bookbashuk Chapter 194 Shangzhen's Scheme
Chapter 194 Shangzhen's Scheme
Chapter 194 Shangzhen's Scheme
"My cultivation level has broken through again."
Lu Qingyun poured a pot of spiritual tea and sat cross-legged opposite Zhao Rushou.
"You've only been in the sect for a little over twenty days, haven't you?"
Zhao Rushou raised an eyebrow, quite surprised.
Lu Qingyun's previous cultivation level was already at the peak of the early stage of Qi Refining. The "Heavenly Profound Pill Technique" does not have minor realms in the Qi Refining stage. So, wouldn't he have already reached the peak of the middle stage of Qi Refining?
If Lu Qingyun hadn't genuinely been unaware of the common laws governing the ranks and positions in this world, Zhao Rushou would have even suspected that this exceptionally talented young man before him was actually a True Person or even a True Lord reincarnated.
"The Heavenly Profound Elixir Manual is different after all. This technique is a quick way to achieve mastery. Once you understand the Dao of Elixir, breakthroughs will be easy. But as you said, the path after Foundation Establishment will probably be much more difficult?"
Even reaching the half-step Foundation Establishment stage is no easy feat, but according to his words, he didn't take it to heart at all. It seemed that only what lay beyond Foundation Establishment was worth his attention.
Zhao Rushou remained silent for a moment, unsure of how to begin.
If an ordinary cultivator had said such a thing, Zhao Rushou would have thought that the other party was just spouting nonsense.
But the person in front of me is truly a genius in alchemy.
After a long silence, Zhao Rushou finally felt a pang of regret for Zhao's talent.
"Are you really not going to consider changing your cultivation method? You should know that even if you attain the four supernatural powers, once you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, you will have nowhere to go. Compared to those pseudo-Foundation cultivators, you will only have a bit more power in the Foundation Establishment stage."
"And when have I ever had a choice?"
Lu Qingyun smiled.
"You and I both know perfectly well that even if the Zhang family lets others go, they will never let Qingxuan go. As far as I am concerned, if the Zhao family perishes because of this, even if I serve the Zhang family, how can I get the result I want? Rather than living under someone else's roof, I might as well take a gamble. At least this way, there is still some hope."
"And that's why I refused Zhang Tianlie when he approached me yesterday."
"Zhang Tianlie contacted you?"
"Yes, he promised that if I followed him, he would allow me to cultivate to the half-step Foundation Establishment stage, and he would provide all the resources for it. But if I am not mistaken, I am afraid that the Zhang family's situation is not as good as they imagine."
"That person did indeed come from the Zhang family and did have a connection with them. However, it seems that all he wanted was for the Zhang family to exist. Therefore, he even regarded the next head of the Zhang family as a resource."
"You mean Zhang Tianlie? Are you sure he's being used as supplies?"
Zhao Rushou's breathing quickened.
"you do not know?"
Lu Qingyun frowned.
"The next head of the Zhang family should clearly be Zhang Tianyan. If it is really Zhang Tianlie, I'm afraid our situation will be much more dangerous."
Zhao Rushou said anxiously.
"The cultivation method Zhang Tianlie practiced was not the Zhang family's direct-lineage 'Danmiao Zaohua Jing' but the 'Tianyun Hengming Jue'. If it were an ordinary cultivation method, it would not be surprising. But according to what you said, the reason why those immortals regarded us as resources was not for anything else, but to feed on the mysterious destiny."
Lu Qingyun pondered.
"Zhang Tianlie was not the eldest son of the Zhang family, but since his birth, the Zhang family has been cultivating his reputation. He could speak at the age of three, write poetry at the age of seven, and acquire martial arts skills at the age of ten. Now at the age of sixteen, he has broken through to the third level of Qi Refining in one fell swoop."
"I don't know anything about Zhang Tianyan, but I do know that even the old man Biao around Zhang Tianlie seems to have been personally appointed by Zhang Zhengye, the current head of the Zhang family."
"If Zhang Tianlie leaves Danfeng, people will surely flock to him from all over the world; if Zhang Tianlie leaves the sect, spirit deer will bring him fruit."
"Given all this, if he's not the head of the family, then who is? Could it be that ordinary, so-called Zhang Tianyan?"
"No, that's not right!"
Zhao Rushou's eyes were bloodshot, and he paced back and forth anxiously.
"Zhang Tianlie? Zhang Tianyan!"
"This shouldn't be happening. No, this wasn't even part of Danfeng's plan after all?"
"If it shouldn't be Danfeng, then who is it? A formation, or a sword?"
Lu Qingyun's expression turned solemn.
At that moment, he realized something was wrong.
Zhao, who nominally shared Danfeng with the Zhang family, failed to notice anything unusual about Zhang Tianlie.
On the contrary, they felt that the next head of the Zhang family would be the so-called eldest son, Zhang Tianyan.
Zhao Rushou's mind was tense. He finally stopped walking, raised a magical curtain, and looked out the window.
boom!
The sun was clearly setting over the mountains, but suddenly thunder roared.
"Qingyun, let's leave this matter here."
The thunderclap was fleeting, but Zhao Rushou's tears flowed uncontrollably. He grasped Lu Qingyun's hand, choking back sobs, and said, "It's all fate, it's all fate!"
"It is only right that the Zhao family should suffer this calamity. Remember this: no matter what happens to the Zhao family in the future, before Zhang Tianlie dies, never be an enemy of the Zhang family again. Just take good care of Qingxuan, that is enough."
"Qingyun, did you remember that...?"
"Lord Ru Shou, I understand."
Looking at Zhao Rushou's face, which had aged considerably in an instant, Lu Qingyun said in a deep voice.
Zhao Rushou's tears fell.
He dared not hate, nor even speak of it.
The power of a true immortal is terrifying; with just a flick of his divine power, he can sway the minds of everyone.
It's a pity that more than a decade has passed, and only now, with Lu Qingyun's revelation, does Zhao Rushou realize that her family's fate was already sealed many years ago.
Even if we have a genius in alchemy like Lu Qingyun, so what?
Even if there were a few more half-step Foundation Establishment cultivators who could win the battle, so what?
The downfall of the Zhao family was predetermined; it was a cause and effect jointly decided by several true masters.
It is said that those who originally wanted to devour him were Zhang from Danfeng and another True Person who cultivated the [Danlu].
So, after this scheme, there was an even more insidious one: to cultivate in Zhang Tianlie a destiny that would eclipse the noble and powerful, so that the decline of the Zhao family would become his destiny.
This is what is called destiny or fate.
However, once their destiny is set, it will be time for those few supreme beings to reap the rewards.
"The desire for freedom is unattainable; I pray that I will never be born into this life. May the suffering never hear of the suffering of others, and may the suffering kill other suffering people."
Zhao Rushou sighed sadly.
outside the window.
The sky grew increasingly dark, yet no sound was heard, nor was anyone heard, as if the thunder had been merely a chance occurrence.
But Zhao Rushou knew.
Although the immortal knew he was unwilling, she let him be so hysterical and let him sob and wail.
Because of him, he didn't care at all.
"Qingyun, do not come looking for me again. You can go to Qingxuan for everything. If there is anything you want to do, even Ruchan cannot stop you."
"Remember what I said before: do not fight with the Zhang family again. When I pass away peacefully, do not keep any remains. Just have Qingxuan ignite a spiritual fire to send me to my death. Take good care of Qingxuan and keep her alive. That is enough."
Throughout the entire process, Zhao Rushou never mentioned his legitimate son, Zhao Qingyan, who was the one on whom many elders of the Zhao family placed high hopes.
Lu Qingyun nodded and said nothing more.
Lu Qingyun's eyes met Zhao Rushou's in a tacit understanding.
The vicissitudes and sorrows are all laid bare before my eyes.
What is it that makes Zhao Rushou afraid to even speak, afraid to even hate?
At that moment, he already had the answer in his heart.
That was precisely the direction Zhao Rushou had inadvertently glanced in.
Sword Peak, [Soil from the City Walls]!
Both that Shangzhen and that Zhenfeng had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, the Great Perfection realm. Not only were their four divine abilities nearing perfection, but their swordsmanship had also reached the state of harmony between heaven and man.
However, the one at the peak of the formation dislikes manipulating fate and prefers to focus on people, cultivating them as the core of the formation. If she were to take action, things would certainly not be so convoluted.
They can simply find a pretext, create a cause or condition, and directly bind the person they desire.
Just like in the previous life, once it was discovered that Chen Xiru possessed the Ice Profound Body, he immediately bound him to the array peak, and would directly refine him whenever needed.
The "City Wall Earth" refers to the position of ascension, which governs all changes, controls the universe, manipulates cause and effect, and holds destiny in its grasp.
Zhao Rushou was completely unaware of Zhang Tianlie's existence; for so many years, he had thought he was some petty scoundrel by the roadside.
It was precisely because the immortal Jianfeng concealed his fate with supernatural powers that the Zhao family could not see it clearly and could only sit and wait for their death.
The reason for this is that if the Zhao family knew that Zhang Tianlie was plotting against them, they would not dare to fight against him.
That person truly intended for the Zhao family to be completely devoured by Zhang Tianlie amidst this struggle.
Then he made a sudden move and devoured Zhang Tianlie completely.
Brilliant plan, truly brilliant plan.
Lu Qingyun chuckled self-deprecatingly, never expecting that his trip to find Zhao Rushou would not only fail to achieve his goal immediately, but would also bring him another layer of trouble.
Whether it's the two Supreme Beings of Danfeng who want to devour Zhao Rushou and his son, or the Supreme Being of Jianfeng who wants to devour Zhang Tianlie's fate.
These are real things.
He certainly didn't dare to get involved. He had many plans in this world, and he couldn't afford to ruin them for a moment of impulse.
Therefore, we can only let Senior Ru Shou and Zhang Tianlie suffer for now.
Lu Qingyun pondered this in his heart.
Although we have been warned, we must not contend with the Zhang family.
However, it is still necessary to continue to exploit the numerous independent cultivators within the sect.
Although the Zhao family allocates several thousand spirit stones every month, cultivating the "Heavenly Profound Elixir Manual" to achieve supernatural powers is a very costly endeavor.
Although it requires persistent effort, after ten years one will surely be able to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining and attain half-step Foundation Establishment.
But time waits for no one. If we need to break through as quickly as possible, the seven or eight thousand spirit stones given by the Zhao family are far from enough.
To ensure a truly safe path, one must acquire a full four second-tier treasures corresponding to the [Danlu] Dao Fruit divine power to guarantee a smooth cultivation journey.
A single second-tier treasure is worth as much as seventy or eighty thousand, or even hundreds of thousands of spirit stones. Even if Zhao Rushou agreed to discuss everything with Zhao Qingxuan, it would be almost impossible to obtain all these second-tier treasures from the Zhao family regardless of the opinions of the various branches.
Therefore, in the end, you still have to rely on yourself.
One reason is to take advantage of the opportunities from his previous life to acquire all the treasures from Dali and Dajing.
Secondly, we should take advantage of this great opportunity of the battle between the righteous and the demonic to plunder the wealth of the sect's scattered members and use their assets as resources for our own cultivation.
Lu Qingyun made a hand seal and rushed off to see Zhao Qingxuan.
At this time, Zhao Qingxuan knew nothing about the real schemes behind the Zhang and Zhao families; she only knew that her father had arranged a marriage for her.
However, she neither disliked nor resisted Lu Qingyun.
"I hope you are well, Junior Brother."
"My senior sister is also radiant."
After exchanging a few polite words, the two did not feel awkward or distant, as they were both reasonable people. They then began to talk about acquiring and refining a batch of pills.
Knowing that the real person might be monitoring him at any time, Lu Qingyun did not directly say that a war between the righteous and the demonic was imminent. Instead, he said that he had learned that a huge secret realm was about to be revealed in the Great Jing Kingdom, and the price of elixirs would definitely rise.
Then, under the guise of Zhao Rushou, they reassured Zhao Qingxuan that there was nothing to worry about. Finally, the two divided the profits among themselves, agreeing that 30% of the profits would go to the Zhao family treasury afterward to feed the mouths of the branch family elders.
Thirty percent of the profits were distributed among those who carried out the task to reassure them.
Of the remaining 40%, Lu Qingyun originally planned to take half with Zhao Qingxuan, but at Zhao Qingxuan's insistence, Lu Qingyun took 30% and Zhao Qingxuan took 10%.
"In that case, if all the pills can be sold this time, I'm afraid each of us will receive no less than 100,000 spirit stones."
Zhao Qingxuan stared at Lu Qingyun. Having known Lu Qingyun for so many days, she was almost certain that Lu Qingyun dared to do this because he must have a near-perfect grasp of the situation.
This made her even more curious about the man in front of her.
"With this additional amount of spirit stones, the clan should be much more stable and able to work together to fight against the Zhang clan..."
, 7
"I hope so."
Lu Qingyun shook his head. He knew that Zhang's situation was almost irreversible and the Zhao family would inevitably decline in the end. But looking into Zhao Qingxuan's eyes, he had no choice but to keep it a secret to avoid harming her instead.
Or perhaps it would cause her unnecessary sadness.
Seeing that Lu Qingyun seemed uninterested, Zhao Qingxuan couldn't help but feel a little puzzled, but she didn't say anything.
The two remained silent for a moment, then each took a sip of the spiritual tea.
Just quietly watching the sunset sink into the valley in the distance.
When the sun had almost completely set.
The matter of the elixir was finally settled, and Lu Qingyun chatted with Zhao Qingxuan about some recent trivial matters.
"Indeed, junior brother should be more careful these days."
A look of worry appeared on Zhao Qingxuan's face.
"Why do you say that, Senior Sister?"
"You should know that my Danfeng once had a black-robed steward named Sun Yang. He has been a steward of the Miscellaneous Service Peak for more than ten years. Although he has never sided with the Zhang family before, he can be said to have done all sorts of bad things."
Zhao Qingxuan sighed.
"In order to break through to the half-step Foundation Establishment stage, he went to great lengths, forcing many of his main wood and auxiliary metal disciples to cultivate the 'Azure Wood Sword Transformation Technique' in order to grow sword bones as resources for his use."
"Although he had caused some trouble for the cultivation paths of the miscellaneous disciples, those disciples were already insignificant and powerless, and he had not harmed anyone's life. He even compensated them with spirit stones and maids afterward, so even the Punishment Hall turned a blind eye to him."
"But some time ago, he had some bad luck for some reason. Most of the disciples of the Miscellaneous Peak Talisman Hall under his jurisdiction died tragically. In order to avoid being investigated by the Punishment Hall, he directly surrendered to the Zhang family."
"This man has always been ruthless. In order to gain a pledge of loyalty from the Zhang family, he will surely choose some time to target my Zhao family rival... You... After all, you are the marriage partner arranged by my father, so you must be very careful."
2
In the end, even someone as aloof as Zhao Qingxuan couldn't help but blush slightly.
"Thank you, senior sister. I will definitely keep this in mind."
Lu Qingyun knew Zhao Qingxuan was concerned about him, but then he suddenly remembered that the young marquis was also working as a servant in the Talisman Hall of the Miscellaneous Servants Peak, so he quickly asked, "I wonder if Senior Sister has any news? Is there anything wrong with that old friend from the Great Liang Kingdom surnamed Xiao who entered the sect with me?"
"As for Junior Brother Xiao, he is fine. Even if I hadn't asked, I was just about to tell you so you could put your mind at ease."
Zhao Qingxuan shook her head and said gently.
"He was lucky, actually. Although most of the servants in the Talisman Hall were killed by that unknown demonic cultivator, your junior brother Xiao, who was just starting out, managed to escape the calamity because he was fast asleep in the bitter bamboo forest, reminiscing about the past."
"Although I was punished by the talisman master for making a mistake, it was ultimately a case of fortune and misfortune intertwined, and I managed to save my life."