160: This is how you should leave the country.

The figure of Madam Tian, still retaining her charm, completely disappeared from the entrance of the great hall with a hint of embarrassment and bashfulness.

The sound of footsteps rang out once more.

“Lu Mingxuan” walked back into the hall, his handsome face bearing an expression completely different from before.

It was no longer one of cowardice, pleading, or “filial piety,” but a kind of fawning and enchantment that came from the very marrow of his bones.

He walked to the front of the throne and, without the slightest hesitation, knelt down respectfully with a “thud.”

Following that, he raised his head, and that face belonging to Lu Mingxuan revealed a smile of natural seductiveness that belonged to Hu Meier.

Even his voice seemed to carry a hint of charming magnetism.

“Your Subordinate, Hu Meier, pays respects to the Lord.”

He blinked, looking at Han Qing with a playful gaze, and asked, “Lord... did you enjoy yourself?”

Han Qing looked at him lazily from the corner of his eye.

“You flirtatious fox.”

He cursed unceremoniously, “You really have a lot of tricks. Soul Shifting and Spirit Swapping? To think you could make a shrewd woman like Madam Tian completely fail to notice that her precious son had long since been swapped out.”

“Tee-hee-hee...”

“Lu Mingzhou”—or rather, Hu Meier wearing Lu Mingxuan’s skin—let out her signature charming giggle.

“Lord, you are mistaken about that.”

As she laughed, she explained, “There was no ‘swapping’ at all, so how could she notice?”

“Oh?” Han Qing became a bit interested.

“From the Divine Soul Origin to the Bloodline of this Physical Body, he is still Lu Mingxuan.”

“I merely completely devoured and digested his original soul consciousness, and then perfectly inherited all his memories, his entire personality, and all his habits... even the desires and fears deep within his heart that he himself hadn't noticed.”

“To put it simply, I am Lu Mingxuan now.”

“It’s just that the ‘consciousness’ of this body has become your Subordinate.”

Han Qing frowned slightly.

It sounded quite complicated.

But it was undeniable that Hu Meier’s move was indeed sinisterly impressive.

Just as she said, the body was still the same body, and the soul was still the same soul; it was just that the internal ‘operating System’ had been replaced.

With such a method, even the most top-tier Void Refining Realm or even Mahayana stage experts would likely find no flaws even with the most powerful investigative Magic Treasures.

Because, from any perspective, he had not been ‘Possessed.’

He was Lu Mingxuan.

“You did well this time.”

Han Qing offered a rare word of praise.

For a Subordinate who was capable and could get things done beautifully, he was never stingy with his appreciation.

“Tell me, what reward do you want?”

Upon hearing the word “reward,” “Lu Mingxuan’s” eyes instantly lit up.

His face was immediately covered in a fawning smile, and those eyes belonging to a man were forced to squeeze out a few hints of affection as he threw a wink at Han Qing.

“Lord~”

That voice was so cloying it gave Han Qing goosebumps all over.

“This Subordinate doesn’t have any grand ambitions; I just... just hope to accompany you by your side at all times and serve you. That would be enough to satisfy my heart.”

“...”

Han Qing’s face went dark.

A wave of revulsion shot straight from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

“Get out!”

He finally couldn't help but kick out, though it was only a phantom image condensed from spirit energy.

“You flirtatious fox! If you dare use that man's body to make such a ghastly expression at me again, believe it or not, I will crush this strand of your divided soul right now!”

“Tee-hee-hee-hee!”

Hu Meier let out a string of even more cheerful laughter, as if seeing Han Qing’s disgusted look made her happier than any reward.

She hurriedly waved her hands and said, “Oh my, it’s my fault. I forgot I’m in this form right now. Lord, please appease your anger; I will definitely pay attention in the future, definitely!”

“Get out! Get out of here right now!” Han Qing waved his hand impatiently.

“Yes, yes.”

“Lu Mingxuan” hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and turned to leave.

Just as he was about to step out of the hall’s entrance, Han Qing’s voice came from behind him again.

“Go back to the Tianxuan Domain first and use your identity as the Lu family’s Young Lord to stabilize the people’s hearts.”

“Announce to the outside world that to preserve the Lu family, you have already acknowledged me as your foster father. From now on, the Lu family is under the protection of me, the heavenly desolation sword devil. If anyone dares to take advantage of the situation and touch the Lu family’s Foundation, it will be equivalent to declaring war on me, and they will suffer my bloodiest retaliation!”

These words were spoken with murderous intent and absolute dominance.

“Lu Mingxuan” immediately stopped, turned around, and bowed respectfully.

“This Subordinate obeys your command!”

This was the Lord clearing all obstacles for him—and for himself—to take over the Lu family’s assets next.

With the reputation of the “heavenly desolation sword devil,” those restless forces in the Tianxuan Domain would have to carefully consider whether they had the ability to withstand the wrath of a powerhouse who could slay three Soul Transformation experts with a single sword... “Lu Mingxuan” soon found Madam Tian, who was still resting in the side hall.

He bid a “reluctant farewell” to his mother, claiming that as the only remaining male of the Lu family, he had to return to the Tianxuan Domain immediately to stabilize the situation and reassure the people, so that the Lu family’s Foundation would not collapse immediately after the deaths of his father and the Old Ancestor.

Seeing her son seemingly grow up overnight, becoming responsible and dutiful, Madam Tian felt both gratified and heartbroken, so she naturally nodded in agreement repeatedly.

She had no idea what kind of truth was hidden behind this drama of “deep mother-son affection.”

The existence of “Lu Mingxuan” was of great significance.

As long as he, the legitimate son of the Lu family on the surface, was not dead, then the Lu family was not truly extinct.

Any force that dared to blatantly seize the Lu family’s assets at this time would be completely indefensible morally, easily drawing the vigilance and resentment of other forces, and might even be attacked by everyone.

Furthermore, the retainers and retainers who originally relied on the Lu family, as well as the Lu clan branches and Subordinate forces spread throughout the Tianxuan Domain, would not immediately fall apart or be easily turned by other forces because they had a “pillar.”

All of this paved the way for Han Qing’s subsequent full takeover.

Just after “Lu Mingzhou” steered the Flying Ship and disappeared into the horizon,

Han Qing, who was resting with his eyes closed, suddenly felt something.

He could clearly sense that in a secret room deep within the Hundred Flowers Valley, an aura that had originally stayed at the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection was steadily rising, breaking through the Bottleneck, and finally stepping firmly into a brand-new Realm.

That aura was gentle and capable, yet carried a unique mature charm.

It was Ying Rushi.

She was the first to complete the Breakthrough, successfully entering the Golden Core Realm from the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.

“Not bad.”

Han Qing nodded with satisfaction.

A Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique combined with a large amount of ten-thousand-year Spirit Medicine indeed had extraordinary effects.

Although Ying Rushi's Aptitude was not as good as Liu Shishi and the others, she excelled in having a solid Foundation and a steady Heart-Nature. It was not unexpected for her to be the first to break through.

With a thought, he sent a Divine Sense transmission directly into Ying Rushi’s secret room.

“Emerge from seclusion and come see me.”

...A moment later.

Ying Rushi, dressed in a simple and elegant long dress, walked into the hall with steady steps.

Having just broken through to the Golden Core Realm, her entire temperament had undergone a subtle change. The original capable yet charming style remained, but between her brows, there was now more of the aura belonging to a Golden Core Immortal Master.

Her spirit energy was restrained, and her breath was long; she had clearly stabilized her Realm completely.

“Your Subordinate Ying Rushi pays respects to the Lord.”

She walked to the front of the hall and bowed respectfully, “Thank you, Lord, for bestowing the Cultivation Technique and Spirit Medicine to help me break through the Bottleneck!”

She spoke with a hint of irrepressible excitement.

The Bottleneck that had troubled her for several years was actually broken through so easily under the accumulation of a Heaven-Grade Cultivation Technique and ten-thousand-year Spirit Medicine.

This feeling made her feel as if she were in a dream.

She had only used one stalk of Spirit Medicine to break through, and the medicinal effects had not even been fully digested yet.

“Rise.”

Han Qing looked at her, a gentle smile appearing on his face, “Congratulations on stepping onto the Great Dao of the Golden Core.”

“It is all thanks to the Lord’s cultivation,” Ying Rushi said humbly.

Han Qing waved his hand, signaling that she didn't need to be overly formal, and then the smile on his face faded slightly, replaced by a serious expression.

“Originally, I intended for you all to focus on your seclusion and raise your cultivation to a new height before coming out to work for me.”

“However...”

He paused, looking at Ying Rushi with a hint of apology in his eyes.

“A situation just cropped up unexpectedly. There is a very important and very tricky matter that requires someone I absolutely trust and who is capable enough to handle it for me.”

“After thinking it over, I can only feel at ease if I leave this matter to you.”

“So, I can only trouble you with it.”