Returning the Blessed Land

Something was lost?

Hearing this, the palace master of the Supreme Purity Palace was taken aback. Somewhat puzzled, he nevertheless asked with an awkward smile, "May I ask what your clan has lost? If the Supreme Purity Palace truly picked it up, we will naturally return it to its rightful owner."

Given the Lu Clan's current strength, the Supreme Purity Palace could never afford to provoke it.

And from ancient times to the present, the Supreme Purity Palace had never provoked the Lu Clan.

But Lu Guangyao's next words left the palace master shocked and furious.

"The Lush Wood Blessed Land belongs to the Lu Clan, yet your Supreme Purity Palace has seized it."

The Lush Wood Blessed Land!

Back then, the Supreme Purity Palace had sent experts who, with Qing Yun, the second prince of the Azure Feather Dynasty, acting as their inside man, had destroyed the entire dynasty and seized the Lush Wood Blessed Land.

This was a closely guarded secret.

They had acted with absolute secrecy, so how could the Lu Clan know?

The Supreme Purity Palace did not know that the Lu Clan had been in Qingzhou when they made their move.

Still less did they know that the Lu Clan had been an ally of the Azure Feather Dynasty at the time, and that Ancestor Tianyan had long been aware of their intentions.

Back then, the Lu Clan had still been in a stage where everything was waiting to be rebuilt.

Ancestor Tianyan could not expose himself, so he had chosen to let the Supreme Purity Palace do as it pleased.

But now, the Lu Clan no longer needed to hold itself back.

So Lu Guangyao had come today to reclaim the Lush Wood Blessed Land.

"E-Elder Lu, I don't know what you're talking about," the palace master replied, steeling himself.

But Lu Guangyao stood firm.

"Your Supreme Purity Palace crossed into another region, destroyed the Azure Feather Dynasty, and seized the Lush Wood Blessed Land. Do you deny it?"

The palace master's face darkened.

"Elder Lu, you are mistaken. The Azure Feather Dynasty perished because of internal strife. The Lush Wood Blessed Land was presented to us by Qing Yun, a disciple of the Supreme Purity Palace. We did not seize it by force."

Hearing him continue to quibble, Lu Guangyao sneered.

"Do you know that the Azure Feather Dynasty was a subordinate force of the Lu Clan? And Qing Zhe, the ninth prince of the Azure Feather Dynasty, is the adopted son of the Lu Clan's patriarch."

"If your Supreme Purity Palace knows what's good for it, we can let this matter rest here."

"Otherwise..."

Lu Guangyao sneered twice, his threat plain without another word.

Thud, thud.

The palace master abruptly staggered back two steps, his face full of disbelief.

He had never imagined that the Azure Feather Dynasty would have such ties to the Lu Clan.

Had they known this earlier, how would they have dared to attack the Azure Feather Dynasty?

Did they really have to return it?

The palace master struggled inwardly. That heaven-and-earth secret realm was immensely valuable to any force. The Supreme Purity Palace could not bear to let it go.

But if they refused, they would anger the Lu Clan.

Even the Xuan Clan, an ancient clan, was no match for the Lu Clan. How could the Supreme Purity Palace contend with it?

In the end, the Supreme Purity Palace handed over the Lush Wood Blessed Land.

There was no helping it. The Supreme Purity Palace simply lacked the strength to hold on to this treasure.

"Elder Lu, please give the Supreme Purity Palace one day. Tomorrow, I will present the Lush Wood Blessed Land with both hands and personally deliver it to the Lu Clan."

Only after hearing this reply did Lu Guangyao drop the matter.

The palace master led a group of elders in watching Lu Guangyao's departing figure as he swaggered out of the Supreme Purity Palace. Every one of them wore a complicated expression.

"Palace master, are we really returning the Lush Wood Blessed Land?"

An elder asked, unwilling to accept it.

The palace master sighed. "What else can we do? Even if you dug up the ancestor, the Supreme Purity Palace still wouldn't be a match for the Lu Clan."

The gap in strength was too great.

The Lu Clan was now like a vast sea, stretching beyond the horizon, its depths unfathomable.

The next day, the Supreme Purity Palace kept its promise.

The palace master personally brought his people to the Lu Clan and presented the Lush Wood Blessed Land to Lu Qingshan, the clan's patriarch.

"Patriarch Lu, this is the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

Looking at the crystal sphere giving off a green glow, Lu Qingshan could not help but smile.

The Lush Wood Blessed Land, one of the ten great blessed lands, was a Wood Dao heaven-and-earth secret realm.

With this blessed land, the Lu Clan would be able to nurture a large group of elite Wood Dao experts.

"Patriarch Lu."

Just then, the palace master took out another item and presented it with both hands.

"This is?"

Lu Qingshan frowned slightly at the jade bottle in his hand.

As his consciousness entered it, he saw what lay inside.

It was a person's soul. However, the soul's eyes were already lifeless; clearly, it had been tampered with.

"This is Qing Yun, the traitor to the Azure Feather Dynasty. Back then, he sold out the dynasty's secrets and lured the Supreme Purity Palace into attacking it."

At this, the palace master's face filled with remorse, and he sighed. "Back then, greed clouded my judgment, and I believed this fellow's slanderous words. Now, I have extracted his soul and will hand him over to your esteemed clan to deal with."

Lu Qingshan glanced at the jade bottle in his hand and sneered.

The Supreme Purity Palace had certainly acted decisively. Poor Qing Yun had thought he could rise straight to the clouds through schemes and trickery, only to meet such an end.

As for the Supreme Purity Palace, Lu Qingshan paid it no further attention.

The Lu Clan would not strike at the Supreme Purity Palace now, but that did not mean it would not do so in the future.

Once Qing Zhe and Qing Xu returned from Qingzhou, the Supreme Purity Palace would surely be made to pay the price it deserved.

With the Lush Wood Blessed Land established in the clan, none was happier than the second elder, Lu Mutong, the elder in charge of the clan's procreation.

The Lu Clan was now like the sun at high noon in Central Province.

Those wishing to marry into the Lu Clan were countless, so the clan had begun to grow choosy.

Talent, character, and looks-none could be lacking.

"Second Elder, I hear countless people have been coming to you with gifts lately. Life is getting better and better for you, isn't it?"

Looking at the spirited Lu Mutong, Lu Qingshan smiled meaningfully.

At those words, Lu Mutong's beard bristled, and he cried, "Patriarch, don't go spitting blood! I didn't keep a single bit of those gifts. Every last one went into the clan treasury!"

"Heaven and earth are my witnesses, and the sun and moon can testify!"

With that, Lu Mutong was about to swear an oath on the spot, but Lu Qingshan stopped him.

"I was only joking with you. Look at you."

"In this clan, you're the one I trust most. Don't I know your character?"

Seeing how aggrieved Lu Mutong looked, Lu Qingshan hurried to reassure him. Only then did Lu Mutong feel much better. He then leaned close to Lu Qingshan and said with a smile, "Well, Patriarch, I heard the Lush Wood Blessed Land has been placed in the ancestral shrine."

He cultivated the Wood Dao, but his talent was rather ordinary. His current Half-Saint cultivation had been built almost entirely by piling up resources, and it was still rather inflated.

But with the help of a Wood Dao heaven-and-earth secret realm, things would be different.

After all, who did not want to take another step forward?

"Ancestor is still inspecting the Lush Wood Blessed Land. As long as there are no problems, it can be opened. Don't worry. With your contributions to the clan, you'll certainly be the first to enter the blessed land."

With Lu Qingshan's promise, Lu Mutong left the patriarch's residence in high spirits.

After that, the clan enjoyed a few rare days of peace.