Chapter 795: Fading Threads of Fate

After entering the Grand Hall of Azure Cloud, Yun Wanshang’s eyes sparkled as she glanced at the Azure Cloud Sect Leader beside her and softly asked, “Senior Brother, how has the sect fared these years? Why hasn’t the Supreme Elder been seen?”

Upon passing through the Mountain Gate, she noted only a handful of Core Formation cultivators and no sign of disciple Chu Qingyi. Yun Wanshang immediately sensed that the Azure Cloud Sect was in dire straits, with many cultivators rushing off to the front lines.

“The True Lord isn’t aware of everything,”

Although Yun Wanshang addressed him as Senior Brother, in front of everyone the Azure Cloud Sect Leader kept his inner delight and excitement in check as he respectfully explained the situation in Jiang Kingdom and the Liang-Yue War.

“Now that the war has reached a deadlock, the Supreme Elder has long since gone to Yue Kingdom to take command,”

Under normal circumstances, a sect like Azure Cloud would tend to its aging elders, helping them enjoy their twilight years.

But when a grave crisis strikes or war is declared, those elderly cultivators with only a few years left become the backbone of the sect and are sent to the front lines first.

“If the Supreme Elder knew you had broken through to Nascent Soul, Junior Sister, he would be elated,”

The Azure Cloud Sect Leader spoke, his face full of emotion.

Even now, he felt as if he were still in a dream.

Unexpectedly, in just over fifty years, Yun Wanshang had advanced to the Nascent Soul stage.

Earlier, when the Supreme Elder set off for the Liang-Yue War, he had adopted a life‐or‐death resolve, hoping the conflict would present an opportunity for a breakthrough with the Heavenly Sword Sect.

In mid-conversation, the Sect Leader recalled seeing Song Qingzhi outside the Mountain Gate, coughing up blood before collapsing, and he murmured, “Not only is Chu Qingyi’s nephew involved, but Brother Chiyang is also at the front, busy refining war artifacts. And Junior Sister Song, injured years ago, has returned to recuperate.”

He was aware of the old grievances between Yun Wanshang and Song Qingzhi, yet given the circumstances he hoped Yun Wanshang would show mercy.

After all, now that she had broken through to Nascent Soul and ascended to True Lord, attacking an elderly sect member with few years left would tarnish her reputation.

Of course, Yun Wanshang caught the implication in the Sect Leader’s words and paid no mind to a cultivator with a mere False Core and limited lifespan.

Even though years ago she had been ambushed by the Red Luan Old Demon—a bout likely linked to Song Qingzhi—she remained unconcerned.

“Senior Brother, I’ve only just reached Nascent Soul. I still need to stabilize my realm and cultivate my Divine Abilities, so the Nascent Soul Ceremony isn’t urgent,”

Yun Wanshang, noticing the Sect Leader’s expectant look when he mentioned the Ceremony, replied softly.

Though she had reached the Nascent Soul stage, she still had a host of tasks to complete, especially regarding her unborn son, Lu Yunxiao.

Not only did Lu Changsheng have high hopes for this child, but she herself also held him in great regard, full of anticipation!

On one hand, her early experiences in the Dream of the Soul Way had left a deep imprint on her.

On the other, her naturally headstrong and competitive nature spurred her on.

Now that she was with child, her son must not be outshone by others, especially not by Lu Changsheng’s other children! Moreover, Lu Changsheng even entrusted her with the Da Luo Sword Embryo—a treasured sword artifact capable of nurturing a Dao Body.

She was eager to learn what the rumored Dao Body would be like.

Would it be as breathtaking and invincible as depicted in the Dream of the Soul Way, where Lu Yunxiao shone brilliantly, effortlessly overcoming all foes?

“Alright,” the Sect Leader quickly nodded, then asked Yun Wanshang whether she intended to remain at Rainbow Cloud Peak or move to another mountain.

Since ascending to Nascent Soul, the spiritual veins of Rainbow Cloud Peak were far from sufficient.

He planned to allocate the sect’s prime spiritual vein to her as a cultivation cave.

If Yun Wanshang stayed at Rainbow Cloud Peak, they would call in a feng shui master and array specialist to transfer the spiritual veins there.

Though the Azure Cloud Sect lacked Fourth-Rank veins, by utilizing many top-tier Third-Rank ones they could construct a cave suffused with quasi–Fourth-Rank qi.

“Rainbow Cloud Peak will do,”

Yun Wanshang mused quietly.

After a brief discussion with several elders in the hall, she asked the Sect Leader to compile the major sect events of recent years in detail before she left with Xiao Xiyue to return to Rainbow Cloud Peak.

Watching Xiao Xiyue break through to Core Formation and reach its mid-stage filled her with satisfaction.

Years ago, one reason she prevented Xiao Xiyue from uniting with Lu Changsheng was Xiao Xiyue’s practice of the “Supreme Emotionless Technique.”

Cultivating that technique led to emotional detachment, leaving one utterly unfeeling.

If all emotions faded and one’s state of mind was lost, it could easily trigger Qi Deviation and hinder progress.

Although Xiao Xiyue had sworn earnestly at the time, she never truly believed it; in the end, unable to argue further, they agreed on a fifty‐year pact.

Time flew, and fifty years had passed—it was as if she had already broken that promise.

Before the fifty-year term was up, she had set out on a journey, seeking an opportunity for a Nascent Soul breakthrough.

“Xiyue, tell your Master about your cultivation progress these past years,”

Gazing at her disciple who now seemed even more aloof than before, Yun Wanshang whispered, having deduced that her “Supreme Emotionless Technique” had been nullified by Lu Changsheng.

Though she couldn’t fathom how it was resolved, after many years with Lu Changsheng she had witnessed too many miracles that defied logic.

“Return to Master,”

Even though Xiao Xiyue practiced the “Supreme Emotionless Technique” and was usually unmoved by emotions,

when she saw her Master return in the Nascent Soul stage, her heart couldn’t help but stir, prompting her to recount her years of experience.

When she mentioned Senior Sister Chu Qingyi, Xiao Xiyue paused, thinking of the child Chu Qingyi had with Lu Changsheng.

That child was typically being fostered at Bihu Mountain.

But now that her Master had returned as a Nascent Soul, secrets could no longer be concealed.

If Master discovered that both Senior Sister and Lu Changsheng had children, he might well say, “These years, you’ve endured so much.”

Gently lifting her hand, Yun Wanshang stroked Xiao Xiyue’s dark hair, fully aware of the sacrifices both she and Senior Sister had made for the Azure Cloud Sect.

Looking at Xiao Xiyue’s frosty, distant face and recalling her own past with Lu Changsheng, she found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

After all, as a Master now carrying that scoundrel Lu Changsheng’s child, how could she possibly face Xiao Xiyue? “Master, I have a favor to ask you,”

At that moment, Xiao Xiyue, her beautiful eyes fixed on Yun Wanshang, bowed and said,

“What is it?”

Seeing her disciple so earnest, Yun Wanshang furrowed her brows and immediately inquired,

“My partner, Lu Changsheng, has been away for several years without returning. I’d like you to have someone divine his current situation and whereabouts.”

Although Xiao Xiyue was familiar with many of Lu Changsheng’s methods and knew of his aliases as Yangming Zhenren and Dameng City Lord,

after more than ten years away, she couldn’t help but worry.

She had previously sought the help of a Third-Rank diviner, using Lu Wangshu’s blood as a medium to gauge Lu Changsheng’s condition.

But even with the father-daughter bloodline as a conduit, the diviner found nothing, simply remarking that the heavenly secrets were shrouded in chaos and unpredictable.

Now that her Master had returned in the Nascent Soul stage, she immediately wished for him to divine her lover’s fortune.

“.”

Upon hearing this, Yun Wanshang felt a sudden pang of guilt mixed with irritation.

That damned rascal—being away for so long had caused Xiyue so much worry.

Yet knowing that Lu Changsheng had been by her side all these years made her feel even more guilty.

However, as a Nascent Soul True Lord who had weathered countless storms, Yun Wanshang quickly regained her composure and, upholding her dignity as a Master, spoke in a calm, measured tone.

“There’s no need to worry—Lu Changsheng is perfectly safe and should return any moment now.”

Xiao Xiyue blinked in surprise, her eyes as clear as a full moon reflecting a hint of puzzlement.

Lu Changsheng is safe? He’ll be back soon? How does Master know?

Could it be that Master has also mastered divination?

“I encountered Lu Changsheng before, so I know,”

Seeing the astonishment on her disciple’s face, Yun Wanshang continued calmly, striving to maintain her authoritative air.

“Master, you met Changsheng!?”

Xiao Xiyue was both delighted and shocked.

The calm heart, usually undisturbed by emotions—a state befitting the Supreme Emotionless Technique—suddenly felt as if a stone had splashed into a still lake, sending ripples across its surface.

She was not only surprised and relieved that Lu Changsheng was safe and about to return,

but also astonished that Master had met him.

Having been Lu Changsheng’s partner for over a hundred years, she, like Ling Zixiao, had noticed one pattern:

Whenever Lu Changsheng went out, he invariably attracted ill-fated romances.

For instance, Senior Sister had once become emotionally entangled with him in the Tianyuan Secret Realm.

When Master unexpectedly returned in Nascent Soul form and encountered Lu Changsheng en route, could it be…? Even Xiao Xiyue was startled by the outrageous thought, quickly dismissing it.

Master had already ascended to Nascent Soul True Lord—how could he be with Changsheng? Yet the thought kept nagging at her.

“Hmm, so you can rest assured,”

At the mere mention of Lu Changsheng, Xiao Xiyue’s initial coolness melted, replaced by a tinge of wistful longing.

It seems that having a lover makes one disregard even their Master.

Even in earlier years, no matter how detached Xiao Xiyue was, she would always soften when facing her Master, showing warmth.

Fearing that Xiao Xiyue might press further about how she met Lu Changsheng, she quickly changed the subject, saying, “Master, I must rest now. If you have any questions about your cultivation, come see me later.”

Though Xiao Xiyue couldn’t fully decipher her Master’s emotions, she sensed something was off and bowed, “Thank you, Master.”

“Master would never truly be with Changsheng.”

After Yun Wanshang entered the palace and Xiao Xiyue returned to Bright Moon Residence, she glanced toward Rainbow Cloud Hall, overwhelmed by an indescribable emotion.

Although she had long heard that Lu Changsheng and her Master had known each other—and that he had once rescued her Master—she had once doubted their relationship.

But now, faced with this reality, she was at a loss as to how to handle it.

After all, setting aside Senior Sister Chu Qingyi,

this was her own Master.

After joining the Azure Cloud Sect, she was handpicked by Yun Wanshang as her disciple, who cared for her like a mother. Eventually, Xiao Xiyue stifled her inner turmoil and decided to wait until Lu Changsheng returned to Bihu Mountain so she could ask him what was going on.

She also planned to discuss the matter of Lu Shouzheng with him.

Originally, she had even considered telling her Master about Lu Changsheng’s involvement with Senior Sister,

but now a surge of feeling made her believe that such matters should be left for Lu Changsheng to resolve on his own, without involving her Master.

“Changsheng, how could he…”

Even the Moon Palace Fairy, who was normally unmoved by emotions, now found her heart in turmoil at the thought of her husband.

After a long while, Xiao Xiyue left the Azure Cloud Sect and headed to Bihu Mountain to visit her daughter, Lu Wangshu, and her disciple, Lu Shouzheng, while waiting for Lu Changsheng’s return.

Meanwhile, inside Rainbow Cloud Hall, Yun Wanshang pressed her right hand against her belly, her mind in utter disarray.

After some time, she calmed herself and slowly assimilated the Da Luo Sword Embryo into her body to nurture her unborn child.

During the process, she observed delicate, almost ethereal patterns emerging on the otherwise plain sword embryo, reminiscent of the intricate markings of an ascendant immortal.

Even after ascending to Nascent Soul, the patterned lines on the sword embryo conveyed an unsurpassed depth of wisdom.

Da Mengze.

Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng, en route to Mengxi Island, suddenly shivered.

Now a diviner, his alertness had sharpened; he immediately took his fingers to calculate whether any danger was looming.

But the divination revealed no threat at all.

“???”

Lu Changsheng frowned slightly.

There was no danger—so why did he shiver? Could it be that someone has been thinking of him? Perhaps Rainbow Cloud has discovered the matter concerning Shouzheng?

A thought suddenly surged in his mind.

In recent days, not only had Lu Changsheng learned of his family’s situation from Ling Zixiao, but he’d also used the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror to report his safety to his wife, Lu Miaoyun.

He also learned that his wife, Lu Miaoge, and Chu Qingyi were not in Jiang Kingdom but had headed to the front lines in Yue Kingdom.

Although he hadn’t pressed much about Lu Shouzheng’s case, he knew Chu Qingyi couldn’t have taken her son to the battlefield—he must be at the Azure Cloud Sect or Bihu Mountain.

Judging by the time, Yun Wanshang should have already returned to the Azure Cloud Sect.

If they saw Lu Shouzheng and realized he was the child of hers and Chu Qingyi, they might well turn against her, exclaiming, “I never expected Senior Sister to become pregnant!”

Lu Changsheng looked up at the sky and sighed as he resigned himself and made his way to Mengxi Island.

Due to constant pressure from the Heavenly Sword Sect on the Immortal City of Damengze and issues surrounding the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, Hong Lian had dispersed the Lu Family disciples throughout the city.

Meng Xiaochan and Bai Ling then led Lu Linghe, Lu Baixi, Lu Mengchan, Lu Minghuang, and the other Lu Family disciples to settle there.

Latest update: check out Chapter 69 of the book!

“Brother Lu, brother!”

Upon seeing Lu Changsheng return, Meng Xiaochan and Bai Ling’s eyes lit up with surprise and joy as they rushed into his arms, overwhelmed with longing.

“Xiaochan, Ling’er,”

Lu Changsheng embraced the two girls, knowing that after years away they had missed him terribly.

“Brother Lu, you’re finally back! Xiaochan has missed you so much,”

If anyone missed Lu Changsheng the most, it was Meng Xiaochan, who was afflicted by the Locking Love Gu.

She threw herself into his arms, breathing in his familiar scent, completely unaware that he was capable of poisoning a Third-Rank Demon King.

“Ling’er too,”

Bai Ling snuggled close to Lu Changsheng, her eyes filled with tender dependence.

After a warm, lingering embrace, Meng Xiaochan and Bai Ling reluctantly pulled away, asking if his journey had encountered any danger.

“Mm,”

Holding his two daughters, Lu Changsheng recounted to them some of his experiences in the Starry Sea and the Land of Eternal Night.

Though the girls knew of his romantic misadventures, they asked no further questions and simply listened.

After a tender moment, Bai Ling sent word to summon Lu Linghe, Lu Baixi, Lu Mengchan, and Lu Minghuang.

After over a decade apart, the four children had all changed remarkably.

Lu Linghe, clad in a striking red outfit, now appeared tall and mature, sporting a high ponytail instead of her former twin buns, exuding newfound vigor.

Lu Baixi still looked around twelve or thirteen, dressed in a white, ethereal gown, with a delicate face that seemed like nature’s perfect masterpiece—beautiful, refined, and pure, though her usual expression was as cold as ice, even before her father.

Lu Mengchan remained as gentle as ever, showing little change, while Lu Minghuang had grown considerably more mature and masculine, finally not resembling his cross-dressing sisters.

“Greetings, Father,”

“I greet you, Father,”

After the four entered the hall, they bowed to Lu Changsheng. At that moment, a sudden chirp of cicadas emanated from Lu Minghuang’s arms.

Quickly, he silenced the sound of the White Jade Cicada he carried and bowed to Lu Changsheng, saying, “Father, after I broke through Foundation Establishment, I unsealed the White Cicada. It now senses certain energies and chirps as a result.”

Watching his children bow so earnestly, Lu Changsheng was suddenly overcome by a complex mix of emotions—a cool emptiness and discomfort.

It seemed that Lu Baixi, Lu Mengchan, and Lu Minghuang, due to their reserved nature and less time spent together during childhood, had grown somewhat distant.

But Lu Linghe, whom he loved most dearly and had been close to since childhood, now bowed instead of running into his arms like before.

Though it was natural for grown children to be more formal, Lu Ancestor still felt a twinge of loss and melancholy.

“Linghe, Baixi, Mengchan, Minghuang,”

Lu Changsheng mustered a smile and nodded, then looked at the White Jade Cicada in Lu Minghuang’s hand.

The White Jade Cicada not only repelled evil and dispelled demons but also balanced Yin and Yang to nourish the body.

Its only drawback was its excessive noisiness—any slight movement would set it off—so it had been sealed in earlier years by Nangong Mili and Lu Changsheng.

Now that Lu Minghuang had broken through Foundation Establishment and traveled frequently, unsealing the cicada was only natural.

After all, as noisy as it might be, carrying it meant that any approaching cultivator or demon beast would be alerted at once.

“It’s fine—are you treating this cicada as your personal life-force artifact?”

Lu Changsheng noted that the White Jade Cicada was not only linked to Lu Minghuang’s life but also possessed a true artifact quality.

This was a technique from the Divine Creation Refinement Art—a method to refine one’s personal artifact.

“Yes, Father. After breaking through Foundation Establishment, I felt the White Cicada could be refined into my personal artifact, so I tried it,”

Lu Minghuang bowed as he said.

Lu Changsheng didn’t think there was any problem with that.

This White Jade Cicada, being his companion Gu creature and life-linked, was perfectly suited as his personal artifact.

“Father, are you finished with your work?”

At that moment, Lu Linghe, beaming with joy, came over, naturally grasped her father’s wrist, and asked with sparkling eyes.

Seeing his daughter’s dependent, affectionate gaze and radiant smile, Lu Changsheng’s earlier gloom instantly dissipated.

He gently ruffled her ponytail and said in a warm voice, “Mm, I’m nearly done. Though I encountered some mishaps that kept me from returning sooner to see my little Linghe.”

“It’s alright; Mother said you had important matters to attend to,”

Lu Linghe’s face beamed with an infectious smile as she continued, “Father, I’ve been diligently cultivating all these years.”

Then she proudly showcased her cultivation progress to her father.

Eighth level of Foundation Establishment with late Second-Rank Body Refinement.

In Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation world, this level is undoubtedly the top tier below Core Formation.

Yet at that moment, she was as lively as a child, cheerfully sharing every detail of her life with her father.

“My little Linghe is amazing!”

Lu Changsheng praised her sincerely.

He knew that her strength was largely due to her innate talent, family resources, and the Buddhist Bone Sarira within her.

But isn’t luck and opportunity also a part of cultivation? As he spoke, he glanced at the Storage Ring, planning to give his daughter some specialties from the Starry Sea and the Land of Eternal Night.

Although he was somewhat biased toward his perpetually youthful daughter, Lu Changsheng made sure to care for Lu Baixi, Lu Mengchan, and Lu Minghuang as well.

Lu Baixi had broken through late Second-Rank Body Refinement a decade ago and remained at that level.

He was well aware of his daughter’s situation.

Lu Baixi, being a demon cultivator, consumed resources at several times the rate of ordinary cultivators—sometimes over ten times as much.

Although the Lu Family wasn’t short on resources, each member’s share was limited.

And with him not always around to foot the bill, neither Ling Zixiao nor Hong Lian could supply her with unlimited resources.

Thus, Lu Baixi’s rate of advancement had slowed somewhat.

However, seeing that his other children had matured considerably, Lu Changsheng suspected that frequent sea adventures with Meng Xiaochan might have delayed their training.

When it came to cultivation speed, it was Lu Mengchan—who, despite her gentle appearance—advancing the fastest.

Lu Changsheng recalled that his daughter had only broken through Foundation Establishment twenty years ago, yet now she was already at the eighth level.

It should be remembered that Lu Linghe had broken through Foundation Establishment twenty years before her.

Meanwhile, Lu Minghuang was progressing at a normal pace, at the Second level of Foundation Establishment.

After a while, while Lu Changsheng and Bai Ling went to check on the other children, he quietly asked Lu Linghe why she still bowed so formally upon first seeing him.

“It’s just politeness. Naturally, when meeting Father, one must bow,”

Lu Linghe replied, looking up with a composed innocence.

Seeing her child’s endearing earnestness, Lu Changsheng smiled affectionately as he ruffled her hair.

After patrolling the Immortal City of Damengze and seeing the state of the Lu Family disciples, Lu Changsheng returned to the City Lord’s Mansion with Meng Xiaochan, Bai Ling, and some of his daughters, then helped his son, Lu Quanzhen, complete the Demonic Fetus Rebirth.

Had he remained on Crackling Island or at the Divine Maiden Palace, his son’s Demonic Fetus Rebirth might have already culminated in an emergence.

But numerous unforeseen events had caused progress to stall intermittently.

Now that matters had temporarily settled and time was ample, Lu Changsheng intended to resolve them swiftly.

Yet he hadn’t forgotten about his daughter, Mu Que, who had encountered misfortune.

With plenty of time on his side and in peak condition, he began to further divine her situation,

seeking to understand why she had been wandering alone and where she might be now.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz,”

As the Divination Copper Coin trembled violently, after a while Lu Changsheng opened his eyes in astonishment, sensing that the place where his daughter Mu Que was located was unimaginably distant.

The distance was so vast that even his divination techniques couldn’t pinpoint an exact location—it was clear that it lay beyond Southern Desolation and the Northern Region.

“This”

Lu Changsheng never imagined that his daughter, Mu Que, would end up so far away, wandering the unknown all by herself.

Using the bond of their bloodline as a medium, he delved deeper, trying to understand how his daughter had fallen so far. Where was Qingluan Zhenren? Yet, the more he tried, the stronger the resistance from the heavenly secret became.

He could only sense that even in her childhood, Qingluan Zhenren was absent, leaving him with no clues about her whereabouts.

Next, Lu Changsheng employed the token given to him by Qingluan Zhenren for a second divination, and in the dim haze he perceived that she was no longer in Southern Desolation or the Northern Region.

After a long while, his face turned pale as he exhaled a cloud of foul breath, choosing not to pursue the divination any further.

He roughly guessed that after parting ways with him, Qingluan Zhenren had left Southern Desolation and the Northern Region.

Then, for reasons unknown, she had entrusted his daughter, Mu Que, to someone else.

During his recent divination, he caught sight of more details about Mu Que’s fate.

Although her journey was filled with setbacks and hardships, where fortune and misfortune intertwined, if she could overcome each crisis, she might transform into a divine phoenix and soar skyward.

“Mu Que… Is this the meaning behind the name that Qingluan Zhenren once chose for her?”

Lu Changsheng realized that his daughter Mu Que’s destiny was intricately tied to Qingluan Zhenren’s—it was deeply connected.

With her level of power and mastery of divination methods, she could have easily ensured his daughter’s safety or even sealed her fate.

Yet he utterly disapproved of Qingluan Zhenren’s approach.

He believed that enduring hardships could forge her into a great talent.

But the path Mu Que was treading was riddled with peril; failure to overcome these dangers might cost her life.

“Does she really think that if she can make it this far, her daughter is destined for success?”

Lu Changsheng’s pale features bore a cold, detached expression.

He had once considered bringing his daughter back home.

But now, with her no longer in Southern Desolation or the Northern Region and her location unknown, he would have to wait until after her Nascent Soul stage to find a solution.

Stowing away his Divination Copper Coin, Lu Changsheng swallowed a Pill and sat down in a lotus position. With his gaze fixed on the Heavenly Yuan Lotus before him, he channeled his entire Blood Energy and indomitable essence.