Boarding the Spirit Vessel, Three-Nine Dao Palace (Two-in-One Chapter)

A moment later.

Lu He found a small pouch about half a palm in size on the male cultivator's chest, sewn from some unknown dark brown beast hide.

Several bluebirds were embroidered on its surface, and tassels hung from its opening. It looked exceptionally exquisite.

The instant it touched his hand.

A dim space roughly three feet square vaguely appeared within Lu He's perception.

Several glimmers of spiritual light floated inside.

"This is... a storage pouch?"

Lu He froze for a moment, then delight suddenly flashed across his face.

Having dealt with the stewards for some time, he had only seen similar items on the persons of Steward Lu, Steward Deng, and a very small number of others.

As for the other stewards, they presumably did not have any. Otherwise, they would not have pitifully stuffed their belongings into their sleeves or against their chests.

That alone showed how precious storage pouches were.

"Tsk, these two really gave me quite a gift."

Lu He instinctively looked at the two corpses on the ground.

Only then did he realize that this seemed to be the first time he had personally killed someone. Yet he felt none of the nausea or urge to vomit described in novels from his previous life.

His thoughts were as calm as a deep pool.

"No, I, Lu, am a man of deep feeling and great loyalty. How could I possibly be the sort who treats human life as worthless? It must be your influence!"

He looked at the White Ape Dao Diagram deep within his consciousness and neatly dumped all the blame on it.

Coming back to himself.

Lu He directly wrapped the storage pouch in his spiritual awareness.

Perhaps because its owner was dead, there was no resistance whatsoever. The process went extremely smoothly.

A moment later.

He slowly rose to his feet, his gaze falling upon the four white jade porcelain bottles in his hand that faintly carried the scent of blood.

"Could these contain the living soul essence blood they mentioned earlier? I wonder what they're used for."

"Forget it. I'll keep them for now. They may come in handy later."

He frowned and put the bottles of living soul essence blood into the storage pouch. Then, with a flip of his wrist, three milky-white jade stones about an inch long appeared in his palm. Spiritual light flowed across their surfaces, making them look quite extraordinary.

The corners of Lu He's mouth lifted slightly.

The purple jade scroll had introduced them before.

These were called spirit stones. They were produced only within spirit veins and contained spiritual essence. They could be used for cultivation, artifact refinement, or array construction. They were hard currency among cultivators, plain and simple.

Judging by their size and the purity of their spiritual essence, they were undoubtedly low-grade spirit stones.

"Three low-grade spirit stones can almost buy one mid-grade Black Jade Pill. Not bad at all."

Lu He put away the spirit stones, raised his head to glance at the sky, and estimated that it was already around three in the afternoon.

His expression tightened. He did not dare delay any longer and headed straight out of the alley.

Just as he left the alley.

Tap tap—

"Run faster! The disturbance came from this direction."

A burst of chaotic, hurried footsteps mixed with shouted calls suddenly came from ahead.

Lu He looked up.

A group of yamen runners carrying weapons and wearing bronze badges at their waists were hurrying toward the alley he had just left.

As they brushed past each other.

The burly man leading them seemed to notice something. He hurriedly turned to look at Lu He, his gaze lingering briefly on his dharma robe.

His expression changed slightly. He quickly withdrew his gaze and abruptly quickened his pace.

Half an incense stick later.

Deep in the alley.

The yamen runners surrounded the two mangled corpses on the ground and discussed them in hushed voices.

"Hiss—what kind of grudge was this? They were ruthless enough not to leave even an intact corpse."

"Who did this? Could it have been those demon cultists?"

"..."

The leading man said nothing. He merely bent down, intending to inspect the bodies himself.

Yet the instant his fingers touched a corpse, a terrifying chill that froze one to the marrow erupted with a boom. It spread from his palm into his bones, and a layer of white frost instantly formed over his skin.

Alarm flashed through the man's eyes, and he immediately jerked his hand back.

In less than half a breath, his fingertips had already turned faintly bluish-black. He had clearly suffered badly from the cold.

At that moment, a man standing beside him copied his actions and reached out to turn over a corpse for inspection.

Seeing this.

"Don't touch the bodies on the ground!"

The leader's face changed. He hastily grabbed the other man's outstretched hand and shouted anxiously.

His voice instantly drew the attention of all the yamen runners around them.

Only then did they notice the abnormality on the man's body, and they all sucked in a sharp breath.

They hardly needed any explanation. Like people fleeing a plague god, the entire group hurriedly retreated away from the corpses.

"This is clearly no mortal method. Quickly invite an immortal master from the Demon-Suppressing Pavilion."

The man barked in a low voice.

Not long after.

A young man in a black robe arrived belatedly. He immediately crouched beside the corpses and began a detailed examination.

"First-layer Qi-Feeding Realm cultivators, and this unusual bloody aura... they are indeed outer disciples of the Ancestral God Cult. Has even Sicha Ward been infiltrated?"

His expression turned grave.

Whenever one of these maggots was discovered, it meant they were already everywhere.

Moreover, a formal disciple of the Ancestral God Cult had to be nearby.

"But who was the one who acted? Their dharma power was terrifyingly solid. Even after so long, the lingering aura remains this strong?"

As though thinking of something, the black-robed man stood and looked toward the burly man waiting nearby, asking curiously:

"Did you see anyone unusual nearby?"

"Reporting to you, my lord," the burly man pondered for a few breaths before cupping his hands and answering, "when we arrived just now, we happened to encounter a young man in white robes. He did not seem like an ordinary mortal, so we did not dare stop him for questioning."

"White robes..."

The man pondered briefly, then pressed, "Did they bear any distinctive patterns?"

"Yes. There seemed to be three cloud patterns embroidered on the collar."

"Three cloud patterns... a genius from the Azurehold Herb Garden?"

Before they knew it, it was already around eight in the evening.

In the open space before a palace.

The nine seeds, including Lu He, wore uniform white brocade dharma robes embroidered with golden patterns as they waited patiently.

"Brother Lu, what do you think the great wilderness beyond the city, and White-Scale Lake, are like? They say demons swarm like a tide there, and heavenly treasures carpet the ground..."

Zheng Jingren stood beside Lu He and asked in a low voice.

There was a trace of nervousness in his tone.

"Brother Zheng, I've never left the city either..."

Lu He smiled helplessly, but his gaze unconsciously turned toward Qin Lie and the man surnamed Deng from Arena Number Two yesterday.

The White Ape Dao Diagram flickered in and out of existence in his eyes.

"As expected, they've also stepped onto the immortal path and entered the Qi-Feeding Realm."

There was not the slightest surprise on his face.

It was worth mentioning that.

Just as Lu He had previously expected, after opening the Vermilion Essence Spring, activating his innate Dao Diagram began to consume dharma power. Compared to before, its endurance had greatly improved.

With the dharma power currently in his dantian, he could maintain the [Immaculate Heart Ape] state continuously for over two hours.

Thus, he now had far fewer reservations when activating his Dao Diagram.

"Once my cultivation rises further, I should be able to maintain the Dao Diagram's enhancement at all times."

Lu He thought to himself.

Time trickled by.

At a certain moment, ten spiritual lights of different colors suddenly flared at the horizon, scattering in different directions.

One of those green streaks shot straight toward Lu He's group, moving at an incomparably fast speed.

"It's here!"

Deng Yuantong, standing at the front, drew a deep breath and gave a solemn reminder.

In an instant, everyone's expressions grew serious. Several stewards even pulled the seeds beside them aside and spoke to them in low voices.

"Kid Lu, your talent may be high, but you must understand that there are always greater people beyond people, and greater heavens beyond the heavens.

After arriving at White-Scale Lake, don't try to show off when something happens. If you run into those clan disciples, yield whenever you can. Remember this well: staying alive is what matters most. I'm still waiting for you to help me with that little favor!"

In a corner, Steward Lu patted Lu He's shoulder and carefully instructed him.

"Clan disciples?"

Lu He looked at him in confusion.

"Do you remember those Inner Garden prodigies I told you about before? Those are them."

Meeting Lu He's puzzled gaze, Steward Lu offered a simple explanation:

"Everharvest City has stood for over two thousand years. The city's ten great immortal cultivation powers, including the Three Gardens and Seven Pavilions, have developed generation after generation. Who knows how many immortal cultivation clans, large and small, have emerged in that time? Some have inheritances stretching over a thousand years, with foundations terrifyingly deep."

"So that's how it is."

Lu He nodded in understanding, then a question naturally arose in his heart. "But that can't be right. Those prodigies are going to risk their lives at White-Scale Lake too?"

At that.

Steward Lu gave a derisive snort, and a trace of disdain immediately flashed through his eyes.

"The Three Gardens and Seven Pavilions, along with the various immortal cultivation clans, may be powerful, but when all is said and done, they merely occupy a corner of the world and survive by relying on Everharvest City.

Tell me, who carved out satellite cities like Everharvest City from the dangerous great wilderness by force, and who rules them?"

"...The legendary Liyang Dao City!" Lu He murmured.

"Yes, and no. Behind Everharvest City stands one of Liyang Dao City's supreme inheritances—the Three-Nine Dao Palace!"

"That is the true lineage of immortality!"

As he spoke, Steward Lu could not help pursing his lips, his face filled with longing.

"In other words, this journey to White-Scale Lake may be connected to an opportunity from the Three-Nine Dao Palace?"

Lu He's thoughts churned, and his breathing unconsciously quickened.

He did not know what sort of force the Three-Nine Dao Palace was.

But the four words "lineage of immortality" were enough to explain everything!

A moment later.

Rumble—

The clouds were violently smashed apart. A thread of green light surged forth, expanding at extreme speed in an instant and transforming into a miniature sun descending swiftly, before finally stopping before the crowd.

In an instant, the surrounding area was lit as brightly as day by the green radiance.

"This junior, Deng Yuantong, welcomes your arrival, my lord."

Deng Yuantong stepped forward quickly and called out respectfully.

"Enough pleasantries. How did the selection of nine seeds go?" A cool voice drifted down from the sky.

"Reporting to you, my lord, the nine seeds with the highest aptitude and talent in the Medicine Garden are all present."

As his words fell.

A gaze as heavy as a thousand jun descended from the sky, slowly sweeping across the crowd.

The air instantly froze.

After a long while.

"Good! You nine, board the vessel."

The pressure on Lu He's body suddenly loosened, and he unconsciously let out a soft breath.

Only then did he raise his head and look ahead.

The green light had now dissipated. What entered his sight was a colossal spirit vessel fifty zhang long, floating three feet above the ground. It was like a small mountain, oppressive beyond measure.

A figure in green robes sat at the very highest point of the spirit vessel, looking down upon the crowd.

When Lu He lowered his gaze again, the others had already started moving toward the stairs at the stern.

Lu He's heart tightened, and he immediately hurried after them.

The group of nine climbed the stairs. After only several dozen breaths, they arrived on a broad deck at the front of the ship.

"You may enter the rooms to rest, or remain on the deck. Do not make loud noises."

The green-robed cultivator seated above glanced at Lu He and the other nine, then reminded them.

"We shall obey your instructions, my lord."

Lu He and the other nine bowed together and replied.

"Mm." The green-robed cultivator nodded.

In an instant, accompanied by a deep hum, dense Dao patterns abruptly lit across the spirit vessel beneath their feet. Then it transformed directly into a streak of green light and shot into the sky.

Outside, the gale winds were fierce. They could vaguely see elongated shadows like serpents streaking past at extreme speed—the torn remnants of clouds.

Lu He leaned over the ship's railing.

Below, the Azurehold Herb Garden had already shrunk to a tiny point. Only scattered lights remained around it, and they too were swiftly swallowed by the boundless night.

"So fast!"

Lu He silently marveled, then walked straight into the room.

He had originally planned to seize the chance to cultivate, but he had not expected the spiritual boat's aura to be so violently turbulent, making refinement exceedingly difficult. Left with no choice, he gave up and began resting with his eyes closed.

Before long.

The others also pushed open the door and entered one after another, each finding a corner to sit in.

Time passed bit by bit.

To Lu He and the others' surprise, the spiritual boat did not leave the city directly, instead turning toward two other places.

At each stop, several dozen young cultivators dressed in the same white Dharma robes boarded the spiritual boat.

For a time, the once-quiet room became lively, divided into three clearly distinct groups.

In one corner.

"So Azurehold Herb Garden has more than one garden. Interesting—but why do they have so many people?"

Lu He's gaze swept across the cultivators from the other two groups.

He noticed that the number of seeds from the other two Medicine Gardens boarding the spiritual boat was nearly three times that of their own.

Seeing this, Zheng Jingren hurriedly leaned closer and explained in a low voice:

"Brother Lu, you may not know this, but those two Medicine Gardens are far larger than ours and have more cultivators as well. I imagine they must have more seed slots for White-Scale Lake too!"

"I see."

Lu He immediately understood.

Not long after.

With a bang, the spiritual boat swayed slightly before coming to a stop.

"Haha, you've waited long enough. Hurry and board."

The hearty laughter of that blue-robed cultivator followed, his tone becoming unprecedentedly gentle and cordial.

Inside the room, everyone opened their eyes.

"The Inner Garden's monsters are coming with us too? Perfect. We can finally see what they're capable of." A murmured soliloquy reached his ears.

Lu He turned his head.

The speaker was the man surnamed Deng from Arena Number Two yesterday.

At this moment, a faint look of eager anticipation showed on his face.

Beside him, Qin Lie surprisingly wore the same expression, his eyes burning with extraordinary fervor.

Tap, tap—

Along with a burst of heavy footsteps.

The room's door was gently pushed open.

A man clad in purple robes, his body radiating vast waves of Dharma power, entered with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over the dozens of seeds in the room before quickly settling on several of them.

"Junior Brother Fang and Junior Sister Lu from Mountain Prefecture Outer Garden..."

"Junior Brother Peng and Junior Brother Hong from Mentuo Outer Garden... and Junior Brother Qin from Sicha Outer Garden."

"Could the junior brothers and sisters whose names I called please come over? We have an important matter to discuss with you."