Nanyun City, a first-class cave dwelling.
In the outer chamber of Lu Qingshan's cave, Yan Shuo had just seen off a visitor and was now sitting at a stone table with a stack of visiting cards and gifts in front of him.
After Lu Qingshan demonstrated his powerful weapon-refining skills in the Six Lineages Grand Competition, all the major and minor forces in Nanyun City came to visit him again, bringing congratulatory gifts. He was even more prestigious than when he first arrived in Nanyun City.
These gifts and visiting cards were all collected by Yan Shuo on their behalf.
Yan Shuo dared not open these items without permission and kept them in their respective storage spaces.
Taking a deep breath, Yan Shuo put away all the gifts and visiting cards, then walked towards the inner chamber of the cave.
He only met Lu Qingshan after obtaining permission.
He took out all the gifts.
"Master, these are gifts and lists sent by various forces, large and small, in Nanyun City these past few days. There's the City Lord's Mansion, the Shadow Alliance, several merchant guilds, and the other branches of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, except for the Yao Family, all sent congratulatory gifts. They all said they were celebrating Master's victory in the Six Lineages Grand Competition."
Yan Shuo was very excited when talking about these things.
Although he was just a minor True God, he had been in Nanyun City for so long and was still a servant of the Eternal True God. As a seventh-rank official in front of the Prime Minister, he naturally knew many people with backgrounds and knew what the Six Lineages Grand Competition was.
Yan Shuo hadn't expected that his master was not only incredibly strong, but also possessed such remarkable weapon-forging skills.
Thinking back to the time when he was able to follow his master in Lanhuang City, Yan Shuo felt that he was incredibly lucky.
Lu Qingshan merely glanced at the gifts; most of them were quite valuable. However, he simply nodded and said, "I'll accept the gifts and the list, but remember which powers gave these gifts. I'll consider reciprocating later."
"Yes."
Yan Shuo responded, then hesitated before taking out a brocade box and saying, "Master, there's another one here—it was a gift from them specifically for me. I didn't want to accept it, but they insisted I accept it—"
"Is this for you?"
Lu Qingshan was not surprised.
"Yes."
Yan Shuo forced himself to speak.
Lu Qingshan only asked one question before looking away, shaking his head and saying, "It's a gift for you, just accept it."
Yan Shuo was taken aback. "Master, this—"
Lu Qingshan smiled slightly and said earnestly, "You've followed me from Lanhuang City to Nanyun City these past few days, and you've worked very diligently. I haven't given you anything before, so consider this a benefit. However, you should also understand that some gifts are acceptable, and some are not—"
Yan Shuo's hands, holding the brocade box, felt slightly heavy, and he was filled with gratitude.
Although his master hadn't given him any treasures or guided his cultivation during his time with him, the benefits to him were obvious. Putting aside everything else, the superior cave dwelling where the Eternal True God resided offered him a thousand times, ten thousand times better living and cultivation environment than before. If he previously only had a sliver of hope of becoming Void True God, now, by his master's side, becoming Void True God was almost a certainty; it was merely a matter of time.
Moreover, as his master's servant, his status far surpasses that of other Void True God. His identity has brought him many benefits, and he has enjoyed numerous conveniences. Furthermore, from today onward, these conveniences will only increase.
These are all tangible benefits.
"Master, you have been good enough to me. I know what is important and will not accept gifts indiscriminately—even if those dark forces or those who are at odds with you force me to give them away, I will return them immediately."
Yan Shuo immediately assured him.
"Yes, I know you very well, there's no need for such explanation."
Lu Qingshan smiled slightly.
"You may leave."
Thank you, Master.
Yan Shuo bowed deeply, then slowly left, taking the brocade box with him.
While the treasures here may be insignificant to the Eternal True God, each one is an extremely precious treasure to him.
If he were to use these treasures to cultivate, he could probably break through to the Void True God Level in one or two decades at most.
Becoming Void True God has always been his dream, and now, he is about to realize it.
After Yan Shuo left.
Lu Qingshan sorted through the gifts. He kept the Cosmic Sand, refining materials, and other useful items. As for the fine wines, delicacies, and novelties, Lu Qingshan took out a portion and gave it to Chi You.
Chi You was the World Beast King, able to level up simply by eating and drinking, so Lu Qingshan didn't give him any cultivation resources.
Of course, the main reason is that he currently lacks the resources to provide Chi You with the necessary resources to evolve into Chaos Great Sage.
"Master, we've made a name for ourselves this time, we should be fine now, right?"
Chi You put away the treasures and asked with some concern.
It's alright--
Lu Qingshan shook his head slightly. " Nanyun City is just a small place; no one will care about an Eternal True God weapon refiner."
"Master, you helped the Xia Family become the number one in the Six Lineages Grand Competition, and you also won first place in the Eternal True God Level weapon refining competition. This is a good thing." Chi You hinted.
"That's definitely a good thing, so----"
"It's time to celebrate!"
Chi You immediately said.
"Haha, okay, let's go to the Wondrous Sound Pavilion!"
Lu Qingshan smiled slightly, put away all the other treasures, and then left the cave with Chi You.
The Six Lineages Grand Competition was over, and he was fine, resuming his previous routine.
Enjoying delicious food, tasting fine wine, and indulging in pleasure—this was the daily life of him and Chi You.
" That Chi You guy, he looks honest and simple, but he's not like that at all. I've been corrupted by him!"
Lu Qingshan sighed and had already arrived outside the entrance of the Wondrous Sound Pavilion.
Wondrous Sound Pavilion was still very lively today. After the news of the Six Lineages Grand Competition spread, everyone in Nanyun City with a little ability knew who Divine Lord Fang Yuan was and that his Eternal Divine Weapon had won first place and was auctioned off for a sky-high price of 200,000 Cosmic Sand.
An ordinary Eternal True God's wealth is only around ten thousand Cosmic Sand. Yet, a single Eternal Divine Weapon can be crafted and sold for a staggering two hundred thousand Cosmic Sand. For many powers, this is practically a walking, mobile treasure trove.
As soon as Lu Qingshan and Chi You entered, countless eyes turned to them. Some bowed respectfully from afar, some bolder ones even dared to greet them, while most others communicated telepathically with those they knew.
However, that's about all. After all, it's not unusual for Divine Lord Fang Yuan to come to the Wondrous Sound Pavilion. He used to come almost every day.
Lu Qingshan was about to go straight to the third floor when a woman in a white dress, with a gentle demeanor, approached. She smiled sweetly and spoke softly, " Divine Lord Fang Yuan, a private room upstairs has been prepared for you. Today, I will personally play a piece for you."
Thank you for your help, OP.
Lu Qingshan bowed in thanks.
The Wondrous Sound Pavilion in Nanyun City is a musician at the Eternal True God Level. Musicians of this level do not play easily. Although this Master occasionally makes a move, the frequency is very low, perhaps only once in many centuries. Lu Qingshan has been in the Wondrous Sound Pavilion for so long, and has never heard this Wondrous Sound Pavilion make a move.
However, today, he had only just arrived when the Wondrous Sound Pavilion personally came to greet him and even offered to play music for him.
"The difference between two Eternal True God Eternal True God is truly astounding!"
Lu Qingshan sighed inwardly.
Although he was previously a high-ranking Eternal True God, that was only in relation to Void True God and True God. After all, at the Yanfeng Guild Hall, his strength was only rated as Lower Grade B, making him arguably the weakest among the Eternal True God. In addition, he had no background, so the Wondrous Sound Pavilion naturally wouldn't give him any special treatment.
But things are different now. Lu Qingshan has already checked and found that the Yanfeng Guild Hall has raised his strength to the lower level of the first rank, a full three levels higher. There are only a handful of Eternal True God of this level in the entire Nanyun City. The only ones higher than him are the Nanyun City, the Shadow Alliance, and the Divine Weapon Pavilion.
These individuals all possess undeniable achievements, easily annihilating ordinary Eternal True God. However, Lu Qingshan has never revealed his true strength. The Yanfeng Guild Hall's assessment of him likely stems from their observations of his weapon-forging process. Of course, everyone understands that this is merely an estimate. Only the fallen Baili Rentu truly knows the extent of Lu Qingshan's power.
We sat down in a private room on the third floor.
Chi You stood behind him.
Wondrous Sound Pavilion changed his clothes and walked into the curtain. He gently plucked the strings of his zither, and beautiful music flowed out like moonlight.
As expected of a musician at the Eternal True God Level, he was completely incomparable to the other musicians in the Wondrous Sound Pavilion. Lu Qingshan did not waste this opportunity and quietly activated the Six Desires Heart-Tempering Technique to amplify the infectiousness of the music countless times, allowing himself to quietly immerse himself in it.
He felt as if his entire soul was immersed in a serene world.
Here, he was sometimes passionate and sometimes detached. When the music was high-pitched, his lips curled up, showing great excitement; when the music was low, his eyes flickered, and tears could be faintly seen.
Chi You stood behind, like a piece of wood. The music wasn't directed at him, so he didn't feel much of it. He also didn't use any secret techniques to amplify the effect, so he didn't feel much. He just found it a bit noisy and had to pretend to be engrossed, which was quite boring. He originally wanted to ask the host when the feast would begin, but seeing Lu Qingshan's engrossed appearance, he couldn't bring himself to speak.
After a long while, the song ended.
Lu Qingshan opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
The music theory of this Wondrous Sound Pavilion is indeed extraordinary. Combined with the amplification of his Six Desires Heart-Tempering Technique, the infectiousness is enhanced by an unknown amount, and the effect is unexpectedly good. Lu Qingshan even felt that his will, which had been stuck, had loosened a bit.
His will itself had already reached the Eternal True God Limit, just a hair's breadth away from a Chaos Great Sage. This hair's breadth could be permanent, or it could be achieved through an accident.
Now, just hearing Wondrous Sound Pavilion play a piece has already shown signs of loosening, which is a pleasant surprise for him.
"It seems I still need to listen to this piece. It would be best to have a musician bring it with me so I can experience this feeling anytime, which would greatly increase the probability of breaking through my willpower."
Lu Qingshan felt that coming to the Wondrous Sound Pavilion was the right decision.
It seems I'll have to come here more often in order to continue my cultivation.
A moment later, the Wondrous Sound Pavilion came to express his gratitude.
Her eyes looked strange.
When he was playing the instrument earlier, his main target was Divine Lord Fang Yuan, so his consciousness was naturally focused on Fang Yuan.
She observed none of the other person's subtle changes.
"This Divine Lord Fang Yuan seems to have a weak will. I only used seventy percent of my power, and he was already struggling to withstand it. If I used my full strength, I'm afraid even he wouldn't be able to endure it."
She thought to herself.
There's a lot for weapon-refining masters to learn, and generally speaking, they all have strong willpower, but Divine Lord Fang Yuan is an exception.
"But this is fine too. I only need to use a few tricks, and perhaps I can make this Divine Lord Fang Yuan fall at my feet. If I can gain the favor of a master craftsman, my future achievements will be even better—"
While the Wondrous Sound Pavilion was still pondering how to make Lu Qingshan infatuated with her so she could amass gold coins later, she heard him say, "Master, is the banquet about to begin? My stomach is still empty."
Are you in a hurry to get to the banquet?
The Wondrous Sound Pavilion's smile froze slightly, and the words that were about to come out were swallowed back down.
She immediately stood up and said, "The banquet is about to begin. Please follow me, my lord. Many friends have come to today's Baihua Banquet."
The banquet hall of the Wondrous Sound Pavilion is on the top floor.
When Lu Qingshan arrived, many guests had already gathered. To attend this banquet, one needed at least an Eternal True God background. Lu Qingshan also saw an old acquaintance here.
Yao Qi ----
This newly Eternal True God of the Yao Family showed no signs of dejection at failing to win first place in the Six Lineages Grand Competition. Instead, he excitedly slapped the table and watched the arena match downstairs.
" Evil Turtle, show no mercy! Kill him! If you kill him, this cup of wine will be yours!"
Upon hearing this, a ferocious-looking beast with thick, turtle-like armor on the arena suddenly roared angrily.
He swung his massive iron hammer with a sudden burst of speed, increasing it more than a hundredfold, and slammed it into the humanoid Void True God. The Void True God was sent flying, crashing into the arena's barrier. However, before he could regain his footing, the Evil Turtle struck again, smashing his hammer into the True God Heart. The Void True God collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"Haha, I won! You're too kind!"
Yao Qi laughed heartily, took the Cosmic Sand from the hands of several Void True God and Eternal True God whose faces were grim, and then casually put the sand in his hand...
The wine glass was thrown out, and the fine wine spilled out.
Having just defeated its opponent, the Evil Turtle opened its mouth and swallowed all the fine wine, revealing an expression of enjoyment.
This cup of wine, though merely an ordinary drink for the Eternal True God, holds unimaginable benefits for the Void True God, something most Void True God couldn't afford even with their entire fortune.
At this moment, Yao Qi also saw Lu Qingshan and Chi You.
His gaze shifted, finally settling on Chi You behind Lu Qingshan. He stood up and said with a smile, "Master Fang Yuan, welcome—I didn't expect you to come here so soon after the competition."
"Hehe."
Lu Qingshan smiled faintly and sat down in the main seat.
" Yao Qi —you're not bad either. I saw you gambled with the others; you must have made quite a bit."
"How can I compare to you, Divine Lord Fang Yuan? You not only helped the Xia Family achieve the top position among the Six Lineages, but you also helped the Xia Family secure a huge order. A single Eternal Divine Weapon you crafted sold for a staggering 200,000 units of Cosmic Sand. It can be said that this is the highest-priced Eternal Divine Weapon ever sold in Nanyun City in recent epochs."
He started with compliments, then added...
" Divine Lord Fang Yuan, I see that your servant is quite formidable. Why don't you let your servant fight my servant, the Evil Turtle, and see who is stronger? We can just add a small prize."
" Divine Lord Fang Yuan, do not agree."
Lu Qingshan had not yet spoken.
The Master of the Wondrous Sound Pavilion behind him secretly sent a message.
"This servant, Yao Qi, was specially bought from the Sin City. He is extremely powerful. His opponent just now had won over a hundred matches in our Wondrous Sound Pavilion, but was still easily defeated. To deal with this Evil Turtle, we need to find Void True God who can restrain him."