Chapter 623: True Lord Qingluan: From now on, just call me Aunt Mu!

Three months later.

Lu Changsheng returned to Qingluan Immortal City with his wife and children from the Yue Kingdom.

“Sister Miaoge, take Xiaozhu and Little Qi out for a stroll. I’ll take Qingxuan to meet a friend.”

Lu Changsheng had already informed Lu Miaoge in advance about thh matter of sending his son to become a disciple of Qingluan Zhenren.

Although Lu Miaoge was surprised, she greed after hearing Lu Changsheng’s reasoning.

She knew deeply that Bihu Mountain, and even the entire Jiang Kingdom, was too small—it was merely a corner of the Southern Wilderness.

If their son wanted to make any real achievements and reach Golden Core Formation or Nascent Soul in the future, he must venture out.

If he could become a disciple of Qingluan Zhenren, the first-renowned unaffiliated cultivator of the Jiang Kingdom, his future would be even brighter! “Alright~”

Lu Miaoge, gentle like water,,responded softly as she took her two daughters to explore the city and shop.

Lu Changsheng then brought his wife, Lu Miaohuan, and his son, Lu Qingxian, to the City Lord’s Manor, presenting the jade token with gold rim that Qingluan Zhenren had given him years ago.

“Seniors, please enter.”

Upon seeing the token, the steward of the City Lord’s Manor immediately respectfully invited the three into the manor, served tea, and stated that the True Lord was currently in seclusion but would be informed.

“Alright.”

Lu Changsheng nodded slightly.

“Father.”

At this moment, Lu Qingxian appeared to realize something and looked at Lu Changsheng.

“Stay calm in all matters.”

Lu Changsheng said calmly and indifferently.

“Yes.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Qingxian immediately knew his guess was confirmed. He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and tried to steady his emotions.

Still, knowing that the teacher his father was taking him to meet was the owner of this Immortal City, the Jiang Kingdom’s top unaffiliated cultivator, Qingluan Zhenren, he couldn’t help feeling restless.

Not only had Lu Miaoge and Lu Miaohuan groon up hearing legendary stories about Qingluan Zhenren, but he too held admiration for her.

Even though Lu Miaohuan had met Qingluan Zhenren once before, she was still slightly nervous and restless at this moment, gripping Lu Changsheng’s hand tightly.

If Lu Changsheng hadn’t reassured her, she might have wanted to retreat to the Heavenly Yuan Imperial Lotus.

A Nascent Soul cultivator like Qingluan Zhenren was not someone one could meet casually.

Although the steward said Qingluan Zhenren was in seclusion, it was normal to hear such a statement whether she was available or not.

After nearly an hour, Qingluan Zhenren finally arrived, dressed in an elegant jade robe with exquisite brocade boots on her feet.

“Changsheng, comrade, you’ve waited long enough.”

She glanced at Lu Changsheng in the hall and then at Lu Miaohuan and Lu Qingxian, greeting them with a slight bow.

However, just that one glance made Lu Miaohuan and Lu Qingxian feel as though they had been completely seen through.

“So, this is Qingluan Zhenren, the Jiang Kingdom’s number one unaffiliated cultivator?”

Lu Qingxian sat upright, wanting to get up and bow but found his body somewhat stiff.

“I’m sorry to trouble you, Qingluan Zhenren, for coming all this way.”

Lu Changsheng guessed that Qingluan Zhenren had probably just returned from Venomous Dragon Pool.

“With you visiting, of course, I should offer proper hospitality. Next time, if you let me know in advance, I’ll prepare a banquet to welcome you.”

Qingluan Zhenren chuckled lightly and sat opposite Lu Changsheng, without any pretense despite her status as a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Seeing their husband and father casually conversing as equals with the Jiang Kingdom’s top unaffiliated cultivator and Nascent Soul True Lord, both Lu Miaohuan and Lu Qingxian felt a bit dazed.

Though they knew their husband and father was powerful as the Lord of the Immortal City of Da Mengze, able to slay a Golden Core cultivator with one strike.

Because of their close relationship with Lu Changsheng and his casual demeanor at home, they hadn’t directly felt the impact of his true status.

Now, seeing Lu Changsheng and Qingluan Zhenren refer to each other as comrades, chatting and laughing, they were given a clear glimpse of reality.

In that moment, they realized that while at home, their husband and father was gentle and nurturing like a spring breeze, but out in the world, he was a top-tier cultivator who could decide the fates of countless others.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Changsheng introduced Lu Miaohuan and Lu Qingxian, then clasped his hands and said, “To be frank, I am here to ask a favor.”

“Feel free to speak, comrade.”

Although she couldn’t fully discern Lu Changsheng’s intentions, seeing Lu Miaohuan and Lu Qingxian, Qingluan Zhenren had a certain sense of foreboding.

“You probably know that I don’t specialize in divination, but my son happens to be very interested in it. So I wanted to see if you might accept him as a disciple and whether you think he’s gifted enough to catch your eye.”

Lu Changsheng clasped his hands as he spoke.

Beside him, Lu Qingxian immediately bowed deeply.

A disciple?

Qingluan Zhenren remained silent.

In the world of cultivation, accepting a disciple was no simple matter.

Once you take on a disciple, the relationship is akin to that of a second parent, entangling one’s karma and fortune.

Especially considering Lu Qingxian, taking him as a disciple would also involve a karma bond with this ‘Nascent Soul old monster,’ Lu Changsheng.

Although she had previously considered allying with Lu Changsheng to increase her own defenses.

Now, having confirmed his identity as a Nascent Soul old monster in reincarnation and meeting the ever-mysterious ‘Li Muwan,’ she harbored some wariness and caution toward him.

Another reason was that her divination lineage was different from others.

If it were to be revealed to outsiders, it could cause her significant harm.

Now that Lu Changsheng wanted his son to become her disciple and learn divination, she couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

“As you know, comrade, Venomous Dragon Pool is currently being cleared and a new Immortal City is under construction. I simply don’t have the time, nor do I plan to take any disciples at the moment.”

“However, if you insist, I could accept him as a nominal disciple and guide him occasionally. Just be aware, my divination inheritance isn’t something most can grasp.”

Qingluan Zhenren pondered carefully before replying.

Even though it was impossible for her to divine everything about Lu Changsheng, she could still sense some vague results about the fortune and misfortune of interacting with him.

She felt that getting involved with Lu Changsheng could bring both advantages and disadvantages, but in most cases, the benefits outweighed the risks.

Thus, in this situation, she was willing to accept Lu Qingxian as a nominal disciple and observe him to discern Lu Changsheng’s true goals for asking this favor.

“A nominal disciple.”

In truth, Lu Changsheng didn’t have high hopes of his son becoming a formal disciple.

He was more focused on having his son receive a divination inheritance that wouldn’t shorten his lifespan and gain some experience at Qingluan Immortal City.

Now, it seemed that obtaining that inheritance would be difficult.

“How about this: let my son cultivate here in Qingluan Immortal City for ten years. If you have time, you can guide him once in a while. If you’re too busy, that’s alright too. You could assign him some tasks and give him some experience and worldly knowledge.”

“If, by then, you think his talent is just barely acceptable, you could take him as a nominal disciple. If not, no harm done.”

Lu Changsheng understood that Qingluan Zhenren was hesitant to accept a disciple, but at the same time, didn’t want to completely reject him outright.

He wasn’t going to force the issue and instead chose to step back a little.

After all, without the divination inheritance, holding onto the title of nominal disciple wouldn’t be meaningful.

On the other hand, if over the course of ten years, his son was able to gain Qingluan Zhenren’s approval and be accepted as a formal disciple, then it would be worthwhile.

Hearing this, Qingluan Zhenren readily agreed, saying, “Of course.”

Rather than establishing a formal master-disciple relationship, it would be better to nurture a normal connection first.

This way, she could maintain contact with Lu Changsheng and also observe Lu Qingxian to learn more about the situation.

“In that case, I will leave my son’s well-being in your capable hands.”

Lu Changsheng clasped his hands in a gesture of thanks, then told his son, “Qingxuan, thank the True Lord.”

“Junior Lu Qingxian thanks you, True Lord!”

Lu Qingxian took a deep breath, bowed deeply again.

“Since you are the son of my comrade Changsheng, from now on, you may call me Aunt Mu.”

Since Lu Qingxian was someone that Lu Changsheng had taken the trouble to bring for apprenticeship, he clearly wasn’t an ordinary offspring, so Qingluan Zhenren agreed to take him as a junior.

“Does Qingluan Zhenren’s surname have ‘Mu,’ or does her name include it?”

Lu Changsheng had known Qingluan for a long time but never knew her actual name.

In the world of immortal cultivation, this was a common practice.

After Golden Core Formation, many cultivators use only their titles, discarding their real names, and people gradually forget their true names.

“Thank you, Aunt Mu!”

Even though Qingluan Zhenren’s voice was calm and authoritative, with a tone of distant aloofness, this personal address signified her acceptance of him as a junior.

With his son Lu Qingxian’s matter temporarily settled, Lu Changsheng and Qingluan Zhenren resumed their tea and conversation.

Qingluan Zhenren revealed that the fate-planning and path arrangement related to the Immortal City of Da Mengze had been completed.

“No wonder.”

Lu Changsheng nodded in understanding.

A moment ago, he sensed a slight change in her attitude and wondered if she had some ulterior motives.

It seemed Hong Lian had decisively confirmed his identity as the reincarnated Nascent Soul.

“Thank you for all your hard work, True Lord.”

Lu Changsheng also inquired about the construction of the Immortal City at Venomous Dragon Pool.

“To clear away the poison fog and evil energy of Venomous Dragon Pool completely and reshape the land’s geomantic veins for constructing an Immortal City, it will take at least several more decades.”

Qingluan Zhenren shook her head as she spoke.

Building a fourth-tier Immortal City wouldn’t be easy.

The preliminary work required an immense amount of labor and resources.

If it weren’t for this, the Heavenly Sword Sect wouldn’t have relinquished such a fourth-tier spiritual land as Venomous Dragon Pool to Qingluan Zhenren.

After talking for half an hour,

“Well then, I leave my son entirely in your hands. If he acts inappropriately, don’t hesitate to send me word.”

Lu Changsheng stood and clasped his hands to say farewell, speaking with great respect.

Then he addressed his son again: “Qingxuan, from now on, treat Aunt Mu with the same respect you have for me, understood?”

“Rest assured, Father. I understand.”

From the conversation just now, Lu Qingxian already knew that his father had gone to great lengths and might even owe a favor to Qingluan Zhenren.

Therefore, he knew that from now on, he would have to do his best to earn her recognition.

“Alright.”

Lu Changsheng offered a few more words of advice before leaving with Lu Miaohuan.

“Since you seem to have a grasp of management, let’s start by having you serve as a steward here in Immortal City.”

After Lu Changsheng’s departure, Qingluan Zhenren looked at Lu Qingxian, her gaze serious and determined, carrying an air of authority.

Even though Lu Qingxian, as head of his household for years, was an outstanding figure among his peers, facing Qingluan Zhenren alone, he felt an inexplicable weight and pressure, unable to meet her gaze directly.

“Thank you, Aunt Mu.”

He bowed respectfully.

“When it comes to divination, do you have any current questions or doubts?”

Although Qingluan Zhenren’s divination inheritance was different from others, mastery of one path led to mastery of many. Guiding someone like Lu Qingxian was no difficult task.

Lu Qingxian immediately voiced his current questions about divination.

Qingluan Zhenren nodded slightly. Clearly, the divination inheritance Lu Qingxian had received was of high quality, possibly third- or even fourth-tier.

But as Lu Changsheng had said, without a teacher’s guidance, he’d had to figure things out himself.

Whether it be cultivation techniques, arcane arts, or any branch of immortal arts, having a technique without a teacher often leads one down a difficult and winding path.

Especially in something as esoteric as divination.

With Qingluan Zhenren’s guidance and clarification, Lu Qingxian felt as though a fog had lifted, and everything suddenly became clear.

He realized that Aunt Mu’s grasp of divination far surpassed that of the diviner his father had previously introduced, Du.

Although Diviner Du had taught him much, compared to Qingluan Zhenren, there was no comparison!

“Husband, are you sure it’s alright to leave Qingxuan here?”

After leaving the City Lord’s Manor, Lu Miaohuan still felt a bit uneasy.

“We can trust Qingluan Zhenren for now. After all, I gave her the Celestial Phoenix True Feather before, and she owes me three favors. Something this minor is nothing to her.”

Lu Changsheng wasn’t insistent on the nominal disciple title; he just hoped that Qingluan Zhenren would take good care of his son.

As for how much his son could gain from the experience, that would depend on his own efforts.

“If Qingxuan stays in Bihu Mountain, his talents will go to waste. Qingluan Immortal City lies on the border of the Jiang Kingdom and the Yue Kingdom. It’s undergoing expansion and oversees the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range. Qingxuan will gain valuable experience by being here, learning more.”

Although the real trial would involve leaving the Jiang Kingdom and entering the vast world of immortal cultivation.

One step at a time, for now, the Jiang Kingdom was more than enough for their children to grow.

Shortly after, Lu Changsheng rejoined Lu Miaoge and the others..

“Changsheng, Qingxuan…”

Not seeing her son, Lu Miaoge’s beautiful eyes weee filled with both joy and slight worry.

“He hasn’t officially become a disciple.”

Lu Changsheng gently shook his head, saying, “He’s just staying here to study and gain some experience.”

“Dad, what about my brother? Isn’t he going back?”

Lu Qingqi, holding some cakes in her hand, asked out of concern.

“I have a friend here who is proficient in divination, so I left Qingxuan with her for a while to learn. If you miss him, you can come to Immortal City and visit him.”

Lu Changsheng ruffled his daughter’s hair, explaining.

“Oh.”

Lu Qingqi seemed a little sad.

Among the family, her relationship with her brother Lu Qingxian was the best.

Although he was half a year younger than her, they had always treated each other like siblings.

“Qingluan Immortal City isn’t far from Qingyun Market Town, and you can take the spirit ship to visit him. Now, go home and focus on cultivating. Don’t let Qingxuan leave you far behind.”

Lu Miaohuan gently encouraged her daughter.

Though Qingxuan had not officially become a disciple of Qingluan, his future would still be bright.

“Got it~”

Lu Qingqi replied lazily, feeling she couldn’t keep pace with her brother anyway.

“Little Qi, you’re the best! I believe in you.”

Lu Qingzhu cheered her up.

“But I don’t even believe in myself. Sis, you don’t know…”

For a long time, Lu Qingqi thought that her brother’s cultivation had been delayed by family matters and that his strength was about the same as hers.

But after the previous attack on Qingzhu Mountain, where they were ambushed midway, she realized her brother’s strength far exceeded her own.

With exaggerated gestures, she described her brother’s impressive abilities and how fortunate it was that family matters didn’t delay his cultivation; otherwise, his progress might have been even greater.

Moreover, her brother spends time studying divination and can predict events.

Lu Qingzhu listened to her sister’s chatter and began to realize just how capable her brother really was.

All this time, Lu Qingxian had presented himself as a gentle, modest gentleman, never showing off and always humble, entirely different from their elder brother, Lu Qingshan.

Now that they were in Qingluan Immortal City, Lu Changsheng intended to take the opportunity to visit Xiao Xiyue and Zhao Qingqing, who were training and gaining experience here.

Also, Lu Miaoge, Lu Miaohuan, and tte others had never seen the newly reclaimed Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.