The Long Journey to Immortality

Seeing that Mo Zhehan had no intention of playing the straight man, Han Lu decided not to make a fool of herself.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Since you feel it's inappropriate, I'll apologize to Qiu Xing next time I see her and let her touch me as compensation."

The topic ended in a lighthearted manner as Han Lu brought up the next plan, "Let's go, let's go to the wilderness together."

"Will I escort you all the way to the Phoenix Clan?"

"Not necessarily, it depends on your performance."

Mo Zhehan replied without hesitation, "Okay, I will definitely do my best."

[Author's Note] If the US stock market continues to plummet, I'll be partly responsible. I just bought QDII funds, and the US stock market has been falling ever since... My current profit is 7000. Can the A-share market lend a hand?

Chapter 932 Illusion and Reality

The two flew through the air, and before they even left the Extreme Heaven Palace, Han Lu brought up Qiu Xing's matter again.

"Mo Zhehan, do you recognize Qiu Xing's elusive secret technique? Is it a secret technique for designing space?" Han Lu asked, based on her guess during their sparring session.

Having sparred with Qiu Xing several times, Mo Zhehan had often exchanged ideas and communicated with Qiu Xing afterward, so he naturally had some understanding of Qiu Xing's rather powerful secret technique.

"This move is called 'Illusion and Reality'," Mo Zhehan explained, "and it's one of Qiu Xing's most proficient secret techniques."

"Back then, she was able to win the championship in the Central Plains by relying on this ghostly characteristic of her move to dodge her opponent's full-force attack."

Han Lu nodded slightly as she listened, imagining the scene of Qiu Xing barely managing to use this secret technique when he was still in the Foundation Establishment stage and ultimately turning the tide and winning.

"The principle behind it is similar to what you guessed, Han Lu; it's a secret technique related to space."

"According to Qiu Xing, she accidentally found a superior secret technique in an ancient book. Because it is very difficult to cultivate and has many restrictions on its use, no one cares about it. However, she has a great talent for this secret technique."

A cultivator's talent is not limited to cultivation.

Some cultivators are skilled at manipulating magical artifacts and have unique talents in refining and using them.

Some cultivators are skilled in the Five Elements techniques, and when they use the same technique with someone else, they can unleash even greater power.

Some cultivators are skilled in crafting artifacts, appraisal, and even business.

The "illusion and reality" secret technique used by Qiu Xing is something that Mo Zhehan can hardly understand in his cultivation. Even after a hundred years of practice, he might not be able to grasp the basics, let alone use it smoothly in combat. But Qiu Xing was able to use it in sparring even when he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Do you know the principle behind it?" Han Lu continued to inquire.

Mo Zhehan replied, "It's not complicated."

"It was as if a spell was about to strike. I noticed a small crack in the ground and tried to crawl into it to hide underground."

"Qiu Xing transformed the ground into space, used a secret technique to temporarily create a small crack, and then crawled into it to hide."

"Thus, the effect that you and I see during the battle is formed."

The truth was almost exactly what Han Lu had guessed, which convinced her that her combat intuition had improved to a new level.

“No wonder Qiu Xing seems to be using her secret technique with increasing ease each time,” Han Lu said with a smile. “It must be because she used the secret technique to widen that not-so-large gap, giving her more room to move around when hiding, so that the compression caused by the natural recovery of the space doesn’t put too much strain on her body.”

Mo Zhehan nodded in agreement.

Thinking of Qiu Xing and Mo Zhehan, Han Lu asked curiously, "Mo Zhehan, have you practiced any new secret techniques or acquired any new magic treasures over the years? To be honest, we've known each other for so many years, but we've only fought once, back when we were in the Foundation Establishment stage."

"I remember you also quite enjoyed sparring and exchanging techniques with others."

"How about we have a match today?"

Although Han Lu was not fond of fighting, she had been aroused by her sparring with Qiu Xing earlier, and couldn't help but turn her attention to Mo Zhehan, wanting to have a match with this Zhulong cultivator to release the spiritual power that had been mobilized but not used in her body.

Hearing Han Lu's suggestion, Mo Zhehan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "No need, Han Lu."

"What? You're afraid to fight me? Afraid of losing?" Han Lu asked.

Mo Zhehan met Han Lu's gaze, his eyes showing no fear. "I am indeed no match for you now, but my unwillingness to spar with you is not because I am afraid of losing."

"Why is that?" Han Lu asked, puzzled.

Mo Zhehan joked, "If we were to have a friendly spar, regardless of who wins or loses, I'd be the one who suffers."

"What kind of statement is this?" Han Lu didn't grasp the key point.

Mo Zhehan spoke a little faster, "If we win, people will say I beat my wife."

"If we lose and word gets out, won't I lose face too?"

"I'm not going to fight you."

After making a joke about their relationship, Mo Zhehan kept a close eye on Han Lu's reaction.

In his prediction, Han Lu would most likely blush slightly, give him a symbolic scolding, and perhaps even lightly tap his back with her small fist before emphasizing their initial agreement and telling him not to have any unrealistic expectations.

But Han Lu's reaction was completely different from what he had imagined.

Han Lu said calmly, "Mo Zhehan, you're a little different than before?"

Mo Zhehan was taken aback, then asked, "Han Lu, haven't you changed? You wouldn't have done something like that in the past."

Han Lu nodded and said, "Yes, I'm different now, not like before."

Do you still like me now?

Mo Zhehan was a little confused by the question.

However, he still answered accordingly, "Of course I like it..."

He continued to praise Han Lu for her appearance, personality, family background, cultivation, talent, and so on. Every time Mo Zhehan repeated similar words, he became more and more convinced that Han Lu was not his ideal woman simply because of her appearance.

After praising Han Lu, Mo Zhehan shamelessly retorted, "And what about me now? Do you like me more now?"

The question was direct, but Mo Zhehan felt it was quite appropriate to ask it at this time.

After a moment's hesitation, Han Lu said, "I can't explain it."

"Although being with you now doesn't give me the same wonderful feeling as when we first met that night."

"You are definitely more likable now than you were back then."

Han Lu used "pleasing" instead of "pleasing me," and Mo Zhehan could sense the difference but deliberately ignored it.

Overjoyed, Mo Zhehan regarded it as a victory for himself at this stage.

Noticing Mo Zhehan's change in mood, Han Lu felt a strange sensation, a joy she had never experienced before.

"Could it be that I've actually fallen for this dull-witted Zhulong cultivator?"

Han Lu asked herself this question, then shook her head, clearing the somewhat audacious idea from her mind.

“No matter what, the original agreement will not change,” Han Lu emphasized. “Mo Zhehan, instead of trying so hard to please me with your tone, you should spend more time on your cultivation.”

"If you fall behind me in advancing to the Nascent Soul Realm, then even if I really fall in love with you, I will not agree to become your Daoist partner."

Mo Zhehan smiled and said, "I understand, but I am confident."

After being educated by Dong Fengyu, the great lover, Mo Zhehan has come to believe the saying that "all female cultivators are emotional creatures".

He was certain that if he truly performed exceptionally well and won Han Lu's heart, then even if his cultivation was slightly slower than Han Lu's and Han Lu was unwilling to break their agreement, he would still be willing to accept it.

The final result will definitely be that Han Lu deliberately delays her tribulation and advances to the Nascent Soul stage because of her love for him, so that the so-called agreement can be fulfilled in the end.

Chapter 933 Reunion with an Old Friend

The journey was too long. Although Mo Zhehan didn't find it boring at all because Han Lu was by his side, it wasn't as interesting as he had imagined.

Even in the Extreme Heaven Palace, being able to watch Han Lu's profile or back view while flying was a pleasure for Mo Zhehan.

However, once they left the Jitian Palace and arrived in other prefectures of the Great Yu Dynasty, the two, who were using flying magical artifacts, had few opportunities to meet again.

Han Lu spends most of her time cultivating in her room within the magical artifact.

Only when he occasionally felt tired of practicing would he briefly leave his room to either help Mo Zhehan pilot the Ark or seek other forms of entertainment.

The pace of life is no different from that of practicing Buddhism in the Central Plains.

This disappointed Mo Zhehan. He hoped that the journey would have more ups and downs, so that he, the cultivator who had volunteered to act as Han Lu's guide, protector, and bodyguard, would have some work to do and an opportunity to show himself.

Once again, Mo Zhehan subtly suggested that he take Han Lu on a leisurely stroll around Dayu Dynasty, just like she had done with Wen Erya and Yi Qiyan when they toured the East China Sea. However, Han Lu, who was eager to return home, refused.

"Traveling in Daewoo? When I returned home for the second time that year, I did travel around Daewoo with my mother for three months."

“Dayu Dynasty is very large, and there are many places that my mother and I have not been to. We only saw a little bit along the way, but this matter is insignificant compared to going home to see my parents sooner.”

"I don't want to waste time on this."

Han Lu wasn't opposed to traveling with Mo Zhehan, but she still preferred to go home sooner.

Mo Zhehan had no choice but to hope that the terrible security situation in Dayu Dynasty would bring more trouble to their trip.

However, although there are many cultivators in the Great Yu Dynasty with serious violent tendencies, those who engage in highway robbery still have some sense.

Even though Mo Zhehan deliberately flew lower and flaunted his presence in the city, few bandits were still interested in him and Han Lu.

There was nothing he could do; after all, the flying magical artifact that Mo Zhehan was piloting was a spiritual weapon.

This indicates that the person piloting the ark was at least a Golden Core cultivator. The Foundation Establishment cultivators, who made up the majority of the bandits, would naturally not have any improper thoughts about the people and things on the ark.

As for the few Golden Core Realm cultivators who made a living by plundering, Mo Zhehan didn't know whether it was good luck or bad luck, but at least he didn't encounter a single one on this trip.

The only time a Golden Core cultivator blocked their way was when it was Mo Zhehan's senior brother. He recognized Mo Zhehan as the owner of the Ark and took the initiative to come forward to greet him.

After making faces and sending telepathic messages outside the Ark for quite some time, Mo Zhehan finally managed to invite his friend, who had only wanted to say hello, onto the Ark as a guest.

Initially, Mo Zhehan's fellow student and friend did not understand why he had made such an arrangement.

But when the monk boarded the ark and saw Han Lu sitting cross-legged in the ark's hall, intently studying the chessboard, he understood Mo Zhehan's intention.

However, this cultivator named Kong Daoren did not help Mo Zhehan liven up the atmosphere on the ark.

He had intended to head towards the Heavenly Palace, but aside from taking a longer, more circuitous route, he only managed to greet Han Lu briefly.

Mo Zhehan secretly regretted it only after Kong Daoren took his leave.

"I was looking for someone to help me out, and somehow I ended up with Senior Brother Kong, this famous bachelor."

Fortunately, it didn't backfire.

After this incident, Mo Zhehan completely gave up on the idea of ​​adding more surprises and ups and downs to the journey, and settled down to be the "driver," planning to send Han Lu to the wilderness as soon as possible, and then figure out a solution once they arrived.

Even when they reached remote, desolate areas, they refused to leave and tried to get help from Han Lu's parents.