Chapter 145: Lin Qi’an Meets Lu Weishuang at Night, A Promise Worth a Thousand Gold!
The guests from the Tianhai Dao Domain had all settled in Tai’an City.
Tomorrow marked the beginning of the first contest for the younger generation: the “Beast Hunt Battle.”
Among the crowd of many races, a particular human woman caught Lin Qi’an’s attention. Her hair was streaked with white, evidence of her advanced age, and her high cultivation realm reflected her profound wisdom and respectability.
She looked so familiar!
After a moment of thought, Lin Qi’an suddenly remembered. She was… the woman the Thunder Emperor never met, even until his dying day!
Years ago, the Thunder Emperor had promised her that in ten years, he would seek her out in the Tianhai Dao Domain. But due to being poisoned with demonic venom, he never made it, dying alone in his cave dwelling.
Perhaps she still didn’t know that the Thunder Emperor had already perished, as Lin Qi’an was the only one who had discovered the cave dwelling; no one else had ever found it.
Lin Qi’an had once promised to deliver the Thunder Emperor’s letter and sword to her. He never went back on his word. Through some inquiries, he learned that the woman’s name was Lu Weishuang, a Saint Realm expert.
But now wasn’t the right time to approach her. As someone deeply loathed by the Heavenly Dao Domain cultivators, approaching her rashly would only invite trouble and make her a target.
It was better to find out where she was staying and visit her under cover of night.
—
That evening.
In the courtyard where Lu Weishuang resided, her disciple Tong Xiang appeared more anxious than she did.
“Master, since we’ve come all the way to the Canglan Dao Domain, why not inquire about the Thunder Emperor’s whereabouts?” Tong Xiang was a warm-hearted man, though his talent was mediocre. After cultivating for hundreds of years, he had only reached the Celestial Dawn Realm.
He had always wanted to help his master resolve this lingering regret.
“What’s the point of asking? It’s been so long; he’s probably dead,” Lu Weishuang replied, her tone calm as she sat on a stone chair, sipping tea without joy or sorrow.
She hadn’t smiled in over a thousand years, and her cultivation realm had stagnated for just as long. People said she had lost all vitality, like a living corpse.
“Master, alive or dead, we need to know! I’ll find out why he didn’t come to see you. This can’t just end like this!” Tong Xiang was more worried than anyone.
Recently, his master had seemed weaker and weaker, with signs of her cultivation level declining. He had suggested seeking famous healers, but she refused…
His master had loved only the Thunder Emperor in her entire life. Ever since he failed to keep his promise, she had never been close to any other man. Even the Kui Dragon Emperor pursued her personally, but she never accepted him.
This trip to the Canglan Dao Domain was only because of the Kui Dragon Emperor’s invitation, coupled with Tong Xiang’s insistence. She had reluctantly agreed.
Tong Xiang was terrified as he feared that if things continued like this, his master’s vitality would completely fade, and she would pass away.
“Perhaps the Great Emperors of the Canglan Dao Domain know something about the Thunder Emperor’s whereabouts. I’ll inquire tomorrow!”
“No need to trouble yourself. Focus on preparing for the ceremony; consider it a valuable experience,” Lu Weishuang said as she massaged her temples. “I’m tired. Go back and rest.”
“Master…”
Suddenly, a figure appeared at the courtyard gate.
“Who’s there?” Tong Xiang immediately grew alert and when he saw who it was, his gaze filled with hostility.
The Crown Prince of Beiyang, Lin Qi’an! How dare he come here alone? Did he have a death wish?
This was the residence of the Tianhai Dao Domain cultivators! If someone wanted to kill him, no one would have time to save him. Coming here was akin to stepping into a dragon’s den!
“What are you doing here? Do you want to die? Get lost before someone finds you. I can pretend I didn’t see you!” Tong Xiang said harshly.
“You’re quite kind-hearted, but I’m here to meet Senior Lu,” Lin Qi’an replied, stepping forward fearlessly.
Tong Xiang was about to say more when Lu Weishuang spoke softly, “It’s fine. What do you need from me? Speak.” Her pupils were dull, her face pale, and her voice weak.
Lin Qi’an could tell that this senior likely didn’t have much time left unless she could find a reason to keep living and break through to the next realm to restore her vitality. Even the most potent elixirs wouldn’t help otherwise.
“Senior Lu, this matter is of great importance. We must be cautious; the walls have ears.”
“Very well,” Lu Weishuang replied as she set up a soundproof barrier.
“To be honest, I’ve come to deliver two items to you,” Lin Qi’an said.
“This letter is the first.”
The moment Lu Weishuang received the letter, a glimmer of light appeared in her dull pupils. Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
“This letter… this letter is…”
Tong Xiang was struck speechless. In the centuries he had followed his master, he had never seen her so agitated. Her usual emotionless demeanor had always seemed normal.
Without hesitation, Lu Weishuang tore open the letter. It was indeed written by the Thunder Emperor himself, explaining why he hadn’t come to see her. Tears began to fall onto the yellowed letter, soaking the delicate paper as Lu Weishuang read it.
At the end of the letter, it said, *”I have little time left and fear that fate does not favor us. Since that is so, I will no longer seek you out. – Sikong Yun”*
A heartache that had persisted for thousands of years was finally resolved today. Lu Weishuang’s silent tears flowed like a broken dam, streaming down her face as she choked with emotion.
The letter seemed to reverse the river of time, taking her back to her youthful days when they had made that solemn promise to each other.
“Master…” Tong Xiang was utterly dumbfounded.
The master who had always accepted calamities with a calm demeanor, as if nothing could shake her, was now crying. What on earth had this boy shown her?
“Where did you get this letter?” Lu Weishuang asked, her voice trembling.
“From the Thunder Emperor’s cave dwelling. I was fortunate enough to inherit his legacy and promised the remnant of his soul that I would deliver these items to you,” Lin Qi’an explained truthfully. “When I saw your portrait in his cave, I recalled it today and came, hoping to fulfill that promise.”
He then took out another item—the Thunder Emperor’s sword, Thunder Calamity.
Lu Weishuang’s pupils constricted sharply as soon as she saw it. Cradling the sword in her arms, she caressed it gently as if she were holding a newborn child.
At that moment, Tong Xiang suddenly understood everything, and his heart was filled with joy. He never imagined that the Crown Prince of Beiyang, Lin Qi’an, would be the one to resolve his master’s lifelong regret.
All the hostility he’d held toward Lin Qi’an instantly evaporated, replaced by overwhelming gratitude. After a long while, Lu Weishuang finally composed herself. Tong Xiang could distinctly feel that the grayness in his master’s eyes had lessened.
“Lin Qi’an, do you realize this is an Emperor Weapon? You could have kept it for yourself. Why give it to me?”
An Emperor Weapon was an ultimate treasure, coveted even by Great Emperors. How could a junior like him willingly give it up?
“An Emperor Weapon is extraordinary, but not as heavy as a promise,” Lin Qi’an said with a calm smile.
“Good. Just for those words, if Kui Jinling comes after you again, I will protect you,” Lu Weishuang said solemnly. “Additionally, this Thunder Calamity Sword can regain its full Emperor Weapon power, and I can assist with that.”
She infused spiritual energy into the sword, and in an instant, a pure, shimmering light enveloped it like flowing water.
Lin Qi’an immediately felt the sword’s power intensify. He realized that the Thunder Emperor must have sealed the sword long ago to prevent misuse, and only Lu Weishuang had the means to undo it.
“The second layer of the seal requires the power of the Five Elements Purple Heaven Divine Lightning to fully unlock. That will be up to you,” she explained.
He remembered Zhao Yunji had previously struggled to control the Golden Lightning. After that came Earth Lightning.
To activate the full power of this weapon, Lin Qi’an would either need to cultivate several levels of the Thunder Emperor’s techniques himself or borrow Zhao Yunji’s summoned lightning.
Considering this, letting Lu Weishuang study the Thunder Emperor’s techniques could benefit both of them.
“Thank you, Senior,” Lin Qi’an said with a respectful bow.
“Thank you, Brother Lin!” Tong Xiang followed suit, bowing deeply, his gratitude evident. He seemed ready to kneel in thanks. He knew this gesture might save his master’s life.
“If you ever need my help in the future, Brother Lin, I will scale mountains of swords and plunge into seas of fire for you!”
“Haha, that won’t be necessary,” Lin Qi’an replied with a light laugh.
Lu Weishuang thought for a moment before taking out a purple bead from her storage ring. “Take this as a token of my thanks.”
“What is it?” Lin Qi’an asked curiously.
“I heard that one of the events in the ceremony involves beast dueling. Perhaps the Canglan Dao Domain isn’t skilled in this area, but this should help you,” Lu Weishuang explained.
The next phase involved hunting demonic beasts, not only capturing them but also taming them. Afterward, these beasts would compete, similar to a cricket fight.
In terms of beast dueling, the Canglan Dao Domain was likely inexperienced, while the Heavenly Dao Domain, with its vast races, excelled at such competitions.
“If your spirit beast consumes this, it may evolve and grow stronger. Additionally, it can temporarily store the power of deceased demonic beasts, though that aspect is of lesser use,” she said.
Tong Xiang was stunned—he had never seen his master so engaged in conversation before! His heart swelled with emotion.
“Thank you, Senior…” Lin Qi’an accepted the bead without hesitation.
This item could prove invaluable to him. He already possessed another treasure: the Myriad Beast Scripture. If he channeled the power of the Myriad Beast Scripture into the essence within this bead and had Jiuying consume it, she could evolve into a fearsome super-beast!
At that point, who could rival her?
Lu Weishuang’s kindness toward Lin Qi’an stemmed largely from the fact that he had inherited the Thunder Emperor’s legacy. Perhaps she even saw him as her sole remaining connection to the past.
Though Lin Qi’an aspired to be a villain, the most compelling villains always adhered to principles—they didn’t commit evil indiscriminately.
“Someone’s coming. Hide!” Lu Weishuang suddenly raised her hand, pushing Lin Qi’an into the house with a burst of energy.
As fate would have it, the newcomer was none other than the woman who sought to kill Lin Qi’an in revenge.