Chapter 256: then translation of chapter title

"Lu Family Elder Lu Tianbing, Lu Family genius Lu Xin'nian, and also the Covering Ghost Senior!"

Seeing the arrivals, the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden's pupils constricted as she spoke out their names and titles.

Among them, Lu Family Elder Lu Tianbing and the Covering Ghost Senior are both mid-stage Golden Core cultivators, while the Lu Family genius Lu Xin'nian, who looks rather aged, is only at early-stage Golden Core.

But it is obvious that three Golden Core cultivators showing up together is definitely not a sudden arrival; they came prepared.

"Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, I never expected you to have brought reinforcements as well."

Lu Family Elder Lu Tianbing wore a splendid robe, hands clasped behind his back, standing on a cloud; upon seeing the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden and Yunhe appear, his expression turned solemn.

Yunhe's appearance was something none of them had anticipated.

"Fellow Daoist, this is a matter between my Lu family and the Ice Osmanthus Pavilion; I hope you will not interfere, for afterward my Lu family will certainly present a generous gift as thanks."

Lu Tianbing bowed his hands toward Yunhe, then spoke seriously.

But Yunhe remained unmoved.

Seeing this, Lu Tianbing's face darkened.

"Brother Lu, no need for many words; he's merely a loose cultivator, I'll just hold him off." The Covering Ghost Senior glanced at Yunhe sideways and said lightly.

As a Golden Core cultivator of the Ghost Sect, he unconsciously felt superior when facing loose cultivators.

Of course.

He perhaps chose to face Yunhe with the idea of picking a "soft persimmon" to pinch; as long as Yunhe could keep in sync with him, things would be much simpler.

After all, they were merely hired helpers; there's no need to risk their lives over minor conditions or benefits against cultivators of the same realm.

They are both mid-stage Golden Core; defeating the opponent is easy, but killing him is not a simple matter.

Hearing the Covering Ghost Senior's words, Lu Tianbing nodded, looked toward the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, smiled, and said slowly: "Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, I don't know how you have considered my previous proposal."

"Our Lu family's Lu Xin'nian achieved Golden Core at a hundred years old, which counts as extraordinary talent; if your disciple could marry into him, our Lu family and the Ice Osmanthus Pavilion would become allied by marriage, which would be a fine tale even in the Martial Kingdom."

So they came for a marriage alliance.

Yunhe, standing with hands clasped behind his back to the side, watched silently.

However, Dong Ning Xuan, standing behind the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, had a displeased expression.

Lu Xin'nian was extremely ugly, standing under five feet tall, with a breadth of at least four feet, his face covered in pockmarks; if not for his early-stage Golden Core cultivation, his appearance alone would likely frighten many female cultivators.

"Hmph!" the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden snorted coldly, her gaze sweeping over Lu Xin'nian, and she said in a low voice:

"I appreciate your good intentions, Ice Osmanthus Pavilion, but the illness of your Lu family's young master—I advise you to seek another method."

I see.

Lu Xin'nian could also be considered one who dares to fight and gamble; the Lu family, to show loyalty to the Demonic Path, had dozens of young talents exclusively practice Demonic Path techniques, which were extremely quick to achieve but carried enormous risk and cost.

In the end, out of over ten people, only Lu Xin'nian survived and successfully condensed a Golden Core; it can be said that they practically raised him like a gu poison, forcibly cultivating a Golden Core cultivator.

But precisely because of that, Lu Xin'nian suffers from severe inner demons, requiring Ice Osmanthus Pavilion cultivators to alleviate his symptoms; thus they set their sights on the youthful and beautiful Dong Ning Xuan.

However, it is obvious that Lu Xin'nian is destined to become the next head of the Lu family.

These were all things the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden had already told Yunhe just now, so his expression when looking at Lu Xin'nian carried a hint of strangeness.

Regardless, Yunhe tends to appreciate cultivators who risk their lives for a further opportunity.

But his appearance is indeed rather ugly.

The gazes of Yunhe, the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, and even Dong Ning Xuan caused Lu Xin'nian, who had just been full of pride, to instantly flare with anger, hoarsely shouting like a rooster:

"Ancestor, annihilate them! Annihilate the Ice Osmanthus Pavilion!"

His demeanor was no mere mood swing; he was already on the verge of being overwhelmed by his inner demon.

In fact, this is hardly different from the Demonic Path sect's method of invading and overtaking a cultivation family.

When Lu Family Elder Lu Tianbing eventually passes away through bodily dissolution, and the Lu family comes under the control of someone like Lu Xin'nian, is that not tantamount to handing over the entire Lu family's resources to the Demonic Path sect?

Not only would it cost no soldiers, but one could seize a Golden Core sect.

Of course, if the Lu family could manage things better, they could also ensure a certain independence, thereby gaining the benefits of the Demonic Path sect while strengthening the family.

Thus, these cultivation families' willingness to turn toward the Demonic Path is also a game of strategy between them and the Demonic Path sect.

Lu Tianbing furrowed his brows, stopped Lu Xin'nian, and said in a deep voice: "It seems the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden does not appreciate my Lu family's goodwill; then I will seek justice for my three deceased brothers! You Ice Osmanthus Pavilion cultivators have unjustly struck down my Lu family's cultivators without explanation—don't blame us for being ruthless!"

As he spoke, Lu Tianbing drew out a spiritual talisman.

"Seal-Breaking Talisman!"

Upon seeing this talisman, the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden's eyes narrowed and she exclaimed.

This time Lu Tianbing wasted no words; with a pinch of his fingertips, the talisman in his hand ignited with a glimmering light, and as he waved his hand, the talisman fell toward the mountain-protecting grand formation of the Ice Osmanthus Pavilion.

It is obvious that Lu Tianbing and his two companions came prepared, even procuring a Seal-Breaking Talisman to dismantle the grand formation—this talisman is certainly not cheap.

Boom!!

As the talisman struck the mountain-protecting grand formation, it immediately emitted a tremendous roar, accompanied by violent shaking as if the earth were moving and mountains swaying, causing the entire Ice Osmanthus Pavilion mountain to tremble.

The disciples of the Ice Osmanthus Pavilion inside the formation were also thrown into panic, not understanding why the mountain-protecting formation would undergo such a change.

"Young'er!" Lu Tianbing barked lowly.

"Understood!"

After responding, Lu Xin'nian gave a feral laugh, turned into a mass of black mist, and rushed toward the breached Ice Osmanthus Pavilion.

With Lu Tianbing and the Covering Ghost Senior blocking the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden and Yunhe, the sole remaining Golden Core cultivator, Lu Xin'nian, could basically do as he pleased.

The Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden's face turned extremely grim; just as she was about to act, Lu Tianbing appeared before her.

At the same time.

The Covering Ghost Senior's spiritual power surged, wrapping toward Yunhe, saying, "Keke, fellow Daoist, I'll come spar with you!"

Meanwhile, Dong Ning Xuan, hiding behind the Ice Osmanthus Immortal Maiden, turned deathly pale, as Lu Xin'nian's feral laugh had him lunging at her first.

Watching the yin energy about to envelop him, Yunhe let out a soft sigh.

"Fellow Daoist, after doing what one can, once this is over you might consider joining my Demonic Path sect; with your cultivation, becoming an elder steward would pose no problem." The Covering Ghost Senior said this with a smile upon seeing the situation.

He actually had no intention of making a move; his mission was clear—just to hold Yunhe back.

But he obviously didn't understand why Yunhe sighed.

"Indeed, suppressing the opponent's cultivation base is the true way of cultivator duels."

Then Yunhe said.

"Whatever cultivation techniques, magic treasures, or secret arts—these are merely ways to raise the ceiling; cultivation base is the foundation of everything."

Yunhe didn't want to deny it; what he liked most was still dueling by suppressing cultivation base.

"\"Huh? \" Venerable Fu Gui didn't catch Yunhe's words."

But the next second, he understood.

He only saw.

Yunhe's aura surged rapidly; as he lightly formed a hand seal with both palms and slightly opened his mouth, two flying swords spat out from his mouth.

"\"Late Jie Dan Stage?! \""

At this moment, Venerable Fu Gui genuinely felt Yunhe's cultivation base and exclaimed in shock.

What he found hardest to believe was that the patch of murky ghost mist he had conjured vanished by more than half the instant a gleam of arc light flashed on the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword.

"\"This is. \""

Venerable Fu Gui's pupils shrank sharply, his heart tightened, and a chill rising from his tailbone instantly spread through his whole body.

He almost instinctively slapped his dantian, and a skull‑shaped magic treasure was immediately flung out, shielding him in front to block.

But the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword seemed to outright ignore that skull‑shaped magic treasure wreathed in green fire—its speed didn't drop, it actually surged, turning into a golden arc that flashed across the considerable distance between them in an instant.

Crack!!!

The Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword struck the skull squarely, emitting a crisp sound, and Venerable Fu Gui spat out a mouthful of blood, his face filled with terror.

"\"My magic treasure!! \""

Just a moment's contact, and the magic treasure he prided himself on shattered instantly!

This is a magic treasure!

It was a middle‑grade third‑rank magic treasure, the natal magic treasure he had painstakingly refined, yet it couldn't even fully block a single strike!

The reason it's called a natal magic treasure is that its fate is bound to the cultivator; if it is broken or damaged, the harm to the cultivator is easy to imagine.

Just as Venerable Fu Gui was stunned by Yunhe's cultivation base and shocked by the power of his treasure, another flying sword circled in the air and then attacked him from behind.

A special pattern on the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword flickered, its speed suddenly jumping up a notch or more, and before Venerable Fu Gui could react, it pierced his dantian with a "puff".

In just two brief exchanges, the venerable elder of the Ghost Sect, a Mid Jie Dan Stage cultivator, was slain by Yunhe on the spot!

So swift was the move that Lu Xin Nian hadn't even managed to grab Dong Ning Xuan, and Lu Tian Bing hadn't yet crossed hands with the Ice Osmanthus Fairy.

They stared blankly as Venerable Fu Gui fell amid his cries, never imagining that Yunhe was not a Mid Jie Dan Stage cultivator but a Late Jie Dan Stage one, nor that he could dispatch Venerable Fu Gui so quickly.

You should know that even though a Late Jie Dan Stage cultivator can easily defeat a Mid Jie Dan Stage one, slaying a Mid Jie Dan Stage cultivator who has many life‑saving tricks is no easy feat.

Little did they know.

If it were any other Mid Jie Dan Stage cultivator, Yunhe could overwhelm them but not kill them so swiftly; however, Venerable Fu Gui happened to be a Ghost Sect cultivator.

To put it exaggeratedly.

At least half of Yunhe's current arsenal is aimed at dealing with yin evil and Ghost Sect cultivators; combined with his overwhelming cultivation base and the countering of his magic treasure, Venerable Fu Gui thought he had picked a soft persimmon, but in fact he had walked straight into the line of fire!

A storage bag flew from the corpse of Venerable Fu Gui as he fell and landed in Yunhe's hand.

At the same time, a Corpse Soul Gu writhed slowly in his palm.

In fact, Venerable Fu Gui had just reacted, but as soon as he unleashed his ghostly techniques, the Corpse Soul Gu seized them, leading directly to the scene where the two Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Swords cut him down.

At this moment, the most shocked were undoubtedly Lu Tian Bing and Lu Xin Nian of the Lu family.

Originally, they had thought it all through—just hold Yunhe back, and the Ice Immortal Pavilion would be putty in Lu Xin Nian's hands, to take as they pleased.

But now that Venerable Fu Gui is dead, the situation has instantly reversed, and the strength Yunhe displays makes them tremble with fear.

And the one most delighted is undoubtedly Dong Ning Xuan.

She stared with her beautiful eyes at the figure standing with hands behind his back on the clouds, a green‑robed sword immortal who, with a wave, slew a Mid Jie Dan Stage cultivator—the mental impact on her can be imagined.

The Ice Osmanthus Fairy fared no better than Dong Ning Xuan.

At this moment, she finally understood what Yunhe meant by "not liking trouble" earlier.

"Not liking trouble" means eliminating trouble completely.

Wiping out the opponent directly leaves no trouble.

Only now did she realize how valuable Yunhe's statement "three strikes" truly was.

The strength he displayed would be enough to rival even a Perfected Jie Dan Stage cultivator, wouldn't it?

(End of chapter)