Chapter 792: Healing and Strife in the Deep Seas

Bathed in healing divine light interwoven with intricate mystical runes, Lu Lingjing’s bony remains – once a grim tableau of blood and flesh like a drought-parched land receiving rain – began to mend slowly, sprouting a fresh layer of skin.

Yet her injuries were far too severe; only if Lu Changsheng were to burn his life’s essence could she be healed quickly.

After stabilizing her wounds, Lu Changsheng retrieved several healing pills from his Storage Ring and carefully fed them into Lu Lingjing’s tiny mouth.

Then he gently wiped away the few tear tracks from her misty, large eyes and softly comforted her, “There, no more crying.”

“Thank you, Master,” Lu Lingjing replied, looking up with her delicate, pale face marred by faint scars, her voice crisp yet fragile as she ceased crying.

As a Fourth-Rank Transformation Demon King, her injuries alone shouldn’t have driven her to tears.

But overwhelmed by a deep sense of injustice and relief at seeing Lu Changsheng arrive, Lu Lingjing couldn’t hold back her tears.

Yun Wanshang watched the scene quietly.

She felt that everything that had happened since her encounter with Lu Changsheng seemed like nothing more than a dream.

From sealing demons in the Land of Eternal Night to breaking through Nascent Soul on Crackling Island.

Then to the moment when Nascent Soul cultivators were decimated, sending two Nascent Soul True Lords fleeing in terror.

He even frightened a Nascent Soul True Lord—once almost untouchable—into having his spirit depart in fear! In the past, she wouldn’t have dared to imagine such events.

Everything, including this very scene, felt surreal and unreal.

It was hard to fathom that this tearful, pitiful little girl, as delicate as a blossom in the rain, had once defied three Nascent Soul True Lords! The contrast was staggering!

Had she not seen the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale transform into human form, she might have thought this was Lu Changsheng’s daughter or some abducted little girl.

“Lingjing, tell your Master—how did these three end up causing you trouble?”

Although Lu Changsheng knew the trio hunting Lu Lingjing were likely after the Kunpeng Egg, he still asked for details.

This would not only help him understand the situation better but also assist in future divinations.

“Earlier, a large vessel appeared. I returned to the sea, and when I found you missing, I waited—then that Blue-Armored Man suddenly attacked me.”

Lu Lingjing recounted her ordeals with a look of grievance, angrily describing how, after returning from the Starry Sea, she was ambushed by the three.

After speaking, with a hint of indignation, she pointed at Lingbo True Lord’s Sea and Sky Black Water Flag and the Ice-Melted Spirit Instrument, explaining how these two Spirit Treasures had interfered with her.

Without those Spirit Treasures, not even three attackers would have frightened her.

.

Nearby, Yun Wanshang watched in silent astonishment.

It was evident that the three Nascent Soul True Lords had come well-prepared.

Yet even so, they couldn’t subdue the little girl before them—a testament to her formidable strength.

In a one-on-one battle, none would stand a chance against Lu Lingjing.

“Don’t worry; in the future, I’ll help you get revenge on that Blue-Armored Man,” Lu Changsheng said.

Like a father soothing his daughter, Lu Changsheng gently pinched the little girl’s cheek and stroked the dragon horn on her forehead.

Horns like these are forbidden and untouchable to most of the Demon Race.

At that moment, Lu Lingjing obediently nodded before glancing toward the Starry Sea.

As the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale and ruler of the ocean, she not only had a fierce temper but also held grudges deeply.

She remembered the traces of magical energy from True Lord Pinghai, Fuhai True Lord, and Lingbo True Lord all too well.

After reassuring Lu Lingjing, Lu Changsheng tossed Lingbo True Lord’s body and Qi to Qian Zhuyan, saying, “Xiao Yan, do you plan to use this body to craft a puppet?”

Had Qian Zhuyan not intervened just then, Lu Changsheng might have allowed Lu Lingjing to consume that body entirely.

“Yes, my Master. I have some ideas regarding puppets and would like to experiment using this body,” Qian Zhuyan replied.

Qian Zhuyan glanced at Lingbo True Lord, who wore a long Moon Soul Jacquard dress with wide sleeves and possessed icy, jade-like skin reminiscent of a sleeping beauty, speaking in a husky tone.

In fact, using a Nascent Soul body like Lingbo True Lord’s to craft a puppet was an immense waste.

But she had been contemplating the upgrade of her own puppet body for some time.

Seeing Lingbo True Lord’s Nascent Soul body sparked an idea, and he felt it was worth a try.

“In that case, this body is yours,” Lu Changsheng conceded.

Without further questions, he nodded with a generous smile.

Though a Nascent Soul body was immensely valuable—capable of trading for rare natural treasures or even extorting a fortune from Lingbo True Lord—

Lu Changsheng believed that Qian Zhuyan’s talent was far more precious! With the materials at hand, she could endlessly craft Third-Rank puppets.

He added, “Once your Fourth-Rank Puppet Technique stabilizes, you could even form a battalion!” “Thank you, Master,” Qian Zhuyan replied.

A spark of delight lit up Qian Zhuyan’s eyes as his inner spirit flared with excitement, and his mind began to meticulously shape his new ideas.

After all, a complete Nascent Soul body was exceedingly rare, and once squandered, it would be nearly impossible to obtain another.

After years together, Yun Wanshang had come to accept Lu Changsheng’s lavish spending and generous nature.

Yet, seeing him hand over Lingbo True Lord’s body to Qian Zhuyan without a word stirred an odd unease within her.

Could the soul inhabiting this puppet be none other than that little thief’s beloved confidante?

“Lu Changsheng, will those three cause further trouble?” asked Yun Wanshang.

Yun Wanshang noted that the three Nascent Soul True Lords seemed unusually connected, their techniques strikingly similar, and suspected they likely belonged to a major power within the Starry Sea.

Furthermore, according to Lu Lingjing, their trouble with her appeared to involve some kind of Kunpeng Egg opportunity.

“The might of the Sun Profound Light is surely enough to keep them in check—they wouldn’t dare act rashly,” he observed.

“Besides, with one having a shattered body and another having abandoned theirs, even if they seized another body immediately, it would take decades to regain their strength,” he continued.

Lu Changsheng spoke up.

Before striking, he had already calculated the battle in his mind using the Heavenly Secret Technique.

Although resorting to the Sun Profound Light might reveal his origins from the Immortal City of Damengze to the trio,

charging headlong into battle in such treacherous deep-sea conditions would render him, Yun Wanshang, Golden-Winged Roc, and the Soul-Taking Beast outmatched, and the water-based practitioners among the trio would also suspect ties to Damengze.

Thus, the best option was to strike with overwhelming force, subdue them, and leave them crippled or dead.

Unfortunately, the trio’s skills were formidable; they withstood the Sun Profound Light, allowing a Nascent Soul True Lord to escape.

However, with two lacking proper bodies and their strength drastically diminished, they were unlikely to cause further trouble anytime soon.

Especially Lingbo True Lord, who hadn’t even managed to retrieve all her Spirit Treasures, her power dropped to that of a bare Nascent Soul—adequate to be defeated easily if she appeared.

“Hmm.”

Unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Starry Sea and the Kunpeng Egg, Yun Wanshang didn’t press further after hearing Lu Changsheng.

Yet Lu Changsheng knew all too well that a hidden danger still loomed.

If the trio relayed news of the Kunpeng Egg and the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale to the major powers within the Starry Sea, it would undoubtedly stir up serious trouble.

But with two Nascent Soul cultivators shorn of their bodies, any power in the Starry Sea would know better than to meddle.

“Let’s head back,” he declared.

Lu Changsheng voiced his decision.

Instead of returning straight to the Immortal City of Damengze, he made his way to the Sea Eye of Da Mengze.

“Lingjing, get some well-deserved rest,” he told her.

He spoke to Lu Lingjing.

In truth, this Sea Eye was more suitable for the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale to recover and heal than the Immortal City of Damengze.

“Golden Roc, if you’re aiming to break through to Fourth-Rank, do it right here,” he said, addressing him.

Lu Changsheng then turned his gaze toward the Golden-Winged Roc.

Earlier, the situation had been critical—compounded by the myriad Forbidden Sea Demon Kings; if Golden-Winged Roc attempted a Fourth-Rank breakthrough, not only would it attract countless Demon Kings, but it would also require a lengthy period of purification and transformation, which is why he rushed to aid.

Now that the crisis had been averted, Lu Changsheng believed that Golden-Winged Roc should pursue his Fourth-Rank breakthrough without delay.

Moreover, before returning, he could even lure a few Demon Kings to bolster both Golden-Winged Roc and Lu Lingjing, and provide Qian Zhuyan with additional puppet materials.

Golden-Winged Roc nodded in agreement, signaling that he needed time to rest and regain strength.

After the frantic dash from the Forbidden Sea, he was utterly exhausted.

Soon, the group settled down to rest at the Sea Eye in Da Mengze.

Lu Changsheng released the Heavenly Yuan Lotus and infused it with spiritual energy to assist Lu Quanzhen inside as he continued his demonic fetus rebirth.

He then examined several of Lingbo True Lord’s Spirit Treasures.

Although her innate Spirit Treasure, the Ice-Melted Spirit Instrument, was classified as low-grade, its refined craftsmanship and infusion of rare natural treasures meant it was just one step away from upgrading to mid-grade.

The only pity was that it was her innate Spirit Treasure.

Even as Lu Changsheng examined it, he could sense a measure of repulsion emanating from it.

The Ice-Blue Silk was also a low-grade Spirit Treasure.

However, it paled in comparison to the Ice-Melted Spirit Instrument, barely reaching the threshold of a true Spirit Treasure.

Yet the unadorned Sea and Sky Black Water Flag was far from ordinary—it was a composite Dao-Comprehending Artifact.

The latest update will be posted first on Book 69!

If all the flags were complete, it would at least be a mid-grade Spirit Treasure, perhaps even top-grade! “But gathering them again in the future will likely prove difficult,” he mused.

Lu Changsheng recalled that Fuhai True Lord’s Sea and Sky Black Water Flag had nearly been destroyed under the Sun Profound Light.

As for Lingbo True Lord’s Ice-Melted Moonlight Dress and accessories, Lu Changsheng didn’t inspect them closely; he only removed the Storage Ring and Storage Pouch from her hands.

“As expected, the Nascent Soul True Lords really do have wealth,” he remarked, admiring the radiant treasures from the Storage Ring and Storage Pouch.

Watching the gleam from the Storage Ring and Storage Pouch, Lu Changsheng’s eyes shone with delight.

Even though most cultivators prefer hiding their treasures in various refuges rather than keeping them all on their person,

the personal belongings of a Nascent Soul True Lord were incredibly abundant, far beyond what a Core Formation cultivator could possess.

Meanwhile, as Lu Changsheng assessed Lingbo True Lord’s gains, True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord arrived at Fuhai Sect.

“Brother Pinghai, why are you alone? Where is Lingbo True Lord?”

Fuhai True Lord, noticing only True Lord Pinghai was present, looked at his weakened Nascent Soul spirit with a mix of surprise and doubt.

In the next moment, he saw a Nascent Soul figure resembling Lingbo True Lord appear, and his face registered shock as he said, “Lingbo, my friend, how could you…”

He hadn’t expected that not only had his own body been shattered, but Lingbo True Lord had also been reduced to a mere Nascent Soul spirit.

Thinking of Lingbo True Lord’s once-exquisite body, reminiscent of a divine ice spirit, a wave of sorrow surged within him.

In his early days of cultivation, he had even harbored a fondness and affection for Lingbo True Lord.

But her aloof cultivation methods had gradually cooled those feelings.

Yet seeing her once-beautiful body now broken filled him with deep regret.

“Sigh…”

Lingbo True Lord sighed; though she resented True Lord Pinghai for not deploying his last-resort technique to break the Dragon Whale’s suppression—which led to her current plight—

she had lost her physical body, her innate Spirit Treasure, and her Storage Ring, leaving her frail and dependent on True Lord Pinghai to help her through this vulnerable phase.

Moreover, she didn’t even have a token to return to Lingbo Sect; if she went back, news of her shattered body would immediately spread and alert other factions.

“Two Nascent Soul cultivators, one Fourth-Rank Demon Ape, one Quasi-Fourth-Rank Peng Bird, and one unknown Fourth-Rank entity.”

Fuhai True Lord listened to their account, pondering as he realized that while the enemy was formidable, they weren’t as terrifying as he had imagined.

After all, that Sun Profound Light was so fearsome, it had nearly shattered his courage.

Had it not been for the aid of the Sea and Sky Black Water Flag, along with True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord, he might have perished under the Sun Profound Light.

Even if one escaped via a Nascent Soul’s Soul Escape, the spirit would inevitably suffer damage—it wouldn’t remain as intact as it is now.

“Seeing that he possesses a top-grade treasure that can only be used sparingly or after long preparation…”

Based on Lu Changsheng’s assembly of forces, Fuhai True Lord was convinced that the Sun Profound Light that struck him was unleashed only with the aid of some top-grade treasure.

As long as he stayed within Fuhai Sect, the enemy absolutely couldn’t lay a hand on him.

“Brothers Pinghai and Fuhai, what are your plans from here?”

Lingbo True Lord’s Nascent Soul, encrusted with icy frost, spoke with a tone of suppressed indignation.

This battle had yielded no gains while suffering huge losses, so naturally she craved revenge and the recovery of her body.

After all, aside from the exceedingly rare Heavenly Earth Spirit Embryo, no seized body could compare to her own.

“The fact that he managed to find a Kunpeng Egg right under our noses speaks volumes about his extraordinary power—he’s not someone we can trifle with.”

Although Fuhai True Lord was usually domineering, he was sensible enough to know that exacting revenge was nearly impossible.

Not to mention that they didn’t even know the enemy’s true identity or background.

With the enemy wielding an apocalyptic weapon, how could they possibly take revenge? As soon as they reached his doorstep, a burst of divine light erupted that could have ended someone’s life on the spot.

Moreover, after having their bodies shattered even when calling for help, who would dare intervene now? Even he refrained from stirring up trouble, fearing another surge of the Sun Profound Light.

And when it came to leveraging the Kunpeng Egg and top-grade treasure to entice a Nascent Soul, they were essentially playing a waiting game.

How many would risk such a gamble to help? Once these words were spoken, both True Lord Pinghai and Lingbo True Lord fell silent.

If Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord had merely been injured rather than having their bodies shattered, they could have rallied the seven sects or called on allies to hunt down the Dragon Whale and settle the score.

But now, upon meeting, one had his body shattered while the other two fled—with one even abandoning his physical body to escape via his Nascent Soul spirit. Under such circumstances, how could they possibly pick a fight?

“Fuhai, are you willing to let this grudge go unavenged? At worst, we can spread the word!”

Lingbo True Lord spoke in a tone full of indignation, unable to swallow her pride.

“But what good is indignation if we don’t even know their origins? Spreading it would only escalate the feud.”

Fuhai True Lord chose to take the loss quietly.

He might not know much about other matters, but in the Starry Sea, no one possessed a weapon of this caliber.

And aside from the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, they had no inkling of Lu Changsheng and his companions’ true origins.

Often, the unknown is the most terrifying! ‘That Dragon Whale has been circling in the Mist Sea; they likely come from the opposite side!’

Upon hearing this, Lingbo True Lord’s Nascent Soul—encrusted with icy crystals—replied coldly, “The divine light that assaulted you also came from the direction of the opposite side of the Mist Sea!”

“According to our records, beyond this Mist Sea lies Da Mengze, ruled by a nation called Jiang Kingdom—where there is only one Nascent Soul cultivator. They couldn’t possibly be this strong!”

Fuhai True Lord immediately shook his head in disagreement.

Since Da Mengze flows into the Mist Sea zone of the Starry Sea, which borders Fuhai Sect’s territory, he had some understanding of Da Mengze and Jiang Kingdom.

“They attacked with lethal force the moment we encountered them; while we might choose to let it go, they certainly wouldn’t.”

“Since they might be from the other side of the Mist Sea, let’s send someone to investigate. Once we have more information, we’ll decide our next move.”

True Lord Pinghai, seeing that Fuhai True Lord was utterly shattered by the encounter, opted to concede, while Lingbo True Lord, filled with indignation, yearned for revenge and to reclaim her body.

“Alright.”

Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord exchanged a thoughtful glance and nodded in agreement.

As True Lord Pinghai had noted, at the Nascent Soul level—apart from disputes over the Great Dao—it’s best to let go of grudges rather than escalate them.

Though they hunted the Dragon Whale, the enemy had no reason to strike immediately.

This clearly indicated that the enemy was overbearing and might trouble them again.

“Brother Pinghai, I need you to visit Starrymoon Hall regarding this matter,” Fuhai True Lord instructed.

Fuhai True Lord looked at True Lord Pinghai and said gravely,

“Although our Fuhai, Pinghai, and Lingbo Sects all boast top-tier Third-Rank diviners,”

“in matters like this, a Third-Rank diviner would struggle to obtain useful insights.”

“And since Starrymoon Hall is one of the top powers in the Starry Sea, renowned for its divination techniques, it might reveal the enemy’s background!” “Alright,” replied Pinghai.

Though hiring Starrymoon Hall for divination came at a steep price,

the fact that his two old friends had fallen so low—and that he bore an undeniable responsibility—led True Lord Pinghai to agree.

After their discussion, True Lord Pinghai escorted Lingbo True Lord back to Lingbo Sect, striving to conceal the news of their shattered bodies.

After all, if news spread that Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord were reduced to mere Nascent Soul spirits, it would affect not only their two sects but also the entire Zhenhai Seven Sects.