Chapter 778: Winds of Uncertainty

A terrifying huge ship; black mist shrouded its form.

Through Lu Lingjing’s account, Hong Lian learned that Lu Changsheng had encountered some peril, making his return unlikely for now.

As for his well-being, she wasn’t worried.

After all, her husband was a mighty reincarnator who transforms the mundane—what danger could be insurmountable? “Lingjing, you must have had a rough trip,” she added.

Hong Lian said to the towering, imposing Lu Lingjing before her.

The pressure from the Heavenly Sword Sect inevitably weighed on her.

Now that the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale had returned and was guarding Da Mengze, Hong Lian instantly felt at ease.

As for aiding the Yue Kingdom, she had no plans—her sole focus was on safeguarding the Immortal City of Damengze until Lu Changsheng returned.

“Madam, be cautious of a man in blue armor,”

Lu Lingjing suddenly recalled something and said to Hong Lian.

She explained that she’d come back partly because Master Lu Changsheng was missing and partly because a blue-armored man had caused trouble, raising concerns he might stir havoc in the Immortal City of Damengze.

“Blue-armored man?”

Hong Lian furrowed her brows in confusion.

“Yes. I was napping, waiting for Master to return, when this blue-armored man burst in asking about the Kunpeng egg—and even tried to grab me. Seeing that Master hadn’t come back, I rushed here, worried he might appear at your door.”

Lu Lingjing, his massive form reminiscent of an imposing dark golden mountain rising from the endless sea, explained to Hong Lian.

“???”

Alarmed by his words, Hong Lian immediately asked about the blue-armored man and the Kunpeng egg. Lu Lingjing admitted he wasn’t clear on the details—only that Lu Quanzhen was somehow inside the Kunpeng egg, which many had been seeking until he found it.

As for how the blue-armored man learned about the egg, she remained clueless.

“Kunpeng egg!?”

Although Hong Lian didn’t understand why Lu Quanzhen was inside it,

the very name spoke of its unparalleled rarity, possibly linked to the legendary True Spirit Kunpeng.

“If it truly is a Kunpeng egg, even the Nascent Soul True Lord would be restless.”

Hong Lian’s expression grew grave as she realized that her husband had managed to secure a Kunpeng egg right under the noses of many Nascent Soul True Lords—with the help of the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.

Yet, although the egg was now in Lu Changsheng’s possession, the Nascent Soul True Lord of the Starry Sea had not given up his search.

After a moment’s thought, her eyes shining like stars in a midnight sky, Hong Lian raised her slender jade fingers and swiftly traced patterns, conjuring a sparrow-snake.

“Lingjing, let me check your condition.”

Hong Lian said to the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, wanting to see if any residual True Spirit energy remained on him.

“Alright.”

If Hong Lian hadn’t obtained his consent before touching him, he might have been upset.

But since he asked first and her magic posed no harm, she agreed willingly.

As the sparrow-snake slithered around his massive form, Hong Lian, looking thoughtful, asked when the blue-armored man had found him and when he last had close contact with the Kunpeng egg.

“Other than when Master called for help, I’ve been watching the Kunpeng egg in the lotus,” he replied.

At the very mention of the Kunpeng egg, Lu Lingjing couldn’t help but drool.

As a Fourth-Tier Beast Master, Hong Lian nodded, understanding that the blue-armored man had most likely sensed some residual egg energy from Lu Lingjing.

She frowned and asked, “Lingjing, where in the Starry Sea were you? Why did it take so long to return? Did you encounter any danger on the way?”

Having experienced the speed of the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale with Lu Changsheng before, she knew that regardless of how vast the Starry Sea was, it shouldn’t have taken this long.

At her remark, Lu Lingjing grew irate, insisting he didn’t know the way and had to ask demons for directions. But those very demons didn’t know either, causing him to lose his path repeatedly.

As for danger, he hadn’t faced any—except someone was secretly watching him, whom he managed to drive away.

“Lingjing, head to Sea Eye and stay there. If danger arises, flee into the deep sea. I’ll send for you if needed.”

Hong Lian immediately extended her divine sense and, with a grave expression, noted that the Nascent Soul forces in the Starry Sea had taken notice of Lu Lingjing.

In other words, when Lu Lingjing went after the Kunpeng egg, some Nascent Soul-level forces had already set their sights on him.

But since she had been within the Heavenly Yuan Lotus, her heavenly secret remained isolated, leaving those cultivators unable to locate her.

Yet as soon as she appeared in the Starry Sea, she was instantly under their scrutiny—and a Nascent Soul True Lord even detected the egg’s energy on her, realizing she had touched it.

However, as a True Spirit-level demon beast, she wasn’t an easy target for a typical Nascent Soul True Lord. Thus, the blue-armored cultivator and the observing martial artists never dared confront her directly.

“The blue-armored man you mentioned likely belongs to a faction in the Starry Sea. Although he knows you touched the Kunpeng egg, he isn’t a match—and even if he calls for help, he’d only choose someone trustworthy.”

In her past life as a Nascent Soul True Lord, Hong Lian knew that an opportunity like the Kunpeng egg was extremely precious.

They would never want too many people to know about it.

And recruiting allies was an equally troublesome matter.

Not only did they need to be trustworthy, but their strength also couldn’t be overwhelming, lest one’s interests be compromised.

“Understood.”

Compared to Xuan Whale Island, Lu Lingjing preferred to slumber at Sea Eye.

However, as a Fourth-Tier Shapeshifting Demon King, even though he sometimes seemed a bit simple-minded and naive, he wasn’t truly foolish. Sensing something amiss from Hong Lian’s serious tone, he asked, “Madam, is there any danger?”

“Hmm, the blue-armored men likely belong to the Nascent Soul forces of the Starry Sea. They noticed you when searching for the Kunpeng egg.”

“And since you spent so long in the Heavenly Yuan Lotus with the egg, when he found you, he detected its energy on you.”

Hong Lian explained to the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.

The blue-armored man didn’t continue causing trouble—most likely he went to seek reinforcements or gather tactics and Dao-Comprehending Artifacts to counter Lu Lingjing.

Martial artists can contend with and hunt demon kings of the same rank thanks to myriad Divine Abilities and Dao-Comprehending Artifacts.

Just like how, in earlier days, the couple Dreamless managed to deceive the Deep Sea Demon Whale King’s spirit.

Even though Lu Lingjing crossed the boundless ocean from the Starry Sea to Da Mengze, Hong Lian couldn’t afford the slightest carelessness in such matters.

She realized that with the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale in the Immortal City of Damengze, if the Nascent Soul forces from the Starry Sea arrived, the catastrophe would be many times more perilous than the pressure from the Heavenly Sword Sect.

“Ah…”

After hearing this, Lu Lingjing suddenly realized he had messed up—possibly dragging trouble home.

But he quickly replied, “Madam, rest assured— that blue-armored man can’t defeat me.”

Though his Fourth-Tier promotion was recent, he was very confident in his strength.

This arrogance was typical of demon kings—innately proud and unacquainted with fear.

“Since he hasn’t shown up yet, he’s probably off seeking allies. And once he learns of your capabilities, he’ll start hunting for demon-hunting Dao-Comprehending Artifacts.”

Having once been a Fourth-Tier Beast Master, Hong Lian patiently explained, understanding demonic natures.

Lu Lingjing, a bit indignant, insisted that even if another blue-armored man appeared, he could handle him.

But after Hong Lian’s patient persuasion, he nodded and agreed to head back to Sea Eye to rest.

“Hold on a moment; I’ll prepare some items for you and then come along.”

After speaking, Hong Lian shimmered with radiant light that concealed her aura as she quickly returned to the Immortal City of Damengze.

Before long, she hastily gathered several rare healing spirit medicines and natural treasures, rushed back to Xuan Whale Island, and handed them to the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale for use during injuries.

Then, she gave him a Fourth-Tier Escape Talisman and a Fourth-Tier Defense Talisman that Lu Changsheng had left earlier.

As for an attack talisman, it wasn’t really necessary.

Being a True Spirit-blooded Fourth-Tier Shapeshifting Demon King, the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale could outmatch a Fourth-Tier Attack Talisman with a single strike.

The escape and defense talismans were merely kept as insurance.

After making her instructions clear to the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, Hong Lian returned to Sea Eye with him.

Along the way, she continuously used her Divine Abilities to disperse their aura, avoiding unnecessary attention.

The Land of Eternal Night.

Under a pitch-black sky, the tent guarded by Qian Zhuyan and the Golden-Winged Roc resembled an isolated haven.

During these days, Lu Changsheng immersed himself in dual cultivation with Yun Wanshang, trying to awaken their dormant blood energy and magical power.

However, their dual cultivation wasn’t always one of intimate union.

Once their Yin-Yang energies were exhausted, Yun Wanshang used Psychic Energy as a medium to synchronize their Dao Core, creating a celestial union of sun and moon, yin and yang, helping Lu Changsheng gradually nurture fresh Yin-Yang energy.

And when Lu Changsheng’s Yin-Yang energy was reborn, he continued channeling it to nourish their Psychic Energy.

This seemingly endless cycle—like stepping on one foot to soar skyward—worked perfectly for them, as if they were a match made in heaven.

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Even Yun Wanshang was taken aback.

Back then, she had relied on Lu Changsheng’s cultivation—not only to replenish the Psychic Energy for her Jade Phoenix Marrow Body, but also to practice the Su Nu Lun Hui Jue technique.

At that time, Lu Changsheng’s cultivation was too shallow; even after years of dual cultivation post-foundation peak, the technique had only barely taken shape.

But now, she felt her Su Nu Lun Hui Jue was advancing by leaps and bounds.

This technique, acquired from the Tianyuan Secret Realm, was incredibly exquisite.

Once mastered, it could keep one’s body in peak condition indefinitely.

Even at four or five hundred years old, when breaking through to Nascent Soul, the body would never be a hindrance.

If perfected, this technique would not only maintain peak condition and prolong life by preventing aging from curtailing one’s lifespan, but also allow a cultivator to instantly restart their cycle of reincarnation.

By accumulating profound reserves within the illusions of reincarnation—transforming the ethereal into the tangible—and later supplementing these reserves with cultivated fortune, one could upend the natural order.

If one mastered Su Nu Lun Hui Jue, even without Huaying Pills, she was confident of breaking through to Nascent Soul.

And with a suitable Fourth-Tier Spirit Domain, she was even more assured of reaching the true Nascent Soul stage!

“True Lord, my Yin-Yang energy is restored.”

After a while, Lu Changsheng observed the Yin-Yang energy swirling around his Golden Core on his cultivation platform and spoke.

Yun Wanshang merely murmured a soft “Mm” and said nothing further.

“True Lord, at least give some response and feedback.”

Seeing that the once formidable female knight now kept her eyes closed in silence, Lu Changsheng said helplessly.

Noticing Yun Wanshang’s silence, he stepped forward, cupped her exquisite face, and pressed his lips softly.

“Stop your cultivation—why are you sticking your tongue out!?” Yun Wanshang, her beautiful eyes flashing with embarrassed irritation, exclaimed.

“True Lord, I’m a man! Without any feedback from you, I really lack motivation.”

Lu Changsheng said with a face full of grievance.

Yun Wanshang glared at him, then allowed him to continue.

Moments later, their lips parted.

With gentle, loving eyes, Lu Changsheng gazed at her and murmured, “True Lord, I feel your heartbeat quicken; that means you’re enjoying this, right?”

“I’m annoyed with you!” Yun Wanshang retorted.

“No, that’s the feeling of a racing heart.”

Lu Changsheng said as his hand slowly traced along her flat stomach.

“Lu Changsheng! I warn you—not too far!”

Even if he wasn’t a match for her, Yun Wanshang still exuded the dignified authority of a former Hall Master.

“True Lord, since we depend on each other, whether we can leave this realm alive remains uncertain. Why keep holding yourself back?”

Lu Changsheng sighed softly and said, “I truly wish to know your heart, True Lord.”

He continued teasing her with his words, much like Ling Xiaodong testing Zheng Yiyun’s limits—a conquest of body and soul.

Lu Changsheng knew that if he couldn’t completely win over Yun Wanshang in the Land of Eternal Night, then once they left and she learned about Chu Qingyi, they’d likely never cross paths again.

Upon hearing this, Yun Wanshang felt as if an invisible hand gripped her heart tightly.

She was well aware of Lu Changsheng’s feelings.

She knew exactly what he intended.

After more than two years of interaction, she realized his closeness not only with his disciple Xiao Xiyue but also with disciple Chu Qingyi.

Under such circumstances, as their Master, she couldn’t imagine agreeing to dual cultivation healing with him—if not for being trapped in the Land of Eternal Night, their current predicament, and her fragile state after enduring illusions.

Yet at this moment, Lu Changsheng’s words struck deep into her soul.

Whether they could leave the Forbidden Mountains and escape this realm remained uncertain.

Even though awakened blood energy and magical power gave them a good chance to escape and tear through the celestial light, such feats were never guaranteed—known only from whispered legends.

If they couldn’t return to the outside world alive, then both the Nascent Soul path and their entangled romance would be nothing but an illusion.

Lu Changsheng felt Yun Wanshang’s delicate body stiffen slightly and softly said, “I know your heart, True Lord.”

Then, ceasing his advances, he lowered his head to press his glistening red lips as he slowly resumed cultivation, knowing that matters of the heart couldn’t be rushed.

Facing him once more, Yun Wanshang’s demeanor softened considerably, as though the ice in her heart were quietly melting.

Cultivation knows no time.

Before they knew it, Lu Changsheng and Yun Wanshang had been cultivating for over half a year.

Where there is effort, there is reward.

After more than half a year of dual cultivation, both had improved significantly, especially Yun Wanshang.

Perhaps because they were deep within the mountains, no mutated creatures or strange spirits had appeared during this time.

Under such circumstances, Lu Changsheng and Yun Wanshang chose not to move.

After all, in these mountains it was hard to tell which areas were safe.

Since neither knew where they were in the range or which way led out, they decided to continue cultivating right there.

During this period, Lu Changsheng used some of the many spirit medicines he gathered for himself and Yun Wanshang, giving the rest to the Golden-Winged Roc.

The Roc, having entered this realm, was also suppressed; if it could awaken some demonic power and use its Physical Divine Abilities, its combat strength would greatly increase.

One day, Lu Changsheng sensed some movement from his Spirit Pet Bag.

It was the Soul-Taking Beast! Ever since it had fallen into a deep slumber and transformed into a dark cocoon that gleamed with eerie light, it had remained motionless.

In a previous emergency, he had even considered calling it out to scout the surroundings, but the cocoon gave no response.

“The Soul-Taking Beast has advanced to Fourth-Tier level!?”

A wave of joyful anticipation surged within Lu Changsheng.

The Soul-Taking Beast could restrain many evil demons and ghosts—even devouring demon kings of the same rank.

And the strange spirits here resembled vengeful ghosts.

If the Soul-Taking Beast awakened, he would gain enormous power, eliminating any fear of the looming dangers.