Chapter 185: The Primordial Sect's Supreme Honor
"Ahem — thank you, Master!"
Faced with the Immortal Emperor Inheritance Lu Xunxian had so casually tossed him, Lu Lin accepted it without so much as a blush, thanking his "master" in the same breath. He also quietly terminated the secret technique he had been using to contact his clansmen.
He even shifted into his true Qilin form.
"Master, please — climb aboard. I'll carry everyone to the Vermilion Bird Clan Territory."
Was he out of his mind? That was an Immortal Emperor Inheritance. Even back in his own clan, he might go his entire life without obtaining one.
And Lu Xunxian had tossed it to him like garbage.
Where a person's prospects were brighter — even someone half-witted could figure that out.
With Lu Lin's enthusiastic offer, and Lu Xunxian being in no particular hurry to reach the Vermilion Bird Clan Territory — the scenic route through the Immortal Realm was perfectly fine — the next moment, Lu Xunxian brought Fu Qitian and the others onto Lu Lin's back.
After arriving in the Immortal Realm, Lu Lin's cultivation had returned to the Peak of the True Immortal Realm — just one step away from breaking through to the Immortal King Realm.
Before departing, Lu Xunxian addressed Lin Chongtian and Hua Rouyu.
"Continue developing the Immortal Court. When I need you, I'll send word."
"Yes, Master."
The two acknowledged the order and took their leave.
Once they were gone, Lu Xunxian gave the command to Lu Lin.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Master."
Lu Lin's obedience to Lu Xunxian at this point was absolute — the textbook definition of a lapdog.
After all, when someone casually tossed you an Immortal Emperor Inheritance, who wouldn't turn into a lapdog?
On the Seventeenth Heaven, Lu Xuanyuan came to a halt, the sting of his defeat at Lu Xunxian's hands still burning on his face.
"Just you wait. Once I've cultivated to the Peak of the Immortal Emperor Realm, I'll find you for a rematch — and I will win!"
"And where on earth is this clansman? I've practically searched the entire Immortal Realm."
Lu Xuanyuan grumbled in exasperation and pulled out his Bloodline Compass.
What he failed to notice was that the compass needle had shifted ever so slightly.
Meanwhile, at the Ascension Node.
Lin Chongtian and Hua Rouyu had just departed, and Lu Xunxian's group was preparing to leave as well, when a wave of all-consuming darkness rolled in from the horizon.
Moments later, the Bone Demon Immortal Monarch swept in from the distance and came to a stop directly above the Ascension Node.
Spotting Lu Xunxian and his party, the Bone Demon Immortal Monarch frowned.
He couldn't read any of them, but their presence at the Ascension Node suggested they had just ascended from the Tiansheng Continent.
With that assumption, a cruel smile spread across his face. He appeared before Lu Xunxian's group and moved to absorb and refine them without a word.
But the instant Lu Xunxian laid eyes on the Bone Demon Immortal Monarch, his brow furrowed. A single thought was all it took to pin the Bone Demon Immortal Monarch to the ground.
He then performed a Soul Search with a casual wave of his hand, and the full picture became clear.
"Interesting. The Heavenly Demon Saint Emperor was your disciple? Or more accurately — your Furnace Vessel?"
The Bone Demon Immortal Monarch lay pinned to the ground, terror flooding his face. He never imagined the person before him would be this overwhelmingly powerful.
Being suppressed with a thought — that was something only a powerhouse at the late Immortal Monarch Realm or above could achieve.
But what truly sent dread clawing through his heart was that Lu Xunxian had spoken the Heavenly Demon Saint Emperor's name. A powerful sense of foreboding took root.
"Mercy, Senior! I don't know any Heavenly Demon Saint Emperor. I was merely passing through!"
"Not very honest, are you? Fine — go ahead and die ignorant."
Lu Xunxian wasted no further words. The Bone Demon Immortal Monarch dissolved into dust and scattered to nothing — body destroyed, Dao extinguished.
As for Tuntian and Shidi, standing not far off, Lu Xunxian was gracious enough to send them down to rejoin their master.
With that taken care of, Lu Xunxian ordered Lu Lin to carry them onward to the Vermilion Bird Clan Territory.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
After three days of travel, Ye Wushuang finally brought Lu Xiaoyao to the gates of the Primordial Sect.
Looking up at the sect before him, Ye Wushuang's expression softened with nostalgia.
The last time he had been in the Primordial Sect was ten thousand years ago.
Just as he was about to contact his own master, he sensed something and snapped his head up toward the sect's Forbidden Grounds.
A terrifying Lightning Tribulation was coalescing above the grounds at a visible rate, its dark mass expanding until it engulfed the entire sect.
In the next moment, Xu Long burst out from the Forbidden Grounds and rocketed skyward to face his tribulation.
Elders and disciples throughout the sect scrambled to distance themselves from the lightning.
"The Sect Master is breaking through to the Immortal Monarch Realm."
Ye Wushuang remarked with mild surprise, but even as the words left his mouth, he was struck by how calm his own voice sounded.
It seemed that after his time with Lu Xunxian, an Immortal Monarch no longer registered as anything remarkable.
Just then, a familiar figure caught sight of Ye Wushuang and Lu Xiaoyao standing beside him.
"Junior Brother — you've ascended?"
The one who recognized Ye Wushuang was an unremarkable-looking young man — his Third Senior Brother.
"Third Senior Brother. Yes, I managed to ascend."
Ye Wushuang hastily clasped his fists and bowed, his tone respectful.
"No need for such formalities between us, Junior Brother. And who might this be?"
His Third Senior Brother's name was Xu Nian, a powerhouse at the Late True Immortal Realm.
He and Ye Wushuang had been on excellent terms back in the day.
After catching up, Ye Wushuang felt the old camaraderie return.
It was then that Xu Nian noticed Lu Xiaoyao at Ye Wushuang's side, and curiosity got the better of him.
"Aren't you going to introduce this one, Junior Brother?"
"Third Senior Brother, this is the Holy Son from the Lower Realm — Lu Xiaoyao."
Ye Wushuang only then remembered and quickly made the introduction.
Xu Nian offered a polite smile, about to say something, when realization suddenly hit. His face went blank with disbelief.
"Wait — Junior Brother, if I remember correctly, this Holy Son is only around twenty years old?"
"That's right. Holy Son, this is my Third Senior Brother. You may address him as Junior Brother Xu."
Ye Wushuang turned to Lu Xiaoyao and explained.
After ascending to the Main Sect, they would all revert to disciple status, and all etiquette would follow accordingly.
Lu Xiaoyao's situation had already been discussed with his master and others via the Transmission Array. Even here in the Immortal Realm's Main Sect, Lu Xiaoyao would remain the Holy Son.
"A pleasure, Junior Brother Xu."
Lu Xiaoyao offered a warm smile and greeted him.
"An honor, Holy Son."
Xu Nian finally snapped out of his shock and clasped his fists toward Lu Xiaoyao, his expression a complicated mess.
He never imagined Lu Xiaoyao's talent could be this terrifying. An Immortal at just twenty years old?
There were probably only a handful of people in the entire Immortal Realm who had achieved that.
As news of Ye Wushuang and Lu Xiaoyao's ascension and return to the Main Sect spread, the two were quickly surrounded by a crowd of Primordial Sect elders.
Every last one of them stared at Lu Xiaoyao as though they were looking at some kind of freak of nature.
After all, forget about a twenty-year-old Immortal — even an Immortal under ten thousand years of age was exceedingly rare in the Immortal Realm.
Ascending at twenty was proof that Lu Xiaoyao's talent could stand proudly above all of history.
To have someone like Lu Xiaoyao as their Holy Son was nothing short of the Primordial Sect's supreme honor.