Chapter 459 (2)
In contrast, he sincerely and thoroughly relayed the intentions of the Three Holy Lords to the old doctor.
They hoped this kind-hearted and compassionate elder would help persuade Lu Qing to join their cause.
"The Three Holy Lords wish for me to assist in drafting a prohibition?"
This time, Lu Qing was truly astonished.
He had not anticipated that the purpose of the visit from the Master of Tianji Tower would be for such a matter.
For a moment, he fell silent.
"Ah Qing, this is no trivial matter. You must carefully consider it.
If you’re not cautious, you might end up being the enemy of the entire world.
If it cannot be done, it might be better to refuse the Three Holy Lords," the old doctor advised upon seeing Lu Qing’s hesitation.
While the old doctor believed that if the Holy Lords succeeded, it could indeed benefit all living beings, he also valued Lu Qing’s safety just as much.Without certainty, he would not wish for Lu Qing to endure such upheaval.
After a moment of silence, Lu Qing asked, "Master, I’ve been in seclusion recently and am not well-informed about the past six months. Has the outside world become chaotic?"
The old doctor pondered briefly before replying, "It seems fairly chaotic. Here in Cangzhou, we are fortunate. The region is remote, and with you present, Yan Kingdom has extended their care, so there’s been no trouble.
But according to Zhirui and the head of the Wei family, in the past two years, many prodigies with astonishing cultivation talent have emerged.
Moreover, many older-generation experts, whose cultivation had stagnated due to the laws of heaven and earth, have broken through into new realms.
Especially in the last six months, numerous places have experienced heavenly tribulations.
It appears that some individuals are undergoing the Golden Core tribulation.
With heroes rising and experts emerging, strife is inevitable.
If that were the extent of it, it wouldn’t be so bad since it’s merely battles among cultivators.
However, some cultivators, upon breaking through and gaining immense power, have become overconfident and arrogant.
I heard from Zhirui that not long ago, two sect forces in Qizhou fought over a spiritual land.
Their Foundation Establishment elders battled recklessly in a city, resulting in severe civilian casualties.
Elsewhere, in Quanzhou, two prefectural states went to war, plunging countless commoners into misery and suffering..."
Listening to his master recount these events, Lu Qing realized how rapidly the world had changed during the six months of his seclusion.
Not long ago, when he traveled with Xiaoyan, he sensed the undercurrents but never expected things to deteriorate to such an extent.
He thought for a moment before saying, "Master, let’s set aside these matters for now. The most important thing is your tribulation.
Let’s decide on everything else after you pass it."
"Alright, you’ve just returned. Take this time to think things through before making a decision," the old doctor agreed with a nod.
The master and disciple talked a bit more, with Lu Qing primarily recounting his experiences during his travels.
Occasionally, Xiaoyan would chime in with her lively chatter.
Only then did the old doctor learn how much they had gone through during their time away.
After summarizing their journey, Lu Qing and Xiaoyan left the courtyard so the old doctor could refine the two treasure pearls and prepare for the tribulation.
...
On their way home, the villagers spotted them, leading to an uproar.
After all, Lu Qing and Xiaoyan had been gone for nearly a year.
During this time, many villagers had repeatedly visited the old doctor to inquire about them out of concern.
Fortunately, the old doctor had reassured them multiple times that Lu Qing and Xiaoyan were safe, merely traveling.
Now that they had finally returned, the villagers crowded around, asking why they had been away for so long.
The commotion even reached the Wei family manor, drawing attention.
By the time Lu Qing had explained everything and returned home, a few hours had passed.
No sooner had he sat down than visitors arrived.
It turned out that the news of his return had also reached the Wei family.
Wei Shanhai and Wei Xinghe came to visit, extending an invitation for them to dine at the manor.
Since Lu Qing’s home had been unoccupied for a long time and Xiaoyan hadn’t seen Wei Furen in ages, he agreed.
...
During dinner, Lu Qing learned more about the current state of the world from the Wei family.
It was worse than he had imagined.
Many sects, newly emerged experts, and even prefectural states frequently clashed over resources and influence.
Initially, most showed restraint.
But as conflicts escalated and disciples perished, hostilities grew bitter.
Some forces even became bloodthirsty.
The most affected were the ordinary civilians without the means to protect themselves.
The recent surge in spiritual energy had allowed many experts to surpass their previous limits, increasing the number of formidable cultivators.
However, their battles caused widespread devastation.
Even a stray sword or blade could wreak havoc on a large group of people.
Consequently, when civilians heard of impending conflicts, they would flee, fearing collateral damage.
But the path of escape was fraught with hardship, adding to their suffering.
"Our Cangzhou and even Yan Kingdom are among the most peaceful places nearby.
Thanks to you, Lu Xiaolangjun, Yan Kingdom dares not harbor ill intentions.
As a result, many civilians from neighboring states have sought refuge here.
However, I recently heard that Qiu Kingdom seems restless and may target Yan Kingdom," Wei Xinghe remarked.
"Qiu Kingdom?" Lu Qing mused. "Doesn’t the Yan family’s elder, Tian Lao, have sufficient strength to deter them? He’s a Foundation Establishment cultivator."
"Rumor has it that Qiu Kingdom’s guardian general was already a peak Precelestial Realm expert before the spiritual energy revival.
Afterward, his cultivation advanced rapidly, and he recently broke into the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Additionally, the Qiu royal family also has an elder who has reached Foundation Establishment.
With two such experts, Qiu Kingdom’s ambitions have grown, and they now eye the surrounding states," Wei Xinghe explained.
"I see," Lu Qing nodded. "It seems that in my time of seclusion, the world has undergone significant changes.
If this chaos continues, ordinary people may truly have no way to survive."
His tone carried a trace of melancholy, yet a resolute decision was forming in his heart.