At dinnerti, Chang’an couldn’t make it back because of business matters. Platinum Immortal City was no small place, and since he didn’t even have first-level Qi cultivation, whenever he went far out and misjudged the ti, he’d have to spend the night outside.
Luckily, it was all within the Immortal City, so basic safety was still guaranteed.
After dinner, Lu Chang’sheng took a stroll with Nangua for a while. Then Li Nangua leaned into his arms, her cheeks flushing rosy in no ti.
"Wait for here a mont."
Lu Chang’sheng glanced at her, not sure what she ant.
Li Nangua drifted away gracefully. Not long after, a faint fragrance wafted over. At so point, the servants had all silently excused themselves. In the quiet of the night, a graceful white figure tiptoed through the blooming flowers.
The moonlight fell gently, while the snowy gauze wrapped her like a beautiful, ethereal mist—within it, skin as fair as snow was just barely visible.
It was as if she’d blended into the moonlight itself.
She must’ve only recently learned this; her steps were still a bit awkward. But with that supple, slender waist, she exuded a charm all her own.
Lu Chang’sheng couldn’t take his eyes off her until Nangua, draped in gauzy silk and trailing gentle fragrance, approached him, snapping him back to his senses.
"Master~"
That soft, sweet voice escaped from her red lips, like an alluring fla that left soone dizzy and lightheaded.
······
Co morning, Lu Chang’sheng withdrew the sound-insulation spirit array and climbed out of bed.
The reflection in the mirror showed his physique still robust, though a few strands of silver now streaked his hair.
Nearing seventy-one, by mortal standards, he’d be considered in old age.
He practiced boxing for a bit, and as soon as his blood and energy were stirred, he instantly felt vibrant—taking on three hundred more rounds would be nothing to him now.
After arriving at the main hall, before long, Lu Ziyou brought over so letters.
Most were from Daoist Ruyi, Qin Wan, Xu Zhuqing, and Yu Hai.
Seeing the letters, Lu Chang’sheng imdiately knew that his old friends had already departed from Platinum Immortal City by now.
Sure enough, after opening the letters and reading them, everything beca clear.
First was Daoist Ruyi; after leaving Platinum Immortal City, she headed west without pause.
Now she was in a market city two thousand miles away.
She didn’t say exactly which market it was.
Lu Chang’sheng understood that she didn’t want to rely on him anymore, which was why she hadn’t revealed her whereabouts.
Daoist Ruyi was, in the end, still proud at heart.
The letters from Qin Wan and Xu Zhuqing each had their own flavor.
Qin Wan wrote mostly about everyday matters, but Xu Zhuqing’s was different.
In her reply, she ntioned so moves by Master Lu, including the fact that lately, Master Lu was planning to leave this place.
"It seems Master Lu is collecting sothing."
"Oh, and recently I’ve discovered soone you’d never expect."
This part was written in code.
"These past days, there’s been soone new at Master Lu’s side. I think it’s that Zhou Lin you talked about!"
Zhou Lin?
Lu Chang’sheng’s brows furrowed sharply.
Zhou Lin actually joined up with Master Lu—what sort of secrets were at play here?
Lu Chang’sheng wanted to write back to them at once, but after penning a few words, he realized he didn’t have their addresses anymore.
Daoist Ruyi’s location was unknown.
And when Qin Wan and Xu Zhuqing sent their letters, they were already about to leave. By the ti he read them, they’d probably been gone quite so ti.
"Guess it all cos down to fate."
Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself.
Only Yu Hai left a definite address.
When he read Yu Hai’s reply, Lu Chang’sheng allowed himself a small smile.
In his letter, Yu Hai said he’d joined the Supre Profound Sect, and that his Celestial Spirit Body had drawn the attention of soone with significant status there.
The road ahead looked limitless for him.
He also wrote to Lu Chang’sheng, "Brother, thanks again for getting out of that hellhole. When I make it big, I’ll definitely get you a Foundation Establishnt Pill."\
"That Yu Hai, such bold talk. As if Foundation establishnt pills are that easily gotten."
Lu Chang’sheng chuckled and didn’t take it seriously, but reading these letters still brought him a sense of comfort deep inside.
All those relationships he’d sown across Great Yuan—so many blooms in return, it was all worth it.
"Father, there’s one more." Seeing Lu Chang’sheng burn the letters, Lu Ziyou produced another item.
But this was not a letter—it was an invitation.
At first, he thought it was an invite from so family patriarch. To his surprise, it was from Zhou Cauldron.
The reason for the formal invitation was that Zhou Dingyuan had died.
"Those two, father and son, only managed to gain a foothold in Platinum Immortal City because of your influence last ti. Now they’re inviting you again—probably just to curry favor." Lu Ziyou didn’t want to go.
Especially since there’d be no benefit in it for them.
"Let’s go have a look. The more friends, the more paths open up. Besides, letting them ride our coattails a little doesn’t really affect us."
Last ti, Lu Chang’sheng had people keeping an eye on Zhou Dingyuan and Zhou Cauldron, but those two were shrewd—never openly flaunting their ties to him, only ntioning it when facing obstacles too tough to handle.
That was the kind of na-dropping Lu Chang’sheng was willing to overlook.
Soon, Lu Chang’sheng and Li Nangua arrived at a small house in the cluster of residences.
The cultivator in charge greeted Lu Chang’sheng with a marked change in deanor—his lazy look fird into attention, and he jumped up from his seat.
"Patriarch Lu, is there anything I can assist you with?"
"No need, I’m just here to visit a friend. I’ll be gone soon."
Lu Chang’sheng replied with a smile.
For a family with late-stage Qi cultivators, they still held so sway in the Immortal City. And even though the abode’s managerial staff belonged to the Supre Profound Sect, they dared not slight him.
Lu Chang’sheng’s visit made quite a stir. Winter was nearly here, and cultivators traveled far less now, so when word spread, several people ca out, wondering which local family Lu Mansion was here to see.
Soon enough, Lu Chang’sheng stood before a certain house.
"Elder Lu!"
Hearing the commotion, Zhou Cauldron’s face lit up with excitent. He hurried over to greet him.
"Aren’t you going to invite in?"
Several monts passed before Zhou Cauldron recovered from his surprise. Only when Lu Chang’sheng spoke did he snap out of it.
His father’s death saw him follow his father’s wishes to send an invitation to Lu Mansion. But, given the relationship between their families, he never expected them to actually co.
Even if they did, it would be a servant at best—never Lu Chang’sheng himself.
"Your father and I may have had so misunderstandings back then, but that was years ago. All of that’s long since faded away."
Lu Chang’sheng entered the house with Zhou Cauldron.
The house had three floors, but Zhou Cauldron and Zhou Dingyuan had always lived on the ground floor, the least private area.
So Zhou Dingyuan’s body had been placed in the only room there.
Once he’d paid his respects, Lu Chang’sheng stepped outside, glanced across the street, and caught soone quickly ducking out of sight at his gaze.
He wasn’t interested. After saying a few encouraging words to Zhou Cauldron, he left with Li Nangua.
Behind him, Zhou Cauldron was filled with gratitude—even though Lu Chang’sheng hadn’t promised him anything, so long as he kept his nose clean, nobody would dare trouble him at the marketplace now.
Sure enough, hardly had Lu Chang’sheng left when cultivators from nearby houses ca to call, all speaking with flattering tones.
The strongest of those living in the cluster was only a middle-stage Qi cultivator—a huge cut below Lu Mansion now.
Before, not knowing about Zhou Cauldron’s connection to Lu Chang’sheng was one thing. Now that they knew, they naturally wouldn’t pass up the chance to attach themselves to him.
"Is this Elder Lu watching over ?"
Zhou Cauldron drew a deep breath, then looked back at his dead father’s lifeless face. mories of all those bridges his father tried to build for him back in Great Yuan—of his hope to have Lu Chang’sheng as his master—washed over him; his chest tightened and tears fell.
How he regretted not seeing it sooner!
Still, at least there was still a chance to make up for the past.
Zhou Cauldron swiftly wiped his eyes, put on a proper expression, and welcod the cultivators coming to pay respects. Even those from the upper floors, who used to look down on him, now put aside their pride and ca to honor Zhou Dingyuan.
He wasn’t the only one regretting the past; at the sa mont, right across the street, Zhu Er was also full of remorse.
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