94: Going further

Imperial City, Jade Emperor Mountain.

Since obtaining the flame marrow earth core qi five years ago, Xu Qing has been in seclusion cultivating in a secret chamber on the mountain.

"Elder Xu has been in seclusion for over five years this time. I wonder when he will come out."

Qingquan and Feng Yi sat by a stone table, drinking tea.

"The battle five years ago caused Elder Xu considerable injury; even his Lifebound Treasure was damaged."

"Hmph, Xiang Hong didn't fare well either. I heard a corner of his Nine Heavens Pagoda was blasted off."

"You and I are still worrying about Elder Xu. Although he was injured, with the help of the Azurewood Pill, he should have recovered long ago. Now in seclusion, he's probably fusing with that wisp of flame marrow earth core qi!"

As he spoke, Feng Yi's face revealed a strong look of envy.

"When he comes out again, he might have taken another step closer to the Purple Mansion Realm."

"Purple Mansion!"

Their eyes were filled with longing.

The two were chatting, exchanging gains, losses, and experiences in cultivation.

Just then, the sky became turbulent with wind and clouds.

A Spiritual Qi vortex was forming.

"Where is that?"

"It seems to be Elder Xu's residence."

"Could it be—!!"

The two thought of a possibility and quickly flew towards it.

Above Xu Qing's Immortal Cave, the clouds were drawn in and began to swirl, quickly forming various patterns in the sky.

The surrounding Spiritual Qi also began to surge towards this area.

The Qi Refining Disciples who were closer all came here, unsure of what was happening.

Buzz~

A crimson pillar of light shot into the sky, shattering the forming Spiritual Qi vortex.

Before long, everything returned to calm.

"What happened?"

Qingquan watched the anomaly disappear.

"There's no aura of outsiders, so it seems to be a problem from Elder Xu's side."

Just as everyone was puzzled.

Click~

The sound of a stone door turning came.

Xu Qing walked out of the Immortal Cave.

Although he hadn't emerged for five years, his clothes were still as white as snow, and his complexion was rosy.

"Elder Xu, what was that just now?"

"Was that a Purple Mansion anomaly?"

"Hahaha, what Purple Mansion anomaly? It's merely a step further."

"Then the path to Purple Mansion?"

"Purple Mansion is already beneath my feet; if I walk, I shall reach it!"

"Congratulations, Elder, Purple Mansion is within reach."

"Hahaha, congratulations to all!"

"There is something that needs to be brought to the Elder's attention."

"What is it?"

"The Sect sent word that a spy from the Hundred Refinements Sect has been discovered."

"What? The Hundred Refinements Sect has already begun their reconnaissance?"

Well, it's been over ten years since the Spiritual Qi's resurgence.

Our progress has been a bit slow; Cultivation hasn't spread widely beyond the major martial arts families.

The ten-year transition agreement we made with them back then is now due."

"Fellow Daoists, you can begin to implement the plan formulated by the Sect."

"Let the seeds of Cultivation bloom once more in this once spirit-deprived land."

"Yes!"

"Hopefully, before the great calamity, these ordinary Cultivators can play some role."

...Night.

Lu Xuan and Su Jing lay in bed, enjoying their intimacy.

"Now that An'er's marriage is settled, I feel relieved. Yaner is also sixteen now; shouldn't we start preparing for him too?"

"My wife is as anxious as ever. An'er's marriage just got settled, and now you're talking about Yaner."

"I'll have to carefully choose one for Yaner. We didn't put much effort into An'er's marriage."

"Alright, let's go to bed early. Today, the Shen family sent over the girl's birth characters. Tomorrow, you'll have someone find a Great Master to pick an auspicious date. Also, after An'er gets married, renovate and expand the courtyard on the west side and give it to the young couple. And since there will be an extra person, the servants at home are a bit insufficient. See if there are any other girls from other families willing to come to my Lu family as maids, and recruit a few more."

"Okay, I'll listen to my husband."

Su Jing's eldest son was about to get married, and her younger son and daughter were growing up healthy. After that battle, the Lu family was basically on the rise, and her life was fulfilling, so she was content.

Early the next morning, Su Jing, accompanied by Zhao Ya and escorted by the family's Innate guards, went to the most famous temple in Pingze to seek an auspicious time.

"Greetings, Madam, may you be blessed with peace and prosperity. This poor monk salutes you."

A middle-aged monk in a red kasaya received Su Jing.

"Great Master, I have come to ask you to choose a date for a Junior's marriage in my family. Please lend your assistance."

Saying this, she took a silver ingot, twenty taels, from Zhao Ya.

"This is a small token of my appreciation; I hope the Great Master will accept it with a smile."

The monk waved his kasaya, covering the silver. When his hand moved below the table, the silver on the table disappeared.

"Do you have the birth characters?"

"Here, Great Master, please see."

The Great Master, seeing the birth characters on the paper, clasped his hands together.

"This poor monk has noted them down. Please leave an address, Madam, and I will send a young novice monk to deliver it to you in three days."

"Then many thanks, Great Master!"

After speaking, she left with Zhao Ya.

As they reached the mountain gate.

"Let go of me!"

A young boy struggled desperately against the two monks holding him.

The two monks casually tossed him, throwing the boy out.

"You bald donkeys, give me back my sister!"

"Benefactor Xiao, your sister is not here with us. This is a place of Buddhist serenity, not for you to cause trouble. If you continue to be so unreasonable, we will report you to the authorities."

"Bullshit! My sister clearly went to your temple to help out, and all the other aunties who went with her have returned, but my sister hasn't. The aunties even said they didn't see my sister come out. If she's not in your temple, where else could she be?"

"I think you're just guilty."

The two monks' faces darkened.

"Benefactor Xiao, we will say it again, your sister is not here with us. Do not be unreasonable. Reporting to the authorities sooner is the way to solve the problem."

Saying this, the two monks rolled up their sleeves, as if they would teach the boy a lesson if he said another word.

The boy also took off running, but kept looking back, as if telling others that he would return.

"We apologize for the inconvenience to all benefactors!"

The two monks saw the large crowd of onlookers and offered an explanation.

"Madam?"

"Let's go!"

Su Jing had no intention of meddling. There were too many injustices in the world, and she couldn't possibly manage them all...

"Mother, do you think this outfit is alright?"

To prepare for Lu Jingan's marriage, Su Jing had made him ten sets of clothes.

The wedding was set for the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, an auspicious day for marriage and travel.

As the day approached, the Lu family also began to get busy.

Thirteen embroiderers were hired specifically to make wedding robes for the Lu Xuan family.

Lu Dafu, meanwhile, led dozens of people in repairing Lu Jingan's bridal chamber, replacing all the furniture, doors, windows, and bedding with new ones.

"This set is grand, but not festive enough. The previous set was better."

"Ah~"

"Big Brother, I think the second set is good. It makes you look handsome and distinguished."

"No, the fourth set is clearly better. It makes Big Brother seem gentle and refined, a true gentleman."

"The second set is good!"

"The fourth set!"

Lu Jingyao and Lu Jingming started bickering again.

Lu Jingan, meanwhile, was holding his forehead, clearly indicating that such a scene had occurred many times in the past few days.