Chapter 236: The Great Expansion Dao Sect Powerhouse Who Sneaked Into Three Mountains Island

In the eastern sea of Yu State, as time passed, the Immortal-carved stone boat was still known to some people.

That day, inside the imperial city of Central State, Lu Qingluo anxiously waited outside the room, her gaze occasionally turning to the tightly closed door.

After a moment, she grew impatient and was about to force her way in.

Seeing this, the two palace guards at the door quickly reached out to stop her, wearing helpless wry smiles as they said, "Princess, please don't make things difficult for us."

"His Majesty ordered that this seclusion concerns his life and death; no one must be allowed to disturb him."

Lu Qingluo's expression turned cold: "Even I am not allowed?"

The two exchanged a glance and firmly shook their heads.

Seeing this, Lu Qingluo grew somewhat annoyed and was about to strike out.

But then she thought that if she really disturbed her father who was in seclusion, it might ruin all his efforts……

You two……

She angrily pointed at the two of them; Lu Qingluo felt helpless and could only continue waiting outside the room.

Time quickly passed an hour.

Just as Lu Qingluo could wait no longer and was about to turn and leave, a strong surge of energy suddenly burst from the room behind her.

Immediately after, Lu Zhiyuan's hearty laughter came from inside.

"This is the Martial Venerable……"

With a sigh, Lu Qingluo outside the door heard the voice and hurriedly rushed in.

The door was pushed open, and Lu Qingluo immediately saw her father, full of vigor.

"Father, did you break through?"

Lu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded.

His lifespan had already reached its limit; without the medicine given by Fang Xu, he would have struggled to persist until now.

Now, at the brink of his lifespan's exhaustion, he fortunately broke through to the Martial Venerable realm, extending his life by over a hundred years—an absolute great joy for him.

"Qingluo, Father just heard you arguing with the two guards outside; what is the matter?"

Lu Qingluo wiped the smile from her face, turned and gave the two guards a fierce glare, then took hold of Lu Zhiyuan's arm and said, "Father, I have come to you with an urgent matter."

Lu Zhiyuan, seeing this, waved his hand to let the two guards step back, then led Lu Qingluo into the garden and asked, "What is the urgent matter?"

Lu Qingluo pouted and said, "Elder Sister Yun Wan is pregnant."

Lu Zhiyuan blinked slightly at the words, then laughed, "That's good news."

"Fang Xu finally has an heir."

Cultivators are unlike ordinary people; as their cultivation rises, the essence and energy of their whole body are refined by themselves, making pregnancy difficult.

Yun Wan now carries a child, which is indeed a great joy for Fang Xu.

"And you?"

Lu Zhiyuan suddenly looked at his own daughter and asked.

He still hoped that Lu Qingluo could give birth to a son and a daughter for Fang Xu.

First, this is a mindset any father would have.

He himself has no sons, only this daughter Lu Qingluo; after a hundred years, the great Yu State would have no heir.

Naturally, he hopes Lu Qingluo will bear a child so that she can inherit the Yu State throne in the future.

Furthermore, Fang Xu once married all four of them—Yun Wan and Lu Qingluo—in one go.

Among these four, Lu Qingluo, because she threw herself at him and insisted on marrying Fang Xu, has always held a lower status in his heart compared to Yun Wan and the other three.

If she could bear offspring for Fang Xu, her standing in his heart would also rise somewhat.

Of course, these are merely his thoughts.

Actually, in Fang Xu's heart, the four women have no distinction of high or low.

If he had not accepted Lu Qingluo, he would have sent her straight back to the Central State Imperial City back then.

And since he did accept her, it means that in Fang Xu's heart, there is little difference between Lu Qingluo and Yun Wan.

"I……"

Lu Qingluo lowered her head with a dim expression.

Over these years, she has also taken her share, and often she would secretly sneak into Fang Xu's room to cook on the side, hiding it from Yun Wan and the other three.

But try as she might, her womb just wouldn't cooperate.

"No problem, no problem."

"Father will have the imperial physician prepare some medicine for you later."

Lu Qingluo blushed slightly and nodded.

"The urgent matter you mentioned probably isn't this, is it?"

Lu Zhiyuan suddenly spoke up.

"Yun Wan's pregnancy is not something that counts as an urgent matter; Lu Qingluo shouldn't be so anxious to tell me about it."

"Right, I almost forgot the real business."

Lu Qingluo urgently said, "Father, quickly issue an order to arrest the lord of Blue Sea City!"

"The lord of Blue Sea City?" Lu Zhiyuan frowned slightly and asked, "Why should we arrest him?"

Lu Qingluo replied, "Fang Xu brought people to cultivate at sea; I told him not to let the people of Blue Sea City approach that area, but he ended up arguing with me, saying it was for the people's livelihood and that my demand would stir up resentment."

"Under his incitement, the fishermen of Blue Sea City have become fearless."

"If it weren't for Fang Xu's instruction before his seclusion, telling my daughter not to cause trouble, I would have killed him long ago!"

Seeing Lu Qingluo's furious expression, Lu Zhiyuan furrowed his brows.

He could not fathom how the lord of such a small Blue Sea City dared to defy his own daughter, the sole princess of the dynasty, and even incite the fishermen to oppose her.

Come here.

Lu Zhiyuan spoke, a young temple attendant hurriedly came forward: "Your Majesty."

Looking at the attendant, Lu Zhiyuan slightly startled: "Where is Liu Hong?"

The attendant, face sorrowful, bowed and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Lord Liu... he died while you were in seclusion."

"Died!?" Lu Zhiyuan's expression froze, then he thought Liu Hong was merely a mortal, having followed him for many years, his lifespan had come to an end.

Where is Liu Hong's corpse now?

Suppressing his emotions, Lu Zhiyuan asked.

Although he was just a temple attendant, Liu Hong had been by his side for decades; now deceased, he should be given a proper burial.

The attendant trembled as he took out a letter and handed it to Lu Zhiyuan: "Reporting to Your Majesty, this is a letter Lord Liu asked me to deliver to you."

Lord Liu's remains have already been entrusted to someone to be transported back to his hometown in Ji Province for burial.

Lu Zhiyuan took the letter, opened it, and glanced at it.

In the letter, Liu Hong expressed his guilt, saying he could no longer continue to serve him.

He recalled some fond memories between master and servant, and mentioned some of the most important matters over the past decades.

At the end of the letter, he explained his intentions.

It seemed he anticipated that after his death Lu Zhiyuan would give him a proper burial.

In the letter he used the four words "beg for bones to return home," hoping that after his death he could be buried in his hometown in Ji Province.

After reading the letter, Lu Zhiyuan felt somewhat sorrowful.

Since he ascended the throne of Yu Kingdom, Liu Hong had always been his personal attendant.

Over these years of master and servant companionship, Liu Hong had always been cautious and meticulous, handling all affairs in orderly fashion.

Issue my decree, posthumously confer upon Liu Hong the title of Marquis of Diligent Service.

The attendant hurriedly knelt and kowtowed: "I, on behalf of Lord Liu, thank Your Majesty for your grace!"

Lu Zhiyuan waved his hand, suppressed his sorrow, and said: "From today onward, you will stay by my side." The attendant hadn't yet spoken when Lu Zhiyuan added: "Do you know the lord of Canghai City?"

I know. The attendant, obviously having done his homework, directly said: "The lord of Canghai City is Wang Jian, originally of the Wang clan of Qing Province, a martial artist at the peak of the Master level."

Ten years ago he assumed the position of lord of Canghai City; during his tenure, he...

The attendant paused his words, then stole a glance at Lu Zhiyuan.

Go on.

Lu Zhiyuan knew what the attendant was about to say next would likely be something negative about Wang Jian.

The attendant bowed and continued: "After Wang Jian took office, he has been rather strange."

Rumor has it that in private he often utters words intending to overthrow the imperial authority.

Yet because the people under his rule in Canghai City live in peace and prosperity, and those rumors lack evidence, even the officials in Li Prefecture pay them no heed.

Lu Zhiyuan nodded slightly and said calmly: "Anything else?"

The attendant again bowed and said: "There is also one matter that occurred four years ago."

According to what I have learned, four years ago a cultivator came from somewhere unknown and sought out Wang Jian.

Afterward, an organization called the Great Expansion Sect appeared in Canghai City.

The Great Expansion Sect worships a heavenly deity called an Immortal.

When Li Cangwu was emperor of Yu Kingdom, he had once issued a strict order forbidding private worship of deities among the populace.

After his death, Lu Zhiyuan succeeded to the throne of Yu Kingdom; because the Lu family had once been the Divination House of Moyun Kingdom, Lu Zhiyuan chose to reopen the rites of deity worship.

Consequently, over these years many belief systems have appeared in Yu Kingdom.

The emergence of the Great Expansion Sect did not attract any attention.

Belief in Immortals!?

Lu Zhiyuan's expression slightly froze, and involuntarily the image of the Holy Mountain from years past surfaced in his mind.

During the Holy Mountain battle, although he did not participate, he still learned some information at the time.

It is said that the White Coral slain by Fang Xu and others was an Immortal.

And he, Jiang Feng, and many cultivators of Yu Kingdom were also controlled by that Immortal.

The Great Expansion Sect venerates Immortals; could it be related to the Holy Mountain back then? "Is Wang Jian involved in the Great Expansion Sect?" Lu Zhiyuan asked.

The attendant bowed: "According to reliable information, Wang Jian is now an honorary elder of the Great Expansion Sect."

But most of the people in Canghai City do not know this identity of Wang Jian.

Obviously, the attendant must have used some means to investigate Wang Jian so thoroughly.

Very good, you did well.

Continue to investigate this Great Expansion Sect for me; I need to know who that cultivator who suddenly appeared is, and also what the purpose of the Great Expansion Sect is.

The attendant bowed: "Yes!"

After he left, Lu Qingluo looked toward her father and said: "Father, this matter is probably not that simple."

I, the daughter, will hurry back to consult a few elders.

Lu Zhiyuan slightly nodded and said: "Father will later issue an edict to designate that area of the Eastern Sea as a forbidden zone, prohibiting anyone from approaching it privately."

You go ahead and attend to your duties.

Lu Qingluo gave a slight nod: "Then take care, Father."

Canghai City.

Inside a huge manor, Lu Qingluo looked at Qi Shaoyu and others before her and said: "Several elders, the situation is thus; I feel the Great Expansion Sect must have serious problems."

Upon hearing this, Qi Shaoyu said lightly: "What kind of experts could there be on Three Mountains Island?"

Schemes and tricks are utterly useless before absolute strength; let the matter of the Great Expansion Sect be as it may.

Lu Qingluo grew somewhat anxious upon hearing that.

Before she could speak, Chu Ren Di beside her shook his head and said, "Fifth Elder, do not be careless."

"The Bai Shan who once controlled Elder Jiang Feng and many disciples of the Ascension Immortal Society is an Immortal."

"Since what the Great Expansion Sect venerates is an Immortal, I suspect it is related to the Bai Shan of old."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhongli Hui said, "I once recall the Palace Master saying that the reason the Heaven Xuan Realm's worldly will has become this way is also because a powerful Immortal is continually refining the worldly will."

"This so-called Great Expansion Sect must be closely related to the Great Expansion Dao Sect."

Upon hearing his speculation, everyone's expressions suddenly changed.

Great Expansion Sect, Great Expansion Dao Sect...

This is clearly the same force.

Could it be that the Great Expansion Sect is a force infiltrated by the Great Expansion Dao Sect into Three Mountains Island? If so, has the Great Expansion Dao Sect discovered them?

But if the Great Expansion Dao Sect has discovered the people of the Dark Divine Palace now in Three Mountains Island, why didn't it send someone like the Five Emperor Lords to lead an army to attack, instead sending an unknown nobody to stir up something called the Great Expansion Sect here?

"Since there are doubts, we might as well investigate first."

The silent Ku Lun spoke up.

Zhongli Hui nodded and immediately decided to send people to investigate the Great Expansion Sect.

You must know that before this, the Dark Divine Palace never regarded these forces on Three Mountains Island as important.

After all, Three Mountains Island had no notable experts to speak of.

"'Old Five, take a portion to the vicinity of the Immortal Carved Stone Boat; the Palace Master and Old Two, Old Three, and many Divine Palace disciples are in seclusion on the Stone Boat—do not let the Great Expansion Sect's people get near the Stone Boat.'"

Qi Shaoyu nodded.

She too had once secluded herself on the Immortal Carved Stone Boat, knowing the dangers of cultivating there.

If disturbed, after going berserk, one's soul would directly collapse, turning into the energy of this world.

"'Old Six, Old Seven, the task of investigating the Great Expansion Sect is now entrusted to you two.'"

Zhongli Hui then looked at Ku Lun and Chu Ren Di and said,

The two nodded and then left the main hall.

Days passed, and before long a month had gone by.

That day, Ku Lun and Chu Ren Di came before Zhongli Hui, their faces somewhat solemn, and said, "We have investigated thoroughly—the Great Expansion Sect is indeed the Great Expansion Dao Sect."

"'We infiltrated the Great Expansion Sect's secret base and discovered several beings whose strength had reached the peak of the Dharma Appearance Realm.'"

"'Those experts must have come secretly from the Central Continent to Three Mountains Island.'"

Dharma Appearance Realm experts have infiltrated Three Mountains Island!?

Zhongli Hui felt somewhat incredulous.

You must know that the Central Continent is extremely far from Three Mountains Island.

Moreover, after they arrived at Three Mountains Island, they immediately set up measures to monitor the sea between Three Mountains Island and the Central Continent, preventing Central Continent experts from coming to Three Mountains Island.

For so long, the maritime measures have not detected anyone coming from the Central Continent.

Then how did those few Dharma Appearance Realm experts of the Great Expansion Sect get to Three Mountains Island?

"'Where is their secret base?' Zhongli Hui asked solemnly."

"'It's on a small island a thousand li southwest of Canghai City.' Chu Ren Di replied, 'The location of the Immortal Carved Stone Boat happens to lie on the route taken by some of the Great Expansion Sect's people going to their secret base.'"

"'No wonder...' Zhongli Hui murmured, 'No wonder those fishermen ignore Lady Lu's warnings and frequently go to that sea area.'"

"'This matter cannot wait any longer.'"

"'We must quickly gather our forces and, before they react, completely eradicate the Great Expansion Sect!'"

Knowing that the Great Expansion Sect is the Great Expansion Dao Sect, Zhongli Hui decided he could no longer endure and must act to eradicate the Great Expansion Sect.

Perhaps this way we can learn from those Dharma Appearance Realm experts how they evaded the maritime defenses and silently infiltrated Three Mountains Island. (End of chapter)