51: Chapter 51: A crazy idea – to take Wang Dong'er, Xiao Wu, and even A Yin to fight Tang San.

Morning sunlight filtered through the towering glass windows of the Elder Hall, casting long patches of light onto the floor. Lu Jing and Wang Donger had packed up, finished a simple breakfast, and arrived together outside the hall where Qian Daoliu practiced in seclusion.

After being announced, the two stepped inside.

Qian Daoliu was still sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion. His grey robes were immaculate, his aura vast as an abyss, and his long golden hair flowed with a serene luster in the morning light.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes. His golden gaze landed gently on the two, lingering on Lu Jing's face for a moment.

"High Priest." Lu Jing and Wang Donger bowed in unison.

"Mm."

Qian Daoliu's voice was calm, carrying the dignity of one who had long held a high position. He asked, "Have you decided?"

Previously, Lu Jing had already spoken to Qian Daoliu about going out for training.

"Yes," Lu Jing nodded and replied softly, "Sister Donger and I plan to set off today to travel across the continent, seek some opportunities, and broaden our horizons."

Qian Daoliu's gaze scrutinized Lu Jing for a moment, as if trying to see more in his eyes.

Six years had passed, and the boy before him had shed his childishness. His Soul Power had advanced to level 48, and he possessed the shocking spirit ring configuration of one purple and three black.

The thought he held in his heart—to "let Xue'er have more contact with him"—had been temporarily shelved because Qian Renxue had traveled far to Heaven Dou, but his high regard for Lu Jing had not diminished in the slightest.

"That is good."

Thinking of this, Qian Daoliu nodded slowly and agreed, "Young people should go out and venture forth. With your current cultivation, as long as you do not actively court trouble, you should be safe."

He paused, flipped his hand, and produced a token made of a special metal, its entire body flowing with a dark golden luster.

The front of the token was engraved with the pattern of a majestic and sacred Angelic Sacred Sword, and the back featured the unique emblem of the Elder Hall, emitting a restrained yet powerful fluctuation of Soul Power.

"This is a consecration token."

Qian Daoliu handed the token to Lu Jing and explained, "Holding this token, you may act on behalf of the Elder Hall. In most branches within the sphere of influence of the Spirit Hall, you will be able to receive certain conveniences and assistance. If you encounter trouble you cannot resolve, you may also use this token to seek help from the local Spirit Hall branch."

Lu Jing looked at the heavy token, his heart stirring slightly. This was undoubtedly a heavy token of trust and reliance.

He took it with both hands; it felt warm and smooth to the touch. He said respectfully, "Thank you, High Priest. This junior will surely use it with caution and will not let you down."

He did not decline, knowing well that when traveling abroad, this endorsement from the highest level of the Spirit Hall was sometimes more useful than strength itself—not to mention it was the Elder Hall, which even the Supreme Pontiff could not command.

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over Wang Donger to the side before returning to Lu Jing. He exhorted, "Go. Remember, the Spirit Hall will always be your backing. In all matters, prioritize your own safety."

"This junior will keep it in mind." Lu Jing and Wang Donger bowed again.

Bidding farewell to Qian Daoliu, the two walked out of the magnificent gates of the Elder Hall.

A carriage pulled by two spirited Spirit Beasts, with the Elder Hall emblem printed on the carriage body, was already waiting before the white jade steps.

The coachman was a reliable person arranged by the Elder Hall.

Upon boarding the carriage, the interior was spacious and comfortable, lined with soft cushions.

As the coachman gave a light shout, the Spirit Beasts set off, and the carriage smoothly drove away from the core area of the Spirit Hall, passing through layers of heavily guarded gates, and finally drove out of the most magnificent city on the continent ten thousand years ago—Spirit City.

Outside the carriage window, the bustling and noisy streetscape was gradually replaced by lush, verdant wilderness.

Wang Donger leaned against the window, her powder-blue hair ruffled by the breeze. She quietly watched the scenery rapidly receding outside: rolling mountains, winding rivers, and villages dotted in between.

Having arrived in this World six years ago, she had spent most of her time within the high walls of the Spirit Hall and rarely had the opportunity to truly step into this vast and unfamiliar continent. Therefore, upon hearing that Lu Jing was going to take her out, she was actually very excited and curious inside.

After the carriage left the area of Spirit City, the road became somewhat bumpy.

Wang Donger withdrew her gaze from outside the window and turned to Lu Jing, who was sitting opposite her.

The boy was resting with his eyes closed, his expression calm, seemingly pondering something.

"Xiao Jing."

Wang Donger was the first to speak softly, breaking the silence in the carriage, and asked, "Where are we going first?"

Her voice carried a trace of bewilderment and curiosity about the new journey.

Although she had lived in this era for six years, the geography and distribution of forces on the continent remained a blurred picture to her.

Lu Jing slowly opened his eyes, his deep gaze reflecting Wang Donger's beautiful face.

A faint, slightly mysterious curve hooked at the corner of his mouth: "To a place called Nuoding City."

"Nuoding City?"

Wang Donger's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, her powder-blue eyes full of confusion as she asked, "What kind of place is that? It doesn't sound like a big city. Shouldn't we go to Heaven Dou City first?"

She paused, her tone carrying a logical assumption, and said, "Isn't Qian Renxue carrying out a mission in the Heaven Dou Empire? If we go over, perhaps we can help a little? Or at least, we could understand more about the situation in the Heaven Dou Empire."

This was the most logical route.

With Qian Renxue disguised as Xue Qinghe and lurking in Heaven Dou, if they, who held key information about the future, could join her, it would be far more valuable to provide intelligence or assist in secret than to go to an obscure "Nuoding City."

However, Lu Jing shook his head, his tone calm but filled with undeniable certainty: "Although Qian Renxue is in Heaven Dou City, if we go there now, it can be said that it would be of no use at all."

"Why?"

Wang Donger pressed on, her brows knitting tighter, and she asked with confusion, "We know the future, surely we can give her some reminders? Or, at least, we could see how her plan is progressing?"

Lu Jing's gaze became somewhat profound, as if piercing through the carriage wall and looking toward the distant north: "Her mission is long-term infiltration; it is to blend into that identity and gain trust. If we rashly go to make contact now, our identities are sensitive and abrupt, which might instead expose her and disrupt her deployment. Moreover, given her current status and ability, and... the pride in her bones, she would not easily ask us for help unless necessary. If we go, besides making her distracted to entertain us, what else could we do? It is better to go get something before that."

"Something?"

Wang Donger's confusion deepened, and she was bewildered by Lu Jing, asking, "Get what? In a small place like Nuoding City, what kind of treasure could there be that is worth you making a special trip?"

Lu Jing looked at Wang Donger's eager and puzzled appearance, the smile on his face deepening, carrying a bit of the slyness unique to a young man: "As for that..."

He deliberately dragged out his tone, keeping her in suspense, and said, "You will know when the time comes. Trust me, this thing might be very important for our later plans."

Seeing him so certain and mysterious, although Wang Donger was full of doubts, she also knew that Lu Jing was always meticulous and would not do meaningless things.

She pursed her lips, her soft, pink lips pouting slightly, and glared at him with a bit of dissatisfaction: "Mysterious! Forget it if you won't tell me!"

She turned her gaze back to the window, no longer asking, but her heart was like being scratched by a kitten, full of curiosity about that so-called "something."

The journey was long and monotonous.

The carriage sped along the official road, traveling during the day and resting in towns or post stations along the way at night.

Occasionally, when they encountered unique scenery or places with rich Soul Power, the two would get off the carriage for a while to stretch their limbs.

Wang Donger still maintained a strong interest in the customs and traditions of ten thousand years ago, while Lu Jing appeared much calmer, spending more time silently cultivating or deep in thought.

Time passed quietly as the wheels rolled.

Half a month later, the carriage finally arrived at the destination of this trip—Nuoding City.

The afterglow of the sunset dyed the outline of this small border city with a layer of warm gold.

The city walls were not high and appeared somewhat old. There were not many pedestrians at the city gate, mostly simple commoners and low-level Spirit Masters, far less prosperous and solemn than Spirit City, revealing an ordinary and even somewhat dilapidated atmosphere.

"This is Nuoding City?"

Wang Donger got off the carriage and looked around, her powder-blue eyes carrying a hint of imperceptible disappointment.

This was far from the place she imagined that "held something important."

"Mm." Lu Jing nodded, paid the fare, and dismissed the coachman from the Elder Hall.

He looked around, his expression calm, seemingly unsurprised by the scene here.

The two found a hotel in the city that looked clean and tidy and opened two adjacent rooms.

Having traveled for half a month, dusty and tired, both needed a good rest.

After a simple dinner and washing up, Wang Donger returned to her room to rest.

Lu Jing stood at the window of his room and pushed open the wooden lattice window.

Nuoding City under the cover of night was quiet, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the distance.

His gaze, as if substantial, pierced through the darkness and accurately cast toward a certain direction of the city—there, one could vaguely see the outline of a not-so-magnificent complex of buildings, which was Nuoding Academy.

The corner of Lu Jing's mouth, in the night where no one was watching, slowly hooked into a meaningful, playful, and cold curve.

"Nuoding Academy..."

Looking at the buildings in the distance, he murmured silently, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible, but his eyes were sharp as a hawk, saying, "I really want to see, what kind of 'fatherly love and filial piety' it will be when the righteous Shrek ancestor in the history books is chased and beaten by his own biological daughter whom he regarded as a treasure..."

Thoughts surged like a tide. He thought of the boundless praise for that ancestor in the history books, the ultimate collapse of the Spirit Hall, the desolate scene of Qian Renxue's God Position shattering... A sense of pleasure mixed with mockery and malice grew in his heart.

"It's just a pity..."

Lu Jing sighed softly, his gaze seemingly piercing through space and landing on Wang Donger in the adjacent room. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he said with a hint of regret, "The current her is, after all, not the real Tang Wutong... but that so-called Wang Donger who has lost her memories."

This thought was like a spark, instantly igniting an even bolder, or even crazy, idea in the depths of Lu Jing's mind!

His eyes suddenly brightened, flickering with terrifying brilliance in the room!

"Wait!"

Lu Jing suddenly stood up straight, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the window lattice, his thoughts becoming incredibly clear and leaping, murmuring, "Since I can take the deluded Wang Donger to fight Tang San... then can't I... also bring Xiao Wu over?"

"As the saying goes... mother and daughter pairing, work is never tiring!"

Once this thought was born, it spread wildly in his heart like a prairie fire!

He seemed to have already seen that highly dramatic and subversive scene—Xiao Wu, who deeply loved Tang San, together with her daughter Tang Wutong who had lost her memories, and mother Ah Yin, teaming up to deal with the man who was revered as a god in the ten-thousand-year history books!

This scene alone, just imagining it, was enough to make him feel a kind of twisted, vengeful pleasure!

This was many times more stimulating than simply using Wang Donger!

"Feasibility..." Lu Jing's eyes became incredibly focused and sharp, his brain running at an unprecedented speed.

He began to pace in the room, his fingers unconsciously moving in the void, as if outlining the outline of some earth-shattering plan.

"Xiao Wu should... be arriving at Nuoding City soon! Her true identity, although she is a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast who has transformed into human form, in terms of strength, is extremely low, so the difficulty of approaching her can be said to be very easy!"

"And... on Wang Donger's side... she currently only thinks she is the young master of the Clear Sky Sect, Wang Donger; she has no idea she is Tang Wutong, let alone her mother-daughter relationship with Xiao Wu... If she returns ten thousand years later and has her memories restored by Tang San, will she rebel?"

"As for Ah Yin, that is not too big of a problem."

Lu Jing stopped, his brows tightly locked, realizing that although this idea was extremely tempting, in actual operation, every step was like walking a tightrope over an abyss; a slight carelessness would lead to total destruction.

"But... it is not completely without room for operation..."

His eyes flashed with persistence as he walked back to the window, looking toward the direction of Nuoding Academy again, his gaze becoming incredibly profound.

"Perhaps... Nuoding City, this seemingly ordinary little place, the place where Tang San's story began... hides some key fulcrums that can leverage the future?"

As long as he obtains the main body of the Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin, and then resurrects Ah Yin before Tang San activates the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, then Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor Spirit will never have a chance for a second awakening in this lifetime.

The night wind blew the hair on his forehead.

Lu Jing stood at the window, motionless for a long time, like a statue blending into the night.

His brain was running at high speed, and countless thoughts, plans, and risk assessments were colliding fiercely.

How to "get" Xiao Wu over, how to make her join forces with Wang Donger to fight against Tang San... This shocking concept was like a giant stone thrown into the lake of his heart, stirring up huge waves and igniting his long-dormant ambition and madness as a transmigrator who stirs up the winds and clouds.

The Nuoding City outside the window slept in the night, unaware that it had already been included in such a magnificent and dangerous chess game by a pair of eyes from ten thousand years later.