Chapter 248: Chapter 223: Chu Long, Seeking the Fairy_1
"Meritorious Points?" Lu Yan pondered.
"Meritorious Points are valuable treasures. They can be exchanged for any object in the treasury of the Mansion of King Ming: Martial Pills, Martial Food, various treasures between heaven and earth, divine weapons, Top Martial Arts, and more. You will understand after you join," Xiang Chongyang explained.
Afterward, Xiang Chongyang instructed his servants to prepare a room for Lu Yan to stay in. He departed to deliver his report.
Three days later, Lu Yan saw Xiang Chongyang again.
"Come with me. Today, one of the captains of the King’s Bodyguards will be testing your talent and cultivation level," said Xiang Chongyang.
Lu Yan obediently followed Xiang Chongyang onto a horse cart.
The carriage traveled deep into Mingwang City, finally entering a luxurious complex of palaces.
This cluster of palaces, vast in area, was the heart of Mingwang City, where the Mansion of King Ming was located.
Here, Lu Yan communicated with the Dao Book and sensed a large amount of Dao Food.
After getting off the carriage, several Royal Guards in purple robes greeted them.
"Greetings, Captain Xiang," the bodyguards saluted.
Although Xiang Chongyang was not one of the King’s Bodyguards, as the captain of the Forbidden Guards, his status was equivalent to the captain of the King’s Bodyguards. Naturally, ordinary King’s Bodyguards would treat him with great respect.
Xiang Chongyang nodded and said, "Lead the way."
Several of the King’s Bodyguards led the group into a spacious courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, Lu Yan observed a huge stone standing in the middle.
Around the stone stood several figures.
"Junior Xiang Chongyang pays his respects to Captain Chu," Xiang Chongyang greeted a broad and sturdy-looking elder with great respect, then pointed at Lu Yan, "This is Lu Yan, a disciple of Chu Chenzhou."
He turned to Lu Yan, "This senior is one of the Captains of the King’s Bodyguards, your master’s seventh uncle. You should greet him."
Lu Yan felt a chill in his heart.
Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle, wasn’t that King Ming’s son?
The elder looked gentle, and he didn’t seem oppressive, appearing like an ordinary old man who doesn’t practice martial arts.
But Lu Yan knew better. The son of King Ming and one of the Captains of the King’s Bodyguards could not possibly be an ordinary man who doesn’t practice martial arts.
There was only one possibility. The elder’s cultivation had reached an unimaginable state where everything was natural. It might even be stronger than Xiang Chongyang.
"Junior Lu Yan, pays his respects to the elder," Lu Yan respectfully saluted.
"Mm," Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle nodded, sighing, "Chenzhou, if he knew what would happen today, why bother back then?"
No one dared to interrupt, and Xiang Chongyang also kept silent.
Lu Yan was very curious about what Chu Chenzhou had done back then.
However, he obviously wouldn’t be foolish enough to ask at this time.
"Lu Yan, attack that giant rock with all your strength. Don’t hold back. We can determine how many Inner Strength techniques you’ve mastered based on the rock," Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle pointed at the giant rock in the middle of the courtyard and said.
"Yes," Lu Yan nodded, walked over, invoked Cold Magic Palm, vibrated the eleven Inner Strength techniques, and struck the giant rock with his palm.
This giant rock, made of an unknown material, was staggeringly hard. Lu Yan’s full strength strike didn’t move it an inch or even leave a palm print.
But then, Lu Yan saw a series of glowing lines appearing on the giant rock.
Lu Yan counted; there were eleven in total.
"Good, good. Having mastered eleven Inner Strength techniques, you have the potential to achieve the Upper True Body. Chenzhou truly found a promising disciple," Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle nodded in satisfaction, then continued, "Next, we need to take some of your blood to test whether you are an Internal God-man."
A King’s Bodyguard holding a small jade vial approached Lu Yan.
"So, one can determine if someone is an Internal God-man by testing their blood. It’s quite simple," Lu Yan thought to himself.
But it made sense.
Blood was indispensable to a human body, from muscles to skeleton to internal organs.
Therefore, if blood could be used to determine if someone has the Innate Martial Body, it should also be able to determine if they were an Internal God-man.
However, Lu Yan guessed that the blood test wouldn’t detect a Special Soul Practitioner, as the soul had nothing to do with blood.
"Half a bottle will be enough," the King’s Bodyguard handed the jade vial to Lu Yan.
Lu Yan took it, pressed out a stream of blood from his finger into the vial, stopped the bleeding when it was half-filled, and handed the vial back to the guard.
The King’s Bodyguard took the vial and secured the lid.
"Alright, Chongyang. Bring him back here in three days," Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle instructed.
"Take my leave," Xiang Chongyang gave a fist salute.
Lu Yan also saluted and followed Xiang Chongyang back to his residence.
Three days later, Xiang Chongyang once again brought Lu Yan to the courtyard. They met with Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle again.
"The tests have been completed. Other than an unusually resilient and robust heart, his other internal organs are not special. He is not an Internal God-man. However, having mastered eleven Inner Strength techniques, he is indeed a talented individual. He can enter the Hidden Dragon Camp of the King’s Bodyguards for targeted training. Despite having Chongyang’s recommendation, according to the rules, your background still needs to be investigated," he said.
"Soon, I will send people to investigate the six counties in Lingdong. Until the investigation is complete, you are not an official King’s Bodyguard but a provisional one. After the investigation concludes with no issues, you will be officially inducted into the Hidden Dragon Camp."
With that, Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle gave Lu Yan a purple token. Inscribed on it were the words "Lu Yan." "Provisional" was carved on the back.
"Captain Chu, in addition to this, Lu Yan has brought some important news. There is a suspicion that an immortal has appeared in the six counties of Lingdong," Xiang Chongyang reported.
Upon hearing the word "immortal," Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle, who appeared like an ordinary old man, showed a flash of keen interest in his eyes. A dreadful aura surged from him, and Lu Yan felt as if a divine mountain was pressing down on him.
Thankfully, Chu Chenzhou’s seventh uncle quickly withdrew the aura and returned to his composed state, asking, "Is this true?"
Xiang Chongyang relayed to him exactly what Lu Yan had told him.
"An immature immortal would be of immense research value, capturing it alive would be a major accomplishment."
"Some people are about to be sent to investigate the six counties of Lingdong. We could catch this immortal along the way. No, I should make this trip myself. Chongyang, are you interested in meeting this immortal?"
Chu, the commander, looked towards Xiang Chongyang.
Xiang Chongyang showed interest and said, "Nowadays, immortals rarely appear outside the Fairy Ruins. Naturally, I would like to experience it myself. However, I have to guard Mingwang City and I’m afraid it is inconvenient for me to leave."
"If you want to go, I can arrange it for you. There are plenty of experts in Mingwang City, it can do without you for some time."
Said Chu, the commander.
"I’m grateful to you, Commander Chu."
Xiang Chongyang bowed, showing gratitude.
"I’ll make the arrangements right away. We’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning."
Said Chu, the commander, he was quick in action.
...
The next morning, a giant snake flew out of Mingwang City and headed east.
This giant snake, a hundred meters long and with three pairs of wings extended, was also a hundred meters wide.
Lu Yan, Xiang Chongyang, and Chu, the commander, stood on the giant snake.
In addition to them, there were twelve bodyguards of King Ming.
Each of the twelve bodyguards gave Lu Yan an indescribable pressure.
Lu Yan was sure that he could not beat any of them.
Not just the bodyguards, the giant snake itself had a cultivation level of a sixth-level master, which stunned Lu Yan.
This was a Six-winged Flying Snake, an alien beast. It was several times faster than Blood Slaughter. The mountains and lands below swiftly receded.
It would fly tens of thousands of miles in one breath before landing to rest.
In this way, they arrived outside Moling Mountain in less than five days.
Facing Moling Mountain, even Chu, the commander, did not dare to underestimate it. He had the Six-winged Flying Snake land and wait for them outside the mountain while they walked through Moling Mountain and into Lingdong.
Lu Yan led the way to Kunwu Mountain.
On the way, Chu, the commander, ordered two of the bodyguards to leave and investigate Lu Yan’s background.
Their pace was fast. Before long, they arrived at Kunwu Mountain.
When Guan Shan saw Chu, the commander, he was taken aback but respectfully bowed.
"Guan Shan, where is Chenzhou’s tomb? Take me to see."
Said Chu, the commander.
Guan Shan nodded.
Standing in front of Chu Chenzhou’s grave, Chu Long, also known as Chu, the commander, had a complicated expression on his face.
Xiang Chongyang, on the other hand, burned some paper and incense to pay his respects.
During this time, Lu Yan ran into Blood Slaughter, who was indeed still alive and excitedly called out a few times when he saw Lu Yan.
"Lu Yan, show us where you found the ’immortal’."
Said Chu Long.
"Elder, please."
Said Lu Yan.
Immediately, they went towards Changfeng City and arrived at the second level Hidden Blood Land Vein. Standing on the edge of the ground crevice, they looked down.
"The blood below the Blood Land Vein is rich, you wait above, I will go down and investigate."
Chu Long told them.
"Commander Chu, be careful."
Said Xiang Chongyang.
"Even if it is a real immortal, how can an immature immortal do anything to me."
Chu Long jumped down confidently, plummeting into the depth of the crevice.
After a while, a figure appeared, flying up and landing on the edge of the crevice.
It was Chu Long.
"Lingkong Xudu." Lu Yan’s eyes were hot with excitement.
In Chu Long’s hand, he held a face-sized scale, saying, "Contains immortal power, it should undoubtedly be an immortal, but I did not see it below, it should have left. Let’s exit and look for it with the Immortal-seeking Disk."
Then he turned to Lu Yan and said, "Mobilize your men to investigate any unusual places in Lingdong, or where drought has occurred and the Blood Land Vein has dried up. Report back immediately."
"Yes."
Lu Yan bowed.
After leaving the Hidden Blood Land Vein, Lu Yan found Li Quan and asked him to send out his agents to investigate.
"My lord, recently, I heard that there is a drought in an area of Da’an County. Could this be a clue you’re looking for?"
Li Quan reported.
"Da’an County? Where?"
Lu Yan asked, eyes flickering.
"Near Hongshi City."
Said Li Quan.
"Hongshi City, near the previous Ouyang Family’s place?"
Said Lu Yan.
"Exactly."
Li Quan nodded.
Lu Yan found Chu Long, Xiang Chongyang, and others, and told them about this.
Everyone immediately set off for Hongshi City.
Upon arriving near Hongshi City, they found that a large drought had indeed occurred in the area and the vegetation had withered.
One of King Ming’s bodyguards took out a round metal disk and injected his Inner Strength into it.
A needle on the metal disk immediately began to rotate, ultimately pointing in a certain direction.
"The Immortal-seeking Disk responded. There is indeed an immortal nearby."
The bodyguard exclaimed softly.
"Let’s go."
Chu Long took the lead and, guided by the Immortal-seeking Disk, eventually came to a level one Blood Land Vein.
