The Lunar Wings were only a fragmented part of the connate-grade Lunisolar Wings. No matter how useful and powerful it was, it couldn’t measure up to the completed form.
“Oh?” Yue Longsha swiveled her head, casting a meaningful glance at Qing Han. “You want the Solar Wings, Sir Lu? That’s fine, if you refine a Heaven Descent Pill for my clan.”
“Is that so? I bid you good day then, Miss Yue.” Lu Yun pressed his lips together before turning around.
Yue Longsha gaped slightly, but nothing came out. She hadn’t expected such firmness, but her counteroffer was quite unreasonable.
A Heaven Descent Pill?
Ten complete pairs of Lunisolar Wings wouldn’t be a fair trade for that, much less a single pair of Solar ones. Yue Longsha took another thoughtful look at Qing Han before departing in turn.
The imperial envoy tilted his head, then shrugged; it helped him shake off some of his discomfort.
……
“Why do you look so awful?!” Wu Tulong and the others were just as shocked as Qing Han had been.
“Does Mauve Peace Paradise have a ten-thousand-year-old fox spirit or something? Did she suck the life out of you with too much bedtime activity?” It’d been less than twenty-four hours since they’d last met. Lu Yun’s emaciation in the interim scared the living daylights out of his friends.
“Refining a treasure did a number on me, but I’ll be okay.” Lu Yun coughed. Five hundred years of sedentary fasting would do this to anyone. “How’re your preparations?”
“We’re pretty much ready. The important thing is how you are….” Dongfang Hao furrowed his brow. “Why not rest a few days?”
His sentiment was echoed by the others; Lu Yun looked like he would be bent over by a stiff breeze.
“I’m alright, really.” Laughing helplessly, Lu Yun drew upon a little bit of the Sal Tree of Life and Death’s lifeforce. He carefully fed it into his veins for immediate results, restoring him back to nearly good as new. He’d been concerned that using too much would accidentally cause him to break through, but there was nothing for it.
Lu Yun’s companions breathed collective sighs of relief. They were curious as to exactly what he had refined, but their questions could wait. What in the world could do this to a man?
……
There was one day remaining before Zhao Shenguang’s coronation. All of Xiankan was renovated and redecorated. It was more aureate, splendid, and magnificent than ever. Throngs of immortals lined the streets, bustling with excitement and anticipation.
It was on this day that Lu Yun and his six friends quietly left the capital. The moment they did so, a flurry of movements ensued in other places. Many immortals discreetly followed their tracks.
Mauve Peace Paradise was densely surrounded by spies. As soon as Lu Yun left the place, reports were sent to certain individuals’ hands. Even if he’d disguised himself, his enemies had treasures that could pick him out. Besides, he had no intention of doing so in the first place.
Lu Yun’s departure from Xiankan made huge waves in the city. No one had dared attack him within city walls. Wayfarer had already saved him twice, but the Lu ancestor awaited in the wings as well. Once outside the capital, he was easy pickings—in theory.
Before now, various factions would’ve refrained from an open assault out of respect for the imperial court. But considering recent events, that was no longer true.
Such was the obstacle that was firmly in Lu Yun’s way. Even within the court, a great number of officials wished for his death. Imperial dignity was worthless before actual gain. He had no time to squirrel around any more; instead, he proudly sailed out of the capital on his dazzlingly majestic fortress ship.
……
“The tomb is over here.” Upon the ship’s deck, Lu Shenhou took out a jade slip that projected a holographic map into the air.
Life Province spanned half a million kilometers. The tomb was situated in an unassuming corner of the province, with no mountains or rivers anywhere nearby. There was, however, a small town of mortals near it.
Lu Shenhou had come upon the tomb due to venturing into town for a snack. He’d been accompanied by a number of immortals and powerful cultivators, but had ended up as the only survivor. Even more frighteningly, the tomb had entirely forbidden immortal entry. The immortals with him had been slain by a mysterious force as soon as they’d gone inside.
“This place?” Lu Yun frowned slightly. “Magnify the map a little, I need to see how Life Province is laid out.”
Lu Shenhou nodded, then used his thoughts to do exactly that. Every prefecture, city, mountain, and river appeared as the map expanded. Aside from these, a smattering of red lights showed up as well. They designated ancient tombs, which made a map like this nearly priceless. The fact that Lu Shenhou had it was great proof of how much his clan valued him.
“Ah…” Everyone blanched upon taking another look at the map.
“Those mountains and rivers, with that tomb at the center… that’s the shape of a skull!” Wu Tulong’s eyes bulged with shock.
“This is a Ten Yins Estuary layout! Not even grass should be able to grow inside, are you sure there’s a town there?” Lu Yun spat out through chattering teeth.
Ten Yins Estuary!
Nine was the ultimate number. Generally speaking, a land of nine yins was sufficient to name a land of utter despair and desolation. But ten yins?
Nothing living could possibly survive.
A sea of yin qi should’ve flooded the layout’s borders, creating a zone of death fifty thousand kilometers wide. Anything that breathed would be turned into the walking dead upon venturing within.
The ancient tomb at its heart was a devil’s nest. Even Lu Yun had no idea what kind of monster would be born there. Yet a mortal town was very clearly upon the map. No one had ever heard of a forbidden region like this inside Life Province.
Boom!
Before Lu Shenhou could speak, an explosion sounded in the fortress ship’s airspace. The stalwart vessel began to shudder violently, slowing down as if entering a miry swamp.
“This is the Exalted Immortal Sect’s Diabolic Formation of Soul Refinement!” Wu Tulong raised his head. His expression noticeably darkened as he noticed what was happening. The formation was infamous for being used to kill dao immortals!
