Chapter 160 - 152: Returning to Northern Plains County and Splitting Off the 9th Strand of Divine Sense
Chapter 160: Chapter 152: Returning to Northern Plains County and Splitting Off the 9th Strand of Divine Sense
Lu Zhao placed the four Corpse Puppets, each radiating a chilling aura and wreathed in Blood Evil Qi, into the Corpse Nurturing Bag Qian Yuan had left behind.
Once the Corpse Puppets were inside, the runes at the bag’s opening flickered with a faint, dark light. Like a great beast snapping its jaws shut, it sealed away the terrifying aura of death and ferocity within. With that done, Lu Zhao wasted no time, turning to depart from Yinmu Mountain.
Under the dim sky of Yinmu Mountain, the Cyan Feather Crane Puppet’s enormous wings snapped open. Guided by Lu Zhao’s masterful Divine Sense, the Flying Puppet became a swift, cyan-gray shadow, streaking directly toward Northern Plains County.
After a long and dusty journey of more than half a month, the familiar yet foreign silhouette of Northern Plains County finally appeared on the horizon, its outline tinged with desolation. A wave of emotion washed over Lu Zhao; he hadn’t been back in nearly thirty years.
When he was still fifty li from the Zheng Family’s core territory, Lu Zhao had the Cyan Feather Crane Puppet descend into a secluded and desolate mountain hollow. He vaulted off the crane’s back, and with a mere thought, the Cyan Feather Crane Puppet transformed into a dim streak of light and vanished into his Storage Bag.
Immediately after, Magical Power surged through Lu Zhao’s body as he silently activated the second-layer Heart Method of the Breath Concealment and Shapeshifting Skill. Unlike the first layer, with its brief lag in Magical Power and half-month cooldown, the technique now flowed with perfect smoothness, activating the very instant the thought crossed his mind.
His handsome, youthful face rippled like water, twisting and reshaping. His skeleton emitted a series of faint but distinct cracks as his frame grew slightly taller and more robust.
In just a few breaths, a middle-aged Daoist with an ordinary, weather-beaten face, clad in a dusty gray Daoist Robe, stood in his place. Lu Zhao deliberately suppressed his aura to that of the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer—inconspicuous, yet not so weak as to be an easy target.
Lu Zhao had his reasons for stopping so far out. He planned to assume the identity of a Wandering Daoist and cross the fifty-li stretch on foot. Along the way, he would observe the true situation within the Zheng Family’s territory and gather firsthand intelligence. This would offer a much clearer view of the clan’s decline than simply barging into the Marketplace.
Along the way, Lu Zhao’s Divine Sense spread like an invisible spiderweb, cautiously sweeping across the sparse forests and hills. Within that short distance, he had already sensed the auras of five different Tribulation Cultivators.
They were all lying in wait on treacherous hillocks and in the depths of dense forests along the road. Like lurking beasts, the Tribulation Cultivators’ greedy gazes followed the hurried travelers. Yet, to his surprise, not one of the five made a move against him.
’Looks like the Zheng Family, this sick tiger, still has some lingering prestige. The facade hasn’t completely collapsed, at least enough to deter these hyenas from daring to plunder brazenly in broad daylight, so close to their core territory,’ Lu Zhao sneered inwardly. ’But this many Tribulation Cultivators... it’s far too high. Five dens in just over fifty li. It seems the Zheng Family’s periphery is riddled with holes, just waiting for the final straw. Then, the wolves will move in for the feast.’
By the time he was within twenty li of the Zheng Family Marketplace, Lu Zhao had already sketched out a rough picture of their situation in his mind: strong in appearance but rotten to the core, teetering on the verge of collapse.
When he finally stepped into the Zheng Family Marketplace, the scene before him confirmed his assessment. At the entrance, the Cyan Gate Tower, a symbol of the Zheng Family’s prestige, still stood tall, but the area was clearly deserted.
The streets, which should have been bustling and noisy, were sparsely populated with slow-moving pedestrians. It was nowhere near as lively as the marketplaces of other Foundation Establishment Clans he recalled; it couldn’t even compare to the smaller marketplaces run by several Qi Cultivation Clans.
Blending into the sparse crowd, Lu Zhao’s gaze was as tranquil as a still well as he scanned the decaying streetscape. ’Just as I thought. Anyone with a discerning eye isn’t a fool,’ he mused. ’Everyone knows the Zheng Family is a sinking ship. The desolate state of this Marketplace proves that any reasonably powerful Wanderers and Honored Guest Elders have already found greener pastures. The only ones left are either low-level Cultivators unable to leave, or... vultures, waiting to pick the bones clean. The moment the Zheng Family Ancestor breathes his last, the monkeys will scatter from the falling tree, and everyone will give the crumbling wall a push.’
Lu Zhao found a reasonably clean inn within the Marketplace and rented a Quiet Chamber with a Tier One Lower Grade Spirit Vein. Seated cross-legged on a somewhat worn meditation cushion, he furrowed his brow, contemplating his next move.
’A direct assault on the Zheng Family’s Spirit Vein? Impossible.’ He immediately dismissed the thought. As a Foundation Establishment Clan, the Zheng Family’s estate was undoubtedly protected by a Tier Two Mountain Protection Array. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator presiding over it could wield the Array Power to unleash might far beyond that of a typical Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Even though Lu Zhao’s own strength surpassed that of an ordinary Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, barging into a Tier Two Array was suicide.
’Use a borrowed blade? Incite a war between the Huang and Lin Families and the Zheng Family?’ Lu Zhao mulled it over for a moment before shaking his head again. ’It seems plausible, but there are too many variables. The Huang and Lin Families failed to crack this tough nut last time they joined forces; they just ended up suffering losses. The Zheng Family Ancestor may be dying, but a cornered beast fights desperately, and its final lunge would be its most ferocious. The Huang and Lin Families will surely opt to sit on the sidelines and watch the tigers fight, waiting for the Ancestor to die of old age before they swoop in to carve up the remains. If I try to provoke them, I could not only fail and expose myself, but also startle the snake in the grass, causing the Zheng Family to turtle up and fortify their defenses.’
’The safest way, of course, is to wait. Wait for the Zheng Family Ancestor to pass away naturally, wait for the Zheng Family to completely disintegrate...’ A vicious, resentful light flashed in Lu Zhao’s eyes, flames seeming to flicker in their depths. ’But I... I can’t wait! And I *don’t want* to wait! This feud, this hatred—I must end it with my own two hands! If I let that old bastard die peacefully of old age, my Dao Heart will never find peace!’
However, the profound reserves of a Foundation Establishment Clan were not so easily overcome. He would have only one chance. He had to succeed on the first strike, utterly killing the Zheng Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator, or the future repercussions would be endless.
After pondering to no avail, Lu Zhao decided to lay low for the time being. For one, he needed time to completely refine the three Cyan Soul Fruits and forge his ninth Divine Sense Thread. A massive boost to his Divine Sense would grant him better control over his Tier Two Corpse Puppet, one of his greatest assets for this endeavor.
For another, he had to find an opportunity in this dead Marketplace, a chance to make contact with high-ranking members of the Zheng Family and learn about their internal affairs.
「A month slipped by in quiet cultivation.」
Inside the Quiet Chamber, the Spiritual Qi was thin. Lu Zhao sat cross-legged, his Sea of Consciousness a churning storm, his will an immovable rock. Eight condensed, almost tangible Divine Sense Threads writhed and swam within it. Nourished by the vast Power of Spiritual Soul from the Cyan Soul Fruits’ essence, a ninth thread was arduously but steadily taking shape, its light flickering into existence.
’Condense!’
With a silent roar in his Heart Spirit, the violently fluctuating, nebula-like mass of spiritual essence at the center of his Sea of Consciousness abruptly collapsed inward! A ninth Divine Sense Thread—more condensed, more tenacious, as if forged from pure steel—snapped into existence! With all nine threads present, a powerful hum echoed out—BZZZZT—
A tremendous Power of Divine Sense, far surpassing the Qi Cultivation Stage, erupted and spread like an invisible tide! A radius of one hundred and eighty zhang around him was mapped with perfect clarity within his Sea of Consciousness. A falling leaf, a crawling insect, a floating mote of dust... every detail was rendered with absolute precision. This range and intensity already surpassed that of many Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators!
Lu Zhao slowly opened his eyes, a keen light glowing within them, his entire being radiating vitality. The dim room seemed to brighten a fraction. ’Thankfully, I never slacked off in honing the Thousand Threads Technique over the years. My foundation is solid,’ he reflected. ’Otherwise, even with three Cyan Soul Fruits, I might not have condensed the ninth thread so smoothly.’ A powerful confidence bloomed within him, born from the growth of his Divine Sense. With nine threads and an intensity surpassing that of an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his control over his Puppets would be exquisitely precise, and his perception in battle would be as clear as reading the lines on his palm.
To test how his explosive new Divine Sense affected his control over the Strong Demon Ape Corpse Puppet, Lu Zhao deliberately left the Marketplace to find a remote and desolate valley. It was a rugged place, filled with jagged rocks and withered, crooked trees.
When he released the Strong Demon Ape Corpse Puppet, which stood about three zhang tall, a heavy wave of Corpse Qi instantly flooded the valley.
At Lu Zhao’s command, six Divine Sense Threads instantly formed Divine Sense Brands and seared themselves onto the Strong Demon Ape Corpse Puppet’s core Corpse Bead.
An unprecedented sense of fluidity washed over him. The subtle lag and the mental strain—like carrying a great stone on his back—that he’d always felt when controlling a Tier Two Corpse Puppet were now completely gone.
The Corpse Puppet’s thick arms swung and its muscular, knotted legs strode with perfect fluidity, as responsive as his own limbs. His immense Power of Divine Sense, like invisible, high-precision wires, held firm control over the savage war machine, making its ferocious might even more intense.
"Excellent." A flicker of cold joy passed through Lu Zhao’s eyes. With another thought, the Demon Ape Corpse Puppet became a streak of dark gold light and vanished into the Corpse Nurturing Bag. His chances on this trip to deal with the Zheng Family had just improved.
However, when he returned to his temporary lodging in the Marketplace, Lu Zhao’s brow furrowed once more. An entire month had passed. He had intentionally wandered the Marketplace like a patient hunter, yet he hadn’t laid eyes on a single important, high-ranking member of the Zheng Family.
All he saw were ordinary Early-stage and Middle-stage Qi Cultivation disciples, all hurrying about with unconcealed anxiety on their faces. These small-fry weren’t worth his time; trying to capture one might just spook the real prize.
’Have all the Zheng Family higher-ups turned into cowards hiding in their shells?’ Lu Zhao fumed internally. Just as he was stewing in frustration, his knuckles white, and considering the risk of sneaking to the outskirts of the Zheng Family’s Spirit Mountain to investigate, an unexpected opportunity presented itself.
That day, Lu Zhao was pretending to browse at a stall selling Low-Tier Talismans in the Marketplace. Three Early-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivators in Zheng Family robes happened to walk past, their expressions a mixture of faint arrogance and underlying anxiety. It was an ordinary sight, and Lu Zhao paid it no mind at first. But then, the words of one young man, laced with both complaint and smugness, drifted clearly to his ears:
"...Your father is the clan’s Fourth Elder, and you’re his only son with a Spiritual Root. What do you have to worry about? If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. No matter how tight resources get, they won’t cut your share! It’s not the same for us..."
The words were spoken idly, but the listener paid close attention. Lu Zhao’s hand, which had been casually sifting through Talismans, paused for a mere fraction of a second before resuming its motion. But from the corner of his eye, his gaze, as sharp as a carving knife, locked onto the young Cultivator. This was the one his companions were fawning over, the fool enjoying his good fortune, oblivious to the catastrophe on the horizon. The Cultivator’s face was still boyish, his clothes much finer than those of his peers, and a touch of pampered arrogance graced his features as he waved his hand with feigned nonchalance.
’The son of the Zheng Family’s Fourth Elder... his only heir with a Spiritual Root...’ Lu Zhao’s mind raced. In an instant, a bold and direct plan took shape in his mind. ’That’s the one!’