Journey to the head

The five-colored divine light receded, and amidst the swirling, gradually dissipating frost and snow, Lu Qian retrieved the golden tree branch into his dantian, held it in his nascent soul's embrace, and grasped the three precious talismans and two true talismans in one hand, while taking Hai Mocheng's storage bag in the other.

Hai Mocheng possessed only top-grade spiritual treasures, but since these treasures were imbued with spirit and bound to their masters by life and death, keeping them would render them unusable, even less compatible than magical artifacts. Destroying them would be the end of the world.

Lu Qian looked around and saw that the True Talisman Void Ice Lock, which covered this place and isolated the inside from the outside, was in a state of stagnation because Hai Mocheng was no longer maintaining its operation.

Unfortunately, this talisman has already been activated, so it cannot be taken back and used again.

Everything is a matter of timing and fate. Originally, Lu Qian did not intend to use the golden tree branch. He had honestly set up the great formation that he had been studying for fifteen years, preparing to use the power of the great formation, along with supernatural powers, spells, illusions, and magic treasures, to fight the enemy.

That would likely be a closely contested match.

However, to prevent Hai Yiwei from breaking his promise and interfering, or to prevent Lu Qian from seeking help from the "Elder of Void Refinement," Hai Mocheng activated the Void Ice Lock, which created an excellent environment for Lu Qian.

As long as it's in a top-secret environment and in a one-on-one situation, the golden tree branch is enough for Lu Qian to contend with a primordial spirit!

Just as Lu Qian was about to see what the effects of the True Talisman and the Treasure Talisman he had obtained were, a loud boom resounded, and the entire Void Ice Lock trembled!

Lu Qian's heart stirred, and he carefully stored away the True Talisman and Hai Mocheng's storage bag. Then, another explosion rang out, and the ice-blue runes that formed a dense chain in the space began to break apart under the strain.

The third time!
In an instant, the fine cracks connected in one place, the void ice lock exploded with a hum, and Hai Yiwei rushed in.

Lu Qian was secretly alarmed. Although the True Talisman was no longer in charge and its power had been greatly reduced, it still contained the power of the Void Refining Space. Hai Yi was able to blast it open with three heavy blows, so his attack must have contained the power of space.

Upon scanning the area with his divine sense, Hai Yiwei, finding only Lu Qian remaining, exclaimed in surprise, "Where is Hai Mocheng?"

Although Hai Yiwei allowed the two to fight to the death, he did not actually stand idly by. Seeing the true talisman covering the area, he felt something was wrong and rushed over immediately after dealing with Mi Mengcheng, breaking into the barrier.

Lu Qian bowed to him and said, "Commander Wei, I have fulfilled my mission and killed Hai Mocheng."

Killed?! In just a few breaths?
Hai Yiwei stared intently at Lu Qian, his tiger-like eyes wide open.

Within the sealed void of ice, no one can escape, and indeed, a dense concentration of icy power remains here.
Therefore, Hai Mocheng was indeed killed by Lu Qian, and was reduced to ashes with no trace of his body!
"Good lad, I underestimated you." Hai Yiwei couldn't hide his surprise. "What methods did you use?"

Lu Qian smiled and shook his head: "How can I easily reveal my trump card for survival? Don't worry, Commander Wei, I did not use any curses as promised."

"Coach Wei, have I passed this test?"

Hai Yiwei looked left and right. Lu Qianfeng stood under the moonlight, riding the wind, his bearing imposing and majestic, without any trace of the coldness of being cursed.

He nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, the younger generation is formidable. Yao Yao was right about him."

Then he suppressed his smile and said in a deep voice, "However, you must not be arrogant or complacent. You must work even harder in the future. You are still a long way from gaining my approval!"

Lu Qian was a little confused. Wasn't it said that passing the test would be enough? Why bring up recognition now?
But Hai Yiwei's next words immediately delighted him.

"I will make the arrangements for this trip to the Dragon Palace. I will secretly arrange for you to join my Ninghai Army. Then you and Yao Yao can go to the Dragon Palace together."

Become!

After much trouble, they finally obtained a promise from the powerful Hai Yiwei, and now they could follow the Six Immortal Pillars to the Dragon Palace!

Lu Qian thanked him repeatedly, and then listened to Hai Yiwei speak.

"As for what you said earlier, that the Mi family is secretly arresting you, there's no need to worry."

“Two brats came to spy on us just now. I killed Mi Mengcheng, and Mi Mengyin, who had the true talisman in her hand, escaped in the chaos, but we don’t need to worry about her.”

"Even if the Mi family knows you've joined my Hai family's ranks, so what? Do you think they'd dare search my Ninghai Navy?"

Lu Qian's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately sensed something was wrong. Mi Mengcheng, Mi Mengyin
He had seized the Dragon Palace Treasure Token from Mi Mengyin. Although he had never faced her directly, he knew from their previous interactions that she was a woman with a deep mind and was skilled in scheming.

Can this treasure voucher really be held securely in my hands?
Just then, Hai Yiwei's expression suddenly changed slightly.

He took out a vibrating horn covered with hexagonal ice crystal patterns and then held it to his ear to listen.

His gaze suddenly fell on Lu Qian, and Lu Qian's heart tightened.

After hearing the news, Hai Yiwei's face turned ashen, and he suddenly roared.

"That Mi Mengyin! I should have killed you first!"

Spiritual pressure exploded, a cold wave erupted, and a thousand-foot-high ice wave rose from the sea surface.

Lu Qian sensed something was wrong: "Commander Wei?"

Hai Yiwei waved his hand, suppressed his anger, stood there in deep thought for a long time, and then slowly spoke.

"Lu Qian, we've been tricked by Mi Mengyin."

"Just now, she informed the Six Pillars of Immortal Demise and all their families that you possess the Ascension Token!"

"He also emphasized that you are very likely to infiltrate the team of the Six Immortal Pillars with the help of Yao Yao and me to go to the Dragon Palace."

Lu Qian felt a sudden thud in his heart, and his body began to sink deeper.

"The message just now was from my great-grandfather, ordering me to return immediately to answer questions."

As expected, Mi Mengyin's move was too vicious, turning one Hai Mocheng into countless Hai Mochengs!

Under the watchful eye of the True Monarch of Refining Emptiness, even Hai Yiwei could no longer hide Lu Qian!
All the efforts made since arriving at the Immortal Fall Islands have been in vain at this moment!
Mi Mengyin!
Lu Qian and Hai Yiwei both wished they could tear her to pieces, but she had already disappeared.

The two stood in mid-air, unsure of what to do.

After a long silence, Lu Qian finally spoke: "Commander Wei, it seems I can no longer enter the Dragon Palace. I wonder if Shuang Yao has mentioned to you that I did not come alone this time, but with my senior and junior sisters."

"My junior sister Jiang Baitao and Shuangyao are very compatible and close friends. She came to the Immortal Meteor Islands at Shuangyao's invitation."

"My senior sister Jiang Qingfeng has a different bloodline and carries dragon blood. I think she can enter the Dragon Palace without the treasure voucher."

"And my spirit beast, the Jade Dragon, is actually a pure-blooded dragon. Right now, everyone's attention is on me, they won't notice anyone else, so I'm asking Commander Wei for help—"

"What did you say?" Hai Yiwei suddenly realized what was happening and shouted, his voice booming like thunder on the sea, "Your spirit beast, the Jade Dragon, is a pure-blooded dragon?" "Yes." As soon as Lu Qian uttered that word, Hai Yiwei stared at him, his eyes flashing like lightning.

“Listen, kid,” Hai Yiwei said, enunciating each word clearly, “this might be your last chance.”

"You can't get into the team of the Six Fallen Immortal Pillars. But speaking of which, the Dragon Clan knows best where the Dragon Palace is!"

"Hope may be slim, and the road ahead is fraught with peril, but if you can make good use of this pureblood dragon..."

Lu Qian took a deep breath.

After most of the day, the sun was high in the sky, and Yuhu Island shone brightly in the sea.

In the Mirage Ruins, at the Sea Abyss Pavilion, Lu Qian and his group met with Hai Yiwei and Hai Shuangyao.

Previously, Mi Mengyin had betrayed her family and fled in panic, so it was impossible for her to return to Jade Pot Island to issue a notice. The notice announcing the fall of the six immortal pillars was something she had prepared long ago.

This was more advantageous to Hai Yiwei. Commander Wei held considerable military power, possessed extraordinary cultivation, and enjoyed unparalleled prestige. The Hai family's Void Refinement Ancestor was also very polite to him and did not make things difficult for him.

After receiving confirmation that Hai Yiwei had not brought Lu Qian into his home and assured him that he would not hide Lu Qian, Hai Yiwei was allowed to return to rest, and Hai Shuangyao's ban was also lifted.

On the surface, it seems that the treasure voucher was indeed not with Hai Shuangyao. Hai Shuangyao did give the stolen voucher to someone else, and it didn't cause any loss to the Hai family, so it can't be considered a crime.

The most important thing is to focus our efforts on capturing Lu Qian and carefully screening him to prevent him from infiltrating the team. Keeping Hai Shuangyao locked up all the time would not only offend her great-great-grandfather and Hai Yiwei, but also, from another perspective, the trip to the Dragon Palace is about to begin. Are we really going to keep her locked up forever?
But in reality, the Hai family's higher-ups had other considerations. Perhaps they could use Hai Shuangyao, who was free to move around, to lure Lu Qian out.

As for Mijia directly demanding coupons, there's plenty of room for argument.

The Hai family claims that Mi Mengyin started the fight with Hai Shuangyao, and during the struggle, they both grabbed storage bags, so they shouldn't be held responsible for the lost treasure vouchers. Furthermore, the perpetrator, Mi Mengyin, has already defected from the Mi family and fled, and Mi Mengcheng, who was supposed to be guarding her, has disappeared.
In short, everything is in complete chaos. Even Ichimiya Kazumune, who was invited to act as a mediator, doesn't know how to make a decision. Perhaps the only solution is to find Lu Qian first.

However, they did not expect that Lu Qian, relying on his authority as a Class C Gold Medal holder, had been hiding in the Haiyuan Pavilion, right under their noses.

As for Hai Mocheng and his two subordinates, Hai Yiwei handled the situation swiftly and decisively. Apart from Mi Mengyin, who had already defected, there were no other witnesses, and the Hai family had not yet discovered their disappearance. After all, they were Nascent Soul Grand Cultivators; a single meditation session could take an unknown amount of time, and it was perfectly normal for them to remain hidden for ten days or half a month unless there was something urgent.

By the time it's confirmed that they're missing, their trip to the Dragon Palace will probably be over, making it even harder to find any clues.

"Tao Tao!"

Having been confined and depressed for a long time, and feeling down because of Xiao Lanhua's betrayal, Hai Shuangyao pounced on Jiang Baitao as soon as she saw her, hugged Baitao tightly, buried her head in her chest and took a deep breath, then raised her head with tears in her eyes.

"I miss you so much! You have no idea how I've been these past few days!"

Jiang Baitao's response was somewhat absent-minded. It wasn't that she was unhappy to see Hai Shuangyao, but rather that she was genuinely worried about Lu Qian's impending separation from them and her own quest for a glimmer of hope in the sea.

Jiang Qingfeng was naturally even more worried. She never expected that her junior brother's painstaking plan would ultimately fail, forcing him to take another risky step.

Lu Qian had just gone to great lengths to persuade his senior sister to agree to the plan of splitting the forces into two groups. Jiang Qingfeng and Jiang Baitao would remain at the Hai family home, to be cared for by Hai Yiwei and his daughter Hai Shuangyao, who would also try to find a way to take Jiang Qingfeng to the Dragon Palace.

Lu Qian and Yu Jiao will dive deep into the ocean, using Yu Jiao's pure-blooded dragon identity as a cover, to see if they can find the location of the Dragon Palace.

On these islands, although there are enemies who may try to capture them, at least they are still in the human world and have the protection of the Sea Abyss Pavilion, so their safety is generally not a concern. But once they enter the deep ocean, alone in the world of dragons and sea creatures, their life and safety are completely unpredictable.

Only Yu Jiao pounded his chest so hard it shook the heavens.

The chubby boy had been locked up in the Sea Abyss Pavilion for several days and was in a listless state. But now that he had taken on such a great and glorious task, he was immediately beaming with pride and his face was flushed.

I never imagined that Lu Qian would have to rely on me! Hahaha! As expected, when faced with dire straits, you still have to rely on me, Yu Jiao!
I will bring you this glimmer of hope!
"Rest assured, with me, the Jade Dragon Immortal, protecting you, this trip will surely be auspicious and successful. Acting impulsively will only lead to things going wrong... uh."

Jiang Qingfeng sighed softly, feeling even more uneasy because it was a jade dragon.

Hai Yiwei handed over a jade slip: "Kid, this is a map of the ocean waterways and key naval points that my Ninghai Army has explored over the years, as well as the bloodline divisions, customs, culture, and precautions of the Dragon Clan."

Lu Qian carefully accepted it and bowed in gratitude.

With this jade slip and the information that Haiyuan Pavilion could provide, we were no longer like blind men feeling an elephant underwater. We had some confidence and were less likely to give ourselves away.

"The ocean is fraught with danger, especially recently. Dragons have vanished, wild beasts are surging, and accidents are happening frequently," Hai Yiwei warned in conclusion. "Moreover, some areas are extremely dangerous. It's easy to get in, but difficult to get out. You can still regret it now. If you really can't get into the Dragon Palace in the end, Yao Yao can share some of her gains with you."

Hai Shuangyao was whispering with Jiang Baitao and didn't hear Hai Yiwei's words at all. Lu Qian smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Commander Wei. I will be careful. No matter how many difficulties and obstacles there are, I will try my best. Nothing is difficult if you are willing to climb."

Hai Yiwei nodded to himself. Then he saw Lu Qian turn around and bid a tender farewell to Jiang Qingfeng.

"Junior brother." Jiang Qingfeng suppressed his reluctance and worry, and of all the words he wanted to say, he finally only had four words left: "Be careful in everything."

Lu Qian nodded, and disregarding the presence of so many people, pulled his senior sister into his arms and gently kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry. You and Tao Tao take care too."

Hai Yiwei's eyes widened in surprise, while Lu Qian, still struggling to keep up with the "things didn't go as planned" scenario, finally caught a jade dragon that "defied the laws of nature," and turned to walk into the secret passage of Haiyuan Pavilion.

Hai Yiwei turned his head, pulled Hai Shuangyao, who was talking incessantly to Jiang Baitao, looked at her, and then looked at Jiang Qingfeng.

Jiang Qingfeng composed himself and bowed: "What are your orders, Commander Wei?"

Hai Yiwei: "What exactly is your relationship with Lu Qian?"

Jiang Qingfeng was somewhat puzzled: "Lu Qian is my junior brother, and we are also Daoist partners."

Hai Yiwei suddenly grabbed Hai Shuangyao: "Yaoyao, do you know about this?!"

Hai Shuangyao looked puzzled: "I know, Lu Qian and Sister Jiang have a very good relationship, and they will be getting married soon."

Hai Yiwei was so anxious he almost jumped up, his face flushed red, his hand trembling as he held Hai Shuangyao's: "You...you...you...my precious daughter, you're willing to share a husband with her?! You want to be a concubine?!"

Hai Shuangyao: "Huh???"

Jiang Baitao: "What?!"

At this time, there were still thirteen days until the Dragon Palace opened on the second day of the second lunar month. (End of this chapter)