271: A woman's mindset needs to be repaired.

"Big Brother!"

Lu Chen almost lost his composure, suppressing the churning irritability in his heart, his voice slightly out of tune.

The dozens of Great Emperors nearby shifted slightly, clearly surprised by Cao Bu's decision, yet they could understand the pain of having one's clan annihilated.

Liu Ruyan's elegant brows furrowed slightly as she looked at Cao Bu with a hint of scrutiny.

As her cultivation reached the Great Emperor Peak, her Divine Soul became increasingly powerful, making her more sensitive to the secret shrouding Cao Bu.

Lu Chen took a deep breath, realizing that forcing him was useless and might instead arouse suspicion.

His thoughts turned, and as his gaze swept over the Great Emperors who wanted to curry favor with him, he suddenly had an idea.

He turned to the crowd and said loudly, "Fellow Daoists! My big brother's path to becoming an emperor is blocked due to his injuries and state of mind."

"I wonder if any Fellow Daoist possesses a top-tier treasure or Spirit Pill that can repair hidden injuries to the Origin or soothe the state of mind? If you can help, Lu Chen will be eternally grateful and will surely repay you in the future!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of the Great Emperors lit up.

Being able to make Heavenly Emperor Lu owe them a favor—this was a massive Opportunity!

"Heavenly Emperor Lu, you're being too polite!" A Great Emperor with white hair and a youthful face spoke first, holding up a jade box enveloped in misty light. "I have a box of Nine-Aperture Exquisite Jade Marrow Ointment, which has miraculous effects on repairing hidden injuries to the Divine Soul and stabilizing the Dao Heart."

"I have three drops of Ten-Thousand-Year Empty Azure Stone Milk, which is best for nourishing the Origin and making up for any deficiencies!" Another Great Emperor surrounded by Dragon Qi also hurriedly offered a treasure.

"I have a bottle of Seven Emotions Spirit-Nurturing Pills here, specifically designed to counter Heart Demons and harmonize the seven emotions; perhaps it will benefit Clan Chief Cao's state of mind." A seductive voice rang out as a beautiful woman dressed in a goose-yellow palace dress, with a plump figure and a charming face, walked forward gracefully.

Her eyes flickered, first casting a deep look at Lu Chen—a gaze filled with unabashed admiration and heat—before she presented a glass bottle.

This woman was the Hundred Flower Empress, Qin Yuerou, who was quite famous in the Spirit Realm for her beauty; her Dao Companion had perished in the Myriad Laws Forbidden Abyss thousands of years ago, and she had remained single since.

Qin Yuerou approached Lu Chen, her breath like orchids: "Heavenly Emperor Lu possesses natural talent that surpasses the past and present; you are truly the first person in the Spirit Realm in billions of years."

"I have long admired you. Not only am I willing to offer this Spirit Pill, but I am also willing to stay by your side, to study the Great Dao with the Heavenly Emperor and face the future together."

Her words were extremely explicit in their implication.

Lu Chen's brow furrowed imperceptibly. His mind was only on Cao Bu becoming an emperor; he had no interest in this unsolicited romance and was even somewhat annoyed.

He took the Medicinal Pill and said coldly, "I thank the Hundred Flower Empress for her kindness, but I've noted it. Right now, I only care about my big brother's injuries."

After saying that, he turned around and presented all the collected Heaven And Earth Treasures and Spirit Pills to Cao Bu: "Big Brother, look! With so many treasures, your injuries will surely heal quickly!"

Cao Bu's gaze lingered for a moment on Qin Yuerou's mature and seductive figure, a hint of darkness flashing in his eyes, but his face remained sorrowful as he shook his head and sighed, "Brother, it's not that there aren't enough treasures, but rather that the knot in my heart is hard to untie."

"Witnessing my home in ruins and my clansmen all dead, even if my injuries heal, this heart feels empty and has no place to rest. I no longer have the sharpness to burn my bridges and face the Heavenly Tribulation."

Lu Chen almost spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling frantic inside, yet he had to restrain himself and force a smile of understanding: "Then what must Big Brother do to slightly ease the knot in your heart and regain your confidence?"

Cao Bu's gaze swept blankly over the ruins as he said slowly, "The Gu Clan cannot just disappear like this."

"As long as I am still alive, the Gu Clan will not be extinguished!"

"I want to rebuild the Gu Clan! Brick by brick, I will re-establish the mountain gate and let the Gu Clan's banner fly over this land once more!"

"Perhaps in the process of rebuilding my home, I can find inner peace and use it to temper my Dao Heart and strengthen my Foundation."

"Rebuild the Gu Clan?" Lu Chen was stunned and subconsciously said, "But Big Brother, there's no one left in the Gu Clan now."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized they were inappropriate.

Sure enough, Cao Bu suddenly looked up, his eyes erupting with raging fire and deep-seated grief as he growled, "Am I not a member of the Gu Clan?!"

"As long as there is one person left, the Gu Clan's Bloodline is not severed! The Gu Clan's spirit will live forever!"

"Brother, those words of yours truly break my heart!"

His body trembled slightly, as if he had suffered a great blow.

Lu Chen inwardly cursed his slip of the tongue and hurriedly tried to fix it: "Big Brother, please calm your anger! It was my mistake! I meant that the reconstruction project is massive, and with just one person's strength..."

"Heavenly Emperor Lu!" The Hundred Flower Empress, Qin Yuerou, spoke up again with a charming smile. "Clan Chief Cao has the ambition to rebuild his home; this shows great perseverance and sentiment."

"I am untalented, but I am willing to contribute my meager strength. My Hundred Flower Valley doesn't have much else, but we do have Disciples who are skilled in nurturing spiritual plants and constructing gardens."

Seeing this, the other Great Emperors also expressed their stances:

"My Heavenly Dragon Imperial Dynasty can provide one hundred thousand craftsmen and laborers, along with various spiritual materials!"

"My Mystic Sword Sect is proficient in Formations and can set up a mountain-protecting grand Formation for the new Gu Clan!"

"Count my Purple Mist Mountain in as well!"

For a moment, the group of emperors responded one after another.

Since they could curry favor with Lu Chen and also make friends with this Clan Chief Cao who had unlimited potential, why not?

Seeing this situation, Lu Chen knew he couldn't stop it. Feeling extremely stifled, he could only force a smile: "Thank you, Fellow Daoists, for your righteousness! Then I shall trouble you."

He turned to Cao Bu and said through gritted teeth, "Big Brother, I will help you rebuild it together!"

With that, he placed the Heaven And Earth Treasures into Cao Bu's hands: "Big Brother, try and see if you can recover from your Origin injuries. As for rebuilding the Gu Clan, just leave it to us."

Cao Bu took them, his face showing gratitude: "Thank you, brother."

Lu Chen gave a forced smile: "Then, Big Brother, I'll go supervise the work."

The reconstruction project began with great momentum.

With dozens of Great Emperor forces participating, resources and manpower were continuously mobilized. The original ruins were cleared at an incredible speed, new Foundations were laid, and the silhouettes of pavilions and towers gradually appeared.

During this process, Qin Yuerou put in her full effort. Not only did she dispatch a large number of Disciples skilled in gardening and architecture, but she also frequently came in person to provide guidance. And where she appeared, Lu Chen was almost always there as well.

She could always find various reasons to get close to Lu Chen.

Today she would offer a jug of Hundred Flower Immortal Brew she brewed herself; tomorrow she would "accidentally" meet him to discuss the reconstruction layout. Her words were full of charm and constant hints, and she even "accidentally" sprained her ankle once, intending to fall into Lu Chen's arms.

Lu Chen acted as if he didn't see it and walked away calmly.

Qin Yuerou remained tireless.

As long as she could latch onto Lu Chen, she would have hope for Immortal Ascension.

During a casual chat, she even unintentionally mentioned: "My daughter, named Lin Wanqing, is quite well-versed in music and has a gentle temperament. If she could get to know a figure like Heavenly Emperor Lu and listen to you talk about the Great Dao, it would surely be her blessing."

In her view, Lu Chen must be looking down on her because she wasn't a virgin.

That was why she thought of this compromise, pushing her daughter forward.

Moreover, she had asked Wanqing privately, and her daughter's cheeks had only turned slightly red, not showing any opposition.

Who would have thought that Lu Chen would still maintain a cold expression, not even lifting an eyelid?

Qin Yuerou felt a surge of frustration in her heart.

Fine if you don't want someone who isn't a virgin, but how can even a pure young girl not catch your eye?

Lu Chen currently had no interest in women.

His heart and eyes were now filled only with the single matter of Cao Bu becoming an emperor.

On this day, Lu Chen found Cao Bu, who was supervising the work.

Cao Bu stood before the reconstructed palace hall, a layer of inescapable sorrow still condensed between his brows.

"Big Brother, the reconstruction of our home is progressing rapidly. Look at this atmosphere; in time, it will surely be restored to its former glory, or even surpass it! Has your state of mind improved?" Lu Chen asked expectantly.

Cao Bu looked at the pavilions and towers that were starting to take shape and gave a soft sigh, his smile somewhat forced:

"Seeing the home being rebuilt is indeed quite a comfort."

"But for some reason, I always feel like something is missing."

"My heart is still empty, and it's difficult to gather that Aura of advancing courageously to prove my Dao."

He suddenly leaned in closer and lowered his voice, speaking with the kind of distress and ambiguity only understood between men:

"Brother, to tell you the truth, seeing the Hundred Flower Empress's grace lately, along with that daughter of hers who is one of the ten beauties of the spirit realm..."

"Sigh, this pain of clan annihilation and the bitterness of loneliness are intertwined. Sometimes I actually feel that having a soulmate by my side might truly soothe the scars and help me find Perfection in my state of mind again."