Chapter 19: The One Below

Regarding Lu Jin signing him up for the Luotian Dajiao, Luo Fu not only didn’t mind—he actually welcomed it wholeheartedly.

After all, having successfully joined the Lu family and been regarded by Lu Jin as the hope for rebuilding the San Yi Men, Luo Fu’s status had already changed.

He was neither an Eight Marvels wielder like Zhang Chulan or Wang Ye, nor a rootless heretic.

Having inherited the San Yi Men’s dharma lineage, even though the sect had collapsed into ruin shortly after the death of the Great Full Immortal Zuo Ruotong—from once a major Daoist school to scattered remnants—the mere name of San Yi Men still carried weight as a legitimate Daoist lineage.

Even now, with the sect’s glory faded and time passed, should Luo Fu reveal any unusual traits, figures like Wang Ai or Lu Ci could never openly target him—much less treat him like Zhang Chulan, openly coveting the Qi-Ti Yuanliu without disguise.

Unlike the Eight Marvels, which triggered the Jia Shen Uprising, Luo Fu carrying the San Yi Men’s banner meant any attempt to seize his inheritance would ignite public outrage across the occult world.

Though the San Yi Men was broken, it still had Lu Jin, one of the Ten Elders. Moreover, if today’s big shots could covet a revived San Yi Men, wouldn’t every minor sect tomorrow be left trembling in fear?

Even if this public outrage wouldn’t visibly harm the Wang and Lu families, the long-term consequences were something those two old foxes could never accept.

On the national level, the establishment of the Company and the Ten Elders system existed to maintain stability across the occult world—not to let these elders act as they pleased.

With status and backing, Luo Fu at least no longer needed to fear overt attacks like Zhang Chulan did.

As for covert schemes, once his power grew, would he even care?

In the occult world, at its core, the law of the jungle reigned supreme. Only power was real. Order, background—all were illusions!!

In the following period, perhaps out of unease over Luo Fu’s unprecedented transformation, Lu Jin deliberately blocked his further advancement into the second level of Ni Sheng San Chong—and even earnestly warned him to first solidify his foundation.

Though unspoken, Lu Jin’s concern was obvious: after entering Ni Sheng San Chong, Luo Fu had grown a pair of pure white wings, hovering between qi and physical organ.

As one of the Ten Elders, Lu Jin was required to arrive early for the Longhu Mountain Luotian Dajiao. Moreover, even disregarding his Elder status, given his personal ties with Zhang Zhiwei, as head of the Lu family, he needed to go ahead and lend prestige to Zhang Zhiwei.

But this time, Lu Jin brought only Luo Fu ahead to Longhu Mountain, while the rest of the Lu family contingent would arrive before the Luotian Dajiao.

Following Lu Jin to Longhu Mountain, after passing through the tourist-controlled front area, Luo Fu soon saw the supreme old Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain—Zhang Zhiwei!!

One had to admit, Zhang Zhiwei truly deserved his title of “Second to None.”

To others, he might appear merely an ordinary centenarian. But Luo Fu, through his Seven Sins Eye and Sharingan—both extraordinary observational methods—could sense Zhang Zhiwei’s life cultivation, terrifying beyond words.

“San Yi Men’s Zhang Luo Fu, pays respects to the Old Heavenly Master!!”

Withdrawing his gaze, Zhang Luo Fu bowed respectfully to Zhang Zhiwei.

“Enough with the formalities!” Zhang Zhiwei waved his sleeve. “Daoist orthodoxy shares the same breath. Since Itachi inherited the San Yi Men’s dharma lineage from Old Lu, by seniority, just call me Shi Bo. Your San Yi Men’s Great Full Immortal once stood as an equal to my master. Just like Old Lu, calling me Shi Bo is no insult.”

“Shi Bo!” Zhang Luo Fu seized the opportunity.

As one of the world’s supreme beings, building rapport with the Old Heavenly Master brought Luo Fu immense benefits—whether in terms of backing or future cultivation troubles.

Haven’t Itachi seen how Zhang Chulan, burdened by the Qi-Ti Yuanliu, had to curry favor with everyone at the Longhu Mountain Luotian Dajiao?

Even at the cost of his reputation, he tried to diminish the impact of being the Qi-Ti Yuanliu heir.

How can Itachi walk the world without backing?

Luo Fu inheriting the San Yi Men’s dharma lineage wasn’t enough with just Lu Jin as his shield. After all, Lu Jin was head of the Lu family—he couldn’t assume the position of San Yi Men’s Sect Master.

That’s precisely why Lu Jin was so eager for him to inherit Ni Sheng San Chong—he was already a hundred years old, with little time left.

By proper seniority, Lu Jin, as head of the Lu family, had no right to transmit the San Yi Men’s dharma. Luo Fu’s seniority should have directly succeeded Great Full Immortal Zuo Ruotong.

But they couldn’t suddenly elevate Luo Fu’s seniority so drastically—so instead, he was made Zuo Ruotong’s indirect successor, lowering his seniority by one level.

Even so, now, whether Zhang Chulan or Wang Ye, all must address him as Shi Shu.

The moment Luo Fu called the Old Heavenly Master “Shi Bo,” Zhang Zhiwei, as Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, formally endorsed Luo Fu as the San Yi Men’s heir.

All that remained was to publicly announce it during the upcoming Luotian Dajiao.

After accepting Luo Fu’s identity, Zhang Zhiwei wasted no time—he led Luo Fu and Lu Jin, along with the limbless Tian Jinzhong, straight to the training ground.

This was where Longhu Mountain disciples cultivated their life arts, where they sparred, and where the upcoming Luotian Dajiao’s rising talents would duel.

Upon reaching the training ground, Zhang Zhiwei cut straight to the point: “Old Lu told me about your situation. Your Ni Sheng San Chong, perfectly normal, somehow sprouted wings—like a Western angel! Show me! Let Shi Bo see what’s going on. Old Lu is deeply uneasy about this.”

Zhang Luo Fu complied without hesitation.

He activated his primordial qi, and instantly his skin turned luminous as pure jade, radiating an inhuman aura.

Simultaneously, his forehead’s Seven Sins Eye emitted a sinister fluctuation—subtle yet capable of subtly destabilizing the mind, luring one unconsciously into the hell of the Seven Deadly Sins.

When his entire body turned pure white—even his clothing lost its color—behind him, a pair of white wings snapped open with a whoosh.

Feathers, half-illusory, half-real, drifted lazily downward, enhancing Luo Fu’s divine, celestial presence.

“Huh!!” Zhang Zhiwei’s eyes widened in shock; even Tian Jinzhong beside him began doubting reality.

Having lived so long, they’d seen countless bizarre phenomena—but this? Never seen it. Never even heard of it.

A proper Daoist orthodoxy lineage, San Yi Men’s Ni Sheng San Chong, had somehow produced wings like a Western angel.

(End of Chapter)