Chapter 459: Returning to the Village, Bestowing Treasures, and the Turbulent World

Chapter 459: Returning to the Village, Bestowing Treasures, and the Turbulent World

2025-01-16

Above Nine Li Village, a black vortex suddenly appeared.

Following closely, a somewhat dilapidated silver ethereal flying vessel emerged from within.

Lu Qing, accompanied by Xiao Yan, stepped out of the vessel and promptly retracted it.

His aura fluctuated slightly.

In this world, there were speed restrictions. Once one's flying speed approached the upper limit, they would receive a warning from the Heavenly Dao's will.

However, when traversing the void, there were no such limitations.

But using the ethereal flying vessel to travel through the void was incredibly draining of magical power.

Even though Lu Qing had recently made significant progress in his cultivation, reaching the first level of the Golden Core Realm, it still felt strenuous to use.

"Big Brother, are we back at Nine Li Village already?"

Xiao Yan gazed at the familiar village below, her mind momentarily blank.

Xiao Li and Wu Xing also shared the same reaction, all of them standing in awe.

Just a moment ago, they were in a place separated by countless states, and now, in the blink of an eye, they had returned to Nine Li Village.

A distance of tens of thousands of miles had been crossed in an instant.

This speed was truly terrifying.

None of the three had ever ridden in an ethereal flying vessel before, let alone experienced the power of traversing the void.

For a moment, they were all astonished beyond measure.

"Hmm, it's thanks to this treasure. Let's head back to the village first."

Lu Qing offered a vague explanation.

He extended his spiritual awareness and sensed his master's aura emanating from the courtyard halfway up the mountain.

Furthermore, the village was enveloped in peace, with no signs of chaos.

A sense of relief washed over him as he realized that his fears had not materialized.

Without delay, he led Xiao Yan and the others down towards the village.

As soon as they landed at the halfway courtyard, they saw their master stepping out of the house.

A smile graced his face, "I figured you'd be back around this time."

"Grandpa Chen!"

Xiao Yan, who hadn't seen the old doctor in over half a year, immediately ran up to him and acted coquettishly.

Lu Qing's face flushed with embarrassment, "Master, please forgive me. I've been in seclusion and didn't have the chance to check the jade talisman you sent. It was only after I emerged today that I learned you had sent me a message."

"You've only just emerged from seclusion today? But you're already back in Nine Li Village..."

The old doctor was startled. Half a year ago, when Lu Qing sent him a message, he knew that Lu Qing was going into seclusion at Chang Hen Mountain, located in a state far away from theirs.

If he had just emerged from seclusion today, how could he have returned to Nine Li Village so quickly?

"I have a treasure that allows me to travel through the void, covering tens of thousands of miles in an instant. However, it consumes a significant amount of magical power, so I can't use it frequently," Lu Qing explained.

"To possess such a divine treasure is truly remarkable!"

The old doctor was amazed upon hearing this.

No wonder Lu Qing had said that if anything happened, he should send a message, and he would rush back as soon as possible.

The old doctor had initially thought that Lu Qing would need at least several days to return.

He never expected that Lu Qing's idea of 'quickly' was indeed this fast.

With such a treasure, one could travel anywhere in the world without hindrance.

"Master, in the message you sent, you mentioned preparing to face the heavenly tribulation for a breakthrough, didn't you?" Lu Qing asked.

"Yes, it should be within these few days." The old doctor nodded, "I can feel that the opportunity for a breakthrough is becoming increasingly intense. It's almost time."

"It's fortunate that I made it back in time to assist you, Master."

Lu Qing's heart relaxed as he took out two pearls, one white and one red, from the Qiankun Qi Bag.

"Master, with your heavenly tribulation imminent, there's not much I can do.

During my recent travels, I acquired these two pearls, a water-attributed supreme treasure, the Wan Fa Pearl, and a fire-attributed treasure, the Jing Huo Pearl. They are both suitable for your cultivation of the water and fire paths.

After refining them, you should be able to enhance your foundation and better withstand the heavenly tribulation."

The treasures Lu Qing presented were the Supreme Water-Attributed Treasure, Wan Fa Pearl, and the Jing Huo Pearl.

"These two treasures..."

The old doctor's heart stirred upon seeing the pearls, and his spiritual energy stirred within his body.

Instantly, he understood that refining these two pearls would bring him tremendous benefits.

"It seems that you have a profound connection with these two treasures, Master."

Lu Qing also sensed the fluctuations in his master's aura and smiled, handing over the two pearls.

"Master, the white pearl is the Supreme Water-Attributed Treasure, Wan Fa Pearl, and the red one is an Upper-Grade Fire-Attributed Treasure.

Their grades and primary functions are not equivalent.

After you refine them, you may need to spend time tempering and studying them to transform them into the most suitable treasures for yourself."

The Wan Fa Pearl and Jing Huo Pearl were not equivalent in terms of grade and function.

Fortunately, they were both rare and pure water and fire-attributed treasures, perfectly aligned with his master's water and fire cultivation paths, making them suitable for refinement.

Lu Qing had originally planned to use the Li Huo Ding to refine and adjust them before presenting them to his master.

But with his master about to undergo the heavenly tribulation, having a powerful magical treasure for protection would greatly aid in overcoming the heavenly calamity.

So, he decided to send it ahead of time.

Fortunately, as long as this exceptional treasure is properly nurtured and refined, it can grow stronger alongside its owner's cultivation.

After his master successfully overcomes the tribulation and achieves the Golden Core Realm, there will be ample time to nurture and refine these two treasures into the most suitable magical tools for him.

Moreover, doing so has an additional benefit—the treasures, having been nurtured and refined by the owner themselves, will be more in sync with their own body.

This will make it easier to achieve the true unity of mind and spirit, reaching a level where one's arm can point and the treasure will follow.

"Supreme Magical Treasures and Superior Magical Tools..."

The old doctor, holding the two precious pearls, was stunned by the young man's words.

He was well aware that once a treasure reaches the level of a magical tool, its value becomes immeasurable.

However, the old doctor didn't say much more. He silently put away the two pearls.

Between master and disciple, many things didn't need to be said explicitly.

"By the way, Master, a few months ago, the Sage of Heavenly Secrets came to find me for an important matter. What was it about?" Lu Qing asked after his master put away the treasure.

"This matter is indeed very important," the old doctor said, his expression turning solemn. "The Sage of Heavenly Secrets came on behalf of the three Sage Sovereigns of the Holy Mountain.

They believe that with the current chaos in the world, it's time to re-establish order and issue prohibitions.

But they feel that with numerous prodigies and heroes rising, they alone might not be able to convince the world to accept these prohibitions.

So, they want to invite you to join them in establishing these prohibitions for the welfare of all living beings."

The Sage of Heavenly Secrets knew the old doctor's character and was also aware of Lu Qing's deep respect for his master.

When he came, he didn't hide his intentions. Instead, he sincerely and thoroughly informed the old doctor of the three Sage Sovereigns' wishes.

He hoped that this kind and benevolent old man would help persuade Lu Qing.

"The three Sage Sovereigns want me to join them in establishing prohibitions?" Lu Qing was genuinely surprised.

He never imagined that the Sage of Heavenly Secrets' visit was for such a matter.

For a moment, he fell silent.

"Ah Qing, this is no small matter. You must consider it carefully. A slight misstep, and you might become an enemy of the entire world.

If it's not feasible, it's better to politely decline the three Sage Sovereigns."

Seeing Lu Qing's silence, the old doctor advised.

Although the old doctor believed that the Sage Sovereigns' plan, if successful, could indeed bring great benefits to the world, he also valued Lu Qing's safety.

If there was no guarantee of success, he didn't want Lu Qing to bear such a burden.

After a moment of silence, Lu Qing asked, "Master, I've been in seclusion for the past few months and am not very familiar with the events of the last half a year. Is the world in chaos now?"

The old doctor pondered for a moment and replied, "It seems quite chaotic. Fortunately, Cangzhou is still relatively calm, being in a remote location, and with you here, the Yan Kingdom has been able to respond accordingly, so no major disturbances have occurred.

But according to Lin Zhirui and the Wei Family Patriarch's discussion a while ago, many prodigies have emerged in the world over the past two years, with astonishing cultivation talents.

Additionally, many older generation powerhouses, whose cultivation had been stagnant due to the rules of heaven and earth, have broken through, entering new realms.

Especially in the last six months, there have been heavenly tribulation anomalies in several places, indicating that powerful cultivators are undergoing the Golden Core Tribulation.

With heroes rising and powerful cultivators emerging, conflicts are inevitable.

If it were just a matter of cultivators fighting among themselves, it wouldn't be too bad.

However, some cultivators, after breaking through to higher realms and becoming more powerful, also develop inflated egos.

I heard from Lin Zhirui that recently, two sects in Qiao State fought over a spiritual land.

As a result, their Foundation Establishment Realm Grand Elders, not knowing their own strength, directly clashed in a city, causing heavy casualties among the city's residents.

On the border of Quanzhou, two counties even went to war, dragging their citizens into a dire situation..."

As Lu Qing listened to his master recounting the recent events in the world, he finally understood that during his seclusion over the past six months, the world's situation had changed so rapidly.

When he had been traveling with Xiao Yan, he had sensed the undercurrents, but it hadn't been as dire as this.

After thinking for a while, Lu Qing said, "Master, let's put these matters aside for now. The most important thing at the moment is your heavenly tribulation.

We'll make a decision after you've successfully overcome the tribulation."

"That's good. You've just returned, so take this time to think things through clearly before making a decision."

The old doctor nodded in agreement.

Master and disciple chatted for a while longer, with Lu Qing primarily sharing his experiences and encounters from his recent travels. Occasionally, Xiao Yan chimed in with her lively chatter adding to the conversation.

Through their conversation, the old doctor learned that Lu Qing and his companions had experienced so much during their journey.

After Lu Qing finished recounting his adventures, he and Xiao Yan departed from the halfway-up-the-mountain courtyard.

This would allow the master to focus on refining the two precious pearls, consolidating and accumulating their power, and preparing for the upcoming tribulation.

On their way home, they were spotted by villagers, naturally causing quite a stir. After all, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan had been away for almost a year, and many villagers had grown concerned during their absence. Some had even visited the halfway-up-the-mountain courtyard multiple times to inquire about their well-being.

Fortunately, the old doctor had repeatedly assured them that Lu Qing and his companions were merely traveling and were safe and sound. This reassurance had calmed the villagers' worries.

Now that they had finally returned, the villagers warmly welcomed them back, asking why they had been away for so long. The commotion even reached the Wei family's other courtyard, attracting their attention.

By the time Lu Qing finished explaining and returned home, several hours had passed.

Soon after sitting down, they received a visitor. It turned out that the commotion in the village had also reached the ears of the Wei family in the other courtyard.

Upon learning of Lu Qing's return, Wei Shan Hai and Wei Xing He came to visit.

After catching up and exchanging pleasantries, they invited Lu Qing and Xiao Yan to join them for a meal in the other courtyard.

Lu Qing thought to himself that it was a good opportunity, as his family had not cooked in a long time, and he would need to prepare the kitchen before cooking. Additionally, Xiao Yan had not seen Madam Wei in a while, so he readily agreed.

During the meal, Lu Qing learned more about the current state of the world from Wei Shan Hai and the others. The situation was even worse than he had imagined.

Many sects and newly emerged powerful individuals, some even from neighboring counties, were frequently clashing as they sought to expand their influence and compete for resources.

Initially, everyone had exercised restraint. However, as conflicts escalated and disciples began to lose their lives, the situation intensified.

Many factions directly entered a state of fury, and the most affected were the ordinary people who lacked the ability to protect themselves.

With the revival of Essence Qi, many powerful individuals broke free from their constraints and entered new realms, wielding even greater power than before.

Even Primordial Realm and Foundation Establishment Realm experts, including Mimic colonies, had increased significantly in number.

When these powerful individuals engaged in all-out battles, it spelled disaster for ordinary people and lower-level martial artists.

A casual sword beam or blade light, if unleashed among the populace, could cause massive casualties.

As a result, whenever news of an impending conflict between two factions spread, people would flee, fearing they would become collateral damage.

However, the path of escape was not easy, and the stories of the misfortunes that befell the fleeing villagers were countless.

"Speaking of which, our Cangzhou and even the Yan Kingdom are actually the most peaceful among the neighboring counties," Wei Xing He said. "Because of your presence, Lu Qing, the Yan Kingdom dares not harbor any ill intentions. This has also attracted many refugees from the surrounding counties."

"I heard some news a few days ago," Wei Xing He continued. "The neighboring Qiu Kingdom seems to be making some moves. It appears they have their eyes set on the Yan Kingdom."

"Qiu Kingdom, huh..." Lu Qing pondered. "Isn't the Yan family's Elder 'Tian Lao' a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator? Can't he deter the Qiu Kingdom?"

"It's said that the Qiu Kingdom has a Guardian General who was already a Primordial Realm expert before the Essence Qi Revival. After the revival, his cultivation has been advancing rapidly. Recently, he also entered the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Additionally, a clan elder from the Qiu Kingdom's royal family has also reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. With two Foundation Establishment Realm experts, the Qiu Kingdom's ambitions have grown. They now have the idea of annexing the surrounding counties to strengthen themselves."

Wei Xing He explained.

"I see," Lu Qing nodded. "It seems that during my closed-door cultivation, the world has undergone significant changes. If this chaos continues, the common folk may truly have no way out."

Lu Qing's tone carried a hint of sigh.

In his heart, a decision was already taking shape.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end