Chapter 217: New Changes with Each Passing Day, the Fate of Huanglong

Time passed, and the years flew by.

Several years flickered past in the blink of an eye.

Unaware of the crisis of the Upper Realm descending, the nations of the world stepped completely into a stage of peaceful development; scientific technology progressed rapidly, and various inventions and creations sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

The electric power industry and petroleum industry developed swiftly; steam automobiles, trains, steamships, and airships completely exited the stage of history, replaced by various mechanical vehicles utilizing petroleum and internal combustion engines with greatly increased energy efficiency, and even airplanes had already come into existence.

In the provinces of the New Nation, electric lights had entered all major cities; except for remote areas and rural villages, there was no longer any need to light oil lamps for illumination. With the country prosperous and the people strong, entertainment such as record players and movies gradually became popularized, and the nightlife of the common people became vibrant and colorful.

In short, the powerful nations of the current age, led by the New Nation, were the first to step into a civilized and affluent new era.

As the Supreme Heavenly Master, Lu Yuan, although he spent most of his time in quiet cultivation on Xiantai Mountain, would occasionally descend the mountain to walk about and relax, and he saw all these changes with his own eyes.

This day.

Amidst the roar of an engine, an airplane soared above the blue sky, cutting through the clouds and leaving behind a long trail.

Inside the airplane cabin, Qin Ruoning looked through the window at the clouds rushing past at high speed and couldn't help but exclaim:

"Such a large iron bird, without using Dharma Power or Spirit Stones to drive it, can actually soar through the heavens and earth at a speed not inferior to a Foundation Establishment cultivator; the wisdom of the living beings of this realm is truly admirable."

Beside her, Lu Yuan couldn't help but smile:

"This is nothing; this machine still has great room for improvement. Give them another thirty or fifty years, and they will be able to manufacture airplanes with speeds comparable to the flight speeds of Golden Core cultivators or even Nascent Soul cultivators."

Qin Ruoning said solemnly:

"And the new type of bomb they manufactured, its power is already completely not inferior to a full-strength strike from a late-stage Golden Core or even a Nascent Soul cultivator. If such bombs could be mass-produced and sent to the Upper Realm, the Corpse Demon Catastrophe ravaging Yuanling Heaven might be curbed."

These past years, she had been living on Xiantai Mountain, relying on the Peiyuan Pill bestowed by True Monarch Huanglong at the time of the descent to cultivate.

During this period, she would also occasionally go out with Lu Yuan or by herself to travel far and wide, witnessing the various novel things of this Lower Realm.

And just a short while ago, she had followed Lu Yuan to the experimental grounds of the New Nation's Weapon General Bureau and witnessed with her own eyes several new-style bombs landing on a hillside; subsequently, the immense power leveled the entire hillside, the shockwave swept across nearly ten miles, and a giant crater with a diameter of over one mile was created on the earth.

Such power was already comparable to a full-strength strike from a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, and with the accumulation of quantity, it could even reach the terrifying level of a strike from a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator. Qin Ruoning reckoned that if she were to take it head-on without dodging, she would likely perish without life-saving Dharma Artifacts or Talismans.

Lu Yuan smiled upon hearing this:

"The production capacity for this kind of bomb is limited, only about a hundred or so per year. This quantity can at most help a corner of the land resist the Corpse Tide and reduce pressure; wanting to curb the catastrophe of the entire Yuanling Heaven is still not very possible.

However, the development of the Lower Realm is rapid, and productivity is also progressing quickly. Give them a few more years and an annual production of ten thousand will not be a problem, and the power of this kind of bomb is still far from their limit."

The test explosions of those bombs that Qin Ruoning saw were roughly the power of an enhanced version of the 'Destruction King', which counted as the most powerful weapon at present, but in his view, it was still far from enough.

After all, according to the speed of the New Nation's development, in twenty or thirty years, they might be able to develop an ultimate weapon of destruction like a nuclear bomb, the power of which should be able to pose a fatal threat to a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, and it would also play an incomparable role when placed in the Upper Realm.

Of course, this still requires time.

Qin Ruoning was full of anticipation:

"If that is the case, then that would be for the best."

Amidst the idle chatter.

Not long after, this airplane began to descend and finally landed at a base.

This base was established at the very edge of the Extreme North; it was jointly set up by the New Nation and Sha'e according to Lu Yuan's requirements, equivalent to a monitoring station.

After landing, Lu Yuan and Qin Ruoning did not say a word and immediately set off for the location of the Heavenly Ladder.

After half an hour of high-speed flight, the two returned to the foot of the Heavenly Ladder; the patches of light mist were still as beautiful and phantasmagorical as they were several years ago.

Gazing at the light mist, Qin Ruoning took a deep breath and said:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, having delayed for several years, True Monarch Huanglong is already starting to feel dissatisfied, or even suspicious; I fear today's communication can no longer be delayed."

Lu Yuan nodded and smiled: "No matter."

Having said that, amidst a strange fluctuation of Dharma Power, his figure, appearance, and temperament changed abruptly, and in the span of a few blinks, he had completely turned into another person.

It was exactly the appearance of Bai Qianfeng.

And it was not just his appearance and temperament; his aura, the scorching fire-attribute Dharma Power fluctuations throughout his body, and even his divine sense fluctuations—everything was exactly the same as Bai Qianfeng's, such that even his closest kin would be unable to distinguish him!

Seeing Lu Yuan completely change into Bai Qianfeng, even though she had seen it in advance, Qin Ruoning couldn't help but gasp:

"Fellow Daoist Lu's technique of transformation is truly breathtaking; I think that not to mention True Monarch Huanglong, even if a Transformation Spirit Giant came, they would likely be completely unable to see through it."

Lu Yuan just smiled: "Fellow Daoist Qin is too kind."

The reason his transformation technique could have this effect naturally came from the effect of the Heavenly Gang Divine Ability 【Womb Transformation and Shape Changing】.

【Womb Transformation and Shape Changing】: Mastering the wonders of the changes of the entire universe, one can change into all things in heaven and earth at will, whether male or female, old or young, divine bird or exotic beast; it cannot be seen through by anyone other than those with great supernatural powers.

After killing Bai Qianfeng, he not only performed Soul Searching on the other party's memories but also kept the corpse in his Pot Heaven Bag.

In the Pot Heaven Bag, the corpse did not decay. Lu Yuan extracted a drop of essence blood from the corpse and then used this essence blood to perform the Womb Transformation and Shape Changing divine ability, returning the acquired to the innate, completely changing into the other party from the inside out; whether it was his blood relatives or some Nascent Soul True Monarch or Transformation Spirit Giant, none could see any flaws!

Immediately.

Without saying more, Lu Yuan took out a Two-World Communication Talisman, injected his divine sense message, and threw it into the light mist. After waiting for a while, he felt a response and retrieved the communication talisman.

Under the activation of Dharma Power, amidst the ice and snow, the slightly cold voice of True Monarch Huanglong immediately rang out:

"Bai Qianfeng, Qin Ruoning, it has already been eight years, and until now you have not found the person who set up the array; you have made this seat very disappointed."

"During these eight years, the cultivation resources this seat provided to the two of you were enough to cultivate another Golden Core cultivator. If not for the fact that the array diagram you sent back was somewhat useful, I would have punished you for the crime of incompetence!"

"The managing Elder of the Array Hall, Su Lingyue, has already studied the array diagram quite thoroughly, and based on the array flag you sent to the Upper Realm, the Elders of the Artifact Hall have also successfully imitated it, and the quality is much higher."

"After another period of time, this seat will also transmit Su Lingyue to the Lower Realm. At that time, the two of you must cooperate with her to re-arrange the array in the Lower Realm, and then return to the Upper Realm to await orders!"

True Monarch Huanglong's majestic voice drifted in the cold wind. Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly and then put away the Two-World Communication Talisman:

"They actually researched the Great Evolution Mending Heaven Array? Interesting."

During these eight years, they had to report the situation of the Lower Realm to True Monarch Huanglong every year or two, and the other party had long ago demanded the layout diagram of the Great Evolution Mending Heaven Array from them, and also made them take an array flag and send it back to the Upper Realm through the Reception Array.

The way of arrays is extremely complex, requiring the coordination of Dharma formulas, array diagrams, array eyes, and other conditions; it is not something that can be copied just by following the pattern. Lu Yuan originally did not think the other party could research anything, but he did not expect that he seemed to have underestimated the capable people of the Upper Realm.

Qin Ruoning's willow brows furrowed slightly, full of worry:

"Su Lingyue actually deduced the Mending Heaven Array and is going to be sent down? Fellow Daoist Lu, what should be done now?"

Longshan Immortal City is equipped with various institutions such as the War Hall, Alchemy Hall, Artifact Hall, Talisman Hall, and Array Hall. Among them, the Array Hall is specifically responsible for the city-protecting array of Longshan Immortal City, the Nine Thunders Demon-Suppressing Array.

This array is a top-tier Four-Tier array, using the entire Spirit Pulse under Longshan Immortal City as the driving force. When activated at full power, its power shakes the heavens and earth, and even a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator falling into it would be beaten into fly ash by the raging thunder filling the sky. The reason Longshan Immortal City has been able to exist until now under the Corpse Tide is largely due to this array.

This array was previously set up by a Nascent Soul ancestor of the Su Family in Longshan Immortal City; although the Su Family later declined and no longer had Nascent Soul cultivators, the family's array Dao was well inherited, and array Dao geniuses appeared frequently.

And Su Lingyue is the most outstanding array Dao genius and cultivation genius of the Su Family in this generation; not only did she enter the Golden Core stage before the age of one hundred, but several years ago, with her extremely astonishing array Dao attainments, she took charge of the Array Hall, becoming the youngest array Dao Elder in history.

With this person's talent and aptitude, Qin Ruoning had no doubt that she could deduce the Mending Heaven Array.

Compared to Qin Ruoning's solemnity, Lu Yuan appeared to have everything under control, smiling slightly:

"Even if this person can set up the Mending Heaven Array, it is of no consequence; as long as she is still a Golden Core Cultivator, the situation remains within control."

"It just so happens that staying in this Lower Realm for too long has become somewhat tiresome, and since Fellow Daoist Qin has also had her cultivation stagnate in this Lower Realm for several years, it is time to head to the Upper Realm."

It was clearly still some time before the True Monarch Huanglong would send an Array Hall Elder, and they would receive a Spirit Talisman transmission at that time, so Lu Yuan and Qin Ruoning did not stay long under the Heavenly Ladder and immediately returned to Xiantai Mountain to wait for that day to arrive.

After returning, Lu Yuan summoned Chen Zhantang:

"How is the current cultivation status of you and the disciples on the mountain?"

Chen Zhantang said respectfully:

"Disciple has not failed the mission; I entered the mid-stage of Refining Essence into Qi two years ago and have now refined four hundred and three units of Dharma Power. As for the other disciples, twenty-seven have now entered Refining Essence into Qi, and seventy-five are still in the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment stage."

Lu Yuan smiled: "Not bad, not bad; this cultivation speed is comparable to mine back in the day. With so many disciples entering the Refining Essence into Qi stage, you, the True Disciple in charge of teaching, deserve much of the credit."

Chen Zhantang immediately said he dared not:

"How would this disciple dare to compare myself to Master? As for the matter of teaching other junior brothers and sisters, it is also what this disciple should do; I dare not claim credit."

Lu Yuan praised:

"I know that in your daily life, when you fire up the furnace to refine Pill, besides what you need for your own cultivation, you distribute much of it to the junior brothers and sisters below. With such a heart, you are worthy of being my, Lu Yuan's, True Disciple who founded the sect, and also worthy of being the True Disciple of this Xiantai Mountain."

In terms of cultivating disciples, he was a hands-off manager most of the time, using a free-range approach and not worrying much.

And ever since he passed down the pill furnace and the refining method for the 【Erhuan Pill】, he soon noticed that after Chen Zhantang mastered the art of alchemy, the Pill he refined were not only used for his own cultivation, but he also took out many to distribute to those young Daoist acolytes with excellent aptitude below, allowing them to make rapid progress after refining them, with most of them entering the Refining Essence into Qi stage.

Such a heart made Lu Yuan quite gratified, and he also felt that he had not misjudged the person.

"Master...!"

Having cultivated for nearly twenty years, this was the first time he had received Lu Yuan's personal acknowledgment; Chen Zhantang was so excited he could not control himself, immediately kneeling to perform the master-disciple ceremony, unable to speak.

"Get up."

Lu Yuan brushed his sleeves lightly, and a gentle breeze helped him up:

"Before long, I will be heading to the Upper Realm with Qin Ruoning, and at that time, Xiantai Mountain will have to rely entirely on you, the True Disciple."

Chen Zhantang was stunned upon hearing this, and became very anxious:

"Master, do you not intend to take this disciple with you?"

Lu Yuan laughed:

"Do not be anxious; the Upper Realm is dangerous. This trip of mine is to act as an advance party. Once I have gained a firm foothold, I will bring you and all the disciples of the Dao Palace who are willing to go to the Upper Realm to establish the sect."

This time will not exceed ten years. During this period, as the True Disciple of the Heavenly Master Palace, you must not only work hard on your cultivation but also select and cultivate more excellent disciples, so as not to have no one to use when we reach the Upper Realm."

In terms of the lifespan of an immortal cultivator, ten or eight years is completely waitable; Chen Zhantang immediately felt relieved and said excitedly:

"Master, rest assured, this disciple will definitely not let you down!"

Lu Yuan nodded:

"Go."

Chen Zhantang immediately retreated respectfully.

After his figure disappeared, Lu Yuan also fell into deep thought, and then communicated with the Heavenly Book:

【Supernatural Power Master】: Lu Yuan

【Mastered Arts】: -

Ingestion (Earth: 31%); - Guidance (Divine Communication: 16%); - Invisibility (Earth: 7%); -

Staff Grafting (Divine Communication: 8%); - Medicine (Earth: 55%); - Earth Travel (Earth: 39%); -

Generating Light (Divine Communication: 10%); - Sword Technique (Divine Communication: 13%); - Stone Boiling (Earth: 47%); -

Pot Heaven (Earth: 64%); - Great Strength (Earth: 10%); - Sprouting (Divine Communication: 12%); -

Wind Control (Divine Communication: 15%); - Obstacle Clothing (Heaven: 3%); - Dream Grafting (Earth: 1%); -

Body Immobilization (Divine Communication: 3%); - Nightmare Prayer (Divine Communication: 4%); - False Form (Earth: 1%): -

Cloning (Earth: 1%); - Soul Absorption (Earth: 1%); - Disaster Ward (Earth: 1%); -

Rain Prayer (Earth: 1%); - Stone Penetration (Human: 1%); - Array Formation (Divine Communication: 1%); -

Violent Sun (Earth: 1%).

Nine Breaths Serving Qi: (Divine Seed: 6%) - Fetal Transformation (Divine Seed: 2%)

【Luck Power】: 145,112 units

In the eight years since Bai Qianfeng and Qin Ruoning descended, he had successively accumulated over one hundred thousand units of Qi Luck; even though he spent a full forty thousand units of Qi Luck during this period to light up Fetal Transformation, he still had fourteen thousand units of Qi Luck as a base now.

About to head to the Upper Realm and face True Monarch Huanglong and more powerful Upper Realm cultivators, he felt that having only two auxiliary Heavenly Gang Divine Abilities was clearly still not safe enough.