Chapter 543

"The boundary-breaking teleportation array in Tianxin City is only for itinerant cultivators like yourselves.

In truth, top-tier clans such as our Thirty-Six Noble Clans and other elite sects each have their own teleportation arrays connecting to the Tianyuan Great World.

However, the Xiao Cang Realm is but a small world with limited resources. Most factions capable of setting up boundary-breaking teleportation formations aren’t particularly interested in this place.

Even if some do take an interest, they usually send only a few branch members to manage things here.

Take the Tianji Workshop, for example. It’s actually just an industry under the name of a legitimate wife of the Gongshu Clan.

So not every faction has a teleportation array set up in the Xiao Cang Realm."

As the City Lord of Canglan explained, Lu Qing's eyes lit up more and more.

"Then, City Lord, does your Nangong Clan...?"

Meeting Lu Qing’s hopeful gaze, the City Lord of Canglan nodded with a smile.

"That’s right. Our Nangong Clan just happens to have a small teleportation array in this Xiao Cang Realm—and it’s located right here in Canglan City.

When I descended from the upper realm back in the day, I used that very formation."

This truly surprised Lu Qing with delight. "Then may I, a junior, humbly ask to borrow that teleportation array to enter the Tianyuan Great World?"

At the same time, he finally understood why the other side wasn’t anxious despite knowing that people from the Gongshu Clan would descend—they had a backup plan, a retreat path back to the upper realm.

He also realized what Mo Hongyun had meant when she mentioned other ways to enter the Tianyuan Great World. She must have been referring to this.

"Of course," the City Lord replied. "Lu Daoyou saved my life. If not for you blocking Gongshu Yu earlier, I might have already been slain and had my Nascent Soul extracted.

Although I was the one who ultimately killed Gongshu Yu, many in the city witnessed your battle with him.

Even though the karmic responsibility of killing him has fallen on me, the Gongshu Clan won’t find it difficult to trace it back to you.

Given that, are you still determined to go to the Tianyuan Great World?"

"City Lord, are you concerned for my safety once I reach the upper realm?" Lu Qing chuckled. "Rest assured, I have some confidence in my ability to conceal my whereabouts.

Since the karmic retribution doesn’t fall on me, it won’t be easy for the Gongshu Clan to track me down."

The City Lord of Canglan was momentarily stunned, then remembered that he couldn’t even see through Lu Qing’s current cultivation level. Suddenly, it all made sense.

It seemed he was right—Lu Qing likely possessed a rare artifact that could mask his presence and make him untraceable.

"If you’re that confident, then I won’t press further. When do you wish to depart?"

"As soon as possible," Lu Qing said without hesitation.

He knew his own limits—though others believed he must have a formidable background, only he knew the truth.

If he really were to face a powerhouse clan like the Gongshu Clan head-on, it would be like throwing an egg against a stone.

So the sooner he left, the better.

The City Lord thought for a moment. "In that case, please wait a little. Activating the teleportation array consumes a great deal of spiritual power, and in my current condition, I’m still somewhat weakened.

If you don’t mind waiting until tomorrow morning, once I’ve recovered a bit, I’ll personally send you up. Will that be acceptable?"

"Everything will be according to your arrangements, City Lord."

Naturally, Lu Qing had no objection and agreed with pleasure.

They continued chatting idly, and Lu Qing took the opportunity to ask the City Lord for guidance on cultivation matters.

After all, this was the first Nascent Soul cultivator he had ever interacted with up close. Such an opportunity was too rare to pass up.

The City Lord, for his part, was generous in his instruction, answering every question with great care.

Yet as he answered, he found himself inwardly shocked.

Many of Lu Qing’s questions were extremely esoteric, even brushing against the domain of the Nascent Soul Realm itself—he found them difficult to answer.

When the questions drifted toward the Dao of Space, sweat began to bead on the City Lord's forehead.

Fortunately, their conversation was interrupted by a voice.

“Uncle!”

It was Mo Hongyun, who had finally finished handling affairs at the Treasure Pavilion and arrived at the City Lord’s mansion.

“Hongyun, you’re here,” the City Lord said with obvious relief, quickly rising to greet her.

“Hearing the City Lord speak is more enlightening than ten years of secluded cultivation. If possible, I would love another chance to ask for guidance,” Lu Qing said, still a bit reluctant to end the discussion.

He had indeed gained much.

Though he had spiritual powers that made it easy for him to comprehend and master techniques, there was a saying: “Other people’s stones can polish your own jade.”

Every Nascent Soul powerhouse had a profound understanding of the path of cultivation.

Their experiences were incredibly valuable to someone like Lu Qing.

The City Lord, however, stiffened slightly at those words, then forced a smile.

“That’s easy to arrange,” he said, though inwardly he had made up his mind—to send Lu Qing off to the upper realm the moment he recovered tomorrow morning.

If the young man kept asking questions, he might truly be exposed.

After all, the questions were getting more and more profound—some even touched on the laws of space, something only the most powerful cultivators at the farthest reaches of the Nascent Soul Realm could even begin to comprehend.

And he was merely a cultivator of the first tribulation. How could he possibly answer?

What was worse, his instincts told him that Lu Qing wasn’t just asking at random.

He truly had some understanding of the Dao of Space—his questions cut straight to the core.

"What kind of monstrous genius is this Lu Qing?" the City Lord couldn’t help but mutter in his heart.

This only reinforced his conviction that Lu Qing’s origins must be extraordinary.

Otherwise, how could someone in the Golden Core Realm know anything about the Dao of Space?

It had to be that his master had mentioned it during instruction.

Which meant that Lu Qing’s master must be a supreme expert in the Dao of Space.

“What were you two just talking about, Uncle?” Mo Hongyun asked curiously.

“It’s nothing. I was just asking the City Lord about some cultivation puzzles I’ve encountered. His wisdom and cultivation are indeed profound.

One conversation with him has brought me great insight,” Lu Qing praised sincerely.

“You flatter me, Lu Daoyou,” the City Lord said, forcing a smile.

“I see,” Mo Hongyun said. Since it was about cultivation, she didn’t press the matter.

Instead, she handed Lu Qing a storage pouch. “Here, Lu Daoyou. This is for you.”

“What is it?” Lu Qing asked, a bit puzzled as he accepted it.

“It’s the storage pouch Qiu Rong carried. Since you captured him, this spoils of war should naturally belong to you.”

“That doesn’t seem right. He was an appraiser of the Treasure Pavilion. These things should belong to the Pavilion,” Lu Qing said.

“I don’t want anything that traitor touched. Besides, the Treasure Pavilion isn’t lacking in resources. Take it, Lu Daoyou.”

Mo Hongyun’s face was filled with disgust.

Seeing this, Lu Qing simply said, “Then I shall accept it with gratitude.”

With that, he tucked the storage pouch away.

However, in front of the two, he didn’t immediately inspect its contents.

When she saw him take the item, a smile appeared on Mo Hongyun’s face.

“Lu Daoyou, Canglan City is no longer safe. What are your plans now?”

“I intend to leave the Xiao Cang Realm and head to the Tianyuan Great World to train and gain experience,” Lu Qing replied.

“You still want to go to the Tianyuan Great World?” Mo Hongyun was shocked.

After all, Lu Qing had just killed Gongshu Yu.

Although the final blow had been struck by her uncle, countless cultivators had seen Lu Qing thrash Gongshu Yu high in the sky.

Given the influence of the Gongshu Clan, it would only be a matter of time before they uncovered the truth.

In such circumstances, Lu Qing still wanted to enter the Tianyuan Great World?

Was he not afraid of being hunted by the entire Gongshu Clan?

Mo Hongyun voiced her concerns.

“I have some proficiency in concealing my presence. The Tianyuan Great World is vast. The Gongshu Clan won’t find it so easy to track me down,” Lu Qing said with a smile.

Seeing that Lu Qing was determined to go, Mo Hongyun fell silent.

“Hongyun, what’s wrong?” the City Lord of Canglan asked, noticing her expression shift.

Mo Hongyun hesitated for a moment. Her face showed inner conflict, and finally, she bit her lip and turned to Lu Qing.

“Lu Daoyou, may I ask something of you?”

“Oh? I wonder what matter the Pavilion Master might need my help with?” Lu Qing raised an eyebrow, surprised.

He had a feeling that whatever she was about to say wasn’t simple.

Otherwise, why bypass her own uncle—an esteemed Nascent Soul cultivator who clearly cherished her—to seek his help?

That was clearly unusual.

“I don’t know whether you can help me, but the secret art I cultivate tells me… you are the one most likely to succeed.”

“A secret art?” Lu Qing recalled the first time he met Mo Hongyun, when his spiritual powers had uncovered a note stating she possessed a Fate-Divining Divine Ability.

Even the City Lord’s expression shifted, as if he had realized something. “Hongyun, could it be…”

“The secret art I cultivate—more precisely, my innate divine ability—is one that allows me to divine the future, to sense destiny itself,” Mo Hongyun said.

“A divine ability that can perceive future fate?” Lu Qing’s face showed clear astonishment.

“That’s right. My ability is said to originate from deep within the bloodline of the Mo Clan.

But in recent millennia, very few among the Mo Clan have been able to awaken this talent.”

“That sounds like a great blessing. Then why…” Lu Qing was puzzled.

The City Lord also looked thrilled. “You awakened a Fate-Divining Divine Ability? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“And what good would it have done if I had?” Mo Hongyun sneered. “Have you forgotten how your Nangong Clan treated my father and mother back then?”

The City Lord fell silent, visibly taken aback.

Lu Qing could tell there was a deep, tangled history between them.

After snapping at her uncle, Mo Hongyun turned back to Lu Qing.

“Besides the Fate-Divining ability, I also awakened another constitution—the Profound Yin Jade Body.”

“The Profound Yin Jade Body!”

The City Lord reacted with another jolt of shock.

But under Mo Hongyun’s gaze, he dared not say more.

“What is the Profound Yin Jade Body?” Lu Qing asked.

“It’s a constitution said to be a top-tier vessel body.

A woman with this physique not only has exceptional talent in cultivation, but if she practices certain techniques, she also becomes an ideal dual cultivation partner.

Some wicked cultivation methods even turn such women into living cauldrons—human elixirs of the highest grade.

Once the cultivation is completed, the practitioner can use extraction techniques to seize their virginity, cultivation base, even their divine abilities,” she said grimly.

At this, Lu Qing’s heart trembled slightly.

He had seen the term “Profound Yin Jade Body” in the earlier note his powers uncovered, but it only mentioned it as an excellent body for practicing yin-based techniques.

It hadn’t said anything about these cruel dual cultivation methods.

Clearly, the Profound Yin Jade Body was an extraordinary talent by nature—but in the hands of the wrong people, it became a curse.

“When I first awakened the Profound Yin Jade Body, my parents were deeply alarmed.

They knew that if word got out, many people would covet me.

So they warned me from a young age to never speak of it to anyone.

I followed their advice, never revealing the truth to others.

Even after awakening the Fate-Divining ability, I kept it hidden.

All to make myself as inconspicuous as possible in the clan, to avoid unwanted attention.

I cultivated quietly, hoping one day to reach the Nascent Soul Realm.

They say once a woman with this body reaches that realm, she can control her constitution freely.

Then she need not fear others coveting it,” she continued.

“My days in the Mo Clan were peaceful.

With my parents concealing the truth, no one ever suspected anything.

But then… something happened, and both of them died suddenly.”

At this point, Lu Qing noticed the City Lord of Canglan trembling slightly, his face stiff with discomfort.

Clearly, this incident was the root of their estrangement.

Mo Hongyun also noticed the change in her uncle but ignored it completely.

She continued, “After their deaths, I had to take on more responsibility within the clan.

I could no longer hide in a quiet courtyard.

I started managing some of the businesses they left behind.

At first, it was fine—after all, I was already in the Golden Core Realm, and considered a mid-tier expert within the Mo Clan.

But once, I went with a group of clan elders to attend the birthday celebration of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Despite all my precautions, someone there saw through me at a glance and discovered my Profound Yin Jade Body.”

“Who was it?” the City Lord couldn’t hold back any longer.

Mo Hongyun looked at him and finally said, “Her title is Supreme Mistress Miaoyu, a Grand Elder of the Hehuan Sect.”

“What?! Supreme Mistress Miaoyu?!”

Hearing that name, the City Lord’s expression changed drastically, filled with horror.