## Chapter 391: Retribution, Royal Verdict
Lu Chang’an emerged from his nearly six-month seclusion, his age reaching 394.
“After advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, the speed of my fourth-life Nascent Soul shadow’s illumination has significantly increased.”
Lu Chang’an noticed that the fourth-life imprint on the Jiu Yin Bei had been lit up halfway, just half a year after his ascension.
This meant that Lu Chang’an would only need another year to fully illuminate his fourth-life imprint.
His previous fourth-life avatar, the one he last descended into, hadn’t fully depleted yet. Without engaging in combat or using it for drawing talismans, puppet crafting, divination, or other energy-consuming tasks, it could last even longer.
At the Nascent Soul stage, the fourth-life descent and possession no longer offered the same leap in power as it did during the Jie Dan stage.
Even in his prime, Li Huo Shangren, the fourth-life avatar, wouldn’t be a match for Lu Chang’an in a one-on-one battle.
After his previous fight with the Chi She Zhen Jun, Lu Chang’an had a better understanding of his own strength.
The “Ku Mie Shen Guang” (枯灭神光) was incredibly powerful, consuming the blood essence and vital energy of his “almost fourth-stage body tempering.” Its power was considerable.
It could wither the life force of a target, weakening their state and strength. A direct hit would significantly reduce their lifespan.
If Lu Chang’an was willing to consume some of his lifespan, the “Ku Mie Shen Guang” would become even more potent.
In a protracted one-on-one battle, few Nascent Soul-stage cultivators below the middle stage could stand a chance against Lu Chang’an.
Of course, someone like Jing Wu Feng was an exception.
No matter how strong the “Ku Mie Shen Guang” was, it needed to hit the target’s body.
…
During his seclusion, Lu Chang’an had acquired some of the Chi You She Wang’s memories.
After being consumed by the Jiu Yin Bei, the half-lit section of the fifth-life imprint allowed him to access those fragmented, chaotic memories.
As the longest-serving resident of Da She Shan (大蛇山), the Chi You She Wang’s memories contained many secrets of their sect.
Lu Chang’an was particularly interested in the Ming Shui Zhen Jun (冥水真君), but unfortunately, there were very few glimpses of him in the memories.
Da She Shan and Ming Shui Zhen Jun had a transactional relationship, based on mutual utilization.
The “Bao Ta San Ren” (宝塔散人), on the other hand, had numerous secret interactions with Da She Shan.
The “Bao Ta San Ren” was far more than just a lone cultivator; he was backed by a large and powerful network…
Lu Chang’an was surprised by what he discovered while delving into those memories.
The Chi You She Wang’s memories included contact information for the “Bao Ta San Ren,” suggesting there might be a chance to meet him.
“The ‘Bao Ta San Ren’s’ attacks are generally powerful, but his defensive capabilities are quite remarkable. Destroying his physical body would be easy, but if his Nascent Soul escapes, I wouldn’t be certain of capturing him.”
“Capturing a Nascent Soul is even more challenging than killing the spirit body of a Nascent Soul…”
Lu Chang’an had considered using the “Bao Ta San Ren” as nourishment for the Jiu Yin Bei.
The fifth-life imprint had been lit up by 55%. Every Nascent Soul devoured could add another 10%.
Before advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, this goal seemed insurmountable.
However, after consuming the celestial demon from outside the world, his progress had accelerated significantly.
Now, lighting up the fifth-life imprint seemed within reach.
“If I could join forces with Jing Wu Feng and utilize his spatial abilities, capturing the ‘Bao Ta San Ren’s’ Nascent Soul would be possible.”
Lu Chang’an decided to postpone this plan for now.
A few days later.
Lu Chang’an visited the Zi Xia Feng cave abode and met with the Zi Xia Xian Zi (紫霞仙子) for a discussion and exchange of ideas.
Da She Shan had numerous secret agents placed within Yun Xia Zong, targeting them.
Lu Chang’an revealed these secrets to Zi Xia Xian Zi, urging her not to disclose them for the time being.
Zi Xia Zhen Jun was shaken and surprised by Lu Chang’an’s ability to “search the soul” of the Chi You She Wang.
At the Nascent Soul level, soul searching between cultivators of the same stage was incredibly difficult.
Many soul-related techniques imposed restrictions on the core secrets within the sea of consciousness, preventing soul searching.
Moreover, Lu Chang’an was a newcomer to the Nascent Soul stage, making soul searching against a seasoned Nascent Soul even more challenging.
Although the Chi You She Wang was a transformed demon king without a Nascent Soul, the essence within his spirit-containing pill was incredibly tough and tightly integrated with the demon king’s pill, making soul searching no easier than against an average Nascent Soul cultivator.
“The snake king’s spirit couldn’t withstand the interrogation; he revealed some secrets, and I promised him reincarnation.”
Lu Chang’an fabricated a reason, claiming he possessed a secret technique for torturing and interrogating souls.
In reality, the Chi You She Wang had perished during their fight that day.
Da She Shan must have sensed it, but they probably wouldn’t have imagined that Lu Chang’an could still access the memories of the snake king ancestor.
…
The demon-devil turmoil was in full swing in the Central Region.
This demonic disaster was massive, even extending to the other four regions of Da Yuan (大渊).
The Central Region of Da Yuan was in utter despair. Lower and middle-ranked cultivators were suffering, countless cultivation families and small to medium-sized market towns were destroyed.
Many Jie Dan-stage cultivators had fallen as well.
A few Nascent Soul elders, unfortunate or greedy for fourth-stage materials, perished at the hands of the demons.
During this crisis.
The three main governing forces of Da Yuan, the Huang Tian Gui Gong (黄天鬼宫) in the North, the Tian Jian Ge (天剑阁) in the South, and the Zhen Hai Zong (镇海宗) in the East, simultaneously issued orders to send reinforcements to the Central Region while providing training opportunities for their disciples.
The Nascent Soul grand cultivator, “Fu Hai Zhen Jun” (覆海真君), issued a warning:
The excessive contribution of magic crystals by Central Region high-ranking cultivators to the “Gu You Dian” (古幽殿) had led to abnormalities in the forbidden zone, causing more demonic energy to be released.
The Central Region giants were all fighting for themselves. Many Nascent Soul elders had obtained opportunities within the “Gu You Dian” and were unlikely to reach an agreement.
Furthermore, the demon-devil turmoil posed no real threat to the true top-tier cultivators; they could even obtain a batch of demonic materials.
From their perspective, the sixteen Zhen Hai Zong factions controlled the coastline and had the most resources; they were talking with a full mouth. However, those North Region evil dao Gui Gong factions welcomed demonic materials.
The three main governing forces of Da Yuan weren’t on the same page.
As for the Western Region of Da Yuan, it was an ancient primeval forest, a territory of demonic beasts, bordering the western side of the Central Region’s forbidden zone.
It was said that a true spirit descendant, a king of birds, resided within the ancient primeval forest. He had a fourth-stage mid-level cultivation base, equivalent to a Nascent Soul grand cultivator.
In reality, the Central Region was a fragmented circle. The gap was where the endless primeval forest connected to the Central Region’s forbidden zone.
The Western Region primeval forest was also a flood zone for demonic disasters. Affected by the Central Region’s forbidden zone, numerous demonic beasts were becoming demonized.
…
As the demonic disaster peaked, four-stage demonic creatures began to appear within the territories of Da She Shan and Yun Xia Zong.
Three months later.
A four-stage demonic creature appeared in Da She Shan, a rare pseudo-dragon species.
Under the guise of “friendly assistance,” Lu Chang’an swiftly arrived with Di Yan Jun.
Da She Shan firmly refused and condemned the intervention.
When Lu Chang’an reached the scene, it was too late. Three Nascent Soul cultivators had already slain the four-stage demonic creature.
Within Da She Shan’s territory, there was a Nascent Soul elder from the royal family, either appearing by chance or secretly lurking for a long time.
“The Da Yu royal family doesn’t want to see Da She Shan suffer further losses; they provide protection and support, overtly or covertly.”
Lu Chang’an could only leave in disappointment.
Another half-year passed.
A four-stage demonic creature, escaping from the territory of Da Yu’s neighboring country, appeared within Yun Xia Zong’s domain.
Four-stage demonic creatures had considerable intelligence, but they struggled to suppress their killing instincts. Some were unwilling to fight Nascent Soul cultivators.
It usually required three Nascent Soul cultivators to have a better chance of slaying a four-stage demonic creature.
Upon receiving intelligence, the three Nascent Soul powerhouses of Yun Xia Zong mobilized and set out to hunt down the four-stage demonic creature within their territory.
If they were too slow, the Nascent Soul cultivators from Da She Shan and the royal family would likely intervene and take a share of the spoils.
The four-stage demonic creature that entered Yun Xia Zong’s territory was a tiger-like beast, incredibly swift, moving like lightning, and destroying a medium-sized immortal city.
“Unfortunately, it’s not a bird-type four-stage demonic creature.”
Lu Chang’an felt a bit of regret. If it were a bird, it would be a great boost for the Yi Ling Kong Que (异灵孔雀)’s advancement to the fourth stage.
Even this four-stage demonic tiger took a lot of effort from the three Nascent Soul powerhouses of Yun Xia Zong. They managed to corner it in a mountain valley.
Lu Chang’an used divination to track and predict its movement, while Zi Xia Xian Zi’s “Feng Yun Shan” (风云扇) increased mobility and restricted the demonic tiger’s escape with its wind and cloud techniques.
Otherwise, if they delayed any longer, there would be more variables.
The combined might of Lu Chang’an, Jiang Zi Yan, and Di Yan Jun, along with their puppet formations, managed to successfully slay the four-stage demonic creature.
It was mainly due to Di Yan Jun’s close combat with the four-stage demonic creature that he sustained significant injuries during the final counterattack.
Shortly after slaying the four-stage demonic tiger, two Nascent Soul cultivators from Da She Shan rushed over but had no chance to intervene and left disgruntled.
“Brother, don’t worry.”
Chi Lian Zhen Jun comforted himself, “The royal family elder said that crafting a four-stage puppet is incredibly complex and requires diverse types of materials. One four-stage demonic creature’s materials won’t be enough.”
“Even if Yun Xia Zong spends a fortune to gather enough materials, the first attempt to break through to a four-stage puppet master is highly likely to fail, and the second attempt might not be successful either.”
The royal family’s records contained information about fourth-stage puppet masters, and it wasn’t easy at all.
…
On their way back to Yun Xia Zong, Lu Chang’an suggested:
“Zi Yan, keep half the materials of the four-stage demonic creature for the sect. Gather some more materials, and I’ll help you craft an almost four-stage puppet in the future.”
Currently, Lu Chang’an didn’t have any plans to craft a four-stage puppet.
Some of the four-stage demonic creature’s materials could be used to enhance the Qing Jia Puppet. The Yi Ling Kong Que required very specific materials, and only a few would be usable.
It wouldn’t be possible to gather enough for a complete set of four-stage puppet materials in the short term.
This involved the core of a four-stage puppet, the central component, which couldn’t be achieved by simply finding a four-stage demonic beast or creature’s body.
Lu Chang’an decided to settle for crafting a “nearly four-stage” puppet, which aligned with his current puppet-crafting abilities, allowing him to gain more experience.
“Then, thank you, Da Long.”
Zi Xia Xian Zi couldn’t refuse. Her eyes softened with affection, and she spoke softly.
Logically, she should have received a maximum of one-third of the materials for slaying the four-stage demonic creature.
But without the sect’s power, a single Nascent Soul cultivator would struggle to claim the majority of a four-stage demonic creature’s materials in Da Yu.
Moreover, during this demon-devil disaster, Yun Xia Zong had used its influence to help Lu Chang’an gather high-level materials. It was only a matter of time before he upgraded all the puppets in his puppet formation to the top-grade third-stage level.
“The demonic core of a four-stage demonic creature is difficult to utilize for non-demon dao cultivators. Da Long can look for opportunities to trade it in the future.”
After negotiation, Zi Xia Zhen Jun offered further compensation.
This demonic core wasn’t earth-elemental. Even after purification, it would be far less effective for Di Yan Jun than the spirit-containing pill from the demonized Shi Xin Long (石心龙).
The Shi Xin Long was only semi-demonized, while the creatures in this demonic disaster were all deeply demonized.
After distributing the spoils, Jiang Zi Yan felt a mix of joy and sorrow.
She realized that Xiang Da Long was willingly making concessions and offering to craft a “nearly four-stage” puppet as a way of repaying her and Yun Xia Zong.
This ensured that when Lu Chang’an left Yun Xia Zong and returned to his homeland, he wouldn’t feel indebted.
How long would Xiang Da Long remain?
A sense of loss filled Jiang Zi Yan’s heart. She had a feeling that day wouldn’t be far off.
During the latter half of their journey back to the sect.
Jiang Zi Yan remained silent, only clinging to Lu Chang’an’s arm.
Suddenly, a piece of urgent news reached Yun Xia Zong.
Swish!
Jiang Zi Yan flipped her hand and took out a communication jade pendant, receiving an urgent message from the sect.
“This…how could this be!”
Zi Xia Zhen Jun’s eyes dimmed, her expression turning grim, appearing caught off guard.
“Zi Yan, what happened?”
Lu Chang’an was puzzled. He gently stroked her jade-like hand and comforted her, inquiring about the reason.
…
Yun Xia Zong, Ying Yi Feng (英义峰) Grand Hall.
When the two Nascent Soul cultivators arrived, several coffins were placed within the hall.
These coffins were for sect high-ranking cultivators who had perished in the demonic disaster or for those who had made outstanding contributions.
After a short wait, a new coffin was carried in, its lid still open.
Within the white cloth, lay a mutilated male corpse, covered in blood and gore. His head was missing, and the remaining shoulders and other parts showed signs of being devoured by demonic beasts.
“Report to the two Zhen Jun.”
Xue Feng Zong Zhu (雪峰宗主) entered the hall, bowed respectfully, and described the details:
“This morning, Hu Shi Di (胡师弟) led a team to clear the demonic disaster near the Hong Shan Hu (红山湖). Although there were many demonic creatures there, there were only two third-stage ones. Unexpectedly, a powerful third-stage late-stage demonic beast suddenly appeared, and the situation became precarious.”
“At a critical moment, Hu Shi Di stepped forward to restrain the third-stage late-stage demonic beast and lured it away, preventing further casualties. Hu Shi Di said he was confident in his ability to protect himself, but when the sect’s reinforcements arrived, he had already been killed by the third-stage late-stage demonic ape. The ape, seeing the large number of cultivators, abandoned Hu Shi Di’s remains and escaped the scene.”
Xue Feng Zong Zhu’s face was filled with grief as he explained the cause and effect.
“That beast!”
A cold gleam flashed in Zi Xia Zhen Jun’s eyes. Her chest heaved slightly. The news of her direct disciple’s demise filled her with rage.
The pressure from her Nascent Soul-level aura made the entire hall feel oppressive. The Jie Dan cultivators present dared not breathe a word.
She bent down and personally inspected the body, confirming that the injuries were caused by a demonic beast and that no signs of human involvement were found.
“Were his personal belongings recovered?”
“His storage pouch burst during the battle. Common artifacts and sturdy items are still there; it shouldn’t be a case of murder for treasure.” Xue Feng Zong Zhu answered cautiously.
“Send out an order. Find the demonic ape within three days. This Zhen Jun will personally kill that fiend!”
Zi Xia Zhen Jun took a deep breath, her killing intent palpable, but she also closed her eyes and calmed her emotions.
Hu Ang’s death stirred a deep sense of grief within Zi Xia Zhen Jun’s heart.
In her early days as a Jie Dan cultivator, her beloved senior brother had perished in a demonic disaster.
She later found out that Yun Lan Zhen Jun had secretly orchestrated this incident.
“Zi Yan, those who live must continue. The top priority is to investigate the truth and avenge Xiao Hu.”
Lu Chang’an comforted her in a low voice.
He thought to himself, if Jiang Zi Yan knew Hu Ang’s true identity, what would she think?
Now, Yun Lan Zhen Jun, who had possessed that body, had also died in the demonic disaster, a form of retribution.
…
Three days later.
Yun Xia Zong located the culprit, the third-stage late-stage demonic ape.
The ape was heavily injured, bearing the marks of Hu Ang’s battle. Zi Xia Xian Zi arrived and beheaded it in a rage.
After Yun Xia Zong’s investigation and analysis, Hu Ang’s death was attributed to sheer bad luck and his own overconfidence.
The gap between a Jie Dan mid-stage and a late-stage cultivator was significant. Hu Ang battling a third-stage late-stage demonic creature alone, and losing his life, was perfectly normal.
Only Lu Chang’an knew that although Hu Ang was a Jie Dan mid-stage, his true strength, thanks to the fusion with the Nascent Soul residual soul, was enough to rival a Jie Dan late-stage cultivator.
With some effort and the use of his trump cards, he could have single-handedly killed the third-stage late-stage demonic ape.
He lured the ape away to conceal his strength and claim the materials for himself.
Otherwise, if the sect had collected the valuable materials from the ape, they would have been used to strengthen Xiang Da Long’s puppet formations.
However, Hu Ang’s cultivation was ultimately inferior to the ape’s. If a third party had intervened, such as a Jie Dan late-stage cultivator, the risk would have been significant.
If the intervening party had been a Nascent Soul cultivator, it would have been even more seamless.
Zi Xia Zhen Jun wouldn’t have suspected Lu Chang’an in this matter.
After all, he and Di Yan Jun were absent during the incident, accompanying her in tracking and hunting the four-stage demonic creature.
Even with his almost four-stage puppet, Lu Chang’an wouldn’t be able to control it from that distance.
…
In the secret chamber beneath the palace.
Lu Chang’an met with the Qing Jia Puppet, who had been away for a while.
“This is a spatial storage ring that Hu Ang had hidden on his person; we have already checked for any foreign substances.” Wei Kui Shi presented it.
“Good job! Yun Xia Zong hasn’t noticed the presence of a third party.”
Lu Chang’an expressed his approval.
“Dealing with a mere Jie Dan late-stage, even through secret means, is naturally not difficult.”
Wei Kui Shi took it for granted.
Having become a true four-stage puppet, he was completely comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Due to the puppet avatar’s special nature, Wei Kui Shi could remotely sense and operate it with Lu Chang’an.
Even beyond the control range, Wei Kui Shi could act independently and carry out missions.
The Central Region had experienced numerous demonic disasters, with some factions creating various types of powder and fragrances, some attracting demonic creatures and others repelling them.
Wei Kui Shi used these methods, along with his own intimidating aura, to secretly drive the third-stage demonic creatures towards the scene.
Given the speed of a third-stage demonic creature, if Hu Ang hadn’t stood his ground, his team would have suffered heavy casualties.
To avoid exposing his strength and raising suspicion from Xiang Zhen Jun, Hu Ang couldn’t openly demonstrate his trump cards.
Lu Chang’an anticipated this and devised a plan, coordinating with his almost four-stage divination techniques to steer the course of events.
Things in the world are constantly changing. Many plans don’t unfold as expected.
But when destiny divination reaches a certain level, one can manipulate the flapping of a butterfly’s wings, slightly influencing the trajectory of events to align with their desired outcome.
Powerful divination masters can even use destiny divination to remotely plan someone’s death, just by slightly nudging the key points in their fate.
Of course, this ability often comes with a price and can’t be used frequently.
Moreover, it has limited effectiveness against those with great fortune, high-level cultivators, especially those with significant luck, who are naturally shielded by fate. They are not only difficult to manipulate but also risk stronger backlash.
…
The Chi You She Wang and Yun Lan Zhen Jun both perished in the demonic disaster, bringing Lu Chang’an’s plan for retribution to a temporary halt.
Initially, Lu Chang’an had considered having the Qing Jia Puppet retrieve Hu Ang’s soul and see if the Jiu Yin Bei could consume it.
But through divination, he realized that retrieving the soul would increase the difficulty of the plan and create more variables, so it was better to let the demonic creature devour it and sever the connection.
Lu Chang’an estimated that the residual soul of a Nascent Soul cultivator had already fallen in rank and would be of little use to the Jiu Yin Bei.
As for Yun Lan Zhen Jun’s fate within the Gu You Dian, Lu Chang’an had a general understanding through the Chi You She Wang’s memories.
Yun Lan Zhen Jun died due to a conspiracy between Chi She Zhen Jun, Bao Ta San Ren, and Mo Dao Nan Gong Xiu (魔刀南宫休).
Within the Gu You Dian, Yun Lan Zhen Jun had indeed handled a pseudo-spiritual treasure but had thrown it to other Nascent Soul cultivators afterwards, having no further connection to it.
Therefore, a non-Nascent Soul residual soul held no value for Lu Chang’an.
…
A year later, the demonic energy flowing out from the Central Region’s forbidden zone had significantly diminished by a few percentage points.
The threat of the demon-devil turmoil had lessened.
Various forces concluded that this demon-devil disaster, which had swept across and affected the entire Da Yuan, was entering the final phase.
It had lasted longer, and the number of high-level demonic creatures was higher than in the past several thousand years.
During those several years of the demonic disaster, Lu Chang’an had mainly focused on cultivating techniques and secret arts, using the collected materials to enhance his puppet formations.
He frequently used divination techniques, not sparing his lifespan to improve them.
From his advancement to the Nascent Soul stage to the present sixteen years, Lu Chang’an had already lost thirty years of his lifespan, especially in recent years, where the consumption was greatest.
Fortunately, he had faintly touched upon the higher realm of fourth-stage divination, catching glimpses of the river of fate.
Recently, while sorting through the received tokens, Lu Chang’an found a Tian Fu (天符) conch.
It was clearly left by Jing Tian Zhen Jun.
“If this token reached Yun Xia Zong, it means he must have been to Da Yu within recent times.”
Lu Chang’an’s eyes flickered. He used their pre-agreed method to unlock the Tian Fu restriction on the conch.
As expected!
Jing Wu Feng’s figure, standing with his back to Lu Chang’an and his hands clasped behind him, appeared within the conch. He mentioned temporarily escaping his troubles and planned to meet Lu Chang’an at a suitable time.
…
Two months later.
Most of the high-level demonic creatures within Da Yu had been eliminated, and major factions breathed a sigh of relief.
On this day, an edict from the Da Yu royal family arrived at Yun Xia Zong, delivered by a messenger.
Zi Xia Feng cave abode.
“This is a secret decree issued by the Yu Huang (宇皇) himself. It states that the truth regarding the Chi You She Wang’s death has been uncovered. This is a preliminary verdict for us to review. If we are dissatisfied, we can challenge it at the royal court.”
Zi Xia Xian Zi furrowed her brows and handed the decree to Lu Chang’an.
“The demon-devil turmoil isn’t over yet; why is the royal family making a verdict so quickly?”
Lu Chang’an read through the content of the decree.
“Huh! How did the royal family investigate this? They seem so certain that we are the culprits?”
Lu Chang’an couldn’t believe it. He thought it was biased.
“The royal family possesses a secret technique called ‘tracing the source of煞气 (sha qi) (煞气: malevolent energy/murderous aura).’ As long as they have the residual soul aura of the deceased, including things like the sect’s soul lamp, they can trace the aura of the killer. Of course, this technique is costly and isn’t usually used.”
“Tracing the source of煞气? The royal family actually has such a technique.”
Lu Chang’an’s face grew solemn.
This essentially meant that as long as one committed murder and acquired karmic煞气, it could be traced back to them.
Da She Shan, in cooperation with the royal family’s investigation, had clearly identified Yun Xia Zong as the culprit.
If it went to trial, Lu Chang’an would be hard-pressed to escape blame.
The royal family’s verdict was this: Yun Xia Zong must surrender the Chi You She Wang’s remains or a four-stage demonic creature’s body. Additionally, a market town within Yun Xia Zong’s territory and three of its mineral and spiritual field properties would be allocated to Da She Shan as compensation.
If they were dissatisfied, both sides would go to the royal capital for a public and fair trial.
(End of Chapter)
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