Chapter 809: Rumors, Rivalries, and Reckoning

Several Core-Formation True Lords from Liang Kingdom were dumbfounded to hear that a late Core-Formation veteran from Qisha Sect had been ambushed and slain by several early to mid Core-Formation cultivators from Yue Kingdom.

They all thought the incident was utterly absurd and outlandish.

Yet, the source was exceedingly reliable, and they were sure such news couldn’t be fabricated. Immediately, someone set out to verify the matter with the cultivators of Qisha Sect from Yuan Kingdom.

“Absolutely impossible!”

A Core-Formation True Lord of Qisha Sect scoffed upon hearing the news.

He could not believe that one of their elders would fall at the hands of a few early- and mid-stage cultivators.

Their Qisha Sect might not fare as well in direct confrontations compared with many battle cultivators.

But when it came to assassinations and quick getaways, they were supremely confident!

“This must be false intelligence spouted by Yue Kingdom to boost their morale!”

The Qisha Sect True Lord said coldly, his tone edged with irritation.

Their sect had only recently intervened in the Liang-Yue War in hopes of sharing the spoils.

They hadn’t yet earned any battle merit when one of their late Core-Formation elders was slain—threatening to turn their sect into a laughingstock among other forces.

He immediately contacted the elder in an attempt to dispel the rumor.

But before the elder could reply, he received a message from the sect inquiring what had befallen Elder Jieying and why he had fallen in the field.

In an instant, the high-ranking officials of Qisha Sect on the Liang battlefield were struck with shock and disbelief.

They soon realized that the news wasn’t a rumor at all; one of their own elders was indeed in danger.

“What a pair—Lu Qingshan of Golden Sun Sect and Chu Qingyi of Azure Cloud Sect of the Talisman Lu Family!”

The Qisha Sect leaders wore icy expressions, murderous intent simmering beneath the surface. They suspected that Yue Kingdom had deliberately spread this news to undermine their prestige in Liang and drive a wedge between them and other forces in the Yuan Kingdom.

Thus, they pinned the blame on Lu Changsheng and his cohorts to humiliate their sect.

But Qisha Sect’s creed was clear—an injury must be repaid.

If the enemy dared humiliate them so, they would have to face the consequences! Beast God Mountain! Youyue Peak!

“Talisman Lu Family, Changsheng True Lord?”

A striking woman in a purple strapless miniskirt—with a tall, alluring frame exuding wild beauty—caught wind of the recent battlefield reports. Her long purple eyebrows arched as if the name was hauntingly familiar.

She paused to reflect, remembering a message she had received in her youth.

In Jiang Kingdom, a clan known as the Talisman Lu Family was rumored to possess a Youyue Wolf with reversionary blood.

For that reason, she had dispatched her personal guard, Shadow, to investigate.

But that guard never returned, remaining in a life-or-death state.

If the Liang-Yue War wasn’t raging so fiercely, she would have resolved the matter herself long ago.

Now, upon hearing of the exploits of this Changsheng True Lord and Master Miaoge, she licked her lips ever so slightly as her face radiated a dangerously alluring, aggressive beauty.

She suspected that her guard’s peril was closely tied to this Changsheng True Lord—even that he might have fallen into his clutches.

It was her gut instinct—a keen wolfish intuition! Yet, she had no time for trifles, for far more important matters awaited her.

That matter was breaking through to Nascent Soul! The war stirred by Beast God Mountain was far from a mere bid to snatch a few resources from Yue Kingdom. The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain, her purple miniskirt accentuating her impeccably powerful legs, gracefully moved toward the restricted area at the rear of Beast God Mountain.

“Youyue, you’ve arrived.”

Outside the valley, a tall, muscular young man with chiseled features and two twisted, dragon-like horns on his head called out excitedly to the Holy Maiden. His light-yellow eyes overflowed with adoration.

“Huangquan.”

The Holy Maiden paused momentarily, nodded serenely in response, and then strode directly into the valley.

Huangquan, the Dragon Son, paid no mind to her cool indifference.

Lost in admiration, he beheld her enchanting figure, her long, flowing dark purple hair like a cloak, and her beautifully sculpted alabaster legs; his heart raced with adoration.

He trembled with excitement at the thought that, should he break through to Nascent Soul, he could become her Dao partner.

After all, he had once been nothing more than a menial disciple at Beast God Mountain.

Yet, after inadvertently merging with the remnant spirit of a true-spirit-level Huangquan Dragon, he had gradually risen to become the foremost Holy Son of Beast God Mountain!

Though centuries had passed, he wasn’t sure whether he was still merely the remnant of a Huangquan Dragon or still that lowly menial.

But he would never forget the breathtaking glimpse of the Holy Maiden he caught while feeding his scale-horses! He loved her wholeheartedly and would give everything for her.

Thus, in front of others, the Dragon Son exuded a ruthless, domineering air.

Yet only when he was with the Holy Maiden did he revert to his cautious, tender former self, gazing at her with deep affection.

Side by side, they ventured deep into the valley.

Before them lay a blood pool resembling an abyss, pulsating with violent, overwhelming blood energy that chilled the soul.

At the center of the pool stood a stone altar, upon which an old man sat, his body engulfed in burning bloodfire.

“Greetings, Exalted Envoy. We are ready.”

Both the Holy Maiden and the Dragon Son bowed respectfully upon seeing the old man on the altar.

“Since you are prepared, step inside.”

The old man slowly lifted his head, his deep, bloodfire-lit eyes fixed on them as he spoke in a hoarse voice.

Without hesitation, they plunged in. One, surrounded by an ethereal wolf spirit with swirling, fragmented eerie light and gentle pale purple markings, ascended with rising qi into the blood pool; the other, enveloped in whistling, chilling winds and the anguished cries of countless spirits, trailed a serpentine dragon several tens of meters long, with the mournful sound of the Yellowquan dark river echoing beneath his feet, as he too stepped into the abyss.

The old man gazed at the Dragon Son entering the blood pool, astonishment lighting his eyes before he shook his head slightly.

Merging with a remnant of a Huangquan Dragon was nothing short of defying fate.

Yet for one so extraordinarily fortunate to become infatuated with a woman was utterly against the path of cultivation.

Otherwise, a genius of his caliber would have eagerly recommended her to Wan Shou Mo Sect.

But everyone has their own destined path.

Since he did not possess a truly demonic heart and was willing to remain at Beast God Mountain for the sake of the Holy Maiden, the old man said little more.

After all, if he forced her into Wan Shou Mo Sect, she might not even return his affection with gratitude.

Lu Changsheng, meanwhile, knew little about the affairs between Qisha Sect and Beast God Mountain.

But as a Fourth-Rank Diviner, he intuitively sensed that his trip to Yue Kingdom, which had stirred up such a commotion, was bound to land him in trouble.

Thus, after visiting his wife and daughters—and briefly checking on his son Lu Qingxian—he returned swiftly to Bihu Mountain.

Originally, he had planned to journey with his wife Meng Xiaochan and son Lu Minghuang to Jin Kingdom to visit Nangong Mili, Ah Youduo, Yiren, and daughter Lu Jiangtang, and even to plant the Ghost Tree in Demon Abyss.

However, considering it had been two and a half years since his dual cultivation with Yun Wanshang to break through to Nascent Soul…

if he went to Jin Kingdom and couldn’t immediately check on Yun Wanshang and his son Lu Yun, her temper would surely flare.

Though Yun Wanshang tended to be verbally tough,

Lu Changsheng knew that deep down, she was quite traditional and expected him to check on both of them and show genuine care.

So he postponed his trip to Jin Kingdom until after his breakthrough to Nascent Soul.

By then, he’d also have plenty of time to settle old scores with the Ghost Lord and help Ah Youduo unify Jin Kingdom.

Besides, with Nascent Soul on the horizon, he still had other preparations to complete.

First, he consulted with Lu Miaoyun about the family’s situation, then went to check on his children’s training, nodding ever so slightly.

“Father.”

Lu Quanzhen, aware of Lu Changsheng’s return, hurried to pay his respects. He disclosed that through his studies of ‘True Spirit Nine Transformations’, he believed he could attempt the Kunpeng Transformation.

Yet, he remained uncertain whether to pursue it.

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng realized it was due to his son’s demonic fetus rebirth that had merged with a Kunpeng hatchling.

“If you continue your current training, you might never master a second transformation. I suggest you practice several forms first, and then attempt the Kunpeng Transformation to unify them.”

After a moment’s pause, Lu Changsheng spoke.

“True Spirit Nine Transformations” demands a gradual, balanced approach.

Though his son could leverage his Kunpeng body and core to practice the method,

without a True Spirit core that matched his Kunpeng essence, advancing to the next stage was impossible.

He could only push his single Kunpeng form to its utmost limit.

While that could work, Lu Changsheng felt that with their resources, a more stable approach was preferable.

He then released the Golden-Winged Roc, signaling for it to first practice the Golden Roc Transformation like Lu Ping’an.

Later, he would have it try the Dragon Whale and Ti Hun Transformations.

“???”

The Golden-Winged Roc emerged from the Heavenly Yuan Lotus and, upon hearing that it was to bleed again, was momentarily stunned.

It even bristled at the sight of blood being drawn for Lu Quanzhen—clearly taking issue with him.

“How much blood have you drained from me, kid? And your scent… surprisingly enticing. I might even crave your blood,” it seemed to think.

Lu Quanzhen felt a momentary embarrassment upon catching the look in the Golden-Winged Roc’s eyes.

Then, quickly laying out the spirit treasures he had gathered, he offered, “I’m sorry to trouble you, Little Peng King. Please, take a look and choose one if you like.”

The Golden-Winged Roc surveyed the treasures, selected a treasure pearl, and then handed Lu Quanzhen a vial of refined blood.

“Hehe.”

Lu Changsheng, pleased that his son was so tactful, chuckled and said to the Golden-Winged Roc, “Golden Roc, thanks for your hard work. Later, I’ll treat you to a feast at the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.”

The Golden-Winged Roc nodded happily.

But then he thought—won’t heading to the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range put him at the forefront against the Demon King? ‘By the way, Golden Roc, keep an eye on this mink. Over the next few days, have it use its innate divine power to refine these Empty-Ming Stones.’

With that, Lu Changsheng paused as his Inconceivable Treasure Wheel materialized in his hand, and he handed over the sealed Phantom Mink to the Golden-Winged Roc.

He planned to gift the Phantom Mink as a spirit pet to his son, Lu Chensha.

But expecting his son to contract with the Phantom Mink during the Foundation Establishment Stage was nearly impossible.

Even with a Core-Formation spirit, it would be challenging to form a contract—it would require taming and developing a bond.

Considering the Phantom Mink’s innate spatial divine power, he decided to use it to refine Empty-Ming Stones.

Meanwhile, he would have the Golden-Winged Roc keep a strict watch, teaching it a lesson or two.

When his son Lu Chensha returned, he should visit the Phantom Mink, treat it to fine food and drink, and even use the Beast Art to nurture its demonic form.

Once a bond and friendship had formed between man and beast, contracting it would become much simpler.

Even if the plan might fail, for the sake of his son’s future, Lu Changsheng was willing to be the villain.

After all, his son’s Beast Art—through the spirit pet contract—could elevate his innate foundation.

If he could contract the third-rank Phantom Mink during the Foundation Establishment Stage, securing a top-grade Golden Core would be a cinch, perhaps even paving the way toward an Immortal Golden Core.

“Squeak squeak squeak.”

The Phantom Mink, upon seeing the handsome Lu Changsheng before it, looked helpless and frightened, fully aware of his formidable power.

It longed to find Lu Chensha, who had once defended it with his words.

But as it lifted its head, it saw a golden roc bird looming over it.

The sharp golden eyes, like twin orbs of sunlight, exuded an overwhelming pressure that made it tremble instantly.

It wasn’t just the suppression from its demonic beast heritage but also the weight of rank.

Faced with such dual pressure—even if its demonic power wasn’t locked by Lu Changsheng—it would be powerless to resist at full strength.

Slowly, it turned its gaze toward a nearby figure and beheld the refined, scholarly features of Lu Quanzhen.

Instantly, it trembled again.

Though this person appeared human, he exuded the air of a humanoid beast—a presence imbued with ancestral might.

Of the two men and the roc, Lu Changsheng himself seemed the least intimidating to it.

“Father, what is this?” Lu Quanzhen asked curiously.

“The Phantom Mink possesses an exceptionally rare spatial gift—it can refine Empty-Ming Stones into Void Crystals.”

“Your Kunpeng body has spatial properties. Later, I’ll give you a Void Crystal so you can tap into the power of space, even to the point of shattering the vacuum during Core Assembly and condensing your law domain into a realm.”

Lu Changsheng smiled but said nothing about his role as a villain in helping his son Lu Chensha secure a spirit pet.

After all, a being as wise as the Phantom Mink understood him as soon as he spoke.

“Shatter the vacuum?” Although Lu Quanzhen’s cultivation advanced rapidly, his knowledge of Nascent Soul-level matters was still limited.

Lu Changsheng paused before looking at the Phantom Mink and said, “If you refine a Void Crystal well for me, for Chensha’s sake, I might let you off lightly.”

“But if you slack off, don’t expect any mercy from me.”

With that, he tossed two Empty-Ming Stones—exchanged from Yue Kingdom—at the Phantom Mink, released its binding, and then had the Golden Roc take it away.

The Golden-Winged Roc promptly scooped up the trembling Phantom Mink as if it were a small chick.

Even with its spatial gift, the Phantom Mink could not escape from a Fourth-Rank Golden-Winged Roc.

Not even the Golden-Winged Roc, fresh from its bloodletting, could let it go.

Soon after, Lu Changsheng imparted some Nascent Soul-level cultivation knowledge to his son Lu Quanzhen, broadening his horizons.

Time flew by, and before long, three months had passed.

After spending time with his family and visiting Azure Cloud Sect to see Xiao Xiyue and his son Lu Shouzheng, Lu Changsheng transformed his lottery-drawing techniques into refining expertise, elevating his artifact refining skill to Fourth Rank.

Though the Lu Family’s current resources lacked Fourth-Rank Earthfire,

relying on Tianyuan True Lord’s quasi-Fourth-Rank forge, he re-forged his Life-bound Treasure, Yin-Yang Chart, and even attempted to reforge the Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain he had once obtained from the Wind-Splitting Beast.

Based on his understanding of artifact refining, if perfected, the ‘Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain’ could serve as a tribulation-transcending treasure.

[Congratulations: Ten of your offspring have broken through to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, granting you one Advanced Lottery Draw opportunity!]

That day, suddenly, a system alert rang in Lu Changsheng’s mind.

“So, it’s finally ten, huh?”

Lu Changsheng figured it must be either his daughter Lu Linghe or Lu Mengchan who had broken through to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

Both daughters had long been at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment.

Yet it might also have been another of his children.

After all, the Lu Family disciples were gradually progressing into the later stages of Foundation Establishment and beginning to prepare for Core Assembly.

He didn’t rush to use his lottery draw; only after steadying the Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain before him did he silently murmur.

With a hint of anticipation, he watched the system’s wheel, wondering if it might grant him a tribulation-crossing treasure or an elixir to aid in his breakthrough.

[Ding! Congratulations: You have been awarded a Thunderstruck Fusang Wood!]

[Rewards have been deposited into your system space. You may check them at any time.]