Lu Changsheng understood.
A single Tianhe Heavy Water Bead was merely enough to lay the foundation for Zhao Shuying's Innate Water Spirit Body.
To truly cultivate the Innate Water Spirit Body to completion, one still had to rely on divine items.
Relying on self-cultivation was simply impossible to reach perfection, given the short-lived nature of native life in the Kunwu World.
"M-Mr. Lu, where are we going next?" Zhao Shuying asked.
"Where next..."
Lu Changsheng glanced at Zhao Shuying and said calmly, "To tell you the truth, you possess destiny and fortune. By fortune, you can think of it as Heaven favoring you—like the protagonists in popular storytelling who always turn calamity into blessing or receive guidance from benefactors. Some can even leap off a cliff and pick up treasures."
"The fortune on you isn't quite that exaggerated, but it is indeed remarkably dense. Especially after refining the Tianhe Heavy Water Bead, your fortune has grown even richer."
"So, it is not a matter of where I want to go, but where you want to go."
"Wherever you go, it might be easier to encounter divine items. That is the effect of fortune."
"So, where do you want to go the most right now?"
Lu Changsheng's words left Zhao Shuying dumbfounded.
This was the first time she had ever learned she was favored by fortune.
No wonder so many godly beings had fought over that divine item, yet it had happened to fall right before her, without swaying an inch off course.
If that wasn't fortune, what was?
Lu Changsheng's objective was divine items.
Zhao Shuying's objective was also divine items.
At present, both of their goals aligned.
At that thought, Zhao Shuying pondered slightly and then spoke, "I... I want to return home first."
"Home?" Lu Changsheng stared at Zhao Shuying.
"Yes. I actually left home to travel and gain experience. But the martial world I imagined seems very different from the martial world I actually encountered... Now I want to go back. My home is in Tianmao City."
Zhao Shuying appeared quite nervous.
Her martial arts were actually quite decent, enough to travel the world.
Yet her recent experience had simply been too terrifying.
For most martial artists in the Kunwu World, they would never encounter such an affair in their entire lives.
After all, divine items were like things out of myths and legends.
Never mind obtaining one—most had never even laid eyes upon one.
Who could have imagined that on Zhao Shuying's very first venture into the world, she would be swept into a struggle over a divine item, and had even mysteriously ended up obtaining it?
It was simply too incredible.
Therefore, her very first thought now was to go home.
No matter what happened, home was always the safest haven.
Lu Changsheng's expression remained calm as he nodded. "Very well. Then to Tianmao City we go."
To Lu Changsheng, the point was not where to go, but where Zhao Shuying wanted to go.
Wherever Zhao Shuying went, given the dense fortune clinging to her, she would most likely run into another incident involving a divine item.
If there were clues to a divine item, Lu Changsheng was confident in seizing it.
Thus, not only would Lu Changsheng not stop her, but he would actively support Zhao Shuying.
"You agree?" Zhao Shuying was thrilled.
She currently felt an utter lack of security.
Even though she had forged the foundation of an Innate Water Spirit Body, and theoretically no one other than godly beings or divine items could pose a threat to her, she still felt deeply insecure.
Now, she urgently wanted to return.
Especially when facing Lu Changsheng.
She felt a fear that stemmed from the depths of her bones.
She had seen with her own eyes back then how Lu Changsheng had displayed his boundless might; that terrifying presence was etched deep into her mind.
Three months later, a horse carriage slowly rolled into Tianmao City.
Inside sat Lu Changsheng and Zhao Shuying.
Lu Changsheng had not flown.
Instead, he rode in the carriage alongside Zhao Shuying.
Originally, Zhao Shuying had wanted to ride horses, but Lu Changsheng refused.
Taking a carriage at such a leisurely pace had its own purpose.
Lu Changsheng did not care about time.
He was already well aware that he would not be able to leave the Kunwu World anytime soon.
Nor could he leave.
His great opportunity lay here!
Zhao Shuying riding in a carriage at an unhurried pace was not necessarily a bad thing.
After all, someone blessed with fortune could encounter anything.
What if, along the road, some twist of fate led to the acquisition of a divine item?
Yet as it turned out, Lu Changsheng had overthought it.
Their journey was far too smooth.
They did not encounter the slightest trouble.
When they finally returned to Tianmao City, Zhao Shuying felt her spirits visibly lift.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the Zhao Manor.
"Mr. Lu, we have arrived," Zhao Shuying said respectfully, her voice trembling slightly with excitement.
As for their relationship, Lu Changsheng and Zhao Shuying had already discussed it.
Given the peculiarities of this world, Lu Changsheng looked so young that he could hardly pass as Zhao Shuying's master.
Therefore, she simply continued addressing him as "Mr. Lu."
The cover story was that, for various reasons, he had saved Zhao Shuying's life on the road.
So, Zhao Shuying had brought Lu Changsheng back to the Zhao family.
As for whether the Zhao family believed it, that was not important.
A plausible pretext was all that was needed.
Soon, the two entered the Zhao Manor.
The so-called Zhao Manor belonged to a martial arts family of the jianghu.
The Zhao family ran their own businesses and operated an escort bureau, having built their foundation on martial strength.
They were considered a family of no small standing in Tianmao City.
"Father, Mother, I'm back!"
Zhao Shuying had yearned for home like an arrow in flight.
Seeing Zhao Shuying return, her parents broke into smiles.
"Daughter, you are finally back!"
"How was it? You didn't suffer out there, did you?"
"Let Mother look at you. You've grown so thin. Even if you know martial arts, you are still a young woman. Wandering the jianghu all by yourself was far too dangerous. You must never be so willful again..."
Mother Zhao was indeed deeply worried.
After they exchanged a few words, Father Zhao noticed Lu Changsheng and asked, "Ying'er, this is..."
Zhao Shuying hurriedly said, "Father, this is Mr. Lu."
"When I was venturing through the martial world alone, the world proved treacherous, and I encountered danger. It was Mr. Lu who saved my life. Mr. Lu possessed no worldly belongings, so I invited him back to the Zhao family with me as a small token of gratitude for saving my life."
Mother Zhao felt even more distressed upon hearing this and hurriedly asked what kind of danger she had faced.
Father Zhao smiled slightly and said, "So you are Mr. Lu. Many thanks for saving my daughter's life."
"Mr. Lu has traveled from afar, coated in wind and dust, and must be weary. I shall arrange for you to rest in the guest quarters at once."
With that, Father Zhao had a servant lead Lu Changsheng away to rest.
Lu Changsheng did not intrude on Zhao Shuying's family reunion, directly following the Zhao family servant to the guest room.
Upon entering the room, Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Interesting."
"I didn't expect this Tianmao City to be anything but simple."
"It actually conceals so many hidden, obscure auras? They are also Limit Realm peak experts from the Boundary Sea."
"All of them are hiding in Tianmao City. Could it be that Tianmao City holds clues to a divine item?"
Lu Changsheng suddenly realized that the fortune on Zhao Shuying might indeed be tied to Tianmao City.
The waters of Tianmao City seemed even deeper than those of Feng City!
However, this was a good thing.
It meant that Tianmao City might hold clues to a divine item.
In that case, Lu Changsheng would have a chance to obtain one.
***
In a secluded room within the Zhao Manor.
Father Zhao was staring at Zhao Shuying.
His expression was solemn.
"Ying'er, speak. Who exactly is that Mr. Lu?"
"You claim he is a mere scholar? With that kind of bearing, a scholar? Your father isn't blind yet!"
Father Zhao clearly did not believe his daughter's words.
Could an ordinary scholar possess such a bearing?
Furthermore, he did not know whether it was an illusion, but the moment he laid eyes on Lu Changsheng, Father Zhao had felt a palpitation from the very depths of his soul.
This was his intuition, far sharper than that of ordinary people.
It was precisely relying on this intuition that Father Zhao had escaped death several times and built this sizable family enterprise.
Father Zhao knew that Lu Changsheng was definitely no ordinary man.
Zhao Shuying was somewhat surprised.
She hadn't expected her father to see through it the moment she returned home.
However, she also knew of her father's extraordinary intuition.
Thus, she had never intended to keep it hidden at all costs.
Besides, there were some matters she didn't need to conceal.
Zhao Shuying also wanted someone to confide in or seek counsel from.
And her father was the person she trusted most.
Steeling herself, Zhao Shuying gritted her teeth and spoke slowly. "Father, this matter begins in Feng City. Do you know of divine items?"
"Divine items?"
"Aren't those treasures of legend?"
"It is said that godly beings capable of soaring to the heavens and tunneling through the earth fight fiercely over divine items. Even the imperial court possesses terrifying national divine items..."
Suddenly, Father Zhao stopped.
His expression was filled with shock.
What was he looking at?
Right before his eyes, his daughter Zhao Shuying extended her hand.
In her palm, a sphere of water suddenly emerged.
Furthermore, the water sphere grew larger and larger, expanding to the size of a millstone.
Then, the sphere split into countless streams of water, dancing freely through the air in the room.
This sight left Father Zhao thoroughly astounded.
"This is..."
Father Zhao had already formed a guess in his heart.
"Father, your guess is correct. In Feng City, I obtained a divine item, and Mr. Lu is a mighty godly being..."
Zhao Shuying recounted everything that had happened in Feng City in detail.
Over the span of an incense stick's burning, Zhao Shuying finished explaining the entire ordeal.
A tempest of shock raged in Father Zhao's heart.
A divine item!
Godly beings!
There was even a clash between godly beings.
With his extensive experience in the martial world, he understood clearly what kind of catastrophic maelstrom his daughter had been caught up in.
One wrong step, and Zhao Shuying could have lost her life.
"Father, I'm panicking right now. I don't know what to do."
Zhao Shuying's thoughts were in utter disarray.
Her eager rush to return had actually been to consult her parents.
After all, those she trusted most were her parents.
Father Zhao was, in the end, a seasoned veteran of the martial world.
Perhaps he had never witnessed divine items or godly beings before, but human nature was universal.
Feuds, grievances, and deadly vendettas in the martial world were commonplace and nothing novel.
Clearly, as aloof and exalted as those godly beings were, they too had things they desperately needed.
Namely, divine items!
"Wait, Ying'er, you say Mr. Lu directly gave the divine item to you just for a test?" Father Zhao asked.
"Yes, Mr. Lu was very candid. You might not know how formidable Mr. Lu is, but even among godly beings, he is exceedingly powerful. He seemingly looked down upon the divine item in Feng City, but wanted to observe the effects of a spirit body, so he gave the item to me to use, allowing me to lay the foundation for a spirit body," Zhao Shuying answered truthfully.
"So, what Mr. Lu truly values is the fortune you possess, correct?"
"He wishes to obtain even more powerful divine items, and your fortune is like that of a protagonist in storytelling. You are very likely to attract or become involved in incidents concerning divine items, allowing Mr. Lu to seize them through you."
Zhao Shuying seemed to realize this as well.
She was merely a tool.
A tool to attract divine items.
"However, this is not a bad thing."
"Ying'er, you have already absorbed a divine item; you are no longer an ordinary person. Whether you wish it or not, you are already embroiled in the world of godly beings."
"Without Mr. Lu's protection, you would likely be in grave peril."
"Although Mr. Lu can be said to be using you, this also proves your value. Sometimes, having value is the most important thing of all."
"Mr. Lu is exceedingly powerful. You must set your mindset straight and remain someone who is always valuable to him. Only then will you be safe. You might even turn a misfortune into a blessing!"
Father Zhao's words struck Zhao Shuying like an enlightening revelation.
Her father was indeed a veteran of the martial world.
With a single glance, he had discerned the benefits and risks.
Being used or controlled was actually unimportant.
What mattered was that Zhao Shuying had to remain valuable!
And Lu Changsheng was sufficiently powerful—mighty even among godly beings.
That was enough!
After all, in the martial world, sometimes becoming a useful tool was far from unacceptable.
In fact, only by being a useful tool could one live better!
"Father, I understand."
"From now on, I will serve by Mr. Lu's side with peace of mind."
Zhao Shuying was also very clever, instantly grasping her father's meaning.
"Good."
"Treat this matter as if you never brought it up."
"From now on, you will be stepping into the circle of godly beings, and the Zhao family cannot offer you much help."
"But remember, you will always be a member of the Zhao family, and forever my daughter!"
Father Zhao maintained his composure throughout.
Soon after, the two concluded their conversation and left the room.
However, their discussion had effectively taken place under Lu Changsheng's very eyes.
What secrets could a mere Zhao Manor conceal before Lu Changsheng?
Lu Changsheng was aware of Zhao Shuying's every move.
"Quite clever indeed."
"Very well. If she can serve with peace of mind, it will save me some trouble down the line," Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
Father Zhao was indeed shrewd.
Truly a seasoned veteran of the martial world.
Lu Changsheng even understood that Father Zhao's words were not just meant for Zhao Shuying, but likely directed at him as well.
Father Zhao probably knew that the private conversation between father and daughter was no secret before Lu Changsheng.
Speaking so openly instead put Lu Changsheng at ease.
Although Father Zhao was only an ordinary mortal whose lifespan spanned a mere few decades, even a mortal's wisdom was no different from that of the top powerhouses in the Boundary Sea.
The wisdom of mortals was not to be underestimated!
***
In the blink of an eye, Lu Changsheng had stayed with the Zhao family for over a month.
During this month, Lu Changsheng utilized the Zhao family's influence to inquire into the affairs of Tianmao City, especially certain rumors.
In the end, he found nothing.
Later, Lu Changsheng focused on collecting myths and legends concerning Tianmao City.
He gathered many myths and legends, but none seemed useful.
However, a single phrase from one legend caught Lu Changsheng's attention:
"At the end of the heavenly road, becoming an immortal in the mortal dust!"
This was a myth regarding a war between immortals and demons.
The content of the tale was utterly absurd, most likely fabricated and forced together by later generations through wild imagination.
Yet the words "heavenly road" in this myth instantly seized Lu Changsheng's attention.
He was very sensitive to those two words.
The moment he saw "heavenly road," he immediately thought of the "Road to Ascending Heaven."
Moreover, it was also tied to "immortal."
This drew Lu Changsheng's focus even more.
"At the end of the heavenly road, becoming an immortal in the mortal dust."
"Could it mean that at the end of the Road to Ascending Heaven, there is a divine item capable of forging an immortal body?"
"However, where is the Road to Ascending Heaven?"
Lu Changsheng had been analyzing this phrase lately.
Unfortunately, it was merely a single sentence without any corroborating evidence.
Any speculation or analysis was ultimately baseless conjecture.
Divine items were opportunities for Limit Realm experts like Lu Changsheng.
Yet the Road to Ascending Heaven was an opportunity sought by countless Ancestor Realm figures across the Boundary Sea.
The Martial Ancestors and Mahayana cultivators of the Immortal Martial Palace had gone through immense hardship to send Lu Changsheng into the Kunwu World, precisely to uncover the secrets of the Road to Ascending Heaven.
Yet to this day, Lu Changsheng had heard no news concerning the Road to Ascending Heaven within the Kunwu World.
Only recently had he come across this phrase: "At the end of the heavenly road, becoming an immortal in the mortal dust."
Of course, this was merely Lu Changsheng's analysis.
What the phrase truly meant, or whether it even had anything to do with the Road to Ascending Heaven, was secondary for now.
The important thing was that Lu Changsheng needed divine items.
Yet over the course of a month in Tianmao City, there had been no clues regarding divine items.
However, Lu Changsheng could sense that the fortune on Zhao Shuying was growing increasingly concentrated.
"Perhaps it will be soon..." Lu Changsheng muttered softly.
He was waiting.
Someone favored by fortune could not remain idle for long.
Even if she stayed in Tianmao City without moving, certain divine items would find their way to her on their own.
Lu Changsheng was biding his time.
He believed that clues to a divine item would not be far off.
Right then, Zhao Shuying rushed over in haste.
"Mr. Lu, there is a clue!"
Zhao Shuying's face was filled with nervous tension.
"Oh?"
"What clue? Could it be a divine item?"
Lu Changsheng rose immediately.
"I am not sure if it is a divine item, but recently the Zhao family's escort bureau encountered a strange incident while escorting a shipment of goods."
"Outside the city at Zhang Village, which was originally an abandoned, ruined village, the village somehow reappeared out of nowhere, though completely deserted."
"Men from the escort bureau entered to investigate, but found nothing. Yet when they went back the next day, the village had vanished again. Then, every few days, the village would reappear, cycling back and forth in an extraordinarily bizarre manner."
"I wonder if it might be an unusual divine item?"
"After all, the appearance of divine items is always accompanied by all sorts of strange omens."
During this period, Zhao Shuying had clearly been continuously investigating the characteristics and signs of divine items.
She had already learned a great deal about the phenomena that accompanied their appearances.
"Zhang Village, is it?"
"Let us go take a look now."
Hearing this, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer and set off immediately.
After all, how long had it been since he had any news or clues regarding divine items?
Now that a lead had finally presented itself, he would not let it slip by under any circumstances, and naturally had to go see it for himself.
Thus, Lu Changsheng and Zhao Shuying headed straight toward Zhang Village outside the city.
Before long, the two arrived at the site of Zhang Village.
Lu Changsheng looked out over the area. Broken walls and collapsed ruins lay everywhere.
One could tell it had been abandoned for an unknown length of time.
It truly was a deserted village.
"Is it here?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"Yes, right here."
"This ruined state is normal; it usually looks like this. But at certain specific times, it transforms into how Zhang Village once was," Zhao Shuying explained.
"And when exactly is that?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"There is no fixed time for it."
"Perhaps three days, perhaps two. Perhaps in the morning, perhaps at night."
"To witness the appearance of Zhang Village, one must rely on luck."
Zhao Shuying's words made Lu Changsheng frown slightly.
However, he was not here to play guessing games.
"Let me see what is hidden here."
With that, Lu Changsheng mobilized his Heavenly Saint consciousness.
He began inspecting the site of the abandoned village inch by inch.
How powerful was Lu Changsheng's consciousness?
He was a Heavenly Saint!
Moreover, a peak Heavenly Saint.
Even across the entire Boundary Sea, he was considered a top-tier Limit Realm expert!
Yet as his vast consciousness continuously swept through the village ruins, he discovered nothing at all.
Not a single gain!
There were no clues to a divine item, nor could he sense the aura of one.
Could this truly be just an ordinary village?
Yet Zhao Shuying had spoken with absolute certainty.
In a matter like this, Zhao Shuying could not have been mistaken.
Then there was only one explanation:
Something was wrong here!
Something was very wrong!
Divine items were wondrous.
The miraculous abilities of certain divine items even left Lu Changsheng filled with marvel.
If it truly was a special divine item that only appeared at specific times, or if he could not locate it until it manifested on its own, that was completely normal.
Lu Changsheng had the simplest, most direct, and most effective method at his disposal:
Wait!
All he needed to do was wait right here at the village ruins.
Wait until Zhang Village appeared.
When that time came, Lu Changsheng might uncover some clues, or even locate the divine item directly.
"We wait."
"We will wait here for a few days."
Lu Changsheng then sat down cross-legged beneath a dilapidated house, waiting quietly.
Zhao Shuying had no choice but to accompany Lu Changsheng in waiting.
Day after day went by.
One day, two days, three days...
They waited and waited, but even after three days had passed, the ruined village showed no signs of change.
"Could this divine item possess its own consciousness?"
"Knowing we are waiting for it, does it refuse to show itself?"
Lu Changsheng frowned; he could not rule out that possibility.
After all, divine items were varied and bizarre, possessing all manner of abilities.
A divine item having consciousness was entirely normal; during the golden toad's spitting of the pearl in Feng City, hadn't that golden toad possessed intellect?
"Mr. Lu, should we..." Zhao Shuying hesitated.
"Continue waiting!" Lu Changsheng said calmly.
Thus, the two continued their vigil.
A fourth day, a fifth day, a sixth day...
Perhaps the divine item could wait no longer, or perhaps Lu Changsheng's patience had won out.
On the seventh day, a change finally occurred in the ruined village.
*Buzz.*
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
He saw the surrounding air stirring with ripples, like waves spreading across water.
Immediately following that, amidst the spreading ripples, the desolate village began transforming at an astonishing speed.
The broken, abandoned ruins rapidly shifted into a bustling village.
"It appeared! It has appeared!"
"This is how Zhang Village once was."
Zhao Shuying's voice was tinged with excitement, alongside a sliver of dread.
This kind of transformation was simply too eerie.
Lu Changsheng, on the other hand, remained extraordinarily calm.
He stood up and walked through Zhang Village.
Yet although the village appeared bustling and intact, not a single person was present.
The entire village was deathly still, utterly silent.
In fact, it was so quiet that it felt unnerving.
Lu Changsheng reached out and tapped a pillar inside a house, producing dull thudding sounds.
It did not seem like an illusion.
Yet was it truly real?
Lu Changsheng applied force.
*Rumble!*
The pillar collapsed in an instant.
The entire courtyard was dismantled by Lu Changsheng, reduced to rubble.
For a moment, dust billowed into the air.
Yet the rest of the village still underwent no change whatsoever.
"Mr. Lu, what should we do?" Zhao Shuying asked.
"It is merely a single divine item."
"There is no need to run in circles with it. We will break it head-on."
"It might just cause a bit of a commotion..."
Lu Changsheng took Zhao Shuying and soared into midair in an instant.
At the same time, Lu Changsheng extended his hand.
A colossal palm manifested in the void.
The palm blotted out the sky and sun, appearing boundless.
Then, the palm slammed down fiercely toward the ground.
*Rumble, rumble!*
Dust and debris filled the heavens.
A tremendous roar echoed through the village.
Zhao Shuying's eyes went wide.
Once again, she witnessed Lu Changsheng unleash an earth-shattering, terrifying display of power.
With a single palm strike, an entire village was reduced to rubble.
A single palm fell, and the village was annihilated!
This was simply too shocking.
The village was not small by any means, yet it had been wiped out by Lu Changsheng in one strike.
If one palm could destroy a village, then one palm could destroy Tianmao City.
Zhao Shuying's understanding of godly beings deepened even further.
Yet just as Lu Changsheng withdrew his palm and looked down upon the village that had turned into ruins, a sudden change erupted.
*Buzz.*
What did Lu Changsheng see?
The village below, which had just been flattened into ruins by his palm strike, was now rapidly restoring itself at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Yes, restoring itself.
The rubble on the ground vanished rapidly.
In its place, the bustling village re-emerged.
In just a brief moment, the thriving village stood once more, completely undamaged.
Not the slightest trace of the prior ruin remained.
This was indeed exceedingly bizarre.
"For a village to be so strange, there must be a divine item here, right?"
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice reached their ears.
"Hmm?"
Lu Changsheng turned around.
From the distance, covering a hundred zhang with every step, a figure walked out of the void.
Limit Realm!
This was a Limit Realm expert!
Perhaps one of the Limit Realm powerhouses hiding within Tianmao City.
Having noticed the anomaly in the village, he had rushed over.
Or perhaps he had been watching this strange village all along, only for Lu Changsheng to beat him to the punch before he could act.
Regardless, now that a Limit Realm master had arrived, Lu Changsheng could not remain indifferent.
"Zhao Shuying, enter the village and search for the divine item."
"Yes, Mr. Lu."
Zhao Shuying dared not disobey, flying straight toward the village below.
She possessed fortune.
When it came to searching for a divine item, Zhao Shuying was the most suitable candidate.
No matter how bizarre this village was, Zhao Shuying might well obtain the divine item through some miraculous means.
As for Lu Changsheng, he knew very well that as long as the divine item was here, it would be found sooner or later.
The greatest variable was these Limit Realm experts.
He knew that he might not be facing just this one Limit Realm master before him.
Lu Changsheng's gaze swept over the surroundings.
Standing in the void with his hands clasped behind his back, he said coldly, "Hiding your heads and showing your tails—do you still hope to pick up scraps?"
"All of you, come out! Lu will deal with you together!"
"This divine item belongs to me!"
Lu Changsheng's voice was not loud, but his tone was exceedingly domineering, his words reverberating endlessly through the void.
Chapter 321