Chapter 471

Chapter 471: How Could I Possibly Accept

"System, query methods that could allow Lu Chengfeng to cultivate normally. How many Hongmeng points are required?"

Ding!

【1. Obtain a new body, allowing normal cultivation. However, due to imperfect soul-body compatibility, future achievements will be limited.】

【2. Qianyuan Dao Seed: 300,000 Hongmeng points.】

【3. Dao Lord Canglan’s Tomb: 600,000 Hongmeng points.】

【4. ……】

The system listed various methods, with the prices growing increasingly steep as the list went on.

"Young Master Lu, for attaining cultivation, there is one simplest method." Ye Xu laughed softly. "Simply discard this physical body. Preserve a single spark of your primal spirit, unharmed, and move it into a new body."

Lu Chengfeng shook his head.

"One’s body, hair, and skin are gifts from one’s parents. How could one discard them like a worthless pair of old shoes?" Lu Chengfeng stated. "Moreover, this method has already been considered by my Ancestor and my father."

"However, a new body inevitably carries hidden dangers. If it is too powerful, my soul would be devoured by it. If it is too weak, my achievements would be inherently limited."

Although he was a mortal, his innate intellect was exceptional. From childhood, he had mastered numerous classics; his theoretical knowledge was immense.

"Master here possesses skills reaching beyond the heavens. I believe there must be another way," Lu Chengfeng said with a smile.

"Three million five hundred thousand source crystals!"

Ye Xu named his price.

Lu Chengfeng’s pupils contracted sharply.

Several million source crystals was not a small sum.

The entire Canglan Divine City’s annual tax revenue was merely close to ten million source crystals.

"To be frank with you, Young Master, it’s only because you are my very first customer since opening my doors that I’m offering you a discount," Ye Xu said calmly.

Ye Xu’s words held truth.

From this transaction, Ye Xu would only net a profit of five hundred thousand source crystals. Converting that, it amounted to fifty thousand Hongmeng points.

Lu Chengfeng smiled without replying.

He was also a merchant. Naturally, he understood Ye Xu’s words were mere politeness.

After all, without a clear price list, whether it was more or less was essentially determined solely by Ye Xu himself.

"H-honored Senior, I am merely a mortal," Lu Chengfeng stated solemnly. "I… I don’t have that many source crystals on me. I need to notify my father, have him come to the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

Ye Xu gave a nod.

He had plenty of time; he could afford to wait patiently.

Krak!

Lu Chengfeng took out a violet Talisman and crushed it gently.

The instant the Talisman shattered into violet sparks, within the Lu Family estate, Yuan Ziying and the head of the Lu Family immediately became tense. "Could something have happened to Chengfeng at the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?" Yuan Ziying gasped in alarm.

"That shouldn’t be the case."

The head of the Lu Family said, "The Great Dao divine abilities I placed upon him weren’t triggered. Had someone truly intended to harm him, those divine abilities would have activated. If the assailant possessed power sufficient to suppress the Great Dao divine abilities, they wouldn’t have granted him the chance to crush his Talisman and call for help."

"Ziying, let us make the journey."

The two quietly departed the Lu Family estate and flew towards Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Upon the very next breath, they descended before Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"This place is truly mysterious," Lu Yunzhao observed the pavilion, surprise stirring within him.

"Head of the family, mistress, what brings you here?" Lu Qing, who had been standing guard outside Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, spotted Lu Yunzhao and Yuan Ziying and immediately came forward to meet them.

"Why were you not guarding our son?" Yuan Ziying frowned, her expression angry. After all, Lu Chengfeng was merely mortal, truly fragile and defenseless within the Hongmeng Dao Realm.

"Calm your anger, mistress!"

Lu Qing hurriedly explained, "This lowly one was acting upon Young Master’s command, to remain standing guard outside."

Lu Yunzhao’s eyes flickered.

He knew his own son was clever; he would never deliberately place himself in harm’s way.

"You stay outside,"

Lu Yunzhao commanded, then entered Heaven’s Secret Pavilion together with Yuan Ziying.

"Father, mother,"

Lu Chengfeng bowed respectfully.

"Your Excellency is the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?" Lu Yunzhao’s gaze settled upon Ye Xu, his eyes narrowing slightly. Despite his own formidable cultivation, he couldn’t perceive any trace of Ye Xu’s power.

"Son, are you alright?" Yuan Ziying inquired, full of concern.

"I am fine, child."

Lu Chengfeng held the jade slip but refrained from revealing the Second Young Master’s scheme to his parents immediately. Instead, he looked at Lu Yunzhao and said, "Father, I summoned you here because the child holds a matter of great importance."

Lu Yunzhao turned his head to look at him.

"This venerable senior possesses a method to enable this child to cultivate normally," Lu Chengfeng stated.

Boom!

Upon hearing these words, Lu Yunzhao and Yuan Ziying trembled violently within their hearts, casting disbelieving stares at Ye Xu.

"Is this truth?"

Yuan Ziying burned with exhilaration.

The greatest regret of her life was listening to Hall Master’s Elder, leading her to journey to Penglai Immortal Domain—only to walk into an ambush that rendered Lu Chengfeng eternally incapable of cultivation.

Lu Chengfeng was the darling of her heart.

The very thought of outliving him, a mother with white hair bidding farewell to her black-haired son, brought Yuan Ziying harrowing agony.

"When conducting business, my word has always held the weight of Nine Cauldrons," Ye Xu declared.

"Father," Lu Chengfeng added, "to obtain this venerable senior’s method, the child must pay three million five hundred thousand source crystals. As the child does not possess such a vast sum… that is why I shattered the Talisman, to summon you both."

"Worry not about three million five hundred thousand! Were it thirty-five million, your father would still procure it!"

Lu Yunzhao was extremely agitated.

He had cultivated his entire life and had only one son, whom he cherished as his most precious treasure.

To enable Lu Chengfeng to cultivate, he had traversed all major immortal domains and exhausted countless methods, yet ultimately achieved nothing.

"If only I had charged ten million,"

Ye Xu regretted deeply.

"The future was still long,"

he soothed himself, gently stroking his chest.

"Master, this piece of Gouxuan Divine Jade is a Life Treasure left by a Dao Lord. Though not top-tier, it should suffice for three million five hundred thousand source crystals."

Lu Yunzhao produced a three-colored divine jade, resembling a jade snake. Translucent and gleaming, it contained a mystical world within, visible with countless living beings—truly wondrous.

"Exchange it."

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have obtained three hundred sixty thousand Hongmeng points.]

Hearing the System’s voice, Ye Xu finally felt somewhat consoled.

Every extra bit earned mattered.

"System, immediately locate the Qianyuan Dao Seed."

Ding!

[The Qianyuan Dao Seed resides in the Mountain of Two Realms within the Penglai Immortal Domain. It coalesced from the Great Dao of Dao Lord Qianyuan after his passing and exists in mutual opposition with the Demonic Seed of Doom.]

[Ingesting the Qianyuan Dao Seed and guiding it with Qi will completely neutralize the Demonic Seed of Doom’s power within ten days, restoring normal constitution.]

Instantly, a detailed map of the Mountain of Two Realms, complete with methods to break its formations, surfaced in Ye Xu’s mind. He compiled it into a golden book and jade slip.

"Daoist friend Lu, here is what you seek."

The golden book and jade slip flew toward Lu Yunzhao.

Lu Yunzhao and Yuan Ziying’s Divine Senses probed the jade slip.

"The Qianyuan Dao Seed?"

Both were profoundly shaken.

"So, the Qianyuan Dao Seed has been in the Penglai Immortal Domain all along!"

They had scoured ancient texts, knowing the natural counter to the Demonic Seed of Doom was the legendary Qianyuan Dao Seed.

However, both the Qianyuan Dao Seed and the Demonic Seed of Doom were exceptionally difficult to refine and held limited utility—merely bolstering or eroding a cultivator’s foundation.

Why would ordinary cultivators undertake such thankless labor?

"Why have we never heard of this Mountain of Two Realms?" Yuan Ziying frowned. She had journeyed through countless immortal domains and visited the Penglai Immortal Domain over a hundred times, yet this mountain was utterly unknown.

"The location is concealed by formations, naturally invisible to the unprepared," Ye Xu replied with a smile.

"This time, my husband and I shall venture there together." Lu Yunzhao declared.

Yuan Ziying nodded.

"This senior’s great kindness… Chengfeng cannot repay it."

Lu Chengfeng half-knelt on the ground.

"It’s just business; one thing at a time," Ye Xu said with a smile. "However, I still have one matter to tell you."

"Please instruct me, elder," Lu Chengfeng said.

Lu Yunzhao and Yuan Ziying, the couple, also listened quietly.

"Distract with an open ruse, but carry out the real scheme secretly," Ye Xu said.

"Distract with an open ruse, but carry out the real scheme secretly?" Lu Yunzhao and Yuan Ziying glanced at each other, feeling deeply confused, not knowing what Ye Xu meant.

"I understand now," Lu Chengfeng said, his eyes shining brightly.

Glancing at Lu Chengfeng, then peeking at Ye Xu, the couple remained utterly baffled.

"What do you understand?" Lu Yunzhao couldn’t help saying.

Though he was a Dao Lord, he frequently felt endless confusion because his thoughts could not keep up with Lu Chengfeng’s.

"Reporting to father, the elder meant that after I begin cultivating, I should not reveal the slightest trace of my cultivation level, to avoid being noticed and harmed by those with ill intent." Lu Chengfeng said: "But outwardly, I must also demonstrate change."

"For example, in the path of Virtue and Fortune…"

As is well known, cultivating Virtue and Fortune through accumulating worship offerings, even an ordinary person could become a Sovereign of the World and gain eternal life.

But as soon as Lu Chengfeng started acting, he was sure to encounter obstruction.

Not only the Second Young Master’s faction, but also the two other great families within the Canglan Merchant Alliance, the Shangguan Family and the Hong Family, did not wish to see Lu Chengfeng rise.

This path was destined to fail.

Therefore, Lu Chengfeng could feign the path of Virtue and Fortune to lower everyone’s guard.

Ye Xu had a look of surprise.

He had merely conceived an idea, yet Lu Chengfeng had deduced all of it and pieced everything together; this wisdom genuinely astonished him.

"No wonder you consolidated the Lu Family’s authority within the Canglan Merchant Alliance in just a few hundred years and expanded its influence to neighboring domains of Canglan Immortal Domain," Ye Xu thought to himself.

Under Lu Chengfeng’s explanation, Lu Yunzhao and his wife suddenly understood as well.

"The Master is truly brilliant," Lu Yunzhao said with great admiration.

"Ahem…" Ye Xu said: "Lu Family Head, I will send someone to deliver one hundred source crystals to the Canglan Merchant Alliance shortly. As for the rest of you, if you still have any questions you wish to know, feel free to come to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

"I promise to speak without reserve and tell all I know to the fullest."

"Master, do not speak of this," Lu Yunzhao said: "One hundred source crystals are a small matter; how could we trouble you to bear the expense?"

"How could I possibly accept this?"

"Master, rest assured, I will cover this debt; that way, it does not break the rules of the Canglan Merchant Alliance," Lu Yunzhao said.

"Since you, Elder Daoist, insist, I must humbly comply rather than refuse," Ye Xu said with a smile.

"Elder, upon my return today, I will order the Lu Family branch to spread a little publicity for Heaven’s Secret Pavilion," Lu Chengfeng said, his eyes gleaming brightly. "I guarantee that the words ‘Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’ will spread throughout Canglan Immortal Domain within half a month."

Ye Xu nearly laughed out loud in delight.

With the influence of the Canglan Merchant Alliance, making Heaven’s Secret Pavilion rise to fame in Canglan Immortal Domain within half a month was a mere effortless task.

Especially when the promoter was a commercial genius like Lu Chengfeng.

"Then I must trouble you, Young Master Lu," Ye Xu did not decline.

"Then we shall take our leave now," Lu Yunzhao said, bowing respectfully. "Once I retrieve the Qianyuan Dao Seed and help Chengfeng resolve the hidden danger, I will prepare generous gifts and return to thank you, Master."

"I look forward to your good news, Elder Daoist," Ye Xu bowed back.

The three of them left Heaven’s Secret Pavilion together.