Chapter 799: Entangled Fates

On the bed, Xiao Xiyue nestled against Lu Changsheng, her pale jade hand resting softly on his chest while she listened to him recall memories of his Master.

When he mentioned “the woman in a colorful dress,” her misty, luminous eyes fluttered as she stared straight at her beloved.

“Mm.”

Lu Changsheng held her delicate hand, nodding slowly with a sudden look of realization before continuing in a measured tone, “Back then, I didn’t know Caiyun True Lord, nor that she was your Master.”

“At that time, something was off about her. I was utterly terrified.”

At this, Lu Changsheng paused and exhaled a sigh.

This matter was nothing short of Lu Ancestor’s dark history.

Spending the night in the wilderness, he was forcefully violated by a female cultivator who defiled his honor.

It just goes to show that a young man must always protect himself when out in the world.

“Huh!?” Seeing Lu Changsheng’s troubled look, Xiao Xiyue pressed for more details, asking, “And then?”

“Then… Caiyun True Lord forcefully took me for three whole days and nights.”

After a brief hesitation, Lu Changsheng let out a long sigh and continued without pause.

“That can’t be possible!”

Immediately, Xiao Xiyue stiffened, her voice trembling in disbelief, unable to imagine her Master doing such a thing to Lu Changsheng.

Her Master, the renowned leader of the Azure Cloud Sect and the venerable Core Formation cultivator, was someone she revered like both teacher and mother.

How could he, in his position, possibly do that to a mere Qi Refinement cultivator like Lu Changsheng?

Even a Core Formation female cultivator practicing a nutrient-gathering method couldn’t behave in such a manner toward a Qi Refinement cultivator, could she?

It was utterly preposterous! Yet, Xiao Xiyue trusted Lu Changsheng; his words were sincere, making her suspect that something was deeply amiss.

Biting her red lip softly, she murmured, “Don’t talk nonsense. How could Master ever do such a thing?”

“He must have been poisoned by a charm toxin—or affected by some lust-inducing divine ability,”

Lu Changsheng sighed helplessly as he tried to explain.

“Charm toxin, lust-inducing divine ability…”

Xiao Xiyue nodded, convinced that was the only explanation.

Yet despite the rationale, she found it impossible to accept the reality.

After all, this was her Master—the one who had been both mentor and surrogate mother! To think that, over a hundred years ago, he had intimate relations with Lu Changsheng—initiated by him, no less—brought back memories of the early days when she had once accompanied Lu Changsheng to seek her Master’s favor. Overwhelmed, she was at a loss for words.

At the same time, countless memories from the past flooded her mind.

Memories of taking Lu Changsheng to see her Master and how his demeanor would shift when he mentioned him.

At that time, she had believed that practicing the Supreme Emotionless Technique had somehow tarnished her affairs of the heart, upsetting her Master.

Now it seemed more likely that her Master’s attitude was linked to Lu Changsheng, leaving Xiao Xiyue’s beautiful, cool face momentarily dazed and confused.

Then it struck her—Lu Changsheng’s account seemed to coincide with the time when she was about to begin the Supreme Emotionless Technique and when her Master had gone off to collect ingredients for making the Red Dust Pill. Could this incident also be connected to her? In that moment, Xiao Xiyue felt that fate was playing a cruel trick!

“What year was that? When exactly?”

Biting her lip with mixed emotions, she inquired.

Lu Changsheng pondered briefly before replying, “About 115 years and 5 months ago.”

Hearing this, Xiao Xiyue was almost certain it was during the time when her Master had gone off to gather Red Dust Pill ingredients.

Thinking it had all happened over a century ago yet Lu Changsheng remembered every detail clearly, she couldn’t help but feel that he had long coveted her Master. With an irritated arch of his willow-like brow, he exclaimed, “How do you remember that so clearly!?”

“???”

Lu Changsheng was at a loss for words.

He thought to himself that some matters simply couldn’t be reasoned with a woman.

Holding his beloved’s hand, he said in a slightly indignant tone, “Xiyue, even though I haven’t broken through to Nascent Soul, my spirit has already advanced. Remembering these things is only natural.”

“Hmph.”

Seeing his innocent expression, Xiao Xiyue felt that Lu Changsheng was acting coy after getting off lightly.

She pressed on, “And then? Even if, back then, it was your Master who made the first move, she must have been overwhelmed by some charm toxin or had no choice. How could you possibly—”

In contrast to Lu Changsheng’s licentious behavior, Xiao Xiyue held her Master in the highest regard, convinced that after the incident, it was Lu Changsheng who had clung onto her Master of his own volition.

“???”

Lu Changsheng felt that his wife misunderstood him completely and needed to be shown the truth.

He playfully smacked her shapely, jade-like derriere and said, “Do you really think your husband is so wretched as to be blinded by lust?”

“It was your Master who forcefully took you afterward!”

Lu Changsheng declared boldly, his tone tinged with grievance and accusation.

Although he harbored feelings for Yun Wanshang and even once became a renegade disciple through the Dream of the Soul Way, in reality, he had never shown the slightest disrespect to Caiyun True Lord.

After all, she had not only defiled his honor by force but had also, on one of his trips to the Azure Cloud Sect, abducted him and compelled him to help her cultivate.

This was yet another miserable chapter in Lu Ancestor’s life.

“That’s impossible!”

Xiao Xiyue couldn’t believe that her Master would ever do such a thing.

“Impossible indeed!”

At that moment, with Lu Changsheng looking so forthright and unapologetic, Xiao Xiyue felt increasingly inadequate.

After all, after so many years of marriage, she could tell there was something amiss in his heart.

“How could Master ever do something like this?”

Her voice faltered, uncertainty and indecision creeping in.

“But she did.”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes were clear and his tone resolute as he affirmed.

Seeing his shift in demeanor, Xiao Xiyue no longer defended her Master but pressed him for more details.

After a pause, Lu Changsheng asked, “Xiyue, do you remember our cultivation of the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra?”

Xiao Xiyue nodded, though she wondered why that particular dual cultivation method had once come into play. Could it be that her Master had practiced it with Lu Changsheng to break through? Although the Sutra did help one overcome bottlenecks, she couldn’t be sure, recalling their experience in the Sealing Demon Realm and Forbidden Sea.

“Back when I visited you at the Azure Cloud Sect, on my way back, a woman in a colorful dress suddenly appeared before me.”

Lu Changsheng vividly recalled how Yun Wanshang had abducted him, sealed his magical energy and divine sense, dosed him with aphrodisiacs, and even ridden him.

He had not wished to revisit such a bitter memory, but now to prove his innocence, he recounted every detail to his wife.

He waged an exasperated accusation against his Master, claiming that she had forced herself on him during cultivation.

The most humiliating part was that after finishing her cultivation session, she had nonchalantly tossed him a storage pouch filled with numerous pills and spirit medicines.

What was she thinking? Did she really take Lu Ancestor for granted? “What the heck!?”

Xiao Xiyue was dumbfounded.

She couldn’t imagine her Master doing such a thing.

Yet, seeing Lu Changsheng’s candid and unwavering expression, she found herself reluctantly believing him.

In that moment, the once-majestic image of Yun Wanshang in her eyes began to crumble.

“How could Master…?”

Still in disbelief, Xiao Xiyue clung to the hope that there must be another explanation for her Master’s actions.

Lu Changsheng, unhidden in his sincerity, explained that her Master’s physical constitution—her Jade Phoenix Marrow Body—was the real culprit.

“Your Master’s physique?”

Xiao Xiyue had heard rumors that her Master possessed a unique spirit body, though she did not know the specifics.

“Yes, her spirit body is called the Jade Phoenix Marrow Body. In the early stages, it offers little benefit to cultivation, but when one reaches the Core Formation stage, it generates a wisp of psychic energy.”

Taking a deep breath, Lu Changsheng continued, “That wisp of psychic energy has the power to refine a Golden Core and enhance the Nascent Soul.”

Many of his concubines possessed spirit bodies.

But the one who helped him the most was Yun Wanshang’s Jade Phoenix Marrow Body.

Without her psychic energy, it would have been impossible for him to develop the Yin-Yang Five Elements Foundation during his Foundation Establishment breakthrough!

“Refine the Golden Core, enhance the Nascent Soul!”

Xiao Xiyue was astonished.

Even though she was on the verge of achieving the Immortal Golden Core and hopeful for Nascent Soul breakthrough, she knew all too well how rare the natural treasures required for such an enhancement were.

She could hardly fathom that her Master possessed such an extraordinary physique.

Yet she still couldn’t understand how this trait connected to Lu Changsheng’s own cultivation base.

“The psychic energy enters a man’s body during his first intimate encounter and must be nurtured through dual cultivation to grow strong enough to refine a Golden Core, a cultivation base, or even a Nascent Soul,”

Lu Changsheng murmured softly.

“Ah.”

Xiao Xiyue began to grasp the concept.

Her Master, poisoned by love toxins in her early years after her encounter with Lu Changsheng, had allowed that psychic energy to merge with his body.

Later, in an attempt to harness that energy to refine her Golden Core, she had no choice but to return to Lu Changsheng.

As for why she repeatedly sought to cultivate with him, it must have something to do with his cultivation base.

After all, his base had always been nourished by his Yin-Yang energy, and his Golden Core could even enhance others’ cultivation bases.

Wait—could this effect come from her Jade Phoenix Marrow Body?

Was she implying that during our dual cultivation sessions, our Master had indirectly participated as well? Frantically, Xiao Xiyue tried to dismiss the thought.

But at that moment, the awe-inspiring image of her Master in her heart had almost completely collapsed.

“So her intent was simply to use that psychic energy to refine her Golden Core,”

Lu Changsheng explained. “But when I attempted to break through during Foundation Establishment with your Golden Crow Pill and Taiyin Moonlight, our energies clashed. Her psychic energy merged with my cultivation base, transforming into Yin-Yang energy.”

Lu Changsheng continued, lamenting, “Fate really does toy with us.”

“???”

Xiao Xiyue was flabbergasted. It all seemed to tie her to every twist involving her Master and Lu Changsheng.

Whether it was his trips to collect materials for refining the Red Dust Pill; being poisoned by love toxins; or the whole psychic energy debacle—am I to blame for all this?

Irritated at his habitual sweetness, she snapped, “If it weren’t for you helping, how could I have refined such a formidable cultivation base!”

Lu Changsheng embraced his wife tenderly as he replied, “It’s all your help, Xiyue. Without you, none of this would have been possible.”

After a brief moment of tender entanglement, Xiao Xiyue recalled the matter at hand and pinched him playfully, admonishing, “Don’t change the subject. What happened next?”

She had already predicted the development.

It must have been during his encounter with his Master in the Sealing Demon Realm or the Forbidden Sea, when danger drew them close enough for intimacy. Although the situation made sense, her heart churned with conflict.

After all, this was her revered Master.

Not only had Lu Changsheng had an affair with Senior Sister Chu Qingyi, but he had also become entangled with his Master. If word got out, not only would her Master be ridiculed, but the entire Caiyun Clan of the Azure Cloud Sect might be mocked.

“And then I, having once fallen into the Sealing Demon Realm, encountered her again,”

Lu Changsheng continued. Although he had only briefly mentioned the Sealing Demon Realm to his other wives before, now he recounted every detail—how perilous it was, how he met Caiyun True Lord, and how she claimed that her psychic energy could stimulate his Golden Core cultivation base to restore his magical energy.

“.”

Xiao Xiyue thought to herself that things had unfolded exactly as she had predicted.

In that treacherous realm, relying on one another day and night, the seeds of passion naturally took root.

Moreover, by cultivating together they restored their magical energy; perhaps her Master’s suggestion about using psychic energy to stimulate his base had even made Lu Changsheng develop feelings for her. And Xiao Xiyue knew him too well to believe otherwise.

Though his face remained calm and earnest, she couldn’t accept that he harbored no thoughts of her Master.

After hearing everything, Xiao Xiyue gradually calmed down and asked about how he emerged from the Sealing Demon Realm and the Land of Eternal Night, and how his Master broke through to Nascent Soul.

“I, along with Caiyun True Lord, exterminated the dark demons in the realm, and then, with the help of heavenly karmic merit, both of us encountered the chance at a Nascent Soul breakthrough.”

Lu Changsheng stated matter-of-factly.

“A chance at a Nascent Soul breakthrough!?”

Xiao Xiyue was completely shocked, never having imagined that her Master and Lu Changsheng could attain such an unprecedented opportunity.

In that instant, she understood why her Master had broken through so swiftly while away.

Not only had the world marveled that Yun Wanshang had broken through to Nascent Soul after decades, but even she, as a disciple, was stunned by her Master’s rapid breakthrough.

After all, if Nascent Soul were truly this accessible, the Azure Cloud Sect wouldn’t have clung to the Core Formation system for so long—it would have become a Core Formation sect long ago.

Before she could ask why Lu Changsheng hadn’t broken through despite possessing a chance at a Nascent Soul breakthrough, he continued, “I have other karmic opportunities. Even without the Nascent Soul chance, it’s fine. So I abandoned that path and helped Yun Wanshang bare the responsibility of protecting her cultivation.”

“But during the process, I could see that in Caiyun True Lord’s heart, our tangled relationship troubled her. Continuing down that road might have made it nearly impossible to overcome her heart-demon tribulation.”

“So I poured out my true feelings to her, hoping she would calmly accept our relationship.”

While Lu Changsheng had been entirely candid, as a responsible man he still sweetened his words slightly with kind lies.

Xiao Xiyue pressed her moist red lips together, feeling a tumult of emotions.

Though the love affair between her husband and her Master sounded convoluted and bizarre, it was hard for her, as a disciple and wife, to find any fault.

Even if there were minor grievances early on, what happened in the life-or-death circumstances of the Sealing Demon Realm was completely understandable.

Had they worried about propriety back then, they might have both perished.

Moreover, with her Master breaking through to Nascent Soul and Lu Changsheng helping—there was simply no way to fault them.

Nascent Soul tribulations were perilous, especially the heart-demon trial.

If one even had the slightest mental flaw, a minor mishap could have led to their downfall.

Xiao Xiyue fell silent, completely at a loss for words.

Listening to Lu Changsheng’s account, she even felt as if she had influenced the emotional ties between him and Yun Wanshang.

Had it not been for her involvement, the two might have naturally fallen together long ago.

Moreover, considering her Master had been with Lu Changsheng even earlier…

After a moment of silence, Xiao Xiyue glared at the affectionate Lu Changsheng, exasperatedly declaring, “Sort out your own mess!”

She no longer wished to meddle in his affairs with Master and Senior Sister Chu Qingyi.

Now, she herself was at a loss as to how to face her Master.

“Xiyue…”

After so many years together, Lu Changsheng had never seen his wife like this. Overflowing with guilt, he pulled her close, whispering soothingly, “I’ll handle everything—I just couldn’t keep it from you any longer.”

“And how do you plan to fix it?”

Xiao Xiyue retorted sharply.

“At this point, I can only take responsibility,” Lu Changsheng said, his tone resigned.

He continued, “No wonder Changsheng True Lord has caught everyone’s praise for unifying the three of us disciples—if word got out, it’d be a tale for the ages.”

Xiao Xiyue mocked coldly.

Then, feeling unsatisfied, she pinched him again, her silver teeth biting hard into his shoulder.

She had long become used to Lu Changsheng’s indulgences, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he would become involved with her Master.

Lu Changsheng, fearing his fourth-rank physique might be harmed by her bite, endured it in silence.

After a moment, Xiao Xiyue released him and glared at his sheepish expression, snorting, “What a scoundrel!”

Lu Ancestor, feeling embarrassed, dared not retort.

“Master, how do you intend to resolve this? Don’t just say you’ll take responsibility—what does Master really mean by this?”

It was already set in stone; Xiao Xiyue felt she’d need to watch him closely in the future to prevent more mishaps.

Lu Changsheng confessed, “Umm… When Caiyun True Lord passed the heart-demon tribulation, it proved she could face our relationship head-on. But when she saw us together again…”

He continued frankly, “I didn’t ask about my own breakthrough—I simply couldn’t ignore my duty any longer, but I’ll follow what you all decide.”

He earnestly added, “Marrying all three of us is out of the question. Yun Wanshang might agree for the sake of Senior Sister Chu Qingyi and me, but I could never accept a situation where all three of us are involved.”

Besides, as Xiao Xiyue had said, such a scandal would surely damage not only our reputations but that of the entire Azure Cloud Sect.

At the very least, it would only be acceptable once I reach the Nascent Soul stage and become renowned.

Only then would people refrain from ridicule—instead, it might even be celebrated as a grand legend!

“Later, you go see Master yourself—I’m done with that for now.”

Xiao Xiyue pinched Lu Changsheng once more.

She no longer knew how to face her Master.

“…”

Lu Changsheng was silent but nodded, “Later, I’ll take Shouzheng to see Caiyun True Lord.”

Even though Yun Wanshang had broken through Nascent Soul and ascended to True Lord, he still preferred to call her Caiyun.

“Forget it. I’ll go with you,” Xiao Xiyue replied, dreading her Master finding out about Senior Sister Chu Qingyi and Lu Shouzheng.

Earlier, she had planned to take Lu Wangshu to see Master.

“It’s all my fault,” Lu Changsheng murmured.

Though he wasn’t at fault—as he was the victim here—an apology would smooth things over.

Xiao Xiyue fell silent.

After a while, she rose from his embrace, her beautiful eyes fixed on him as she asked, “You really didn’t mean it, did you?”

“Mean what?”

Lu Changsheng failed to catch the implied meaning.

“Core Formation cultivators rarely get pregnant. Both you and our Master are Core Formation cultivators. Besides, you and Master have reached the realm of Grand True Lord—how could pregnancy happen so easily?”

Xiao Xiyue stared intently at Lu Changsheng, suspicious that he might be deliberately letting Senior Sister and Master become pregnant.

After all, after the breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, it became much harder for cultivators to conceive. Moreover, Core Formation cultivators are even less likely to.

And according to Lu Changsheng, aiding Senior Sister was for healing, while helping Master was for breakthrough.

The intimate act between them wasn’t merely physical, and the chance of pregnancy was minimal.

“I don’t have that kind of ability,” Lu Changsheng protested, looking wronged.

After a moment of hesitation, he added, “Maybe… it’s just fate.”

Although his Chaos Body made him more prone to impregnation—and he had a system bonus—both Yun Wanshang and Senior Sister Chu Qingyi’s sudden pregnancies surprised him.

So perhaps this was all down to destiny.

“Hmph.”

Though Lu Changsheng appeared innocent, Xiao Xiyue couldn’t shake off her doubts about his abilities.

After all, for all these years, Lu Changsheng had seemed capable of anything in her eyes.

After calming down, another worry came to her mind.

For cultivators, even if pregnancy was nearly uncontrollable, the decision to carry the child was almost entirely in the woman’s hands.

A cultivator who didn’t want to get pregnant could not only force it out, but could also refine the primordial essence.

She could barely understand Senior Sister Chu Qingyi’s willingness to have her child.

But their Master… so her Master, too, had grown affectionate towards her husband? In that moment, the once majestic image of Yun Wanshang in Xiao Xiyue’s eyes was utterly shattered.

Realizing that her Master was, in fact, just a woman—not the holy, untouchable figure she imagined—she erupted, “What a scoundrel! What a flirt!”

Lu Changsheng, utterly baffled, pointed at the Peach Blossom Gu and said, “I’m calling you that.”

Peach Blossom Gu: “???”

Now that everything was set in motion, Xiao Xiyue ceased further comment—she would just vent by cursing Lu Changsheng a few choice words whenever angered.

After all, as the saying goes, arguments at the bed’s head always end in reconciliation.

Between a husband and wife, any matter can be resolved once laid bare.

A few days later, Lu Changsheng and Xiao Xiyue left the Hall of Everlasting Life together.

Xiao Xiyue had originally planned for them to visit Master at the Azure Cloud Sect, but now she hesitated, wanting to fully come to terms with the events before going.

Lu Changsheng did not force her; he himself was uncertain about facing Yun Wanshang and decided to stay home a little longer with the family.

Shortly after leaving Sumeru Cave Heaven, he spotted someone on an island in the middle of Bihu Lake, struggling to break through Foundation Establishment.

Back in the early days, only the main peak of Biyun Peak at Bihu Mountain was ideal for breakthroughs.

But ever since Biyun Peak ascended to third-rank and Bihu Lake, Lingcui Cliff, Hundred Refinements Peak, and Xuanfu Peak upgraded to second-rank, Bihu Lake had become the designated breakthrough spot for Lu Family disciples.

Even guests or cultivators renting cave residences for their breakthroughs were scheduled there.

Lu Changsheng merely glanced at it before heading off with Xiao Xiyue to check on his daughter, Lu Wangshu.

Once at her daughter’s small courtyard, he learned that his daughter had gone out with Lu Linghe, Lu Baixi, Lu Qingqi, and even taken the Golden-Winged Roc along.

“They won’t be causing trouble outside, will they?”

With the Golden-Winged Roc around, Lu Changsheng wasn’t worried for their safety, only that they might draw unnecessary attention.

After calculating, he guessed they were just playing around nearby and wouldn’t get into any serious trouble.

Soon, Lu Changsheng decided not to worry and spent the rest of the day at home with his wives and children, teaching and enjoying a peaceful time.

[System Check: Offspring spirit body upgrade detected. Effect conflict. Would you like to merge?]

That day, a sudden system chime echoed in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

He froze.

An offspring spirit body upgrade?

Although a spirit body could be upgraded by consuming rare natural treasures or through postnatal cultivation methods—or even by remolding—it was never easy.

Even though many of his cultivation methods included postnatal spirit body techniques, he had never had the desire to work on it.

It required too much time, effort, and resources.

But now that one of his children’s spirit bodies was upgrading, Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but be intrigued. He opened the system to see whose spirit body was upgrading.

After a moment, a system interface appeared:

[Name: Lu Qingshan]

[Lifespan: 109/481]

[Talent: Fourth-Rank Spirit Root, Great Geng Metal Sword Body (Superior Spirit Body)]

[Cultivation: Third Layer Core Formation]

[Talent: Sword Dao Compatibility (123%)]

“Qingshan, huh.”

Lu Changsheng noted that his son’s Geng Metal Constitution had transformed into a Great Geng Metal Sword Body, upgrading from an average spirit body to a superior one.

Although the upgrade wasn’t dramatic and couldn’t compare with Lu Quanzhen’s progress, it was clear Qingshan had put in significant effort.

Additionally, Lu Changsheng observed his son’s lifespan.

From 481, it had dropped by a few dozen years. He recalled that when his son broke through in Core Formation, his lifespan had exceeded 500.

This reduction was most likely related to the brutal clashes during the Liang-Yue War.

After all, given what Lu Miaohuan and Xiao Xiyue had mentioned, Lu Qingshan’s fierce nature had led to an ambush by a Core Formation cultivator of the Yue Kingdom.

However, a sword cultivator like Qingshan, who constantly fought harsh duels, was bound to incur bodily injuries that shortened his lifespan.

“I should probably visit the Yue Kingdom soon. With Qingshan’s temperament, perpetual fighting could lead to internal injuries,”

Lu Changsheng mused.

Bodily injuries were common for cultivators using metal or fire attributes in combat.

Moreover, Lu Qingshan possessed a ruthlessness deep within him.

After all, when he first comprehended the fundamental essence of the Great Luo Sword Embryo, he nonchalantly defied the rules engraved on his mortal body.

It was as if he didn’t care if he lost his life.

Or rather, he exuded an inexplicable confidence.

Lu Changsheng didn’t immediately merge the Great Geng Metal Sword Body; instead, he continued chatting with his wife.

Meanwhile…

At the Golden Sun Sect and Tianyuan Peak,

Inside a secret chamber, the Geng Metal Sword Qi, like a crisp autumn wind, etched marks on the surrounding dark-iron walls.

“So the Great Geng Metal Sword Body is finally done, Black Eagle Old Dog! Once young master breaks through to mid-Core Formation, I’ll gut you!”

Lu Qingshan, wearing a tattered cyan robe with messy hair, had no semblance of decorum.

Yet his entire being radiated an unparalleled aura—sharp and intimidating.

Five years ago, on the battlefield at the frontier, he encountered Black Eagle True Lord from Beast God Mountain.

Had he not clung to a substitute life charm, a talisman, and the sect’s protective life pill, he would have perished at Black Eagle True Lord’s hands.

Thus, in subsequent years he locked himself away in the sect—not just to cultivate but also to brood, eventually shattering his old self and reforming his postnatal spirit body by integrating the Great Geng Metal Sword Technique.

His version of the Great Geng Metal Sword Technique was far removed from the original of the Golden Sun Sect. Infused with his own insights, the sword body was tailor-made for him.

If only he had more resources and time, he was confident he could push further.

After all, every beginning is hard—the toughest part was already behind him.

Stepping out of the secret chamber, he paused to cast a cleansing spell, discarding his tattered robe shredded by sword Qi, and donned a brand-new set.

Shortly thereafter, a lady in a shimmering dress arrived. Upon seeing him, she exclaimed happily, “Brother, you’ve come out!”

“Little Zhu,”

Lu Qingshan called out cheerfully to his younger sister, inquiring about her affairs over the years.

Having returned from a severe injury, he intended to take his sister back to the sect to keep her safe from battlefield dangers.

Now, bolstered by his current strength and contributions, no one dared oppose him.

Without needing to say much, even the Core Formation cultivators of the Golden Sun Sect made sure to protect Lu Qingzhu,

lest Lu Qingshan’s nascent seed, if harmed, might spark grievances against the sect.

“Hm!? Has Ainiang gone to the Yue Kingdom?”

Lu Qingshan listened as his sister explained the recent events, realizing that the war was increasingly unfavorable for the Yue Kingdom.

If it weren’t for the continuous support from the Jiang Kingdom, the frontline might have already collapsed.

“If things drag on, and the Liang Kingdom produces another Nascent Soul cultivator—or if the Yuan Kingdom steps in further—it will be trouble,”

Lu Qingshan, now a Core Formation elder of the Golden Sun Sect, had access to a wealth of strategic information.

He knew that the Yuan and Liang Kingdoms hadn’t fully cooperated, or perhaps Liang wasn’t keen on Yuan’s deep involvement.

Yet in such a scenario, Liang still refused to cease hostilities, indicating that the immortal cultivators of the Yue Kingdom sensed Liang was either crafting a massive war machine or secretly nurturing a Nascent Soul.

“Let’s go, come with me to see Ainiang,”

Lu Qingshan said to his sister, preparing to visit Ainiang Lu Miaoge and earn some battle merit along the way.

“Brother, the Sect Leader previously advised you not to travel. Master also said to inform her once you emerged from seclusion.”

Lu Qingzhu recalled the look of severe injury on her brother, knowing that on the battlefield of the Liang Kingdom, it was easy to be ambushed.

“Don’t worry,” Lu Qingshan reassured.

He knew very well that enemy Core Formation cultivators rarely had the chance to infiltrate the Yue Kingdom.

As for ordinary mid-Core Formation cultivators, he was completely unafraid—they possessed formidable combat prowess.

Besides, being confined to the sect was far more agonizing than facing death in battle.

Now, in times of war, gaining merit in battle was the golden opportunity.

If the situation turned as he predicted—with Liang achieving Nascent Soul breakthroughs or the Yuan Kingdom sending reinforcements causing the frontline to collapse—the Golden Sun Sect would be in serious trouble.

“Brother!”

Lu Qingzhu immediately urged him, unwilling to let him leave.

“Rest assured, there won’t be any danger. It was merely an accident before,”

Lu Qingshan reassured.

Recalling how he had been grievously injured that day by a surprise ambush—which nearly cost him his life—he remembered how his sister had cried inconsolably.

That memory only deepened his determination to one day let Black Eagle True Lord taste the full force of his Seven Star Great Geng Metal Killing Formation!

Yet, faced with his sister’s stubborn gaze, all he could do was helplessly add that he would first see the Sect Leader, inform Master, and then head out.