Returning from the abyss

Chapter 1368 The Journey Begins Again

Lu Ning didn't expect that she could get a souvenir, although it was of no use to her.

Qiu Weishuang's research did not go beyond the scope of the "Sloughing Mystery Ritual", and Lu Ning did not need these, and some of the research results might be wrong. But since she was asked, she was willing to take this thing out and give it to someone who was destined to use it.

After all, Lu Ning didn't plan to have too much influence on the world, and if the tourists didn't plan to have too much social impact, it would be best not to bring out any knowledge or technology that was ahead of its time - superpowers didn't matter.

There were no surprises when returning to the abandoned hall of Meteoric Moon Mountain. Lu Ning had basically understood how the energy cycle of this place worked. This was also a system that could not guarantee that it would run forever. It was better to say that the maximum lifespan of each instrument refined by Qiu Weishuang was far from enough to study the secret of immortality that he pursued.

Lu Ning told Yuchi Long and Bai Wu Jin Ji who were waiting there what she had seen and heard.

Although Yuchi Long was somewhat surprised, he could accept it. However, the fact that there were no taboos was surprising.

It mainly couldn't understand why humans were so keen on pursuing immortality. As a metal-element demon, its lifespan was already long and endless, so it had never thought about this problem.

Such a lazy demon never thought that such a big fuss would be caused by this.

"Your life span is short to begin with, why don't you enjoy it and spend it on meaningless things like this?" Bai Wu Jin Ji said with emotion, "But in this case, the toxins you mentioned, etc., can just stop all activities here."

"Yes, although the circulation system has been replaced by a refining device, there are still many problems in this system. Especially in its current state, it is easy to accelerate its death process..." Lu Ning explained.

"Then there's no need for that." Bai Wu Jin Ji said.

"Uh?"

"I'm not sure whether it is a human or a monster, but no matter which one it is, I think it's best for me to handle it. You guys go down the mountain." Bai Wu Jin Ji poked the crack in the ground, "Don't let anyone come to the mountain to disturb me, and the problem here will be solved."

"I understand." Lu Ning nodded and looked at Yuchi Long, "Are you responsible for notifying them?"

"Okay, but I want to see the problem resolved. I'll watch from the foot of the mountain," said Yuchi Long.

The two men walked down the mountain, while Bai Wu Jin Ji used his countless thin steel limbs to prop himself up at a higher place and looked down at the hole torn in the ground.

The small devices that it had deployed before, as if inspired, began to rise from all corners of the Meteoric Moon Mountain. They emitted a strong bluish-white light in the red environment, and these rays of light connected to each other in the air, as if weaving a giant web of light on the Meteoric Moon Mountain.

Lu Ning and Yuchi Long could both see this magnificent scene. In the web of light, Baiwujinji flew up into the sky, and its tattered metal body began to piece itself together again in the light. With the help of the energy attached to the strong light, a spike as bright as the midday sun protruded from its body and pointed at the ground.

It was not until now that Lu Ning felt Bai Wu Jin Ji's strength as a demon star.

It transformed into a white sun in the sky, and with the help of the powerful energy it gathered, it fell directly down the mountain. The spike directly penetrated the surface of the Meteoric Moon Mountain, and the huge amount of energy was instantly injected into the ground, but Lu Ning and Yuchi Long did not feel any movement under their feet.

The energy control was perfect, and even though Lu Ning could not verify the effect of the previous attack, she could almost confirm that it was at least an attack with a power no less than that of the Last Sacrifice - even a demon would have to pay a certain price to launch the Last Sacrifice, but for Bai Wu Jin Ji, it seemed to be just a partial loss of energy.

After about an incense stick of time, Lu Ning and Yuchi Long saw white light beginning to seep from the ground. The two had to run a little further away. The white light covered the land contaminated by toxins and then quickly faded away.

"Nothing has changed." Yuchi Long looked at the ground covered by white light.

“After eradicating the source, the toxin will naturally not spread, but Baiwujinji probably won’t eliminate the original poison - after all, this thing guarantees that no one will go to Yunyue Mountain to disturb it. In the future, we can probably only wait for it to degrade naturally.” Lu Ning said.

"...Then I need to verify it." Looking at the white light net slowly disappearing in the sky, Yuchi Long did not dare to hesitate.

"The person you sent back has probably assembled the team, so we'll part ways now," Lu Ning said.

"Then... let's say goodbye here." Yuchi Long clasped his fists and bowed, then left in a hurry. Lu Ning had no intention of taking care of this matter. She just took the jade cong and thought about the direction she should go next.

=

One day later, when the sky and clouds had returned to normal, Bai Wu Jin Ji in Yunyue Mountain was suddenly awakened from his sleep.

"What's going on... Tsk, could something have happened?" Bai Wu Jin Ji rummaged through a few small cages beside the bed, and the situations in various places in Yunyue Mountain came into its field of vision.

There was only a green afterimage in the field of vision.

Bai Wu Jin Ji stretched his limbs and walked outside, while the visitor was already standing outside the house.

"Merce Spirit, you still like this appearance? Ever since that kid in the north gave you a name, has it been fixed?"

"No, when we first met, it was mostly due to my innate ability, but this appearance now is really a magical method of the immortals."

Li Ji looked at Bai Wu Jin Ji with a smile and spoke in a familiar tone.

"The magic of the immortals? As I recall, you weren't that into that kind of thing." Bai Wu Jin Ji knocked on the floor, and several teapots and teacups came over. He quickly poured a cup of tea for him, and then poured another cup for Li Ji.

"If I get something, I'll study it. Secret techniques and martial arts are all things that can be studied, and I won't refuse them." Li Ji took the teacup and took a sip. "It seems that there is no good tea in your mountain?"

"It's good to have energy." Bai Wu Jin Ji poured the tea directly into the stove that served as his head. "I woke up suddenly and thought there was an unwelcome visitor. But it turned out to be you."

"Yao Xing has made such a big fuss here. Out of curiosity, I have come to visit." Li Ji put down his sword with ease. "It seems that Your Excellency Yao Xing has personally eliminated the obsession in this mountain?"

"Can you please not be so awkward when you talk? After walking in the human world for so long, have you only learned hypocrisy?"

"I'm just afraid that you'll change." Li Ji immediately put away his smile and returned to his cold expression. "Fortunately, you have no taboos and can still withstand the changes after all."

"Nonsense...wait, what changed?"

"You should have felt it when Shidian died. But do you know why he died?"

"I don't know. I've never seen it again except for the one time when I became a demon star. How should I know?" "It got involved in the reincarnation immortal rules and was eventually swallowed up by the changing immortal rules. In order to prevent its own mistakes from bringing disaster, it perished together with the current emperor."

"You've exaggerated a lot, haven't you? Could it be that it has nowhere else to go, so it can only choose this last resort?" Bai Wu Jin Ji snorted coldly, "Being swallowed by the Immortal Rule is also its own fault. If it doesn't pick up that thing, is there anyone else fighting for it?"

"That's true." Li Ji nodded slightly.

"The Ten Palaces are just trying to make up for their mistakes. Do the Fengdu ghosts they brought with them live happily?" Bai Wu Jin Ji poured himself another cup of tea. "Anyway, I don't like it. What about you?"

"The northern part of the border does have its merits," said Li Ji.

"I don't care what happened to the other demon star. I just wonder why you didn't become this demon star. Do you also like the days of freedom and are afraid of being bound? Look at me, you don't have to care about these things at all."

"Your mentality is rare among the demon race. There are countless people seeking the truth, but only a few who can find it."

"That's right." Bai Wu Jin Ji said without any modesty, "There are not many monsters like me in the world. Do you want to come under my control?"

"Too idle, forget it."

He just laughed without any taboo and didn't take it to heart.

After drinking another cup of tea, Li Ji put the cup on the ground and said after a moment of silence: "There will be a war in the northern part of the Great Wall. What will happen to the human race and the demon race in the future? I'm afraid this war will be the beginning."

"That sounds stupid."

"Yes, but this is the rule of the world, and I must participate in it. In a war, no matter who it is, everyone is in danger of death. After this farewell, we may never meet again."

"I really don't understand you guys." Bai Wu Jin Ji threw the teacup away, letting it run into the grass pit, and then knocked on the sword in Li Ji's arms, "Can I help you refine it again?"

Li Ji laughed: "To travel the world, one must rely on one's own abilities, not magic weapons. The ending of Qiu Weishuang should also serve as a warning."

"…Tell that rising star that if things don't work out, just retreat. The demon race has lived for so long, there will always be a chance for them to come back."

"Definitely bring it."

=

At the same time, Lu Ning also packed her luggage and embarked on her journey again.

Meteoric Moon Mountain was just an episode in her journey. She continued to ride north on horseback. After just a few days, she crossed the state border and arrived in Huazhou.

She originally thought that this provincial capital where such prominent families gathered should be better than Dianzhou, but she found out after walking on the road that it was far from being the case.

She passed by several villages and towns. The scenes of people's miserable lives made Lu Ning feel a little unbelievable. It was already spring, but there were few people in the fields. Lu Ning stopped to ask a farmer for a bowl of water. After asking some questions, she found that the problems in Huazhou were actually very serious.

Therefore, there are many famous families in this place, and it is quite common for them to hide their fields and households. In a good year, they would still have some food left. But the past year was a disaster year. The harvest from the fields was small to begin with, and after handing over the crops to their superiors, they had almost nothing left. After a winter, countless people died of hunger and cold, and their deaths were not even registered anywhere.

Their poverty was almost visible to the naked eye, and this poverty had already consumed the last of these people's energy. Even though Lu Ning tried hard to bring up some topics, there was no response.

In contrast, when Lu Ning arrived at the first prefecture, Shengyuan Prefecture, where the prominent families of Huazhou gathered, he found that it was completely different from the desolate appearance outside. The prosperity here was even better than that of Xingyin and the capital, and everyone here seemed to be full of energy and had no worries. Even a vendor looked full of energy.

camouflage?

Lu Ning chatted with a few people at random and found that they were indeed living well - under the protection of prominent families.

The situation of Huai Ling Lu Clan is completely different from that of the aristocratic families that have been rooted here for a long time. The Lu Clan encourages competition within itself, and this competition has also brought about a series of problems today. There are even cases of quarrels among family members. In a sense, it is indeed like a "new" aristocratic family.

For these aristocratic families who have gone through countless dynasties, respectability and fashion have always been what they pursue. They will use the best pens, inks, paper and inkstones, hold banquets with the most literati and scholars, and everyone in their family, from the head of the family to the purchased servants, must undergo strict training to maintain their glamorous appearance - only in this way can they be appreciated and recommended.

It is true that by the time of the Wei Dynasty, the imperial examination system had already matured and talent had become a key assessment point, but the children of aristocratic families were always chasing the latest trends, and if they wanted to be talented, they would just study - this was not difficult for them at all.

This is especially true when facing foreign tourists.

"Shengyuan's prosperity has never declined."

Of course, Lu Ning knew more. Each of these noble families that had lived longer than the dynasty had some unique skills to maintain the prosperity of their family. For example, the family that Yuan Xiang came from was said to have a wish object that worked every time, but it required a sufficient amount of tribute. It was unknown how much this legend deviated from the truth, but it was enough to show that the development of these noble families to this day was different from that of a world without superpowers.

In Huazhou, there is a saying that there are ten noble families, seven noble families and four princes. Although it sounds treasonous, the fact is that they did have such a background. And there are five of them in Shengyuan City. Although these noble families will fight against each other secretly, they will never put it on the table.

Lu Ning found a shop and asked around, and heard the owner proudly say that his shop was opened by the Fang family. The Fang family was one of the Seven Nobles and was a famous aristocratic family. There were more than a dozen people serving as officials in the court, and there were countless others with great talents.

It sounds like whoever is hit by the flag at the door falling down could be a young talent.

Of course, there is no way to get any neutral opinions from this city. Nothing in the whole city belongs to an individual - even the residents here must be under the protection of some aristocratic family.

In such an extreme city, the only one that can be called neutral is the local government, and this is only on the surface. Lu Ning has no hope at all for the moral integrity of these local officials of the Wei Dynasty.

However, because of this "tradition", there is nothing impeccable about the inn here, and it can be said to be the best experience Lu Ning has had along the way.

but……

"This place feels even more awkward than Siming Prefecture." Lu Ning lay down on the bed, thinking helplessly, could it be that these are what Lu Qingxu asked her to see?