Chapter 250

Chapter 250: Returning Home

"Big Brother Zhou!"

Seeing Zhou Luo and the spirit wine on the table, Yao Wu placed the food beside them and called out to him.

"You’re here."

Quietly dissipating the wine’s effect with spiritual energy, Zhou Luo noticed her expression and asked with concern, "Has something happened?"

Yao Wu forced a smile. "I’ll be traveling outside for a period with Master."

"Where to?" Zhou Luo followed up.

"Master says we’re searching for a Gu insect. It may take quite a long time." Yao Wu replied.

Typically, hunting Gu insects took a year or longer to complete.

Yao Wu used to relish such journeys. Yet since Zhou Luo’s arrival, their brief time together had sprouted a tinge of reluctance within her.

This reluctance might stem from habit, from Zhou Luo himself, or even from Little White…

Regardless, hearing of this Gu insect expedition, her first reaction wasn’t joy but an instinctive urge to refuse.

She couldn’t trace the source of this feeling, leaving her spirits low.

Zhou Luo pondered briefly, then retrieved several talismans and a potion bottle from his storage ring. "Since you’ll be traveling, it’s wise to prepare for safety."

He hadn’t forgotten her kindness in bringing him meals. Her departure called for a gesture; to offer nothing would seem cold.

Seeing the talismans and potion, Yao Wu’s eyes brightened.

Her words hadn’t been a bid for gifts. But witnessing his concern, the gloom in her heart lessened, though she couldn’t say why.

"Big Brother Zhou, I don’t need these. With Master there, I’ll be safe," Yao Wu said lightly.

"Keep them, just in case," Zhou Luo insisted.

These items meant little to him—a simple goodwill gesture.

He then began inquiring about Gu techniques.

Over the past two months, he’d skimmed the introductory Gu arts tome. Though mastery eluded him, he’d gleaned insights. Before her departure seemed the perfect time to ask thoroughly.

Learning Gu techniques could be valuable—an extra skill to rely upon was never unwise.

Patiently, Yao Wu explained the queries until deep night fell. Only then did she depart, reluctance hanging thick in the air.

Watching her silhouette vanish, Zhou Luo’s deep eyes glimmered with light.

He sensed her affection. Yet matters of the heart—he preferred to let things happen naturally, never forcing outcomes.

May she journey safely and return.

…

Another month passed. Zhou Luo successfully broke through to the mid-stage of the ninth level of Qi Refinement.

Before arriving in Immortal City, he’d been just one step away from that mid-stage advancement.

Now, bathed in the inner quarter’s spiritual energy, he finally took that step, inching nearer to Foundation Establishment.

A shame, though—updates on Foundation Establishment materials remained unknown.

Instead, over this past month, he had actually grasped some small tricks of the Gu techniques.

"Could it be that I do possess a talent for refining Gu?" Zhou Luo couldn’t help but ponder.

Though he still couldn’t refine Gu insects, he had at least made some progress, which was certainly better than his stagnant Second Level alchemy skill.

Half a month earlier, Zhou Luo had received a letter from Xu Changsheng.

The letter mentioned the war between the Lin Family and the Lu Family.

For now, the Lu Family was gaining the upper hand. Unknown how, they had connected with several minor forces; coupled with the help of Spirit Beasts secretly raised by the Zhang Family, they had launched counterattacks.

The Lin Family was temporarily suppressed, while their ally, the Wang Family, showed little movement, sending only a small portion of cultivators as reinforcement.

The Li Family, the sole faction remaining aloof, fully intended to watch from the sidelines.

During this period, the spiritual mine had also faced assaults. Fortunately, with Chang Le and Shiling present, along with the talismans and potions he crafted, the situation remained stable.

Besides their spiritual mine, the Lin Family’s spiritual mine had been impacted too. Not only that, Jiang City, far at the other end, was once again caught in a pincer attack by the Lu Family and the cultivators from Longfeng Mountain range.

Overall, the war hadn’t yet reached its final stage—after all, the Foundation Establishment strong persons from both families hadn’t taken action.

This war clearly aimed for mutual annihilation, especially with the Lu Family contacting other forces. If the Lin Family were truly destroyed, those forces would inevitably seize their place.

During the previous large-scale auction, Zhou Luo had noticed the Lu Family deeply engaging with one force, which apparently even had a Foundation Establishment strong person.

After much thought, Zhou Luo decided to first bring Lin Xi and Li Ying to the Immortal City.

On one hand, it was for safety; on the other, it was for dual cultivation and childbearing.

Currently at home, only Lin Xi and Li Ying possessed mid-grade spiritual roots, making them the optimal choices.

Moreover, within the Immortal City, he ought to establish his own foundation. Later, if the Lin Family truly couldn’t hold out, he could simply move to the Immortal City and start afresh.

Once resolved, three days later, Zhou Luo departed the Immortal City with Little White. Mounted on his spiritual steed, he raced toward Maple Leaf City.

The journey proved remarkably smooth without any obstacles.

Approximately two days later, he glimpsed the vast city.

Both the Lin Family’s Maple Leaf City and the Lu Family’s Qingtian City were shielded by defensive grand formations, easy to defend yet hard to attack.

Therefore, the main battlefronts lay elsewhere, focusing instead on large-scale assaults against each other’s spiritual mines.

Once the mines vanished, the family’s demise would only be a matter of time.

Though no major battle raged in Maple Leaf City, it had entered a state of high alert.

At the city gate, every person entering or exiting underwent strict inspection.

Zhou Luo reverted to his previous departure appearance and rode his spiritual steed to the gate.

The guard captain spied him, startled, then hastily bowed with respect. "Sixth Elder."

"Mhm," Zhou Luo acknowledged, and he proceeded into the city.

After an absence of over three months, he returned to find the city largely unchanged—only the people’s expressions had grown solemn and grave.

Because of the war, the Lin Family hadn’t just requisitioned clan members but also extensively recruited troops in Maple Leaf City. Many cultivators, unwilling to go to the battlefield, were forced to the front lines.

This even included Qi Refinement cultivators at the second and third levels.

Cultivators of such tiers were no different from cannon fodder, but that was exactly what the war needed.

Zhou Luo journeyed straight to the Lin Family mansion.

Since everyone recognized him, no one obstructed him, and he passed unhindered back to Zhou Garden.

Inside Zhou Garden, Lin Xi and the others were overjoyed to see Zhou Luo’s return.

During this time, they had heard of the frontline situation at home, filling them with immense worry.

They especially fretted over the children at the spiritual mine.

"Don’t fret—it hasn’t yet reached a life-or-death moment," Zhou Luo reassured Lin Xi.

He estimated this war would drag on for at least several, perhaps even over ten, more years.

Though the situation now favored the Lu Family, who knew if a reversal might come? After all, over so many years, neither side had truly seized the advantage.

With Zhou Luo’s reassurance, Lin Xi eased considerably. She inquired,

"Husband, what brought you back this time?"

"I intend to take you to the Immortal City," Zhou Luo stated honestly.

Then he laid out his plans.

In response, Lin Xi voiced her concern.

"If I leave, what will happen to Zhou Garden?"

"Aren’t Qing Han and the others still here? Rest assured—Zhou Garden is actually the safest place right now," Zhou Luo answered.

Over these past twenty-plus years, through his and Xu Changsheng’s efforts, Zhou Garden had been forged into an impenetrable fortress. Unless someone at Foundation Establishment arrived, any Qi Refinement cultivator attempting forced entry stood virtually no chance.

These words comforted Lin Xi greatly.

On the very night of his return, a servant abruptly entered to report, "Master, someone seeks an audience!"