In the vast sky dome, a not so conspicuous dragon-headed flying boat swiftly streaked across, leaving a dazzling tail light.
All around the flying boat, various array patterns carved by the Array Master allowed the boat to fly into the sky and maintain stable flight no matter the adverse weather conditions encountered.
The flying boat came from the little-known Nanzhuo Domain, traveled through several regions before reaching the great domain with the Space Crossing Gate, thus shortening the time to reach the Wandao Sect.
Inside the cabin, the complex array patterns interweave into an array. Within the array, Lu Jin'an sat cross-legged, forming a spell with his hands. In front of him, a short blade engraved with blood-colored patterns was inserted into one of the array eyes. The Blood Pearl on the hilt, having absorbed the blood from the blood sacrifice by Li Huangquan, was already saturated, resembling an opened blood eye.
Lu Jin'an directly ignored the eerie feeling emitted by the blood eye and the sensation of trying to drag his soul in. He solemnly condensed the chaotic blood Qi on the sword hilt.
This cluster of chaotic blood Qi came from Lin Mu's Seven-star Channeling Body. During the time back to the sect, except eating and sleeping, morning exercises, and cultivation, he had been using the short blade to refine the blood containing the Seven-star Channeling Body.
Immortal Body, Sacred Body—these physiques are mostly derived from the bloodline. Therefore, while killing Lin Mu, Lu Jin'an extracted all the blood from his body, using the short blade for active preservation, so the Seven-star Channeling Body wouldn't dissipate quickly. On the way back to the sect, he refined the blood of different organs.
Having completed this process on the way, he could directly do alchemy upon returning.
Of course, the pill refined isn't for consumption but rather to make it a medium between him and the various Dao Palaces above the nine heavens.
He has already completed the early cultivator stage of refining the body with various Spiritual Elixirs. If he wants to progress further, he must introduce the power of the nine days stars to open a Dao Palace within and thus advance further.
To stand shoulder to shoulder with Dragons and Phoenixes in the form of the Human Clan!
Sadly, in today's era, the resources needed for Human Clan cultivators to refine their bodies are hundreds to thousands of times more than before. Unless one's family is wealthy, body refinement is simply unaffordable.
Even for those who are wealthy, none have taken body refinement to the extreme in this era.
Lu Jin'an's desire for body refinement is now stronger than before—all due to the pressure from Zhu Nanzhi.
Therefore, he is eager to communicate with the nine days stars to open a Dao Palace within, making himself completely immune to poisons, no longer worrying about Zhu Nanzhi secretly poisoning him and refining him into a Sword Spirit.
'This path must be walked through no matter how difficult it is; it's the only chance.'
Lu Jin'an thought silently. Though the Seven-star Channeling Body is only a Sacred Body, it only descends once in hundreds of years. So if this opportunity is missed, the uncertainties of waiting for the next one are far too many.
In case, due to some unexpected circumstances in the future where reaching a certain realm becomes difficult, leading to Zhu Nanzhi catching up, there is no guarantee she wouldn't confront him directly in a fight, then possibly take advantage of a mutual defeat to poison him in reverse…
Just thinking about these, Lu Jin'an's focus became more intense.
As time passed by, when the morning sunlight poured in through the window, Lu Jin'an stopped refining, preserved the blood qi light group of the Seven-star Channeling into the short blade, and got up to walk out of the cabin onto the deck.
He started morning exercises while glancing at Xia Ming, who was sitting by the ship's edge looking around: "What are you looking at?"
Xia Ming replied without turning his head, "Bored, looking at other flying boats below."
"Alright, then." Lu Jin'an didn't ask further.
After watching for a while, Xia Ming seemed to get bored, jumped onto the deck, and stretched widely: "Finally, we can return to the sect tonight.
Nanzhuo Domain is really too remote. Even the closest great domain with a Space Crossing Gate takes ten days' journey, or we would have returned long ago."
"Hmm." Lu Jin'an responded.
"Are we going directly back to the sect?" Xia Ming asked enthusiastically: "Give Deputy Sect Master a surprise?"
"A surprise is indeed in order, but don't return to the sect directly," Lu Jin'an said: "Go to Jing'an City first. I need to buy something to calm the anger of Master and the others."
"The others? Who else?"
"Naturally, you and your three sisters." Lu Jin'an smiled slyly at her, "Bribing you all to say nice things about me in front of Master."
"Senior brother, you're too cunning," Xia Ming made a face at him, "What about senior sister? Are you preparing gifts for her?"
"Didn't Master give me a reason to retreat? Does she know?" Lu Jin'an asked.
"Not currently," Xia Ming shook her head: "Senior sister closed her retreat before you went to the Ruins Cave Heaven; I haven't seen her in more than a year, no idea if she's out."
"She really is a cultivation fanatic. With her talent, who knows what she's practicing in seclusion." Lu Jin'an shook his head: "Better to prepare some, just in case."
"Oh!"
After finishing morning exercises, having a simple breakfast, and changing into clean robes, they could see Jing'an City in the distance.
This city, situated in the Central Region, Chang'an Domain, belongs to the Wandao Sect's force, so it is built grandly and imposingly.
And because the Immortal Sect Wandao Sect, the head of the Five Sects and Seven Schools of Human Clan, is located in Chang'an Domain, everywhere was bustling with people.
"Disguise a bit."
Before getting off the flying boat, Lu Jin'an reminded Xia Ming, for being recognized in this city was very likely.
One is the senior brother of Wandao Sect, and the other, one of the four maids of the Deputy Sect Master of Wandao Sect—the portraits have long spread throughout.
"I get it, to give Deputy Sect Master a surprise." Collecting the flying boat into the storage bag, Xia Ming bounced alongside Lu Jin'an into the city: "Can't let Deputy Sect Master know we've returned."
"Smart."
After showing the standard procurement token of Wandao Sect, they could pass through the city gate, with the afternoon sunlight gently spilling over the red bricks and green tiles, and the brightly colored buildings and eaves above. The streets were lined with shops, and the markets were lively bustling with people.
"Anything you want?" Lu Jin'an, walking ahead, asked aloud.
With the intent to take full advantage of senior brother, Xia Ming scanned the shops one by one and replied, "Let me think well."
"Hmm… hmm?"
"Hmm?" Xia Ming looked curiously at Lu Jin'an who stopped: "What's wrong?"
Lu Jin'an was staring intently at a small clothing store not far away, named 'Yue Jun Clothing'. It wasn't because the store's decor was glamorous, but because he was attracted by the clothing held by the woman standing at the entrance.
A black silk long stocking.
Silk stockings? Black ones? Over-the-knee black silk?
Lu Jin'an's eye twitched. He was thinking of doing this business to earn a big fortune upon returning to the sect, yet, just after returning, it seemed like someone had taken the lead...
Whose business could it be?
With curiosity in mind, Lu Jin'an stepped forward.
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Author: Thanks to Wuhen for the Alliance Hierarch reward, Red Dust Calendar for 1000 coins, Xiaoruoli's Duck friend for 100 coins, Magic Rename Rule for 100 coins, and Hui Liyi Duck for 100 coins, as well as Want to Look Like a Beauty for 100 coins.
And, sorry for letting Zhu Nanzhi dream of knowing the protagonist's real name in the last chapter's beginning. I wrote quickly without thinking, and it's been corrected. Sorry (ᇂ_ᇂ|||).