Chapter 743
Zheng Fa was still mumbling to himself, “If Luo Zushi’s Immortal Sword gets damaged, it’ll be my fault. And if your Xuanwu Shield breaks…”
His words were laced with another insult directed at Luo Sanxian.
How could Luo dare endure this?
With a swift motion, he sent the Five Dragon Ring soaring toward Zheng Fa’s head.
Zheng Fa, too, drew back his bow and shot an arrow.
The Five Dragon Ring buzzed and fell to the ground.
With his innate spiritual treasure knocked down, Luo dared to let out a muffled groan, as the Xuanwu Shield braced against the golden arrow.
On the surface of the shield, a divine beast, the Xuanwu, faintly emerged.
Golden and blue light exploded before everyone’s eyes.
The clash of water and fire rushed toward them, and all present felt an intense heat followed by a biting cold. Even the most powerful among them, the Transformation Stage masters, had to summon their protective spiritual light.
As the brilliance faded, everyone turned their gaze toward the space between Zheng Fa and Luo dared.
They couldn’t help but widen their eyes.
The golden arrow had vanished, but the Xuanwu Shield lay on the ground, a brother in misfortune to Luo’s Five Dragon Ring.
At that moment, Luo dared’s face was a mix of gold and purple, as if his spirit had suffered some damage.
Meanwhile, Zheng Fa stood there unscathed, his expression calm.
His gaze fell upon the Xuanwu Shield, and he nodded, “Not broken.”
To be honest, this spiritual shield had far more power than that.
But three days were not enough for Luo dared to master this treasure.
After saying this, Zheng Fa conjured another golden arrow from his Nine Suns Divine Body and aimed it at Luo dared.
“I concede!” Luo dared gritted his teeth and said.
Zheng Fa nodded lightly, then turned to the Luo clan’s Transformation Stage master who had just been present, asking, “Is three days enough?”
The Luo clan’s Transformation Stage master was momentarily at a loss for words.
…
“Above the Luo clan’s Transformation Stage, they’ve all gone into seclusion!” In the Three Palaces, a Yun clan cultivator exclaimed with joy, “Shi Nandang is truly formidable; he’s earned the title of ‘Hao Ri Nandang’!”
Yun Zhenxian was also somewhat surprised.
In recent days, Shi Nandang had almost systematically challenged every Luo clan Transformation Stage master.
At first, some had stepped up to fight.
But no one could withstand Shi Nandang’s arrow.
Eventually, most of the Luo clan’s Transformation Stage masters declared they were in seclusion and hid away.
Now, those above the Luo clan’s Transformation Stage were either nursing injuries or in closed-door training.
The ones who had previously buzzed in his ears had all vanished.
Thinking of this, he felt quite pleased and couldn’t help but say, “Shi Nandang is indeed a fine blade.”
“However, there are some opinions within the clan; they think Shi Nandang is too arrogant.”
Yun Zhenxian paused for a moment, then shook his head, “Let him be. Let him suppress the Luo clan.”
The Yun clan cultivator suddenly looked puzzled, “But Shi Nandang only shot one arrow. Could it be that…”
“He’s a bit clever,” Yun Zhenxian commented.
…
“Yun Zhenxian won’t always obstruct Luo Sanxian’s resurrection.”
In Shi Nandang’s cave, Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang were discussing the situation.
“He must have some plans, wanting to monopolize some benefits…” Senior Sister Zhang replied.
Zheng Fa pondered for a moment, a flash of insight striking him: “Tianhe Sect?”
“Very likely,” Senior Sister Zhang agreed with his assessment, adding, “Right now, resources at Hao Ri Mountain are scarce. Any gains from Tianhe Sect would be invaluable to them, especially the potential Tianhe relics.”
Shi Nandang spoke up, “Master, if Luo Sanxian is resurrected, then Yun Zhenxian will definitely not protect you.”
Zheng Fa agreed inwardly.
The three clans of Hao Ri Mountain held power, and Zheng Fa’s fierce blows against the Luo clan were, in essence, shaking the very foundation of Hao Ri Mountain.
Not to mention that Yun Zhenxian had always viewed him as a tool; even if he appreciated him, he wouldn’t allow such behavior.
In his eyes, Zheng Fa was likely just a scapegoat, someone to take the blame later.
But Zheng Fa didn’t care.
The one who would take the blame was Shi Nandang; what did it have to do with him, Zheng Fa?
After exchanging a few more words, Shi Nandang focused on the tome, his expression contemplative.
“What are you smiling about?”
Xie Qingxue noticed the smile at the corner of his mouth and couldn’t help but ask.
“Under one arrow, Hao Ri is unassailable.” Shi Nandang felt a bit embarrassed, “I was just thinking, if I were to die and could return to Hao Ri Mountain, that would be nice.”
“…”
Xie Qingxue was momentarily stunned, then shot him a sideways glance, “Others return in glory, but I didn’t say you should return wearing someone else’s clothes…”
…
Zheng Fa walked along the path.
More and more people greeted him, no longer just using sound transmission, but bowing respectfully and clasping their hands in greeting.
Even those who didn’t greet him directly, when he glanced over, he received smiles tinged with unease and flattery.
“Nandang!”
Suddenly, someone called out.
Zheng Fa turned to see several Transformation Stage masters from the Lu clan, including one of his senior brothers.
It was this senior brother who spoke.
“Master has summoned you!”
Zheng Fa was taken aback.
Since returning to the mountain, this was the first time his so-called master had summoned him.
He had some guesses and sent a message through the Creation Jade Tablet.
Following the group, Zheng Fa arrived at a somewhat familiar cave—one that had been perfectly simulated within the Nine Mountain Realm.
As he entered the cave, Shi Nandang’s master stood inside, looking at him with a complex expression.
Zheng Fa imitated Shi Nandang’s tone and said, “Master.”
“Do you know that disaster is looming over you?”
Zheng Fa’s heart stirred, but he didn’t show it, merely nodding.
“Good that you know.” Shi Nandang’s master squinted at Zheng Fa, snorting, “That Yun Zushi is using you as a blade, and you’re being so obedient.”
“I only seek to survive.”
Shi Nandang’s master’s expression didn’t change, as if he had forgotten that he had once given up on this disciple, and said, “If you want to survive, there’s only one way out.”
“Please guide me, Master.”
“Take the surname Lu.”
…
In the Nine Mountain Realm, Shi Nandang fell into silence, his face displaying three words—this really works?
“Your junior brother is unmatched under the Dao Fruit at Hao Ri Mountain,” Senior Sister Zhang shook her head, “Moreover, he practices the purest ‘Chixiao Yujing’.”
“For the Lu clan, your junior brother is certainly not someone they can easily give up.”
Shi Nandang shook his head in confusion, “But this isn’t following the rules.”
He understood the reasoning.
A corpse-realm cultivator, an unmatched corpse-realm cultivator under the Dao Fruit, couldn’t be dismissed lightly by Lu Yao.
But recalling how he had worked himself to the bone, only to see it all go to waste.
Now, the sect master was practically stepping on the Luo clan, and in a short time, he had secured a position within the Lu clan, fulfilling his lifelong dream.
“If the sect master joins the Lu clan, then the Lu clan will suppress the Luo clan.”
Xie Qingxue spoke up.
Shi Nandang suddenly realized.
If a non-three-clan cultivator did this, it would be a disgrace to the three clans.
But if a Lu clan cultivator did this, it would be a disgrace to the Luo clan.
Yet the Lu clan’s position would only become more solid.
…
“Follow me.”
The dream-weaver Zheng Fa followed Shi Nandang’s master as they walked toward the back mountain.
“What is this…”
“Do you think being granted a surname is that simple?” Shi Nandang’s master glanced at him and explained, “This is a major matter; we must seek the Holy Ancestor’s decree.”
Lu Yao?
Zheng Fa’s heart raced with caution as he looked ahead, thinking, could they be heading to that secret place?
What a coincidence.
Sure enough, Shi Nandang’s master led him around the snow peak and arrived at the back of Hao Ri Mountain.
Before them lay an unremarkable hillside.
Shi Nandang’s master tossed a talisman from his sleeve, and the scene before them instantly changed, revealing over a hundred people.
Since Shi Nandang had introduced them, Zheng Fa recognized most of them—members of the Lu clan’s direct line, all with cultivation above the Transformation Stage.
They were also sizing up Zheng Fa.
A few looked on with curiosity, but many others harbored disdain, likely due to differing opinions on Zheng Fa’s recent actions.
Zheng Fa, however, didn’t pay them any mind.
Instead, he gazed behind them.
He finally saw what this forbidden area of Hao Ri Mountain looked like.
It was a cave.
At the entrance stood two golden doors, covered in countless runes.
What struck Zheng Fa as strange was that these doors seemed alive, sometimes large, sometimes small, in a bizarre manner.
“This is our Lu clan’s holy ground, Jiuyao Tian,” Shi Nandang’s master introduced, then added, “You go forward and listen to the clan elder’s instructions.”
Upon hearing this, Zheng Fa slowly walked to the cave entrance and looked at an elder of the Lu clan who had undergone corpse transformation.
The elder’s expression toward Zheng Fa was somewhat cold.
He didn’t speak to Zheng Fa but instead directed a spiritual talisman at the two doors.
Zheng Fa’s eyelids twitched slightly; he felt that this talisman was very familiar, but now was not the time to use the Cave Void Spiritual Eye.
The Lu clan elder began, “Holy Ancestor above, today there is a disciple, Shi Nandang, who has deep merit and virtue, respects his master and values the Dao…”
After a long-winded introduction, he finally said, “I request the Holy Ancestor to grant a surname!”
As his words fell, the two doors slightly cracked open.
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