Chapter 811: Revelations and Retaliations

Inside a majestic palace built entirely of deep-blue sea stone towers, its vast form rising imperiously.

Adorned in a blue brocade robe and exuding an air of authority, True Lord Pinghai scrutinized the intelligence his subordinate had returned with from the Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation realm.

“Immortal City of Damengze – Sun God Light – The Beast Tide Devastates a Fourth-Rank Demon King.”

Moments later, a captivating expression of surprise flickered across his usually imperious face.

He had sent men to cross the Mist Sea and head to Da Mengze to gather news in the Jiang Kingdom, not expecting much—merely a desperate gamble.

Yet, he never imagined they would so easily secure information related to the Sun God Light.

Furrowing his brow as he reviewed the Jade Slip detailing intel on the Sun God Light and the Immortal City of Damengze, his mind raced.

He suspected that this Sun God Light might very well be the same one that once assaulted Fuhai True Lord.

The intelligence on the Immortal City left him puzzled, its details defying logic.

After all, based on their previous clash, the enemy possessed not only a fourth-rank dragon whale of top bloodline and a weapon capable of eradicating a Nascent Soul fourth-rank Demon King, but also four Nascent Soul-level combatants.

Yet, the reports indicated that both City Lords of the Immortal City appeared to be nothing more than Nascent Soul cultivators.

Apart from City Lord Wang Lin, who had once subdued a Core Formation Grand cultivator by sheer presence to display Nascent Soul-level strength, neither he nor his spouse had shown any signs of Nascent Soul prowess.

Moreover, though City Lord Wang Lin possessed a top third-rank whale spirit pet, it was in a completely different league from the fourth-rank dragon whale they encountered.

True Lord Pinghai slowly lifted his gaze, his eyes shining with profound gravity, and asked the respectful Core Formation cultivator before him, “Is all this intelligence accurate?”

The Core Formation cultivator stiffened, feeling as if every part of him had been laid bare, and immediately knelt on one knee, replying reverently, “Lord, the intel was gathered by my inquiries in the Immortal City of Damengze and further confirmed in the Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation realm—it’s absolutely true!”

“Mm.”

True Lord Pinghai nodded slightly, not doubting a word.

This man was his trusted subordinate; he could never deceive him or falsify something so significant.

After bestowing him with a generous reward and signaling his dismissal, Pinghai continued to study the intelligence, lost deep in thought.

Was it deliberate concealment?

It likely wasn’t.

One of such formidable powers had no need to hide its strength—there was simply no reason to.

This kind of power could easily dominate the cultivation realm of the Jiang Kingdom.

Upon arriving in the Starry Sea, they would also stand among the elite! True Lord Pinghai was utterly baffled.

“Could it be that he was just bluffing back then?”

After a long pause, a thought surfaced in Pinghai’s mind.

He recalled a curious incident from the early days of the Starry Sea.

A lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator obtained a Spirit Pearl, which allowed him to feign Core Formation Qi and impersonate a Core Formation Grand cultivator, extorting and robbing others—even gaining access to high-level auctions.

Although eventually exposed, the incident became a popular tale for many factions to discuss over dinner.

Now, Lu Changsheng’s situation reminded him of that old story.

He suspected that the display of four Nascent Soul-level combatants by Lu Changsheng might have been a ruse—a mere bluff.

After all, even he had been terrified by the Sun God Light back then.

When four Nascent Soul-level combatants arrived, he didn’t hesitate to flee into the Great Void, without witnessing Yun Wanshang, the Soul-Taking Beast, or Qian Zhuyan making a move.

“This man likely possesses several treasured artifacts, but his true strength isn’t what we observed.”

True Lord Pinghai pondered, growing more convinced with each thought.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone with such overwhelming power to not dominate the Starry Sea and yet only rule a tributary in Da Mengze, while even being subjugated by a Nascent Soul-level faction.

Even so, the combination of a fourth-rank dragon whale and a weaponized Sun God Light—its power masked by secret techniques—still commanded his utmost respect and caution.

He immediately transmitted the news to Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord.

He wished to see what plans they had and what further intelligence they could gather.

In recent years, not only had he dispatched men to Da Mengze and the Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation realm,

but Fuhai True Lord and Lingbo True Lord had also sent trusted disciples to scout and gather more information.

Deep within Da Mengze, a haze of grey mist filled the distance.

Between the sea and the sky, a towering figure with three heads and six arms—its entire body radiating golden Brahma light intertwined with dark demonic energy—hoisted a coiling dragon square zun, absorbing the spiritual energy of the land and heavens.

Not far off, high above the boundless ocean, a handsome young man clad in a flowing azure robe sat at a desk, carefully sketching talismans with a pale-gold brush.

Beside him, a delicate and charming girl with two gracefully curved dragon horns stood, watching his work while intermittently glancing at the raised coiling dragon square zun wielded by the multi-armed figure.

Having learned from previous experiments that Lu Changsheng took days to barely condense a single drop of heavenly dew,

he naturally couldn’t wait idly. Seizing a spare moment, he began hastily drawing several talismans.

Over the years, he had rarely drawn talismans—his generous spending on his children and occasional sales had left him with only a few.

Though he rarely needed talismans now, it was prudent to have backups.

If unused, they could still be sold later.

Especially since his reputation as a True Lord of Lu Changsheng’s Talisman Art had spread throughout both the Jiang and Yue Kingdoms, with cultivators always vying to purchase them.

After an indeterminate period, Lu Changsheng finished a talisman, and upon noting that the heavenly dew on the Cheng Lu Pan had reached six droplets, he gathered together his brush, talisman paper, and Spiritual Ink.

He then produced a White Jade Porcelain Vial and filled it with the six droplets of heavenly dew.

Noticing the tender, charming face of the girl dressed in imposing armor—her eyes brimming with longing—as she stared at him, Lu Changsheng’s expression twitched.

If the heavenly dew were worthless, he wouldn’t hesitate to let Lu Lingjing have a taste.

But his purpose for coming was to use the heavenly dew to help his children break through to Core Formation.

“If you want some, craft it on your own—but leave at least ten drops for me, understood?”

Lu Changsheng handed her the Cheng Lu Pan with a wry smile and gentle instructions.

“Thank you, Master,” Lu Lingjing said as she embraced the imposing coiling dragon square zun and nodded vigorously at Lu Changsheng.

“Alright, I’m off for now. I’ll come back to check on you later.”

Although Lu Changsheng intended to head to the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range first to prepare the Nascent Soul realm, he decided not to take Lu Lingjing along.

On one hand, with Golden-Winged Roc, the Soul-Taking Beast, and Qian Zhuyan, their combined might was more than enough.

On the other hand, he still sensed an ominous aura of misfortune emanating from the Starry Sea.

So, to avoid any mishaps, he left Lu Lingjing behind in Da Mengze.

“Alright, Master,” she responded.

Lu Lingjing nodded and soon, her entire body began to glow with white radiance as she transformed into the colossal form of a dragon-whale demon beast to condense the heavenly dew.

If it weren’t for Lu Changsheng, she would rather remain in her beast form, finding it far more comfortable than taking on human guise.

Returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, she found that Ling Zixiao had already briefed Lu Quanzhen on the affairs of the Immortal City, and Hong Lian had prepared the materials needed for the grand formation; Lu Changsheng then led the group back to Bihu Mountain.

Ten days later, ripples of spatial energy suddenly emerged atop Biyun Peak as Lu Changsheng and his entourage arrived.

Hong Lian and Ling Zixiao gazed at the transformed Bihu Mountain with mixed emotions.

Since taking charge of the Immortal City of Damengze, Hong Lian had remained stationed there, never returning.

Seeing the simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar Bihu Mountain brought back memories of the night she helped Xu Ruoyin enter this spiritual land.

It was that very night when her destiny took a drastic turn.

Although Ling Zixiao had returned to Bihu Mountain once during her Core Formation breakthrough,

the spiritual veins on Biyun Peak had not yet advanced to the third rank then—now the difference was staggering.

Staring at Bihu Mountain, she recalled how, a century ago, she, along with Lu Changsheng, Lu Yuanzhong, and Bai Yunyang, took Bihu Mountain by force from the Yu clan.

Unbeknownst to them, the little clan had grown into the premier family in the Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation realm, renowned far and wide.

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Ling Zixiao staring blankly at Bihu Mountain, Lu Changsheng gently grasped her fair hand and inquired softly.

“Nothing—just feeling a bit sentimental. I can’t believe Bihu Mountain has already ascended to a third-rank spiritual land.”

Ling Zixiao shook her head slightly, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

It wasn’t only Hong Lian’s fate that had changed.

Ever since she met Lu Changsheng in the Immortal City—right from the moment he whispered ‘love at first sight’—their fates had begun to intertwine.

Over a century, she rose from a fragile Foundation Establishment female cultivator with little life left, to becoming the mistress of Bihu Mountain, the overseer of the Immortal City, and a Core Formation Grand cultivator! “Heh, the third-rank spiritual land is just the beginning. Once my husband ascends to Nascent Soul, we’ll cultivate Bihu Mountain into a fourth-rank spiritual land!”

Lu Changsheng harbored deep affection for his first spiritual land and was determined to nurture it well.

He planned that once he acquired methods to cultivate fourth-rank spiritual veins, not only would the Immortal City of Damengze but also Bihu Mountain be developed into fourth-rank spiritual lands, becoming the central and most prosperous region of the Jiang Kingdom! “I believe that day isn’t far off.”

Ling Zixiao’s graceful face lit up in a trusting smile for Lu Changsheng.

Now that Hong Lian and Ling Zixiao had rarely returned, Lu Changsheng immediately notified Lu Miaoyun to prepare a family banquet so that all his wives could meet.

Lu Miaoyun, Lu Miao, and the others held Hong Lian and Ling Zixiao in high regard.

Hong Lian barely needed to say a word—she was a former Nascent Soul senior.

Ling Zixiao, his trusted aide, had made significant contributions to the construction of Bihu Mountain in her early years.

Thus, the family banquet proceeded in harmonious camaraderie.

Lu Changsheng mused privately that if Yun Wanshang, Xiao Xiyue, Chu Qingyi, Ah Youduo, Nangong Mili, and Qingluan True Lord were all present, harmony would be impossible.

Yet, gathering all these women together for a meal seemed nearly as impossible as ascending to immortality.

Lu Changsheng never planned to force them into one group—as long as they didn’t compete, it would be fine.

After the meal, with his stomach full, Lu Changsheng found himself wondering which wife to accompany.

Thankfully, Lu Miaoyun and the others were considerate enough to offer the opportunity to Ling Zixiao and Hong Lian.

A few days later, Lu Changsheng emerged from Sumeru Cave Heaven.

Rather than rushing to the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, he summoned his son, Lu Qingxian, signaling that it was time to break through to Core Formation.

“Father, I’d like to wait a bit longer,” Lu Qingxian said with a respectful bow.

Lu Qingxian immediately clasped his hands in respect.

“Hm?” Lu Changsheng raised an arch eyebrow in mild astonishment.

Lu Qingxian quickly explained that he wanted to finish assimilating the residue from the Thunderstruck Fusang Wood before breaking through.

“You haven’t finished digesting it yet?”

Lu Changsheng frowned. After more than a month on this journey, he couldn’t believe his son still hadn’t fully absorbed a bit of the wood’s power. Lu Qingxian promptly lowered his head in shame.

It wasn’t due to laziness—those wood shavings held an overwhelmingly potent force.

Initially, with a scant dose of elixir, a single gulp had set off a furious tempest of Thunder Yang Flame and Evil-Warding Golden Lightning within him, nearly causing a calamity.

Fortunately, with the Sumeru Tree King’s watchful care, he managed to steady his spirit and suppress the raging power.

“Is this wood truly beneficial to you?” Lu Changsheng inquired, stroking his chin as he realized that these fifth-rank spirit woods were far more helpful to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like his son than he had initially imagined.

After all, he had only casually scraped off a bit of it back then.

“It’s incredibly helpful!”

Lu Qingxian nodded enthusiastically, exclaiming, “I thought I’d hit a wall in my cultivation, but mixing this wood with my spiritual elixir has propelled my magical energy further—making it even purer and more refined.”

Amazement spread across his face as he marveled at the extraordinary origins of his father’s wood shavings and the overwhelming force they possessed.

During consumption, even his Thunderfire Body began to stir restlessly.

“Since it’s so effective, you needn’t rush the breakthrough—use more of it,”

advised Lu Changsheng, who understood well that the Thunderstruck Fusang Wood held far more potential than he’d expected. It could serve as a top-tier breakthrough spiritual item for not only Core Formation but even Nascent Soul cultivators,

so he casually retrieved the sealed Thunderstruck Fusang Wood, used his Xuanmu Gourd along with an Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger to scrape a bit more powder for his son.

Fifth-rank treasures were priceless to others, but Lu Changsheng regarded them merely as trivial powder.

“Huh!?”

Staring at the charcoal-black, purple-ridged Fusang Wood the size of a baby in his father’s hand, Lu Qingxian was dumbfounded.

Could it be that the wood shavings he consumed were scraped off from this massive chunk? Just a taste of it could have meant an explosive surge of magical energy that might shatter one’s body!

What caliber of spirit wood was this?

Lu Qingxian was filled with awe.

Lu Changsheng scraped off roughly a nail’s worth of powder for him, indicating that with such affordance, there was no rush for breakthrough—absorb it all.

He then added two more droplets of heavenly dew.

When it came time for the breakthrough, one drop would be ingested with a Condensing Crystal Pill, and one with the wood shavings.

Since the Thunderstruck Fusang Wood’s nature matched that of his son, it could serve as a top-tier breakthrough spiritual item.

“Thank you, Father,” Lu Qingxian said respectfully as he accepted the Jade Box.

Lu Changsheng waved him on, urging him to focus on cultivation before moving on to visit his daughter, Lu Wangshu.

Although she was capable of breaking through to Core Formation, her pride ran deep.

After acquiring the Dao Heart Enlightenment Seed, her training process—with a perfect union of Talisman Art and divine truth—revealed many shortcomings in herself, so her breakthrough would be delayed considerably.

Lu Changsheng was unperturbed, even pleased by this.

As for daughter-in-law Wang Yanjing, he didn’t visit her personally, instead instructing his wife, Lu Miaoyun, to see her later.

After ensuring the wellbeing of his children, Lu Changsheng went to the Lu Family Treasure Vault in Sumeru Cave Heaven to activate the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.

“Beep, beep, beep. Caiyun, are you there? Caiyun, this is the Kirin Sword Lord calling.”

Through the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, Lu Changsheng contacted Yun Wanshang.

Although he estimated that Yun Wanshang would remain pregnant for quite some time,

given that she had already been three years along, it wouldn’t do for her to give birth immediately as he just arrived at the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

To be safe—and to express his concern—he asked after her.

After a moment, the mirror revealed the exquisitely delicate face of a slightly pale Yun Wanshang.

“What is it?”

Inside Caiyun Hall, Yun Wanshang, holding a Sun-Moon Token, asked in a clear, captivating voice.

“Isn’t it that I’ve been missing you?”

Lu Changsheng could see through the mirror Yun Wanshang’s richly adorned, colorful dress and her prominently rounded belly as he spoke gently.

He knew well of the immense toll it had taken for her to nurture her Sword Embryo Dao Body.

“Get to the point,”

Yun Wanshang replied coolly, her voice as crisp as ever.

Lu Changsheng shook his head; her frosty tone reminded him of her once fiery nature in the Land of Eternal Night. Yet, knowing that pregnancy often brings unpredictable moods, Lu Ancestor was patient as he said, “I’ve nearly prepared everything on my Nascent Soul front. Now, all that’s missing is the spiritual land. I plan to set it up in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range soon.”

“So, I just wanted to check on your progress, and ask: how long do you reckon until our child is born? If it’s soon, I’ll wait for you there; if not, I’ll go ahead and prepare.”

Lu Changsheng’s gentle voice exuded warmth and care.

However, his tender tone made Yun Wanshang’s skin prickle as she wondered how his communication device managed to convey voice so vividly.

“You go ahead,”

she replied coolly, maintaining her icily composed tone, “but how much longer until our child is born?”

Concern etched in his features, Lu Changsheng inquired, wanting to know how much longer the pregnancy would last.

Soon, he saw Yun Wanshang tenderly caress her rounded belly through the mirror, her eyes softly radiating maternal warmth.

“At least a year—if not longer,” she answered after a moment.

After a brief pause, Yun Wanshang lifted her eyes and said, “Then rest assured—go ahead.”

As a cultivator and a Nascent Soul True Lord, she could choose to give birth at any time she wished.

Yet, given her current state and conditions, she preferred to see it through to perfection.

Especially since she was nurturing her Sword Embryo Dao Body using the innate power of a Great Luo Sword Embryo—a process that required intense concentration.

The procedure had to be undisturbed to avoid jarring the fetus, ensuring a flawless union of the Sword Embryo and the unborn child.

Based on current progress, it was estimated that in about a year the child’s essence would completely merge with the Sword Embryo’s core, forming the so-called Sword Embryo Dao Body.

Even once the Sword Embryo Dao Body was complete, she would still work to refine the nascent soul within her child,

only opting to deliver once it could no longer be contained.

“Alright, no rush. Take your time,”

Lu Changsheng murmured gently, his tone devoid of any urgency.

Although a prolonged pregnancy doesn’t guarantee extraordinary talent, the longer it lasts, the better the child’s innate potential.

For a Nascent Soul True Lord like Yun Wanshang, who was only three years into her pregnancy while nurturing a Sword Embryo Dao Body, this was hardly considered long.

Recall how Ina was pregnant for four and a half years, and Shen Yiren even for five! If Lu Lingjing hadn’t devoured all the heavenly dew, Lu Changsheng would have sent some to Azure Cloud Sect to bolster Yun Wanshang.

After all, heavenly dew—the pure essence of the heavens and earth—bore significant benefits for both mother and child.

And Yun Wanshang’s condition was clearly waning.

After a few more words of concern from Lu Changsheng, he ended the call and slipped the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror into his bosom before proceeding to the Lu Family Treasure Vault.

What he reaped from his travels would not only stock the Immortal City of Damengze’s vault but also enrich the Lu Family’s own treasury.

Once preparations were complete, Lu Changsheng summoned Golden-Winged Roc and led Hong Lian, Ling Zixiao, and Qian Zhuyan towards the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

Having scouted the range before, he signaled Golden-Winged Roc to dive deeper with confident familiarity.

Though his group’s strength could easily handle any fourth-rank Demon King, once deep within the range, Lu Changsheng instructed Golden-Winged Roc to retract its spiritual energy and, with the aid of the divine technique “Yin-Yang Glass Wall,” conceal its demonic aura.

A month later, Lu Changsheng eyed a prospective spiritual land, casting three Divination Copper Coins in order to predict its auspiciousness.

Initially, he had only gauged the general qi and spiritual vitality of several fourth-rank spiritual lands using his Qi Observation technique.

But evaluating its suitability for a Nascent Soul breakthrough required a closer look at the potential dangers and fortuity of that land.

“Balanced! Balanced! Minor ill omens! Minor auspices!”

Lu Changsheng proceeded to assess various spiritual lands, confident in his current formation and possession of the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, knowing that only an ambush by a mid-fourth-rank Demon King’s beast tide might cause any mishaps.

“In that case, let’s settle here.”

Observing a spiritual land with minor auspices, Lu Changsheng scrutinized the situation through the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror and determined that its fourth-rank Demon King was a golden-haired, single-horned bear.

He consumed a pill, sat cross-legged to steady himself, and then signaled Golden-Winged Roc to lead the charge.

Golden-Winged Roc was prepared for such encounters.

Its body, covered in radiant golden plumes, shone like a blazing burst of fire as it soared toward the territory of the golden-haired, single-horned bear.

“This is my domain now!”

Golden-Winged Roc howled toward the heavens, its demonic qi spreading far and wide.

The bear’s aura erupted into a tempest so fierce it obscured the sky, its golden wings spreading like clouds that darkened the world as it challenged the intruder.

This spectacle allowed Lu Changsheng and Hong Lian to strike without drawing the ire of other Demon Kings.

“Roar!!!”

Confronted with such a blatant territorial incursion, the golden-haired, single-horned bear bellowed, its thunderous sound echoing for hundreds of miles and instilling terror among the surrounding demon beasts.

Then, as if the very earth trembled, a colossal figure emerged from afar—a massive bear-man clad entirely in radiant gold, his single horn atop his head reminiscent of a divine golden spear, exuding awe-inspiring dominance.

Facing Golden-Winged Roc, a True Spirit beast, the bear showed no signs of backing down, his imposing presence as formidable as that of a god or demon.

“Such a fourth-rank Demon King is simply terrifying,”

remarked Ling Zixiao. Though she had witnessed the Void Kun when it had barely ascended to the fourth rank, the golden-haired, single-horned bear clearly had long been a fourth-rank powerhouse, his aura immensely more terrifying.

Without Lu Changsheng’s interference to shield her, a Core Formation cultivator like herself would stand no chance against him.

“Zixiao, why don’t you retreat into the Heavenly Yuan Lotus? Otherwise, when we engage, should additional Demon Kings arrive, I fear I won’t be able to cover you,”

Lu Changsheng observed that this fourth-rank bear king was exceptionally formidable—no less than the Wind-Splitting Beast from the Forbidden Sea.

Yet, compared to the Forbidden Sea, he now lacked the Great Luo Sword Embryo, which slightly diminished his offensive might.

“Alright, Young Master, Hong Lian, Qian Zhuyan—be cautious,”

Ling Zixiao reported, understanding that she couldn’t contribute much and that as long as Lu Changsheng remained unhampered, all would be well.

At that moment, the Heavenly Yuan Lotus appeared, and Ling Zixiao melded into it.

Lu Changsheng noted that the golden-haired, single-horned bear was not looking for a pitched battle with Golden-Winged Roc; instead, he sought to drive it back through sheer aura.

Such behavior was typical—no fourth-rank Demon King relished pointless skirmishes, for a heavy injury would force years, even decades, of recovery.

However, Golden-Winged Roc had come to pick a fight, launching a full-scale assault.

Its body erupted with tens of thousands of radiant feathers as the “Heaven Roc Fighting Dragon Chart” emerged, its qi vicious and intense.

Lu Changsheng muttered to himself, marveling at Golden-Winged Roc’s unbridled aggression—it wasn’t clear where it had learned such tactics.

If its opponent chose to avoid direct conflict and engage in a war of attrition, Golden-Winged Roc would be severely disadvantaged.

“Hong Lian, Xiao Yan, prepare yourselves,”

Lu Changsheng instructed as he discreetly extracted the Soul-Taking Beast from his sleeve and whispered to Qian Zhuyan and Hong Lian before moving forward silently.

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

As Golden-Winged Roc clashed with the golden-haired, single-horned bear in a battle that sent shockwaves shattering nearby rocks and trees into dust,

Lu Changsheng, alongside Golden-Winged Roc, exchanged a glance—once they confirmed the bear was utterly defeated, the surging energy from his Nine Treasures Dao Bone subsided, and he exhaled a long, heavy breath.

Though Lu Changsheng felt that lacking the Great Luo Sword Embryo didn’t greatly impact his strength,

its absence still left a significant gap when attempting to execute certain divine techniques or even when resorting to Master Loushan’s Mountain-Moving Whip.

“Perhaps later I should consider refining the True Demon Slaying Spear from the True Saint Skill of Brahma and Demons,”

Lu Changsheng mused quietly.

He believed that the Yin-Yang Creation Sutra was not particularly adept at combative maneuvers.

Even though it did offer offensive capabilities supported by corresponding divine treasures, its might paled in comparison to the combative strategies of the True Saint Skill of Brahma and Demons.

Thus, to truly elevate his combat prowess, he thought it might be better to refine the accompanying divine treasure from the True Saint Skill of Brahma and Demons.

“Whoosh!”

Red Lotus descended like a divine arch from above, landing beside Lu Changsheng and gazing at the bloodied remains of the golden-haired, single-horned bear with a tinge of melancholy.

A fourth-rank shapeshifting Demon King reduced to nothing by their combined might.

“Peng Wang,”

she called out, signaling Golden-Winged Roc to saturate the area with demonic aura over a hundred-mile radius as a declaration of territorial dominion.

Golden-Winged Roc responded with an ear-splitting howl as demonic energy surged around it, rolling like waves that enveloped the heavens and the earth.

Lu Changsheng retrieved his fate-bound divine treasure, the Yin-Yang Diagram, while the Soul-Taking Beast transformed back into its little macaque form, and Qian Zhuyan then dismantled the puppet battle formation, the rumbling of their bodies gradually fading away.

Noticing that the demonic energy had nearly subsided, Red Lotus removed the red flame barrier she had formed, her face slightly pale.

Even though the battle had lasted less than fifteen minutes, her breakthrough to Nascent Soul was still pending, and masking the disturbance of qi in the area had taken its toll.

“Hong Lian, Xiao Yan, Golden-Winged Roc, thank you for your hard work,”

Lu Changsheng said to each as he gathered them.

As for the Soul-Taking Beast, it had inexplicably fallen into a deep slumber right after emerging from the Sealing Demon Realm, as if it could never get enough rest.

Barely having finished the fight, it had instantly passed out.

Had Lu Changsheng not been involved in the battle the entire time, he might have believed it had exerted itself terribly, exhausting itself into unconsciousness.

He then picked up the dozing Soul-Taking Beast and tossed it into the Heavenly Yuan Lotus, while also releasing Ling Zixiao from within it.

“Ah, Young Master, are you all done?”

Dressed in a light-blue palace robe with refined features, Ling Zixiao stared in utter shock at the ruined scene before her.

She recalled that she had only been in the Heavenly Yuan Lotus for a short while.

Could a fourth-rank Demon King really have been slain so swiftly?

Tilting her head, she soon spotted a mountain of golden debris exuding a heavy, fearsome aura—certainly the remains of the golden-haired, single-horned bear.

“This…”

Though she knew her husband’s strength was astonishing, especially with the aid of Golden-Winged Roc, Qian Zhuyan, and Red Lotus, the rapid conclusion of the battle completely stunned her.

After all, when the Heavenly Sword Sect harnessed the power of the Jiang Kingdom to eradicate a fourth-rank Demon King, they spared no expense in their preparations.

Moreover, the deeper within the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, the Demon Kings typically possessed far greater strength than those on the outskirts.

“Alright, it’s over. Now it’s up to you, Zixiao,”

Lu Changsheng, his face slightly pale from the earlier exertion, smiled at his wife.

Although Ling Zixiao hadn’t spent much time on formation arts since arriving at the Immortal City, she was still considered a lower-tier third-rank formation master.

Her natural affinity for formations, refined over the years despite limited practice, allowed her to still engage in the art without fully committing to in-depth arrays.

“I can’t say it’s much hardship on my part,” Ling Zixiao replied softly.

“Golden-Winged Roc,”

Lu Changsheng ordered, disposing of the golden-haired, single-horned bear’s flesh using Golden-Winged Roc—with just its horn, paw, bone structure, and demon core kept for himself.

Then, along with Red Lotus and Ling Zixiao, he led the way deep into the bear’s lair to further inspect the situation.

“No wonder this place was predicted to be somewhat auspicious,”

he mused.

Inside the bear’s lair, Lu Changsheng discovered a cluster of fourth-rank spiritual plants—Golden Gang Vine.

Their vines were insanely tough, with a faint layer of golden qi exuding from them, ideal for refining fourth-rank vine armor, and they even bore a fruit called the Golden Spirit Fruit.

For cultivators specializing in metal techniques, these fruits provided tremendous benefits and could also be used to temper the bones, bolstering one’s physical strength.

However, on the Golden Gang Vine, only a few immature Golden Spirit Fruits clung on.

Moreover, it appeared that the golden-haired, single-horned bear favored metal—the lair brimmed with golden iron ore.

In essence, the iron ore and Golden Gang Vine present would allow Lu Changsheng to refine a fourth-rank weapon or vine armor.

And considering the bear’s corpse outside, there was enough to craft several spirit treasures.

But that wasn’t all: along with Red Lotus’s further inspection, they discovered that deep within the lair, there oozed out a golden marrow milk—a clear sign of a golden element vein.

However, the golden-haired, single-horned bear hadn’t disturbed the vein, allowing the earth to nurture this golden milk naturally.

Lu Changsheng collected a portion of the golden marrow milk; as for the golden iron ore, it was too massive to relocate at present.

After completing the inspection of the bear’s lair, Lu Changsheng along with Red Lotus and Ling Zixiao began preparing the grand formation.

“The array need not be enormous; just shroud this area completely,”

Lu Changsheng declared as he set up the formation. To avoid any mishaps, he opted to expend a sensible amount of effort—just as one would when arranging a family formation.

In the process, he retrieved the previously won Thunderstruck Fusang Wood, using it as a temporary core for the array to boost its potency.

“Huh!?”

Red Lotus, scrutinizing the Thunderstruck Fusang Wood before her, asked in amazement, “Husband, is that Fusang Wood?”

“Yes, indeed,”

Lu Changsheng replied with a calm smile, impressed that Red Lotus, now a Nascent Soul True Lord herself, could even recognize Fusang Wood.

After all, the charred and unrecognizable wood could hardly reveal its original form.

“Using it as the array’s core to set up a Thunder-Fire Formation is a brilliant idea, though it doesn’t quite match the local spiritual veins,”

Red Lotus mused softly.

“As long as it isn’t a major hindrance, it’ll do,”

Lu Changsheng replied with a faint smile, not overly demanding perfection.

After all, the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range wasn’t a manicured garden—finding a flawless spiritual land wasn’t easy.

Soon, the three of them set to work. Lu Changsheng and Red Lotus refined the array’s banners while Ling Zixiao inscribed the array’s patterns.

Time flew, and before long, six months had passed.

During this period, Lu Changsheng, Red Lotus, and Ling Zixiao busied themselves with the formation in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

Fortunately, during the earlier battle with the golden-haired, single-horned bear, Golden-Winged Roc had provided cover, ensuring that no other Demon Kings disturbed their work.

In between, Golden-Winged Roc periodically patrolled and hunted, and no demon beast dared approach their territory to interfere.

Then, one day, Lu Changsheng suddenly felt an inexplicable stirring in his heart.

He frowned slightly and, after a quick calculation with his fingers, sensed an ominous premonition.

“Husband, is there trouble at the Immortal City?”

Red Lotus, noticing Lu Changsheng’s troubled expression, immediately guessed that things might be amiss at Damengze.

After all, the matter with Lu Lingjing hadn’t been completely resolved, and none of them were currently stationed in the Immortal City.

Lu Changsheng remained silent as he cast three Divination Copper Coins, focusing all his energy on the reading, determined to pinpoint the source of this misfortune.

As a fourth-rank Divination Master, it didn’t take long for him to discern the gloomy origin.

It was the Liang-Yue War—or rather, the trouble he’d stirred up in the Yue Region.

Exhaling a stream of refined blood, he delved even deeper into his calculations until the source emerged.

“The Seven Kill Sect! The assassins from the Seven Kill Sect?”

Lu Changsheng suddenly realized that it wasn’t members of the Seven Kill Sect personally coming to kill him—it was retribution delivered via assassination.

In other words, this attack was a blatant act of vengeance aimed at the entire Talisman Lu Family!

Lu Changsheng had long suspected that the Seven Kill Sect might retaliate, so he had already arranged for Lu Qingshan to bring Lu Qingxian and the others back from the Liang-Yue battlefield.

He never expected, however, that they would even venture into the depths of the Jiang Kingdom to cause trouble.

“Truly, vengeance knows no bounds,”

Lu Changsheng’s face hardened as he turned to Red Lotus and Ling Zixiao and said, “Red Lotus, Ling Zixiao, there may be danger at home. I must go check it out.”

Although Bihu Mountain was under the watch of his son, Lu Ping’an, averting the risk of an extermination,

the lethal stealth of the Seven Kill Sect meant that these attacks were sheer retribution.

Chances were high that they would target the Lu Family disciples or family strongholds like White Tiger Mountain and Flower Fruit Mountain.

If he didn’t act and let Lu Ping’an handle it, significant casualties might occur.

Thus, Lu Changsheng resolved to return and personally deal with these assassins.