Chapter 498: Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell, Escaping from Xuanwei Heaven

Lu Chuan noticed all his subtle movements and suddenly asked, "Do you have a master?"

Yu Fangshuo shook his head slightly, his eyes dimming a bit as he took out some items from his storage ring. "Senior, I am a disciple of the Demon Locking Sect in the Mengmu Sea Region, but three years ago, demons escaped..."

He paused here, his voice growing increasingly somber. "The sect was destroyed, and its people perished. It was only the intervention of the Dao Institute that quelled the chaos, but the sect was disbanded."

"Follow me in the future. The Lingbao Immortal Pavilion is a good place to be."

"I'm just a wandering cultivator, unworthy of such a great favor from you, Senior!"

Yu Fangshuo frowned deeply, stood up, and bowed. "I only wish to venture into the Great Desolate. I didn't say all this for your favor."

Lu Chuan's eyes were filled with admiration as he nodded slightly. "Very well, if you encounter danger, you can seek refuge at the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion."

Yu Fangshuo said nothing, only bowed again, his eyes full of emotion, almost brimming with tears.

Lu Chuan had already stood up and left, but his departing figure was filled with a sense of age and some desolation. Yu Fangshuo gazed deeply at his back, his eyes still full of respect.

Xuanwei Heaven, Great Desolate.

The first thing that came into view were towering peaks and endless plains. These towering peaks rose like dragon spines, shrouded in mist, majestic and ancient, everything appearing so old and silent.

Countless giant stones stood among these magnificent mountains, some smooth as if carved, others ancient and broken, as if one were in a vast ancient immortal relic.

The sky here was deep and vast, seemingly boundless, but the stars were clearer than elsewhere, like countless twinkling jewels adorning the dark sky.

Deep in the Great Desolate, towering mountains rose one after another, rugged with huge rocks, the mountain ranges stretching endlessly, like the ancient and mysterious spines of giant beasts lying across the land.

From a distance, the mountain peaks and cliffs seemed naturally formed from molten rock, with drifting clouds flowing between the peaks, giving a sense of ethereal illusion.

In the ancient forest stood ferocious beast bodies, enormous, as if capable of roaring and shaking the mountains. There were also many massive corpses standing around, intimidating to behold.

Especially those ancient flying beasts, their eyes fierce, overlooking all prey on the endless land of the Great Desolate, casting shadows wherever they passed, filled with the most primitive aura.

When Lu Chuan and his companions arrived, their eyes were filled with shock, especially Lu Chuan. The place had changed greatly, with many more cultivators coming here than in the past. However, the Great Desolate was broader than the entire Southern Domain Continent, burying countless powerful beings and hiding many ancient fierce beasts. Combat was still the main theme here.

His expression was slightly grim; the Great Desolate was home to roaming Kunpeng, who could swallow them whole without a word.

"Everyone, I will now take up my post."

Lu Chuan's brow twitched as he looked around. "I will manage the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion well here."

His gaze flickered towards the distance, and sure enough, the young man had already left. For some reason, he felt a bit of attachment, perhaps because he had experienced too much, and his mindset had aged somewhat.

"Very well, Pavilion Master Lu, please."

The two faces smiled. "We are only following orders and will not make things difficult for the Pavilion Master."

Lu Chuan's face turned cold, and he left without a word, heading to a large city in the Great Desolate, where the influence of the grand world rules was somewhat weaker.

Especially the Wild Vein Clan, with many strong members, who would fight you at the slightest disagreement, caring nothing for words, only strength. To survive in the Great Desolate, status was not very useful.

Time passed so ethereally, days, months, and years slipped by quietly. Suddenly, one day ten years later, the Pavilion Master of the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion in the Great Desolate entered the ancient forest and never returned.

This matter sparked much speculation. Some said Pavilion Master Lu was seeking opportunities for a breakthrough, while others said he had mentioned searching for something years ago but couldn't find it, so he went personally.

This incident caused great concern for the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion in the Great Desolate. The Pavilion Master's status was not something a wandering cultivator could compare to; he couldn't just leave without a word, not even reachable by communication talisman.

A year later, a cultivator entered the ancient forest and discovered traces of Lu Chuan's duel and a remaining storage ring, alarming the main pavilion of the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion! They began using connections to investigate with the Thousand Mechanism Spirit Seal; the Pavilion Master must not be lost! It was a challenge to the dignity of the entire Lingbao Immortal Pavilion.

In the end, it was discovered that Lu Chuan had encountered an ancient fierce beast in Unity. The last scene was still in the midst of a great battle, and he was fighting over a spiritual herb...

The storage ring contained all his possessions, and those who discovered it dared not embezzle, for the consequences would be too great. The Immortal Pavilion was already a colossal entity to them, let alone the Pavilion Master's status.

All parties could only express regret, it seemed Pavilion Master Lu had personally gone to the ancient forest seeking opportunities, and the prospects were grim.

Fierce beasts in the Great Desolate did not care for such things; survival of the fittest, the law of the jungle, was ingrained in their blood, incomparable to spiritual beasts. Being killed by a fierce beast was considered normal attrition for cultivators.

Thus, Lu Chuan was removed from the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion, having no descendants or family, a simple memorial was held.

However, what no one knew was that Lu Chuan had already shed his skin and escaped Xuanwei Heaven, not even taking his apparent possessions. Over the years, his old enemies in the city had been watching him!

These circumstances were exactly as he had anticipated; indeed, someone wanted to use others to kill him. He was determined to investigate this matter thoroughly and rise again in Celestial Sky!

A Unity cultivator could start anew anywhere, alone, never worrying about the future, only slightly regretting the past.

But there was still someone by his side, Yu Fangshuo, without whom the escape plan could not have been carried out. Only he could act unexpectedly, without arousing anyone's suspicion.

Otherwise, everything about him was under surveillance. If betrayed by those around him, it would be considered defection, and the Lingbao Immortal Pavilion would not easily let him go.

In contrast, Yu Fangshuo, this young man, had a natural affinity with him, acting with great steadiness, resembling himself from years past. Especially after the escape, his trust in him grew even more.

They completely left Xuanwei Heaven, stepping into the celestial domain, through the domain gate, slowly unfolding a new world, where they struggled and fought.

Fifty years later.

In a cave abode in a mountain forest, Lu Chuan was still healing. He had indeed dueled with an ancient fierce beast, his primordial spirit damaged, and the power of the Great Dao weakened significantly. All cultivating resources needed to be accumulated anew.

Over the years, Yu Fangshuo had been with him, gathering information from all directions. Once his injuries were fully healed, they planned to join a new sect together, and he even decided to annex the sect!

He now desperately needed his own force, preparing for the day he would return to Xuanwei Heaven, having disciples provide him with resources, while he annexed more sects.

A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Chuan's eyes. The power of the stars in Celestial Sky was exceptionally vast, and the cultivation methods of this celestial domain were quite unique. If he could add another path, reaching the late stage of Unity would be entirely possible.

However, he suddenly thought of Yu Fangshuo, his eyes softening. Through adversity, true friendship was revealed. In the future, his legacy would be passed on to him, ensuring he would not walk the same path he did.

He slowly closed his eyes, the aura of heaven and earth around him exceptionally vast. It wouldn't take many years to fully recover his injuries, and then he could leave this mountain range.

Just then, a sudden change occurred!