Chapter 721: Could My Opportunity Lie in the Divine Maiden Palace?

A month later.

The intersection of Da Mengze and the Starry Sea.

“Alright, you can head back now. Take care of the place,” Lu Changsheng said to the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, whose size had increased significantly, as he stood clad in a wide blue robe with a refined and handsome face.

Although having the latter as a mode of transportation across these endless waters was convenient, it was also too flashy.

It wouldn’t be long before the Starry Sea learned of a Xuamu Daoist who had a fourth-order giant whale as a spirit pet.

Xuamu Daoist was precisely the alias Lu Changsheng was using for this trip to the Starry Sea.

After all, who uses their real name when traveling?

“Understood, Master.”

The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale listened obediently. Under Lu Changsheng’s gaze, it submerged into the depths, swimming toward Xuan Whale Island.

“Let’s go, Golden Roc.”

Lu Changsheng then looked at the Golden-Winged Roc, whose entire body shimmered with dark light.

Human cultivators could disguise themselves, and so could demonic beasts.

However, the Golden Roc’s disguise wasn’t very sophisticated. Once it exerted its full strength, the disguise would be difficult to maintain.

But for Lu Changsheng, it was sufficient.

He did this to prevent his name as Yangming Zhenren from spreading to the Starry Sea, causing unnecessary trouble.

“Chirp!”

The Golden-Winged Roc didn’t say much. It immediately carried Lu Changsheng and flew towards the Flying Swallow Islands.

Ten days later, Lu Changsheng arrived at a market town on one of the Flying Swallow Islands.

Having sent his son, Lu Quanzhen, here in the past, he was familiar with the area. He went straight to the shop that sold information.

“Hmm, I’ve been in seclusion for a long time. I need the latest intelligence on the major forces of the Starry Sea, as well as some major events.”

Lu Changsheng sat down casually with the maid’s help, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.

“The latest information on the major forces?”

The attendant was slightly surprised but still replied respectfully, “Please wait a moment, Senior.”

A moment later, a beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor came out with a tray holding several jade slips. She said with a soft smile, “Senior, this is the latest intelligence on the various forces in the Starry Sea. It’s nine thousand spirit stones in total.”

“Alright.”

Lu Changsheng tossed out a high-grade spirit stone and picked up the jade slips, sending his divine sense into them.

The information about the major forces in the Starry Sea hadn’t changed much since seventeen years ago.

Or rather, the news from these information-gathering forces was limited. Even after more than a decade, there wasn’t much to update.

As for the major events, they mostly seemed trivial to him. Even the conflicts between a few Core Formation level forces were included.

“Kunpeng Nest… A Kunpeng egg has been born.”

However, one piece of news immediately caught Lu Changsheng’s attention.

Three years ago, news of the Kunpeng Nest appearing in the Starry Sea spread.

Then, a year and a half ago, this secret realm collapsed. It was rumored that a Kunpeng egg was born and now countless forces in the Starry Sea are searching for it.

“Appeared three years ago, the secret realm opened about two years ago, and then collapsed a year and a half ago…”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes narrowed. He realized that this timeline matched the time his son, Lu Quanzhen, was soul-searched and left the secret realm.

“According to the description, this Kunpeng Nest is clearly a Nascent Soul level secret realm. Quanzhen is only at the early Core Formation stage, so why was he so reckless to enter it?”

Seeing the details about the secret realm, Lu Changsheng felt something was off.

Although his son Lu Quanzhen had a strong fighting spirit, he was not someone who would throw his life away for a small gain.

“Could this Kunpeng Nest have held a particular attraction for him?”

Lu Changsheng thought about his son’s cultivation and made a guess.

Without much thought, he quickly scanned through all the information.

Apart from the Kunpeng Nest, there wasn’t much that was relevant to Lu Changsheng. He immediately stood up to leave.

“Senior, please wait.”

The elegant woman looked at Lu Changsheng and suddenly spoke, “If I’m not mistaken, Senior, you must be a rogue cultivator, right?”

“Oh? What? Trying to recruit me?”

Lu Changsheng paused, chuckling as he asked.

Besides Bihu Mountain, he also had industries such as Hongye Valley Marketplace and the Immortal City of Damengze.

He knew that most of these shops that sold information were connected to the local powers.

Often, when they saw an outsider with good strength, a rogue cultivator, they would try to recruit them and secretly inquire about their background.

“Senior, you’ve been in seclusion for a long time and are now venturing out. If you’re looking for a force to settle in, you can consider our Jade Sea Pavilion.”

The woman immediately began to introduce the situation of her force, stating that they were currently recruiting cultivators, and that joining would bring many benefits and conveniences.

“Does your force have access to the Huaying Pill?”

Lu Changsheng paused and asked.

“???”

The woman’s face stiffened, looking somewhat dumbfounded.

Then, her face twitched slightly, and she forced a smile, “This… naturally, we don’t.”

“Then forget it.”

Lu Changsheng shook his head.

He had considered becoming a guest elder of a force to quickly learn about fourth-order unowned spiritual lands and news of the Huaying Pill.

Otherwise, searching for information himself like a headless fly would mean he wouldn’t know when he could find anything.

As for buying intelligence…

Often, high-level intelligence was not released to the public, sold, or had a certain threshold.

“A Core Formation rogue cultivator dares to dream of a Huaying Pill? Simply a toad lusting after swan meat! Even our Jade Sea Pavilion’s grand elder had to serve the Fuhai Sect for a hundred years, accumulating merits, to gather enough resources for a Nascent Soul breakthrough.”

After Lu Changsheng disappeared from view, the woman couldn’t help but complain in her heart.

No matter where one was, Huaying Pills were extremely precious.

Even a Nascent Soul level force may not be able to produce them reliably.

Under such circumstances, apart from the core members of the force, other guest elders were already considered fortunate if they were granted a few Nascent Soul spiritual items.

“It seems that Quanzhen most likely entered the Kunpeng Nest secret realm and then fell into the hands of some Nascent Soul cultivator.”

Leaving the shop, Lu Changsheng found an inn and settled down. Then, he took out his divination copper coins to divine his son’s situation.

However, the heavenly obstruction was very strong. He could only vaguely sense that his son was in danger related to the Kunpeng Nest and that his fate was uncertain, but he couldn’t discern his whereabouts.

Then, Lu Changsheng used the divination copper coins to calculate his own Nascent Soul opportunity.

Although third-order top-level divination was unlikely to discern an opportunity of this level.

But if one was willing to pay a price, it was still possible to gain some vague insights.

Especially since Lu Changsheng had previously felt an impulse, sensing that his Nascent Soul opportunity was in the Starry Sea.

“Pfft!”

Lu Changsheng spat out a mouthful of essence blood onto the three divination copper coins to further calculate.

After a long time, his face pale, he put away the three copper coins.

According to the divination, his Nascent Soul opportunity wasn’t difficult.

As long as he was persistent, everything would be successful. He shouldn’t be impatient or eager for quick success.

“So, this divination means that as long as I keep searching slowly, I’ll definitely succeed?”

Lu Changsheng was speechless, feeling like he had calculated for nothing.

With his talent and strength, what was difficult as long as he was willing to spend time?

Wasn’t his purpose of coming to the Starry Sea to quickly obtain a Huaying Pill and a fourth-order spiritual land? “Sigh, useless divination.”

Lu Changsheng cursed and then swallowed a pill to begin adjusting his breathing, pondering how he should proceed next.

His Nascent Soul opportunity could not be rushed, so he should find his son first.

“It’s too difficult to find clues about Quanzhen by myself.”

“It would be much better if I could get help from a Nascent Soul force to learn more about the Kunpeng Nest.”

The information he had previously purchased about the Kunpeng Nest only mentioned its appearance, opening, and collapse.

More detailed information, such as who the big figures that entered were and the general situation inside, was all missing.

To learn more about the Kunpeng Nest, he had to find a Nascent Soul level force to inquire.

It would be best if there was a Nascent Soul level force that had entered the Kunpeng Nest! “With my skills in talisman-making, alchemy, artifact refining, and formations, it wouldn’t be difficult to join any force as a guest elder.”

“But becoming a guest elder would not help them assist me in finding Quanzhen in a short amount of time.”

“Moreover, the situation in the Starry Sea is chaotic and most forces are restless. Joining them would easily cause trouble for myself.”

Lu Changsheng continued to think, feeling that both his Nascent Soul opportunity and his son Lu Quanzhen’s whereabouts were like needles in a haystack.

Three days later, his physical condition recovered. He continued to use divination to help him find his ‘needle’.

Since he couldn’t calculate his Nascent Soul opportunity or his son’s whereabouts.

Then he would calculate which direction he should go to have a smoother journey.

Using divination to guide him.

After a long time, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. He had a vague feeling that heading northwest would lead to a smoother journey.

“Let’s go, Golden Roc.”

Thus, Lu Changsheng signaled the Golden-Winged Roc to fly northwest, not too fast.

Time flew by, and without realizing it, Lu Changsheng had been in the Starry Sea for over a month.

Since he didn’t know where to go, he followed the map along the northwest line, preparing to head to Penglai Immortal City, one of the largest immortal cities in the Starry Sea! “In another half month, I’ll be near Penglai Immortal City. Could my opportunity truly lie on Penglai Island? The Divine Maiden Palace?”

Lu Changsheng looked at the vast sea, pondering.

Penglai Island Immortal City was one of the top forces in the Starry Sea. It belonged to Penglai Island.

Although Penglai Island was jointly controlled by multiple forces, the most famous force was currently the Divine Maiden Palace!

And the most famous aspect of the Divine Maiden Palace was the three palace masters, whose beauty and reputation had spread throughout the Starry Sea! Normally, Lu Changsheng would definitely not have any improper thoughts about these three palace masters.

But his previous divination vaguely suggested that heading northwest would be smoother.

And through the map, he saw Penglai Immortal City and couldn’t help but wonder in that direction.

After all, if he were to become a Dao companion with a master of the Divine Maiden Palace, wouldn’t the Huaying Pill and fourth-order spiritual land all be at his fingertips? He could also use the Divine Maiden Palace to help him find his son, Lu Quanzhen.

“The Divine Maiden Palace’s First Palace Master, Shen Jianjia, is one of the top Nascent Soul cultivators in the Starry Sea. She created the Divine Maiden Palace and made it the dominant force on Penglai Island. She was once pursued by the Starry Sea’s number one demonic cultivator, ‘Six Paths Demon Lord’, and the Starry Sea’s number one alchemist. It seems as difficult as ascending to Immortality to form a Dao partnership with her.”

“The Second Palace Master, Shen Baishuang, is already married to the Blade Forging Mountain Lord, Yuan Wei True Monarch Lin Yuanti, so I have no chance.”

“So, the only one I have hope with is the Divine Maiden Palace’s Third Palace Master, Shen Yiren.”

Lu Changsheng’s mind flashed with information about the Divine Maiden Palace.

He planned to check for detailed information about the three palace masters once he reached Penglai Immortal City.

To quickly find his son, he could only compromise.

At this moment, Lu Changsheng suddenly had a stroke of inspiration, a vague feeling that made him look to the right front.

The opportunity that he had come for was there.

He immediately signaled the Golden-Winged Roc to go take a look.

After flying for hundreds of miles, Lu Changsheng sensed a fluctuation of battle.

His divine sense swept over, and he saw a group of pirates besieging a cargo ship that looked like a whale.

“These pirates in the Starry Sea are really numerous.”

This wasn’t the first time Lu Changsheng had encountered this situation.

If not for the Golden-Winged Roc exuding the faint pressure of a third-order demonic king, he would have encountered countless pirates along the way.

“Senior, could you please offer some assistance?”

On the deck of the cargo ship, a False Core female cultivator, along with several Foundation Establishment female cultivators, were using the array of the spirit boat to resist external attacks.

It was clear they were reaching their limit.

At this moment, she suddenly sensed something and looked at the Golden-Winged Roc in the sky. Her voice contained a hint of pleading, “We are disciples of the Divine Maiden Palace on Penglai Island. If Senior is willing to help us, we will definitely repay you in the future!”

This woman wore a tattered white tassel dress and had a pretty face.

However, her magical energy had been overused, her face was pale as paper and tinged with a bit of black, making it difficult to continue.

“Fellow cultivator, don’t meddle in other’s business! If you’re willing to help us, the Star Sea Pirates, we can share some goods with you, even a female cultivator!”

The leader of the pirates also noticed Lu Changsheng in the sky and warned him in a low voice, tempting him with benefits and women.

“Penglai Island? Divine Maiden Palace?”

Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow when he heard that.

He guessed that the opportunity he had sensed was likely related to this group of people.

He was heading towards Penglai Immortal City.

And now, he had encountered a cargo ship belonging to the Divine Maiden Palace of Penglai Island. If he offered assistance, it would be a small favor that could help him in his future endeavors.

“You dare to threaten me?!”

He then looked at the pirates, snorted coldly, and released the pressure of his peak Core Formation magical energy.

“Not good! A Core Formation Grand Master?!”

“We have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai! Please spare us, Senior!”

“Retreat!”

Although the leader of the pirates was a Core Formation cultivator, he was only at the third layer.

So, facing Lu Changsheng’s magical pressure, they didn’t hesitate. They quickly summoned their magical treasures and plunged into the sea to escape.

However, the Golden-Winged Roc under Lu Changsheng’s command quickly swooped down, plunging into the sea to hunt them down.

It wasn’t that Lu Changsheng was an enemy of evil.

It was just that supporting a family wasn’t easy.

Normally, he wouldn’t bother with the affairs of pirates.

But when he encountered such situations, he would deal with them, acting on behalf of the heavens and also earning some extra money without any psychological burden.

“Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!”

“May we ask for your name, Senior? We will definitely report it to our sect so that we can repay you in the future!”

The female cultivator on the deck of the cargo ship saw this and quickly bowed to Lu Changsheng to express her gratitude. However, she didn’t open the cargo ship array to invite him inside.

“Rogue cultivator, Xuamu Daoist.”

Lu Changsheng, in his blue robe, stood with his hands behind his back and declared his name calmly.

He chose to help precisely for the sake of the favor from the Divine Maiden Palace.

“Senior Aunt, it’s bad! Senior Uncle Qin’s poison has worsened.”

At that moment, a female cultivator hurried out of the cargo ship looking panicked, yelling towards the False Core female cultivator.