Chapter 277: Human Favors

Upon hearing these words from Superintendent Zhao, the expression on Chen Lu's face shifted slightly. He pondered for a long while, yet remained speechless for a time.

Every cultivator in the East Sea knew that the recent unpleasantness between the Little Saint of Yunlang and the Rouxuan Mansion was closely related to Chen Lu.

But they did not know.

This was exactly what Chen Lu had intended!

And his chance encounter with the Little Saint of Yunlang had been a deliberate act, a case of him calculating against the unsuspecting!

The Little Saint of Yunlang was a great demon king of the East Sea and a sworn sister to Lady Shanmiao.

These two great demons possessed immense abilities; not only did they occupy the two divine peaks of Zigai and Jinci as their Daoist grounds, but they also commanded countless elites, with a full million demon soldiers and monsters under their banner.

Furthermore, they were well-versed in a coordinated attack technique from the ancient era.

When unleashed, it possessed the power to shock the heavens and banish ghosts, truly not to be underestimated!

However, the reason Chen Lu had gone to such lengths to leave a deep impression on the Little Saint of Yunlang was that this great demon possessed several grains of Nine-Turn True Essence Elixir.

Refining this spiritual elixir was no easy task.

Looking at the present world, those with the ability to refine this elixir were truly few and far between!

It required White Jade Milk, Bodhisattva Stone, and Purple Cloud Essence Glue as the main ingredients, combined with three thousand six hundred and fifty-four types of precious spiritual herbs, and then refined in a Yin-Yang Bronze Cauldron with secret incantations for four hundred years.

Only when the sound of a phoenix crying reached the heavens and a spark of fire was released, spreading for a hundred miles and lasting for three days without dissipating, could it be considered a perfect success.

This Nine-Turn True Essence Elixir was extremely precious; it could not only reshape one's bones and mend one's Dao foundation.

As long as a cultivator still had a breath left and their form and spirit had not dissipated, they could use this elixir to restore their body and life, returning completely to their former state. To call it a divine elixir or holy medicine would not be an exaggeration in the slightest!

The reason Chen Lu plotted for this elixir was that, in order to break through the Golden Core barrier, he had spared no cost and used a secret technique, damaging his own foundation, and his potential was exhausted.

It was like a house: although the four walls appeared bright and the papering clean, the beams and pillars used for support had long been eaten by insects, more than half hollowed out.

In this situation.

To think of adding bricks and tiles again would be nothing more than a fool's dream.

If one were not careful, there would be a risk of the walls collapsing and the house falling, which could not be ignored.

After using the barrier-breaking secret technique and exhausting his potential.

Chen Lu had also inquired about methods to mend his Dao foundation, but most were of no use.

It was not until he heard that the Little Saint of Yunlang possessed several grains of Nine-Turn True Essence Elixir that he secretly conceived a plan.

Taking it by force was absolutely impossible.

Not to mention that the Little Saint of Yunlang was a great demon king with exquisite methods.

Moreover, her sworn sister, Lady Shanmiao, was even more formidable, and she had intricate ties with the Shenyu Sect; it was said she was the former wife of a Demonic Dao True Monarch. Although the two had separated, they still maintained formal visits during festivals, and she was certainly not someone who could be easily manipulated.

The Little Saint of Yunlang and Lady Shanmiao were already one, and if one were to anger her and force Lady Shanmiao to bring out the Shenyu Sect behind her.

Not to mention Chen Lu, who could not withstand it.

Even the Rouxuan Mansion behind him would be unable to fend it off...

However, upon learning that the Little Saint of Yunlang had a special fondness for handsome men, especially those who were already married and of noble status, Chen Lu had an idea.

Although his roots were shallow and he struggled to achieve great success in cultivation—often expending ten parts of effort only to reap six—

even after his aptitude had been altered by the "Tai Shi Yuan Zhen," it was limited to that.

But in matters of romance and gauging hearts.

He was a natural, self-taught expert!

If it were not so, given Chen Lu's destitute beginnings, it would have been difficult for him to hook a noble lady of the Rouxuan Mansion, thereby ascending to the heavens in one step and becoming a long-lasting topic of conversation in the East Sea.

Superintendent Zhao had befriended Chen Lu in his humble days, and because Chen Lu had inadvertently saved the lives of his family, he was willing to humble himself, serving Chen Lu as a servant and obeying his every command.

As a trusted confidant who knew everything about him.

Chen Lu's calculations were perfectly clear to Superintendent Zhao.

And seeing that the plan had finally succeeded, with the Little Saint of Yunlang now curious about Chen Lu, if he continued to fan the flames, the great matter might well be accomplished.

Yet at such a time, Chen Lu wanted to use the Essence of the Innate Five Elements for another purpose.

Acting in such a way.

Truly left Superintendent Zhao somewhat baffled...

The Essence of the Innate Five Elements was extraordinary, a most precious item.

If Chen Lu had not used this item to lay his foundation, let alone achieving a Fifth-Grade Golden Core, he would have struggled even to survive the Minor Pure Yang Thunder during his breakthrough.

And the Little Saint of Yunlang had recently taken in a disciple who, because her appearance resembled the Little Saint of Yunlang in her youth and she possessed extraordinary bones, was greatly favored by the Little Saint of Yunlang, almost sleeping and eating together.

She was currently racking her brains, gathering cultivation resources for that disciple everywhere.

The Essence of the Innate Five Elements was naturally among them...

Chen Lu had previously intended to work from both inside and outside, planning to use the Essence of the Innate Five Elements in his hands as a favor to curry favor with that disciple of the Little Saint of Yunlang.

And then, with her words of guidance, it would be convenient to proceed in the future.

Because of this, Superintendent Zhao had specially retrieved the Essence of the Innate Five Elements from the treasury, waiting only for Chen Lu's command to deliver it personally.

Who would have thought that since seeing the Little Saint of Yunlang a few months ago.

Chen Lu had acted contrary to his usual behavior, becoming indifferent to that great matter.

Until today.

He even wanted to gift the Essence of the Innate Five Elements to someone else.

Superintendent Zhao hesitated for a long while, unable to hold back, and said: "Master, our plans are clearly showing results, and because of you, the Little Saint of Yunlang has already—"

"Do you know my birthday?"

Chen Lu suddenly interrupted and asked.

"... Master?"

Superintendent Zhao was stunned.

"On my birthday, the Lady gave me an embroidered robe she had made herself, saying that when I was young and begging on the streets, stealing from others, it was only to wear a new robe during the festival, and from this day on, every year on my birthday, she would make me an embroidered robe, and the past should be treated as the past.

That embroidered robe had the coiled dragon pattern I loved most when I was a child...

I don't know where the Lady got such insight; she didn't know these things before."

Chen Lu was silent for a moment, then gave a self-deprecating smile:

"That night, the Lady told me many things, saying that if I truly wanted the Nine-Turn True Essence Elixir, she would do her utmost to help me, regardless of anything else.

Originally, I thought I could grasp the hearts of men and play with the world in the palm of my hand, but I didn't expect that my little calculations had long been seen clearly by the Mansion Master and the Lady. It is laughable."

"Master?!"

Superintendent Zhao was horrified upon hearing this, his back feeling cold.

"But this matter has also awakened me. If I continue like this, except for lacking the 'Classic of Human Rearing' and that peerless natural talent, I am just like Chen Yushu, a villain.

Mother lived her whole life in sorrow because of Chen Yushu, and in the end, I have learned the ways of that old dog Yushu; I deserve to die!"

Chen Lu said to himself:

"Since that is the case, let this favor be sold to Chen Hang; in any case, we are all family.

I only hope that if he one day becomes an honored ancestor, he will not forget the kindness of the Lady and the Rouxuan Mansion; that would not be a waste of this intention."

Superintendent Zhao was silent for a long time after hearing this, and only after a while did he bow and agree, his expression dazed.

And in the blink of an eye, three days passed.

On this day, after seeing off Superintendent Zhao who had come to visit.

Chen Hang returned to the hall, looked at the three jade boxes on the desk, and could not help but sigh.

"This favor is quite a debt; I have greatly accepted his kindness..."

He thought to himself.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 278 =====