The Long Journey to Immortality

Han Lu held her forehead, looking troubled.

From the perspective of "children," Xiao Ran's marriage is progressing faster than Que Xin and Hao Zun's.

Mo Zhehan had no experience in this area, but because he was the first to know about it, he had spent some time thinking about the issue.

So, while Han Lu was still somewhat confused, Mo Zhehan already had an idea.

"I have thought about that, but we need to make a decision based on Xiao Ran's current situation."

Han Lu asked, "What do you mean?"

"When Xiao Ran went to the Central Plains, didn't he say that he wanted to settle down there and see if he could find a fairy to accompany him?"

“If he has already settled down in the Central Plains, then there is no need to mention this to him, lest it ruin the family that he has worked so hard to build.”

"If not, then we can't let my aunt's devotion go to waste."

"Tell Xiao Ran to decide for himself."

"I suppose..."

Mo Zhehan gave Han Lu a look, and Han Lu naturally continued, "I suppose, given Xiao Ran's personality, he will definitely go to find his 'Brother Long' and reconnect this unintentionally formed marriage."

Mo Zhehan nodded and said repeatedly, "You're right. What do you think of my method?"

Han Lu praised, "It's very reasonable, and it should be considered a foolproof plan."

"only……"

Mo Zhehan asked, "What? Just what?"

"I just don't know what Long Meier is thinking. After all, neither you nor I are her. Maybe she doesn't even want to see Xiao Ran again and is just fulfilling her duties as a mother by raising her child."

“If she were to meet Xiao Ran under these circumstances, I… I can’t even imagine what would happen.”

"However, she didn't directly resist when she was in the Transformation Realm, so she probably still had some feelings for Xiao Ran."

Mo Zhehan swallowed hard. "Han Lu, you'd better improvise when the time comes."

"With your experience, you should be able to make the right choice."

Thinking of this, Han Lu suddenly had an idea. "Mo Zhehan, how about I use divination to determine the outcome of this matter and make a decision based on that?"

"That's a good idea, worth a try," Mo Zhehan praised.

With Hao Cuixing's guidance, Han Lu's divination skills improved significantly. Although she hadn't used them much over the years, the ability remained.

Divination of good or bad fortune is not difficult for Han Lu.

He casually used his spiritual power to condense fifty ice needles to use as straws.

Selecting one of the straws and holding it horizontally in front of her, Han Lu skillfully employed the technique of "straw divination."

A moment later, the result was in.

"lucky."

"Then I think as long as I make decisions based on my judgment, things shouldn't go wrong."

"Sigh," she sighed inwardly, "I'm going to have to play matchmaker again this time."

The tasks of matchmakers cannot be generalized. This task is obviously much more difficult than bringing together Quexin and Haozun at the Hundred Birds Gathering.

However, Han Lu had a vague premonition.

"With Xiao Ran's charm, he has probably already found his sweetheart in the Central Plains, and maybe even has a child."

Feeling much more at ease, Han Lu felt that this matter should not be difficult to complete.

After Xiao Ran finished discussing his important matter, the atmosphere in the room returned to its original state.

Finally, Mo Zhehan couldn't help but ask, "Han Lu, have you considered other things regarding our relationship?"

"About us?" Han Lu thought this was a good angle, so she picked up the conversation and replied directly, "There's nothing else to consider, it's just like we agreed before."

Hearing this, Mo Zhehan was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself, "What, all my previous efforts were wasted? We've come full circle again."

Undeterred, he asked tactfully, "Han Lu, haven't you had any particular thoughts over the years?"

"I don't have any particular thoughts. I think things are fine as they are," Han Lu said casually, revealing some words she had prepared for a long time. "I don't dislike you, nor do I like you. I just consider you a friend. Since that's the case, let's stick to our agreement."

"By the way..." Han Lu paused, then asked, "Mo Zhehan, how many pill patterns have you drawn so far?"

Mo Zhehan's heart tightened, and he said helplessly, "It will probably take another three months to complete the fifth pill pattern. Compared to you, I am still far behind."

"Then you'd better hurry up," Han Lu wanted to express her opinion in this way, "I'm not far from the eleventh Dan rune."

"Including the preparation time before advancing to the late stage of the Golden Core realm."

"I should be able to advance to the late stage of Golden Core within the next twenty years."

"You...you'd better hurry up."

There was no direct response, but Han Lu believed that Mo Zhehan should be able to understand.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Mo Zhehan's heart immediately turned gray.

"I understand. Can we still be friends?" Mo Zhehan asked weakly.

The question touched Han Lu deeply.

Fortunately, she never intended to sever ties with this outstanding and compatible cultivator.

"Of course, aren't we friends now? We're good friends at that."

Han Lu's words gave Mo Zhehan a glimmer of hope, letting him know that even if he "lost," he wouldn't suffer a complete defeat.

After discussing these two important matters, Han Lu and Mo Zhehan moved on to the essential reminiscing session that old friends always share when they meet again.

Unlike before, this time, the two of them have devoted most of their energy to cultivation over the past ten years.

Mo Zhehan, in particular, is even more serious and hardworking than Han Lu.

This is why he was somewhat dejected when he realized that the gap between him and Han Lu had not only not narrowed but had even widened.

They laid their cards on the table, but they're still friends.

Han Lu stayed at Mo Zhehan's place for a day before setting off again for the portal.

Before parting, Mo Zhehan took out a small gift.

"What? Why did you give me a hammer?" Han Lu took the magic item, which was only a magic tool, and was a little confused.

Mo Zhehan chuckled, reminiscent of his first meeting with Han Lu. "Over the years, besides cultivation, I've also learned some weapon crafting skills. This hammer is the first magical artifact I ever crafted, and I think it's quite meaningful, so I'm giving it to you."

"If you don't want it, that's fine, you can give it back to me."

Han Lu took the unremarkable hammer, which was only a seventh-grade magic weapon, and gently tapped it twice, saying, "In that case, I'll accept it."

This is the first and possibly the last time Han Lu will receive a gift from Mo Zhehan. Compared to the "Royal Extreme Pill" that Mo Zhehan offered to give her back then, Han Lu would rather use this hammer to put an end to this endless story.

Chapter 1016 Returning to the Central Plains

Arriving outside the teleportation portal located in the Celestial Palace, more than a decade later, the situation here is quite different from before.

Perhaps because the Jitian Palace is too large and is a relatively loose "confederation", the governance arrangements for this key area have been somewhat delayed and have arrived late.

A large urban area, spearheaded by the Jitian Palace, was newly built around the Grand Ceremony where the teleportation portal was located.

The market area is jointly managed by several sects near the teleportation portal, and they strictly review and control the cultivators who enter the market to sell goods.

Those unscrupulous merchants who used to bully the "honest" cultivators of the Central Plains are no more.

After all, compared to the Central Plains, many cultivators in the Great Yu Dynasty harbored malicious intentions, and it was perfectly normal for them to cheat and slack off when conducting transactions.

A sound management system has revitalized the previously stagnant and sluggish trade.

Han Lu wandered around the market, only purchasing a few items of resources unique to the Great Yu Dynasty to replenish her storage bag, and that was all.

In stark contrast to the drastically changed scene outside the portal hall, inside the hall, everything remained exactly as it was when Han Lu teleported to the Great Yu Dynasty fifteen years ago.

Over the years, no other capable person has figured out a "method" to improve the operation of the portal.

To promote East-West exchange, disciples of the Jitian Palace only need to pay 1,800 spirit stones to travel from west to east, and the sect will reimburse a small portion of the toll.

This benefit was not something Han Lu, who came from the Central Plains Zhengyi Sect or the desolate Sanfeng Forest, could enjoy.

Therefore, the return ticket is still two thousand spirit stones, no deception.

After paying with spirit stones and waiting a moment, Han Lu successfully passed through the portal and returned to the Central Plains once again.

Standing outside the teleportation portal to the Central Plains, Han Lu smiled and greeted the Zhengyi Sect disciples who bowed to her, took a deep breath, and sighed inwardly.

"After staying in the wilderness for a long time, even breathing the air of the Central Plains feels different."

Of course, compared to the Central Plains, where fuel resources have been gradually developed, the air in the wilderness is still fresher.

He casually inquired about the situation in the Central Plains over the years from the Zhengyi Sect disciple beside him.

After realizing that nothing serious had happened, Han Lu casually took out a flying magic item from her storage bag, used it to fly towards the Zhengyi Sect.

As soon as Han Lu left, the two Zheng Yi Sect disciples in charge of managing the teleportation gate began to discuss it.

The one who knew Han Lu's background began to "popularize" Han Lu's great achievements to the newcomer who had only been a disciple for thirteen years, using it as a topic of conversation to show off the superiority of an "old monk".

In less than a hundred years, Han Lu has transformed from a promising young cultivator into a key figure in the sect.

In less than an hour, Han Lu returned to Zhengyi Gate, which she had not seen for fifteen years.

As always, the first thing Han Lu did upon returning to the sect was to report to the current sect leader, Daoist Qingxu.

Han Lu's early return surprised Qingxu Daoist.

“Han Lu, there’s no need to travel between the Central Plains and the Wilderness so frequently. You can stay in the Wilderness with your family for a few more years,” Qingxu Daoist, who was familiar with Han Lu and was considered a close friend despite the age difference, immediately “examined” his own problem and comforted her, “It’s also my fault for not explaining things clearly to you.”

Judging from the way the two were talking, an outsider would never guess that it was a sect elder and the sect leader having a conversation.

Han Lu quickly explained, "Sect Leader Qingxu, it's not like that. We've known each other for so many years, how could I not know that the thirty years you promised me were not just polite talk?"

"Actually, it was just that one of my friends was not going to live long, so I made a special trip back to the Central Plains to say goodbye to her. Only fifteen years have passed since then and I have returned."

"Besides that, I also have several disciples and friends in the sect."

"It's been so long, I miss you terribly."

"Coincidentally, I also need to prepare for drawing the twelfth cinnabar pattern."