Chapter 461 - 258: Caocao
After a brief bow and some pleasantries, they both took their seats.
"I haven’t seen you in a while, Fellow Daoist Lü, yet your cultivation has improved again. It’s quite a surprise!" Yun Tao didn’t immediately get down to business. Instead, she sized Lü Zhong up with astonishment, her voice thick with envy.
Only after reaching the Core Formation Stage did one truly understand how difficult it was to advance one’s cultivation.
Someone like Lü Zhong, who could make such noticeable progress in just a few years, was a rarity among Core Formation Cultivators. It often took ten, or even several decades, just to feel any improvement in one’s cultivation.
Compared to her own chances, Yun Tao felt Lü Zhong’s likelihood of reaching the Nascent Soul stage was probably higher.
"You jest, Fellow Daoist. I’ve just had a few minor breakthroughs recently." Lü Zhong gave a faint smile, not wanting to dwell on the subject. He steered the conversation back on track and asked about their plan to pull chestnuts from the fire. "Did you invite me here today, Fellow Daoist Yun, because you’ve finalized the details of our operation?"
"Um, about that..." Yun Tao hesitated.
Seeing her expression, Lü Zhong found it strange and asked, "Fellow Daoist Yun, is something wrong?"
"It has to do with my ancestor," Yun Tao said, her brow furrowing slightly.
’Her ancestor?’
"You mean Elder Li? I’m indebted to her for her help on several occasions. How has she been lately?" Lü Zhong carefully recalled the last time they had met. Li Qionghua’s state had been clearly abnormal—it must have been an extremely severe case of Qigong Deviation. He couldn’t help but be curious about her current condition.
"Follow me, Fellow Daoist. You’ll understand when you see." Yun Tao rose to lead the way, deliberately being mysterious. Once Lü Zhong had stepped out of the hall and they had walked a few steps, she added, "The plan may have to change. If you can gain my ancestor’s approval, you might just come into a great opportunity."
A pang of bitterness welled up inside her as she spoke.
’I’m clearly Li Qionghua’s descendant, yet my ancestor would rather leave this opportunity to an outsider than give it to me, her own great-great-granddaughter.’
’It makes me wonder which of us is her actual blood relative!’
They walked on, soon arriving at a side hall.
Gazing at the memorial tablet inside the hall, Lü Zhong’s eyes fell upon the three words inscribed there: "Ancestor Li Qionghua." He froze for a moment, then the realization dawned on him. Still, finding it hard to believe, he turned to Yun Tao to confirm:
"Fellow Daoist Yun... Elder Li... has she really...?"
"It is as you see, Fellow Daoist. After that villain Junling Zhen was killed, my ancestor soon succumbed to her grievous injuries and passed away. Before she left, she left something behind."
Yun Tao took out an item—a palm-sized Dao Transmission Jade Scroll. Spiritual Light flowed across its surface, and it was obvious at a glance that a Prohibition had been placed upon it, one of an extremely high level.
Lü Zhong could see more, however. The Prohibition on the Jade Scroll seemed to allow only a single attempt; if that attempt failed, it would self-destruct.
Yun Tao’s next words confirmed his suspicion.
"My ancestor’s last words stated that if you, Fellow Daoist, can undo the Prohibition on this Jade Scroll in a single attempt, then all her knowledge of the Lingyue Sect’s secret passages, the locations of its hidden caches of rare Spiritual Objects, and... and even the method to seize the Lingyue Main Peak, will all be gifted to you. I swear this to be the absolute truth!"
"..." Lü Zhong accepted the Jade Scroll, remaining silent for a long moment.
He had never expected to witness the fall of three Nascent Soul cultivators in his lifetime.
Recalling their first meeting in the Chenyuan Palace Secret Realm, Lü Zhong had seen Li Qionghua as nothing more than a deep-scheming Nascent Soul Old Monster who brazenly stole others’ bodies. It was only after learning of the enmity between her and Junling Zhen that he understood what she had endured, which couldn’t help but slightly alter his impression of her.
After a series of subsequent events, his impression of her had remained more or less the same.
Neither good nor bad.
’But why would Li Qionghua leave such an opportunity to *him*?’
’Perhaps the Jade Scroll contains...’
With this in mind, he began to study the Prohibition on the Jade Scroll. It was clearly the type that required a passphrase, and he could even deduce that it was two words long.
Rather than acting rashly, Lü Zhong entered the Gray Mist Space and attempted to simulate the decryption process.
A moment later, he had the result: the two words "Su Xu’Er."
Seeing that this was the passphrase for the Prohibition, he had a good idea of what Li Qionghua’s message would be about.
Considering it was a single-use Dao Transmission Jade Scroll, Lü Zhong didn’t offer the chance to read it to Yun Tao. Instead, he immersed his own Divine Sense into the scroll, where he found a sprawling text of tens of thousands of words.
Just as he’d suspected, in addition to the things Yun Tao had mentioned, the scroll also spoke of Su Xu’Er.
"...My friend, Lü Zhong, my vengeance is now complete, but alas, I am left with only this ruined body, and my life is nearing its end... To atone for my past sin of possession, I hope you can help me repay a small part of my debt."
Lü Zhong read this and understood. It was a "transaction."
The task was to return Su Xu’Er’s ashes to the Hundred Beasts Farm. If the Su Family was currently facing any difficulties, he was asked to resolve them if it was convenient for him. Doing so would complete the transaction.
’Such a simple task, yet Li Qionghua didn’t dare to complete it herself. She must have been wracked with guilt... I never thought an old monster who could steal a body without batting an eye would be so complicated on the inside,’ Lü Zhong thought.
He looked up and saw Yun Tao hesitating, as if she wanted to say something. He decided not to mention the transaction.
He recounted, in detail, only the parts concerning the Lingyue Sect.
As Yun Tao listened, her beautiful eyes widened in repeated surprise. When he mentioned the location of one particular Spiritual Object, she couldn’t help but mutter to herself, "So that’s it, so that’s it..."
Lü Zhong clearly saw a flash of guilt on her face, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Fellow Daoist Lü, let’s change our target to the Lingyue Main Peak!" Yun Tao proposed excitedly, her face flushed.
"What about the Jade Blood Divine Peach Tree..."
"I’m sorry for deceiving you, Fellow Daoist. I only targeted the Jade Blood Divine Peach Tree as a secondary option because I thought obtaining a Yue Spirit Peach was hopeless. In truth, the Yue Spirit Peach on the Lingyue Main Peak would be far more helpful for my advancement to the Nascent Soul stage. Its effect on my Peach Blossom Spirit Body is nothing short of miraculous—on par with the legendary Heaven-Mending Pill!" Yun Tao explained, stammering slightly.