In the nineteenth year of Jiayou, on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.
Since the New Year's banquet, there had been peace and tranquility, and none of the worries in Lu Xian's heart had come to pass.
In the westernmost part of Yulu Hutong, there was a small courtyard.
On the eastern horizon, a faint tinge of brightness appeared, and from the bamboo grove on the eastern side of Lu Xian's courtyard, a jade-colored snake poked its head out and took a deep breath towards the east, exhaling a wispy, ethereal green breath.
In the water pit to the north of the courtyard, the old black alligator turtle also stuck its head out, took a deep breath towards the eastern sky, and after a while, spewed out a thick and sticky black breath.
In the shack to the west, the chubby rabbit monkey opened its mouth solemnly towards the east, took a deep breath, and exhaled a chilly white light from its nostrils.
Under the eaves to the south, inside a birdcage, a fully red parrot spread its wings, its feathers standing on end, and it also took a deep breath towards the east.
Strands of fiery red flames emitted from beneath the parrot's feathers silently merged with the air in the courtyard.
In the middle of the courtyard, the robust yellow dog also acted accordingly.
A thick and powerful yellow qi surged out from the dog's nostrils, stronger and denser than the breath of the snake, turtle, monkey, and parrot, combining with the other four kinds of breath to form a five-colored flowing wind. With a menacing sound, it injected into the water well in the courtyard.
The well water was crystal clear, without a trace of thin ice in the middle of winter. It churned nine times and a vast expanse of white mist rose into the air, slowly spreading out from the mouth of the well, flowing and floating in the courtyard, swirling with the wind.
Led by the yellow dog, the snake, turtle, monkey, and parrot took a deep breath at the same time.
Sharing the rich vitality and a hint of subtle spiritual energy, the five creatures gently shivered, exhaling colorful smoke that merged into various corners of the courtyard.
After their efforts, the parrot folded its wings, vigorously shook its body, stretched its neck, and cried out like a dedicated rooster, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
With the parrot's cry, the chickens raised by various families in Yulu Hutong began to crow in response.
In the main house to the north of the courtyard, in the bedroom, Lu Xian slowly opened his eyes while lying on the cloud bed.
A trace of green light flashed by as Lu Xian pressed his hands together, from his brow slowly down to his dantian.
In the air, faint five-colored streams of light emerged and were absorbed into Lu Xian's body through his long and deep breaths. His tanned skin undulated like water waves, producing faint buzzing sounds of tendons vibrating and clashing bones and joints.
If the guards of the Duke Lai Mansion were present, they would surely be shocked by the noises coming from Lu Xian's body.
Crossing over to the new year, just turned sixteen-year-old Lu Xian's vibrating tendons were as powerful as the forces of eight fierce bulls, and his rumbling bones were like ringing jade discs and golden bells. This was a sign of reaching the pinnacle of perfect cultivation in martial arts.
During the prosperous era of the Great Yin Martial Dynasty, when all the courtiers and ministers were diligently sharpening themselves and enhancing the national strength, reaching the perfect cultivation stage at the age of sixteen would have been seen as extremely talented and worthy of great efforts to cultivate by the aristocratic families.
Even in the current Great Yin Martial Dynasty, it was rare to find anyone below the age of twenty who had achieved perfect cultivation at the stage of foundation establishment, especially among the renowned and prestigious families with martial achievements during the founding of the dynasty.
Vibrating tendons and rumbling bones.
The phenomena continued in Lu Xian's body.
He pressed his hands together and slowly breathed out, the faint spiritual light enveloping a scroll appearing and flickering incessantly in his mind.
In the hazy and illusory scroll, countless dim stars were faintly visible.
In the center of each small star, a triclops divine figure stood in mid-air. He stepped on a golden ivory elephant while various phenomena of earth, water, fire, and wind swirled around him. Looking up at the sky, wherever his gaze fell, the void distorted and collapsed, revealing a horrifying scene of world destruction.
The divine figure held a dragon in both hands.
In his left hand, a vague and illusory green dragon seemed to have condensed countless flowing winds.
In his right hand, a bright and radiant white dragon seemed to have gathered countless springs of water.
The green and white dragons writhed and struggled in the divine figure's hands, occasionally colliding and bursting forth countless electric lights and terrifying thunderous sounds.
With the sound of Lu Xian's breath, faint traces of divine soul light constantly flowed out from the semi-transparent body of the divine figure.
Gradually, the divine soul light condensed into a lotus seed-shaped shadow the size of a fist in his mind.
As the divine soul light continued to flow out, the dim divine light in the divine figure's body completely extinguished. His body, the golden ivory elephant beneath his feet, the two giant dragons in his hands, and the various illusory phenomena around him all became hazy and unreal, just like the endless starlight in the distance.
The lotus seed-shaped shadow gradually solidified.
Lu Xian gave a low shout, and a drop of illusory water droplet shadow fell from the lotus seed shadow, instantly merging into Lu Xian's body.
The tendons in Lu Xian's body vibrated and his bones rumbled even more crisply and powerfully. The flickering strands of spiritual light continuously infiltrated the meridians and acupoints throughout his body, nourishing them to become exceptionally strong and flexible, emitting a soft and smooth glow.
Exhaling a long breath, shaking the furniture in the room, Lu Xian finally finished a night of training. He swiftly stood up, hurriedly put on a silk robe with a green satin face, and eagerly opened the door, rushing out.
"Here, here, breakfast is coming!"
"Hey, you bunch of debt collectors, it's coming soon, it's coming soon."
Lu Xian smiled and busily served the gentlemen in the courtyard, taking care of them comfortably and securely.
Six years ago, Lu Xian made his first and only visit to the Bai Family, where he was "enlightened" by Bai Changkong and swiftly sent away. On his way back home, ashamed, angry, and scared, Lu Xian caught a cold.
He had a high fever that night, almost dying.
On the brink of death, an inexplicable and divine painting appeared in Lu Xian's mind.
In his final moments, Lu Xian quietly "envisioned" the image of the triclops divine figure on the painting.
It was just an attempt, but it led him to a mysterious and unpredictable path.
Since then, Lu Xian knew that he was different from "ordinary people."
Holding a large bowl, squatting next to the yellow dog, Lu Xian finished his meat gruel, looked up at the sky, and exhaled a breath of hot air.
"With the completion of Foundation Establishment, my meridians and acupoints have reached their limits."
"Tonight, it's time to open up the meridians!"
Lu Xian rubbed the dog's head vigorously, chuckling, "If the meridians are successfully opened, my means of self-preservation will be greatly enhanced, and I'll have the confidence to establish my own sect."
"However, the revolution is not yet successful, comrades still need to work hard!"
Lu Xian looked at the sky and murmured, "Before the age of ten, I had no strength and had no elders to protect me. I had to be cautious, low-key, and focus on survival."
"Now even though I have some means..."
"But what I saw that night, it was terrifying."
"This world is very different from what I imagined."
"This Great Yin Martial Dynasty is not the paradise I imagined. That night, what exactly happened? A martial expert at the twelfth stage of Qi Convergence was easily defeated?"
"Tang Zhongling, the powerful protector, was seriously injured. Such a major event, yet there is no commotion in the streets. This is very suspicious!"
"Big Yellow, we still need to be cautious and careful."
Putting down the bowl, hands in his sleeves, Lu Xian muttered, "It's been so many days, there should be news. I need to gather some information and find out what exactly happened that night."
In the birdcage on Lu Xian's head, the big parrot screamed at the top of its voice, "Scared, huh? When two paths meet, the brave conquer. Come at me if you dare!"
"Hey, you punk, I'm talking to you."
"Come and beat me, beat me!"
This rascal squeezed its head out of the birdcage again and loudly taunted the rabbit monkey, who was running in circles in the courtyard.
The rabbit monkey growled lowly, bringing forth an evil wind as it raced over, leaping a yard high. Its claw tore fiercely at the cast-steel birdcage.
With a clang, sparks flew.
The rabbit monkey landed and roared in frustration.
The big parrot raised its tail arrogantly, singing an inappropriate tune in a strange and unusual voice.
At this moment, in the reception hall of the Tianen Marquis Mansion.
Pale-faced, lips turning blue, sunken eye sockets, and a black aura enveloping the eyes, Bai Qiong sat tremblingly in a chair, holding a teacup in his hands that continued to clink against the lid, making a ringing sound.
His hands trembled violently, causing the teacup lid and the cup to continuously collide with each other, producing a tinkling sound.
Lady Hu stared wide-eyed, staring straight at Bai Qiong's trembling hands. She couldn't help but want to jump up and snatch the teacup, fearing that this guy would break the teacup.
Finally, unable to bear it, she forced a dry smile and said, "Sir Bai, if you're not thirsty, why not just put down the teacup?"
After a pause, Lady Hu dryly said, "This set of porcelain gilt tea cups costs a lot, around a hundred guan. Oh my, I tell you, these people now, each one is a cunning merchant, very black-hearted. Isn't it just a set of tea utensils?"
Bai Qiong glanced at Lady Hu, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and, trembling, placed the teacup on the small table beside him.
He coughed and said in a quivering voice, "Madam has misunderstood. This official is here this time for the marriage of Frost and Lu Xian."
Lady Hu's eyes suddenly lit up. She stood up abruptly and clapped her hands forcefully.
"Ah, you finally remembered this matter!"
"Oh my, from the New Year until now, this half-month, do you know how I've been living?"
"Thinking about this matter day and night, it's like being boiled in hot oil, uncomfortable every day..."
"Enough, less nonsense! Money up front, goods delivered at the same time. Did you bring the gold?"
Lady Hu took a step forward and grabbed Bai Qiong's arm without regard for etiquette or decency. "Good-hearted men keep their word with six thousand gold, and Xian-ge definitely cannot match it. Sir Bai, you bring the money, and I'll immediately give you the marriage contract!"
Bai Qiong coughed, his eyelids flickered, and he looked at Lady Hu with a cold smile.
"Madam, you seem to have made a mistake."
"I came here this time precisely for the marriage between the young lady and Lu Xian."
"But it's not a cancellation of the marriage."
"It's for them to get married as soon as possible."
Bai Qiong raised an eyebrow, coughing while coldly laughing, "The so-called cancellation of the marriage was just a joke. Madam, please do not make any mistakes."
Lady Hu stared at Bai Qiong dumbfounded, and unconsciously cursed, "You stupid brute, are you playing a trick on your mother?"
Today's double update, please recommend!
(End of this chapter)