The sky was already bright when they rose up from the lake.
On the lake, there was no fairy, no moon spirit, but only the reflection of rolling mountains and the golden sun.
Early morning sunshine sent a touch of warmth, and the fragrance mountain breeze blew like a woman’s gentle hand, wiping away the lake water on the people on the lakeshore, making them feel slightly cooler.
"What a long dream."
The carefree Liu Li happily swam ashore and then beckoned at Wang Lu who still stayed in the lake, shouting, "Senior Brother, Senior Brother, come on!"
Wang Lu chuckled and then, with a change in breath, his body began to float, as if gravity did not affect him, until his whole body completely hovered on top of the lake. His feet gently touched the surface of the lake, sending out mini ripple around him.
His body was without any leakage in spiritual energy, and his magical power was like the luster of gem. This… was the sign of Xudan Stage.
Originally, he thought it would take him several years to reach this realm, yet after only a dream, it was readily available to him. The distant Liu Li was smiling, perhaps it was mostly also because of this. Just now, she swam to the lake shore, yet actually, her body was completely without any contact with the water on the lake. After coming ashore, her whole body was completely dry.
However, though his cultivation base has advanced by leaps and bounds, but Wang Lu, no matter what, could not feel excited about it.
Grand Cloud Fairy was no longer with them, and the moon spirit also stayed out of sight. It was as if that warping of time, that dream never happened. However, ultimately, he could not erase the trace that was left in his heart...
"Senior Brother, Senior Brother, come ashore!"
Liu Li urged him to come once again. Wang Lu put down the emotional weight in his heart and then took a step. His foot left a circle of ripples on the surface of the lake, and his figure seemed as light as the air as he went straight into the air, riding the wind and then landed on the land.
Non-Phase Method was never good in flashy movement, but now he has this "graceful steps upon the waves" ability.
"Congratulations in stumbling upon the immortal chance."
On the lakeside, sitting beside the grill, Zen Master Dog Meat who was cooking a wild boar smiled at Wang Lu as she greeted him.
As a senior with main body’s cultivation base reaching the peak Yuanying Stage, she could naturally see what happened earlier, from the time warping in the green lake to the gradual dissipation of Grand Cloud Fairy on the surface of the lake… Therefore, she could understand the heavy look on Wang Lu’s face.
However, this was an immortal chance. On the road of Immortal Cultivation, there were many similar things to this; parting away forever was really a normal matter, and she believed Wang Lu was also aware of this, therefore, there was no need for her to console him.
Sure enough, when Wang Lu’s footsteps arrived at the grill, his heavy look dissipated and was replaced by his past smile.
"How long has it been?"
"Two days." Xiao Qi said, "Sure enough, just as you suspected, Beast Master School did not act against us at all."
While tearing off a hind leg from the grill, Wang Lu explained, "That’s normal. Comrade A Xia would try hard to make sure of that."
Previously, Wang Lu judged that after the battle in the valley, A Xia would do his best to cover his failure and look for a comeback opportunity. In a short period of time, as long as they didn’t act rashly, they would not be in any danger. This judgment was indeed true.
"However, your emotional intelligence is truly high."
Wang Lu sneered. "You think my EQ is high? You might as well praise for Liu Li’s wit."
While gnawing the pig leg, Liu Li looked up upon hearing this. "Really? Really?"
"Of course not, you are a fool." Wang Lu mercilessly struck his Junior Sister, and then said to Xiao Qi, "As long you simply put yourself in other people’s shoe, you would arrive at the same conclusion. Just think about it, if you are Tiger King, if you have an extremely selfish and unscrupulous elder, can you count on him to explain everything to you after he had done something detrimental to the sect like this?"
"... Indeed I can’t."
"Therefore, it’s very easy to judge… However, there are only three days before the fifteenth day of the month. Even if he can drag things out, when the time comes, I can also roughly guess the means that he would use, so we don’t need to be anxious."
"No need to be anxious?"
Without them realizing it, the cat girl has arrived by the fireplace; she softly said, "I’ve previously checked, their beast collar refinement would soon be completed, and their Ten Thousand Spirit Lock Termination Array would soon be launched, our time…"
"No problem, we don’t have to worry about that beast collar. Let them refine it. The Ten Thousand Spirit Lock Termination Array is also not a problem. Let them make it."
This time, even Xiao Qi was surprised by his answer. "Let them do it?"
"Otherwise, we have no way to stop them. Whether it’s the beast collar or the Ten Thousand Spirit Lock Termination Array, they would use their full force to protect it. Thus, no matter which one of them we try to destroy, we would face their whole ten Jindan and one Yuanying force. With our current strength, the difference is very little."
Wang Lu said and chuckled. The emphasis on his words was the last part: the difference is very little.
Xiao Qi warned, "You and Liu Li are indeed extremely talented, and your real strength is far higher than what appeared on the surface. However, Beast Master School is not some trash level sect, especially their Yuanying Stage Great Elder, his strength is no small matter."
"I know, he’s level eight Yuanying +1 right? Though his strength is indeed alright, the ineffective and worthless subordinates under him are too many. If the several of us join forces, and also follow my command, it’s possible that we can defeat him."
Xiao Qi was startled. "Hey, do you know what you’re talking about? That person is a Yuanying Stage monster. Even if we don’t consider his spirit beasts, he alone…"
Wang Lu sneered. "He’s Yuanying Stage alright, but a monster? Not necessarily. Compared to those group of real monsters at Spirit Sword Mountain whose strength, on average, +20, he’s just a minion! Right now, I am level nine Xudan +24, and Liu Li is level seven Xudan +21. If the two of us join forces, even if that stupid cat is still in peak Jindan Stage, we can easily beat her black and blue. Tiger King is, in fact, not so great."
Xiao Qi was stunned for a while, and then asked, "You still have cards in your hands right?"
"Yes. I’ve just come up with it, but it can’t be used until after I reach Xudan Stage. So I still have yet to put it into practice, but I believe that the power would certainly be unforgettable."
"... Very well, since you’re so confident, I won’t say anything." Xiao Qi then resumed eating the meat in silence, without the slightest care. Actually, since she met with Wang Lu, as a senior, she had assumed the role of a guardian. She never undermined Wang Lu’s decision, never try to influence, nor shake him; only when needed did she contribute her strength.
"Overall, this time, I intend to come on them hard. No schemes nor trick, just open and aboveboard clash." Wang Lu then smiled. "However, this tactic itself does have some trace of trick in it. The Beast Master School people, those crowd of waste, should never think that I would face them head-on. Catching the enemy off guard, this is one of the prerequisites on effective engagement."
"Moreover, it is in our best interest to make our move on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. At that time, a part of Beast Master School would maintain the Ten Thousand Spirit Lock Termination Array, a part of them must guard against our appearance, a part must guard against the disturbance from White Dragon Temple and other powers, and a part would try to catch the moon spirit. Performing all of these duties at the same time means that they would not have good mobility. As long as we focus our attack on one point, it is possible for us to bruise them."
Xiao Qi didn’t speak, but inwardly she actually thought, likewise, that day was also the most favorable day for the people of the beast Master School. Because it was the day where all of their arrangement completed, a person could act as ten...
However, how could Wang Lu not also think about this? He should have already had a plan for it, right?
It was really hard for her to believe a cultivator from Non-Phase Peak to really want an open and aboveboard clash against the enemy.
However, Wang Lu did indeed look as if he has already had schemes and tricks up his sleeve; while eating the roasted meat, he sometimes let out a sinister laughter.
When all of the people’s focuses were on him, Wang Lu beckoned his hand. "The next few days, we’re just going to eat and drink here. After that, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, we’ll play something big."
——
Two days went by in a flash.
The distant mountains bear the fiery red sun. Before the dim light of the night arrived, the surrounding spiritual energy had already somewhat began to react, clamoring unceasingly.
Wang Lu, Liu Li, Xiao Qi, Quan Zouhua, and cat girl… all have done their preparation, adjusting their state to be at their peak level. Even cat girl was helped by Xiao Qi in restoring sixty to seventy percent of her strength. With this lineup, Wang Lu cards were indeed quite effective enough to contend against that Yuanying Stage Tiger King.
However, that was only if they fought with Tiger King alone. If he joined forces with his spirit beasts, the current lineup seemed far from enough.
"Then…" Acting as the team leader, Wang Lu was brimming with a confident smile as if the victory was already at hand. "Let us complete the final quest of our mission."
His gaze turned toward the Green Lake.
"Moon spirit, did you hear that?"
On the surface of the lake, a pure white spirit dog slowly revealed itself, quietly lying on the surface of the water. Her two clear eyes were looking at Wang Lu.
Wang Lu said, "Come with us. We will bring you to a dangerous place, but only there can you transform and be freed from the shackles."
Moon spirit quietly looked at him, without any joy nor sadness. However, this indifferent expression was also a statement.
"You want to say, transform or not, it’s not really that important? Don’t be ridiculous, Grand Cloud Fairy did not hesitate to fall from the sky just to complete her wish, that is, to let you transform your form. Even if you as the spirit of the surrounding place is not yet matured, so your intelligence is yet to complete, at least you should consider her good intention, right? Besides, if you maintain this form for your whole life, wouldn’t it make people laugh at Grand Cloud Fairy, saying that a great beauty has produced a dog! Are you worthy of her sixty years of nurturing?"
Xiao Qi butted in, "Hey, aren’t these comforting lines of yours a bit crooked?"
Wang Lu ignored her interruption and continued, "Mountain spirit of Grand Cloud Mountain was born nameless, for more than a thousand years, she just assumed Grand Cloud as her name. However, she gave you the name Shixuan, why do you think is that? You have the privilege to magically form sixty years ago with the help of moonlight. That’s the chance that many creatures in the whole Nine Regions could not get. Although Grand Cloud Mountain is a blessed land, it could not accommodate an immortal beast, so you are going to leave sooner or later."
Moon spirit, tilted its head, as if showing her stubborn opposition.
Wang Lu gave it advice, "Now, you’re just being difficult, but, Grand Cloud Fairy could not be resurrected, and even more unable to change your fate of being enslaved by people; yet, for no reason, you waste the sacrifice of Grand Cloud fairy, you…"
Moon spirit was still indifferent.
Wang Lu thought for a moment. "Because you have yet to transform, so you don’t understand my words, right?"
"…?"
Wang Lu thought again and then fished out a bone from his mustard seed bag. "Come here."
Moon spirit stood up and stepped on the water.