Chapter 833: Transcendent Reunion

At this moment, Lu Changsheng was stunningly handsome, his beauty transcending the mundane.

He appeared like an immortal descending into the mortal world – dignified and peerless; a single glance was enough to capture any heart.

Upon seeing his true visage, Nangong Mili’s heart fluttered as an indescribable joy surged within her.

She realized that Lu Changsheng was most likely on the verge of a Nascent Soul breakthrough.

After all, his appearance remained unchanged from before.

Yet his entire aura had undergone a revolutionary transformation — aside from the life-altering leap from Core Formation to Nascent Soul, it was nearly impossible for a cultivator’s presence to change so dramatically.

Considering that, after twenty years, he had returned accompanied by his son and disciple, Nangong Mili instantly guessed he must have been busy breaking through to Nascent Soul.

In that moment, her long-held grudge over his rare visits simply evaporated.

After all, what could be more important than a Nascent Soul breakthrough!

At that moment, only one thought filled her mind.

Had my man really broken through to become a Nascent Soul True Lord!?

“Lu Changsheng, did you break through to Nascent Soul?”

Nangong Mili’s beautiful eyes shimmered like rippling water, their mesmerizing brilliance reflecting her joy and anticipation as she asked.

And it wasn’t only Nangong Mili who was excited.

Beside her, Lu Minghuang and Lu Mengchan were equally stunned, their faces etched with astonishment as they looked at their father.

Normally, Lu Changsheng would always hide his transcendent aura and divine intent.

Thus, even though his children had seen his true face, they had never witnessed his seductive demon form.

Even though Meng Xiaochan had seen her husband’s seductive demon form before, her eyes now sparkled with renewed tenderness.

Lu Changsheng standing before them was extraordinarily handsome, as if even the heavens and earth paled in comparison.

“Well, I’ve been held up all these years by my Nascent Soul matters, which is why I haven’t visited you sooner.”

After years of marriage, Lu Changsheng, knowing Nangong Mili’s nature well, gently took her delicate hand and murmured, “I’m sorry.”

Upon hearing that he had indeed broken through to Nascent Soul, Nangong Mili’s heart leapt, and she was immersed in a blissful euphoria.

“Nascent Soul matters are of utmost importance.”

Her clear, alluring voice was exceptionally gentle at that moment – like that of a devoted wife eagerly awaiting her husband’s return.

Though Meng Xiaochan hadn’t seen Nangong Mili for years, she knew her Master’s temperament all too well.

Only Lu Changsheng could have softened their Master’s normally unyielding nature.

It was a classic case of one match overcoming another.

.

Lu Mengchan and Lu Minghuang exchanged glances in a way that was hard to decipher – uncertain whether to observe or not.

Lu Mengchan then turned to her younger brother Lu Minghuang’s handsome face, thinking that if he cared for himself and broke through from Core Formation to Nascent Soul, he’d surely be as striking as their father.

However, compared to their father, his looks – reminiscent of their Master’s – carried a hint of alluring, almost bewitching charm; dressed in a skirt, his gender would be hard to tell.

“Mili, how have you been all these years?”

Taking Nangong Mili’s delicate hand, Lu Changsheng led her aside and sat down, his expression filled with concern as he spoke with her.

Seeing that even after breaking through to Nascent Soul he continued to show such considerate care and gentle tones, Nangong Mili was completely enraptured by her endless joy.

Especially since he had come to the Five Poisons Sect without informing the Sect Leader.

Instead, he immediately came to check on her, making Nangong Mili beam with delight.

Had it not been for Meng Xiaochan, his son Lu Minghuang, and his grand-disciple Lu Mengchan standing nearby, she would have unabashedly poured out her longing and tenderness to Lu Changsheng.

However, remembering that her son, disciple, and grand-disciple were all watching, Nangong Mili came to her senses.

Her exquisitely enchanting face assumed a measure of dignified severity as she looked toward her son Lu Minghuang, inquiring about his progress over the years.

She adored her daughter Nangong Yaoyao, to the point of dote, showing hardly any sternness.

But with her son Lu Minghuang, influenced partly by Lu Changsheng and her own views on child-rearing, she maintained the authoritative grace of a mother.

Lu Minghuang instantly wore a respectful expression as he detailed his cultivation achievements from the past years.

Seeing her son’s earnest and upright manner, Nangong Mili couldn’t help but favor her charming daughter Nangong Yaoyao even more.

Especially noting that her son, blessed with her good looks, had been instructed by Lu Changsheng to study an artifact refining technique—a method reputed to be profoundly advanced.

But considering that her son spent his days holed up in his cave residence, laboring at artifact refining like a blacksmith, she felt rather discontented.

However, since this was Lu Changsheng’s arrangement, there was nothing she could say; she merely nodded, occasionally asking a few questions before turning her attention to Meng Xiaochan and grand-disciple Lu Mengchan.

She naturally had no objections regarding her disciple, Meng Xiaochan.

But when it came to Lu Mengchan, this fragile grand-disciple, she wasn’t particularly fond of her.

After all, possessing a top-tier talent like the Calamity Poison Body yet developing such a feeble temperament was nothing short of a waste of potential!

Observing Lu Mengchan’s overly compliant response to her inquiries – a far cry from her daughter Nangong Yaoyao’s clever and mischievous nature – Nangong Mili longed for the daughter she had sent off to join the Celestial Lotus Sect.

Yet she knew that Lu Changsheng’s nature meant he never imposed strict demands on his children, nor was he particularly effective as a mentor.

“Mili, come with me to see Ina and Xiao Tang.”

After their conversation drew to a close, Lu Changsheng prepared to meet Ina – the mother of that child – and his daughter Lu Jiangtang, whom he had never seen before.

This was, in fact, one of the main reasons for his visit.

“Alright, I’ll notify Ina,” he said.

Nangong Mili responded calmly; soon a token appeared in her hand, and she used it to inquire about Ina’s current location – apparently, Liya was present.

“Liya?” Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.

“Liya is the pet name the Sect Leader gave to Jiangtang,” Nangong Mili explained.

She explained the matter to Lu Changsheng.

Lu Jiangtang was the name Lu Changsheng had left behind long ago.

However, after beginning cultivation of the Ten Thousand Calamities Toxic Spirit Codex, Ah Youduo, to prevent others from deducing Lu Changsheng’s status from that name, gave her a nickname.

From then on, that name was used exclusively within the Five Poisons Sect.

Lu Changsheng nodded slightly, unconcerned with the matter of names.

Then he instructed Meng Xiaochan to have Lu Minghuang and Lu Mengchan settle in first, while he went ahead on his own.

After all, he had never seen this daughter before, and meeting her to catch up would be awkward with Lu Minghuang and Lu Mengchan present.

“Alright,” Meng Xiaochan replied softly, accustomed as she was to Lu Changsheng’s ways.

As his children, Lu Mengchan and Lu Minghuang felt an indescribable mix of emotions regarding their father’s personal affairs.

Yet, faced with the thought of hundreds of siblings at home, they couldn’t really form a strong opinion.

After all, with a father like him, the occasional unfamiliar older sibling or extra brother or sister was hardly surprising.

After leaving Heavenly Spider Peak, Nangong Mili led Lu Changsheng to the Main Peak where Ah Youduo resided.

Ina, as the protector of the Five Poisons Sect and a trusted aide of Ah Youduo, had long resided on Five Saints Peak.

Especially after she became pregnant and gave birth to daughter Lu Jiangtang, she earned even greater favor from Ah Youduo and was promptly housed in the Five Saints Hall.

Upon arriving at the summit of Five Saints Peak, where a Jade Plaza was draped in blooming vines and lush flora, Lu Changsheng and Nangong Mili spotted two figures – one tall and one short.

The tall figure was none other than Ina.

Clad in an exotic, stylish protector’s dress of the Five Poisons Sect, her jet-black, silky hair flowed like satin, and atop her head sat an intricately patterned, jeweled silver crown.

Her exquisite features – a perfectly sculpted nose and full red lips – fixed their gaze on Lu Changsheng, her eyes sparkling with radiant reverence.

Her sun-kissed skin appeared to be brushed with flowing amber, shimmering with an enchanting honey glow while exuding authority and nobility.

The shorter figure looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old.

She wore a finely tie-dyed indigo dress; though her posture was youthful, she exuded a vibrant, wild energy.

Her soft, jet-black hair was braided into hundreds of delicate plaits, each tipped with intricately carved silver bells, and a small vermilion mark between her brows added an air of mystery to her delicate, charming face.

Upon seeing the young girl of about twelve or thirteen, Lu Changsheng instantly recognized that this was his never-before-seen daughter – Lu Jiangtang.

Just as he was about to speak, the girl’s eyes lit up and, with a beaming smile revealing two small tiger teeth, she joyfully shouted, “Daddy, Daddy!”

The girl was utterly excited, flailing her arms and legs as her eyes brimmed with admiration and affection.

The tinkling clatter of the silver bells in her hair, along with the soft chime of her butterfly silver necklace and bracelet, created a sound like a babbling brook mixed with crystalline jade melodies and the crisp chirps of fluttering insects.

Seeing his daughter rush to him with such affection, like a swallow returning home, Lu Changsheng was momentarily taken aback.

Then a warm surge filled his heart as he opened his arms without hesitation and gently embraced the little one, softly calling, “Xiao Tang.”

“Daddy, you finally came to see Liya.”

The girl clung tightly around Lu Changsheng’s neck, burying her head in his shoulder, her voice laden with deep longing and tenderness.

“I’m sorry; daddy is late.”

Even though this daughter received treatment in the Five Poisons Sect that surpassed countless cultivators in the mortal realm,

Lu Changsheng still felt a tinge of guilt for never having been by her side.

“Mother and Master once said that daddy is a remarkable cultivator, always busy with crucial matters, which is why I couldn’t come to see Liya.”

The girl spoke with such understanding and maturity that even Nangong Mili, standing nearby with an impassive expression, thought to herself how endearing the little one was – and that this scoundrel only ever played that card.

Sure enough, as Lu Changsheng listened to his daughter’s heartfelt words and felt the unbreakable bond between them, his paternal love surged like a river bursting its banks.

Soon, the girl tilted her head back, her clear, gemstone eyes fixed on Lu Changsheng’s handsome face radiating brilliance as she exclaimed, “Daddy, you’re even more handsome than what Master and Mommy say – just like an immortal!”

Her gaze stayed fixed on Lu Changsheng, her eyes brimming with unabashed admiration and tender love, as if trying to make up for lost fatherly affection over the years.

“Liya is also adorable.”

Lu Changsheng looked at his daughter’s cheek and said in a warm, gentle tone.

“But I take after Mommy more.”

The girl, with her eyes reflecting Lu Changsheng’s face, pouted slightly, her two little tiger teeth sparkling cutely.

“But you’re so cute, though.”

Lu Changsheng smiled before turning his gaze to the respectfully reserved Ina beside him.

He knew that his daughter’s adoration for him was inseparable from the nurturing of her Mommy and Ah Youduo.

Faced with his daughter Lu Jiangtang’s eyes filled with reverence and admiration, he couldn’t quite tell what image he held in her heart.

“Let’s go, let’s head inside.”

Lu Changsheng gently set his daughter down, took her hand, and, looking at Ina, said.

Although she was a concubine sent by Ah Youduo,

Lu Ancestor was known for his soft heart, especially when it came to his women, never enforcing too much strictness.

“Yes, Master.”

Yet Ina, in his presence, remained somewhat formal and restrained, unlike Nangong Mili’s natural ease.

“Where is Ah Youduo?” Lu Changsheng asked Ina, convinced that even though he hadn’t sent word himself, she would have informed her.

“The Sect Leader is in seclusion in the Gu Cell; I’ve already notified him.”

Aware of the relationship between Lu Changsheng and their Sect Leader, Ina replied respectfully.

Lu Changsheng nodded, knowing that Ah Youduo – a Nascent Soul cultivator – usually spent most of her time in training.

The four of them entered the Five Saints Hall.

The vast, mysterious hall, its walls adorned with depictions of Gu insects, scorpions, and venomous beasts, exuded an inexplicable warmth despite its imposing and enigmatic aura.

“Here, take this—the gift I prepared for you,” he declared.

Seeing his understanding daughter before him, Lu Changsheng promptly presented her with his gift.

In his hand appeared a semi-transparent arm bone of a dark green hue, its surface marked with irregular veins, reminiscent of a secluded mountain pool or the scales of a Kunpeng Demon, imbued with a profound, mysterious aura.

Upon close inspection, one could even see a swirling vortex of toxic energy within the bone, like a black hole of venom.

It was none other than the celestial bone Lu Changsheng had obtained — the Hundred Poison Jade Scale Bone!

Ina and Nangong Mili, gazing at the celestial bone in Lu Changsheng’s hand, instantly recognized that it was extraordinary, exuding an aura at the peak of third-rank.

“Is this a celestial bone?”

Both, as Core Formation cultivators, identified that this was indeed a celestial bone – an innate organ akin to a spirit body, or one refined later by a cultivator.

“That scoundrel truly dotes on his children.”

Nangong Mili recalled that Lu Changsheng had once witnessed his daughter Nangong Yaoyao receive a Heavenly Fragrance Gu perfectly suited to her.

And now, when visiting Lu Jiangtang, he had prepared a poison-imbued celestial bone that perfectly resonated with her cultivation technique.

For a moment, she felt a twinge of envy, thinking that after so long apart, this scoundrel hadn’t even prepared a gift for her.

“Daddy, what is this?”

Though the appearance of the Hundred Poison Jade Scale Bone was rather intimidating, Lu Jiangtang, having grown up in the Five Poisons Sect and accustomed to poisonous mists, remained unfazed and examined it with curious eyes.

“This is called a celestial bone. Once refined, it grants immunity to all kinds of deadly poisons and, when used to perform poison-based techniques, can boost your power by thirty percent.”

Lu Changsheng explained to his daughter what a celestial bone was and described the effects of the Hundred Poison Jade Scale Bone.

“It confers immunity to deadly toxins – as Mother and Master have said, I inherited your physique so I’m already resistant to many poisons; if I refine this celestial bone, will I become completely impervious?”

Lu Jiangtang said this with a delighted expression.

Lu Changsheng knew that his daughter had inherited a bit of his Chaos Body.

She also possessed qualities of the Calamity Poison Body, Kunpeng Demon Body, and Undying Golden Body.

Thus, her resistance to toxins and her physical prowess were far from ordinary.

When she leapt into his arms just now, he sensed that her aptitude for body refinement was exceptional – her strength far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators.

“It’s impossible to be completely immune, but even poisons of the same level, or one level higher, would scarcely affect you.”

Lu Changsheng rubbed her head and said softly, “However, this celestial bone is currently of too high a grade for you; you must break through to Foundation Establishment before you can refine it.”

Although this daughter appeared to be about twelve or thirteen, her true age was seventeen, and she had already reached the seventh level of Qi Refining while also practicing body refinement.

“Daddy, rest assured — I will break through Foundation Establishment as soon as possible and refine this celestial bone!”

Lu Jiangtang replied with determination and fighting spirit, showing not a hint of discouragement.

“Good,” Lu Changsheng said, clearly pleased with her, as he inquired about her daily life and cultivation.

He knew that she had trained in the Five Poisons Sect since childhood under the guidance of her mother Ina and Master Ah Youduo.

The technique she practiced was, of course, the Ten Thousand Calamities Toxic Spirit Codex that he had taught Ah Youduo.

As for body refinement, it involved Ah Youduo implanting a Force Gu within her, enabling her to cultivate and temper her physique.

“Daddy, Master and Mother say I inherited your physique, which is why I’ve always been strong and naturally gifted in body refinement!”

Lu Jiangtang said happily, clearly proud of inheriting her father’s exceptional talent.

“Body refinement is excellent; later, Daddy will teach you a body refining technique as well.”

Lu Changsheng smiled, knowing that although his daughter’s talent in body refinement was remarkable, it was just slightly behind her affinity for the poison path.

If she could simultaneously cultivate her body and magical energy, thereby enhancing her physical prowess, it would greatly aid someone with even a touch of the Calamity Poison Body.

Nearby, Nangong Mili watched the tender scene between father and daughter with growing envy.

She thought that her son Lu Minghuang was far too dull and serious, and she missed her daughter Nangong Yaoyao dearly.

After all, her own daughter was undoubtedly more endearing than the Lu Jiangtang before her.

While they were chatting idly, a young girl with a jade-like face, a delicate countenance, her hair adorned with a silver crown and hairpin, and dressed in an exquisitely crafted purple-red dress, entered the hall.

“Greetings, Sect Leader.”

“Greetings, Master!”

Nangong Mili, Ina, and Lu Jiangtang immediately bowed and saluted.

Though the three had once shared deeply intimate encounters, stepping out of the private quarters restored the formal boundaries.

But as soon as one left the cave residence, Ah Youduo was recognized as the leader of the Five Poisons Sect – a Nascent Soul True Lord.

In the presence of Nangong Mili and Ina, he always exuded an air of authority. “Ah Youduo, you’re here,” Lu Changsheng announced.

Upon seeing the young girl, Lu Changsheng smiled and said.

Noticing that her magical energy and aura had changed significantly from before, he surmised that her technique and constitution had already been completely transformed by the Ten Thousand Calamities Toxic Spirit Codex.

However, due to the influence of her Nascent Soul Dao Foundation, she couldn’t yet fully harness the power of that technique.

Furthermore, techniques such as the Divine Abilities technique would need to be relearned, consuming a great deal of time and likely yielding only limited combat improvements.

“Lord!”

Upon seeing Lu Changsheng, Ah Youduo immediately realized he had broken through to Nascent Soul, and an air of anticipation welled up within her.

In earlier years, she had chosen to submit to Lu Changsheng – not only because of his dazzling talent, formidable strength, and top-tier techniques, but primarily due to his peerless Dragon Emperor Dao Body!

Through dual cultivation of Yin and Yang and the Dragon Emperor Essence, one could elevate another’s Nascent Soul Dao Foundation! Though she had broken through to Nascent Soul, she was still only a human Nascent Soul.

Even if she switched to the Ten Thousand Calamities Toxic Spirit Codex—a top-tier technique—without a major opportunity, she would likely be unable to break past mid-Nascent Soul, at most reaching three layers.

Now, Lu Changsheng had indeed broken through to Nascent Soul.

If he used Dragon Emperor Essence to purify her Nascent Soul Spirit Body, she could potentially ascend to a true earthly Nascent Soul – even transforming her early Dao Foundation into a Myriad Calamities Toxic Spirit Dao Foundation to enhance her talent, strength, potential, and innate reserves!