Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 948 The Lu Family Comes to the Door, Zhou Xun's Response!

The discussion at the next table continued.

Zhou Xun picked up his teacup and looked out the window at the shimmering lake.

He appeared to be admiring the scenery, but in reality, he was using his divine sense to probe the activity within a radius of several miles.

"This Jade Snail Spring tea is indeed excellent," Zhou Xun said gently to Sun Yuanxuan after taking a sip.

"Try these jade lotus seeds. They are formed from fourth-order spiritual lotus seeds and are very beneficial for stabilizing your cultivation."

Sun Yuanxuan obediently picked up a bright green lotus seed and gently bit into it. The lotus seed melted in her mouth, and a cool spiritual energy flowed through her meridians, further solidifying her newly broken-through realm.

"I heard that the Lu family sent several Nascent Soul cultivators to investigate, but when they arrived at the spirit island where Senior Wangchuan was, it was already deserted!"

"Not only that, the cultivators who were originally stationed on the island also left one after another, leaving not even a single useful spiritual herb behind!"

"It seems that Senior Zhou is quite perceptive!" one person remarked.
"That's right! Perhaps that Senior Wangchuan has already come to our Tian Shu City?"

"Perhaps it's right beside us, listening to our idle chatter right now!" the shrill voice said.

Upon hearing this, the others burst into laughter.

"How could that be? Haha, Brother Xu, you're joking. Come on, have some food!"

"Yes, if that's the case, I'll definitely go and pay them a visit. To face such a behemoth as the Lu family and still escape unscathed is truly something to aspire to!"

Zhou Xun listened to these discussions and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

When he left Tianque Island that day, he deliberately left traces of his presence in three directions, so Lu's pursuers must be circling around right now.

Suddenly, a commotion arose downstairs.
Immediately afterwards, a young gentleman, surrounded by a crowd, went up to the second floor.

"The Lu family has arrived!"

This man was none other than Lu Yuxuan, the fifth young master of the Lu family. He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with a jade belt around his waist, adorned with several jade pendants that emitted a faint spiritual light.

With a handsome face, exquisite features, and a pair of captivating eyes, he exuded the elegant demeanor of a young master from a prestigious family in every gesture.

Upon seeing this, Sun Yuanxuan unconsciously tightened her grip on the teacup.

The group of people who had been talking loudly just moments before immediately fell silent, their expressions showing a hint of tension.

Lu Yuxuan looked around, his gaze lingering briefly on Zhou Xun's table, before he said loudly, "Fellow Daoists, I am Lu Yuxuan of the Lu Clan. I have come here today to convey a matter."

His voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a touch of the reserved nature typical of scions of prominent families.

"Our Lu clan is currently searching for a cultivator named Zhou Xun, the Heavenly Lord of the Forgotten River. This person is a mid-grade fifth-tier array master, skilled in lightning magic, over seven feet tall, and has a... [unclear text]"

Lu Yuxuan described Zhou Xun's physical characteristics in detail, and added at the end:

"Anyone who provides accurate clues will be rewarded with three hundred spirit crystals; anyone who captures this person will be rewarded with three thousand spirit crystals."

An uproar erupted inside the teahouse.

This bounty amount is enough to tempt any Nascent Soul cultivator.

Just as everyone was discussing this, Lu Yuxuan suddenly caught sight of Zhou Xun drinking alone to the side, and was taken aback.
Then he walked towards Zhou Xun's table.

Sun Yuanxuan's heart leaped into her throat, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes.

Zhou Xun, however, remained calm and unmoved.
"Junior Lu Yuxuan greets Senior Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord." Lu Yuxuan stopped in front of Zhou Xun's table and bowed respectfully.
"I never expected that the Heavenly Emperor would also be here enjoying tea."

Upon hearing this, the entire second floor fell into complete silence.

All eyes were on Zhou Xun, and the cultivators who had been talking loudly were dumbfounded.

Unexpectedly, I encountered a Nascent Soul Celestial Lord here.

Zhou Xun calmly put down his teacup and looked up at Lu Yuxuan: "Young Master Lu, do you recognize me?"

"When the Heavenly Lord was undergoing the Tribulation of Nascent Soul, tempering his body with heavenly lightning to achieve the Nascent Soul realm, I have long admired his heroic figure, and thus I am familiar with your true appearance." Lu Yuxuan's attitude was respectful yet tinged with admiration.

“My father often said that Lord Lei Yutian is a role model for us.”

Zhou Xun nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.

“If my father knew that the Heavenly Lord was living in seclusion here, he would surely come to visit,” Lu Yuxuan added.

"Your father is too kind," Zhou Xun said calmly.

"If Patriarch Lu can spare the time to come, I will certainly prepare a warm welcome!"

Lu Yuxuan understood and bowed again, saying, "This junior takes his leave."

After the Lu family left, the few cultivators hesitated for a moment before finally mustering the courage to step forward and pay their respects.

"This junior greets Lord Lei Yutian!"

"I was unaware that the Heavenly Emperor was here; there may have been some offense."

Zhou Xun waved his hand: "It's alright, I'm just having tea here too, you can all make yourselves at home!"

Seeing his amiable attitude, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and took their leave to return to their seats.

Only then did Sun Yuanxuan breathe a sigh of relief and transmit her voice, "Young Master, they..."

"Don't worry." Zhou Xun poured her a cup of tea. "Lei Yutianjun's identity is clean and innocent, and he has no grudge against the Lu family."

More importantly, Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord broke through to the Nascent Soul stage in Tian Shu City, while Forgetful River Heavenly Lord had joined the Que Clan before that.
No one could have guessed that the former Heavenly Lord of the Forgotten River was just a Nascent Soul cultivator.

The day after returning to the cave, just as Lu Yuxuan had predicted, the head of the Lu family personally came to visit.

At dawn, Zhou Xun was meditating in his quiet room when he suddenly sensed a powerful aura coming from outside his cave.

He opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips: "You came quickly."

Stepping out of the quiet room, he saw Sun Yuanxuan already waiting outside, her face showing some nervousness: "Young Master, Patriarch Lu is outside requesting an audience."

"It's alright." Zhou Xun straightened his robes. "Activate the restrictions and welcome our guests."

The cave gate slowly opened, revealing a middle-aged man in a purple-gold robe standing with his hands behind his back.

This man had a dignified face, eyes like lightning, and a faint spiritual light flowing around him. He was Lu Xingyun, the head of the Lu family, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Lei Yu, I apologize for my intrusion in visiting, and I hope you will forgive me," Lu Xingyun said with a cupped hand and a smile, his voice deep and powerful.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you're too kind. Please come in." Zhou Xun returned the greeting and led the man into the living room.

The two took their seats as host and guest, and Sun Yuanxuan served them spirit tea. Lu Xingyun waved his hand, and his attendants immediately presented him with an exquisite jade box.

"I heard that you have recently advanced to the Nascent Soul stage. Here is a small gift to express my respect."

Zhou Xun scanned the box with his divine sense and discovered that it contained a ten-thousand-year-old Purple Thunder Ginseng, a low-grade fifth-rank ginseng, which was quite valuable. He looked surprised and said, "Fellow Daoist Lu is too kind."

After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Xingyun changed the subject: "Fellow Daoist, are you aware that my Lu Clan has recently issued a warrant for the arrest of a cultivator named Zhou Xun?"

Zhou Xun remained expressionless, taking a sip of spiritual tea: "I've heard a little about it. It's said that this person killed a cultivator from your Lu family?"

“Exactly.” A shadow crossed Lu Xingyun’s eyes. “Our clan’s Supreme Elder was furious about this matter. He not only offered a reward of three thousand spirit crystals, but also promised to personally guide the capture of the person.”

At this point, he looked at Zhou Xun meaningfully: "The value of guidance from a mid-stage Refinement Void cultivator is something you surely understand, fellow Daoist."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun was also extremely surprised. It seemed that Lu Xinghai truly hated him to the extreme.

However, the Lord of the River of Oblivion is now offline, and the one in charge now is the Lord of Thunder Prison. What the Lord of the River of Oblivion did has nothing to do with him.

Zhou Xun showed a hint of interest at the opportune moment and pondered, "Indeed precious. It's a pity that after I broke through to the Nascent Soul stage here more than ten years ago, I have been in seclusion ever since and know very little about the outside world."

Lu Xingyun's eyes flickered slightly: "Oh? Fellow Daoist has been in Tian Shu City all this time?"

“That’s right,” Zhou Xun said frankly.

"When I traveled here years ago, I found the spiritual energy here abundant, so I opened a cave dwelling outside the city. After breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, I rarely went out and stayed in the cave dwelling to consolidate my cultivation!"

His words were watertight; the identity of Lei Yutianjun was indeed that of a Nascent Soul cultivator who broke through in Tian Shu City, and this was verifiable.

After observing for a moment and finding no flaws, Lu Xingyun could only smile and say, "If you have any news about Zhou Xun, please let me know. My Lu family will surely reward you handsomely."

“That’s natural.” Zhou Xun nodded in agreement.

After seeing Lu Xingyun off, Sun Yuanxuan breathed a sigh of relief: "Young Master, this Lu family head..."

“It’s alright.” Zhou Xun waved his hand. “He’s just testing me as a fellow Nascent Soul cultivator with the same lightning attribute.”

Lu Xingyun stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, his body shimmering with spiritual light, his brows slightly furrowed. The Fifth Young Master, Lu Yuxuan, strode over and bowed respectfully: "Father, you've returned."

"Hmm." Lu Xingyun nodded slightly, as if speaking to Lu Yuxuan, yet also as if talking to himself.

"This person's words and actions were flawless."

"His aura is pure, indeed a legitimate thunder cultivation technique. Moreover, the thunder spirit aura on his body is completely different from that of Zhou Xun."

"It seems I was overthinking it!"

"By the way, how's your investigation going?"

Lu Xingyun shook his head.
Lu Yuxuan pondered for a moment: "Father, the intelligence I've gathered also shows that Lei Yutianjun did indeed come to Tian Shu City more than ten years ago and broke through to the Nascent Soul stage outside the city."

"Many cultivators in the city witnessed the extraordinary phenomenon of the Heavenly Thunder tempering the body."

As he spoke, he took out a jade slip: "This is a record retrieved from the Hall of Affairs of Tian Shu City. It clearly records the time when Lei Yu Tian Jun was registered, which is exactly the same as what he said."

Lu Xingyun took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and his brows gradually relaxed: "It seems that's indeed the case."

"Zhou Xun is only a fifth-order array master. He joined the Que Clan much earlier. If Lei Yu Tianjun is Zhou Xun, why would he be attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in Tian Shu City!"

He turned to look out the window, his gaze deep: "However, this matter still needs to be reported to Elder Xinghai. As for this Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord..."

“I understand.” Lu Yuxuan said knowingly, “Since nothing abnormal has been found, we don’t need to keep an eye on it anymore.”

Lu Xingyun gave his son a satisfied look: "You're becoming more and more reliable in handling matters."

"Thank you for the praise, Father," Lu Yuxuan said, bowing. "As for the investigation of Zhou Xun..."

"Continue." A cold glint flashed in Lu Xingyun's eyes.
"Elder Xinghai has already spoken: he wants to see the person alive or dead."

"Yes!"

After Lu Yuxuan left, Lu Xingyun stood alone by the window, gazing at the distant sea of ​​clouds, and murmured to himself:

"Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord. He tempers his body with heavenly lightning; he is indeed a talented individual and worth recruiting!"

He then ordered his son to try to win this person over while he was in Tian Shu City, saying that it would be a great thing if he could bring him into the family.

After all, the Lu family had recently acquired a considerable amount of territory from the Que family, and their manpower was now quite stretched, making the recruitment of guest advisors an unavoidable strategy.

In the cave dwelling of Tian Shu City, Zhou Xun sat upright in the cultivation room.
With a flick of his sleeve, a jade bottle appeared before him, containing the Xuan Yuan Yun Ling Pill, a spiritual elixir that could assist in the cultivation of those in the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm.

With a wave of his hand, a force lifted the bottle, automatically popping the cork.

Immediately afterwards, a milky-white pill was poured out.

Zhou Xun opened his mouth,

Swallow it slowly.

Upon reaching the abdomen, streams of pure spiritual energy rose up and filled the meridians.

Zhou Xun then activated the "Purple Heaven Thunder Technique," guiding it through a grand circulation in his meridians, ultimately transforming it into spiritual energy and merging it into the nascent soul in his dantian.

Zhou Xun was immersed in this wondrous state of cultivation, and time slipped away unnoticed.

Several hours later, when he opened his eyes again, his cultivation level had improved by another level.

After completing his cultivation, Zhou Xun summoned his Thunder Pool again.

As soon as the Thunder Pool appeared, tiny arcs of lightning appeared in the air, followed by the usual lightning tempering.

Body tempering techniques are a slow and meticulous process, requiring decades of continuous practice to achieve any success.

Zhou Xun formed hand seals and pointed towards the Thunder Pool.
A tiny arc of purple lightning was drawn out, streaking across the body's surface and seeping into its interior.

The lightning arcs constantly tempered his muscles, bones, and internal organs, bringing waves of stinging pain while also stimulating the potential deep within his body.

Several hours passed in this way, and Zhou Xun slowly finished his practice. The purple color on his body gradually disappeared, revealing the original appearance of his skin.

Her skin was as white as jade, without a single flaw, and beneath her skin, there seemed to be a faint rumble of thunder.

Thus, today's body tempering is complete.
His physique is even stronger than before.

After finishing these tasks, Zhou Xun took out the "Five Heavens Purple Thunder Formation" and began to study it.
His focus then shifted to this formation.
Before we knew it, half a year had passed in the blink of an eye.

"I've finally figured out this formation!"

Zhou Xun slowly opened his eyes, a flash of lightning in them. After half a year of dedicated study, he had finally mastered the mysteries of the Five Heavens Purple Thunder Formation.

The next day, in the training room.

Zhou Xun sat cross-legged on the ground.

With a wave of his hand, he took out a foot-long incense stick and then gently stuck it into the ground.
Fifth-Order Spirit-Concentrating Incense

With a flick of the fingertip, a wisp of lightning ignited it.

Wisps of smoke rose, carrying a faint sandalwood scent that instantly refreshed the mind.

As the fragrance entered his body, Zhou Xun felt his five senses instantly reach their peak.

He could clearly hear the sound of the spiritual spring flowing outside the cave, smell the fragrance of the spiritual plants in the spiritual herb garden ten miles away, and even see the flow of spiritual energy in the air.

Every detail of the Five Heavens Purple Thunder Array clearly appeared in my mind.

He first simulated the entire refining process in his mind: disassembling the array flags, fusing the materials, and inscribing the array patterns, until he was sure he knew every step by heart.

Only then did the formal refining process begin.
"rise!"

Zhou Xun suddenly opened his eyes, and a set of array flags shimmering with lightning flew out from his sleeve.

This was the same fourth-tier, top-grade Five Heavens Purple Thunder Formation he had used before.

With a hand gesture, he conjured 360 array flags, which appeared before him.

Immediately afterwards, he took out countless materials, among which the most precious were the "Nine Tribulations Thunder Pattern Wood" and the "Five Heavens Thunder Crystal".

Next, the formal refining process began!
(End of this chapter)