Each of the nine dragon maidens possesses extraordinary abilities.

Mechanical creations and ordinary clothes gathered together in her possession as she ate a beef pie, her mouth greasy.

Even so, it's still very beautiful.

"I'm full, I'm full. Thank you all. Phew, I've been eating so many wild vegetables these past few days that my face is practically green with hunger." She collapsed on the ground, rubbing her stomach with a satisfied expression.

"Your cultivation level is the lowest in the organization. You need to solidify your spiritual sea and complete the Bigu (abstinence from grains) as soon as possible. Also, why is this place so messy!" Aoman nagged her like a mother while tidying up.

Lu Yueyuan roughly understood how Pride viewed her comrades in the organization. There was no such thing as comrades; they were all her children. Seeing this scene, the simulation replayed in Lu Yueyuan's mind—Pride, stained crimson with blood. She arrived carrying darkness and violence, yet she was fearless, determined to destroy the gods and save the world. Although Lu Yueyuan found it laughable, it didn't stop Pride from blocking his path. So they fought. Lu Yueyuan destroyed the so-called Seven Deadly Sins organization with a single slap. The last thing he remembered was Pride's unwavering gaze.

Perhaps he needs to get to know them better.

"I'm sorry, boss, I'll do it..." Jealousy lay lazily on the ground, saying this but not moving an inch. "I will use the most serious, straightforward, and emotionally expressive attitude..." She started acting silly again, and the little robots surrounded her, making beeping sounds.

The stars fill the sky tonight. Lu Yueyuan and his two companions will rest for the night in the fortress built by Jealousy, and discuss their next destination tomorrow.

The fortress didn't have separate rooms, but fortunately, cultivators weren't picky about such places; they could cleanse themselves anywhere with spiritual energy and then meditate for the night. But Jealousy wouldn't have it. These past few days she'd been sleeping in a corner of the fortress, filthy like a lump of coal. Arrogance, unable to tolerate it any longer, dragged her out of the fortress, found a tiled house, and planned to thoroughly clean her with spiritual energy.

Chapter 74: My Lord God, the Craftsmanship of Heaven is Immortal

“I used your powers and saw it clearly; it was jealousy, no doubt,” Lu Yueyuan said. “But why did her appearance change like this? And what about our relationship? According to the current timeline, this should be our first meeting. How can there be any love?”

"I don't know. Even gods have things they don't understand. Besides, there are many things in this world that can block the perception of gods. Who knows what's going on with this child?" the Holy Emperor said in Lu Yueyuan's mind. "However, I am confident in my own powers. Since you have seen it, it must be true."

There was a walkway leading out from the top of the fortress, where Lu Yueyuan stood, overlooking the entire desolate town. In his hand was a guide to Qingzhou customs written by Gluttony, which mentioned the Mohist school and the Celestial Craftsmanship that the Mohists believed in. That was a deity related to mechanical creations, and one without an agent.

"Boss surrenders! Don't torture my meridians with spiritual energy!!!" Jealousy's screams echoed from a thatched hut not far away. It seemed that Arrogant Mother was extremely dissatisfied with Jealousy's personal management.

"Gears in my heart, springs in my hand. What I create today is all ordained by Heaven. With a hammer's strike, stars burst forth; with a hammer's fall, bones are formed. My Lord, divine being, the work of Heaven is immortal." Lu Yueyuan closed the book, reciting as he walked down. He wasn't afraid of the Holy Emperor's taboo. The immortality of Heaven's work was different from other gods; His protection only extended to weapon refiners or certain extremely powerful mechanical creations. Simply reciting prayers related to Him wouldn't attract His attention.

Lu Yueyuan carefully observed the fortress and various mechanisms constructed by Jealousy. Based on his countless simulations, these things were quite crude, but Jealousy connected them using an ingenious spiritual energy circuit. Lu Yueyuan had to admire her thought process. This cheap patchwork... how to put it... it's like someone who's lost their legs, and to make them walk normally, you use a bunch of glue to piece together frozen tofu to serve as legs. These things shouldn't be related at all, but somehow it works. Even using his Holy Emperor powers, Lu Yueyuan could only see a bizarre sense of rationality.

"You're back. Did you clean up?" Lu Yueyuan saw Aoman grabbing Jealousy as he returned.

"Phew, that's not all. Her meridians were severely blocked. I helped her clear them. Sigh, you're so jealous. You've been neglecting your cultivation too much. At this rate, when will you be able to awaken your natal magic weapon and enter the Dao Realm?" Arrogantly put her down, saying with some disappointment.

Gluttony weakly said, "Actually, it's okay if I don't cultivate, since Jealousy can refine weapons anyway..." She was glared at by Pride as soon as she said this, and her voice had to go down.

"That's right, that's right! I'm cultivating using the Mohist methods now, and it's so easy for me. I can even recite their praises. 'All things have bones, you can see them clearly; with a single peck of the copper hammer, all things are dismantled; the Heavenly Craftsmanship's diagrams have a thousand teeth; skillful hands dismantle and then reshape; spirit and form are not bound by craftsmen or birds; even rotten wood and stubborn stone can become useful materials; if there are new things in the world, the Heavenly Craftsmanship's gears will never decay.' All you have to do is memorize the praises, carve the symbols of the Heavenly Craftsmanship's immortality onto them, and use spiritual energy to make them rotate. It couldn't be easier!" Jealousy got up from the ground and said, "Life is too short, why bother tempering your own body?"

"So that's how it is. You carved the Immortal Craftsmanship Diagram on these. No wonder your spiritual energy can circulate," Lu Yueyuan said.

"V! Correct! Your Excellency has a good eye. Do you also know a lot about weapon crafting?" Jealousy's eyes lit up.

"But this can also be very dangerous. If the enemy destroys the structure of your Immortal Map in battle, all your creations will collapse."

"Don't worry, Lord Agent, look here!"

"Two layers of immortal diagrams? Hmm... In a sense, you're quite the genius."

"V! That's not all, sir. Look over there, I've also set up a partial immortal map to ensure it can't be destroyed by others!"

The two of them discussed the fortress's internal structure, leaving Arrogance dizzy and disoriented. She suddenly realized something terrifying: Lu Yueyuan was the Holy Emperor's agent, and Jealousy was a follower of the Holy Emperor. Was it really appropriate for them to discuss other deities like this?

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you talking about? Jealousy is one thing, but why are you doing this, Lord Executor? Talking about other gods and holy emperors will make them unhappy." Arrogance couldn't help but try to stop them.

“It’s alright, boss. I can tell you don’t know much about gods. The Celestial Craftsman is different from other gods. If we talk about other things, the Holy Emperor might get angry, but if it’s the Celestial Craftsman, he definitely won’t,” Jealousy said. “The Celestial Craftsman is a god who doesn’t love people. His logic for bestowing blessings is different from that of other gods.”

"Huh?" The arrogant man was confused.

Ultimately, her understanding of the gods was indeed superficial. As for how other gods were... just kidding. None of them were as good as her own Eternal Annihilation Saint Emperor. Her Eternal Annihilation Saint Emperor was the most powerful. If he were fully unleashed, even the Four Gods would be no match for him... It was because of this kind of thinking that she died of arrogance at Lu Yueyuan's hands in the simulated future.

"Because the Immortal Craftsman is made of wood, so it's okay if you insult Him. Boss, look at me, hey! Immortal Craftsman, you're a big idiot!" Jealousy successfully made a blasphemous gesture towards the Immortal Craftsman.

“In the Twilight Era, most gods were replaced by humans, but the Immortal Craftsman was different. He was sublimated from a tree spirit, so his logic of bestowing blessings is different from that of other gods. He does not rely on humans as much,” Lu Yueyuan explained.

"Is that so? By the way, what is the Twilight Age?" Arrogance asked.

"That was a long time ago. Before the Twilight Era, gods were born from the Great Dao. After the Twilight Era, humans ascended and replaced the gods. Gods like the Four Gods and the Holy Emperor were all gods who became gods at that time." As Lu Yueyuan said this, his eyes suddenly flashed with golden light as he looked at Jealousy.

Jealousy was startled: "W-what's wrong?"

Lu Yueyuan said, "Jealousy, whose real name is Wang Gufeng, is from Youzhou. His whole family was slaughtered by the Demonic Sect, and he fled south alone with the villagers. There he encountered Pride and joined the Seven Deadly Sins."

"Wow!?" Jealousy gasped. "You, how did you know? Even the boss doesn't know my real name."

"Judging from your reaction, I might as well assume I'm right?" He took the opportunity to glance at Pride and Gluttony again, and the two girls were startled by him. "But I really didn't expect you to be from Youzhou. You clearly have a good talent for weapon crafting."

Chapter 75: Darkness Follows Us Everywhere

"It's not surprising that people from Youzhou have a talent for weapon crafting," the arrogant man said.

"You know very well?" Lu Yueyuan suddenly looked at her, and Aoman quickly shrank his neck. She felt that fierce, wolf-like gaze again, especially when combined with those golden eyes.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and both Gluttony and Pride sensed that something was wrong.

"Oh, so what if you can forge weapons?" Only Jealousy asked stupidly for some reason.

Those golden eyes saw the essence of jealousy, and her past. The demonic cult swept over the village, leaving it a river of blood. Young Jealousy peeked out from a pile of oranges; that's how she escaped.

"Do you miss your parents?" Lu Yueyuan asked.

“Them? Whatever, I've long forgotten about them,” Jealousy said. “Who even remembers what happened back then?”

"How could you forget that?"

"It doesn't matter, they definitely want me to live well anyway, and I'm living very well now," Jealousy said.

“That’s not wrong,” Lu Yueyuan said.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but something felt off. This unease, like the building itself, possessed a strange sense of rationality. The golden light in Lu Yueyuan's eyes slowly faded. The Holy Emperor's power could only go so far; if further investigation was desired, other methods would have to be considered.

Jealousy suddenly revealed a sorrowful expression, looking down at her toes peeking out of her straw sandals, and said, "But actually, I still hate it..."

“I hate the Demonic Cult!” she suddenly roared, her voice echoing through the empty fortress. “I wish I could kill them all.”

Even without the Holy Emperor's power, one could tell that these words were sincere; the girl's hatred was boundless, even affecting the mechanical creations.

"It's alright, it's all in the past." Arrogantly walked to her side, patted her head to comfort her, and then looked at Lu Yueyuan with a reproachful look, meaning, "If you're going to look, then look. Why keep bringing up sad things?"

Lu Yueyuan didn't speak, turning back to study the mechanical creations. Even Gluttony wondered if the Executor was being too cold-hearted. He actually possessed rich emotions, and his concern for them was obvious; it was only when jealousy arose that he became as cold as the mechanical creations.

"It's alright, hahaha, it's all in the past, I shouldn't have acted like that." She laughed with a mix of jealousy and cheerfulness. She saw Lu Yueyuan looking at the immortal paintings on the walls inside the fortress, so she followed him over.

"I see that the immortal images here are entirely engraved with patterns, without any text?"

"No need, our writing system originally consisted of pictographs, didn't it? As long as it captures the essence of the immortal image, that's enough. The form doesn't matter."

"You still hold this view? Did arrogance teach you this?"

"I learned this from the Mohist school. They required memorizing characters, so I had no choice but to memorize them. But it was from the Mohist school that I learned about the relevant historical stories, such as the immortality of the heavenly craftsman. Legend has it that it was a tree that bore the fire of heaven, which is why it was able to ascend to godhood in the twilight era."

What does "heavenly fire" mean?

"I think it refers to the sun. Humanity's earliest worship probably started with the sun, which is why we fear the dark and thus the idea of ​​fire worship arose. Fire is very important. The immortal craftsmanship of the heavens carries the heavenly fire, which is why it is a divine tree."

“That’s right. It’s one thing to be able to read, but what’s even more remarkable is your knowledge. There are some things I don’t even know, like ‘heavenly fire.’ My initial understanding was much more superficial. I thought it was a lightning bolt from the heavens that struck a tree, which is why I thought it was a divine tree that bore the heavenly fire,” Lu Yueyuan said, stroking the immortal image on the wall.

"Is it possible that Heavenly Fire is a fruit?" Gluttony joined their conversation.

Well, things took a strange turn. The tense atmosphere gradually relaxed, and Aoman had to admit that Lu Yueyuan had that kind of charm. He could make people nervous with just a look, and then dispel their guard with a few words. Combined with his appearance, he instantly became a caring older brother. But that wasn't him. Aoman inexplicably recalled his earlier statement, "The game of house is over," and realized that was the real him.

"Lightning strike, fruit, leaves turning red... Is there a better explanation?" Lu Yueyuan smiled, guiding Gluttony and Jealousy to reveal more answers.

"Hmm... fruit, leaves, dried meat..." Gluttony's mind was filled with food, and he blurted it out subconsciously.

Lu Yueyuan and Jealousy both looked at her at the same time, and only then did she realize that she had said the wrong thing.

"I...I...I...I was just saying it's a possibility, because if you want to air-dry cured meat, hanging it on a tree wouldn't be a problem, right..." Gluttony blushed, knowing full well how absurd her answer was.

"In that case, it would have to be dried meat, mutton, beef, or pork. It can't be fish," Lu Yueyuan said.

"How did it become food?" Jealousy said. "It doesn't seem like it could be dried meat at all."

"Isn't that a pretty good guess? Sometimes history is too distant for simple written records to describe clearly, so we can only rely on the imagination of later generations," Lu Yueyuan said.

Many years later, Pride will remember Lu Yueyuan as he stands, embracing Gluttony while simultaneously fueling Envy. Perhaps he is indeed a bad person, for darkness has always followed him, but Pride will never admit it, no matter how fierce he may have been. She will never admit it, because she remembers this scene, remembers Lu Yueyuan as he is now, and it is precisely because of this that she is willing to believe in the coming of light.

You have summoned the deepest darkness, but I am not afraid, for I know that the darkness before dawn is the darkest.

“My Lord, I have a question for you,” Arrogantly said softly as he walked up behind Lu Yueyuan.

“Now? Sure, ask away, but I might not answer.” Lu Yueyuan stood on the earthen slope. It was already late at night. Gluttony and Envy were asleep inside the fortress, and only the two of them were still wandering around outside.

"Then what can I do to get a 100% accurate answer from you?"

"Don't force people to do things they don't want to do; knowing some things won't be good for you."

"But didn't you say that we would be, well... comrades-in-arms from now on? You said we would fight side by side from now on, and you also said that you need me the most out of the Seven Deadly Sins. In that case, don't you think it would be better to answer my questions?" Arrogance looked at that back. The night was too deep, and that handsome figure had been completely swallowed by the darkness.

“That makes sense, then go ahead and ask,” Lu Yueyuan said.

Pride got stuck again at this point. Actually, she was very bad at chatting with the opposite sex. No, that's not right. She was bad at chatting with people, and even with the other members of the Seven Deadly Sins, she had a hard time having normal conversations.

She's also a very conflicted person.

Chapter 76: Corruption, Depravity, and Return to the Netherworld

Arrogance, remembering that she could cultivate, discussed her future Daoist partner with her mother. Her mother felt there was something wrong with her personality and that having a Daoist partner was irrelevant. However, her father disagreed. He believed that marriage among immortals was different from marriage among mortals, and that the union between Daoist partners was more stable. If they could walk the same path, that would be even better. Her mother, always submissive to her father, could only say, "But this child's personality..." Her mother was actually afraid of Arrogance. She kept saying that her child had changed, becoming ferocious and vindictive, no longer the adorable child who nestled beside her.

Arrogance also felt wronged. She felt that this was just how she was. Besides, the Great Dao is boundless. Did she have to find a Daoist partner after shedding her mortal body? Arrogance thought that if no one could stand it, then no one could stand it. She wasn't asking anyone for anything.

But now, facing Lu Yueyuan, she has become cautious and doesn't dare to speak recklessly.

"I asked... but after you said that, I didn't dare to ask anymore." He muttered arrogantly, "What if you glare at me again? The Holy Emperor won't speak up for me then."

She decided not to ask any more questions and turned to leave.

Lu Yueyuan turned to look at her, a golden light flashing in his eyes. Arrogance had resolutely left; she had truly given up the opportunity to ask questions, so darkness had enveloped her, leaving only the faint moonlight casting a silvery glow on her silhouette. Lu Yueyuan saw the thread connecting the two of them, starting as a faint dot and gradually deepening. Lu Yueyuan's expression changed slightly; those threads were like the girl's heart—change began with yielding.

At the Langya Gang headquarters, in that strange space, all the information that needed to be investigated was delivered in the form of talismans.

Wen Ciji, who rushed back, checked everything one by one. After reading it all, he looked up at the reclusive hermit opposite him, his face turning ugly: "Is what Lord Hengjun said true?"

“At least I think that He has no reason to lie to us about this matter.” The Hermit shrugged. “Jing Xingzhou already knew that this was the origin of his curse. He was prepared for this, which is why he made that agreement with Lord Hengjun.”

"That idiot just loves to think he's so smart. I've known him since we were kids, don't I know him?!" Wen Ciji's voice rose several octaves. "If I say he's an idiot, then he's an idiot. Without me, the damn Langya Gang would have been gone long ago, let alone become the number one gang in the world." At this point, the girl was extremely angry and kicked the table over.

"Don't be so angry." The hermit waved his hand and cast a calming spell on her.

"Phew... Thank you, otherwise I would have really been driven crazy by that idiot." Wen Ciji said, "But if the purpose of the earth veins is to resist the merger of the Ruins and protect the origin of the world, does the fact that the Jiuyi Sect sent guardians to Qingzhou to absorb the earth vein energy mean that they have joined the Four Gods' side?"

"It's hard to say for sure... Who knows what the relationship is between the Dragon God and the Four Gods? Putting aside other states, at least in our Qingzhou, Tiangong Immortal is a block of wood, and Lord Hengjun is already planning to betray us." The Hermit said. Actually, she also had a headache when it came to this. No matter what the Four Gods did, as long as the gods of this state were willing to protect them, they would never succeed so easily.

But here's the problem: Hengjun Fujun is not that kind of god at all, and his followers cannot form a united force. The Mohists, who believe in the immortality of the heavenly craftsmen, can, but the god himself is a block of wood.

This is going to be difficult.

"Lord Hengjun said that His former messenger, Qingluan, could resist the Void. The child you recently adopted from Zhongzhou is named Qingyi, right? Isn't she of Qingluan blood?" Wen Ciji said. "With her help, can we purify the earth's veins and restore their purity?"

“It should be fine, but that child’s cultivation level is too low, and Qing Zaishan won’t give us a chance,” said the Hermit.

“Qing Zaishan is a descendant of the Dragon God, I don’t think she would be devoted to the Four Gods.” Wen Ciji took out some recording talismans and tossed them to the Hermit. “These are the records I collected in Zhongzhou about the conflicts between the Guardians and the Four Gods’ agents. Some are hearsay, some are accurate records. There are also records about the Sect Master’s lineage, but that’s just speculation. It’s said that the previous Sect Master of the Jiuyi Sect didn’t die naturally after failing to break through, but was killed by the Four Gods’ agents.” Wen Ciji said slowly, “Didn’t you say that Lu Yueyuan from the Sect Master’s lineage has become the agent of that forbidden god? Then he can also cooperate with us.”

"Hmm... So that's what you're planning." The Hermit Scholar glanced at the information Wen Ciji had gathered. She hadn't gone to the Jiuyi Sect Grand Ceremony for nothing; the whole process of gathering information was time-consuming, laborious, and risky.

The reclusive hermit accepted the talisman, then suddenly stood up solemnly and said to her, "No matter what, our academy will not sit idly by in this matter. I assure you, if a world-ending crisis really comes, I will stop it even if it costs me my life."

"You're too kind. Over the years, the Langya Gang has benefited greatly from your protection. Qingzhou still needs the academy to rectify customs." Wen Ciji said this, and then handed a talisman from his bosom to the hermit, "Take a look at this. I received it on my way back."

The reclusive hermit took the book and his eyebrows furrowed involuntarily. Compared to the previous events, this was just a minor matter. It was about how the Mo family had begun to frequently raid the immortal ships operated by the merchant guilds.

"The Mohists and the Merchants are fighting again?" The Hermit did not understand what Wen Ciji meant by showing her this. Over the years, there had been considerable friction between the Mohists and the Merchants, and the two sides would fight each other from time to time.

But as she looked at it, her expression turned strange.

"Uh... the Mohists boarded the train just to beat up the chef?" The Hermit was puzzled, but she was deeply shocked.

"Why do you think that is?" Wen Ciji asked in return.

"Well... the Mohists' thought process is different from ordinary people. Only they know the reasons for their wars. Sometimes the academy will communicate with them, and they will suddenly turn on us and accuse us of teaching things that harm others and ourselves." The Hermit spread his hands. "It just seems like they've gone crazy again. Don't worry about it."

"That's the problem. Why did they suddenly act crazy at this particular time... To be honest, I came back hoping to reconcile the conflicts between the merchant guilds, the academy, and the Mohist school, especially after learning about the Guixu incident. With a formidable enemy at hand, all forces in Qingzhou should be united against it. However, the leader of the Mohist school, the Grand Master, has been avoiding communication with me, and I don't know why," Wen Ciji said.

Chapter 77: Trouble Abounds

The conversion speed of Qingzhou's geomantic energy is much faster than imagined.

The maid received this good news while the young girl Qing Zai Shan was taking a nap.

Currently, judging from the overall distribution of the plan, the Zaijian lineage is undoubtedly progressing the fastest. The protectors of the other lineages are deliberately delaying for various reasons, which is what is known as dawdling.