Chapter 252: Traveling a Thousand Li in a Day, the Wind-Driving Chariot

“Lu Qing brother, what should we do next?”

After Ma Gu finished harnessing the carriage on a relatively smooth stretch of road, he asked.

Old Doctor, Wei Zian, and Xiao Yan stood by the roadside.

"Just ride it directly. The formation on the carriage has been specially adjusted by me. Once the vehicle begins moving, the magical formation will automatically activate."

Lu Qing said.

Normally, Ma Gu was the one who drove the carriage. Without Spiritual Soul Power, the formation couldn’t be triggered.

So Lu Qing had set the formation to activate automatically upon motion detection.

As soon as the carriage started moving, the formation would activate, protecting it.

"Truly amazing! Then I’ll give it a try!"

Ma Gu’s eyes lit up with anticipation.

He lightly flicked the whip. The two towering warhorses, having grown accustomed to Ma Gu over time, nearly sensed his will. Instantly, they stepped forward with light, swift hooves.

The moment they began to move, Ma Gu felt something strange.

Ever since leaving Jiuli Village, he had been the one driving this carriage. He knew it inside and out—every creak, every quiver, every nuance.

But now, the carriage felt utterly unfamiliar.

It had become incredibly light—almost as if it were floating along the road.

A strange energy surged forth, enveloping not only the carriage but also the two horses in its grasp.

As soon as motion began, the speed skyrocketed—whoosh!—and they shot forward with astonishing speed.

"Fast!"

Old Doctor and the others were stunned.

The carriage’s speed was far beyond even their fastest sprint.

The sudden acceleration nearly threw Ma Gu off balance—he almost crashed into the trees by the roadside.

But Ma Gu was no ordinary man. A martial cultivator who had nearly reached the Jin Gu Jing Wan Man realm, his control remained solid.

With a sharp reflex, he managed to stabilize the carriage just in time, avoiding a disastrous spill.

Even the two horses were startled, repeatedly glancing back, as if puzzled by how much lighter the carriage had become.

"Ma Ye, are you alright?"

Lu Qing asked, slightly alarmed. Though he knew the formation would protect them even if the carriage flipped, he couldn’t help but worry.

"I’m fine, fine! Just wasn’t ready!"

Ma Gu waved his hands, cheeks slightly flushed. "I’ll try again."

"Be careful."

Sitting in the carriage, Ma Gu took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn.

This time, he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

He cracked the whip again.

The horses, responding instinctively to the sound, lifted their hooves and galloped forward.

As the carriage moved, that same strange energy surged once more, wrapping the entire vehicle and horses in its embrace.

Speed shot up again.

This time, with mental preparation, Ma Gu quickly adapted.

He guided the carriage with steady, confident hands.

To Lu Qing and the others watching, Ma Gu’s carriage seemed to vanish in a ripple of wind—then reappeared moments later, streaking back from the distant bend in the road, and came to a smooth, controlled stop before them.

Throughout the entire process, the only sound was the soft tap-tap of hooves.

The usual creaking of wheels was nearly silent—almost nonexistent.

"Lu Qing brother, this carriage is truly miraculous after your modifications!"

Ma Gu hopped down, grinning from ear to ear.

Even the two horses snorted loudly, as if in agreement.

"Master, how does the carriage feel now that the formation has been inscribed?"

Wei Zian asked curiously.

"Unbelievably smooth!"

Ma Gu exclaimed. "You wouldn’t believe it—once it starts moving, a mysterious force wraps around the carriage and horses, making them feel weightless and agile. The speed is incredible! Yet the ride is perfectly smooth—no jolts, no bumps. It feels like we’re riding the wind itself. Absolutely magical!"

"I inscribed three formations onto the carriage,"

Lu Qing explained.

"The Lightness Array, the Clear Wind Array, and the Solidification Array.

The lightness and wind-riding sensation you felt? That’s the Lightness Array and Clear Wind Array at work.

The Solidification Array is for reinforcing the carriage’s structural integrity—it’s harder to notice at first."

"Lightness Array… Clear Wind Array…"

Ma Gu and Wei Zian murmured the names softly, their eyes filled with wonder.

They had never imagined Lu Qing could truly master such techniques.

Formation arts—once only the stuff of legendary tales, reserved for immortal sages—were now being wielded by Lu Qing.

Was he... a divine being come down to earth?

The thought crept into their minds, especially after all the strange, miraculous things Lu Qing had shown them.

And now, the idea didn’t seem so far-fetched.

Their gaze toward Lu Qing shifted—filled with newfound awe.

"You two don’t need to look at me like that,"

Lu Qing chuckled, sensing their changed expressions.

"I’m no immortal. I just happen to know a bit about formations.

Now that the world’s Qi is returning, the ancient arts are awakening once more. That’s why I can use them now.

You already know—Liu Yun Zong used formations to cause the massacre in Liu Yun Town. The proof is real."

"Qi returning…"

Ma Gu repeated the words, then looked up.

"Lu Qing brother, I’ve always wanted to ask—whenever you and Old Doctor talk about the changes in Heaven and Earth, what exactly has changed?"

Wei Zian looked at Lu Qing as well.

"I thought you’d hold off asking forever,"

Lu Qing smiled. "Well, it’s time you knew."

"The so-called Heaven and Earth Transformation—if our calculations are correct—refers to..."

He briefly explained the return of Qi, the rebirth of ancient power, and the revival of long-lost realms.

The two disciples were left speechless, stunned.

"Lu Qing brother… you’re saying Qi is truly coming back? That those legendary immortal techniques—those gods’ powers—they were real all along?"

Ma Gu finally spoke, his voice trembling.

"About right,"

Lu Qing nodded.

"Long ago, the Dao of Immortal Cultivation truly existed. But when Qi faded, the path vanished.

Now that Qi is returning, I believe it’s only a matter of time before the old arts rise again."

The revelation shook Ma Gu and Wei Zian to their core.

They stood in silence, overwhelmed, absorbing the weight of the truth.

Lu Qing said nothing more, letting them process the news.

After all, going from a world of martial cultivation to one where immortals and divine arts were real—no one could accept it overnight.

"Lu Qing Doctor,"

Wei Zian suddenly asked, "was it really true that you told Xiao Yan you’d teach her how to fly?"

Xiao Yan immediately looked up at her brother.

"Indeed,"

Lu Qing nodded.

"If Xiao Yan trains diligently, flying will one day be within her reach."

Wei Zian’s eyes sparkled.

"Then, Lu Qing Doctor… could I… could I learn it too?"

"Learn to fly?"

Wei Zian nodded vigorously.

To ride the wind, soar through the sky, and wander the vast heavens—what cultivator wouldn’t dream of it?

"Not impossible,"

Lu Qing said.

"As long as you keep cultivating, once you reach the Xian Tian Jing realm, I’ll teach you."

If Wei Zian could truly break through to Xian Tian Jing, it would prove his talent was exceptional.

And if so, sharing immortal techniques wouldn’t be out of the question.

"Great! Lu Qing Doctor, I’ll train hard!"

Wei Zian’s face lit up with determination.

Inside, he vowed to push himself to the limit—until he stood at the peak of Xian Tian Jing.

Ma Gu watched this with deep satisfaction.

As for himself? He had no such dreams.

He knew his limits.

To reach Nei Fu Jing and touch the realm of Wu Dao Zong Shi would be enough.

Xian Tian Jing? That was a dream he’d never dared to dream.

But if Wei Zian one day became a Xian Tian Jing cultivator, then as his master, Ma Gu would have no regrets.

Old Doctor stood silently by, smiling.

He didn’t interfere—this was Lu Qing’s choice.

"Master,"

Lu Qing turned to him.

"The formations are complete. Should we turn back, or go straight through this E Zhou?"

Old Doctor pondered for a moment, then decided:

"Let’s go back. Now that the carriage’s speed has increased so much, even if we take a longer route, we won’t be delayed.

E Zhou is too treacherous for carriages."

Even after seeing it with his own eyes, Old Doctor hadn’t realized how rugged the terrain truly was.

The narrow mountain paths, the deep forests, the poisonous miasma and deadly insects—each posed a deadly risk.

In ordinary times, he might have explored.

But now, their priority was reaching Zhong Zhou as soon as possible.

They couldn’t afford distractions.

"Alright,"

Lu Qing nodded.

"Same as you say."

In truth, he preferred the return route as well.

With the decision made, they began packing up and preparing to depart.

Once everyone was seated, anticipation flickered across their faces—except for Lu Qing, who remained calm.

"Old Doctor, hold on tight!"

Ma Gu called from the front, cracking the whip.

The two warhorses neighed sharply, then surged forward with joyful energy.

The carriage sprang into motion.

A strange aura flared from the formation on the body—wrapping the entire vehicle and horses in a shimmering green glow.

Speed skyrocketed.

The sudden acceleration threw everyone back with a powerful force.

Lu Qing and Old Doctor remained unfazed—masters of their craft, their bodies unmoved.

But Xiao Yan and Wei Zian were thrown toward the back of the carriage.

Just as they were about to crash, a gentle, invisible current appeared within the cabin—softly lifting them, cradling their bodies, and setting them back in place.

"Lu Qing Doctor, what was that?"

Wei Zian gasped, amazed.

"That’s the Clear Wind Array at work,"

Lu Qing smiled.

"Like its name suggests, it controls the flow of pure wind. It not only accelerates the carriage but also protects you inside, shielding you from sudden jolts and impacts."

"Amazing! This formation art is truly miraculous!"

Wei Zian breathed in awe.

And with that firsthand experience, his resolve to cultivate hard grew even stronger.

If I can reach Xian Tian Jing, I’ll master such wonders too.

Lu Qing chuckled.

Ordinary formation masters wouldn’t achieve such effects.

After all, the Clear Wind Array was merely a basic formation.

But what Lu Qing had crafted—his modified version—was different.

In truth, all three formations he’d inscribed were subtly altered.

They no longer fit the category of "basic" formations.

They were evolving—beyond their original design.

And that was thanks to the Shen Hun Fu Lu within his Brow Qi Cavity.

He’d discovered that under its influence, his formations weren’t just flawless—they carried an extra essence, a surge in power.

It was as if the formations had gained a spark of life, becoming flexible, alive, not rigid.

This is the true strength of the Divine Seal Sect’s inheritance?

Lu Qing reflected silently.

After forging the Shen Hun Fu Lu, the power of formations and spell seals surpasses even the greatest ordinary cultivators.

He’d long wondered why the Divine Seal Sect’s Dao was so difficult to master—so much harder than ordinary cultivation paths.

Yet other cultivators could still cast formations and use talismans.

Was the sect’s path redundant?

Now he understood.

The true power wasn’t in the methods themselves—but in the Shen Hun Fu Lu.

Only those who forged it could truly command the spirit of the seals.

Their power was incomparably stronger.

With the formation’s protection, Ma Gu guided the carriage forward at breakneck speed.

If someone had watched from outside, they’d have seen a green aura swirling around the carriage—racing along the road like a streak of wind, utterly unnatural.

Not long after, they returned to Yun Zhou, arriving at the small village where they’d stayed the previous day.

But this time, they didn’t stop.

After confirming their direction, they took a different path and sped away.

The carriage raced on without pause.

By the time dusk fell, they had long left Yun Zhou behind—crossing into another great province.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end