Chapter 824: A Tumultuous Omen

This matter isn’t even worth debating with the Zhenhai Patriarch.

The man involved was still in a daze, feeling as if it were all unreal.

It’s utterly outrageous! We set out to hunt a Fourth-Rank Demon King and ambush a lucky cultivator on the verge of a major breakthrough.

And somehow, we ended up attracting an ominous presence.

Who do we even reason with here? We don’t know who Lu Changsheng is, his background, or what his deal might be.

The so-called lucky one from True Lord Pinghai? A reincarnated cultivator who hasn’t fully matured yet?

But how can a cultivator at Core Formation—barely breaking into Nascent Soul—possess such strength?

A top-tier Nascent Soul cultivator disguising himself as a Core Formation practitioner to lure prey? That sort of twist belongs in pulp novels! Who has the leisure to do that and then conveniently cross our path?

“Old Patriarch, I don’t have all the details either. Earlier in Pinghai—”

True Lord Zhenhai cut to the chase, explaining that they had already hunted down a dragon whale to use as bait, waiting for the proverbial fish to bite.

Then True Lord Pinghai, Fuhai True Lord, Tunhai True Lord, and Situ Mo set out to ambush outside the Immortal City.

But unexpectedly, they suddenly received a call for help from Tunhai True Lord.

They rushed to assist, but halfway there, they saw that Tunhai True Lord had been reduced to nothing but his Nascent Soul spirit form.

“This man mustn’t be a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—it looks like he’s in the mid Nascent Soul stage.”

At that moment, True Lord Zhenhai couldn’t quite discern Lu Changsheng’s cultivation level.

Based on his initial actions, he guessed that Lu Changsheng was a top cultivator in the mid Nascent Soul phase—not one of those late-stage giants!

Their rout was largely brought about by that precious treasure.

Recalling the might of the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror left him dazed and utterly bewildered.

How could someone at merely a mid Nascent Soul stage unleash such terrifying power with a treasure of this caliber?

Mind you, their Zhenhai Sect also boasts top-tier secret treasures.

Yet, under normal circumstances, a treasure like that would be nearly impossible to activate.

It would normally require a sect formation, a massive spiritual soldier array, or the combined efforts of multiple Nascent Soul cultivators from the Seven Sects.

That makes the whole situation utterly baffling.

But ever since Lu Changsheng appeared, the enemy’s capabilities have defied logic.

“Mid Nascent Soul? A three-headed Fourth-Rank spirit pet? And a treasure mirror that emits Solar Divine Light?”

The Zhenhai Patriarch furrowed his brow.

He was well aware of the strengths of True Lord Zhenhai and True Lord Nuhai.

With four Nascent Soul cultivators, five hundred spiritual soldiers, and twelve Core Formation practitioners on their side, even a top Nascent Soul cultivator couldn’t have dispatched them so swiftly.

They could have easily held out until he arrived.

The only issue was that treasure mirror that unleashed the Solar Divine Light! The Zhenhai Patriarch’s deep, probing eyes filled with contemplation as he pressed for more details.

“This divine light is scorching and all-dominating—it shatters everything. Even our life-bound treasures couldn’t withstand it for more than a moment before breaking.”

Recalling the sheer force of the Solar Divine Light, True Lord Zhenhai admitted, a bit apprehensively, “This must be a Celestial Treasure!”

Even though he couldn’t fathom how the enemy had activated such a Celestial Treasure…

As a Nascent Soul True Lord, judging by its power and aura, he knew this treasure far surpassed ordinary artifacts.

It absolutely fell into the realm of near-Celestial Treasures—perhaps even a true Celestial Treasure.

“Celestial Treasure!”

The Zhenhai Patriarch took a deep, steadying breath, his expression grave.

He then instructed True Lord Zhenhai to use the Water Mirror Technique to replay the earlier events for him.

Such a maneuver was child’s play for a Nascent Soul True Lord.

Even though True Lord Zhenhai’s body had shattered, leaving only his Nascent Soul spirit form, it didn’t hinder him at all.

It only made it difficult to fully reconstruct and simulate the power and aura.

Gazing at the images in the Water Mirror, the Zhenhai Patriarch furrowed his brow in silence.

The mirror before him, though slightly different in appearance from the heritage treasure of the Sun-Moon Star Palace—the Eastern Emperor Mirror—

yet from True Lord Zhenhai’s description and the mirror’s display of power and effect, he was convinced it was indeed the Eastern Emperor Mirror! First, a treasure like that can easily mask its true form;

second, as far as he knew, even though the Sun-Moon Star Palace had perished,

it had once been a top power in the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm and would never simply vanish or lose its legacy.

Surely someone must have escaped with a relic of its heritage! As a veteran of the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm who knew well about the mass exodus of human cultivators to the Starry Sea during tumultuous times, he understood.

Perhaps even the Eastern Emperor lineage was among them.

The thought only strengthened the Patriarch’s suspicion that Lu Changsheng might be a successor of the Eastern Emperor—a bearer of the Sun-Moon Star Palace’s heritage treasure, the Eastern Emperor Mirror!

A Nascent Soul cultivator who hides his true identity, masquerading as a minor practitioner in such a remote area! With mid Nascent Soul cultivation, he could trigger a Celestial Treasure to this extent—provided his cultivation method perfectly matches the treasure, perhaps even aided by a spirit artifact!

And yet, he was also a Nascent Soul cultivator possessing a Fourth-Rank spirit pet with multiple heads and True Spirit bloodline!

Although none of his spirit pets were the pure-blooded Golden-Winged Roc of the Eastern Emperor lineage from the Sun-Moon Star Palace,

all of these details indicated that he wasn’t just some ordinary lucky cultivator who chanced upon a great opportunity or a mere reincarnated practitioner!

“Old Patriarch, what should we do?”

True Lord Zhenhai asked his Patriarch, his face etched with bitterness.

Their Zhenhai Seven Sects boasted eight top Nascent Soul cultivators.

Now, three had lost their physical forms and perished, and three more had suffered shattered bodies, leaving only their Nascent Soul spirit forms.

If news of this got out, the entire Starry Sea would be rocked, leading to a complete reshuffling of power.

After all, the present Zhenhai Seven Sects no longer had the might to hold such vast territories.

Even though they possessed a deep legacy capable of rapidly cultivating a couple of Nascent Soul cultivatees,

their combat prowess couldn’t compare to the past—and Lu Changsheng’s situation loomed over them like an insurmountable mountain.

The Zhenhai Patriarch remained silent.

It wasn’t a matter he could decide on lightly.

If the enemy was indeed, as he suspected, a successor of the Sun-Moon Star Palace and Eastern Emperor lineage, then things were far more complicated—someone not to be trifled with.

Yet, judging from True Lord Zhenhai’s account, after unleashing that overwhelming divine might, the enemy must now be in a weakened state.

If they could capture him, not only could they exact revenge and prevent future threats, but they could also seize the heritage treasure—the Eastern Emperor legacy! “First, head to the Fuhai Sect and have them analyze the situation!”

declared the Zhenhai Patriarch.

As a top power in the Starry Sea, the Zhenhai Seven Sects naturally hosted several diviners.

This was exactly the time to consult the diviners!

But he didn’t return to the Zhenhai Sect.

Instead, he headed to the nearest Fuhai Sect, hoping their diviners could calculate the situation.

He also immediately sent word to Tunhai True Lord and Minghai True Lord, informing them that he was at the Fuhai Sect.

With the situation growing dire, the Zhenhai Patriarch unleashed his Dimensional Concealment Treasure and, with True Lord Zhenhai at his side, swiftly crossed the void to the Fuhai Sect, where he promptly summoned the chief diviner.

The Zhenhai Seven Sects are united as one.

No matter which sect he entered, people greeted him with deference without him needing to announce his presence.

“What!? The True Lord has fallen!”

Moments later, the resident diviner of the Fuhai Sect arrived, and upon hearing of Fuhai True Lord’s demise, he was utterly shocked—the color drained from his face.

Though he had an ominous premonition that the Fuhai Sect’s destiny was in flux, he couldn’t fathom the details.

Only then did he realize that Fuhai True Lord had indeed fallen!

Just a month ago, Fuhai True Lord had even consulted him for a divination.

But he was only a third-rank diviner—incapable of deducing the situation of a Nascent Soul True Lord.

Even if it cost him his lifespan, the threads of fate were too chaotic and full of unknowns.

He never imagined that Fuhai True Lord would fall out in the open!

“Yes, Old Patriarch!”

Under the watchful gaze of the Zhenhai Patriarch, the diviner took Fuhai True Lord’s Soul Lamp as a medium and cast his divination tool to discern the culprit.

But no matter how he tried, a thick veil of fate obscured everything. With a sudden spurt of blood and a pained cough, he expended his life essence in a futile attempt to pierce the mist.

Seeing the unfathomable depth in the Patriarch’s eyes made his heart sink further, forcing him to sacrifice even more of his life to continue the divination.

After over a decade’s worth of sacrifices, he emerged pale and weakened, still without a shred of useful information.

Not even the fateful mist stirred an inch.

“Old Patriarch, it’s not that I don’t want to divine—it’s just that the enemy’s fate is as chaotic as the cosmos itself, utterly immovable.”

The diviner said this in a weak, bitter tone.

Had he managed even a glimpse of the situation, he would’ve been handsomely rewarded.

But after such a tremendous cost, to end up with nothing was a colossal loss.

“Not even an inch?”

The Zhenhai Patriarch’s face remained calm, betraying no anger.

He had long suspected that no clear clues could be divined.

That even using Fuhai True Lord’s Soul Lamp failed to stir even a hint of fate spoke volumes about the gravity of the matter.

Just as he had suspected, the enemy must possess a top-tier treasure capable of suppressing fate!

Not only can it conceal fate, but it can also interfere with and muddle destiny itself!

Otherwise, such a calamity striking the Zhenhai Seven Sects would never have sparked that ominous premonition in my mind—only after Fuhai True Lord was slain and Tunhai True Lord’s message arrived did the dark omens surface!

And by his account, the Eastern Emperor Mirror—a heritage treasure of the Sun-Moon Star Palace—appears to have the ability to shield and alter the threads of fate!

“Yes, Old Patriarch. The enemy’s fate is inscrutable. Either he has a treasure that suppresses fate or a top-tier divination master masking it,”

the diviner said weakly while bowing his head.

This divination, which had cost him so much of his life force, not only drained his energy but left him feeling utterly depleted.

“Alright, you go rest. This matter must not be leaked.”

The Zhenhai Patriarch calmly handed a pill from his Storage Ring over, his voice steady.

Under tremendous pressure, the diviner quickly replied, “Thank you, Old Patriarch. Please rest assured.”

After the diviner departed, the Zhenhai Patriarch’s eyes grew even deeper as he sank into thought.

If things truly went south, he’d have no choice but to call upon his true self.

But he wouldn’t resort to that unless absolutely necessary.

After lengthy contemplation, he decided to wait for Minghai and Tunhai to return before he personally went to investigate the situation.

Waiting passively was simply not an option.

Though the enemy was formidable, as the cornerstone of the Zhenhai Seven Sects, he wasn’t someone to be easily slaughtered.

Even if outmatched, he could still withdraw without harm.

Moreover, after unleashing that treasure’s power, the enemy would undoubtedly be weakened for a long while.

“Alternatively, let’s pay a visit to Starrymoon Hall and Six Paths Palace!”

The Zhenhai Patriarch took a deep breath and looked toward the direction of Starrymoon Hall.

In such a critical moment, even his own diviners could barely scratch fate—only Starrymoon Hall’s Star King and Yue Zun could possibly divine it properly!

Their divination skills are peerless,

and he also knew a secret.

Starrymoon Hall was most likely established by the inheritors of the dual traditions of the Sun-Moon Star Palace.

Under these circumstances, Starrymoon Hall would undoubtedly be very interested in Lu Changsheng, the Eastern Emperor’s successor.

Moreover, according to True Lord Zhenhai, True Lord Pinghai had once consulted Star King and Yue Zun regarding the enemy’s situation.

There might even be a scheme orchestrated by Starrymoon Hall behind it all!

Now that things had escalated this far, the old patriarch of the Zhenhai Seven Sects was determined to confront Starrymoon Hall for answers!

As for Six Paths Palace, it was about inviting the Six Paths Demon Lord to join forces.

That fellow was considered the top figure in the Starry Sea,

renowned not only for his extraordinary talent and overwhelming power, but also for his sky-high ambitions to unify the Starry Sea.

He would likely be very interested in the Eastern Emperor legacy.

Spreading news of the Eastern Emperor legacy was, frankly, a last resort.

After all, such rumors served no purpose.

It would only alert the enemy, making them even more cautious and possibly provoking them further.

It was far better to collaborate with Star King, Yue Zun, the Divine Maiden Palace’s master, or even a top demon king from the Forbidden Sea!

But what he needed most right now was to know Starrymoon Hall’s stance!

If Starrymoon Hall agreed to cooperate, that would be ideal.

However, if they refused—or, given the ties between the Sun-Moon Star Palace, the Starry lineage, and the Eastern Emperor line—he’d have to swallow his hatred and ask for their help to settle the feud, waiting until his true self broke through before Minghai and Tunhai arrived at the Fuhai Sect.

The Zhenhai Patriarch turned his gaze to the two.

True Lord Minghai was in decent shape, though his use of the Bloodfire Secret Technique had drained him; he’d need about a year to recover.

Tunhai True Lord’s Nascent Soul form was alarmingly weak.

Even if his Nascent Soul were to reincarnate, it would be nearly a wasted effort—progress would be minimal, marking him as one of the worst among human cultivators.

Seeing Tunhai True Lord’s condition while remembering that Fuhai, Pinghai, and Nuhai True Lords had all fallen made the Patriarch’s fury boil over!

Yet, beyond his rage, a deep-seated fear took hold—this enemy was no ordinary opponent!

“Tunhai, what exactly happened back then?”

The Zhenhai Patriarch looked at Tunhai True Lord and asked.

At that time, when he, True Lord Pinghai, and Fuhai True Lord went to ambush outside the Immortal City of Damengze, he should have known more.

“Old Patriarch,”

Tunhai True Lord immediately recounted how Fuhai True Lord was slain in a single sword strike while True Lord Pinghai was intercepted.

“Two Nascent Soul True Lords?”

Regarding the incident at the Immortal City of Damengze, True Lord Zhenhai and his group were well informed.

Had it not been for True Lord Pinghai vouching for and confirming the presence of a rare Fourth-Rank Dragon Whale, they would never have acted so rashly.

But who would have thought there were actually two Nascent Soul cultivators?

“One Nascent Soul True Lord is frightening enough, and there’s a second? That cultivator’s spirit treasure—the one he transformed into his incarnation—is the same as before. I’m not sure what it means!”

Tunhai True Lord continued.

Although the authenticity of the Three Treasure Incarnation was hard to judge,

as Nascent Soul True Lords, they possessed a keen eye.

Seeing the Three Treasure Incarnation emerge from Lu Changsheng’s crown, they immediately recognized it was a manifestation formed by a particular treasure.

As for the Yin-Yang Dao form, he couldn’t tell if it was genuine.

“But an external incarnation?”

The Zhenhai Patriarch interjected.

A life-bound treasure, aside from forming an external incarnation, cannot share the same cultivation method, making its power nearly ineffective otherwise.

Thus, based on the available information, he immediately speculated it was an external incarnation.

Even though mastering such abilities is extremely challenging,

if the enemy was indeed an Eastern Emperor successor as suspected, then cultivating an external incarnation wouldn’t be surprising, would it?

“External incarnation.”

Upon hearing this, True Lord Zhenhai and Tunhai True Lord exchanged looks of envious admiration.

One advantage of an external incarnation is that, once the body shatters, it serves as the optimal vessel for the spirit.

But mastering such an ability isn’t easy—the conditions are extremely strict, and the natural treasures suitable for forming such an incarnation are exceedingly rare.

Now that their corporeal forms were shattered, they naturally longed for a superior body.

“It’s possible, but given the urgency of the situation, I couldn’t scrutinize it properly,”

Tunhai True Lord said weakly.

At that time, as Fuhai True Lord and Situ Mo were slain by Lu Changsheng and the Yin-Yang Dao form, he chose to flee immediately—there was simply no time to observe.

“Zhenhai, Minghai, you two contact Pinghai, Fuhai, and Tunhai using their tokens,”

the Zhenhai Patriarch suddenly ordered, “See if you can reach Lu Changsheng.”

If Lu Changsheng hadn’t destroyed those tokens and responded, then it would mean we could sit down and negotiate rather than rushing off to probe his strength.

If negotiations fell through or his demands were excessive, we could first subdue him and then check with Starrymoon Hall and Six Paths Palace for their stance.

At that very moment…

At Da Mengze’s Sea Eye,

Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged, rapidly replenishing his magical energy through the Sea Eye’s spiritual qi, the Spiritual Eye Fountain, and his millennia-old Spirit Milk.

Suddenly, a subtle surge of blood qi flooded his body, accompanied by a system notification sound.

【Congratulations, host! Five offspring have broken through Third-Rank Body Refinement, granting you one rare lottery draw!】

“Hmmm?”

Lu Changsheng was taken aback—he hadn’t expected that five of his children had reached Third-Rank Body Refinement.

Although the system didn’t display their body refinement levels, he guessed that either his son Lu Lingxiao or Lu Qingshan had broken through.

After all, his son Lu Ping’an had long surpassed Third-Rank Body Refinement.

He recalled that one of his children had broken through Body Refinement early on, and from his later observations, he suspected it was his daughter Nangong Yaoyao.

She had broken through Core Formation quite early, and given her position in the Celestial Lotus Sect, it was natural for her to concurrently cultivate Body Refinement.

Then there was his son Lu Quanzhen, nourished by the Kunpeng hatchling and demonic fetus rebirth, and his daughter Lu Wangshu, who had fortuitously achieved Third-Rank Body Refinement a few years back.

After all, daughter Lu Wangshu and son Lu Lingxiao had been casually honing the ‘Hundred Refinements Body Technique’ since childhood.

Although this method wasn’t the most cost-effective compared to typical body cultivation,

for nurturing a prodigy it could save an immense amount of time.

Otherwise, conventional cultivation—even with abundant resources—is incredibly time-consuming and draining.

So it was entirely natural for his son Lu Lingxiao to break through to Third-Rank Body Refinement at this point.

Though his son Lu Qingshan started refining his body a bit later—and only received one artifact for it—

the fact that he had slain numerous Core Formation adversaries in the Yue Kingdom suggested he probably had a fair number of artifacts.

Moreover, after returning from the Yue Kingdom, he’d supplied Lu Qingshan with ample resources. After pushing through the late Core Formation stage, he could likely further enhance his combat strength and battlefield survivability through Body Refinement. “Later, we might even provide them with a few more spirit treasures for cultivation,” he mused.

Although this cultivation method was rather wasteful, Lu Changsheng considered it well worth the effort.

First, his children wouldn’t have to spend extra time on Body Refinement to boost their power; second, their breakthroughs would reward him as if he earned an extra spirit treasure—double the benefits; and third, he’d even receive system credits for their breakthroughs!

For instance, right now, with a rare lottery draw, if he managed to secure another Celestial Treasure along with some artifacts, what difference would spirit treasures make? “System, draw!”

With hopeful anticipation, Lu Changsheng immediately activated the lottery to see what rewards he might garner.

After all, in all his rare draws, nothing had ever disappointed him—except perhaps the ‘True Spirit Nine Transformations’ technique.