Chapter 548

Lu Qing was casually chatting with the Canglan City Lord and Mo Hongyun.

He could sense that the Canglan City Lord’s complexion was steadily improving.

This indicated that his condition was rapidly recovering.

At this rate, he would likely regain most of his strength before dawn.

This made Lu Qing quite pleased.

It was certainly good news.

The sooner the Canglan City Lord recovered from his injuries, the sooner he could enter the Tianyuan Great World.

While Lu Qing waited for the City Lord’s recovery...

In the vast Tianyuan Great World, within a lavish cave dwelling of the Hehuan Sect—

A figure in a pink robe, exuding a murky and elusive aura, slowly awoke from meditation.

"The Heart-Eroding Joy Curse I planted on Mo Hongyun... someone actually lifted it? Even the wisp of divided soul consciousness I left behind has been extinguished."

"Who dares to defy me like this?"

Suspicion clouded the eyes of Supreme Lord Miaoyu.

To sever the connection to his divided soul and lift the curse without alerting him—it had to be the work of someone with a powerful cultivation.

At the very least, they had to be a Nascent Soul cultivator of his caliber.

"Was it the Mo Clan’s patriarch? No, he doesn’t have that ability. And the Mo Clan wouldn't dare provoke the Hehuan Sect."

"Then who was the blind fool who dared make a move?"

"To sever the connection first, then lift the curse—it’s clear they feared me discovering their identity."

"Could it have been a rogue Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Supreme Lord Miaoyu couldn't quite figure it out. He then summoned a string of pink prayer beads, which floated before him.

With several incantations, the beads began to spin.

However, after a while, nothing was revealed.

His brows furrowed.

"The workings of fate have been obscured, even Mo Hongyun's karmic thread is veiled... the one who acted thought this through carefully."

"But do you think that’s enough to escape my grasp?"

His expression turned cold. “No matter who you are, if you dare to touch someone I’ve marked, prepare to pay the price!”

Rising to his feet, he waved his hand, opening the door to his secluded chamber and stepping out.

“Darling, your seclusion has ended?”

“Darling is out!”

“Greetings, my lord!”

...

The moment he emerged, a flock of beauties came forward to greet him.

Seven or eight stunning women gathered around him, showing concern and flattery.

“Enough. I’m heading out. Hongluan, you’re coming with me.”

He remained unmoved by their fawning and spoke coolly.

“Yes.”

A glamorous woman in a deep crimson robe responded gracefully.

The others cast jealous glances her way.

Yet no one dared utter a word.

Not only did their lord despise scheming among his women, Hongluan was also the only one among them to have reached the Nascent Soul Realm—

And not just any Nascent Soul cultivator, but one who had passed the First Tribulation.

She was not only his most favored concubine, but someone they dared not cross.

After exiting the cave dwelling, Supreme Lord Miaoyu summoned a pink cloud-shaped artifact, stepping aboard with Hongluan.

In the next instant, the cloud pierced through layers of space and shot off in a particular direction at high speed.

“Darling, where are we going?”

Hongluan was surprised. For him to even bring out the cloud artifact—a high-grade spiritual artifact—meant this was no ordinary journey.

They were traveling at full speed.

Could something serious have happened?

“To the Xiao Cang Realm. The Heart-Eroding Joy Curse I cast on Mo Hongyun was undone.”

He did not conceal the matter, answering plainly.

His concubines, having long been indoctrinated by his methods, were utterly loyal and incapable of betrayal.

“Mo Hongyun... the one who was to become our future sister? Someone dared to touch a woman you’ve claimed?”

Hongluan was stunned.

She was also secretly thrilled.

She knew her lord’s temperament well—he valued his women greatly. They were his reverse scale.

Now someone had dared challenge that.

No wonder he brought out the cloud artifact.

This was going to get interesting.

Supreme Lord Miaoyu sensed Hongluan’s mood but ignored it.

Mo Hongyun possessed the Profound Yin Jade Body and had awakened the Mo Clan’s Bloodline Ability.

Both were of great importance to him.

They could be the key to breaking through his long-stagnant bottleneck and reaching an even higher realm.

She could not be lost.

Now, he was determined to uncover who dared obstruct his path of cultivation.

In hindsight, he slightly regretted letting Mo Hongyun descend to the Xiao Cang Realm.

But he had overestimated his Heart-Eroding Joy Curse—even Nascent Soul cultivators shouldn’t be able to undo it without alerting him.

He believed she would remain under his control, which was why he’d granted her fifty years of freedom.

Yet an unexpected variable had appeared.

Now that the curse was lifted, and Mo Hongyun might have some treasure to block fate and karma—

She might seize the chance to escape the Xiao Cang Realm.

That thought made him uneasy.

He drove the cloud artifact even faster.

Unfortunately, the Hehuan Sect had no direct teleportation array to the Xiao Cang Realm. The nearest one was in a remote town far from the sect.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be stuck in such a reactive position.

As he hastened his journey...

In another direction, several figures were also traveling leisurely.

“Young Master Tian, weren’t we heading to the Red Flame Secret Realm? Why the sudden change in plans?”

A burly man asked the red-haired youth leading the group.

“I just received a message from the clan,” the red-haired youth said casually.

“Oh? What did they say?” the burly man asked, curious.

“Gongshu Yu is dead.”

“What?! Young Master Yu is dead?!”

The burly man was shocked.

Even the others showed expressions of disbelief.

“Young Master Tian, how did he die? Is the news confirmed?” he asked urgently.

“It’s true. His soul lamp at the clan has gone out. There’s no doubt,” the youth replied indifferently.

Everyone fell silent.

They understood well the bond between a soul lamp and its master.

If the lamp was extinguished, Gongshu Yu must indeed be dead.

“But how... didn’t he have Uncle Cai and an old Nascent Soul servant guarding him?

Plus the Dao-Protection Jade Talisman the clan gave him... how could he suddenly die?”

The burly man couldn’t help asking again after a moment.

As a direct descendant and Child of Fortune, Gongshu Yu had been equipped with numerous life-saving treasures.

Even a Nascent Soul protector had accompanied him.

It was hard to imagine how he could have died.

Could they have provoked a supreme cultivator with multiple tribulations?

“The message from the clan wasn’t detailed,” the red-haired youth shook his head. “Only that it involved people from the Nangong Clan.

Gongshu Yu died in the Xiao Cang Realm. And not just him—Uncle Cai and the others are all missing. We’ve lost all contact.”

“He actually died in the Xiao Cang Realm? And it was the Nangong Clan who acted?”

The group was stunned—shocked and intrigued.

Though the Gongshu Clan had always been at odds with the Nangong Clan...

But something as serious as this—killing the direct heir of an aristocratic clan—had never occurred before.

Could it be that the Nangong Clan intended to declare war on the Gongshu Clan?

For a moment, all of them were shaken.

If two upper clans clashed, it could very well send tremors through the entire Tianyuan Great World.

The burly man suddenly realized something. “Wait—Xiao Cang Realm! Young Master Tian, don’t tell me you’re heading to the Xiao Cang Realm?”

“That’s right,” the red-haired youth replied with interest. “To think Gongshu Yu actually died in the Xiao Cang Realm. He was useless, barely scratched the surface of the

Imperial Heart Scripture

, but still had some strength. He was a rival of mine, after all.

Now that he’s dead, I’m curious to see who helped me remove this obstacle.”

“You absolutely mustn’t go, Young Master Tian! It’s too dangerous,” the burly man said urgently. “Even Young Master Yu is dead. Clearly, someone in the Xiao Cang Realm harbors a deep hatred for our Gongshu Clan.

And it’s likely a powerful Nascent Soul expert. If we go rashly and are discovered, we might not be able to ensure your safety.”

“Relax. I’m not foolish enough to dive headfirst into danger,” the red-haired youth chuckled. “The clan’s message said that Fourth Granduncle has already set off for the Xiao Cang Realm.

I’ll wait until he arrives and then go with him.”

“Fourth Granduncle himself is going?”

The burly man and the others were once again stunned.

“Exactly. So there’s nothing for you to worry about. With Fourth Granduncle by my side, who in the Xiao Cang Realm could possibly threaten me?”

The group exchanged glances, then all nodded in agreement.

“If you’re with Fourth Granduncle, then there’s no problem.”

…

“Friend Lu, my injuries have mostly healed. I can now activate the teleportation array.”

At the break of dawn the next day, while Lu Qing was meditating cross-legged, he heard the voice of the Canglan City Lord, who had also been seated nearby.

“So soon?” Lu Qing opened his eyes in surprise.

He had thought it would take several more hours.

“Time is of the essence. The Nangong Clan is one matter, but that Supreme Lord Miaoyu—his temperament is extremely cruel and unpredictable. There’s no telling when he might arrive. We’d best leave as soon as possible,” said the City Lord.

“Then I thank you, City Lord.”

Lu Qing’s heart tightened at those words.

A Four-Tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator—such beings had unimaginable powers.

Even with his life-saving techniques, he couldn't be sure he’d escape unscathed.

So the sooner he left the Xiao Cang Realm, the better.

“Hongyun, you’re coming with us as well.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Mo Hongyun didn’t object.

She knew she needed her uncle’s help to escape the Xiao Cang Realm.

On her own, even if she managed to activate a teleportation array, she wouldn’t get far before the Supreme Lord Miaoyu caught up.

After all, in the vastness of the starry sky, the speed of a Golden Core cultivator was no match for a Nascent Soul expert.

The teleportation array connected to the Upper Realm was located deep within the City Lord’s residence, inside a grand and majestic hall.

As Lu Qing followed the Canglan City Lord into the hall, the first thing he noticed was a massive jade platform in the center, carved with profound symbols.

With his current familiarity with teleportation arrays, he recognized them instantly as array runes.

“Friend Lu, this teleportation array is connected to a branch force of the Nangong Clan.

Once we arrive on the other side, please be cautious and avoid wandering about, lest unnecessary misunderstandings arise,” the City Lord warned.

“I understand,” Lu Qing nodded.

Then something occurred to him, and he raised a hand. “City Lord, please wait a moment.”

“Is there something you forgot, Friend Lu?”

“Not forgotten, but I do have a question. Does this teleportation array prohibit bringing living beings hidden within spatial artifacts?”

“Correct. When this array was forged, a special restriction was placed upon it. Only living beings in direct contact with the array can be transported.

This was to prevent demonic spies from hiding inside spatial tools and infiltrating our righteous domain.”

The City Lord nodded.

Lu Qing silently thought, “Just as I suspected.”

He had been informed of the same restriction when using a teleportation array in Starry Sky City.

It was also the reason he had worked so hard to earn spirit stones after arriving in the Xiao Cang Realm.

He had long since discovered that the teleportation array in Tianxin City, which connected to the Tianyuan Great World, had the same restriction.

Otherwise, he could have saved a large sum of spirit stones.

Of course, artifact spirits and soul consciousness weren’t bound by this rule.

“What is it, Friend Lu—do you have others inside your artifact?” the City Lord asked curiously.

Even Mo Hongyun looked intrigued.

She had seen Lu Qing stay in her Treasure Pavilion for quite some time, always cultivating alone in his cave dwelling. She had never seen him interact with anyone else.

“Just my two spirit pets,” Lu Qing replied with a smile.

With a thought, two figures flew from the spatial qi pouch at his waist and landed on his shoulders—it was Xiaoli and Wuxing.

“Xiaoli, Wuxing, greet the two seniors,” Lu Qing instructed.

“Greetings, seniors,” both spirit beasts bowed in their respective manners to the Canglan City Lord and Mo Hongyun.

“Didn’t expect you to have such intelligent spirit pets,” the City Lord said with a trace of surprise in his eyes.

Given his level of cultivation, he could sense that these two were far from ordinary.

Mo Hongyun, meanwhile, had stars in her eyes as she stared at Xiaoli.

Lu Qing’s spirit pet was simply too adorable.

If they weren’t in such a hurry to teleport, she might have asked if she could hold it for a while.

“City Lord, will these two spirit pets cause any overload in the teleportation array?” Lu Qing asked.

“No issue. The array may seem small, but it can teleport up to ten beings at once. Adding them changes nothing.”

His words put Lu Qing’s mind at ease.

“Alright, guard your minds. I’m starting the teleportation array!”

With a soft shout, the Canglan City Lord began casting a series of incantations toward the jade platform.

The entire teleportation platform began to emit a faint glow.

Lu Qing and the others focused their minds.

As the glow intensified, intricate runes emerged, and the entire array began to hum with power.

Finally, a spatial vortex opened, releasing a powerful suction force.

The figures of Lu Qing and the others vanished from the platform.

And just half an hour later...

A pink cloud appeared above Canglan City.