

Every so often, wandering cultivators would come to Bihu Mountain, seeking to join the Lu Family, serve as Guest Cultivators, or even sell themselves into servitude and apprenticeship.

In the guest reception hall, Lu Qingxian had just finished meeting with a visiting Foundation Establishment cultivator and gently massaged his brow.

Although the Lu Family had become a Golden Core family.

Lu Qingxian still personally met with visiting Foundation Establishment cultivators.

On the one hand, it showed respect.

On the other, it also helped him guard against spies from other factions.

Having awakened his Taiyi Soul, his Divine Sense had reached the Golden Core stage, and he had mastered Face Reading techniques to discern the truth in words and assess situations.

Over the past year, he had uncovered many ill-intentioned people and extracted valuable information from them.

“Young Lord.”

As Lu Qingxian exited the hall, the maid Xiaoyu called out, reminding him of the tasks scheduled for today.

This maid was someone he had once picked up from Qingyun Market Town, or rather, his sister Lu Qingqi had.

Initially, she was supposed to join the Azure Cloud Sect, but after bringing her back, Lu Qingxian taught her cultivation techniques and gave her decent wages.

After four years together, Xiaoyu finally chose to continue serving as Lu Qingxian’s maid and had now become one of his closest confidants.

“Alright.”

Lu Qingxian nodded, then picked up a Storage Bag and went to various courtyards to distribute this month’s reward resources.

Although he could have delegated this task.

He believed that personally delivering the rewards provided encouragement.

It also allowed him to get better acquainted with his brothers, sisters, and juniors, thereby enhancing the family’s unity.

After finishing his errands, he took Xiaoyu to the dining hall.

“Brother!”

At that moment, a woman dressed in a black skirt, with delicate features, rushed over, calling out to Lu Qingxian. She was none other than Lu Miaohuan’s daughter, Lu Qingqi.

“Sister, what’s the matter?”

Lu Qingxian looked at his sister, who was a few months older than him, and smiled.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

Lu Qingqi, who had a bit of a straightforward personality, immediately pulled Lu Qingxian aside and whispered, “On this trip to Jinxia Valley, I overheard that some family disciples were associating with some unidentified wandering cultivators and committing acts of oppression.”

“I captured a few people to interrogate them and learned that for the past year, they had been regularly invited to gatherings, ruins explorations, and involved in drinking, gambling, and revelry.”

Although she usually didn’t involve herself in family affairs, half a year ago, after breaking through to Foundation Establishment, her brother Lu Qingxian assigned her to oversee Jinxia Valley.

When she reached Jinxia Valley, unable to restrain her temperament, she secretly went out to have some fun and, while at Jin’s Family Market, overheard some disturbing information.

Lu Qingxian’s usual gentle and refined face instantly turned cold.

As the Family Head, he’d already become aware of such issues.

Since their father had reached Golden Core and married Aunt Xiyue, the family’s standing in the area had made them the undisputed rulers.

In these circumstances, other families and forces dared not offend them.

Even the common Lu Family disciples would receive flattery wherever they went.

Apart from other forces attempting to plant spies in Bihu Mountain, they would naturally also try to establish connections with Lu Family disciples, thereby putting their spies in place.

Even though he had been cautious, it was difficult to eliminate such risks entirely; he could only try to prevent them.

Now, hearing his sister’s words, he immediately realized his concerns had materialized.

“Do you know who was involved?”

Lu Qingxian took a deep breath and asked his sister.

“I don’t know the specifics. I interrogated a few people and came back to tell you as soon as I found out. Didn’t you tell me before that this was your biggest concern?”

Although Lu Qingqi was a bit carefree, her relationship with her brother was very good, and she fully supported his role as the Family Head.

“Sister, if you have no other plans, let’s take a trip to Jinxia Valley.”

Lu Qingxian thought for a moment before suggesting.

“I just got back and haven’t eaten yet.”

Lu Qingqi immediately responded.

Ever since Bihu Mountain got the Five-Element Pot, the quality of the meals had greatly improved. When she snuck out to Jinxia Valley, it was mainly because she found the fasting pills too bland.

“Thank you for your hard work, Sister.”

Lu Qingxian shook his head helplessly and went to the dining hall with his sister for a meal.

After they were both full, Lu Qingxian thought for a moment and then headed to Zhu Yun Courtyard to visit his aunt, Lu Miaoyun.

He briefly explained the situation and borrowed the Thousand-Faced Fox Puppet.

This Third-Tier Puppet had been kept at Bihu Mountain for emergencies.

“Just do what you need to.”

Lu Miaoyun had always treated u Qingxian as her own son. Handing him the Thousand-Faced Fox Puppet, she said gently.

The growth of a family inevitably comes with incidents like this.

Years ago, Bihu Mountain had also witnessed cases of oppression and bullying, which Lu Ping’an had dealt with.

Now that such tendencies had arisen again within the family, they must be curbed!

A few days later.

At the foot of Biyun Peak in Bihu Mountain, a crowd of Lu Family disciples had gathered.

Seven Lu Family disciples and five disciples from other families knelt in the square’s center.

For Lu Qingxian, as long as there was a lead, he was willing to spend time investigating and finding out which family disciples were misbehaving was child’s play.

Just a few questions would reveal whether someone was lying.

Then, using the Six Desires Demon Heart Manual, he could uncover the entire timeline of their actions with a single thought.

“Our Lu Family has family rules: no bullying, no acts of sexual misconduct, no oppression, no tarnishing of the family’s reputation!”

“Especially when interacting with members or forces of other families. One must follow proper etiquette and rules. There should be no private dealings or exchange of benefits! In the event of such occurrences, they must be reported to the family!”

Lu Qingxian, dressed in a green robe, looked coldly at the twelve people before him and spoke sternly.

While the situation wasn’t too severe.

Some forces had intentionally encouraged Lu Family disciples to indulge in hedonism, exploiting opportunities like so-called ‘ruins explorations’, gambling, and sending women as concubines in exchange for benefits.

But such tendencies had to be curbed!

With a flash, his green Flying Sword shot out, like a streak of light.

“Puff, puff, puff—”

The five non-family disciples were immediately decapitated, their blood spurting everywhere.

“Have mercy, Family Head!”

“Qingxuan!”

All the Lu Family disciples were shocked by this scene.

They never expected their usually gentle and humble brother, a man who seemed like a refined gentleman, to be so ruthless.

They didn’t imagine that he’d kill five people without a word.

The remaining seven Lu Family disciples, seeing this, couldn’t help but panic, fearing that Lu Qingxian might slay them as well.

Even though two of them were Lu Changsheng’s sons, their talents were average, and their mothers were mere maids, leaving them without much favor in Bihu Mountain.

It was precisely because of this that they’d been corrupted, losing themselves in indulgence.

“Anyone who violates these rules will be lashed and expelled from the family!”

“Considering you are Lu Clan by blood and this matter hadn’t escalated yet, you will only be lashed thirty times and have your basic benefits revoked for three years!”

Lu Qingxian, despite his usual gentle demeanor, spoke coldly.

“Administer the punishment!”

Immediately, several Lu Family disciples stepped forward to start whipping the seven offenders.

These whipping sticks weren’t ordinary rods; they were known as Wolfbane Whips.

When they struck, the force felt like wolf fangs tearing through flesh. The wounds were tough to heal and carried severe pain, commonly used by most families for punishment.

As the whips landed, the seven offenders’ faces twisted in agony, their backs shredded and bloody, crying out for mercy.

But at that moment, no one dared to intercede.

After all, they were in the wrong.

It was clear that Lu Qingxian intended to make an example out of them, to eradicate unhealthy tendencies from the family.

The large turn of events and the continued absence of key family members like Lu Ping’an, Lu Yun, Lu Wangshu, and even a few of the family’s main wives, indicated their tacit approval.

Under these circumstances, who in the audience would dare plead for forgiveness?

Moreover, the fact that Lu Qingxian had just decapitated five non-family disciples without hesitation had instilled fear in everyone.

They realized that this brother, son, uncle, and young man was not as gentle as he seemed on the surface.

“Ah—”

One of the Lu Family disciples fainted in agony after taking ten lashes.

“Someone, heal him. We’ll continue the punishment once he wakes up!”

Lu Qingxian instructed coldly.

Thus, in the midst of cries and pain, the seven offenders were whipped until their backs were a mess of blood and flesh.

“Take them back for treatment.”

Seeing the situation, Lu Qingxian ordered them to be sent back to their residences, temporarily putting an end to the matter.

Seeing her brother leave, Lu Qingqi quickly went after him, worriedly asking, “Brother, wasn’t that a bit too much?”

Even she found her own brother a bit frightening, thinking he might have gone too far.

“Our family has just risen to the status of a Golden Core family and is in the limelight. Every move we make is closely watched. It’s easy for our young disciples to become arrogant, lose their way, and end up corrupting themselves, harming the family’s reputation.”

“Just look at the Five Elements Wang Family or any of the larger families; they serve as clear examples.”

Lu Qingxian had studied many family histories and knew the importance of maintaining family ethics. Though today might seem extreme, he aimed to restore the family’s values.

“After today, these outsiders will fear and respect us. As for the others…”

“Given that we’re dealing with our father’s children or family brothers, it’s best not to go too far. A lesson is sufficient.”

“Even if they harbor grudges, they’ll submit when it matters most.”

Of course, he didn’t express one thought.

Although all Lu Family disciples received the same basic benefits, the family still heavily favored the elites.

Ordinary disciples wouldn’t be able to stir up any real trouble even if they were discontented.

“It would’ve been better if Dad or Elder Brother dealt with this I think. I’m afraid your actions today might lead to dissatisfaction.”

“Dad has many important matters to attend to and must continue his cultivation. Elder Brother is the same.”

“Now that I’m the Family Head, it’s my responsibility to handle such matters.”

Lu Qingxian smiled and said, “By the way, I should thank you, Sister.”

“I didn’t do much. But Brother, what technique did you use earlier that made people spill everything immediately?”

Seeing that her brother’s demeanor remained unchanged, Lu Qingqi was no longer concerned and reverted to her usual carefree self.

Though they were siblings, their relationship was more akin to that of best friends.

“I hope today’s events will help the family regain its composure and curb this harmful behavior.”

After parting ways with his sister, Lu Qingxian approved several healing pills, tonics, and spiritual fruits to give to the seven punished disciples.

Once he finished his tasks, he returned home and shattered several Jade Talismans.

While other families had attempted to infiltrate his, he had also made his own arrangements, placing pawns in other families.

For example, in the Jin Family of Jinlong Ridge.

One of their direct daughters had even been manipulated by his Six Desires Demon Heart Manual, which led her to make a grave mistake. Holding this over her, he bent her to his will.

It was for this reason that Lu Qingxian was using such harsh measures to prevent any internal unrest.

With his parents stationed long-term in Immortal City of Da Mengze and his elder brother frequently traveling, he had to ensure the family remained stable and uphold the prestige of a Golden Core family!