Chapter 228: Changing Appearance, Returning to the Immortal City

It was obvious.

Facing the joint efforts of two Nascent Soul cultivators, the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha, though its true body remained uninjured, had its Dharma body suffer a severe blow; it abandoned the plan to breach the defensive line and retreated rapidly toward the Yin Corpse Mountain Range.

"How can I allow a baleful creature like you to come and go as you please?"

"Leave something behind!"

However, True Monarch Huanglong and Wei Bufan, these two great Nascent Soul cultivators, had come from thousands of miles away, so naturally, they could not sit by and watch it retreat with such composure. The former raised one hand, and a large, earthy-yellow seal descended with the light, shadow, and might of a giant mountain; within a radius of several miles, mountains collapsed and the earth cracked in an instant, and regardless of soil layers, rocks, or corpses, everything was immediately reduced to fragments.

On the other side, Wei Bufan, looking like a giant god in golden armor, pursued with long strides, causing the earth to tremble and roar. He swung his fist and arm, and a pure golden fist aura surged out like a sea tide; a loud sound, as if billions of glass panes had shattered into powder simultaneously, erupted in the air. Where the fist aura swept, it formed a vacuum channel, and the large swaths of the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha's remaining body that were fleeing were once again swept away and annihilated in large numbers.

After suffering heavy damage again, the true essence of the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha still did not reveal itself, and in the end, it only left behind a ground full of corpses and remains, retreating rapidly back into the Yin Corpse Mountain Range.

Having clashed with the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha before, the two Nascent Soul cultivators seemed wary upon seeing this and did not pursue further.

After the Corpse Bone Buddha retreated, the thousands of Corpse Demons it had been manipulating also howled and fled back into the mountain range. True Monarch Huanglong and Wei Bufan naturally had no time to concern themselves with such small fry, only gazing at the deathly silent Yin Corpse Mountain Range with expressions that were slightly grave:

"True Monarch Wei, I wonder if you noticed that this baleful creature is clearly much harder to deal with than it was five years ago?"

"Indeed. Previously, when we joined forces to suppress it, we not only shattered its Dharma body but nearly left its true body behind as well. If it hadn't possessed the Supernatural Power of earth-escaping, it likely would have been destroyed by us, but this time, I couldn't sense the existence of its true body at all."

"A Nascent Soul-level Corpse Demon with strong intelligence and instinct—its rout just now didn't seem to show its full strength. Could this retreat be a deliberate attempt to lure us into pursuing it?"

"How preposterous! Since when did such a baleful creature become so cunning?"

The two exchanged words in the air for a while before returning to the camp of the Immortal City cultivators. Xing Tianding, Qin Ruoning, and other Golden Core cultivators, who had only been able to play a minor role throughout the battle, immediately stepped forward to greet them with bows:

"We pay our respects to the True Monarchs!"

"Thanks to Lord Huanglong and True Monarch Wei for arriving in time, otherwise we would surely have suffered heavy casualties."

Most people were in poor condition, especially Xing Tianding, whose face was deathly pale and whose aura was weak, clearly showing signs of severe overexertion. True Monarch Huanglong swept his gaze over them and immediately frowned with concern:

"Hall Master Xing, how are your injuries? Are the others unharmed?"

Xing Tianding said, "I have merely overexerted myself; I will recover after a few months of quiet cultivation."

Qin Ruoning also revealed a hint of sorrow in her eyes and spoke at the right moment:

"We are fine; although there were injuries, there is nothing serious. However, our fellow Daoists Bai Qianfeng, Duan Haiyang, and Fang Yun were unfortunately lost at the hands of the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha."

The loss of three Golden Core Real Persons was no small matter. True Monarch Huanglong's expression darkened slightly:

"Have their remains been recovered?"

Golden Core Real Persons were the main force on the defensive line; if they unfortunately fell, the Immortal City had to provide compensation and a grand burial to avoid disheartening other cultivators.

Asking about their remains was because if the body of a Golden Core Real Person fell into the Corpse Tide and was not retrieved and cremated in time, it was highly likely that a third-tier Corpse King would emerge later due to the erosion of corpse Qi, placing even greater pressure on the defensive line.

However, facing his inquiry, the group of Golden Core cultivators looked at each other. Xing Tianding said shamefully:

"To tell the truth, Lord Huanglong, they fell when the Corpse Bone Buddha's ferocity was at its peak. We had no time to attend to it, but their bodies may not have been devoured and taken away. I will lead the cultivators under me to search for them immediately."

The Xing Tianding before him was the pillar of the War Hall, so True Monarch Huanglong naturally would not reprimand him too harshly, only sighing and offering comfort:

"Hall Master Xing, you have suffered too much depletion; you should rest and recuperate as soon as possible. Leave such matters to your subordinates."

"The Corpse Bone Buddha's ferocity is monstrous; you all have led your forces to hold this position for a long time, and your contributions are immense. This shall be recorded as a great merit to show our commendation."

"As for Bai Qianfeng, Duan Haiyang, and Fang Yun, they sacrificed their lives for the safety of the Immortal City and are models for all cultivators of Longshan Immortal City. According to the compensation regulations, their families are all eligible to apply to the Immortal City for a Condensing Crystal Pill, and their merits and contributions will be forever carved onto the Immortal City's history monument, never to be erased."

This compensation regulation was one of the important reasons why most Golden Core cultivators from family backgrounds were willing to fight on the front lines. The group of Golden Core cultivators bowed immediately:

"True Monarch is benevolent and righteous."

Immediately after.

True Monarch Huanglong said no more and, together with the Guest Monarch Wei Bufan, transformed into a streak of immortal rainbow and left the area.

Xing Tianding also immediately arranged for Qin Ruoning and two other Golden Core Real Persons who had suffered the least damage to lead over two hundred cultivators to continue clearing the scattered Corpse Demons on the battlefield and to see if they could find the remains of the three fallen Golden Core cultivators.

The final result was that they found the incomplete remains of Duan Haiyang and the badly corroded Dharma Artifact of Fang Yun. As for Bai Qianfeng, not a single trace was found.

This situation was considered normal. With Qin Ruoning's endorsement, no one doubted the fall of 'Bai Qianfeng'. Afterward, having reported to Xing Tianding, the few of them returned to their respective camp dwellings to rest.

Just as she returned to her small abode, before Qin Ruoning had time to sit down and rest, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the window:

"Fellow Daoist Qin."

Qin Ruoning was slightly startled. She walked out of the abode quickly and saw Lu Yuan standing in the courtyard, having restored his original appearance, looking over with a smile.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with surprise: "Fellow Daoist Lu, when did you come in? Why did the formation I set up not react at all?"

Flying Body Escaping Traces was a great Supernatural Power capable of void-leaping; it could naturally ignore ordinary isolation formations completely. Lu Yuan smiled:

"I just came in. Your formation is quite ordinary, so of course it couldn't stop me. How is it? Did they discover any clues?"

Qin Ruoning took a deep breath:

"No. After all, the fall of Golden Core cultivators on this front line is not a particularly rare occurrence. Although you didn't leave a body, with me as a witness, no one will suspect anything."

"That is good."

Lu Yuan nodded and smiled:

"Since that is the case, I can walk about in my true appearance."

The timing he chose was perfect. He had escaped the battlefield using Flying Body Escaping Traces just before the two Nascent Soul cultivators arrived, at a time when everyone was struggling to survive under the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha's offensive, and the low-level cultivators on the periphery were too far away, so no one noticed.

In fact, when True Monarch Huanglong and the others were battling the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha, he had been hiding in the void two or three miles away. Both of them had clearly not sensed his existence, which showed the power of the Flying Body Escaping Traces Supernatural Power.

Qin Ruoning frowned slightly and said:

"Fellow Daoist Lu, this move is too sudden. Now that you have lost the identity of Bai Qianfeng, how will you return to the Immortal City? Do you intend to disguise yourself as an ordinary Foundation Establishment or even a Qi Refining cultivator?"

"That won't be necessary."

Lu Yuan said calmly:

"There are countless rogue cultivators in the Xiyan Continent. I shall return to the Immortal City as a Golden Core rogue cultivator."

Qin Ruoning was stunned, even more surprised: "A Golden Core rogue cultivator? A Golden Core-level cultivator who wants to join the Immortal City must undergo identity verification. Using the excuse of being a rogue cultivator won't just fail to deceive them; it will only arouse more suspicion."

Lu Yuan did not mind, smiling:

"What does suspicion matter? Tonight, Longshan Immortal City lost three Golden Core combatants; it is exactly the time to replenish fresh blood. As long as I am not some heinous villain or a disguised Corpse Demon, and can provide sufficient value, True Monarch Huanglong may not necessarily care where I came from. What do you think?"

Returning to Longshan Immortal City in this manner was something he had considered deeply.

The identity of Bai Qianfeng is too restrictive, especially on this defensive frontline; it is extremely inconvenient for him to wantonly exterminate Corpse Demons to harvest Heavenly Dao Merit, so he must change to a freer identity.

And the reason he must return to Longshan Immortal City to change his identity is, naturally, for the Lower Realm.

The Lower Realm is, after all, the place where he started; only by keeping the Reception Array and the passage between the two realms firmly in his own hands can he ensure the safety of the Lower Realm.

And this point also means that he must replace True Monarch Huanglong and control the entire Longshan Immortal City to achieve it.

Thinking it over, Qin Ruoning felt that what Lu Yuan said made sense, and she could not help but nod after a moment of contemplation:

"This statement is indeed reasonable. Currently, the major Immortal Cities on the defensive frontline are all recruiting Golden Core combat power, and those who excel in the four arts of immortal cultivation are even more sought after. If Fellow Daoist Lu has a relatively reasonable identity, Longshan Immortal City might not necessarily refuse you. When do you plan to go back? I still have to garrison this frontline for more than half a year, so I am afraid I cannot provide you with cover and convenience for the time being."

Lu Yuan said:

"No matter, I already have a plan; Fellow Daoist Qin, just rest assured here. As the saying goes, as long as the green hills remain, one need not worry about firewood. This frontline is quite dangerous; Fellow Daoist Qin, you must be careful and prioritize your own safety. Also, take this."

After speaking, he flicked his sleeve, and a small Storage Bag flew out. After Qin Ruoning took it and looked, she said in surprise:

"This is the frontline supply issued previously; you actually didn't use much of it?"

Aside from obtaining Merit, another benefit for Golden Core Real Persons garrisoning the frontline is that the Immortal City issues quite a few third-grade Pills and Talismans for cultivation, self-defense, and healing. These are not low-grade goods that can be seen everywhere; without Merit to exchange for them, they are not easy to buy on the market, and can be said to be of great value.

Lu Yuan possesses many Supernatural Powers, so conventional Pills and Talismans do not mean much to him, and he immediately smiled:

"I have no use for most of these Pills. The situation here is dangerous, so you need them more."

Qin Ruoning was moved in her heart, her eyes like water:

"Many thanks, many thanks to Fellow Daoist Lu for the gift."

Feeling a bit awkward being looked at by the other party with such an unusual gaze, Lu Yuan did not say more and hurriedly said:

"Fellow Daoist Qin, I will not stay here any longer, so as not to be noticed. If there is any emergency, you can send me a message at any time. We shall meet again in the Immortal City in the future."

After speaking, he cupped his hands, activated the Supernatural Power of Flying Body and Hiding Traces, and his figure vanished into the void out of thin air, leaving only Qin Ruoning standing there in a daze.

Several days later.

The news that the Corpse Bone Giant Buddha walked out of the Yin Corpse Mountain Range to attack the defensive line and drew two Nascent Soul True Monarchs to take action quickly spread within the Immortal City, causing a ripple of no small size.

The Immortal City has two Nascent Souls sitting in command, and when necessary, can also invite other Nascent Soul combat power to support through the Immortal Alliance, so the cultivators in the Immortal City were not overly worried, and after discussing it for only two days, there was no more sound.

Of course, for the families behind Bai Qianfeng, Duan Haiyang, and Fang Yun, this news was no different from the sky collapsing, and they were filled with gloom and misery.

After all, for an immortal cultivation family, top-tier combat power determines the rise and fall of a family, and in most Golden Core families, exhausting resources can only cultivate one Golden Core Real Person; the fall of such a figure, if it were in the past, could almost announce the destruction of a family.

However, fortunately, the era has changed drastically now. The cultivation world is no longer a situation where families and sects fight and kill for resources and destroy each other at every turn. Families of Golden Core Real Persons who die for the Immortal City will receive protection from the Immortal City; life might be difficult in the future, but there will absolutely be no danger of the family being destroyed.

Especially since the Condensing Crystal Pill, as the highlight of the compensation, also brought great expectations to these families, making them unable to dwell on their grief and instead try their best to cultivate the next Golden Core Real Person.

This day, at the main city gate of Longshan Immortal City.

The entire Main City is shrouded in the Nine Thunders Demon-Suppressing Array, and both the east and west exits are garrisoned by cultivators from the law enforcement team. Cultivators who enter the Main City for the first time and intend to stay for a long time must obtain an exclusive identity token, otherwise, they will be treated as undocumented persons by the law enforcement team cultivators and taken away directly to serve as cannon fodder.

After all, the Main City area has abundant Spiritual Machine, and even if it is still far from the core of the Spirit Pulse, the Spiritual Machine environment is better than the Spirit Pulse dojos of most small and medium-sized immortal cultivation families. Longshan Immortal City naturally will not allow loose cultivators to come here to freeload; if they want to stay in the city for a long time, they must either pay Spirit Money or join the War Hall to make contributions to the Immortal City.

This morning, in the Dengming Lou at the city gate, the manager Liu Zongxing, who is responsible for registering and issuing identity tokens to loose cultivators entering the city for the first time, was lying leisurely on a grand armchair in the inner hall, with two pretty maids beside him, one kneading his shoulders and the other brewing Spirit Tea for him.

The outer hall is the place for registration, and this kind of work is done by his subordinates, so naturally, he, a Foundation Establishment manager, does not need to lift a finger.

However, just as Liu Zongxing was enjoying himself leisurely, there was a sudden uproar in the outer hall. Hearing the commotion, he stood up abruptly and walked out, scolding:

"What is going on, what are you arguing about!?"

Seeing that the disciples handling the work had all stood up at this moment and were pointing in surprise at a cultivator who had come to register:

"Manager, this, this is a Golden Core Real Person who wants to stay in our Immortal City for a long time."

A Golden Core Real Person?

A Golden Core level cultivator is a pillar and a guest of honor in any force, especially since the Immortal City lost three Real Persons a few days ago, and combat power has a slight gap that needs to be filled. Liu Zongxing hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, bowing respectfully and smiling:

"I am Liu Zongxing, the manager of Dengming Lou. I do not know how to address this senior, and are you planning to join our Longshan Immortal City?"

"I do not change my name when I walk, and I do not change my surname when I sit; I am Lu Yuan."

Lu Yuan reported his name upright and said indifferently:

"Joining is out of the question; I am just traveling here and plan to stay for a period of time. Please trouble Manager Liu to process an identity token."

"No problem, no problem!"

Liu Zongxing walked to the counter himself and then asked tentatively:

"According to the rules, a stranger at the Golden Core Stage like you who is coming to Longshan Immortal City for the first time needs to briefly record your background. I wonder if you...?"

Lu Yuan said slowly: "I am a loose cultivator with no roots and no duckweed; there is no background to speak of. Why, does Longshan Immortal City not welcome people like me?"