Chapter 631: Chapter 93: The Third Sword Letter

Xi Xiang led these 32 Underworld Cultivators back to the Sword Sect like a bunch of candied haw on a stick.

Interrogation was the next order of business.

As it turned out, skilled at killing did not equate to being skilled at interrogating; the two were entirely different realms.

With their mouths sealed tight, impervious to soft or hard tactics, these Underworld Cultivators infuriated the Sword Cultivators of the Sword Sect, who would much rather act than talk. They were so enraged that they wished to cut these people down to size, literally.

After two days of fruitless interrogations, the Sword Cultivators finally gave up their struggle and turned to Great Xia for help.

Professional matters, after all, should be left to the professionals.

Great Xia, naturally highly concerned with matters of the Underworld, responded quickly upon learning of the situation. They dispatched Cultivators from the Prison Warden Office of the Zhi Shou Tower to help with the interrogations.

Lu Qingshan had originally planned to wait for the results of the interrogation before acting, but news that he was first on the Underworld’s hit list made him cautious.

However, plans could never keep up with changes, and at this moment, he received a third Sword Message.

It was a Spirit Message from the Lu Family in Zhenjiang, Qing State. Given the distance between the Sword Sect and the Lu Family, spanning two territories, it took some time before it finally reached his hands.

The message in the Sword Message was very brief:

Lu Zhou’s end is near.

…

The moment he read the message, Lu Qingshan’s heart involuntarily shuddered, then he remained silent for a long time.

It was only normal for Lu Zhou, who was already close to four hundred years old, to be reaching his limit.

Though the lifespan of a Golden Core is five hundred years, that is but a theoretical maximum.

In reality, Golden Core Cultivators who live past five hundred years are incredibly rare. Living to around four hundred years old, Lu Zhou could even be considered to have lived a long life.

The Lu Family in Zhenjiang was bound to him by an inextricable tie of blood.

Lu Qingshan was not foolishly filial; if the Lu Family had been indifferent or harsh to him, what would their blood relation matter then?

But this elder, Lu Zhou, happened to be extremely good to him, showing great concern for him.

It was only after he had made a name for himself in the Seven Domains that Lu Zhou had become somewhat more distant.

It was not estrangement, but rather like an eagle reluctant to hinder its eaglet’s soar.

This was the first time he had received a Spirit Message from the Lu Family since entering the Sword Sect, and yet, even then, the message had not called him directly back to the Lu Family.

Those who take vengeance lightly are deficient in kindness; those who neglect duty are deficient in feeling; and those who take filial piety lightly are the most heartless.

With no mind to wait for the results here, Lu Qingshan hastily left the sect and rushed to the Southern Territory, hoping only to catch a last glimpse of the Great Elder of the Lu Family.

……

The Mihe Peak of the Thousand State Mountain Range.

This was where the Lu Family resided.

Just six years ago, the Lu Family was but one of the thirty-six major Cultivator families in Zhenjiang, not even ranking in the upper half.

Following the Corpse Puppet Chaos that struck, Zhenjiang was destroyed and underwent reconstruction. The surrounding Cultivator families experienced a reshuffling of their ranks.

From the original thirty-six, the number was reduced to twenty-four major families. Yet, the Lu Family stood firm, maintaining its mid-tier status.

However, who could have imagined that within a year, the event that shocked the Human Race across the Seven Domains, the Seven Domains Forum, would conclude with the victory of Lu Qingshan, a descendant of the Lu Family.

Since then, the Lu Family’s rise was unstoppable, soaring to the top of Zhenjiang’s Cultivator families, its position unshakeable by any.

And due to Lu Qingshan’s outstanding performance at the Seven Domains Forum, Qing State directly allocated a more abundant Fourth Grade Spirit Vein as a reward to the Lu Family.

The Lu Family promptly undertook a grand migration, establishing a new family estate atop this new Spirit Vein.

However, the Lu family did not abandon the original spirit vein of Mihe Peak; instead, they turned it into the Lu Family’s ancestral land.

As leaves return to the root, Lu Zhou, facing the end of his days, came back to this ancestral land.

…..

After passing through multiple teleportation arrays, Lu Qingshan finally arrived outside the ancestral land of the Lu family, which he had not returned to for a long time, the next day.

Without stopping in Mihe Town, he directly controlled his sword to enter from the mountaintop.

With his current cultivation realm and status, his actions were hardly restricted.

The blessed land on the mountaintop of the Lu family, while the spiritual energy might be average.

But due to the surrounding Mihe River, the place is shrouded in mist all year round, making the air extremely fresh and the scenery quite distinctive.

The moment Lu Qingshan’s figure landed, another shadow almost simultaneously appeared, rising along the Mihe River and eventually stopping in front of him.

This shadow was a man in a purple robe, with a ghastly pale complexion. The depth of his eyes was filled with an intense coldness as he stared down at Lu Qingshan darkly.

Lu Qingshan stared at this shadow, his face tense, frowning slightly.

The man in front of him was unabashed and unrestrained, with his overwhelming pressure bursting forth and bearing down on him.

This was…

The pressure that only a Divine Transformation Cultivator possessed!

“Lu Qingshan, for a Nascent Soul Cultivator like you to have caused us the loss of thirty-two Void Refining Cultivators, you indeed have reason to be proud…” The suddenly appearing Divine Transformation Cultivator, his gaze fixed on Lu Qingshan, sneered ceaselessly and spoke, “However, this time… is there anyone who can save you?”

“Or,” the Underworld Cultivator named Yuan Cang sneered, “do you believe you can escape alive from my hands?”

“So, the Spirit Message from the Lu family was false, just to lure me here?” Lu Qingshan suddenly realized, and asked softly.

“That’s right,” Yuan Cang nodded, “to deal with you, Lord Si Ming has prepared two plans this time…”

“At first, I thought Lord Si Ming was being overly cautious. With thirty-two Void Refining Cultivators from Yin Du, were they not enough to capture you? Why would I need to take action?”

Yuan Cang said viciously, “Unexpectedly, in the end, Lord Si Ming’s words turned out to be prophetic; it really is necessary to employ this backup strategy of mine.”

“So,” Yuan Cang paused, praising, “Lu Qingshan, you really are quite impressive!”

A scheme within a scheme within another scheme.

Lu Qingshan thought that the Golden Well Jade Barrier was the full extent of the Netherworld’s murder plot against him.

So, after collaborating with Xi Xiang to capture the thirty-two Netherworld Void Refining Cultivators, although he didn’t become arrogant, it was inevitable that his caution diminished somewhat.

This was a natural reaction.

After all, who would have guessed that shortly after the Netherworld’s setback, instead of recuperating and lying low to prepare for a comeback, they would immediately launch a second killing plot?

Moreover, the facade covering this murder plot was the extremely misleading Lu family.

It was unguardable against.

“A Divinity Transformation Cultivator personally intercepting to assassinate a Nascent Soul Cultivator seems somewhat improper, doesn’t it?” Lu Qingshan said gravely.

“Why is it improper?” Yuan Cang shook his head affirmatively, “Generations produce new talents. You are challenging to deal with as a Nascent Soul; if we were to truly consider seniority, when you reach Divinity Transformation, wouldn’t I be easily slain by you?”

“Your Excellency is very modest.” Lu Qingshan pulled at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s not modesty, it’s because you, Lu Qingshan, are indeed an unparalleled genius… but, what of it?” Yuan Cang said indifferently: “If you were a Divinity Transformation now, possibly ten of me would not be a match for you, but…”

“You are still just a Nascent Soul!”

“Such a talent, to fall under my hands today, Yuan Cang, is truly exhilarating!” Yuan Cang looked at Lu Qingshan, unconsciously licked his lips, and revealed a bloodthirsty smile.

In the next moment, an overwhelming murderous and demonic qi burst forth from him.

.co