Returning to Wutan City, Xun'er's Worries

Not long after,

In front of the Xiao Family residence in Wutan City.

The afterglow of the setting sun gilded the vermilion gates of the Xiao Family residence. Lu Yu stopped and turned to introduce Xiao Yi Xian behind him. "We're here. This is the Xiao Family."

He raised a hand and gently stroked the stone lion by the entrance, his tone calm. "My father was an Xiao Family Guest Elder before he passed away. He met with misfortune during a mission. Remembering their old ties, the Xiao Family not only took me in but also granted me the same treatment as their direct descendants."

Pushing open the heavy gates, Lu Yu pointed toward a secluded courtyard in the southeast corner. "That's my residence. There are three side rooms inside. Pick whichever one you like."

After a pause, the corners of his lips lifted slightly. "But I should warn you: a boy named Xiao Yan lives in the courtyard on the left. He's always appearing and disappearing mysteriously, so you'd better be careful around him."

"The courtyard on the right is empty and currently unoccupied. But I'm also living under someone else's roof for now, so don't set your sights on that courtyard."

"Come with me."

With that, Lu Yu headed toward his courtyard.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian hurried after him.

Meanwhile, in a certain courtyard of the Xiao Family residence.

"Elder Ling, did you just say... Brother Yu brought a woman back?"

Xun'er sat upright on a stone stool, her fair fingers gently rubbing the rim of her teacup. Her voice was so calm that not the slightest ripple could be heard in it, yet Ling Ying standing nearby could not help shivering.

"Miss, this old servant did indeed see Young Master Lu lead a woman into the courtyard today."

Ling Ying carefully chose his words. "That young lady seems to be around the cultivation level of a Five-star Dou Zhe, and she is quite pretty..."

"Young people are full of vigor. Getting carried away for a moment is only natural." Ling Ying secretly glanced at Xun'er's expression and continued, "Once he calms down, he'll naturally remember you, Miss..."

"That's enough."

Xun'er suddenly raised her eyes, a golden glint flashing across them. She gently rubbed the jade bracelet Lu Yu had given her around her wrist, then suddenly chuckled. "It's nothing but a fleeting romance. Once Brother Yu's cultivation improves, he'll naturally understand..."

Her voice abruptly stopped. The Young Girl remembered her identity, and a trace of melancholy suddenly flashed through her eyes. According to the Clan rules, she could not lose her virginity before mastering her Bloodline power. But before then, could she really make Brother Yu keep...

Xun'er fell silent for a moment, her fingertips lightly tapping against the stone table in a steady rhythm.

"Elder Ling." She suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of resolve. "Find out everything about that woman and determine exactly what her purpose is in approaching Brother Yu."

The moonlight stretched her figure long and slender. Her profile looked exceptionally cold and aloof in the shadows. "Also, send word back to the clan and have several Female guards transferred here."

She paused for a moment, her fingertips drawing a faint mark across the tabletop. "They should be outstanding in appearance. Preferably... they should know how to serve people."

Ling Ying's figure stiffened slightly, and he immediately understood. "This old servant understands."

Before his voice had even faded, his figure had already turned into a wisp of black smoke, silently melting into the night.

Inside a side room.

After arranging for Xiao Yi Xian to move in, Lu Yu sat cross-legged on the bed. As Dou Qi surged through his palm, a black scroll emitting a dim glow slowly unfurled.

As the scroll spread open, a lifelike pair of pitch-black eagle wings gradually appeared. Faint purple cloud patterns seemed to flow between the outstretched wings.

Profound-tier High-grade Dou Skill, Purple Cloud Wings!

He lightly touched the surface of the scroll with his fingertip and immediately felt a wave of heat. Though the eagle wings were only drawn on paper, they seemed almost alive, radiating astonishing waves of heat.

Below the scroll, lines of tiny text recorded its origins:

"Blackflame Purple Cloud Eagle, a fifth-tier flying magical beast, possessing a thin Phoenix bloodline. Its speed is unrivaled among those of the same tier. Cunning by nature, it often nests at Cloudmist Cliff..."

Lu Yu's gaze continued downward.

"This Dou Skill is named Eagle's Wings, also known as Purple Cloud Wings. It took me and three close friends three years to hunt down a young eagle. We refined its wings and eventually created this skill. Before my death, I sealed it with Dou Qi. It can only allow one person to cultivate it. Remember this!"

Amid the swaying candlelight, Lu Yu's gaze returned to the scroll. He carefully read the cultivation instructions on its side, his brows knitting slightly. "During cultivation, one must endure the Remnant soul impact of the Purple Cloud Eagle... If you cannot withstand it, it would be best to give up."

His fingertip lightly tapped the edge of the scroll as he pondered. "My Soul power should be strong enough to handle it. With the assistance of the Great Pagoda Art, it'll be completely foolproof."

As one of the top cultivation methods of the Great Thousand World, even though he had yet to condense the Pagoda Tower, its ability to stabilize the mind was extraordinary.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yu placed both palms over the lifelike eagle-wing pattern on the scroll and began circulating his cultivation method. The instant his palms touched the pattern—

"Caw!"

A sharp cry that struck directly at the soul suddenly exploded. The sound pierced through the scroll and surged along both his arms straight into his mind, as if tens of millions of steel needles had stabbed into him at once. Lu Yu's entire body jolted violently, his face instantly paling as fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Be suppressed!"

He clenched his teeth and mobilized all his Soul power to construct a defense outside his mind. The Great Pagoda Art began circulating on its own within his body, finally gradually neutralizing the violent Remnant soul impact.

Suddenly, the eagle wings on the scroll erupted with dazzling purple-black light. Two streams of light shot into his palms like lightning and raced rapidly along his meridians. When they reached his spine, they abruptly changed direction, forcibly carving two brand-new, tiny branch meridians through his body.

Once the light faded, Lu Yu eagerly tore open his robes. A pair of palm-sized black eagle-wing tattoos had appeared on his back. Every feather was clearly defined, faintly gleaming with a metallic luster.

"So this is Purple Cloud Wings?"

After silently admiring his beautiful tattoos for a while, Lu Yu stroked his chin and began taking stock of his current cultivation methods and Dou Skills.

"Hmm. I have the Great Pagoda Art for cultivation, the Guardian Trigram Palm for offense, Purple Cloud Wings for escape, and Roaring Lion's Chant for support. I'm only missing a killing move that can serve as a trump card. My setup is complete for now."

"One Ancient Divine Art and three Profound-tier High-grade Dou Skills are already enough for me to study. Before reaching Dou Wang, I'll cultivate at most one more Dou Skill."

"I can only wait for the next simulation."

"Now I should study Roaring Lion's Chant."

Thinking this, Lu Yu immediately took the Dou Skill scroll for Roaring Lion's Chant from his Storage Ring and began studying it carefully.

Several days later,

The Back Mountain of the Xiao Family.

"Young Lu, you want this old man to refine some pills that can protect your throat?"

Yao Chen floated in midair, looking at Lu Yu with some surprise.

Xiao Yan stood to the side, grimacing as he said, "Teacher, aren't you a Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist?"

"Isn't this a piece of cake for you? Just refine it for Brother Lu."

Yao Chen shot a glance at this disciple whose elbow was turned outward and coughed lightly. "It's an easy matter. In my early years, I once developed an Ice Spirit Throat Protectant Liquid when I had nothing better to do." He recited the formula like a treasured family recipe. "Three Ice Spirit Leaves, two qian of Three Flower Grass, one second-tier Water-elemental magic core..."

Lu Yu's eyes shifted slightly. "May I ask Old Man Yao what grade this item is?"

"It can't really be considered a proper pill." Yao Chen stroked his beard with a chuckle. "Even an Alchemy apprentice could refine it by paying a little attention to the details. However..."

"I see that you possess Fire and Wood dual attributes, and your Soul power is naturally formidable as well. You're a rare and promising Alchemist. Would you be willing to learn a few Alchemy techniques from this old man?"

A flicker passed through Yao Chen's eyes as he suddenly said this.

Although he had already placed his bet on Xiao Yan, he could not put all his eggs in one basket.

Given Young Lu's relationship with that girl from the Ancient Clan, it would also be good to have him owe Yao Chen a favor.