Returning

After Li Zhōujūn returned to the Lu Family with Lu Zhining, he went to rest.

Lu Zhining, meanwhile, informed her grandfather and parents about Li Zhōujūn's and the Cloud Dwelling Mountain Lord's identities.

When the three learned that Li Zhōujūn was the Mountain Lord of the Dao Tian Sect, they were all greatly shocked.

Lu Wuhen was even more taken aback, as he knew this Cloud Dwelling Mountain Lord was no mere Tribulation Stage cultivator.

He was a Mahayana True Immortal in his forties!

Considering the past and present, how many people could reach the Nascent Soul Realm at the age of forty?

Let alone the Mahayana Stage, which was a hundred thousand miles beyond the Nascent Soul Realm.

Lu Wuhen understood that his granddaughter had latched onto a truly powerful backer!

"Girl, you must diligently cultivate under your Master from now on, understand?" Lu Wuhen earnestly instructed Lu Zhining with a serious expression.

"Don't worry, Grandpa, I understand," Lu Zhining nodded.

Seeing this, Lu Wuhen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Time quickly passed, and the next day arrived.

Li Zhōujūn, along with Lu Zhining, bid farewell to Lu Wuhen, Lu Fusheng, and Lin Wan'er outside the Lu Family's main gate.

"Girl, with your parents not by your side, you must listen carefully to your Master!"

Lin Wan'er said to Lu Zhining, her eyes red.

"Mother, please don't worry," Lu Zhining replied.

Li Zhōujūn smiled, not disturbing the family's farewell.

"Cultivate well from now on. Grandpa is waiting for you to become a powerful cultivator," Lu Wuhen said, affectionately patting Lu Zhining's head.

This parting might very well be a final farewell.

Memories of the past flashed through Lu Wuhen's mind.

"Grandpa, I want to ride a horse!"

"My dearest granddaughter, wanting to ride a horse is simple. Come, get on Grandpa's shoulders..."

"Yay!"

Recalling these moments, Lu Wuhen felt a pang of emotion.

"Everyone, we shall meet again on the rivers and mountains. Li bids farewell," Li Zhōujūn said with a smile to the group, seeing that the time was right.

"Mountain Lord, travel safely," Lu Wuhen cupped his fists towards Li Zhōujūn.

"Mountain Lord, travel safely."

Lu Fusheng and Lin Wan'er also cupped their fists towards Li Zhōujūn.

Li Zhōujūn slightly bowed to them, then looked at Lu Zhining and smiled, "Shall we go?"

"Okay," Lu Zhining responded.

Immediately, Li Zhōujūn led Lu Zhining into the crowd, disappearing from the sight of Lu Wuhen and the others.

"With the little girl gone, the house will feel so much emptier," Lin Wan'er said, wiping her eyes.

"Yes, but we should be happy that our little girl has become a True Disciple of the Cloud Dwelling Mountain Lord," Lu Fusheng comforted his wife, holding her.

"Greetings, Mountain Lord."

"This disciple greets the Mountain Lord."

"Greetings, Cloud Dwelling Mountain Lord."

Time flew by, and two days later.

Li Zhōujūn had already brought Lu Zhining back to the Dao Tian Sect. Along the way, disciples and elders of the Dao Tian Sect continuously greeted Li Zhōujūn.

Lu Zhining observed those who greeted her Master. She noticed that their auras were incredibly profound; anywhere else, they would be considered top-tier powerhouses.

She couldn't help but sigh, "Is this the number one sect in Qingzhou? It truly lives up to its reputation."

"Li Zhōujūn, where have you been all this time?"

A clear, cold female voice came from behind Li Zhōujūn.

Li Zhōujūn turned and saw Murong Xue.

So beautiful! Lu Zhining thought, feeling a twinge of inferiority upon seeing Murong Xue, who was dressed in snow-white and had skin like congealed fat.

"Oh, I've been touring Qingzhou, just playing around in the mortal world," Li Zhōujūn said with a smile.

"Uh..." Murong Xue's lips twitched.

However, when her gaze fell upon Lu Zhining, her expression faltered, "A Taiyin Body?"

"That's right. My new disciple. Girl, why don't you quickly greet Murong Mountain Lord?" Li Zhōujūn said to Lu Zhining.

"Zhining greets Murong Mountain Lord!" Lu Zhining reacted and bowed to Murong Xue.

"Mm," Murong Xue nodded, "No need to be so formal."

After speaking, Murong Xue looked at Li Zhōujūn with some envy and said, "Why is your luck so good?"

Li Zhōujūn grinned and replied, "Because you bring good fortune to your husband."

"Huh?" Murong Xue was stunned. After she reacted, her face turned slightly red. "That joke isn't funny."

Seeing this, Lu Zhining instantly understood that this Murong Mountain Lord had feelings for her Master!

"That's right, it's not funny, hahaha," Li Zhōujūn said with a laugh.

Murong Xue: "..."

"By the way, where is that girl Su Nan?" Li Zhōujūn asked at this moment.

"She and Shui Nianyao went to the Shuiyue Dynasty to prepare to enter a secret realm," Murong Xue said.

"So that's how it is," Li Zhōujūn nodded.

He wasn't worried, after all, Su Nan had his divine sense clone on her.

If it hadn't been triggered, it meant she hadn't encountered any danger.

After bidding farewell to Murong Xue, Li Zhōujūn took Lu Zhining and returned to Yunju Mountain.

Meanwhile.

Su Nan and Shui Nianyao had already successfully entered the Ice Water Secret Realm.

Everywhere was surrounded by icebergs, creating a scene of ice and snow.

"Senior Sister, look there!"

Su Nan pointed at a dilapidated ruin and shouted.

"That should be the ruins of the ancient great sect, the Ice Water Sect!"

Shui Nianyao said upon seeing this, "Let's go take a look."

"Okay," Su Nan nodded.

The two walked into the massive ruins and proceeded unimpeded to a great hall.

"There doesn't seem to be any treasure here," Su Nan rubbed his head, a look of confusion on his face.

"Indeed," Shui Nianyao's brows furrowed. "Let's keep looking."

"Okay," Su Nan replied.

Just as the two were about to continue searching.

Above the great hall, the old man in a portrait's eyes looked at the two and actually blinked!

"I think I just saw the old man in the portrait's eyes move," Su Nan said, swallowing a mouthful of saliva as he looked at the portrait of the old man above the great hall.

"That's impossible. This ancient great sect has been destroyed for a long time. The person in the portrait seems to be the Old Ancestor of the Ice Water Sect, the Ice Water Daoist. These are all recorded in the scrolls of my imperial palace," Shui Nianyao said.

"Heh heh heh, I didn't expect anyone to still remember this Old Ancestor," suddenly, an old man's voice echoed throughout the empty great hall.

Su Nan and Shui Nianyao's eyes widened instantly upon hearing this voice, "Who is it?!"

Just as the two finished speaking.

A phantom floated out of the portrait above the great hall, transforming into the image of a thin old man.

"Ice Water Daoist?!"

Upon seeing the thin old man, Shui Nianyao gasped in shock.

"That's right, it is I," the Ice Water Daoist said with a slight upturn of his lips.

"We pay our respects to you, Senior!"

After reacting, Shui Nianyao and Su Nan both bowed respectfully to the old man.

It was said that the Ice Water Daoist was a powerful being at the Tribulation Crossing Stage, so the two naturally dared not be negligent.

"No need to be so formal, two little girls," the Ice Water Daoist said, looking at the bowing pair, a strange glint in his eyes.