Chapter 458 (1)
“Someone can! Who is it?”
The Third Holy Lord was initially incredulous but quickly grasped the implication.
“Big Brother, do you mean that young man?”
“Precisely. In today’s world, who else but him could suppress the unruly and strike fear into the hearts of evildoers?” the First Holy Lord affirmed with a nod.
The Second and Third Holy Lords fell silent.
They knew their eldest brother spoke the truth.
If anyone in this world could overawe all others and reign supreme over cultivators, it could only be that youth.
“But would he be willing to step forward?” the Second Holy Lord asked.
The three brothers had established the Sacred Mountain because of a grand vow they made in the past.
That person, however, was not bound by such an oath. It was far from certain he would take on such a thankless task.“We can try. Although he appears ruthless, his actions show he harbors compassion for ordinary people.
“Back then, he traveled thousands of miles to annihilate the Flowing Cloud Sect just to avenge the commoners massacred in a small town.
“And recently, in Cold Water City, he intervened only because Li Changbo threatened to slaughter the entire population.
“This shows he ultimately stands on the side of righteousness.
“Moreover, his master is a person radiant with the Light of Merit.
“We might be able to use that as a starting point to persuade him.”
The First Holy Lord had clearly thought this through.
The other two Holy Lords pondered for a moment and found his reasoning sound.
“Big Brother is right. It’s worth a try. If he agrees, perhaps we can reestablish the rules of the Sacred Mountain.”
“Let’s leave this matter to Tianji. He’s an old acquaintance of that person and has a close connection through his direct disciple, who is a friend of the young man. He’ll find it easier to persuade him.”
“Agreed. Tianji is a good choice.”
With their discussion concluded, a message flew from the Sacred Mountain, heading to the Tianji Tower in the Sacred City.
When the Tower Master of Tianji Tower received the letter, he opened it and was immediately astonished.
...
Days turned into months as the shockwaves from Lu Qing’s intervention in Cold Water City rippled through the various factions.
Many forces curbed their actions significantly, instructing their disciples to tread carefully. They were to be vigilant for a young man accompanied by a little girl within their domains.
If they encountered the pair, they were to treat them with the utmost respect, ensuring their stay was as enjoyable as possible.
There was no other choice—Lu Qing was simply too formidable.
Even Golden Core cultivators were utterly powerless against him.
Rumor had it that even the Xuankong Mountain, with its millennia of heritage, had fallen at his hands.
If such a figure were to pass through their territory and some foolish subordinate provoked him, their entire faction might be eradicated overnight.
Thus, no one dared to be careless.
But as months went by, these factions were perplexed to find that the pair had seemingly disappeared without a trace.
There were no further sightings, nor were there any rumors of their movements.
It was as if they had vanished into thin air.
Still, few relaxed their vigilance.
With Lu Qing’s power, concealing his whereabouts would be effortless. He might have adopted a new guise to continue his journey.
Amidst this uneasy atmosphere, strange phenomena occasionally occurred across the land.
These were signs of breakthroughs by powerful cultivators—be it into the Precelestial, Foundation Establishment, or even Golden Core Realm.
This suggested that after years of adaptation to the world’s spiritual resurgence, many once-limited geniuses were finally breaking through their barriers into new realms.
As more strong cultivators emerged, the world’s power dynamics began to shift.
Newly ascended experts and sects started expanding aggressively in pursuit of resources, inevitably leading to conflicts and wars.
...
The turbulence of the outside world did not reach Lu Qing.
Deep underground in the spiritual vein’s heart, their sanctuary was imperceptible to others.
The entrance was concealed by Lu Qing’s formations, ensuring absolute privacy.
Within the chamber, Lu Qing sat cross-legged, meditating.
Rich spiritual energy flowed into his body, continuously refined into pure Five Elements Spiritual Power by the Five Elements Gourd.
Elsewhere in the chamber, Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, and Wuxing also focused on their cultivation.
After an indeterminate period, Lu Qing suddenly trembled.
An overpowering aura briefly emanated from him before quickly being suppressed.
Even so, the sudden fluctuation startled Xiao Yan and the others, waking them from their practice.
Lu Qing opened his eyes, a look of contentment on his face.
“I’ve finally completed the first turn of the Perfect Golden Core Technique.”
Indeed, the earlier surge was a sign of him achieving perfection in the first turn of the technique.
With a bit more preparation, he could attempt the second turn.
“How much time has passed?”
Using his heightened perception, Lu Qing gauged the passage of time. Even in the perpetual darkness of the underground chamber, he could measure time with precision.
He was mildly surprised.
“Nearly half a year?”
Indeed, time flowed quickly during cultivation.
“Brother, what was that?” Xiao Yan approached curiously.
Her practice had been interrupted by the sudden commotion. Xiao Li and Wuxing followed suit.
“Apologies. I had a breakthrough just now and failed to control my aura, disturbing you.” Lu Qing’s tone was apologetic.
“Oh, Brother, a breakthrough is great news!” Xiao Yan’s face lit up with joy.
Lu Qing chuckled. “Yes, it is worth celebrating.”
But even as he smiled, his thoughts turned introspective.