“Brother Qingshan… that important matter you just mentioned—what is it?”
Just before the banquet ended, he had received a voice transmission from Lu Qingshan, saying there was something he wished to discuss in private.
“Big Brother Black Dragon, do you know Kunshaluo?” Lu Qingshan said evenly.
“Of course I know him!” The Black Dragon's eyes were bloodshot with fury. “Even if he were reduced to ashes, I could never forget him. That bastard cost my brother most of his lifespan and nearly killed him. He and I are irreconcilable enemies, a feud that can never be settled…”
Just as he thought.
After falling out with Kunshaluo, Lu Qingshan had searched for related information, and combining it with the memories of his past life, he had concluded that the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain and Kunshaluo were already enemies.
“I have a score to settle with him as well…” Lu Qingshan said coldly.
“What? Brother Qingshan, what's this about?”
The Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain was somewhat surprised.
How had Lu Qingshan, a Special-Grade Instructor in the Qianwu Secret Realm, come to have a feud with Kunshaluo? Weren't they both subordinates of the Qianwu Country Master?
“It's like this…”
Lu Qingshan briefly described how the feud had come about, though he said nothing about the Luoke God Water he had sold, mentioning only that it was a treasure that worked on the Undying.
After listening quietly to the whole account, the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain slapped the table. “If it were anyone else, I wouldn't believe such despicable, vile conduct—but if it's Kunshaluo, then it makes perfect sense! That bastard stops at nothing for profit. Back then, he sold a fake Secret Realm map to countless people at a steep price… which caused many World Masters to fall in that Secret Realm. My brother had most of his lifespan stripped away by one of its traps…”
“If he hadn't thrown in his lot with the Qianwu Country Master and gained a powerful backer, many people would probably be coming after him for revenge!”
The Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain warned, “Brother Qingshan, you don't need to worry while you're in the Qianwu Secret Realm, but if you go out, you should still be careful… Kunshaluo's company is nearly finished, and I'm just afraid that, cornered and desperate, he might do something to you.”
“It's fine!” Lu Qingshan waved his hand. “I won't be leaving the Qianwu Secret Realm anytime soon, and before long, Kunshaluo wouldn't dare lay a hand on me even if he had ten times the nerve… heh.”
“Oh? So Brother Qingshan still has a trump card up his sleeve.” The Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain mulled it over.
“His Majesty should find out in a few days' time.” Lu Qingshan said no more. The Genius Battle was about to begin, and once Ling Yu took first place in it, his status as her teacher would inevitably rise with hers, and he might even be granted an audience with the Qianwu Country Master.
The Qianwu Country Master owed a mountain of debt, counting on cultivating geniuses to send to the company and pay off what he owed. A talent like Lu Qingshan—how could he not value him?
The Qianwu Country Master was a being of immense stature. If Kunshaluo still dared to strike at Lu Qingshan, then unless he outright betrayed the human race and became a dog of the Foreign Race, there would be nowhere in all the universe he could run!
“Even though I'm not afraid of Kunshaluo, the man is a menace all the same. I'm a little worried he'll go after my son Lingxiao and my father-in-law Kevin to force my hand.”
Lu Qingshan looked at the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain, his expression somewhat grave.
“Brother Qingshan, rest assured, so long as they're in the capital of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, I'll guarantee their safety. And if you're still uneasy, have them stay in my divine kingdom for a while—I guarantee they'll come to no harm.”
“Thank you, Big Brother Black Dragon.” Lu Qingshan cupped his hands in thanks.
A divine kingdom was an Undying's most private place, so for the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain to say such a thing showed his sincerity was genuine.
“Brother Qingshan jests. Kunshaluo and I were enemies to begin with, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Besides, your son is my brother's disciple—of course I won't stand by and do nothing!”
A red gleam flickered in the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain's eyes.
“Then… thank you.”
Lu Qingshan rose, and his figure vanished from the great hall!
...
The next instant, Lu Qingshan appeared at the estate where Kevin and Lu Lingxiao were staying on the Black Dragon Mountain island.
“Father, is there any news?”
Seeing his father return, Lu Lingxiao hurriedly asked. He was very curious about that mysterious powerhouse.
“Qingshan, did you find out anything?” Kevin asked as well.
Lu Qingshan beckoned, and a teacup from the table flew into his hand. After taking a sip of the sobering tea, Lu Qingshan spoke.
“Good news! The one who wants to take Lingxiao as a disciple is the sworn brother of the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain, at the peak of the World Master realm—though he's reached the limit of his lifespan and won't live much longer. He now wants a disciple to inherit his legacy.”
“Haha, to think there'd be such a stroke of luck!” Kevin was overjoyed.
He could accept not being able to fathom his son-in-law's good fortune, but now even his grandson had come upon such an opportunity?
“What do you mean, Father?”
Though Lu Lingxiao was sorely tempted, he still respected Lu Qingshan's wishes.
“Such a stroke of luck certainly shouldn't be missed. Take that powerhouse as your master and inherit his legacy—advancing to Domain Master will be no trouble at all for you later, and there's even a sliver of hope you'll reach World Master…”
Lu Qingshan waved his hand. “Go contact that powerhouse and take him as your master. Don't keep him waiting long.”
“Yes, Father.”
Lu Lingxiao stepped aside and began to contact that mysterious powerhouse.
Then his body vanished—he had presumably been transported to another place.
After Lu Lingxiao left, Lu Qingshan and Kevin sat by the table.
Lu Qingshan poured his father-in-law a cup of tea and said, “Father, I've made you worry during this time.”
“Worry about what? Seeing that you and Lingxiao both have bright futures ahead, I couldn't be happier. Compared to what you've achieved now, that little enterprise on Qionglong Star counts for nothing at all.” Kevin marveled.
“Father, aren't you going to ask why I had you and Lingxiao come take refuge in the capital of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire?”
“Heh. You're already a World Master powerhouse, among the very top in the Black Dragon Mountain Starfield. For trouble that even you can't solve, what's the point of me asking? It would only be needless worry.” Kevin simply went on drinking his tea.
Lu Qingshan smiled. “Father, you take things as philosophically as ever. This matter really is a bit troublesome, so I must trouble you, Father, to stay here for the time being—at most five years. I guarantee you'll be able to return to Qionglong Star.”
“No rush, no rush… I've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, and I've spent most of that time on Qionglong Star. I finally got the chance to come out and see the world—why would I want to go back so soon?” Kevin hurriedly waved his hand, worried that his son-in-law, on account of his affairs, was in a hurry to go resolve that unknown trouble.
Lu Qingshan didn't say more on this matter. In any case, once the Genius Battle began, everything would resolve itself. He asked, “Father, how long have you been stuck at Domain Master Ninth Stage?”
“About three hundred thousand years, I suppose.” Kevin thought for a moment and said.
Then he glanced at his son-in-law and couldn't help shaking his head. When he'd first met Lu Qingshan, he himself had been at Domain Master Ninth Stage, and now his son-in-law was already a World Master, while he was still at Domain Master Ninth Stage.
“Father, take a look.”
Lu Qingshan opened his hand, and a dragon-shaped jade pendant appeared in his palm.
“Father, you comprehended the earth-element origin law early on, and you've accumulated three hundred thousand years' worth of origin force, yet you still can't break through. I'm afraid it's a bottleneck in your soul.”
“I used this item when I broke through to World Master. Most of the soul power within it still remains. If you wear it, Father, then perhaps before long your soul will transform and reach the World Master realm.”
Kevin stared at the jade pendant in Lu Qingshan's hand. This treasure was exactly identical to the rare treasure he'd previously heard of.
His soul, nurtured for hundreds of thousands of years, had long since been on the verge of transformation. Now this treasure was exactly what could give him the push he needed.
“Father, this item, the Dragon Soul Jade, is of no more use to me. I'll have it delivered to the Sacred Lord of Black Dragon Mountain so that he can present it to you as a gift. A World Master has a lifespan of a thousand epochs. Once you break through, we two—father and son-in-law—can keep each other company for a long, long time.”
Chapter 81