In the vast expanse of the sky, a longship with a dragon's head, which was not particularly conspicuous, flew at an incredible speed, leaving a dazzling trail behind.
The surrounding of the soaring boat was covered with various geomantic patterns engraved by the geomantic master, allowing the boat to fly into the sky and maintain smooth flight regardless of any severe weather.
The soaring boat came from the little-known Nanzhuo Domain and passed through several domains before reaching the large domain that had the Opening Through Space Gate, thus shortening the time it took to reach Wandao Zong.
Within the cabin, a complex array intertwined into a formation. In the center of the formation, Lu Jianan was seated with his legs crossed and his hands making hand seals. A short dagger inscribed with blood-colored patterns was inserted into one of the eye sockets of the formation. The blood pearl at the hilt had absorbed all of Li Huangquan's blood after a bloody sacrifice, swollen to capacity, resembling an open eye.
Lu Jianan directly ignored the eerie sensation emanating from the blood-red eyes and the feeling of drawing his soul into them. With a serious expression, he condensed the chaotic blood energy above the hilt of the sword.
This chaotic blood energy comes from Linmu's Qixing Tongmai body. During the time he returned to the sect, besides eating, sleeping, morning exercises and cultivation, he was using the short sword to refine the blood imbued with Qixing Tongmai body.
The bodies like the Immortal Body and the Saint Body are more and more derived from bloodline, so while killing Linmu, Lu Jianan extracted all the blood from his body. He used the short sword to preserve its vitality, thus delaying the dispersion of Qixing Tongmai body as much as possible before he began to refine the blood from different organs along his journey back to the sect.
The process was completed on the way and Lu Jianan could directly start refining the pills upon his return.
Of course, the pills that were refined were not meant to be consumed, but to serve as a medium between Lu Jianan and the many Dao Palaces floating in the heavens.
Because he has already gone through the early stages of a cultivator's journey, where one refines their physical body with various elixirs and potions. To advance further, he must harness the external force of the stars and constellations of the nine heavens to open a Dao Palace within his body, thereby taking another step forward.
As a human being, standing shoulder to shoulder with dragons and phoenixes!
Unfortunately, in today's era, the resources needed by a human cultivator to refine their body are hundreds or thousands of times more than in the past. Unless one has a strong family background, it's impossible to afford the cost of refining one's body.
But even those with substantial wealth have no one in this era who has taken the path of refining the body to its ultimate limits.
Now, Lu Jianan's desire to refine his body is much stronger than before, all thanks to the pressure from Zhu Nanzhi.
So he eagerly wants to communicate with the nine stars in the sky to open a Dao Palace within his body, allowing him to be completely invincible to any poison, no longer having to worry about Zhu Nanzhi secretly drugging him and turning him into a sword spirit.
'This path is difficult, but I must continue on. It is my only chance.'
Lu Jianan thought to himself, though the Qixing Tongmai body is only a Saintly Body, it still appears in the world once every few hundred years. Therefore, if this opportunity is missed, there will be too much uncertainty in waiting for the next one.
What if in the future, some unexpected situation occurs that stops one from breaking through to the next level, causing Zhu Nanzhi to catch up and possibly engage in a direct physical confrontation with him. She might take advantage of the situation and directly poison him when both of them are vulnerable.
Thinking about these possibilities, Lu Jianan's attention grew even more focused.
Time drifted by, and when the morning sunlight shone through the window, Lu Jianan stopped his refining, preserved the Qixing Tongmai blood energy into a radiant sphere in the short sword, and got up to step out of the cabin onto the deck.
While starting his morning exercises, Lu Jianan looked at Xia Ming who kept looking around the boat's side: "What are you looking at?"
Xia Ming replied without turning his head, "Boredom, I'm watching the other soaring boats below."
"Alright." Lu Jianan did not ask any more questions.
After watching for a while and feeling bored, Xia Ming jumped onto the deck and stretched out his arms widely: "I can finally return to the sect tonight."
"Nanzhuo Domain is really too remote, the nearest domain with the 'Opening Through Space Gate' is a ten-day journey away, or else I would have returned earlier."
"Um," Lu Jianan responded with a single sound.
"Do we directly return to the sect?" Xia Ming asked excitedly, "And give a surprise to the vice-master?"
"Surprises should be given, but don't directly return to the sect," Lu Jianan said. "First, let's go to Jing'an City. I need to buy something to calm down my master and them."
"Who else? Who else are 'them'?"
"Of course, it's you and your three little sisters." Lu Jianan smiled at her and said, "Bribe you to ask for good words from the master in front of them."
"Big Brother is too cunning." Xia Ming made a spooky face at him: "And what about Master Sister? Shouldn't we prepare a gift for her?"
"Master has found an excuse for my seclusion, hasn't she?" Lu Jianan asked.
"I don't know now." Xia Ming shook his head: "Master Sister closed her door before you went to the desolate ruins and the celestial abyss, and I haven't seen her since then. I don't know if she has come out of seclusion yet this year and a half."
"She's really a cultivation maniac, with her talent, I wonder what she's practicing in seclusion." Lu Jianan shook his head: "Still, let's buy something for backup just in case."
"Oh!"
After the morning exercises ended and a simple breakfast was eaten, Lu Jianan put on a clean set of clothes, and Jing'an City could be seen in the distance.
This city located in Zhong Fang Jie, Chang An Domain, because it is the territory of Wandao Zong, is built with great prosperity and magnificent air.
Because the Supreme Sect of the five major sects and seven institutes of the human race, Wandao Zong, is located in Chang An Domain, everywhere can be seen bustling with people.
"Easy a disguise."
Before stepping off the soaring boat, Lu Jianan reminded Xia Ming, as the chance of being recognized in this city was too high.
One is the senior master of Wandao Zong, and one is one of the four attendants of the vice-master of Wandao Zong. Their portraits have long been circulating.
"I understand, it's to surprise the vice-master." Xia Ming hopped into the city following Lu Jianan, jumping up and down, with a storage bag in his hand: "We can't let the vice-master know that we have returned."
"Smart."
With the presentation of an ordinary purchase order from Wandao Zong, Lu Jianan and Xia Ming were able to pass through the city gate. The warm afternoon sun cast a gentle glow on the red bricks, green tiles, and vibrant eaves of the buildings. The streets were filled with shops and vendors, and the market was bustling with sounds of commerce.
"Do you want anything?" Lu Jianan asked as he walked ahead.
Xia Ming, who wanted to treat his senior brother generously, scanned the shops and replied, "Let me think it over."
"Um...um..."
"What?" Xia Ming looked curiously at Lu Jianan who had stopped in his tracks: "What's the matter?"
Lu Jianan was staring intently at a small clothing shop not far away called 'Yuejun Clothing Shop', not because the shop's decoration was particularly luxurious, but mainly because of the clothing in the hands of the woman standing at the door.
A black silk long sock.
Stockings? Black stockings? Over-the-knee black stockings?
Lu Jianan's eyelid twitched. He was thinking of making a fortune from this business after returning to the sect, only to find that he had been beaten to it...
What kind of business?
With a sense of curiosity, Lu Jianan walked over.
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Author: Thanks to the alliance master for the contribution of WU Hen, Red Dust History 1000 coins to contribute, XIAO Ruo li to da lan friends 100 coins to contribute, QI MI SAYUAN Name Change Rule 100 coins contribution, HUI LIYI's Duck 100 coins contribution, and Xiang Yao Yan 100 coins contribution.
Also, I apologize for having Zhu Nanzhi dream about the real name of the male protagonist at the beginning of the previous chapter. I wrote too quickly and didn't think it through; it has been corrected. Sorry (✖╭╮✖).
