74: Chapter 74 The Lu Family? Nothing more than domesticated prey.

As Lu Hao's voice rang out, one of the stone pillars slowly descended, and the figure sitting cross-legged atop it gradually became clearer.

The stone pillar landed steadily, and Lu Hao looked up at the figure.

The Lu family Old Ancestor above was exceptionally short and thin, withered as a dry stick, as if a gust of wind could blow him away, yet the aura permeating his body was incredibly heavy.

This person was one of the Lu family Old Ancestors who, decades ago, had single-handedly forced back the million-strong allied forces of the Three Northern Frontier Kingdoms — Lu Tiancheng.

Lu Tiancheng slowly opened his eyes, looked at Lu Hao, who was respectfully kneeling before him, and after a moment of silence, spoke: "Lu Hao, have you chosen the next successor to the Great Qian Dynasty throne yet?"

"Reporting to Old Ancestor Lu Tiancheng, the... candidate has not yet been selected. I came to the Forbidden Ground this time precisely to ask for the wise judgment of the three Old Ancestors to help deliberate on who should be chosen."

Lu Tiancheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and his previously calm expression suddenly darkened: "Foolish!!"

The voice was not loud, but it struck Lu Hao's heart like a thunderbolt.

He shuddered, a flash of doubt crossing his eyes: "Old Ancestor...?"

Lu Tiancheng looked at him coldly: "Do you actually believe that the reason my Great Qian Dynasty has been able to stand tall in the Central Region for thousands of years is because of that? Is it because of the so-called diligent emperor sitting on the Dragon throne?"

Lu Hao felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly said: "Of course not! The reason my Great Qian Dynasty can have a long-lasting Foundation and endure for generations is entirely due to the presence of you Old Ancestors!"

"Hmph, it seems you aren't completely stupid." Lu Tiancheng snorted coldly, his tone gradually softening, "Remember, the Great Qian Dynasty will not fall as long as we are still here! The so-called throne and the political situation are merely appearances for the common world to see. The successor to the throne does not need great talent or strategy; as long as they are not a completely muddle-headed fool and can maintain the status quo, that is enough!!"

"Old Ancestor Lu Tiancheng's reprimand is correct, I... I understand." Lu Hao nodded quickly, hurriedly wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

Lu Tiancheng stopped looking at him and sighed slowly: "You should know that my time is running out, and I must complete the 'Cultivation Transmission' as soon as possible. With your current strength at the Peak of the Spirit Wandering Realm, with my help, a Breakthrough into the Land Immortal Realm will not be too much of a problem! Go back and make preparations early, and decide on the new emperor candidate soon. When the time comes, you will return to receive the Cultivation Transmission."

"Yes!!" Lu Hao clenched his hands, feeling somewhat excited.

The Land Immortal Realm!! He truly had hope of achieving a Breakthrough and stepping into the Land Immortal Realm!!

"Many thanks, Old Ancestor Lu Tiancheng!" Lu Hao stood up, bowed deeply toward Lu Tiancheng, and then bowed deeply toward the black and white figures atop the other two stone pillars.

Those black and white figures remained silent, yet, at the very moment Lu Hao bowed, he could clearly feel two gazes landing on him.

Those two gazes caused the True Qi of his "Qianyuan True Sutra" to stagnate for an instant. Fortunately, those two gazes did not seem to linger for too long, which made him sigh with relief.

Lu Hao dared not show the slightest abnormality, maintaining a respectful posture as he slowly withdrew from the grassland.

Not until his figure completely disappeared at the entrance of the passage did the stone pillar beneath Lu Tiancheng begin to slowly rise.

When the stone pillar rose to the clouds, breaking through the cloud layer and becoming level with the other two stone pillars, the black and white figures on the other two stone pillars opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

After glancing at each other, a look of satisfaction appeared on both of their faces.

The Lu family Old Ancestor wearing the black robe smiled and spoke: "This Lu Hao... is truly not bad. At the Peak of the Spirit Wandering Realm, with a solid Foundation, he is a cut above the previous Great Qian Dynasty emperors who 'donated their cultivation'. He can be considered the strongest 'livestock' in the Lu lineage in the last few hundred years."

"That's right, besides his cultivation, the Lu family Bloodline flowing in his body is also exceptionally rich. I can already smell that sweet scent within his Bloodline... it is truly tempting!" On the other stone pillar, the Lu family Old Ancestor wearing the white robe took a deep breath and unconsciously licked his lips.

Seemingly influenced by his emotions, the cloud mass beneath his feet suddenly swept outward in all directions.

Lu Tiancheng looked at the two figures before him and directly picked up a wine gourd beside the stone pillar, unplugged the stopper, and immediately, a strong smell of blood permeated the air.

He tilted his head back and, without hesitation, took several large gulps.

What was inside was not wine, but a wine-red, viscous liquid.

After drinking a few mouthfuls, Lu Tiancheng wiped the corner of his mouth, and his previously slightly grayish and withered face actually flushed with a hint of red, and even his cloudy eyes seemed to brighten.

"Hehehe... After devouring Lu Hao, the nearly exhausted life force of the three of us can be extended by at least fifty years! Fifty years... even if we cannot achieve another Breakthrough, it is enough for us to find the next suitable 'cauldron'! Hahahahaha!"

The Lu family Old Ancestor wearing the black robe nodded, his face bearing a hint of mockery: "It is a pity for these Lu family descendants, who for generations have revered the 'Qianyuan True Sutra' as the supreme classic. Yet they do not know that the more this Cultivation Technique is refined and the more the Bloodline is stimulated, the more one's essence, energy, spirit, and Bloodline Origin condense into the most perfect 'great tonic' by the time they reach the Peak of the Spirit Wandering Realm... making it convenient for us to harvest."

...

On the other side, Xia Jin had also arrived at the imperial capital of the Great Qian Dynasty, Tianyu City!

Xia Jin did not go directly into the city to gather information, but instead purchased an inconspicuous small rice shop outside the city.

At this moment, he was riding in the rice shop's carriage, following the flow of people, and entered this Tianyu City!

On the carriage, besides Xia Jin, there was the original owner of the rice shop, surnamed Qian, with the given name Fu. Although Qian Fu was getting on in years and his hair was gray, he was a natural chatterbox; along the way, he had not stopped talking.

"Boss, look, this is Tianyu City!" Qian Fu pointed outside the window, his tone filled with a bit of pride, but then he lowered his voice and started rambling, "However, Boss, the rules in this Tianyu City are numerous! The waters are very deep too! If you bump into someone on the street, they might just be a distant relative of some prince's mansion or an old acquaintance of some government official. You have to watch where you walk and be careful with your words, otherwise, it's easy to get into trouble if you're not careful."

"But don't worry, I have been traveling to and from Tianyu City to sell rice and deliver goods for a full fifty years! I know exactly which alley leads where and what time each government office opens! In the future, Boss, if you have any errands or need to inquire about anything, just give me the order!"

Qian Fu patted his chest and looked at Xia Jin with a smile.

Xia Jin looked at this Qian Fu, who did not seem like an old man at all, and sighed helplessly: "Then let me ask you, Old Qian, in your opinion, where is the fastest and most accurate place to inquire about news in Tianyu City?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Fu became even more energetic, stroking his sparse beard: "Boss, you have asked the right person! If you ask anyone else about this, they will surely lead you astray! But I, the old man, really do know a few places."

Xia Jin did not respond, only giving him a sidelong glance.

Qian Fu, swept by this gaze, immediately reined in his smug expression and coughed dryly: "Ahem... yes, yes, yes, look at this habit of mine. Let's talk business, Boss. In this Tianyu City, if you want to inquire about street rumors, official news, or look for people and things on the surface, the first choice is naturally the 'Fengluan Terrace'."

"The news in that place is a mix of truth and lies, reality and illusion, and it's mostly gossip from people below, or rumors intentionally spread by someone. Boss, if you really want to inquire about something... critical, especially about the 'higher-ups'..."

He pointed vaguely toward the sky above.

"...then you have to go to one place—the 'Qianjin Workshop'!"