Chapter 815: Ascension and Intrigue

Lu Changsheng and Yun Wanshang left Azure Cloud Sect.

However, Yun Wanshang did not depart in broad daylight; she activated her Divine Technique to mask her presence, moving silently.

As a Nascent Soul True Lord, her public appearance could unsettle the entire sect.

“Where are you heading?”

Noticing that Lu Changsheng wasn’t directly heading to the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, Yun Wanshang frowned and asked.

“I’m making a stop at Bihu Mountain.”

Lu Changsheng announced, sending a message to his wife Lu Miaoge that he was about to set out.

Hearing this, Yun Wanshang did not press further, assuming he was simply handling some matters.

The pair reached the outskirts of Bihu Mountain when Lu Miaoge appeared gracefully.

Dressed in an immaculate white palace robe reminiscent of a transcendent beauty untouched by the mud, she exuded an ethereal charm.

Seeing another woman with a hazy aura of shifting colors by her husband’s side, Lu Miaoge’s elegant features faltered momentarily.

Who is this woman?

She had believed that Lu Changsheng’s trip from Azure Cloud Sect was merely a farewell to Xiao Xiyue or perhaps to include her, so why was there a woman she had never seen before?

Moreover, there was something inexplicably familiar about the figure, enveloped in shimmering sunset light.

Seeing Lu Miaoge, Yun Wanshang’s heart skipped a beat.

She clearly remembered that in an early Soul Dream, apart from herself, there was a woman named Yun Miaoge.

Later she learned that this woman was Lu Changsheng’s wife – Lu Miaoge.

Although it had only been a dream,

it was a dream in which she not only shared intimacy with Lu Changsheng but also bore his son, Lu Yunxiao.

Under such circumstances, she couldn’t simply dismiss the dream as fantasy.

Thus, she felt a peculiar awkwardness toward this dream-version of Lu Miaoge.

Just as when Lu Miaoge had brought their son Lu Qingxian to Azure Cloud Sect to pay respects, she had cloaked herself in magical energy to avoid revealing her true face.

But now, why would Lu Changsheng, whom she had helped to break through to Nascent Soul, call upon Lu Miaoge as well? Was he deliberately trying to make her feel uneasy and test her limits? After all, Yun Wanshang was well aware that she would soon need to help him with the breakthrough.

Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge had also been cultivating the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra. Is he trying to have all three of them practice together?

In that moment, Yun Wanshang’s face turned icy as she glared coldly at Lu Changsheng.

She was convinced that he was purposely testing her boundaries, perhaps even entertaining unsavory plans involving herself, his disciple Xiao Xiyue, and Chu Qingyi. “Sister Miaoge…”

Just as Lu Changsheng stepped forward and grasped the delicate hand of Lu Miaoge, he felt the prickly, cold gaze of Yun Wanshang like shards of ice.

What on earth is with this woman?

Why has her mood been so erratic lately? It’s completely baffling.

Even if pregnancy could cause mood swings, it shouldn’t be this extreme, should it?

Moreover, as a Nascent Soul True Lord, she was expected to be immune to such fluctuations.

“Lu Changsheng, do you think this is some kind of amusement?”

In the next moment, his mind echoed with Yun Wanshang’s clear and melodious voice.

“What amusement?”

Lu Changsheng looked at Yun Wanshang innocently, not grasping the meaning behind her words.

Yet he couldn’t miss the fact that her exquisitely beautiful face, usually bathed in radiant light, now seemed as cold as frost, her eyes burning with anger.

Despite his innocent demeanor, Yun Wanshang refused to believe his words.

She knew this sly man’s honeyed words were nothing but deceit.

“Lu Changsheng, who is this immortal?”

Although Lu Miaoge sensed that something was off,

her gentle, kind nature made her suspect that her husband might have attracted a new love interest, so she looked at him with watery eyes and inquired.

“Hiss…”

Hearing his wife’s question, Lu Changsheng suddenly realized why Yun Wanshang had become angry.

Her mood swings over the years were closely tied to his romantic entanglements.

Even though his wife Lu Miaoge and Yun Wanshang had nothing to do with each other,

bringing her along while also having another woman would naturally enrage Yun Wanshang.

Moreover,

in that early Soul Dream, perhaps influenced by him, there was an inextricable link between Lu Miaoge and Yun Wanshang. “Caiyun, listen to my explanation. You must have heard that Sister Miaoge and I cultivated a combined technique. It isn’t a rumor.”

Immediately, Lu Changsheng sent a message to Yun Wanshang, insisting that he had no ulterior motives.

He explained that calling upon his wife Lu Miaoge was solely due to their shared cultivation technique.

Such matters would be evident in due time.

“I, Lu Changsheng, may have some mundane desires like any man, but at a time like this, why would I entertain such thoughts!”

With a hint of exasperation, Lu Changsheng admitted.

He never denied his base impulses.

But in such matters, he always respected his wife and would never force her hand.

Yun Wanshang remained skeptical.

Yet, seeing the sincerity in Lu Changsheng’s eyes, she coldly commanded, “Do not reveal my identity.”

Lu Changsheng, a bit exasperated, introduced his wife, “Sister Miaoge, this is True Lord Yun Ji, who has come to safeguard me as I break through to Nascent Soul.”

Note that ‘Yun’ refers to Yun Wanshang, and

‘Ji’ signifies the calm after a storm when anger subsides.

It also implies ‘the heavens clear and the stars shine forever’ – a sign that his breakthrough will open up a new world! “True Lord Yun Ji?”

Lu Miaoge was surprised.

She hadn’t expected that the woman before her was a Nascent Soul True Lord.

Even though her husband was on the verge of a breakthrough, she still maintained her reverence for a Nascent Soul True Lord.

After all, there are merely a handful in the entire Jiang Kingdom’s cultivation world.

Still, she was puzzled – where had this True Lord Yun Ji come from in the Jiang Kingdom? Was he an esteemed senior her husband had met elsewhere?

Without further thought, she bowed respectfully, “I am Lu Miaoge. Pleased to meet you, True Lord Yun Ji.”

“Mm.”

Yun Wanshang, shrouded in a luminous haze as if standing aloof amidst the mortal world, nodded slightly.

Then she signaled Lu Changsheng, urging him to leave quickly.

Soon, the three of them set off for the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

In the past, when Lu Changsheng traveled with his wife, he was always relaxed and carefree, as if enjoying a leisurely stroll.

But now, Yun Wanshang’s silent, icy demeanor made Lu Changsheng utterly uncomfortable.

He thought that perhaps he should have brought his son Lu Yunxiao along so that Yun Wanshang could accompany him and ease her mood.

Without the Golden-Winged Roc, Lu Changsheng proceeded with utmost caution in the deep reaches of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

Throughout the journey, he employed his Yin-Yang Glass Wall to mask the three of them, and used divinations to steer clear of danger.

During the trek, Yun Wanshang and he frequently used the Misty Dust Banner to speed along. When his magical energy was expended by more than thirty percent, they would rest and take Pills, using a thousand-year supply of Spirit Milk to recover.

After all, deep in the mountain range, with the Demon King entrenched, he could ill afford any mishaps or wasted energy.

After more than two months, the trio finally arrived at the domain of the Golden-Haired Monoceros Bear.

“Screech!”

At Lu Changsheng’s arrival, the Golden-Winged Roc, resplendent as if forged from pure gold, swooped in to greet him.

It was clear that during Lu Changsheng’s year-long absence, the Roc had thrived, its spirit and energy even surpassing its former self.

“Husband, Sister Miaoge.”

“Young Master, Sister Miaoge.”

As Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge descended from the Golden-Winged Roc, Hong Lian and Ling Zixiao promptly approached, greeting them and then turning their attention to Yun Wanshang.

Though Ling Zixiao, a Core Formation cultivator, found it hard to discern Yun Wanshang’s features,

the one possessing a Nascent Soul could vaguely recognize her as Yun Wanshang.

She wondered silently why Yun Wanshang felt the need to conceal her appearance.

But as a high-caliber Nascent Soul True Lord, Yun Wanshang gracefully smiled and said, “Pleased to meet you, my friend.”

“This is True Lord Yun Ji, who has come to help me break through to Nascent Soul,” Lu Changsheng explained with a resigned sigh.

Lu Changsheng’s tone betrayed his exasperation.

Ling Zixiao, upon hearing the name, thought, Where did this True Lord Yun Ji come from in the Jiang Kingdom? Besides, when Lu Changsheng broke through to Core Formation in the past, she had been present the entire time, knowing exactly how to assist.

Not only did the Jiang Kingdom lack a True Lord Yun Ji, but in any case, there were far fewer Nascent Soul female cultivators than their male counterparts.

And for a Nascent Soul female cultivator to help her husband break through to Nascent Soul, bearing the name ‘Yun’ – could she possibly be the recently promoted True Lord Caiyun renaming herself as True Lord Yun Ji? Wasn’t she seen a short while ago in Immortal City of Damengze?

“Could it be that he finds such matters shameful?”

Ling Zixiao mused, suddenly finding this True Lord Caiyun quite intriguing.

Nevertheless, given that a True Lord was present, she remained respectful and bowed to Yun Wanshang.

“Hong Lian, Ling Zixiao, you’ve done well these past days,” Lu Changsheng observed, noting that the formation was nearly complete, though still in need of some reinforcement.

“Husband, see if the formation needs any further adjustments,” Hong Lian replied. Although she never involved herself in Lu Changsheng’s inner affairs, her Nascent Soul status and dignified aura commanded respect among the women, giving her a rare degree of authority when addressing him.

“The defense is nearly complete; it mainly conceals our energy. A few minor tweaks will do,” Lu Changsheng said, clearly uninterested in spending excessive time on the formation as it was merely a precaution.

Besides, setting up a top-tier formation with just two or three people was both time-consuming and costly. He was eager to break through as soon as possible.

“What about Xiao Yan?” Lu Changsheng asked, noticing that Qian Zhuyan had yet to appear.

“My friend Qian Zhuyan has been busy crafting a Puppet all this time,” Hong Lian responded.

Qian Zhuyan’s solitary nature meant that while he could converse, he rarely mingled with the others.

“Mm,” Lu Changsheng nodded, familiar with Qian Zhuyan’s temperament.

Even though he worked with Qian Zhuyan mainly on discussions about artifact refining, the latter showed passion and initiative only in that area; otherwise, he remained as cold as a mechanical puppet, lost in his own world.

Shortly thereafter, Lu Changsheng, along with Hong Lian and Ling Zixiao, began reinforcing the formation.

Although Yun Wanshang was no master of arrays, as a Nascent Soul True Lord and an early elder of Azure Cloud Sect, she had considerable experience with formations and artifact refining.

While she couldn’t take the lead in setting up the formation, her assistance was more than adequate.

Meanwhile, at the border of the Yue Kingdom,

“What is happening? Why does this sinister aura of calamity seem endless?”

For years, True Lord Xuanjian had been stationed at the forefront of the Yue Kingdom.

The war was brutal and evenly matched.

Even with the full support of the Jiang Kingdom, countering the enemy barely held together under the intervention of the Yuan Kingdom.

Yet in such a deadlock, Liang Kingdom stubbornly refused to retreat, leaving the Yue Kingdom’s leadership perplexed.

However, six months ago, True Lord Xuanjian suddenly sensed a surge of ominous energy spreading.

In wars between nations, ominous moods can fluctuate unpredictably.

With so many cultivators involved and with a Nascent Soul True Lord stationed, fate’s secrets became muddled, making divination nearly impossible.

So when the Yue Kingdom suddenly experienced this rising ominous energy, it signified imminent danger.

Yet, judging by the war’s situation, the Yue Kingdom was far from being in danger.

For the past six months, True Lord Xuanjian had continually monitored this ominous aura, hoping it would dissipate.

But even after half a year, the aura not only persisted but grew stronger and more distinct.

Even some third-rank diviners could sense its presence.

“Could Liang Kingdom have a new Nascent Soul True Lord? Even if so, it shouldn’t be like this,”

True Lord Xuanjian mused, convinced that Liang Kingdom must have adopted some dreadful tactic to cause such an aura to spread in the midst of a war between two nations.

Yet whether it was a newly emerged Nascent Soul True Lord, a newly trained fourth-rank Beast God, or even the invitation of another Nascent Soul True Lord, none could account for the extent of it.

Nor could the simultaneous breakthrough of a Nascent Soul True Lord and the emergence of a fourth-rank Beast God, or even a Sharpshooter God, be so easily explained.

After so many years of war, national strength only dwindled further. If Liang Kingdom truly had such profound tactics, they could have easily crushed the Yue Kingdom in earlier wars.

But regardless, these signs forebode trouble.

For once the Yue Kingdom is decisively defeated, the Jiang Kingdom and Heavenly Sword Sect will face direct assaults from Liang Kingdom and Yuan Kingdom.

Not only that – if the Jin Kingdom were not mired in internal strife, and if neither the Five Poisons Sect nor the Heavenly Corpse Sect wanted to collaborate with Yin Ghost Sect against Jiang Kingdom, merely the old alliance between Beast God Mountain and True Lord Mingsha would leave Jiang Kingdom struggling to aid Yue Kingdom.

If the Yue Kingdom were to suffer a crushing defeat, even without the Five Poisons Sect and Heavenly Corpse Sect, the Yin Ghost Sect would still scheme to carve out a portion for themselves from Jiang Kingdom!

“Phew!”

After a long while, True Lord Xuanjian exhaled a weary cloud of foul air, unable to discern even the faintest clue from the ominous energy.

He knew that unless he risked depleting a vast amount of his life force to forcefully pierce through the veil of fate, he couldn’t grasp the true picture.

But given the current situation, expending that much energy would only endanger him further.

After a long contemplation, True Lord Xuanjian changed his approach to predict how he might act to save Heavenly Sword Sect.

After all, this war involved too many karmic threads for even a seasoned diviner to bear.

So he decided to use himself as a medium to forecast the future of Heavenly Sword Sect and analyze the situation.

Several divination devices appeared around him, swirling in the air, channeling a force of fate.

As his face grew pale and his vital energy depleted, it was as if he was glimpsing an approaching army at Heavenly Sword Sect in the river of destiny.

But that was only a single ripple on the vast river,

with countless ripples symbolizing innumerable paths and possibilities for the future.

He longed to see more – to collect more information – but the cost was too high. Although, as a Nascent Soul True Lord and a grandmaster of divination, he could only glean what the vast web of Heavenly Sword Sect’s fate permitted.

“Huff!”

After what seemed like an eternity, True Lord Xuanjian’s eyes snapped open, his temples sprinkled with streaks of gray.

Over the years, the war had already pushed him to his limits in using his heavenly art; now, peering into the river of destiny had cost him dearly.

Still, he had gained something.

“Calamity… Sword…”

These were the two threads he had seen in the river of destiny. The word ‘calamity’ signified a huge crisis looming for Heavenly Sword Sect.

As for ‘sword’, it hinted at an alternative path – not one of defeat, but one that could resolve the crisis.

Yet what did this sword truly represent? True Lord Xuanjian wasn’t sure and couldn’t afford to further expend his energy on divination.

After all, no divination could predict everything.

He pondered, “Does this sword represent our Heavenly Sword Sect, a certain weapon, or a person?”

True Lord Xuanjian ruminated. If it were the first possibility, his calculations showed that once the calamity struck, nothing Heavenly Sword Sect could do would stop it.

If it were a weapon, then perhaps there was time to search.

For millennia, Heavenly Sword Sect had collected countless Flying Swords discarded over the ages.

Some were broken and dusty, while others still bore the remnants of their masters’ sword intent and even their legacy.

A hundred years ago, Heavenly Sword Sect had even unearthed a cave from a discarded Flying Sword, reaping rich rewards.

If he could find such a sword, the possibility of breaking the deadlock might just arise.

And what about a person? To produce another Nascent Soul True Lord from Heavenly Sword Sect? As the hegemon of the Jiang Kingdom, Heavenly Sword Sect’s power far surpassed that of Azure Cloud Sect, Beast Spirit Sect, and Luoxia Sect – with several Core Formation Grand cultivators capable of breaking through to Nascent Soul.

Yet any qualified cultivator was among the top-tier forces, and any failure at Nascent Soul would be a major loss.

In a crisis, lowering standards to have another Nascent Soul True Lord wasn’t out of the question.

But a single Nascent Soul alone could never shift the tide of war in the cultivation world.

“What about everyone else?”

True Lord Xuanjian suddenly paused, recalling a message delivered long ago by True Lord Juejian.

True Lord Caiyun of Azure Cloud Sect had not only broken through to Nascent Soul but was also pregnant, harboring a sharp sword intent within her.

According to the message, True Lord Caiyun had met a Nascent Soul True Lord known as the ‘Qilin Sword Lord’, who helped her break through.

The unborn child was that Qilin Sword Lord’s son,

and the sword intent was his accompanying spirit treasure! To bestow such a treasure upon an unborn child proved that this Qilin Sword Lord was no ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Could the key lie with this Qilin Sword Lord?”

True Lord Xuanjian’s brows furrowed in thought.

When he first received the news, he combed through many records and found no trace of this Qilin Sword Lord.

However, the cultivation world was vast, and the Jiang Kingdom was but a small corner of the Southern Desolation.

The information accessible to him stretched only as far as the Northern Region and Southern Desolation, insufficient to cover the entire world.

So, failing to find him didn’t prove he didn’t exist.

Immediately, True Lord Xuanjian took a deep breath and ordered messages sent to True Lord Juejian, instructing him to continue gathering Flying Swords, inspect the sect’s current collection, and visit Yun Wanshang at Azure Cloud Sect to learn more about this Qilin Sword Lord.

Furthermore, Heavenly Sword Sect was to make additional preparations.

If, as predicted, Liang Kingdom produced an unimaginable force and crushed Yue Kingdom, Heavenly Sword Sect would either have to relocate or integrate.

At this moment, in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range,

Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoge, oblivious to the fabricated alias they had created, were causing a tremendous impact on True Lord Xuanjian.

After over a month of preparations, Lu Changsheng was convinced that the formation was sufficient. With Lu Miaoge and Yun Wanshang, he proceeded to the Golden-Haired Monoceros Bear’s lair, sitting down in meditation as he prepared to break through to Nascent Soul.

The Golden-Winged Roc patrolled the surroundings, while the Soul-Taking Beast dozed on its neck feathers, only to awaken in case of danger.

At the same time, Qian Zhuyan’s array of Puppets stood by, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

Hong Lian, wielding the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, and Ling Zixiao co-led the temporary third-rank formation, vigilantly monitoring every slight movement to avert any mishaps.

Though the current array wasn’t as formidable as those protecting Nascent Soul forces, this combination still surpassed many Nascent Soul-level defenses.

Time ticked by.

Inside the lair of the Golden-Haired Monoceros Bear, Lu Changsheng’s Yin-Yang magical energy, Blood Energy, magical energy, and divine sense reached their peak.

During this process, his inner heart’s turmoil gradually subsided, replaced by memories spanning over 140 years.

From the reawakening of his previous life’s memories in Azure Cloud Sect, the activation of his system, to his marriage into the Lu Family of Bihu Mountain and his ascent from a farm boy to the master of Bihu Mountain, Dameng City, and the renowned Yangming True Lord, 124 years had passed.

“Marrying into Bihu Mountain, arriving at Jiulong Fang Market, vanquishing the Chen Family of Red Leaf Valley, breaking through Foundation Establishment with Xiao Xiyue, heading to Nine Heavens Immortal City, encountering Nangong Mili, and founding the Lu Family of Bihu Mountain…”

“Meeting Chu Qingyi in the Tianyuan Secret Realm, encountering Qingluan with Heavenly Phoenix Feather, hunting the Whale King of Da Mengze, blocking the Yin Ghost Sect, waging the Exploitation War with Heavenly Corpse Sect, crashing through to Nascent Soul in the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons, and slaying a Nascent Soul True Lord in the Mirage Domain of Vast Sands, in addition to the Starry Sea and the Land of Eternal Night.”

Over a century of cultivation flashed before his eyes like scenes in a fleeting parade.

In these hundred years, countless figures appeared in his memories – wives, concubines, children, elders, and old friends. His first three married wives, Lu Lanshu, Lu Zi’er, and Lu Qing’er, had long since passed away.

Not only were they gone, but all his mortal wives and concubines had eventually passed on.

His children Lu Wuyou, Lu Wuyu, Lu Xile, and even his first son Lu Xianzhi with a spirit root who barely reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, as well as all his parents and the old generation of Qingzhu Mountain, had all succumbed, leaving him without a familiar soul.

As for his friends, there were few.

His closest brother-friend Li Feiyu had disappeared since their farewell in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

Hong Yi and Han Lin were also gone.

Even some friends he made when first arriving at Qingzhu Mountain and Jiulong Fang Market, like Gao He and Yu Maocheng, had either died of old age or vanished after an incident at the Bihu Mountain residence.

“Who would have thought that the farm boy, once rejected by Azure Cloud Sect due to a subpar spirit root, could rise to this height?”

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes with a faint smile, his resolve firm.

A hundred years passed like fleeting moments, with tides rising and falling.

His future was still long ahead – this was just the beginning.

Reflecting on his early struggles, he felt no shame.

Both Yun Wanshang and Lu Miaoge, hearing his words, had a moment of sudden clarity.

Indeed, who could have imagined that the farm boy rejected by Azure Cloud Sect would achieve all this?

Neither Lu Miaoge nor Yun Wanshang could have imagined it.

“Sister Miaoge,”

Lu Changsheng looked at the gentle and radiant Lu Miaoge as if seeing her for the first time.

She was the first woman he had ever admired upon entering the cultivation world, accompanying him through every step.

She was there when he reached Core Formation, and she was still there at Nascent Soul.

Lu Changsheng believed that when he ascended to the next realm, she would still be by his side.

“Mm~,”

Lu Miaoge nodded gently at the handsome young man before her, her eyes filled with tender affection.

Then, from within her Qi Sea Dantian, a burst of radiant light sprung forth as her Dao Foundation and Golden Core blossomed like towering billows.

The Taiyi Dao Seed, resembling a seed of water and fire, slowly ascended and drifted toward Lu Changsheng. Her red lips parted slightly.

Lu Changsheng drew his wife close, his lips pressing against her soft, delicate shoulder, and absorbed the Taiyi Dao Seed into himself.

Observing the intimate display between the couple, Yun Wanshang felt an inexplicable tinge of bitterness.

She noted that Lu Miaoge’s Taiyi Dao Seed was in perfect harmony with Lu Changsheng’s energy, clearly a tremendous boon, not a deceit against her.

In fact, its effect was even more dramatic than she had imagined – as if Lu Miaoge were serving as a furnace. As the Taiyi Dao Seed transferred from Lu Miaoge to Lu Changsheng, Lu Miaoge’s energy visibly plummeted, her face growing pale in an instant.

“If this sly man suffers an accident and the breakthrough fails…”

Yun Wanshang knew that Lu Changsheng did not use Lu Miaoge merely as a furnace; they were mutually complementary.

But if Lu Changsheng were to fall ill and lose the Dao Seed, Lu Miaoge’s future would likely be stunted, unable to progress.

“Sister Miaoge, you should rest first,”

Lu Changsheng spoke softly, not indulging in passionate whispers with Lu Miaoge. He parted his lips gently and said.

“Mm.”

Watching her beloved Lu Changsheng, Lu Miaoge glanced at Yun Wanshang – now enveloped in a cascade of shifting, colorful light that transformed into a rainbow and soared from the cave, clearing the space for the couple.

Though gentle by nature, Lu Miaoge was no fool.

Over time and through numerous subtle hints from her husband, she had already deduced the true identity of the so-called ‘True Lord Yun Ji’.

She dismissed her earlier Soul Dream experiences as mere fantasies, unaware that Yun Wanshang had endured them alongside them.

Realizing the truth, she understood that as an elder and a Nascent Soul True Lord, Yun Wanshang could hardly lower her guard and expose her true visage.

“You love her very much,”

Yun Wanshang murmured softly, wondering how Lu Changsheng’s love could be divided so many ways. His affections for her and for Xiao Xiyue were similarly allocated.

Lu Changsheng, absorbing the roaring Qi Sea Dantian, the surging Dantian Lake, and all his cultivated energy, was momentarily at a loss for words.

No, in this situation, why should he even bother explaining? He wanted to say, “You both are my wings.”

But knowing that Yun Wanshang was nothing like his other wives, he simply nodded once and continued, “My love for Master is as vast as heaven and earth!”

Yun Wanshang remained silent, choosing not to dwell on such matters at that moment.

She unfastened her exquisite, lavish robe and allowed her perfectly sculpted body to draw near to Lu Changsheng.

Then, with a soft opening of her lips, she uttered the words “Activate,” her voice clear, gentle, and commanding.

Lu Changsheng, refraining from his usual teasing, focused intently as he activated the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra.

Moments later, their bodies intertwined as celestial light and lunar shadows merged above them, swirling in a majestic life symphony within the ancient lair of the Demon King.

Amidst this process, in the Great Void, an ethereal cauldron gradually took shape, transforming the blazing sun and moon into a stream of mysterious, luminous jade.

Yun Wanshang’s Nascent Soul magical energy surged like a cosmic flood, filling the cauldron and then rushing into Lu Changsheng’s body.

Magnificent!

Epic! The dual cultivation method of the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra – one Nascent Soul True Lord helping a Core Formation cultivator break through to Nascent Soul – was tremendously effective. It was the classic case of the advanced Nascent Soul propelling the lower.

In that instant, he experienced the sensation of being uplifted by another’s force.

At that moment, Lu Changsheng’s magical energy exploded like a volcanic eruption, a torrent of energy surging as if the heavens and the earth were tearing apart.

His energy burst upward like an ancient dragon awakening, roaring to challenge the skies.

The intertwining radiance of Buddha and demon energies formed intricate golden and black mystical patterns, a fleeting phantom of the Buddha and demon intermingled.

Yin-Yang magical energy radiated powerfully, transforming into a dazzling, brilliant Yin-Yang diagram that seemed to unravel the mysteries of the universe before breaking the barrier separating Core Formation from Nascent Soul.

It was unbelievably swift! Normally, one would carefully circulate their technique, using sacrificial Pills, Huaying Pills, or Spirit Treasures to break through.

But Lu Changsheng merely relaxed his suppression, effortlessly shattering his Nascent Soul barrier.

His foundation was simply too mighty.

Having experienced three failed breakthroughs in condensing to Nascent Soul, he was always teetering on the edge of success.

For him, the barrier between Core Formation and Nascent Soul was as fragile as a thin veil – easily torn apart.

Just now, the Taiyi Dao Seed delivered by Lu Miaoge along with Yun Wanshang’s Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra had smashed that barrier, though he kept it tightly controlled.

“Huff, huff, huff—”

The Yin-Yang diagram spun, forming a vortex that absorbed the surrounding spirit energy.

Lu Changsheng knew the details of breaking through to Nascent Soul all too well.

Although he shattered the barrier in an instant, he still took his time to consume a high-quality Huaying Pill.

Then he activated the Yin-Yang Creation Sutra, drawing in the heavenly spirit energy to refine his Nascent Soul! With a foundation as mighty as his, the premium Huaying Pill helped him coordinate the three critical stages, boosting his efficiency even further.

In the blink of an eye, spirit energy from all directions surged like a stampede of beasts.

The lair of the Golden-Haired Monoceros Bear trembled, and the spiritual energy within the fourth-rank Spiritual Vein surged like a tidal wave into the cave.

Facing the relentless, raging spirit energy that resembled ancient dragons, Lu Changsheng’s body shone with radiant brilliance, the Yin-Yang diagram encasing him perfectly.

Within this diagram, a faint image of a Yin-Yang Kunpeng emerged, as though ready to devour and refine the very essence of the heavens.

The Kunpeng’s ability to refine was extraordinary – it could process heavenly spirit energy, as well as demonic cores, demonic auras, and ghostly energies.

Even though Lu Changsheng’s Kunpeng form had been tempered by his Chaos Body, its capacity to refine spirit energy remained astonishing. Seated in deep meditation, he resembled a primordial cauldron – an ancient Kunpeng refining all things!

“Is this the secret of his breakthrough to Great Dao Nascent Soul?”

Not far away, Yun Wanshang watched the astonishing spectacle with a mix of awe and trepidation.

Years ago, she too had broken through to Nascent Soul.

Yet even with the aid of the Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul opportunity, it paled in comparison to Lu Changsheng’s achievement.

Simply put, few Core Formation cultivators could withstand the tidal surge of spirit energy Lu Changsheng unleashed.

Moreover, his ability to rapidly compress and refine that energy was unparalleled.

Had he not generated such monstrous intensity from the start, even a Core Formation beginner or mid-stage cultivator would have been overwhelmed by Lu Changsheng’s dynamism.

“So explosive from the very beginning?”

“Is this what Nascent Soul looks like?”

Outside the Golden-Haired Monoceros Bear’s lair, Lu Miaoge and Ling Zixiao marveled as spirit energy from all directions converged toward Lu Changsheng like surging dragons.

They had never witnessed a Core Formation breakthrough to Nascent Soul with such vibrant fury before.

Even the convulsing earth seemed to shudder – one would expect such tremors only when the ground’s spiritual energy was accessed.

“Just as I suspected – my husband’s constitution is extraordinary.”

Hong Lian quietly observed the unfolding phenomenon; in her deep gaze, there seemed a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Recalling when Lu Changsheng first broke through Core Formation, she remembered the appearance of both Dragon Roar Body and Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body in him.

At the time, she was utterly astonished that one person could possess two top-tier spirit bodies.

But now, while traces of Dragon Roar Body and Immaculate Heavenly Fragrance Body still existed, they were shrouded in mystery.

All that remained was a sense of enigma and boundlessness – as if encompassing the yin and yang of all things in nature.

Earlier, she had sensed a change in Lu Changsheng’s constitution; now it was unmistakable.

Even if she had always believed Lu Changsheng to be the reincarnation of a true immortal, this transformation was both bewildering and awe-inspiring.

Time passed slowly.

Lu Changsheng, completely absorbed in his cultivation, transformed the heavenly spirit energy into the Golden Core of his Yin-Yang Dao, nurturing his nascent Nascent Soul.

This process was governed by the Dao: the human path, the earthly path, and the heavenly path.

To enhance the quality of the Nascent Soul, one had to tap into the spirit of the land – refining one’s flesh, energy pathways, magical energy, divine sense, and above all, the Golden Core! Only with ample terrestrial energy could a Nascent Soul become truly earthly, and then, by drawing in heavenly energy during the Nascent Soul Tribulation, transcend to a heavenly Nascent Soul!

Lu Changsheng’s divine sense had already ascended to Nascent Soul status, far surpassing that of many Core Formation experts.

By harnessing his formidable magical energy to channel a steady flow of terrestrial spirit energy, he made the entire fourth-rank Spiritual Vein tremble.

This was the fearsome advantage bestowed by a fourth-rank physique, Nascent Soul divine sense, and a Dao Golden Core.

Otherwise, no Core Formation cultivator would dare to act with such abandon.

In doing so, not only was Lu Changsheng’s Nascent Soul foundation far superior to his peers, but his speed in breaking through to Nascent Soul also outstripped that of most cultivators.