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Chapter 31: Crimson Whale Gang!
The Crimson Whale Gang is located in Tianshui Prefecture under the Ruyi Region.
The Dajing River in Tianshui Prefecture flows through the entire Ruyi Region, adjacent to the Qinzhou Canal.
The Crimson Whale Gang has become wealthy by engaging in the water transportation business.
It is not only famous in the martial arts world, but also has official status.
On this day, a young man wearing a green shirt and long robe, with a clear face and a tall and slender figure came to Tianshui City.
He was leading a tall and large horse and holding a small animal with dark fur and a crimson vertical mark on its forehead, resembling a wolf or a dog.
As he walked, he radiated a calm and confident aura.
At the city gate, several burly men in short red jackets saw this young man and immediately became excited, quickly approaching him and saying, "Is this Young Master Lu Changsheng?"
"Our young master has ordered us to wait here to greet Young Master Lu."
Three men stepped forward and respectfully said.
"Oh? Is your young master Li Feiyu?"
This young man was naturally Lu Changsheng who came to Crimson Whale Gang to find Li Feiyu.
Seeing the 'Crimson Whale Gang' embroidered on the clothes of the three men, he immediately guessed that Li Feiyu had sent someone to pick him up.
"Yes, our young master is indeed Li Feiyu."
One of them replied.
At that time, someone brought a luxurious carriage and invited Lu Changsheng to get on it.
Seeing this, Lu Changsheng nodded slightly, handed the reins of the horse to someone nearby, and sat down in the carriage with the Nine Netherworld Hounds in his arms.
"Young Master Lu, please sit down. It will take half an hour from here to the headquarters of the Crimson Whale Gang."
The coachman spoke to the inside.
"Mm," Lu Changsheng replied.
Immediately, the carriage began to move steadily.
After about half an hour, the carriage stopped and a voice was heard.
"Young Master Lu, the Crimson Whale Gang is here."
Lu Changsheng lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage, and there was a huge river in front of him.
On the surface of the river, a huge, oval-shaped crimson ship resembling a whale was silently floating.
Just like the surface of the river, under the azure sky that was washed clean by the sunlight shining down on the top of the huge ship, there was a crimson flagpole.
On the flag were two large blood-red characters, 'Crimson Whale'!
"Is this the headquarters of the Crimson Whale Gang?"
It was the first time Lu Changsheng had seen such a majestic ship. It was bigger than any aircraft carrier he had ever seen in his previous life.
On the deck of the huge ship, there was a nine-story giant building surrounded by thick iron chains as thick as buckets of water that stretched horizontally across the riverbank, anchoring the ship in place.
"Yes, this is the headquarters of our Crimson Whale Gang, the Crimson Whale!"
"Young Master Lu, please."
The man next to him spoke up and led Lu Changsheng towards the giant ship. Along the way between the ship and the dock, guards were stationed all the way.
But before they took a few steps, Li Feiyu, who had received the news of Lu Changsheng's arrival, came out to greet him.
Next to him was a tall, middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in red clothes and with a majestic face.
The guards on both sides of the street saluted one after the other.
"Greetings, Chief."
"Greetings, Chief."
"Greetings, Chief."
"Changsheng."
Li Feiyu quickly stepped forward and called out to Lu Changsheng.
Seeing the small beast in his arms that resembled a wolf or a dog, some were surprised.
Lu Changsheng had somehow managed to acquire a demonic beast cub.
He didn't ask any more questions, pointed at the majestic-looking middle-aged man next to him and introduced.
"This is my father. He wanted to meet you ever since he heard about your visit."
"Father, this is my good friend Lu Changsheng," Li Feiyu added.
The two of them exchanged introductions.
When he returned home, Li Feiyu's father wasn't angry when he heard that he had become a son-in-law in a cultivator's family, and he fully supported his decision. After all, for martial artists in the martial world, becoming a cultivator meant reaching the pinnacle of society!
What if he was a son-in-law?
Being flexible is what makes a good husband!
When they heard that Li Feiyu's friend, who was also a cultivator, was coming to visit, they went to greet him together. Because in the ordinary world, the status of cultivators was extraordinary.
Even if they were lowly, they were still cultivators!
"Greetings, Uncle Li,"
Lu Changsheng said to the imposing man in front of him, his eyes shining with respect as he smiled and bowed.
Then he took out five bottles of pills from his pocket and said, "I haven't prepared much, just a small gift. Please accept them, Uncle Li."
"Young man Lu, there's no need for such formality when visiting as a guest," Li Feiyu's father replied. "I have already prepared a feast inside. Please come in."
Li Feiyu's father graciously accepted the gift, his voice deep and magnetic. He was very polite, showing no signs of being the head of a family. He gestured for Lu Changsheng to follow him inside.
"Is this a demonic beast? Where did you get it?" Li Feiyu finally looked at the creature in Lu Changsheng's arms and asked quietly.
"I saw it at the Rouge Cultivator gathering and thought it was good, so I decided to buy it and bring it home. It can also be a companion for my children in the future," Lu Changsheng replied casually.
"Companion?"
Li Feiyu was speechless at Lu Changsheng's simple words.
"If you live in the Lu family, do you still need a dog to guard you? And where did you find demonic beasts to play with the children? Aren't you afraid that the children will get hurt?"
He continued, "If you don't have the art of beast taming, won't it be difficult to train these demonic beast puppies when they grow up and become aggressive?"
After living in the Lu family for three years, he naturally knew a lot of cultivation information.
Demonic Beast Cubs are not as docile as household pets.
"The seller said this is just an ordinary canine demonic beast with a gentle personality, similar to ordinary domestic cats and dogs. It will be obedient as long as it is raised for a while."
Lu Changsheng continued to talk nonsense.
This Nine Netherworld Hound was obtained by him through the system lottery, so of course, there's no difficulty in training them.
Pets have absolute loyalty to him as their master, so there's no need for any beast taming methods; they can be controlled with restrictions or methods.
"Well, that's good."
Li Feiyu replied without pressing further.
He could only tell that the Nine Netherworld Hounds was a dog-like demonic beast, but he couldn't tell its species or class. Since it was a puppy, he couldn't detect any wild or aggressive nature.
When the group entered the Crimson Whale, the banquet was already set up inside.
Lu Changsheng finished eating and went to rest.
He hadn't rested much during the journey from Niutou Mountain, so he was somewhat tired.
After all, he was only a third-tier cultivator of Qi Refining.
Even though he had plenty of energy, it was still limited.
After the banquet ended, Li Zhengyang remembered the gift Lu Changsheng had given him and took it out to examine it.
When he looked at the pills in the bottle, his pupils suddenly constricted.
Then he carefully poured the pills into his hand, examined them closely, and sniffed them, his expression filled with shock.
"This bottle contains Marrow Cleansing Pills, which can help cleanse the bone marrow and promote martial aptitude!"
"This bottle is an Innate Pill, which can increase the chance of breaking through the innate realm!"
"The first bottle is the Great Rejuvenation Pill, capable of healing any internal or external injury!
"The second bottle is the Essence Nourishing Pill, capable of boosting decades of cultivation!
"The third bottle is the Five Spirits Detoxification Pill, capable of detoxifying any poison in the world!"
"This… this…" Li Zhengyang looked at the five bottles of pills in his hand, his usually imposing demeanor now filled with astonishment.
As the leader of the Crimson Whale Gang and a prominent figure in the city, he had extensive knowledge. With a single glance, he recognized these five kinds of pills.
They were all sacred medicines in the martial world!
Even though they did not cause bloodshed and chaos, each of them was highly sought after in the martial world, enough to make countless people sacrifice their lives for them.
But now, when Lu Changsheng casually took out five bottles and gave them as a gift, how could he not be shocked?
"Father, what's wrong with you?"
Li Feiyu, who was not far away, saw his father's expression and approached to inquire.
"These were given to me by your friend."
Li Zhengyang exhaled deeply and handed the pills to his son.
"These are… Marrow Cleansing Pill, Innate Pill, Great Return Pill, Essence Nourishing Pill, and Five Spirits Detoxifying Pill."
Li Feiyu's eyes narrowed slightly as he also recognized these five types of pills.
As a martial artist and cultivator, he not only knew these five types of pills, but he also knew that many valuable pills in the mortal world were refined by cultivators.
However, for cultivators, these pills were just basic pills. I
n the world of mortals, they were extremely precious and were considered divine pills!
"Yes, your friend is indeed very generous."
Li Zhengyang nodded, feeling emotional.
He had only heard Li Feiyu briefly introduce Lu Changsheng before.
All he knew was that he was a cultivator just like his son. He came here to trouble the Crimson Whale Gang to take care of his family in the mortal world, but he didn't know much else.
Now that he saw the five bottles of pills and remembered Lu Changsheng's calm and confident demeanor, he felt that Lu Changsheng was extraordinary, not just an ordinary cultivator.
"I have been judging people for so many years, and this friend of yours is not easy; you should deepen your friendship with him."
"As for this pill, it's too precious; you should return it later."
Li Zhengyang put the pill away and handed it to his son.
Although he was tempted by the pill, he felt that it was too precious to accept. After all, it was a gift given based on his son's relationship with the giver, and this gift should be returned in the future.
"Father, my relationship with Lu Changsheng is good, so you can accept it with confidence."
"If you feel uncomfortable, you can compensate Lu Changsheng's parents and family in the future."
Li Feiyu also knew that the things given by Lu Changsheng couldn't be taken back, so he spoke up.
The thought of returning home with nothing of value made him feel ashamed.
This was also due to the fact that during his time with the Lu family, he only received two spirit stones per month, which made his life very tight without any extra spirit stones to spend.
"Let Lu Changsheng know that he can rest easy."
"As long as my Crimson Whale Gang exists, his parents and family will be well taken care of!"
"Even if my Crimson Whale Gang no longer exists, I will still do my best to ensure the well-being of his parents and family!"
Upon hearing this, Li Zhengyang's voice was deep and determined.
Even if an ordinary cultivator asked him to take care of his family, he would agree.
After all, this was a fateful meeting!
To be able to establish a relationship with a cultivator.
Besides, Lu Changsheng didn't seem ordinary, and he was also a good friend to his son.
Page 2 of 2
Chapter 32: Going Home, The Journey Back!
Lu Changsheng stayed with the Crimson Whale Gang for two days before leaving for his hometown.
Li Feiyu and two others accompanied him.
Since Lu Changsheng wanted to settle down with his family, he went straight to the Ruyi region and then back to Qingzhu Mountain.
Of course, Li Feiyu went with him.
Bringing two people would make it easier to settle Lu Changsheng's family when the time came.
"I wonder how my parents have been these three years."
As Lu Changsheng made his way back home, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of melancholy and nervousness, a homesickness for his hometown.
After all, this was the hometown he had lived in for eighteen years.
Even though he had awakened memories of his past life, those first eighteen years were still a part of his life.
Six days later.
A carriage rattled along the bumpy dirt road and arrived at a small village.
At the entrance of the village was a stone pillar with the words "Crouching Bull Village" written on it.
Lu Changsheng looked at the familiar scene from his memories, ordered the carriage to stop outside the village, and walked briskly into the village by himself.
There were no people at the village entrance, but cheerful music could be heard in the distance.
Lu Changsheng guessed that someone was celebrating in a household, and the villagers had all gathered to enjoy the festivities.
He made his way to his own home.
As the music became clearer, his heart quickened and he quickened his steps.
Soon he saw a pair of courtyard houses surrounded by fences.
The houses were adorned with large "Wedding" sign, and tables were set up inside and outside the yards, with many villagers standing, squatting, or sitting around chatting.
Some were playing drums and blowing trumpets, and there were many children playing and frolicking with joy.
"Could this be… my younger brother's wedding?"
Looking at the courtyard in front of him, Lu Changsheng felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. It was the place where he had lived for eighteen years, and he felt a slight sense of disorientation.
He was the third child in the family, with an older sister and brother above him and a younger sister and brother below him.
His younger brother was five years younger. Now he's also sixteen, almost reaching the age of marriage.
"Excuse me, young man, who are you looking for?"
At that moment, a woman with slightly rough and dark skin saw Lu Changsheng approaching, looked over, and came over with a child in her arms to inquire.
Looking at the woman in front of him, Lu Changsheng felt a surge of emotion in his heart.
After a moment of silence, he said in a hoarse voice: "Sister, I am Changsheng."
The woman in front of him was none other than Lu Changsheng's elder sister.
"Changsheng?"
Upon hearing this, the woman looked at the young man in front of her, who resembled a noble young master, with disbelief written all over her face.
Then, as she carefully examined this face, which was similar to the face of her brother who had been missing for three years with no news, her eyes became moist and her voice suddenly choked up, "Changsheng, it's really you!"
"Where have you been, Changsheng? You've been gone for three years without a word. Do you know how worried our parents were?"
"It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back. Silly child, this is your uncle, your second uncle."
The woman wiped her wet eyes with her sleeve, muttered to herself, and spoke happily to the child in her arms, who was only two or three years old.
Then she reached out his hand to pull Lu Changsheng into the house, but then she seemed to be afraid of dirtying Lu Changsheng's clothes, so she withdrew her hand just as it was extended.
She said to Lu Changsheng, "Today happens to be a happy day for Changqing. I'll go tell mom and dad."
With that, holding the child in her arms, she walked briskly into the courtyard and shouted loudly, "Father, Mother, Changsheng is back!"
"Changsheng? Who's that?"
"That's Old Man Lu's third son, the one who suddenly disappeared three years ago."
"I've always found that boy strange since he was little. How come he disappeared for three years and now he's back?"
"He doesn't look the same as before."
"Yes, he's got soft skin and tender flesh, he looks even more noble than the young masters in the city."
Other villagers who heard the commotion also looked at Lu Changsheng at the door and whispered.
Soon, a woman led two elderly people with gray hair, weathered faces, and neatly dressed clothes out of the house and looked at Lu Changsheng in the courtyard.
Lu Changsheng also looked at the two elderly people.
In three years, his parents had aged far beyond his imagination.
He opened his mouth slightly, his lips trembling as he shouted, "Dad, Mom!"
That day, a sensational event occurred in the entire Crouching Bull Village.
The third son of the Lu family, who had been missing for three years, had returned home.
In the past, other villagers didn't care much about such things, and they would just talk about it over tea or food.
But after the third son of the Lu family returned home, he arranged a banquet with hundreds of tables for his younger brother's wedding.
It lasted for more than half a month, and he also built large houses for the entire Lu family and bought land for them.
He directly turned the original Old Man Lu into a wealthy landlord.
Even the villagers of Crouching Bull Village received a considerable amount of money from him.
This incident was enough to make Crouching Bull Village talk about it for decades.
And Lu Changsheng, who was the talk of the town, left Crouching Bull Village with Li Feiyu after only one day and went back to Ruyi County.
"Why are you leaving so quickly? Why don't you stay longer?"
On the official road, Li Feiyu looked at Lu Changsheng beside him and spoke up.
"There is nothing left to stay for. They are all well and safe for the future. I can rest now,"
Lu Changsheng shook his head and looked at the azure sky.
He had been separated for three years, and his path had been very different from that of ordinary people. Now that he had returned home, the looks of his parents and relatives were filled with a sense of unfamiliarity and awe.
Therefore, after reassuring his parents and relatives, and without much burden on his mind, he decided to leave directly.
Nine days later.
In the city of Ruyi County.
Outside the city gates.
"Brother Hong, there is no need for you to accompany us. The road ahead is long, we'll meet again someday."
Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu said goodbye to Hong Yi as they led Spirit Horse to the side.
"Until we meet again."
Hong Yi replied with a clenched fist.
He seemed more spirited than before.
A few days ago, he showed his father, Marquis Ru Yi, the thirteen talismans that Lu Changsheng had given him, expressing that his good friend had become a talisman master, and they could henceforth have stable transactions with the Marquis' mansion for talismans.
His father, who had not received any spirit stones for the talismans, believed his words. He praised Hong Yi highly, encouraged him to maintain a good relationship with Lu Changsheng, and entrusted him with some of the affairs of the mansion.
This made Hong Yi very happy, and he seemed more confident than ever.
Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu returned the gesture with a bow before mounting Spirit Horse and leaving.
After a while on the road, Li Feiyu said, "It seems that Hong Yi has become warmer to you again."
"Hong Yi may have been born in the Marquis' mansion, but he's just an illegitimate son, his days are not so good," Lu Changsheng replied. "If befriending a talisman master like me can help him improve his status in the palace, then it's beneficial for him."
Of course, Lu Changsheng knew the reason.
When he returned to retrieve the spirit horse, Hong Yi sent fifteen spirit stones along with the money for the talismans he had purchased earlier.
He also mentioned that he received praise from his father, Marquis Ru Yi, because of this incident.
He hoped that if Lu Changsheng wanted to sell talismans to the outside world in the future, he would consider him first.
Lu Changsheng naturally nodded his head in agreement.
In his heart, he also thought that he could consider selling some talismans through Hong Yi's channel.
Otherwise, with so many talismans on him, it would be troublesome to sell them without any power.
"Indeed, making money and cultivating immortality in the secular world is too difficult."
Li Feiyu also sighed.
After chatting for a while, the two of them walked out onto the official road and hurried along with all their strength.
Chapter 33: Rainy night, abandoned temple, old man and young girl!
Half a month later.
"Boom!"
A clap of thunder echoed over the dry land.
"Looks like it's going to rain."
Riding on a spirit horse, Lu Changsheng looked at the thickly clouded sky and spoke.
"It's getting late, and there happens to be a temple up ahead. Let's rest there for the night."
Li Feiyu looked at the darkening sky and suggested.
"In the wilderness, an abandoned temple, heavy rain… Could we have an accident?"
Lu Changsheng couldn't help but mutter to himself when he saw the abandoned temple in front of him.
However, this kind of weather wasn't suitable for spending the night outside.
The two of them rushed on their spirit horses and arrived at the ancient temple.
The temple was in a state of disrepair, with weeds growing everywhere, dust covering the interior, and spider webs hanging from the ceiling.
Lu Changsheng used a cleaning talisman to tidy up a bit, then gathered some firewood and started a fire.
Then he took some raw meat out of his storage bag and began to feed the Nine Netherworld Hounds.
"This little guy sure can eat."
Li Feiyu commented as he watched the Nine Netherworld Hounds devour the meat.
"Yeah, I wonder how it manages to fit everything in its stomach."
Lu Changsheng replied.
Although the Nine Netherworld Hound was still young, he had a huge appetite and could easily consume five or six catties of raw meat in one meal.
Ordinary raw meat was no problem, and even a hundred catties a day would be affordable.
However, Lu Changsheng felt that if he wanted the Nine Netherworld Hound to grow faster, he would probably have to feed him demonic beast meat.
If you feed a demon beast meat, it will be expensive.
For example, the demonic beast meat sold by the Lu family, even the cheapest one, costs one Spirit Stone for five or six catties.
Therefore, Lu Changsheng felt that if he wanted to raise the Nine Netherworld Hound to the fourth rank, it would probably cost him a lot of money and resources.
The Nine Netherworld Hound was still a puppy. As long as he was fed, he would sleep. Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu also began to meditate and rest.
As night fell, it began to rain outside.
It was at that moment.
Suddenly, they heard hurried footsteps outside.
Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu, who had been meditating, both opened their eyes.
The temple gate creaked, and an old man and a young girl entered.
The old man was thin, dressed in a black robe, with a gray bundle on his back.
When he saw Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu inside the temple, his eyes narrowed slightly, then he clasped his hands and said, "This old man and my granddaughter came here to take shelter from the rain. We've disturbed you two young brothers."
"'This temple isn't ours either. Please make yourselves at home.'
Lu Changsheng said to the old man, then looked at the young girl beside him.
The girl looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old.
She was wearing a long pink smoke-colored skirt. Her appearance wasn't stunning, but she was very beautiful, with fair skin and a lovely face that still had a hint of baby fat, making her look pure and graceful.
Due to the heavy rain, the girl's pink skirt was soaked through, clinging to her budding youthful figure and revealing glimpses of her slender legs.
Her jet black hair was slightly disheveled against her cheeks, making her look fragile and pitiful, yet with a hint of youthful allure.
But what was surprising was that while the girl was soaked, the old man's cloth robe was barely touched by the rain outside.
The old man smiled and clasped his hands, then sat down beside the girl.
"This old man is an innate martial artist, right?"
Lu Changsheng withdrew his gaze and communicated with Li Feiyu via sound transmission.
He could tell at a glance that this old man was a warrior.
Being able to stay dry in heavy rain indicates extraordinary martial arts skills, so he guessed that he was an innate master.
"That's right, 'Not a single feather can be added, not a single fly can land'. This is the method of an innate master."
Li Feiyu also replied via voice transmission.
Of course, he knew several basic cultivators' spells, and he was even more proficient in them than Lu Changsheng.
"But this old man and young girl are obviously not grandfather and granddaughter."
Li Feiyu continued.
"Oh? How did you figure that out?"
Lu Changsheng asked.
He also felt that they didn't look like grandfather and granddaughter.
There was no sense of intimacy between them.
But he didn't know why Li Feiyu was so sure, and he wanted to hear what this experienced man had to say.
"Their behavior and attitude don't resemble that of a grandfather and granddaughter. What grandfather would watch his granddaughter get soaked like this?"
"Moreover, this old man is a master of natural strength, but his granddaughter shows no signs of martial arts training, which seems rather unusual."
"But these can all be overlooked. The main point is that the girl had her acupoints tapped and couldn't speak."
"And when she saw us come in, her eyes brightened visibly, showing a hint of hope, as if she was looking for help."
Li Feiyu explained in detail to Lu Changsheng.
"All right, the world of cultivation really is different."
"In that case, do you want to play the hero and rescue the damsel in distress?"
Lu Changsheng exclaimed.
He had not expected Li Feiyu to realize so much in such a short time.
With his cultivation at the third level of Qi Refinement, he had only noticed that the old man was an innate master and hadn't paid attention to so many details.
"I grew up in the Crimson Whale Gang, and at the age of twelve, I started traveling around the world. I still have some keen insights."
Li Feiyu said with a hint of pride in his voice.
"As for playing the hero, there's no rush for now. Let's see how things develop first."
As the two of them talked via voice transmission, the old man took some dry rations out of his bundle and casually said, "Could you two young gentlemen lend me a light? I would like to toast these rations."
"And my granddaughter's clothes are soaked. Without a fire, she may catch a cold and catch wind."
With these words, the old man walked towards Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu.
Seeing the old man approaching, Lu Changsheng immediately narrowed his eyes and felt a hint of caution in his heart. He reached into his chest and held a pile of talismans.
He clearly remembered Li Feiyu's words that innate martial artists were not inferior to cultivators at the third level of qi refinement. If things got close, the innate martial artist would have the upper hand.
Given the uncertain background of the old man and Li Feiyu's recent words, it was obvious that something was amiss.
In such a situation, he naturally became cautious.
If the other party dared to make any suspicious moves, he would take direct action.
"Please, help yourself."
Li Feiyu said at this moment.
At the same time, a voice was transmitted to Lu Changsheng: "Leave it to me."
Lu Changsheng didn't answer, still clutching the talisman and remaining vigilant.
The old man approached the campfire and handed out some dry food, saying, "You two young brothers haven't eaten yet, why don't you have some?"
"Roar!"
At that moment, the Nine Netherworld Hound that was sleeping next to Lu Changsheng suddenly woke up and roared at the old man.
Seeing this, Lu Changsheng calmly comforted the Nine Netherworld Hound without changing his expression, ready to act at any moment.
"We've already eaten."
Li Feiyu said with a smile on his face as he looked at the old man.
"In that case, I'll just light a fire," the old man said.
As if ignoring the roar of the Nine Netherworld Hound, the old man bent down and picked up a piece of firewood from the campfire.
But just then, Li Feiyu looked at the old man with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and said, "Isn't this fire enough? Shall I add some more for you?"
Before he could finish his words, Li Feiyu's robe fluttered and he swiftly struck out a palm at the old man, the force of the palm being so fierce that the wind whistled.
Faced with this sudden palm strike, the old man seemed to be prepared, reacting very quickly as he raised his hand to counter with a palm strike of his own.
However, at that moment, a thumb-sized flame appeared in the palm of Li Feiyu's hand.
"Bang!"
"Ah!!!"
The two palms collided, and the old man immediately let out a piercing scream as his hand caught fire.
Immediately, the flames spread from his arm to his entire body at a visible speed, reducing him to ashes.
Chapter 34: Love at first sight!
"Huh!?"
Lu Changsheng was astonished to see Li Feiyu strike quickly and turn the old man into ashes with a single palm.
He was not only surprised by Li Feiyu's decisive action, but also by his formidable fighting skills.
By compressing the fireball spell into his palm and combining it with his innate martial arts, Li Feiyu's palm strike released such intense heat that it incinerated the man before his strength could even erupt, making it virtually impossible to defend against.
"I didn't want to interfere at first, but he insisted on seeking his own death."
Li Feiyu snorted coldly, then chuckled, "But the combination of spells and martial arts is quite effective."
After killing the man, he seemed remarkably indifferent, as if nothing had happened.
Then he turned to Lu Changsheng and said, "I wasn't wrong about him. That old man wasn't a good person; he actually had bad intentions toward us."
"He was quite cautious, but his techniques were too crude, and he couldn't even handle poison properly."
Li Feiyu remarked.
"Poison?"
Lu Changsheng was stunned and confused.
He had thought that Li Feiyu acted because he sensed something wrong with the old man and decided to take preemptive action.
He hadn't expected Li Feiyu to mention poison.
"That's right. Most likely, the dry food he brought was laced with poison. And when he approached, he also had some kind of aphrodisiac hidden in his sleeve. When he bent down to get the fire, he secretly poisoned us."
"He hid it well, but his methods weren't very sophisticated. Don't forget, I've seen these things since I was young."
Li Feiyu explained, also to calm Lu Changsheng down.
"It seems like the dangers aren't just limited to the cultivation world, even in the mundane world, there's no shortage of threats. Human methods are unpredictable."
Lu Changsheng sighed and shook his head, feeling a sense of awe.
He felt a bit foolish in front of Li Feiyu.
It was like an experienced player and a rookie.
He had sensed something wrong with the old man and felt a bit suspicious, but he hadn't expected the old man to try to poison them in secret.
It seems that the Nine Netherworld Hound woke up from his sleep and barked wildly, probably sensing something.
Truly worthy of a Heavenly Tier demon beast with a trace of true spirit bloodline.
Even though it is still a puppy that sleeps all day, its sense of danger is remarkably acute.
At this moment, Lu Changsheng also made up his mind.
If you encounter something like this again in the future, you should either act decisively and strike first, or stay away.
Otherwise, with his experience and temperament, he wouldn't stand a chance against these seasoned old foxes sooner or later.
"The world is like this, no matter where you go."
"And when you travel around the world, you have to be especially careful when you meet Taoists, monks, old men, women, and children," Li Feiyu said.
"Old men, women, and children, doesn't that leave only us who don't need to be so cautious?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"No, everyone needs to be careful, but these few types need to be especially careful. If you encounter them in a group, you need to be even more vigilant," Li Feiyu smiled.
As the two of them talked, the fragile girl in the pink dress also snapped out of her trance.
She had just witnessed Li Feiyu incinerate the old man with a single palm and was stunned.
Now that she had come to her senses, she quickly walked over to Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu and kneeled down in front of them.
With a delicate and pitiful face, she seemed to want to say something, but couldn't make a sound.
"Is she okay?"
Lu Changsheng asked Li Feiyu in light of the recent situation.
In his eyes, this girl was just an ordinary person, so of course there shouldn't be any problem.
However, Li Feiyu's earlier words about being cautious around old men and women made him somewhat unsure.
"She's fine, just an ordinary person. It seems like she was kidnapped by that old man," Li Feiyu laughed at Lu Changsheng's behavior.
Then, with a snap of his fingers, several streams of energy flew out and struck the girl.
The girl, kneeling before the two, let out a muffled groan as she realized she could speak.
She seemed to be waking from a dream, showing some excitement as she tried to speak.
But the overwhelming sadness and grief in her heart made her burst into tears at that moment.
At first it was a piercing, thin cry.
Then, the cry grew louder and louder, turning into a loud wail that released all the sadness, fear, and anxiety in her heart.
Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu looked at each other helplessly.
Then, Li Feiyu looked straight up at the ceiling beams with a serious expression on his face.
Obviously, he didn't want to interfere too much, indicating that Lu Changsheng should handle it.
When the girl's crying subsided a bit, Lu Changsheng said with a hint of gentleness, "All right, it's all over now."
Hearing this, the girl raised her tear-stained, pitiful, delicate face and kowtowed, saying, "This humble girl is Qu Zhenzhen, thanking the two young heroes for saving my life."
As she spoke, tears welled up in her watery eyes and trickled down her cheeks.
"Young lady, don't worry. Take this money, and tomorrow we'll accompany you to the nearby town. There you can find someone to take you home."
Seeing that the girl in front of him was just an ordinary unfortunate person, Lu Changsheng sighed, helped her up, and took out a silver ingot.
Earlier, when he bought a leather mask and cloak in Ruyi Region City, he also bought many gifts for his wives and children, and he exchanged some gold and silver with Hong Yi.
"Sob, sob, sob-"
As soon as he said that, the girl burst into tears again, crying, "My parents are dead, they were killed by him, sob, sob."
"This…"
Lu Changsheng's mouth twitched at the words as he felt a headache coming on.
He looked at Li Feiyu.
But Li Feiyu still had a focused look on his face, staring at the ceiling beams.
Lu Changsheng sighed and asked, "Do you have any other family?"
"No, my parents are both dead."
"Wuwuwu, that villain said I had some kind of spirit root and wanted to offer me as a concubine to the immortals. When my parents refused, he killed my whole family, Wuwuwu."
The girl kept sobbing, looking pitiful and helpless.
Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng trembled slightly.
"Spirit Root!" he exclaimed.
He immediately activated his Spirit Eye technique, and his eyes sparkled with a faint light as he looked at the girl, Qu Zhenzhen, in front of him.
A faint spiritual aura surrounded the girl.
This indicated that the girl indeed possessed a Spirit Root.
However, his Spirit Eye technique was still at an elementary level, and he could only tell if a Spirit Root was present or not, but could not determine its quality.
Li Feiyu also looked at the girl with some surprise.
They hadn't expected that the girl they had casually saved would actually possess a Spirit Root.
This revelation also made them understand why the old man, an Innate Master, would be accompanied by such a girl.
Seeing the tearful and pitiful look of the girl, Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Miss, do you have any plans for the future?"
"I… I don't know,"
Qu Zhenzhen replied softly, her face filled with confusion.
"So you are currently homeless and don't know what to do next?"
Lu Changsheng continued to ask.
The girl nodded in confusion and sadness, then burst into tears again.
"I happen to be deeply attracted to you at first sight. Would you be willing to marry me and accompany me back hand in hand to spend the rest of our lives together?"
Lu Changsheng spoke up.
Since the girl had lost both her parents, was homeless, and possessed a Spirit Root, why not take her as his wife and bring her home to bear children?
He had always harbored the thought of marrying several 'immortal' women with Spirit Roots and bringing them home to have children.
Now that he was faced with a beautiful girl who possessed a Spirit Root, who had lost both her parents, and who had nowhere to go, why hesitate? Why pretend to be a righteous gentleman?
Of course, he took the initiative to express his intentions and decided to give her a warm home.
But he didn't force her and would respect her decision.
If the other person doesn't want to, that's fine, there's no need to force her.
After all, she's the future mother of his child.
His moral compass couldn't allow him to impregnate someone by force.
Page 2
Chapter 35: Return to Qingzhu Mountain!
Outside the dilapidated temple, the rain poured down heavily.
Inside the temple, Li Feiyu, who was about to see how Lu Changsheng would deal with Qu Zhenzhen, was stunned when he heard those words, and his whole body froze in astonishment.
He looked at Lu Changsheng with a puzzled expression.
He hadn't expected Lu Changsheng to suddenly say something so shameless.
Love at first sight?
Spending the rest of your life together?
Is that what you call love at first sight?
This is clearly just lusting after someone's body and Spirit Root!
Of course, he didn't want to spoil his good friend's plan.
He also knew that his good friend didn't have any big ambitions in this life.
He just wanted to live in peace, have several wives, a house full of children, and a few Spirit Root children.
The girl in front of them had an excellent appearance, possessed a Spirit Root, and had nowhere to go.
Therefore, Lu Changsheng's request was reasonable and logical.
After all, the chances of having children with Spirit Roots are much higher if you have children with a woman who possesses a Spirit Root.
In his opinion, given Lu Changsheng's current situation, even as a talisman master, it wouldn't be easy to find a few Spirit Root 'fairies' to have children with.
After all, pregnancy and childbirth greatly affect a female cultivator's cultivation.
Therefore, many female cultivators, even if they are willing to become Dao Companion, are not very willing to get pregnant and have children.
"Ah."
Qu Zhenzhen couldn't help but be stunned when she heard Lu Changsheng's words, and was a little slow to react.
With teary eyes, she stared blankly at Lu Changsheng's clear and graceful face and tall and slender figure.
The next moment, a blush crept onto her slightly chubby and pale cheeks.
This… This…
This young hero's words are too direct, aren't they?
Although many dramas say that there's no way to repay a life-saving grace but to offer yourself, this is too direct.
She didn't even know his name.
Besides, shouldn't it be her initiative to bring up such matters?
In an instant, Qu Zhenzhen's mind became dizzy and she felt a bit confused.
Meeting Lu Changsheng's gentle gaze, Qu Zhenzhen couldn't help but feel her heart flutter as she quickly lowered her head and blushed.
"There is no rush in this matter. You can think it over carefully and give me your answer before dawn."
Lu Changsheng looked at the shy girl and said calmly.
With that, he took out a purification talisman and activated it in front of the girl.
The girl's wet pink dress was instantly dried, cleaned, and neat.
This was obviously a small trick.
A way to show off with a spell.
Although he had his morals and wouldn't do anything coercive, his limits weren't very high and he could be flexible.
Besides, from Lu Changsheng's point of view, it was quite normal to want to attract a girl and show off, and it didn't amount to moral degradation.
"This… Are you immortal?"
Qu Zhenzhen saw Lu Changsheng take out the talisman, and a breeze blew, cleaning her clothes, her small face full of surprise.
She also remembered that Li Feiyu had just burned the old man with a single palm, thinking it was some kind of martial art without thinking too much about it.
Now it seems like it's definitely the work of immortals.
At the surprised look of the girl, Lu Changsheng smiled faintly and said softly, "We are cultivators, also known as the 'immortals' you usually hear about."
"Cultivators?"
When Qu Zhenzhen heard this her watery eyes showed some confusion.
"That's right, as long as you have a Spirit Root, you can cultivate and become a cultivator."
"The old man wanted to offer you as a concubine to a cultivator because you have a Spirit Root."
Lu Changsheng nodded and explained.
"So it's my fault that my parents died."
Hearing this, the girl burst into tears again.
After crying for a moment, Qu Zhenzhen raised her head, her eyes red and tearful, and looked at Lu Changsheng and said, "Sir, I can never repay your great kindness. I am willing to marry you."
Li Feiyu remained silent on the side, silently watching Lu Changsheng deceive the young girl.
"Are you sure you've thought this through?"
Lu Changsheng raised his eyebrows when he heard this.
He suspected that Qu Zhenzhen's agreement might also be due to his identity as a cultivator, perhaps hoping that he could help him get revenge or something.
However, cultivators who engaged in human trafficking in the mortal world probably weren't very powerful.
In the future, when Qu Zhenzhen became the mother of his child and her cultivation improved, if she wanted to take revenge, Lu Changsheng would be willing to help her.
"I've thought it through."
Qu Zhenzhen pursed her lips, gathered her courage, and looked at Lu Changsheng.
However, after their eyes locked for a moment, her pale face couldn't help but blush down to her earlobes.
After a brief moment of eye contact between Lu Changsheng and the girl whose eyes were still red with tears, Lu Changsheng nodded and said, "Alright, since you've decided, come with me tomorrow. By the way, my name is Lu Changsheng."
Then Lu Changsheng took out a spiritual contract and used it as a marriage contract, and got engaged to Qu Zhenzhen.
It was obtained from the loot of the three bandit cultivators at Niutou Mountain.
It had the effect of a simple contract.
If it was broken, there would be a certain backlash, and in the future, it could easily lead to the birth of inner demons during cultivation.
To be honest, it had some effect, but not much, just better than nothing.
Later, Lu Changsheng briefly explained to Qu Zhenzhen his own situation and some common knowledge about cultivating immortality.
He also asked Qu Zhenzhen how the old man knew that she had a Spirit Root.
Qu Zhenzhen herself was not sure.
Later, Lu Changsheng found a Spirit Stone of Communication in the old man's bundle.
It was a spiritual item that could sense whether others had Spirit Roots or not.
When it was near someone with a spirit root, the stone would emit a faint light.
This helped Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu understand how the old man knew about Qu Zhenzhen's Spirit Root.
Most likely, this old man was working for a "decayed cultivator".
In the mortal world, there were some cultivators who, due to various reasons such as their aptitude, age, injuries, and so on, knew that they had no hope of cultivating immortality, so they gave up cultivation.
They turned to a life of pleasure, wealth, and worldly power.
Such cultivators were called "decayed cultivators.
The most common practice among them was to use their influence to find Spirit Rooted women to expand their lineage.
When they realized that there was no hope for their own cultivation, they naturally placed their cultivation dreams on the next generation.
That was the way it was.
The next day, Lu Changsheng and Li Feiyu were accompanied by Qu Zhenzhen on their way back.
Qu Zhenzhen rode on a single horse with Lu Changsheng.
She sat in front of Spirit Horse and held Nine Netherworld Hound, while Lu Changsheng held her hands and the reins.
Qu Zhenzhen's face was slightly flushed, but she wasn't overly shy.
After all, Lu Changsheng was her future husband, so a certain amount of intimacy was normal.
Considering that Qu Zhenzhen had been offered to a cultivator by the old man, Lu Changsheng was worried about trouble, so he increased their speed and vigilance on the way.
However, it turned out to be a false alarm, and they encountered no danger on their journey.
Seven days later, the three humans and the beast successfully returned to Qingzhu Mountain.