NOVPUBAs Lu Qingfeng was witnessing at that moment, the Yuu Mountain Daoist possessed the ability to observe him.
Even—
"Huh?"
"This investigation technique is truly profound; if not for the spirit light in the eyes, I would have nearly failed to detect it."
And, even more impressively, able to adapt on the spot and communicate with Lu Qingfeng!
"Younger generation, Huangpao, pays respects to senior of Yuu Mountain."
Lu Qingfeng promptly paid his respects.
This was different from the previously inert Divine Thought, as it carried the true intentions of the Yuu Mountain Daoist. It was as if the Yuu Mountain Daoist himself was present, and Lu Qingfeng dared not be negligent.
Divine Thought and intention are two different concepts.
The former is without consciousness, while the latter is indistinguishable from the original being, possessing the same thoughts and consciousness.
As if a living person.
Should one possess a secret technique, perhaps it could be cultivated into a Second Primordial Spirit or even a Body Separation. With the original body in closed-door cultivation, the Body Separation walking outside, this was the true life-preserving method without parallel.
However, even the technique of cultivating a Second Primordial Spirit is scarce in the world. Achieving Body Separation is even harder to find in the Lower Realm.
Of course.
The thread of thought from the Yuu Mountain Daoist was still countless times away from the level of the Second Primordial Spirit or Body Separation.
It could only be referred to as a remnant thought.
"No need for formalities."
The Yuu Mountain Daoist waved his hand, "This strand of my thought can only be maintained through the power of the Immortal Mansion's Great Array. As soon as someone comes here, the thought manifests and its dissipation isn't far off."
"Senior."
A look of regret filled Lu Qingfeng's eyes.
The inevitability of this he understood better than anyone. Having spent many years in the game and living through sixteen generations, he often experienced death due to the exhaustion of his Life Span.
Especially the fourteenth generation, which spent three thousand years in the Black Star Realm unable to break through and ultimately died in the cosmos.
The feeling was profound.
And the most reluctant to let go.
Though the Yuu Mountain Daoist had perished over thirteen thousand years ago, this thread of thought was evidence that he once lived in this world.
Now it was also scattering.
Like erasing all traces from heaven and earth completely.
Even as just a remnant thought, the Yuu Mountain Daoist couldn't help feeling somewhat melancholic.
Steadying his emotions, the Yuu Mountain Daoist said with self-deprecating laughter, "I have lived for tens of thousands of years, and in the end, I still cannot see through it all."
"The closer one gets to longevity, the more they unwillingly face reincarnation like mortals."
Lu Qingfeng offered comfort and expressed his own reflections.
"Young friend, you are not old, yet you see things clearly."
The Yuu Mountain Daoist was increasingly impressed. Then, sweeping off the worries from his face, he became solemn and his eyes focused on Lu Qingfeng, "I sense that disciples of Green Wood Valley are present in the cave dwelling right now. It has been thirteen thousand years, yet Green Wood Valley has not been wiped out. There are treasures of Green Wood Valley here, and powerful beings may arrive at any moment. No more idle chatter is needed."
The Yuu Mountain Daoist seemed eager to talk but forcefully restrained himself, adopting an all-business demeanor—
"Make a Heart Demon Oath. When you have sufficient cultivation in the future, slay Xu Zhenbei of Green Wood Valley for me. Once the oath is vowed, you may take away all the secret techniques and magic artifacts I've left in the cave dwelling. If you do not take the oath, I will not make it difficult for you. Go on your way."
He waved his hand and cast out an illusory image.
It was a Daoist with an imposing aura, wielding a double-edged sword, his eyes sharp and piercing.
It must be Xu Zhenbei of Green Wood Valley, as mentioned by the Yuu Mountain Daoist.
"Heart Demon Oath."
The path of cultivation fears the turmoil of Heart Demons the most.
If one makes a Heart Demon Oath and then goes against it, the coming of the Heart Demon will not be as weak as those from the Spirit Void Heart Movement Realm. It will be an Outer Domain Heaven Demon capable of destroying the Immortal Path, far from ordinary.
"Young Huangpao takes the oath, accepting the secret techniques and magic artifacts from senior Yuu Mountain. Once my cultivation is sufficient, I will definitely slay Xu Zhenbei of Green Wood Valley. Should I violate this oath, let Huangpao's Heart Demon arise and break my Dao path!"
There was no reason to hesitate.
Since he was determined to gain the Longevity Technique from the Yuu Mountain Daoist, it was natural for him to inherit the cause and effect. Whether the oath was made as 'Yellow Robed Old Monster' or as 'Lu Qingfeng', it was all the same.
The Heavenly Dao cannot be deceived.
It would not let Lu Qingfeng evade the retribution of cause and effect due to a mere change of name.
In the hall, there was a subtle fluctuation.
The Yuu Mountain Daoist looked at Lu Qingfeng and nodded in approval, "Decisive actions, your future is bound to be limitless."
Lu Qingfeng stood respectfully.
The Yuu Mountain Daoist added, "Xu Zhenbei was already a Primordial Spirit Practitioner thirteen thousand years ago. If he hasn't ascended, he would naturally die when his lifespan ends, and the oath would no longer bind you. If by luck he has ascended and has become a Mahayana True Immortal, you should continue your cultivation and planning until you are powerful enough to avenge the dark plot on behalf of me."
"I understand, senior."
Lu Qingfeng nodded in acknowledgment.
As long as he could cultivate to the realm of a Mahayana True Immortal, it would be easy to slay a True Immortal of the same tier. However, from the words of the Yuu Mountain Daoist, Lu Qingfeng also sensed deeper truths of this realm.
Just as he was about to ask further,
The Yuu Mountain Daoist gestured grandly, stopping Lu Qingfeng, "There's no time to delay, take the treasures and make a swift departure."
Immediately.
Several treasures were spat out from the mouth of the golden dragon hovering above the main hall—
A page of golden books.
Two pieces of Jade Dishware.
A Three-legged Green Tripod.
Four Sect Magical Artifacts.
The treasures fell, and their glorious radiance illuminated the hall, overshadowing even the Divine Generals and golden dragon's luster.
Lu Qingfeng looked at the Yuu Mountain Daoist, who smiled and said aloud, "Meeting is fate. In the future, should you encounter a reincarnation of me, I ask for a little support and will be forever grateful!"
"It is my duty."
Lu Qingfeng responded.
Before the words had faded, the Yuu Mountain Daoist's thread of thought dispersed into thin air.
From that moment on.
A generation of Primordial Spirit Great Cultivator had completely passed from the Three Mountains and Nine Waters.
Lu Qingfeng shook his head and reached out to collect all the treasures in the air into his storage bag.
He saw the golden dragon roaring above him and the Divine Generals bellowing on both sides.
Evolution of a grand array.
Lu Qingfeng's brow furrowed as he fixed his eyes on what was unfolding—
"A Transmission Array?!"
The light was dazzling, patterns of array lines interwoven, clearly forming a teleportation array. Moreover, the setup suggested that the destination was extremely distant.
Lu Qingfeng looked up.
The last voice of the Yuu Mountain Daoist echoed in the hall—
"The Green Wood King Ding is the supreme treasure of the Green Wood Valley. The Seven Gorges Immortal Sect shares its roots with us, making the Nine Waters Territory an unsuitable place to linger for long. This array leads to the Three Mountains Territory, far from the Nine Waters and Seven Gorges, ensuring you won't be detected."
"This is the last thing this old man can do for you, young friend."
"Cultivate diligently and treasure your life."
As his words faded,
The grand formation completed its evolution and thunderously began to operate.
"The Three Mountains Territory?"
Lu Qingfeng stared at the array, shaking his head as five-colored light erupted from the top of his head, fiercely shaking. An opening tore through the array lines, and Lu Qingfeng's feet glided upon cloud peak steps out of the gap.
When he reappeared,
It was outside the Immortal Mansion.
...
Stepping out from the grand array and the Immortal Mansion at the same time.
Lu Qingfeng flickered, 'Invisibility Technique' deployed, completely cloaking his form. Lu Qingfeng, who had displayed the Five-Colored Divine Light and cloud peak steps inside the Immortal Mansion, once outside, retracted all Divine Skills, all True Yuan, all traces of aura.
The Invisibility Technique enveloped him.
The Three Sects True People guarding outside could not find Lu Qingfeng, who silently slipped away from a corner and seamlessly blended into the darkness.
...
Yuu Mountain Immortal Mansion.
Third Level.
Elder Wu, Xun Bai, and Jing Zhan appeared one after another.
"That old man sure has a lot of tricks up his sleeve!"
Xun Bai looked up at the rules of the sky and then at the four doorways in front of him, frowning as he spoke.
After being hindered repeatedly by barriers, Xun Bai was getting upset.
"If it weren't for the worry that the Yuu Mountain old ghost had set up a trap in the mansion that could harm a Primordial Spirit Great Cultivator, just sending any Primordial Spirit elder from the valley would have made this much less troublesome," Xun Bai shook his head.
Looking towards the four doorways, his gaze fell on the first on the left, and he said to Jing Zhan, "The Alchemy doorway may have traps targeting my Green Wood Valley. I will enter the first doorway. I wonder, Mr. Jing—"
"I'm not good at Alchemy or Artifact Refining, and my knowledge of Arrays is just rudimentary for setting up Battle Formations, so I'll accompany Brother Xun into the first doorway," Jing Zhan said with a smile.
"After you."
"After you."
Xun Bai and Jing Zhan, courteous to each other, shared a laugh and walked towards the first doorway on the left together.
But at that moment—
Boom!
At the end of the Fourth Level, the Yuu Mountain Daoist's thoughts dissipated, Lu Qingfeng took the treasures and the legacy, and the Transmission Array activated. Within the mansion, thunderous rumblings ensued, light flashing brilliantly.
"What's this—"
"Someone received the Yuu Mountain old ghost's legacy!"
"It's the Yellow Robed Old Monster!"
Xun Bai's expression changed.
Elder Wu gazed deeply into the depths of the mansion, where bursts of golden light clashed, his expression changing dramatically—
"A Transmission Array!"
Spatial fluctuations surged, time and space moving. A master of Arrays, Elder Wu recognized what was happening instantly; this was a long-distance Transmission Array. Once initiated, there was no telling where it would send one to!
If the Green Wood King Ding was also transported, finding it again would require an immense effort.
His thoughts raced.
Elder Wu suddenly looked up, a flicker of Divine Light in his eyes as he exclaimed, "Young Valley Master, quickly throw out the Yuu Mountain command token!"
As he spoke,
Elder Wu reached for his chest, intending to discard the Yuu Mountain command token.
But the change came too quickly, leaving no chance to react. Arrays erupted from all around, centering on the command tokens Elder Wu and Xun Bai carried, and descended upon them with a roar. In the next moment, thousands of thunders cascaded down, executing a destructive strike meant to pulverize Elder Wu and Xun Bai into dust.
"Biyun Screen!"
Xun Bai shouted, and immediately, a mass of green clouds surged above him, enveloping him. The thunder crashed down like primordial chaos striking the clouds, only causing them to shake slightly.
Then, they dissolved into nothingness.
However, looking at Elder Wu,
With a gesture, he cast a Five Elements Light Shield that flowed with elemental energy, trying to hold back the thunder. But the power of the thunder was too great, and the Light Shield shattered in an instant.
"Young Valley Master, save me!"
Elder Wu's face was stricken with terror as he withstood the thunder, holding the shattered Light Shield, and lunged towards Xun Bai.
But he saw Xun Bai step back.
"Young Valley Master!"
Elder Wu's eyes widened, his face showing profound hatred.
Boom!
The thunder, like a torrential downpour, swept over Xun Bai and Elder Wu. Xun Bai was protected by a formidable Magic Artifact and remained unharmed, but Elder Wu could not withstand the assault.
"Ah!"
In the blink of an eye,
He was obliterated by the thunder, his body and Divine Soul annihilated within the Yuu Mountain Immortal Mansion.
A Golden Core Realm master of Arrays,
Perished just like that.
The thunder did not affect Jing Zhan. Witnessing Elder Wu's demise by thunder, he turned to Xun Bai only to find Xun Bai looking back at him.
They locked gazes.
Jing Zhan, gazing at the green cloud enveloping Xun Bai, immediately thought of the 'Biyun Screen,' one of the Green Wood Valley's and entire Three Mountains and Nine Waters Territory's famed supreme treasures—an exceptional protective artifact. It had always been in the hands of the Green Wood Valley's Primordial Spirit Great Cultivator, Xun Tiange.
For Xun Bai, a direct descendant of the Green Wood Valley's Xun Family, to be given this treasure for protection was not surprising at all.
