Chapter 677: Farewell, True Lord Qingluan’s Surprise! Return to Immortal City!

“I understand.”

Lu Changsheng nodded, knowing he could no longer use the Yangming Zhenren identity.

The Golden-Winged Roc would also need to stay hidden from public view.

If anyone noticed and investigated it would only bring endless trouble.

He recalled how before coming to the Endless Desert his Dameng City Lord identity had killed a fourth-rank Void Kun. Once the Mirage Domain ended and True Lord Xuanjian’s group returned they’d surely learn of this and grow suspicious.

“In that case Qingluan Zhenren we’ll meet again another day.”

With Nascent Soul cultivators watching he needed to quickly return home and stabilize the Immortal City situation so Lu Changsheng kept his words brief.

Besides marrying such a strong-willed woman as Qingluan Zhenren was nearly impossible. Even becoming dao companions would have to wait until he broke through to Nascent Soul and could completely overpower her.

Better to act casual for now and reconnect after reaching Nascent Soul.

He currently faced external threats with Nascent Soul cultivators watching and needed to lay low.

But once he broke through to Nascent Soul he could actively contact Qingluan Zhenren and resolve these troublesome grudges.

“Very well.”

Qingluan Zhenren nodded and cupped her fists with an elegant smile that enhanced her beauty before walking out of the cave. “Little Qing.”

In the distance a petite and lovely maiden wearing cyan feathered robes appeared. Her eyebrows were delicately painted and cyan feathers adorned her forehead. The barefoot girl flew down and transformed into an elegant and beautiful cyan-colored phoenix.

“So that maiden was Qingluan Zhenren’s phoenix in human form?”

Lu Changsheng was slightly surprised, not expecting Qingluan Zhenren’s spirit beast to take such a youthful female form.

Thinking back to his early plans of using the phoenix as an entry point to pursue Qingluan Zhenren he found it somewhat amusing.

Though he and Qingluan Zhenren had grown intimate and knew each other’s depths their emotional connection hadn’t progressed much so that plan could still work.

“Little Qing thank you for your help earlier. Please accept these small gifts.”

Though Lu Changsheng hadn’t yet sorted through True Lord Tiancang and the purple-robed elder’s storage rings

He had gained quite a bit from killing True Lord Loushan and the puppet man so giving some small gifts wasn’t an issue.

“Screech!”

The cyan phoenix didn’t immediately accept the gifts instead looking toward Qingluan Zhenren.

“It seems Qingluan Zhenren has mastered the art of beast taming.”

From what Lu Changsheng knew most cultivators treated their spirit beasts differently.

When spirit beasts reached third rank their masters would show them some respect treating them as both master and friend.

When spirit beasts reached fourth rank they were often addressed as fellow daoists.

Yet Qingluan Zhenren’s spirit beast now a fourth-rank transformed beast king still looked to her before accepting gifts. This showed their relationship was truly extraordinary.

“Since Fellow Daoist Yangming shows such kindness Little Qing you may accept.”

Qingluan Zhenren tall and graceful in her cyan brocade robes nodded slightly to her phoenix.

“Many thanks Yangming Zhenren.”

The cyan phoenix spoke in human tongue its voice clear and melodious extremely pleasant to hear.

Then it released a beam of cyan light collecting the gift boxes.

As a fourth-rank transformed beast king it naturally had its own private collection.

But as a spirit beast it spent most time by Qingluan Zhenren’s side and couldn’t save much private wealth.

“Haha no need for thanks.”

Lu Changsheng smiled meeting Qingluan Zhenren’s starlike beautiful eyes before nodding “Fellow Daoist until we meet again.”

As he spoke a foot-long banner appeared decorated with a heart pattern in the center emitting five-colored light – the Misty Dust Banner! The Golden-Winged Roc was still severely injured and they might encounter Nascent Soul cultivators searching for him and Qingluan Zhenren on the way back to Jiang Kingdom.

In this situation it was better to use the Misty Dust Banner for the return journey.

Moreover he needed to hurry back to Dameng Immortal City to stabilize the situation.

He infused the remaining nine supreme-grade spirit stones into it.

“Boom!”

Lu Changsheng had stored over a million spirit stones and spiritual vein essence in the Misty Dust Banner earlier. Now with nine more supreme-grade spirit stones added it instantly burst with colorful light like a rainbow cloud enveloping his form before creating ripples as it broke through space and departed.

“Is that… a space-traversing treasure?”

Qingluan Zhenren watched Lu Changsheng activate the Misty Dust Banner and vanish her striking beautiful face showing traces of surprise.

His performance in the Mirage Domain had already been incredibly shocking defying common sense.

Then the nirvana pills and that mirror treasure radiating sun and moon light.

Now another space-traversing treasure! And from its appearance it was definitely not a low-grade spirit treasure at least mid-grade or even high-grade!

“Just how many tricks does he have?”

Qingluan Zhenren muttered utterly shocked by Lu Changsheng’s capabilities.

“In dire situations this treasure can burn its essence. Unless multiple Nascent Soul cultivators seal the heavens and earth or set up formation ambushes they probably can’t stop him.”

Qingluan Zhenren recalled their escape from the secret realm.

She realized that even if she hadn’t forcefully broken through the Great Void burning her essence to escape he likely could have gotten away using this treasure.

“So it seems I…”

Qingluan Zhenren looked at the cave behind her thinking of her days and nights of dual cultivation with Lu Changsheng her pupils rippling with emotion.

Though she differed from most women even surpassing many men

She was still ultimately a woman.

After centuries of cultivation experiencing cloud and rain for the first time giving her heavenly phoenix essence to another how could her heart not stir?

“I wonder if this was coincidence or…”

Qingluan Zhenren’s starlike beautiful eyes curved slightly radiating a captivating glow.

In the secret realm the inexplicable life-risking rescue then the dragon nirvana power that perfectly matched her heavenly phoenix bloodline. If she couldn’t clearly sense that her thoughts and soul remained unaffected she might have suspected this was his scheme.

Deliberately using this method to obtain her heavenly phoenix essence and Nascent Soul essence.

“Dragon-Phoenix essence…”

Qingluan Zhenren looked toward her dantian.

Not only had Lu Changsheng gained the dragon-phoenix essence through their dual cultivation she too had obtained this essence energy with dragon and phoenix shadows seemingly coiling around her Nascent Soul spirit body.

Just then she seemed to sense something placing her hand on her lower abdomen her sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed.

A moment later she looked at the cyan phoenix beside her saying “Little Qing let’s go.”

As she spoke her jade boots lightly touched down on the phoenix her tall graceful figure wrapped in cyan brocade robes both elegant and heroic.

“Screech!”

The phoenix let out a clear cry the void of heaven and earth breaking open before they transformed into a cyan light and vanished.

At the same time with a thunderous boom the cave and mountain behind them suddenly collapsed into ruins.

Space twisted and changed.

In Dameng Immortal City’s Lord Manor.

A spatial ripple appeared then the void broke open revealing Lu Changsheng wrapped in colorful light.

“Huff huff huff”

Even with Lu Changsheng’s incredible physique ready to break through to fourth rank using the Misty Dust Banner to return from the Endless Desert to Dameng Immortal City in Jiang Kingdom still took a toll making his blood surge and head spin.

After catching his breath for a moment Lu Changsheng recovered.

“Still not used to crossing space like this. No wonder Hong Lian said newly breakthrough Nascent Soul cultivators can’t casually traverse space.”

Lu Changsheng rubbed his temples and let out a long breath.

But seeing the familiar scenery before him a sense of ease washed over his heart.

No matter where home was still best.

“Young Master you’re back?”

Just then Ling Zixiao hurried over wearing a blue palace dress her hair elegantly styled looking at the handsome Lu Changsheng in his cyan robes with affectionate eyes.

She knew Lu Changsheng had merged two subsidiary banners of the Misty Dust Banner into the spiritual veins of Bihu Mountain and the Lord Manor.

So when she sensed this familiar spatial fluctuation and the formation’s alert she knew Lu Changsheng had returned.

“Zixiao.”

Lu Changsheng smiled at his wife before him elegant and beautiful with bright eyes and charming bearing taking her delicate hand.

“Did everything go smoothly Young Master?”

Ling Zixiao noticed Lu Changsheng’s good mood and asked with a gentle smile.

“Everything?”

Lu Changsheng was reminded that his main purpose for this trip was to find his son Lu Ping’an.

His son was still unconscious placed in the Heavenly Yuan Lotus.

“Yes it’s done.”

Lu Changsheng nodded.

With a thought the Heavenly Yuan Lotus appeared from his dantian then radiant light burst forth creating spatial ripples as a tall sturdy youth with regular features appeared his eyes tightly closed.

Though he was unconscious his complexion and steady breathing showed he was in good condition.

This was normal.

Though Lu Ping’an was severely injured with his blood and magical energy sealed by True Lord Loushan his main injuries came from the Yin-Yang Qi.

If Lu Changsheng hadn’t been too busy to care for him placing Lu Ping’an in the Heavenly Yuan Lotus worried he might wake up midway and affect the treasure realm’s situation thus sealing him again with his physical body Dragon Spine and Spirit Restoration Pills he probably would have awakened already.

“This is… what happened to Ping’an?”

Ling Zixiao instantly recognized Lu Ping’an her beautiful eyes showing concern and confusion not knowing Lu Changsheng’s trip was to find him.

“I sensed Ping’an was in danger outside earlier so this trip was to find him using the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.”

“He’s fine now just temporarily unconscious.”

Lu Changsheng explained holding his son’s hand channeling yin-yang magical energy to remove the body seal then sending healing divine light into him.

A moment later.

Lu Ping’an’s blood and magical energy surged back like roaring rivers as he instinctively stretched his body.

His meridians and bones crackled like popping beans.

Moreover a faint aura of blood and magical energy spread out.

“This is…”

Though Ling Zixiao was only at Foundation Establishment her knowledge was vast and she instantly noticed something off about Lu Ping’an’s blood and magical energy.

He had surpassed Foundation Establishment and broken through to Core Formation!

“This!”

She clearly remembered when she and Lu Changsheng returned to Qingzhu Mountain shortly after Lu Ping’an was brought back from the mortal world by Lu Changsheng.

Back then Lu Ping’an had no cultivation only practicing martial arts even his qi refinement and breathing techniques were taught by her.

Now he had grown from a youth with no cultivation into a Core Formation true person.

Moreover from his blood energy Lu Ping’an hadn’t just broken through to Core Formation in magical power his blood essence and physical body had also broken through to third rank.

Ling Zixiao was amazed wondering how he had cultivated or rather how many resources her husband had invested in Lu Ping’an.

Otherwise with his talent and comprehension it would be impossible to reach this level in just decades.

“Father Aunt”

After a quarter hour Lu Ping’an woke as if from a dream seeing Lu Changsheng and Ling Zixiao before him his voice hoarse.

Then he froze realizing something was wrong.

Hadn’t he killed the Wolf King then been severely injured and sealed by a Nascent Soul true lord?

How was he here seeing his father and aunt?

Wariness filled his eyes as he circulated his techniques checking if this was an illusion meant to trick him.

“Don’t worry everything’s fine now.”

Lu Changsheng saw the wariness in his son’s eyes and spoke gently.

“Ah”

Lu Ping’an was stunned hardly daring to believe it.

After all his captor had been a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Yet his father had somehow rescued him from a Nascent Soul cultivator’s grasp.

“The Nascent Soul cultivator who captured you has been killed by me.”

“How did you end up catching a Nascent Soul cultivator’s attention?”

Lu Changsheng continued asking concerned about his son’s situation.

“Ah!?”

These words stunned both Lu Ping’an and Ling Zixiao leaving them dumbfounded.

The Nascent Soul cultivator who captured him was killed?

A Nascent Soul cultivator.

These words felt so foreign.

Even though Ling Zixiao had complete faith in Lu Changsheng having seen him use the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror to kill fourth-rank beast kings and believing him nearly omnipotent she still looked doubtful and incredulous.

After all this was a Nascent Soul cultivator a Nascent Soul true lord!

“The Nascent Soul cultivator who captured me was killed?”

Lu Ping’an was also utterly shocked by his father’s words.

Facing True Lord Loushan he’d learned how vast the gulf between Core Formation and Nascent Soul truly was.

His newly breakthrough late third-rank body tempering had been completely helpless before him.

If not for the Wild Dragon Spine and Undying Golden Body he couldn’t have even struggled.

Yet such a being had been killed by his father.

If his instincts and their words hadn’t told him this wasn’t an illusion he would have thought he was dreaming.

“You were possessed earlier and I sensed it so I went out to find you. In the Endless Desert I saw you unconscious captured by a Nascent Soul cultivator.”

Lu Changsheng saw his son’s continued bewildered expression and sent another stream of yin-yang magical energy toward him.

“Father”

Only now did Lu Ping’an wake as if from a dream knowing he’d truly been rescued home by his father.

Then with a guilty expression he said “Earlier when I went out…”

Lu Changsheng listened as his son started explaining from his travels meeting Qin Yi training together then heading to Yue Kingdom but he interrupted saying “Get to the point.”

“…”

Lu Ping’an wasn’t annoyed at being interrupted. He scratched his head then summarized explaining he’d made an enemy of the Wolf King in Black Desert Immortal City then gained an opportunity in Wu Kingdom returned to the Endless Desert to hunt the Wolf King and ended up attracting a Nascent Soul true lord.

“Wolf King Association Dragon-Tiger Immortal City Yu Tiansheng Mount Da Luo…”

Lu Changsheng listened not expecting his son’s travels to have stirred up so much trouble.

He also understood why his cultivation had progressed so rapidly jumping from Foundation Establishment seventh layer to Core Formation and his newly breakthrough body tempering advancing further gaining the Undying Golden Body.

“Nascent Soul possession killing the Wolf King attracting a Nascent Soul…”

Though Ling Zixiao didn’t know the Wolf King’s strength

She had heard of Black Desert Immortal City’s reputation.

She knew that to establish a power and hold territory there one had to be at least a Core Formation cultivator with superior combat ability.

And if Lu Ping’an could kill such a Core Formation cultivator didn’t that mean he had at least mid Core Formation combat power?

“Zixiao later gather information about Dragon-Tiger Immortal City Yu Tiansheng Mount Da Luo and Lu Mountain.”

Lu Changsheng pondered briefly then spoke to his wife.

“Young Master was the Nascent Soul true lord behind the Wolf King Association from Lu Mountain?”

Ling Zixiao’s quick mind instantly guessed the Lu Mountain connection.

“Yes when I checked his storage ring the tokens and credentials suggested he was likely from Lu Mountain.”

“However he died in the Mirage Domain his faction is probably investigating this so be careful when gathering information no need to rush.”

Lu Changsheng spoke gently.

Then he looked at Lu Ping’an saying “Ping’an take a good rest these days. Don’t worry about Dragon-Tiger Immortal City or Mount Da Luo for now wait until you break through to Nascent Soul.”

“Yes Father.”

Lu Ping’an nodded knowing these matters were beyond his current level and agreed honestly.

After sending Lu Ping’an away Lu Changsheng asked his wife Ling Zixiao if anything had happened in the Immortal City recently or if there was any news about the Mirage Domain.

“Nothing has happened these days.”

Ling Zixiao shook her head saying news of the Immortal City killing a fourth-rank beast king had spread throughout Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation world and no one dared to provoke them.

“As for the Mirage Domain unless the Heavenly Sword Sect releases information actively we’ll need to wait for intelligence channels like the Heaven-Knowing Tower. The Immortal City won’t receive news this quickly.”

Ling Zixiao explained.

Though Dameng Immortal City had its own intelligence network these messages all came through various channels and couldn’t access Nascent Soul level secret realms like the Mirage Domain.

“Mm.”

Lu Changsheng nodded knowing the news would need time to spread.

“Did Young Master enter the Mirage Domain?”

Just then Ling Zixiao asked.

Earlier when Lu Changsheng mentioned the Nascent Soul cultivator who captured Lu Ping’an died in the Mirage Domain she guessed Lu Changsheng had likely entered this secret realm.

She was curious about what her husband had gained.

After all her husband returned with rich rewards every time he went out and following past patterns he might have even gotten involved with another vixen.