Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 926 A Divine Opportunity
After the painful cries, the spirit lotus suddenly bloomed, and a misty white fog rose from between the petals, revealing a woman in plain clothes with her hair styled in a flying fairy bun.

She stood suspended in mid-air, her feet treading on clouds, her eyes seemingly frozen with the frost of winter, her slender finger pointing directly at Chen Mu: "We are complete strangers, why are you forcing me to this point!"

Chen Mu knew that it was the manifestation of the Soul-Soothing Lotus's primordial spirit. Upon hearing this, he burst into loud laughter: "There are many human bones in the deep cave. I can tell that you are not a kind person either. Cultivators come and go in the pursuit of enlightenment. You have cultivated for thousands of years. Can't you see through such a principle?"

The woman's face drained of color instantly. Her hair trembled slightly as she pondered for a long while before she suddenly gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, if you're willing to help me reincarnate into a human body, you can use this spiritual form as you please. Otherwise..."

With a flick of her wide sleeves, she said resolutely, "Even if I sever my own life force and my primordial spirit vanishes into thin air, I will not grant your wish!"

The Soul-Soothing Lotus severs its own life force. Although it is still usable, it is ultimately not as good as when the primordial spirit is alive. Most importantly, it is no longer inexhaustible, which is something Chen Mu does not want to see.

His expression remained unchanged, but his eyes flickered, clearly indicating that he was considering something.

After a moment, Chen Mu nodded and said, "You will come with me, and I will make plans for you. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will grant you a path to immortality."

The woman in plain clothes was still uneasy. After a moment's hesitation, she cautiously probed, "First, make a vow..."

Chen Mu's face suddenly darkened, and he said coldly, "I, Chen, keep my word. If you continue to push your luck like this, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The woman in plain clothes changed her expression, but she knew that her life and death were in the hands of the Taoist priest in front of her. It was already generous of him to have given her a promise. If it were anyone else, would they have given her such a choice?

She remained silent, the crimson of her lips growing ever more vibrant. After a deep curtsy, her meaning was self-evident.

Seeing this, Chen Mu made a gesture with his fingers, and the thousands of lightning bolts vanished in an instant, while the light from the cave within his sleeve shone brightly.

The primordial spirit neither dodged nor avoided, but transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into it, leaving only a wisp of fragrance to permeate the world...

Chen Mu then smiled and looked around instead of leaving immediately.

Although the extremely yin energy deposited at the bottom of the valley has become as thin as gauze, thick fog still surges in the deep abyss crevices.

After a brief calculation, he rolled up his sleeves, and the Soul Ancestor Banner fell into the abyss of the underworld.

In an instant, the Xuan Banner fluttered loudly, like an ancient dragon swallowing the sea. The Yin energy of the entire abyss transformed into thousands of vortices, and the Nine Nether Cold Tide below the ten thousand feet suddenly erupted, with the howling of the Yin wind mixed with the wailing sound.

Chen Mu remained unmoved, casually setting up a restriction before going to a blue stone to close his eyes and enter meditation...

As the days and nights passed, the roar from the abyss gradually subsided.

The dark, gloomy clouds that had shrouded the valley for thousands of years quietly dissipated, and the sunlight pierced through the mist like a golden sword. The last wisp of dark yin energy melted into the patterns of the soul banner like spring snow falling into a pool.

Although it is known that this place is the location of the Xuan Yin Earth Vein, and the Yin energy will eventually be regenerated, it will probably take several thousand years to condense it to the previous concentration.

Chen Mu suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and intense. He clenched his fist, and the Soul Banner instantly flew back through the air.

He focused his gaze and clearly saw the mark belonging to Tai Xuan shining brightly, obviously being reshaped from its origin under the nourishment of extreme Yin energy.

Chen Mu nodded and smiled, then waved his hand to put away the soul banner and disappeared in an instant, his body transforming into a stream of light...

After a day and a night of lightning speed, Chen Mu had already returned to Haixin City.

Yu and Hong had been waiting there for some time. Upon sensing Chen Mu's aura, they immediately got up and went out to greet him.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, did you get what you wanted?"

A faint smile played on Chen Mu's lips. With a gentle sway of his wide sleeves, a wisp of the refreshing scent of the Soul-Soothing Lotus flowed out from beneath them.

Yu Chengkong and Hong Wuyai's eyes lit up with joy at the same time. The former clapped his hands and praised, "Soul-Soothing Lotus of such a ripe age is truly a blessing from nature. Fellow Daoist Chen is indeed a person of great fortune."

Chen Mu asked with a smile, "When do you two plan to set off?"

Hong Wuyai previously mentioned that the boundary restrictions would be weakest around the middle of the month, and now that time has come. If we miss these two or three days, we'll likely have to put in a lot more effort...

"The Abyss Cave Secret Realm is not far from here, but it is still under the jurisdiction of Gonggong. Although Fellow Daoist Hong is leading the way, it is still best not to disturb Gonggong."

Yu Chengkong said in a deep voice, "In my opinion, we should set off now and proceed slowly. When the moon is full in the sky, we will be able to reach the Abyss Cave Barrier."

If Chen Mu had returned empty-handed, they might have thought of wasting some time. But now that everything is ready, it's better to act sooner rather than later, lest things get complicated.

Chen Mu nodded slightly. After the three of them made a final decision, they quietly slipped out of Haixin City under Hong Wuyai's guidance.

As they were about to leave, Yu Hong and the other man looked back at the darkening sea and sky behind them.

The setting sun had sunk into the inky waves, and in the bluish-gray twilight, only that figure in a plain robe remained calmly with his hands behind his back. As his robes fluttered, he transformed the chilling aura into a free and unrestrained elegance...

"With Fellow Daoist Chen's assistance this time..."

Their eyes flickered with uncertainty as they thought to themselves, "It seems things will go smoothly..."

……

The site of the Gonggong clan, the Xuanshui Grand Hall.

The bronze lamps emitted eerie blue flames, making the entire Xuan Shui Hall shimmer and sparkle.

Gong Daosheng sat upright on the throne carved from cold jade, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the dragon patterns coiled on the armrests.

He was the son of the clan leader and one of the few direct descendants of the Gonggong clan, holding an extremely noble position.

He thought to himself that he should be second only to the emperor, but Gong Qingli's presence made him lose his prominence.

Not only did his father value him highly, but most of the clansmen were also afraid of Gong Qingli, forgetting that he was the next clan leader of the Gonggong clan...

At first, he didn't think much of it, but as Gong Qingli's talent became more and more apparent, he was shocked to realize the danger.

Gonggong's karma was immense, and the position of clan leader was crucial to his path to immortality; he could not allow this position to slip through his fingers...

Just as he was pondering to himself, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, echoing and causing ripples to appear on the water-patterned murals on the walls.

"Reporting to the Palace Master!"

The black-clad messenger knelt before the steps, his forehead almost touching the ground: "A message has come from the hidden agents at Lingzhu Mountain, saying... saying..."

Gong Daosheng raised his narrow eyes, his wide sleeves, embroidered with black and gold, remaining motionless in the cold air: "Is your tongue sealed by Xuanbing?"

The messenger shuddered, his voice suddenly quickening: "A foreign Water Element True Lord has appeared at Spirit Pillar Mountain, easily defeating Su Han, the son of the Su clan. According to those present, the Dao Fruit he has formed is shaped like a cauldron..."

Suddenly, a crisp sound of jade shattering came from the throne.

"Go on."

Cold jade powder fell between Gong Daosheng's fingers, and half of the dragon's head was already missing.

"Yes!"

The messenger's back was already soaked with cold sweat: "That Ze Ding Dao Fruit actually has innate water patterns, which are very similar to the person who caused the ancestral mirror of the clan to tremble earlier, or it may be the same person..."

The sound stopped abruptly, as if an invisible pressure had choked it.

The cold mist in the hall suddenly surged, and the faint Xuanming Dharma Image appeared behind Gong Daosheng.

When did cauldrons and Dao fruits become so common?
The Water Element True Lord and the outsider are not the same person... That's truly strange!
He suddenly made a hand seal to summon a sound transmission jade talisman. As the talisman, formed of icy solidification, exploded in the air, a hunched old man fell out of the water curtain, still clutching half a yellowed ancient book in his hand.

"Is there any news about Gong Qingli?"

Gong Daosheng's voice was so cold it could freeze into ice.

The old man hurriedly stuffed the ancient book into his sleeve and replied, "No, the last message was a month ago. It said that the person was a true disciple of the Immortal Sect and was in seclusion, so it was not advisable to make a move. I suppose he is waiting for an opportunity..."

"enough!"

Gong Daosheng suddenly raised his hand, instinctively about to give the order for Gong Qingli to return. But the words caught in his throat, and he paused, his eyes darting around as he thought to himself, "The Ze Ding Dao Fruit... it's all the same whether someone refines it or not, so why send her back?"

"But if I don't give the order, what if Father blames me afterwards..."

His eyes flashed: "Hongwu was betrothed to Gong Qingli by Father before. This time, she missed her chance with him. Fate was not on her side, so how can you blame me?"

"This is an opportunity bestowed upon me by heaven... If I can refine that person's Ze Ding Dao Fruit, why should I worry about being surpassed by Gong Qingli?!"

Thinking of this, his tone changed, and he waved for the old man to leave.

But the old man had already learned of this from the messenger. After a moment's thought, his expression changed drastically: "Palace Master, should we recall Young Master Li...?"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Gong Daosheng's eyes turn as cold as an abyss: "The information has not yet been confirmed. If you issue orders lightly and ruin the clan's plans, are you willing to take responsibility?"

The old man shrank back, "No, no..."

As the old man turned into mist and dissipated, Gong Daosheng suddenly tapped the throne with his finger, each tap causing the cold mist in the hall to disperse and swirl.

How long has the news been delayed?

He looked at the messenger who was still kneeling on the ground.

The messenger's Adam's apple bobbed, and the ground was soaked with dark sweat: "Lingzhu Mountain... Elder Hong's side... it should have been done a month ago..."

Gong Daosheng was furious and was about to reprimand who was so negligent when he heard Elder Hong's name.

He paused for a moment, and then sat down.

“Hong Wuyai…no wonder…”

His eyes turned cold, and he said in a deep voice, "Summon him here immediately!"

"Yes."

The messenger bowed and left the main hall. As soon as he turned through the winding corridor, he made a hand seal and cast a spell, transforming into a beam of light and disappearing into the sky.

Unexpectedly, before the escape light left the clan's territory barrier, two figures suddenly appeared, riding the wind from the clouds.

The man in the lead, with a round belly and wearing a melon-shaped hat askew, was none other than Gong Qinghe, who had previously reprimanded Hong Wuyai.

At that moment, he was pointing out the waterfall in the distance to his cousin when he suddenly caught sight of a figure in black. His beady eyes darted around, and he raised his hand to block their way: "Isn't this Brother Gong? I heard that you are now working under my third brother. Are you doing well?"

It turned out that the messenger was a member of the Gong family, and according to seniority, he should address Old Master Gong as his clan uncle.

Out of respect for Mr. Gong, Gong Qinghe was quite enthusiastic.

However, upon seeing the other party, the black-clad messenger couldn't help but secretly groan, especially when he recalled the young master's usual ruthless and greedy behavior. Cold sweat broke out on his back.

However, since he was a member of the main family and possessed formidable cultivation, the black-clad messenger dared not be impolite. After offering a respectful bow and exchanging a few words, he prepared to take his leave.

Upon seeing this, Gong Qinghe frowned slightly and said unhappily, "Brother Gong, why are you in such a hurry? Are you afraid I'll cheat you?"

The black-clad messenger repeatedly said he dared not, but in order to escape quickly, he had no choice but to reveal Gong Daosheng's orders.

Upon hearing that Hong Wuyai was to be summoned for an audience, Gong Qinghe's heart skipped a beat, and he became even more interested: "I wonder why Third Brother summoned Hong Wuyai?"

The black-clad messenger was already cursing inwardly, but he still briefly recounted his experiences that day.

After figuring out the whole story, Gong Qinghe let out a cold laugh: "Well done, Hong Wuyai..."

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Upon seeing this, the messenger quickly bowed and took his leave: "Young Master He, you are wise. The Palace Master's mission cannot be delayed. Please allow me to take my leave." As he spoke, he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute!"

The messenger had no choice but to turn around: "Does Young Master He have any instructions?"

Gong Qinghe said with a smile, "No, no, you are my third brother's disciple, what's it to me ordering you around? But considering Elder Hong's eccentric nature, he probably won't come with you so easily."

He pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "How about this, the two of us will go with you. With us there to keep things in order, he won't dare to put on airs anymore."

The messenger's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this. Although he did not know Gong Qinghe's true intentions, having him accompany him would indeed eliminate some potential dangers.

Thinking of this, he immediately bowed and said, "This humble one thanks you, young master."

He agreed, but the young man in blue robes beside him said anxiously, "Brother, haven't we already made an appointment to attend a banquet? Why bother with such a trivial matter?"

Gong Qinghe made no attempt to hide from the black-clad messenger, smiling as he waved his hand to summon a superior Dao artifact shaped like a carving knife, saying, "Haven't you always envied me for getting a top-quality Dao artifact out of nowhere?"

The younger cousin was taken aback for a moment, but then quickly realized: "Brother, you mean this artifact comes from..."

“It is indeed Hong Wuyai’s intention.”

Gong Qinghe smiled like a gentle spring breeze: "Now that Elder Hong has done something wrong, how can I not offer some guidance?"

His cousin's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, "Absolutely! Absolutely! We should guide him out of his confusion!"

The two men burst into laughter, which made the black-clad messenger tremble with fear. He shook his head and thought to himself, "Elder Hong is probably going to suffer a great loss this time."

……

After traveling non-stop for half a day, the three of them finally saw the majestic city walls of Haixin City in the distance.

But when they searched the Gonggong clan's stronghold thoroughly, they couldn't even find a trace of Hong Wuyai's clothes.

The black-clad messenger anxiously crushed the third communication talisman, and before the smoke had even dissipated, he exclaimed, "The communication is unsuccessful, and the person is nowhere to be found. How can we possibly complete this mission?"

Gong Qinghe remained calm and composed. After thinking for a moment, she chuckled and said, "Come with me."

For nearly ten years, Gonggong had been in charge of Caihua Tower, and the last time he saw Hong Wuyai was in Caihua Tower, which clearly indicated that Hong Wuyai was in charge of the affairs there.

The three of them arrived at Caihua Tower again, and the steward there had been deeply impressed by Gong Qinghe ever since he last met her, as the person who had caused Hong Wuyai to suffer a setback.

He roughly guessed that these three people should be direct descendants of the main family, so he hurriedly bowed and led them into the private room on the top floor. Before he could give any instructions, he brought out three cups of Snow Top Green Tea.

"He is quite quick-witted."

Gong Qinghe blew away the tea foam and took a sip. Seeing that the steward stood with his hands down and did not move, he slammed the white jade cup heavily onto the sandalwood table.

"Now that we know a distinguished guest has arrived, why don't you quickly invite Elder Hong?"

The steward instinctively agreed and turned around, but stopped just before the door, turned back, and said apologetically, "Elder Hong... is not in the building."

"Not here?" The black-clad messenger suddenly stood up, extremely anxious.

Gong Qinghe was also somewhat surprised: "Then where is he?"

The deacon shook his head: "I don't know either..."

Gong Qinghe's eyes turned cold as she saw through the other party's stammering, and she shouted, "Why aren't you telling the truth?!"

The steward knelt down with a thud, trembling as he said, "This humble servant truly does not know where Elder Hong has gone... I haven't seen Elder Hong for almost ten days..."

……

(End of this chapter)