Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 992 Encounter in the Immortal City, Investigating the Truth

Qin Yuanhong is the 392nd generation descendant of the Nine Thunder Heavenly Lord.

Although his bloodline is no longer the most direct line, his talent is among the best of the Qin family's contemporary members.

At just over three hundred years old, he had already successfully condensed his Nascent Soul and was regarded as one of the most promising seeds for the Qin family to reach the Divine Transformation stage in the future, and was highly valued by the elders of the clan.

Back then, when Zhou Xun joined the Qin family as a guest elder under the name "Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord,"

Qin Yuanhong once accompanied several highly respected elders of the family to pay their respects.

At that time, although he was already a Nascent Soul cultivator, he still maintained the respect of a junior in front of a Divine Transformation Heavenly Lord.

Seeing that he had a solid foundation and remarkable comprehension, Zhou Xun even casually gave him a few pointers.
Although it was only a few words, he benefited greatly from them and had a very good impression of this mysterious "Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord," feeling a sense of gratitude in his heart.

However, the good times did not last long.

Misfortune struck suddenly.

Because of Zhou Xun's feud with the Lu family, the Qin family suffered an undeserved disaster and was angered by Lu Xinghai, the Lu family's eldest elder.

A bloody purge swept through, wiping out the once-powerful Qin family almost overnight; most of the family's experts were killed or wounded.

Even the Nine Thunder Heavenly Lord, the pillar of the family who was a Nascent Soul Heavenly Lord, was publicly tortured to death by Lu Xinghai, who extracted his soul and refined his spirit. His condition was too gruesome to bear.

At the time, Qin Yuanhong happened to be away on a family mission, far from Tian Shu City, which is how he narrowly escaped disaster.

When he received the devastating news, he was struck dumb with grief.
They dared not linger for even a moment, and could only suppress their grief and indignation as they drove away from the Tianxing Islands.

For the next few years, he lived in anonymity, wandering from place to place, and eventually arrived at the Cangyuan Islands, which were beyond the reach of the Lu family's influence.

In order to obtain cultivation resources, he had no choice but to join the local powerful clan, the Feng clan, and become a Nascent Soul guest elder.
He was assigned to serve under the third son of the Feng family.

Although they found shelter, they were living under someone else's roof. The former glory of the Qin family's genius had faded, leaving only a deep-seated hatred buried in their hearts.

And so, more than twenty years passed.

On this day, as usual, he followed the third young master of the Feng family and his entourage to Zuixianju for a banquet.

After the banquet ended, the crowd escorted the slightly tipsy Third Young Master out of the private room. He kept his head down and mingled in the crowd, preparing to return to his residence with the group.

Suddenly, a clear voice transmitted to my ear:
"Young friend Qin, what brings you here? I am Lord Lei Yutian. If you have some free time, would you be willing to move to the 'Qingxin Teahouse' across the street for a chat?"

This sound...

Qin Yuanhong's body stiffened abruptly, his steps halted instantly, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped by an invisible hand!
Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord!

He recognized the owner of the voice immediately!

It was none other than Zhou Xun, the "Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord" who had once guided him and indirectly caused the Qin family's downfall!
In an instant, countless complex emotions surged into his heart like a flood bursting its banks, impacting his mind and spirit.

He harbored grief and resentment over the destruction of his family and the tragic deaths of his loved ones. This resentment naturally drew Zhou Xun, who became the catalyst for the tragedy.

On the other hand, as a genius of the Qin family who had personally met Zhou Xun and received his guidance,
He couldn't help but feel a surge of sincere admiration and respect for Zhou Xun!
This "Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord," with his early-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, managed to withstand a furious attack from Lu Xinghai, a powerful cultivator at the mid-stage Void Refinement realm.
And then he successfully escaped right under his nose!

What incredible strength and courage!

Looking across the entire Chaotic Sea of ​​a Thousand Stars, there are probably only a handful of Nascent Soul cultivators who can achieve this level!
Resentment and worship, two completely different emotions, intertwined and collided fiercely in his heart.
Soon, an incredibly clear thought quickly took hold of his mind:

Revenge! Avenge the millions of innocent souls of the Qin family!
We must demand retribution from the Lu family and Lu Xinghai for their blood debt!
However, he was self-aware enough to know that with his talent and cultivation, it would be an incredible stroke of luck for him to even advance to the Nascent Soul stage in his entire life.

Let alone trying to shake the behemoth that is the Lu family, it would be like an ant trying to shake a tree, a pipe dream.

But... this mysterious "Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord" is different!
He clearly remembered that the ancestor, the Nine Thunder Heavenly Lord, publicly commented that "Thunder Prison Heavenly Lord" would definitely become a powerful figure who could stir up the winds and clouds of the Thousand Star Chaotic Sea in the future!
Perhaps this week, Zhou Xun is the only hope for the entire Qin family to take revenge!

Thinking of this, a resolute glint flashed in Qin Yuanhong's eyes.

He quickly concealed all outward emotions on his face and replied:

"Junior Qin Hongyuan greets Senior Lei Yutianjun. Since you invited me, I will naturally pay my respects!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun nodded and instructed Qin Hongyuan to be discreet and not to make a fuss.

……

Qingxin Teahouse, Room 27 on the fifth floor.

Zhou Xun sat alone at the table, a pot of freshly brewed spiritual tea in front of him, steaming and emitting a faint fragrance.

His expression was calm, but his gaze was deep, as if he were pondering something.

A short while later, the wooden door to the private room was gently pushed open.

A slightly reserved figure slipped in, then quickly closed the door.
The person who arrived was Qin Yuanhong.

"Junior Qin Yuanhong pays respects to... Elder Zhou!"

As soon as Qin Hongyuan appeared, he gave a deep bow.
"Young friend Qin, there's no need for such formalities," Zhou Xun said calmly, gesturing to the seat opposite him.

"Please sit down. I never expected to meet an old friend in Cangyuan City. It's truly fate."

Elder Zhou!

Instead of sitting down, Qin Yuanhong knelt down heavily on the ground again with a "plop"!
He could no longer contain his emotions; his voice choked with sobs, and his forehead pressed tightly against the cold floor.
"Elder Zhou! I beg you... I beg you to avenge the millions of innocent souls in my Qin family! Our ancestor... our ancestor died such a tragic death!!"

These words were like a thunderclap in the quiet private room!
Zhou Xun was about to put the teapot down when it suddenly stopped, and the tea spilled out slightly.

The calmness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by utter astonishment!

He abruptly stood up, his gaze sharp as lightning, fixed on Qin Yuanhong kneeling on the ground, his voice urgent:

"Young friend Qin, what do you mean by that?"

"Qin family... Fellow Daoist Jiu Lei... what exactly happened?!"

A sense of foreboding welled up in Zhou Xun's heart.

Qin Yuanhong raised his head, his face already streaked with tears, his eyes bloodshot.

He suppressed his immense grief, his voice broken and heaving, yet every word was filled with anguish as he slowly recounted that unbearable tragedy:
"Ever since...ever since you left Tian Shu City, Elder...that Lu Xinghai has gone mad...searching the entire city, sealing off the sea area...everyone who had contact with you, even the slightest connection, has been subjected to severe interrogation..."

"My Qin family will be the first to suffer..." Qin Yuanhong's voice was filled with endless pain and hatred.

"That old scoundrel Lu Xinghai... he won't listen to any explanations at all..."

"He personally took action...leading the Lu family cultivators...to break through the great formation of my Qin family's territory..." Qin Yuanhong's body trembled violently, his voice filled with gritted teeth, and traces of blood flowed from his mouth.
"From the elderly to the infants crying for milk... a million people... almost... almost all were slaughtered! Rivers of blood flowed, and corpses littered the fields..."

At this point, he was already sobbing uncontrollably. After a long pause, he mustered all his remaining strength and let out a most grief-stricken roar:
"Even... even our ancestor... was captured in public by that old scoundrel Lu Xinghai... and tortured to death with the cruel punishment of having his soul extracted and refined!"

"What?!" BOOM—!
An indescribable, terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Zhou Xun's body!
Although it was only a fleeting moment and he forcibly suppressed it, the air in the entire private room seemed to freeze at that moment, and the cups and saucers on the coffee table vibrated with a buzzing sound!

Zhou Xun clenched his fists tightly, his face turning ashen, his eyes blazing with fury and chilling killing intent!
Nine Thunder Heavenly Lord

That fellow cultivator who was so polite to him... actually... actually met such a tragic end!

They extracted his soul and refined his spirit, then tortured and killed him!

And there are also millions of innocent members of the Qin family!
Because of him, they suffered this terrible calamity, and their entire family was wiped out!
"Lu—Shi!! Lu—Xing—Hai!!"

Zhou Xun practically spat out those words through clenched teeth, his voice low and hoarse.
It contains a fury powerful enough to burn mountains and boil seas!
He had never felt such hatred for someone, not even Fang Jiuzun back then!
He seemed to see the Nine Thunder Heavenly Lord struggling painfully under Lu Xinghai's attack.

Seeing the Qin family's territory turned into a bloodbath of carnage!

The private room fell into a deathly silence, broken only by Qin Yuanhong's suppressed sobs and Zhou Xun's heavy, restrained breathing.

After a long while, Zhou Xun forced down the anger and guilt that were about to burst out of his chest.

He slowly closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and when he opened them again, although there was still a chill in his eyes, most of his clarity had returned.

He stepped forward and personally helped Qin Yuanhong, who was kneeling on the ground and almost collapsed, to his feet.

"Young friend Qin... I am aware of this matter." Zhou Xun's voice carried a hint of heaviness, yet was exceptionally firm.
"This blood feud, I, Zhou Xun... will never forget! The Lu family, Lu Xinghai... will pay the price for this one day!"

He looked at the only remaining genius of the Qin family before him, and his tone turned solemn:
"You are not only one of the few survivors of the Qin family, but also the hope for the future of the Qin family."

"Right now, your most important task is to protect yourself, strive to improve your cultivation, and secretly contact and gather other Qin family members who may have survived, in order to restore the Qin family's glory in the future!"

"During this period, you must conceal your identity and never reveal your connection with me or the Qin family, so as to avoid further trouble."

Listening to Zhou Xun's words, Qin Yuanhong felt the weight of his promise and concern, and his grief and indignation eased slightly. He nodded vigorously.
"This junior understands! This junior will certainly keep the elder's teachings in mind, and strive to cultivate diligently, so as to restore the family's honor as soon as possible!"

But he immediately added, "However... I also wish to do my part in the matter of revenge!"

"I humbly request that the elder allow me to follow you, even if it's just to handle some chores or gather information for you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun shook his head:
“I understand your feelings. But right now, your most important task is not to stay by my side, but to preserve yourself and continue your bloodline and lineage.”

"Your greatest task is to restore the Qin family's former prestige!"

Zhou Xun hesitated for a moment, then flipped his hand and took out two exquisite jade bottles, handing them over.

"These two pills, one is the 'Crossing Tribulation Pill,' which can help you break through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage; the other is the 'Nine-Turn Crossing Tribulation Pill,' which can help you break through to the late-Nascent Soul stage!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yuanhong's body trembled, and his hands shook slightly as he accepted the two jade bottles.

He knew the value of these two elixirs, especially during this resource-scarce period of exile.

He bowed deeply again, his voice choked with emotion yet resolute: "Thank you for your generous gift, Elder Zhou! Hongyuan... will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Zhou Xun nodded slightly, and based on his perception of Qin Yuanhong's cultivation technique, he gave him a few targeted pointers on key points of cultivation.

Qin Yuanhong listened intently and felt as if his eyes had suddenly opened up. Some things that had been difficult to understand before became clear, and he was extremely grateful to Zhou Xun.

After giving some instructions and guidance, Qin Yuanhong composed himself, concealed his presence, and quietly left in another direction.

……

After Qin Hongyuan left, Zhou Xun's face was ashen, and he sat alone in the private room for a long time.

With a wave of his hand, he took out a pot of 'Nine Heavens Thunder Chant', which was given to him by the Nine Thunder True Lord back then.

Zhou Xun picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The spicy liquor slid down my throat, carrying a familiar, thunderous flavor, but I could no longer taste the exhilaration of the past.

He downed glass after glass, as if trying to extinguish the burning pain in his heart with the strong liquor.

In a daze, he seemed to have returned to those days in Tian Shu City, and the hearty laughter of True Monarch Jiu Lei still echoed in his ears:

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, please try this newly brewed 'Nine Heavens Thunder Chant,' refined with the essence of thunder from the nine heavens and infused with the essence of thousand-year-old lightning-struck wood. It is the most mellow and potent of all!"
Back then, the Nine Thunder True Lord always wore a purple-gold Taoist robe, his hair and beard stood on end, and his brows exuded a thunderous majesty, yet he treated people with exceptional sincerity.

The two often sat facing each other in the Qin family's "Ting Lei Xuan" (Listening to Thunder Pavilion), sipping wine and discussing philosophy.

True Lord Nine Thunder never held anything back, imparting to the Qin family the essence of thunder magic passed down for thousands of years.

Little did they know that this would be their final farewell.

With a loud 'bang,' the white jade wine cup was smashed hard on the ground.

A violent killing intent surged within his chest.

"Brother Qin, rest assured, Zhou Xun vows that he will not be a man if he does not destroy the Lu family in this lifetime!"

a long time,

Zhou Xun's face had returned to its usual calm, but there was an unyielding coldness deep in his eyes.

Composing himself, Zhou Xun left Qingxin Teahouse and returned to Qingyu Lake Cave.

Inside the cave, Liu Bai, Yun Kutianjun, and others were discussing the Dao. When they saw Zhou Xun return, they all stood up to greet him.

Zhou Xun looked around at everyone and said, "I have come here today to say goodbye to you all."

"Leaving so soon?" Yun Kutianjun asked in surprise.

Zhou Xun nodded:

"When I returned to the human world back then, there were still a few important matters that I had not yet completed. This time, I am going to finish them."

Liu Bai sighed, "Since that's the case, we won't force you to stay. It's just a pity that we haven't had a chance to properly exchange Daoist techniques with Fellow Daoist Zhou."

"There's plenty of time in the future," Zhou Xun said, cupping his hands in greeting.

“A hundred years from now, when we meet again, we will surely have a good discussion with all of you fellow Daoists.”

Afterwards, the group escorted Zhou Xun all the way to the outskirts of Cangyuan City.

The heavy rain had just stopped, and a corner of clear sky appeared on the horizon. Sunlight shone through the clouds, casting a magnificent rainbow on the sea.

Zhou Xun cupped his hands in farewell: "I'll see you off here. See you again in a hundred years. I wish you all great progress in your cultivation by then!"

"Take care, Fellow Daoist Zhou!"

Amidst everyone's farewells, Zhou Xun transformed into a bolt of lightning and vanished into the sky, speeding towards Tian Shu City!

(End of this chapter)