Chapter 219: An Immortal Court in the Dao Realm; Parting Once More
Only once he was a good distance from the Immortal Realm did Lu Xunxian release Gu Daoshi from the world within his body.
The instant he was let out, Gu Daoshi looked over the surroundings and asked with some puzzlement.
"Senior Lu, is this the Dao Realm?"
"Mm, this is the Dao Realm."
Lu Xunxian nodded, then sent the method for breaking through to Dao Practitioner into Gu Daoshi's mind.
Only after searching Wang Gufeng's soul had he learned how to break through to the Dao Practitioner Realm.
Sensing what Lu Xunxian had sent over, Gu Daoshi's eyes lit up at once, and he thanked him profusely.
With the help Lu Xunxian had bestowed, plus the Dao Power within the Dao Realm, he was confident he could break through to the Dao Practitioner Realm within ten thousand years.
Hearing this, Lu Xunxian looked over the surroundings, then spoke gravely.
"By the way — within the Dao Realm, take care never to mention that you came from the Immortal Realm."
"Why?"
Soon enough, Gu Daoshi learned of the matter of the Wang Family targeting the Immortal Realm, and his expression turned exceedingly grave as he nodded in assent.
"I understand."
"In that case, let's part ways here. Until we meet again."
Lu Xunxian cupped his hands toward Gu Daoshi.
What came next wasn't something he could conveniently bring Gu Daoshi along for; getting Gu Daoshi to the Dao Realm already counted as doing right by him to the fullest.
Besides, though a Peak Immortal Emperor was no top-tier existence within the Dao Realm, he certainly counted as a powerhouse of his own; surely Gu Daoshi wouldn't be so unlucky as to provoke a Dao Practitioner.
"Mm. Take care, Senior Lu."
Gu Daoshi naturally wasn't going to shamelessly insist on staying by Lu Xunxian's side — after all, he had his own pride.
So before long, Gu Daoshi vanished from Lu Xunxian's sight.
Once Gu Daoshi had left, Lu Xunxian surveyed the surroundings.
He'd come to the Dao Realm for two matters alone.
The first was the Evil God Kaigulas; after all, the other was at the very least a Late Dao Venerable, and he'd already taken note of Lu Xunxian.
So no matter what, Lu Xunxian had to investigate the man's background, the better to deal with him when he came looking one day.
The second was the Lu Family.
Judging by how Lu Xuanyuan had been searching far and wide for him in the Immortal Realm, it seemed that breaking through to Immortal Emperor had drawn the Lu Family's attention, and that was why they'd sent people to find him.
And for now he wasn't certain of the Lu Family's attitude toward him, so he didn't intend to expose himself rashly.
"As I recall, the Lu Family should be in that direction."
Lu Xunxian surveyed the surroundings and quickly found the direction of the Lu Family, then his form blurred and vanished.
Among the ten great forces of the Dao Realm, the Lu Family was prominently one.
And from Wang Gufeng's memories, he knew that the Lu Family's strength was slightly weaker than the Wang Family's — but even so, it likewise had a Peak Dao Venerable presiding over it.
So before heading to the Lu Family, Lu Xunxian quietly reined in his own aura and bloodline, lest the Lu Family detect him.
Among the ten great forces of the Dao Realm, their powerhouses had, for the most part, fashioned a Mid-Grade World within the Dao Realm for their forces to be seated in.
The Dao Realm was unlike the Immortal Realm; it existed in the form of a great sphere, and those countless Low-Grade and Mid-Grade Worlds, set within the Dao Realm, were like a vast sea of stars — magnificent beyond measure.
And the Lu Family's Mid-Grade World lay at the far northern end of the Dao Realm.
Because the distance was so great, even at the Early Dao Venerable Realm, Lu Xunxian traveled a full several days before arriving.
Gazing at the vast world before him, Lu Xunxian thought for a moment, then took up temporary residence in a small world near the Lu Family.
After all, it was clearly impossible to investigate everything so quickly.
"Still, I could found a force here in the Dao Realm, try to make contact with the Lu Family, and then investigate everything from the shadows."
Lu Xunxian mused to himself.
After all, with his strength now inferior to others', naturally he needed to be cautious.
Soon, Lu Xunxian founded an Immortal Court within a Mid-Grade World near the Lu Family.
Within the Dao Realm, in Low-Grade Worlds one could generally ascend to the Dao Realm upon cultivating to roughly the Saint King Realm.
In Mid-Grade Worlds it was Immortal King, and only in High-Grade Worlds did one have to cultivate to Dao Practitioner to ascend to the Dao Realm.
So within that Mid-Grade World, Lu Xunxian suppressed his own realm down to the Immortal Monarch Realm.
After completing all his arrangements, another twenty years or so passed.
Once all this was done, Lu Xunxian set off toward the world where the Lu Family resided.
Meanwhile, within the Immortal Realm.
The Azure Heaven Secret Realm was about to close.
And outside the Azure Heaven Secret Realm, the powerhouses of the great forces had already arrived before it, waiting to take their respective disciples back.
Zhu Qingyan was among their ranks too — after all, it wasn't only the prodigies of her Vermilion Bird Race in there, but Lu Xiaoyao and Lu Qingyun as well.
Soon, with a tremor from the Azure Heaven Secret Realm, streams of light came flying out, landing on the ground as the prodigies who'd entered the Azure Heaven Secret Realm.
Seeing that her clan's prodigies hadn't suffered any losses, Zhu Qingyan finally let out a breath of relief, then began searching the crowd for Lu Xiaoyao and Lu Qingyun.
"Auntie Zhu."
Lu Xiaoyao and Lu Qingyun came before Zhu Qingyan.
"Has my father left already?"
Though she'd already surmised that Father had in all likelihood gone, a sliver of hope still lingered in Lu Qingyun's heart.
And when they saw Zhu Qingyan nod, Lu Xiaoyao and Lu Qingyun's spirits sank somewhat.
But they quickly rallied.
Since Father had already left, all the more reason for them to cultivate hard, so that they could give Father a great surprise when he returned.
At that thought, the two of them bade Zhu Qingyan farewell and made to leave — after all, they each had their own sects to return to.
Seeing them about to go, Zhu Qingyan wasn't stingy either. She took out two tokens and handed one to each of them.
The crimson tokens in their hands carried a warm sensation, and the two of them looked at Zhu Qingyan in puzzlement.
Zhu Qingyan hurriedly explained.
"These tokens are the identity tokens of my Vermilion Bird Race. As long as you present them, they'll resolve ninety percent of the problems you might face in the Immortal Realm."
"And besides, they contain a sliver of Sister Zhu's power, enough to ensure that no one below the Immortal Emperor Realm can harm you."
Hearing this, a faintly complicated look crossed Lu Xiaoyao's and Lu Qingyun's faces.
The truth was, they wanted to say their storage rings already held no shortage of similar things — but in the end they didn't refuse, for it was Auntie Zhu's heartfelt gesture.
"Thank you, Auntie Zhu."
"Mm. If you ever miss me, just come find me at the Vermilion Bird Race."
With that, Zhu Qingyan led the kin of the Vermilion Bird Race away.
As for Chen Wangu and the others, they'd long since gone their separate ways.
They too had gained a great deal within the Azure Heaven Secret Realm this time, so naturally they needed some time to digest it.
As for Luo Qianxue, she also stepped forward to bid Lu Xiaoyao and Lu Qingyun farewell.
"Sister Qianxue, can't you stay at the Ancient Wood Sect with me?"
A powerful reluctance welled up in Lu Qingyun's heart, and she looked at Luo Qianxue, trying to keep her there.
But Luo Qianxue only smiled, then stepped forward and patted Lu Qingyun's head as she spoke.
"Qingyun, each of us has our own path to walk; you have to learn to grow."
"Once you've grown, we'll meet again."
"And before that, Sister Qianxue still has her own path to walk."
"So, the road ahead is one you'll have to walk alone."
Hearing this, though Lu Qingyun still very much wanted to keep her there, in the end she didn't speak up.
If this was Sister Qianxue's choice, then she would choose to respect it.
"All right. The Immortal Realm is vast — may we meet again when fate allows."