Chapter 444: Settling Karma, Seeking the Dao

Chapter 444: Settling Karma, Seeking the Dao

January 1st, 2025

"Zhirui, is this the place where Lu Xiaolang Jun has been in seclusion?"

Outside Nine Mile Village, Yan Canghai stared at the ethereal existence before him, his eyes wide with astonishment.

He had no idea that within his jurisdiction, there existed such a blessed land of the immortal.

As for the "Heavenly Elder" beside him, he was even more awe-struck.

He vaguely sensed that this small mountain village was likely protected by a powerful array.

However, being at the Foundation Establishment Realm, he couldn't discern the strength of the array at all.

Upon realizing this, the Heavenly Elder's heart was filled with relief.

Fortunately, he had come in person this time.

He had witnessed the anomaly of this village and the array that even he couldn't discern.

This made him realize how unfathomable the person in seclusion here truly was.

If the Yan Clan were to offend this person, they might not even know how to atone for it.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll go in to pay my respects to Lu Xiaolang Jun. Nine Mile Village is protected by an array, and outsiders cannot enter casually."

Zhirui instructed.

"Thank you, Zhirui," Yan Canghai said.

The Heavenly Elder also quickly added, "Thank you, Young Master Zhirui."

Just as Zhirui was about to enter the village, a voice came from within: "There's no need for that. If you have something to say, speak here."

As the voice fell, the mist ahead dispersed, and Lu Xiaolang Jun's figure emerged from within.

Xiao Li stood on his shoulder, and the Multicolor Winged Serpent followed closely behind him.

"Lu Xiaolang Jun."

Upon seeing Lu Xiaolang Jun, Zhirui hurried forward.

He wasn't surprised that Lu Xiaolang Jun was aware of their arrival; with his abilities, if he wished, he could sense anyone within dozens of miles.

What surprised him was that Lu Xiaolang Jun had come out of the village directly.

"Indeed, I appreciate you bringing them here, Brother Zhirui."

Lu Xiaolang Jun nodded towards Yan Canghai and the Heavenly Elder.

Lu Xiaolang Jun?

Upon hearing Zhirui's address, the Heavenly Elder immediately understood that the young man before them was the one they had come to see.

He was about to step forward to pay his respects, but as Lu Xiaolang Jun's gaze fell upon him, and his entire body suddenly felt heavy.

It was as if a giant mountain was pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe, and his body felt incredibly heavy, even speaking was a challenge.

What frightened him even more was that Lu Xiaolang Jun's gaze seemed to see through everything.

"Foundation Establishment Realm? Not bad. In this world, to completely transform True Qi into Spirit Energy, overcome obstacles, and enter the Foundation Establishment Realm, your cultivation talent is indeed remarkable."

Lu Xiaolang Jun withdrew his gaze and spoke calmly.

The Heavenly Elder felt his body lighten, and he didn't bother wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Instead, he hurriedly said,

"Your Excellency is too kind. My humble cultivation is like a firefly before you, insignificant in your presence."

"Heavenly Elder..."

Yan Canghai, standing beside him, was astonished by the Heavenly Elder's extremely humble attitude.

To be honest, he had been surprised when he saw the Heavenly Elder personally escorting the descendant of Li Weitian to Cang County.

The Heavenly Elder's status in the clan was extremely revered, even surpassing that of the clan's patriarch.

For him to personally escort the descendant of Li Weitian was unprecedented.

This made Yan Canghai realize that the clan must have taken his words to heart and was treating this matter with unprecedented importance.

However, he still didn't expect the Heavenly Elder to be so humble upon meeting Lu Xiaolang Jun.

The Heavenly Elder didn't feel there was anything wrong with his attitude.

In the path of cultivation, strength was revered.

Just from Lu Xiaolang Jun's gaze, he felt that the person before him was of an unfathomably high cultivation realm, far beyond his comprehension.

He even sensed that the two strange beasts accompanying Lu Xiaolang Jun were also formidable, capable of posing a deadly threat.

"Enough with the false modesty."

Lu Xiaolang Jun didn't seem to care about the Heavenly Elder's humility. Instead, he said, "Have you completed the task I assigned to your Yan Clan?"

"Yes, we have followed your instructions and taken care of everything!"

The Heavenly Elder quickly replied, "The descendant of Elder Li Weitian has been escorted here by me.

As for the Ten Thousand Great Mountains you desire, that's not a problem either. It's our honor.

Even if you wanted the entire Yan Country, we would willingly offer it to you!"

"I have no interest in your Yan Country's territory," Lu Xiaolang Jun smiled, "but the Ten Thousand Great Mountains are where I cultivate in seclusion. I don't want others meddling in my affairs."

"Yes, I understand. From now on, no one from Yan Country will set foot in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains without your permission!"

The Heavenly Elder immediately pledged.

"Since that's the case, I'll return these people to you."

Lu Qing waved his hand, and several figures appeared out of thin air, falling to the ground.

It was the Handsome Youth and his few Primordial Realm bodyguards.

However, at this moment, their conditions were not looking too good.

Even though they had been released, they still looked dazed and unresponsive.

Especially the Handsome Youth, whose gaze was blank, as if his soul had already left his body.

"Seventh Brother!"

Yan Canghai exclaimed upon seeing that the Handsome Youth's arms were missing.

It was this shout that gradually brought the Handsome Youth and the others back to their senses.

They looked at Yan Canghai, then at their surroundings, and a glimmer of spirit slowly returned to their eyes.

"Fourth Brother, Elder Tian? Have we been released?" The Handsome Youth muttered.

His eyes were filled with disbelief, fearing that what he was seeing was just a dream.

The other bodyguards felt the same way.

However, as Primordial Realm experts, they quickly realized that they had indeed been released from that ghostly place.

"County Governor, I have returned these people to you. If there is nothing else, please leave now." Lu Qing said calmly.

Hearing his voice, the Handsome Youth and the bodyguards trembled.

They turned to look at him, their eyes filled with fear.

During this period, they had been locked in a dark and gloomy prison, experiencing a taste of despair that they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

Especially the Handsome Youth, who looked at Lu Qing with eyes that saw him as the biggest devil.

When he was first captured by Lu Qing, he still had thoughts of revenge.

But now, he didn't even dare to have a single thought of it anymore!

At this moment, he just wanted to get away from this devil and never see him again.

"Elder Tian," seeing the state of the Handsome Youth and the others, knew that they had suffered greatly during this time.

However, he didn't show any dissatisfaction.

Instead, he bowed deeply to Lu Qing. "Thank you for sparing their lives."

"Elder Tian" had already learned the reason why Yan Cangshan and the others were captured.

He understood that Lu Qing had been merciful.

If it had been any other expert, they would have likely been killed with a single palm strike for such an offense.

Yan Cangshan was lucky to have only lost his arms.

Moreover, the divine ability that Lu Qing had displayed further deepened his fear.

Naturally, he didn't dare to show any dissatisfaction.

"Alright, you may leave now," Lu Qing waved his hand.

However, Yan Canghai hesitated and asked with a bow, "Young Master, Li Weitian's descendant..."

"I will personally handle this matter. You just need to settle them down for now."

"Yes, then we will take our leave."

After Yan Canghai and the others left, Lin Zhirui approached and apologized, "Young Master Lu, I took the liberty of bringing Yan Canghai and the others here. Please forgive me."

"Brother Zhirui, what are you talking about?" Lu Qing smiled.

In the past, he didn't want too many people to know about Nine Mile Village because he was still weak and had provoked a powerful enemy like Hanging Mountain. He was worried that he wouldn't be able to protect the village.

But now, he had entered the Core Formation Realm, Hanging Mountain had been destroyed, and Nine Mile Village was protected by his array formation.

So, he no longer had the same concerns.

Hearing that Lu Qing wasn't angry, Lin Zhirui also breathed a sigh of relief.

He had gone against convention and taken the initiative to bring Yan Canghai and the others.

First, he genuinely wanted to help his friend.

Second, if he hadn't been there, he was worried that the Yan Clan might not know their place and offend Lu Qing.

If Lu Qing became truly enraged and destroyed the Yan Clan, the Wang Clan would be annihilated, and Yan Kingdom would surely fall into chaos.

When the country is in turmoil, neighboring countries will have ulterior motives, and the people will likely suffer displacement.

To prevent such a situation, he slightly compromised his principles.

Fortunately, the Yan Clan was sensible, and Elder Tian was able to recognize the situation, fully meeting Lu Qing's conditions.

After relaxing, Lin Zhirui also asked, "Young Master Lu, what do you plan to do with Li Weitian's descendant?"

From Yan Canghai's words, Lin Zhirui also learned about the incident.

He also understood that the reason Lu Qing had captured the Seventh Prince was for Li Weitian's descendant.

During this time, he had also investigated Li Weitian and learned about his life.

He even vaguely guessed that Lu Qing must have obtained Li Weitian's legacy.

This was how he had risen so quickly and soared to new heights.

Otherwise, the old doctor would have only been an Inner Organ Realm martial artist.

And how could they obtain the various cultivation techniques and resources required to break through to the Primordial Realm? Thus, both master and disciple entered the Primordial Realm.

"I won't get involved in this matter. Let the Wei family handle it and settle them properly." Lu Qing said.

By rescuing Li Weitian's descendants, he had already considered the karmic cycle resolved.

As for other matters, Lu Qing didn't plan to get involved.

With the Wei family's capabilities, settling a small clan of only a few dozen people should be easy.

Lin Zhirui nodded, understanding that Lu Qing didn't intend to provide excessive support to the Li family.

After returning to the village, Lu Qing went to the Wei family's annex and found Wei Xinghe. He briefly explained the situation.

Upon hearing this, Wei Xinghe immediately arranged for people to go to the county town and settle Li Weitian's descendants.

After finishing this matter, Lu Qing suddenly felt his mind becoming much lighter and more relaxed.

As he circulated his True Qi, it became even more perfect and satisfying.

"Karmic cycle?"

As he felt the changes in his mind, Lu Qing muttered to himself, and a realization dawned on him.

...

Early the next morning, as soon as Lu Qing got up, he heard a bustling atmosphere in the village.

Especially around the ancestral hall, it was exceptionally lively.

He smiled slightly.

With a slight movement of his thoughts, his True Qi rippled, and his body became clear and bright. He then walked out of the house.

The Golden Core Realm Cultivator

As a Golden Core Realm cultivator, Lu Qing's body was now pure and untainted, filled with a natural clarity. There was no need for him to perform the mundane act of washing like ordinary people.

The rippling of his True Qi was far more effective than any form of washing.

"Brother, why is it so lively outside?"

Xiao Yan, rubbing her eyes, came out of the room.

Although the little girl had already reached the Primordial Realm, her habit of being a sleepyhead remained.

Sometimes, if Lu Qing didn't call her, she might not even wake up.

"There's a celebration in the village today. Do you want to go and watch the excitement with your brother?" Lu Qing asked.

"There's something exciting? Xiao Yan wants to go!" The little girl immediately became alert.

"Alright, after we finish breakfast, we'll head over."

After the siblings finished their breakfast, they took Xiao Li and Wuxing with them and headed towards the ancestral hall.

As soon as they got a little closer, they were spotted by the villagers.

"Ah Qing is here!"

The villagers gathered outside the ancestral hall made way, forming a path for them.

Lu Qing smiled and, without hesitation, led Xiao Yan forward.

Xiao Li remained on his shoulder, while Wuxing followed behind Xiao Yan this time.

Seeing Xiao Li and Wuxing, the villagers weren't afraid. In recent days, Xiao Yan had often brought Xiao Li and Wuxing to play with the other children in the village.

So everyone knew that these two exotic beasts were very docile and wouldn't harm anyone.

In fact, many children particularly liked them.

Especially Wuxing, when it got excited while playing, it often carried several little rascals around, and it was very popular.

On the contrary, Xiao Li, who didn't like being touched, allowed only Xiao Yan and Lu Qing to approach it.

Although the little rascals also liked it very much, they could only look and not touch.

"Ah Qing." Zhang Grandpa walked up, "There are people in the village who want to cultivate, and they've all come."

"Mhm."

Lu Qing nodded and then looked down at the steps.

Below the steps, there gathered quite a few people; at a glance, there were several dozen of them, and they were all familiar faces.

But...

Lu Qing looked at an elderly man in the crowd whose hair was already turning gray, and he couldn't help but feel speechless, "Grandpa Zhao, you also want to cultivate?"

The old man whom Lu Qing addressed as Grandpa Zhao smiled, revealing a few missing teeth, "Isn't this what you said, Ah Qing? Anyone who wants to cultivate can come.

I've been idle every day with nothing to do, so I might as well give it a try."

Zhang Grandpa covered his forehead and pointed at Grandpa Zhao in annoyance, "You old fool, half your body is already buried in the ground, and you still want to learn cultivation.

Don't cause trouble there, come out right now!"

"I won't!" Grandpa Zhao stiffened his neck, "Why should only the young be able to cultivate? I also want to try.

When I was young, I often dreamed of becoming an immortal and flying in the sky.

But you all laughed at me, saying I was daydreaming.

Only my wife believed in me and said I was a reincarnated immortal.

When she married me, she even said she was marrying an immortal.

Now that she's gone, I want to prove to her that she didn't make a mistake in me!"

"You..."

Zhang Grandpa was at a loss for words.

Seeing the stubborn old man, he didn't know what to say for a moment.

At this moment, Lu Qing waved his hand, "Since Grandpa Zhao also has a heart for the Dao, of course, we should let him try too."

After saying this, he waved his hand, and a stream of light flew out from his sleeve.

Then it expanded, transforming into a jade stele twice as tall as a person, and it landed on the ground.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end