369: Chapter 369 The Battle for Immortal Veins

One must know that in the Immortal Realm, Spiritual Veins are divided into Low Grade, Medium Grade, High Grade, and Peak Grade.

A single ordinary High Grade Immortal Spiritual Vein is enough to trigger a bloodbath among several third-rate immortal sects.

As for a Peak Grade Immortal Spiritual Vein, that is a strategic core resource capable of autonomously breathing Chaos Qi and continuously nurturing Immortal Crystals!

Such resources are often held only by super-hegemons like the Taiyi Immortal Sect or giants as wealthy as nations like the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce.

It is something that can be encountered but not sought, sufficient to support the long-term development of a first-rate power for tens of thousands of years without decline.

That Shui Changdong could offer such a thing as a reward showed he was truly pushed to a dead end and was genuinely investing heavily in Lu Yuan.

Hearing this, Lu Yuan lowered his eyelids slightly, hiding the flash of sharp light and calculation in his eyes.

He had just arrived in the Daluo Heaven and was unfamiliar with the place and its people.

Although the Qingyun Dao Sect was a hegemon in the Xuanhuang Realm, its foundation was far too thin here. It urgently needed a legitimate foothold and, even more so, a massive amount of top-tier resources to support the rapid growth of its Disciples.

This Peak Grade Immortal Spiritual Vein was practically tailor-made for him.

And, more importantly...

“Taiyi Immortal Sect...” Lu Yuan sneered in his heart.

He still had a blood debt to settle with this super-hegemon, which had repeatedly caused him trouble in the Lower Realm and even sent a Clone down.

Since he needed to establish his prestige in the Daluo Heaven, taking the Taiyi Immortal Sect as his first target seemed like an excellent choice.

“Fine.”

Lu Yuan looked up, a confident and calm smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

He picked up the cup of slightly cooled Immortal Tea on the table and drained it in one gulp.

“Senior, you overstate it. Since we are all family, I, Lu Yuan, will take this job.”

Lu Yuan smiled slightly, answering without the slightest hesitation.

He picked up the tea cup carved from Ten-Thousand-Year Spiritual Jade, which held Peak Grade Immortal Tea. With a slight flick of his wide sleeves, he tilted his head back and drained the tea—enough to drive an ordinary Profound Immortal mad—in one gulp.

As the tea entered his throat, it transformed into a stream of extremely pure immortal Qi, instantly flowing through his entire body before finally merging into his Dantian.

Lu Yuan felt the delight of the Profound Immortal Laws within him, and the smile on his face deepened.

The Daluo Heaven, a Peak Grade Immortal Spiritual Vein, and the Taiyi Immortal Sect... he was very satisfied with this stage.

Hearing Lu Yuan's crisp and straightforward promise, Shui Changdong's tense nerves instantly relaxed.

He slapped his thigh suddenly, his eyes erupting with an irrepressible look of wild joy.

“Good! Good! Good! Nephew Lu is indeed a straightforward man! With your help, my Jiuding Chamber of Commerce's crisis will surely be resolved!”

Shui Changdong stood up in excitement, saying “Good” three times in a row.

As a Golden Immortal powerhouse who had governed the chamber of commerce for tens of thousands of years, what kind of person had he not seen? Yet, someone like Lu Yuan, who faced such a perilous situation not only without fear but with a hint of eager excitement, possessed a level of courage that was truly rare.

He could already see the convoy of the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce, under Lu Yuan's escort, tearing through the blockade of the Taixu Fortress like a sharp sword and safely delivering those life-saving supplies.

“Someone, come here!”

Shui Changdong's face was flushed with health as he immediately shouted orders outside: “Quickly tell the kitchen to prepare the highest-specification Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious Banquet! Bring out that jar of Drunken Immortal Brew that has been stored in the cellar for a hundred thousand years! Today, I shall drink my fill with my nephew to welcome you all!”

“Yes! President!” The attendant outside responded respectfully and then quickly withdrew to prepare.

The banquet that evening could be described as the height of luxury.

During the meal, Shui Changdong personally accompanied them, treating Lu Yuan's group with the utmost courtesy.

This was not only because Lu Yuan had saved Fairy Shuiyue, but also because he valued Lu Yuan's unfathomable potential and combat power.

...

The next morning, at a top-secret spaceport outside Nine Cauldrons Immortal City.

This was the exclusive territory of the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce.

The surroundings were filled with dense concealment Formations and killing Formations; the defense was extremely tight.

In the center of the spaceport, a giant merchant ship a thousand feet long, its entire body forged from Deep-Sea Sinking Silver mixed with various types of Immortal Gold, was quietly suspended in mid-air.

This merchant ship was incredibly massive, like a mobile small city.

On the hull, the prominent “Nine Cauldrons” insignia of the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce was inscribed with a special spiritual fluid.

The entire ship had no ornate decorations, yet it emitted a heavy, restrained, and indestructible fluctuation of Formations.

This was not just a cargo ship; it was a war fortress armed to the teeth.

At this time, on the wide bow deck of the merchant ship stood a middle-aged man wearing a green Daoist robe, with a stiff face and a serious expression.

His hands were behind his back, and his eyes were slightly closed, as if he were an old monk in meditation.

However, the aura radiating from his body was like a volcano about to erupt—steady yet oppressive.

He was surprisingly an expert whose cultivation had reached the Late Stage Peak of the Profound Immortal realm, only a step away from Profound Immortal Perfection!

This person was none other than the Chief Enshrined Expert hired by the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce for a high price, and the direct person in charge of escorting the strategic supplies to the Guanghan Domain—Li Xingzhou.

In the Jiuding Chamber of Commerce, Li Xingzhou's status was extremely high, second only to Shui Changdong and several Grand Elders.

He was upright and even somewhat rigid in character, but in the matter of escorting trade, he was experienced and had never made a mistake, known as the chamber's “Stabilizing Sea Needle.”

“Enshrined Li, is everyone here? What is the status of the cargo loading?”

Accompanied by a burst of hearty laughter, Shui Changdong walked over grandly with Lu Yuan, Fairy Shuiyue, and a group of beautiful companions including Gu Qingxue and the Yaochi Holy Mother.

Hearing the president's voice, Li Xingzhou slowly opened his eyes.

They were deep and sharp eyes, as if they could see through the falsehoods of the human heart.

His gaze first fell on Shui Changdong, bowing slightly in greeting, and then his eyes naturally shifted to Lu Yuan beside Shui Changdong.

When his Divine Sense quietly swept over Lu Yuan, Li Xingzhou's brow furrowed imperceptibly.

“Profound Immortal Late Stage... his aura is steady enough, but there seems to be nothing extraordinary about him.

Furthermore, the fluctuation of his Laws carries a hint of the Lower Realm's obscurity; he has clearly just ascended not long ago.”

Li Xingzhou evaluated him secretly in his heart.

Regarding Shui Changdong's sudden announcement last night that a “specially appointed commander” named Lu Yuan would be parachuted in to take full charge of this escort mission, he felt instinctive resistance and dissatisfaction.

In his view, the Taixu Fortress was now a literal meat grinder.

Those entrenched there were all battle-hardened generals from the Taiyi and Taixuan sects.

What use could a greenhorn who had just ascended from the Lower Realm be, no matter how high his talent, without having experienced the cruel baptism of the Immortal Realm's Laws? Going there would just be throwing his life away and might even implicate the entire caravan!

“Reporting to the President.”

Li Xingzhou composed himself and reported in a stiff tone: “The caravan's three thousand elite guards have finished assembling, all with True Immortal cultivation or higher.

All strategic supplies required for this trip to the Guanghan Domain have also been fully loaded, the Formations have been checked, and we can set sail at any time.”

At this point, Li Xingzhou paused.

His sharp gaze passed over Lu Yuan and landed on the group of enchantingly beautiful and peerless women behind him.

Gu Qingxue's cold, immortal-like air, the Yaochi Holy Mother's elegant poise, Ji Yaoguang's heroic spirit, Su Yueli's natural charm... any one of these women would be enough to cause a sensation in the Immortal Realm.

But in Li Xingzhou's eyes, this became the biggest trouble.

“Only...”

Li Xingzhou's tone carried a hint of undisguised displeasure and questioning: “President, this trip to the Guanghan Domain passes through the Taixu Fortress.

That is currently a major disaster area where the two sects are at war, filled with killing intent and extreme danger. A single mistake could result in the destruction of the ship and the death of everyone on board.”

He looked directly at Shui Changdong, arguing his point: “You arranged for this... Fellow Daoist Lu to accompany us as a specially appointed commander. Although I have doubts in my heart, I am willing to follow the President's arrangements.

However, why must he also bring so many female companions?”

The more Li Xingzhou spoke, the more absurd he felt it was, his finger vaguely pointing toward Gu Qingxue and the others: “A battlefield is not a joke! This will not only seriously slow down our journey and distract us during combat to protect them, but their appearance might also attract unnecessary covetousness and trouble from those desperate criminals! We are going to protect trade and risk our lives, not to go on a scenic tour!”

In Li Xingzhou's view, Shui Changdong was definitely acting out of desperation and turning to anyone for help.