Journey to the head

"What, you're not going to cultivate your profound arts with the Dragon Girl tonight?"

The night was deep, and the stars filled the sky. Gu Nishang stood with her arms crossed, blocking Lu Qian, who was trying to squeeze in.

"Oh, I remember now. She just ingested innate spiritual energy and is currently in seclusion to digest it. So someone finally remembered me?"

Even though the spiritual energy within Baiyujing was much stronger, Gu Nishang didn't like it. So the Yunshan Sect built her an exquisite treehouse atop the lush canopy of a thousand-year-old spiritual tree at the summit of Biluo Peak, just like the one she had back in Bichao Mountain.

Lu Qian, who was standing on a tree branch, laughed upon hearing this, "What a strong sour smell! I don't remember Fairy Ni Chang saying such a thing."

“I’m practicing legitimate cultivation. Otherwise, you could switch to the ‘Suppressing Sea Profound Technique,’ or I could switch to the ‘Golden Crow True Technique.’ Then we could cultivate together day and night, which I would be more than happy to do.”

"Smiling on the outside, you're no good. I can't be bothered with you." Gu Nishang rolled her eyes, her high ponytail flicking in the darkness, sending sparks flying. "Spit it out."

"Oh dear, it's so late at night and the dew is so heavy. I'll definitely catch a cold if I stand outside. Let me in first." Lu Qian insisted on squeezing in.

"Did you cultivate your Nascent Soul in vain? Or are you just too old and your body can't handle it anymore?" Gu Nishang said bluntly. "If you can't take it, don't try to keep up with the young people's late-night antics. Go and get some rest."

Unfortunately, her outstretched hand was already empty. Lu Qian had already teleported into the treehouse using the Mirror Flower Water Moon technique. He glanced at the unchanging, slightly rough gold and red decorations in the hall, and then skillfully slipped into the bedroom.

"You lecher!" Gu Nishang grabbed Lu Qian's hand. "Get up! Who gave you permission to lie on my bed!"

Unfortunately, she didn't use any spiritual power, but Lu Qian exerted a little force and pulled her into his arms.

He pulled Gu Nishang's supple waist tighter: "A man can't say no. Let's try it out, and you can test it?"

Gu Nishang bit her red lips, her body temperature rising dangerously: "You shameless bastard! The Dragon Maiden isn't here, so you dare to take liberties with me!"

"Wait a minute!" Lu Qian shouted before the flames erupted and burned him to a crisp, "Our wedding is just around the corner, a hug is perfectly legal, you don't need to burn me to death, do you?"

Gu Nishang glared at her with her golden eyes: "You filthy scoundrel, who else should I burn if not you? And what's with the wedding date already?"

Lu Qian reached out and brushed her hair, pulling off the hair tie, causing her ponytail to cascade down like a waterfall.

“The Dragon Palace is full of treasures, and I am confident that I can quickly advance to the Nascent Soul stage. The day I reach the Nascent Soul stage will be the day I get married, and it will definitely not take more than a few years.” He smelled the fragrance in Gu Nishang’s hair. “Just a hug, because once we leave for the Dragon Palace, we won’t be able to see each other for a while.”

Gu Nishang snorted, her fiery aura subsiding. She nestled against Lu Qian's chest, listening to his heartbeat, and nuzzled her cheek against him a few times.

Then, suddenly realizing what she'd just said, her cheeks flushed slightly, she whispered a warning: "You can only hug me once, or I'll burn you alive."

Lu Qian smiled and nodded without saying a word. The two embraced quietly, their hearts pressed together, even their heartbeats gradually merging into one.

The world was quiet, except for the chirping of insects from the trees and groves outside the treehouse.

Lu Qian held Gu Nishang in his arms, wanting to say something, but suddenly didn't want to break the silence.

Say what?

It is said that the Heavenly Emperor's methods are beyond imagination, and we must be extremely careful in the future.
After Senior Brother Wang Yu pointed it out that day, Lu Qian was startled and realized that something was wrong.

Upon careful reflection, whether it was dealing with the Golden Crow Dao Seed, the Heavenly Monarch Statue, or even the initial Immortal Technique: The Great Dao Dream Butterfly Heavenly Book, or later the True Dragon Heavenly Monarch's essence blood, if one were sufficiently cautious, one probably wouldn't have acted so easily.

Lu Qian believed he possessed sufficient vigilance and caution, but why had he never refused anything from the Heavenly Emperor?
At first, it was ignorance and fearlessness, but what happened later?

Is it because the Great Dao Dream Butterfly Heavenly Book became the foundation of his enlightenment, and after tasting its benefits, he became unstoppable? Thus, he was blinded by greed and died for wealth?
Accepting these gifts from the Heavenly Emperor and immediately putting them to use, there was indeed a weighing of the pros and cons at the time, and it seemed like a rational choice.

But now, after Wang Yu pointed it out, he was suddenly shocked and realized that his so-called deliberation and consideration were actually irrational. When dealing with True Immortal Heavenly Lords who transcend this realm and possess the power to destroy the world, the first premise is that everything they possess is unsafe!
But why did all the things that shouldn't have happened happen, and so naturally?

What's even more frightening is that, while Lu Qian was pondering this, after some deduction, he felt that taking on the Heavenly Monarch's affairs would be more beneficial than harmful, and that it was worthwhile for the Yunshan Sect to take some risks.

After all, crisis is crisis, but crisis also contains opportunity. If we hadn't risked everything, how could we, or the Yunshan Sect, have made such rapid progress and accomplished in less than two hundred years what other sects had failed to do in two or three thousand years?
However, as soon as he said this, Wang Yu's expression changed drastically. And he was jolted awake again by Wang Yu's stern warning.

So he used his power of knowledge to leave a warning in his soul, like an inscription on stone, to proclaim it forever. Only then did he get rid of the terrible influence that had been there without his knowledge, and cold sweat immediately soaked his clothes.

The Heavenly Ruler can alter cause and effect, and the things belonging to the Heavenly Ruler can also unknowingly transform and influence one's will!
If a mortal were to face a Heavenly Lord, it would be as if they were separated by heaven and earth. A single glance from the Heavenly Lord would probably be enough to completely change the mind of a mortal!
He recalled the fragments of the Heavenly Lord of Wonderful Dharma's memory, in which he saw countless cultivators bowing and praising him devoutly.

Looking back, I realized that I had personally paid homage to the Heavenly Lord of Life and Death.
Is it possible that my mind has been influenced by the Heavenly Lord of Life and Death, and I have been turned into a pawn to deal with the Heavenly Lord of Wonderful Law?
Wait a minute, what kind of status does the Heavenly Lord of Life and Death hold? I'm not even an ant. To say I'm influenced by him is probably just flattering myself. Do I even deserve to be his pawn?
Moreover, with the tacit approval of the Heavenly Lord of Life and Death, he obtained the sect's most treasured golden tree branch. Furthermore, under the Heavenly Lord of Life and Death's banner and the protection of the Taiyi Paradise, he thrived.
Lu Qian's headaches didn't stop there. Why was it that among the core members of the Yunshan Sect, only Wang Yu pointed out this terrifying fact?

Because he, Wu Yan, and Lin Le practiced the Great Dao Dream Butterfly Heavenly Book, Gu Nishang had the Golden Crow Dao Seed, and Jiang Qingfeng possessed the blood of a true dragon!

Only Wang Yu, although born with the Yin-Yang Spirit Embryo coveted by the Corpse Clan and having mastered some of the Corpse Clan's True Seals, the Yin-Yang Spirit Embryo is a creation of heaven and earth, while the Corpse Clan's True Seals are something he transformed himself, so perhaps they are different?

If we're talking about the influence of the Heavenly Monarch, then the core members of the Yunshan Sect were almost completely wiped out!
This is truly terrifying and extremely dangerous; when it comes to such matters, it is very difficult to make a truly rational decision.

But there's no other way now. Perhaps in the future we could consider expanding the core layer of Yunshan to offset this impact.

Lu Qian tightened his grip on Gu Nishang's arm slightly.

Well, there's nothing more to say about this. It was discussed clearly enough at the meeting. I've already left a divine imprint on myself, so I'll naturally be vigilant at all times.

Let's talk about the trip to the Dragon Palace.

Gu Nishang had also offered to accompany Lu Qian. Inside the Dragon Palace, he might be able to navigate it with the help of Meng Chi's memories, but how to enter the Dragon Palace was still completely unknown.

The Ascension to Immortality was originally stolen, and the Dragon Clan coveted her True Dragon Bloodline. The road to the Dragon Palace was extremely dangerous, and Gu Nishang originally wanted to go along to lend a helping hand.

However, Lu Qian had already experienced firsthand the aquatic environment deep in the ocean, which was extremely unfavorable for Gu Nishang, and he didn't know how much of her strength she still had left.

As for the treasures that could, to some extent, exempt one from this suppression, Tao Boliang was still working diligently on refining them, and he only had two left. One for himself, and one for Jiang Baitao; there were no extras.

Therefore, it is best to let Ni Chang stay and guard the mountain gate.

Thinking back, I came to Ni Chang's place on a whim today, but I don't really have anything to say.

Lu Qian stroked Gu Nishang's rounded shoulders and sighed contentedly. Just as he was about to tease her a bit, he suddenly realized that the usually fiery Fairy Nishang had already fallen asleep quietly in his arms.

He paused for a moment, smiled slightly, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.

Lu Qian slept soundly through the night, but the chirping of birds in the forest at dawn woke him up.

Opening his eyes, he found Gu Nishang still nestled in his arms, a ray of sunlight streaming in through the window and falling on her delicate, fair cheeks. Her mouth was slightly open from her sleeping position, making her already full, vibrant red lips appear even more alluring.

Lu Qian watched quietly for a while, and slowly a blush rose on Gu Nishang's cheeks, and even her eyelashes trembled slightly.

what!
Lu Qian then smiled mischievously and suddenly kissed her lips.

"Ugh! How rude..."

Gu Nishang's eyes widened in surprise, but her struggles were weak and futile, and she was quickly overpowered by Lu Qian. A blush of embarrassment welled up in her beautiful eyes, and with a surge of spiritual power, she flipped herself over again and pressed Lu Qian heavily onto the bed.

Then the beauty kissed him passionately, and Lu Qian held her waist tightly, feeling her straddling his waist, her long and elastic legs clamping around him.

Well, at times like this, it doesn't matter who's on top or on the bottom!

Lu Qian's hands began to roam, quickly freeing Gu Nishang from her skirt. Her skin was flushed with passion, making her face even more radiant and beautiful beyond compare.

Lu Qian tore off her skirt, kissed her elegant neck, her snow-white skin and delicate collarbone, and then forcefully pulled at the last remaining layer of her inner armor, trying to free all her tenderness.

But Gu Nishang pressed down on his hands forcefully, and then bit Lu Qian's shoulder hard.

"hiss!"

Amid Lu Qian's cries of pain, Gu Nishang gasped for breath, trying to put on a fierce expression.

"Before marriage, this is all."

Fearing that she might burn him in her anger and embarrassment, Lu Qian had no choice but to compromise.

"Can I have another kiss then?"

Gu Nishang stared intently at him with her golden-red pupils, then lowered her head again.

……

Six months later, it was autumn, and the mountains were laden with fruit.

Lin Le remained in seclusion without making any progress, but Jiang Qingfeng had already emerged from seclusion, successfully absorbing innate spiritual energy and achieving the perfection of the Golden Core stage.

The fact that her cultivation level was only one wisp of innate spiritual energy away from perfection was mainly due to the Dragon Gate Golden Pill, but the enormous boost from the pseudo-immortal technique, the Qiankun Harmony and Intercourse Divine Art, also played a significant role.

Without this skill, Lin Le would not have been able to achieve the Golden Core stage.

Besides Lu Qian, Jiang Qingfeng, Lin Le, Wu Yan, Yu Jiao, and Huo Jin, this divine skill has already been passed on to several pairs of disciples who have passed the assessment, and it is gradually spreading.

Lu Qian even remembered the evaluation of Ye Xiao by the Heavenly Lord of Wonderful Laws in the past, and thought of Shen Jialuo, so he passed on the Golden Core Scroll and Nascent Soul Scroll of this divine skill to Ye Xiao.

I wonder where Ye Xiao will find a suitable person for dual cultivation?

That night, after circulating their energy nine times according to the cultivation method, Lu Qian and Jiang Qingfeng, who had returned to their dantian, stopped and leaned against each other to rest for a while.

From Jiang Qingfeng's perspective, since she had already reached the Golden Core stage, she couldn't improve any further no matter how hard she tried. However, she thought that Lu Qian could benefit from it, and since they hadn't seen each other for half a year, she didn't need to suppress her longing for him.

"I wonder how long it will take for Xiaolin to wake up." Jiang Qingfeng sighed with melancholy, putting himself in Xiaolin's shoes. "Xiaoyan must be worried sick every day. I see she has lost a lot of weight."

Lu Qian patted her shoulder: "Since Lin Le established his foundation, his path has been smooth sailing, but his fortune has been fluctuating. This is the will of Heaven, so he is now facing a calamity. But I believe that with his character, he will definitely be able to overcome his inner demons and get through this great tribulation."

He sighed, "It's a pity we didn't anticipate such a sudden calamity. The sect was still unprepared, having only elixirs but no spiritual materials. If we could have obtained these two Heart-Clearing Jade earlier, Lin Le would have had a better chance of success."

It turns out that although Lin Le's elixir poisoning was not yet cleared and he could no longer take the Innate Spirit Pill, spiritual treasures like the Heart-Clearing Jade did not contain elixir poisoning and could be used.

In terms of efficacy, the Innate Elixir directly keeps cultivators in a certain degree of clarity and suppresses the power of inner demons, making it much more effective than the Heart-Clearing Jade, which can only withstand one attack from an inner demon.

Therefore, I hadn't considered reducing the effectiveness of the pill by exchanging it for the Heart-Clearing Jade. My plan was for my disciples to gradually temper their minds and temperaments, and then take the pill after the poisoning had subsided.

Who would have thought that Lin Le's inner demons would be so hidden and so fierce?
A treasure like the Heart-Clearing Jade needs to be implanted into the sea of ​​consciousness before inner demons arise in order to be effective.

Lin Le is currently battling his inner demons, and his sea of ​​consciousness is in complete chaos. How can an implant be made?
Now, Lu Qian has learned his lesson and exchanged one Innate Breathing Pill for two Heart-Clearing Jade from the Star Sea Sect, but Lin Le can no longer use them.

Fortunately, at least my senior sister can use it.

"Senior sister, how is your cultivation of sexual energy? Have you achieved perfection in your mind and nature?" Lu Qian implanted a Heart-Clearing Jade into her.

His tone became serious: "Last time I said that if I could advance to the Nascent Soul stage before the Dragon Palace, it was just talk. Senior Sister, you must not be rash. Right now, your pill poison is not yet cleared, and you only have the Heart-Clearing Jade to use. The inner demon is dangerous and you cannot take risks. It would be better to wait until the pill poison is cleared before using the Innate Spirit Pill."

Jiang Qingfeng smiled gently: "Junior brother, rest assured, I have long understood my true nature. Moreover, I have always been naturally happy and have never gone against it. For me, I am fully confident in overcoming this tribulation of inner demons. I can even get through it without the Heart-Clearing Jade."

Lu Qian was truly surprised that his senior sister, who was always gentle and humble towards the path of cultivation, could utter such confident words.

But my senior sister is by no means someone who speaks without reason; if she says she's confident, then she truly is.

He asked curiously, "Speaking of which, Senior Sister has never given me a direct answer as to what your true intentions are."

Jiang Qingfeng's face suddenly flushed. She grabbed Lu Qian's collar, tilted her head back, and kissed him: "Then it depends on your performance..."

In the end, Lu Qian still couldn't hear his senior sister's true feelings.

Tsk, I don't understand, I did pretty well.

……

Late autumn has passed, and early winter has arrived.

As the weather turned cooler, the Yunshan Sect was filled with lively celebration.

The seventh Nascent Soul cultivator of the Yunshan Sect has been born.

Jiang Qingfeng successfully overcame his inner demon tribulation and achieved the Nascent Soul Sovereign status! (End of Chapter)