Chapter 356 : 309
Lu Changsheng guessed the mastermind behind the trap.
Lu Changsheng sensed the trap in advance and had countermeasures ready.
"Please, have the Temple Master of Jing Long Immortal Temple make a move."
"The game is up."
After several simulations, Lu Changsheng finally managed to survive one.
"Damn, the Immortal Realm is even more dangerous than the minor worlds, and it actually requires the intervention of the Temple Master of Jing Long Immortal Temple to turn danger into safety."
Having cultivated in the Immortal Realm for four hundred and ten years, Lu Changsheng, now at the peak of the third level of the Earth Immortal Realm, still found the Immortal Realm to be full of immense dangers.
Even a peerless talent like Shangguan Zhao'er still needed to join the Jing Long Immortal Temple to have the backing of a sect, allowing her to cultivate in peace.
"Elder Luo, I'm going to visit Jing Long Immortal Temple. Please take care of the sect while I'm away."
Having thought of a strategy, Lu Changsheng set off for Jing Long Immortal Temple.
"Yes."
Elder Luo responded with solemn respect.
It turned out that the sect's backing was indeed the Jing Long Immortal Temple; no wonder the Sect Leader dared to take action against members of the Yellow Springs Sect and Divine Lightning Sect.
The Jinglong Mountain Range, extending endlessly, winding and meandering, resembled a True Dragon sprawling across the vast land.
The myriad Daoist Temples stood tall, with red bricks and green tiles, enveloped in Immortal Qi.
The spiritual energy of nature from within a million miles gathered from all directions at Jing Long Immortal Temple. The concentration of spiritual energy was beyond imagination; above the main peak, it even condensed into a waterfall, slowly cascading down.
"Jing Long Immortal Temple truly is a powerful sect in Cangyu, with a Qi Gathering Formation beyond imagination. It can not only gather the spiritual energy from within a million miles but in this place, the spiritual energy has taken physical form. Cultivating on the main peak of Jing Long Immortal Temple could lead to leaps and bounds in one's cultivation."
Even Lu Changsheng couldn't help but envy the Cave Heaven Blessed Land of the Jinglong Mountain Range.
In the Immortal Realm, where the strong prey on the weak, all the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands are occupied by powerful sects, with Xuan Sha Sect only claiming Tianxuan Mountain.
Lu Changsheng could feel countless powerful presences within the Jinglong Mountain Range.
The closer he got to the main peak of Jinglong Mountain, the stronger the lurking presences became.
Jing Long Immortal Temple was a place where mighty beings were as common as clouds.
Even after joining Jing Long Immortal Temple, Lu Changsheng was just an ordinary elder, unable to cultivate near the main peak of Jinglong Mountain.
When Lu Changsheng arrived at the gate of Jing Long Immortal Temple, dozens of its disciples were guarding the entrance, clad in Daoist robes and holding dusters. The robes of these disciples were embroidered with a five-clawed multicolored dragon.
"I am Lu Changsheng, the Sect Leader of Mount Shu, here to visit Elder Shangguan."
"Mount Shu's Sect Leader? Never heard of him."
"Isn't that the sect that has recently replaced the Xuan Sha Sect?"
"May I ask which Elder Shangguan of our Jing Long Immortal Temple Sect Leader Lu wishes to visit?"
"Shangguan Zhao'er."
"What?! You know the Supreme Elder?"
The disciples guarding the gate of Jing Long Immortal Temple were dumbstruck.
Lu Changsheng, merely an initial-level Earth Immortal, knew their sect's most outstanding talent, Shangguan Zhao'er?
An elder of Jing Long Immortal Temple at the Earth Immortal Realm approached and said, "Do you truly know Elder Shangguan? Do you realize the consequences of deceiving Jing Long Immortal Temple?"
Unperturbed, Lu Changsheng replied, "Please inform her."
The elder of Jing Long Immortal Temple furrowed his brow and called a disciple over, "Go to Meihua Temple and inform Elder Shangguan."
After this disciple left, he secretly transmitted a message to another disciple, "Go and notify Protector Han that a male Earth Immortal is seeking an audience with Elder Shangguan."
The two disciples departed in different directions.
Lu Changsheng was always cautious, and even the slightest clue could not escape his Dharma Eye.
Under normal circumstances, one disciple could have informed Shangguan Zhao'er, and there was no reason to send two in different directions.
Could it be that someone was secretly monitoring every move of Shangguan Zhao'er?
Lu Changsheng became aware of this possibility.
Knowing he was a newcomer with not so high cultivation, he did not expose the other's minor act but planned to remind Shangguan Zhao'er later.
Soon after, a female disciple from the Meihua Temple arrived, recognizing Lu Changsheng, "Is it you? Follow me."
"Does he really know Elder Shangguan?"
"What luck does this guy have to have the opportunity to enter the Meihua Temple and behold the fairy's grace?"
All the disciples from the Jing Long Immortal Temple couldn't help but feel various degrees of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Shangguan Zhao'er was the most talented elder of the Jing Long Immortal Temple, a goddess in the eyes of countless disciples, and even the common Supreme Elders might not be able to visit the Meihua Temple.
Yet, Shangguan Zhao'er agreed to let Lu Changsheng, an outsider, enter the Meihua Temple.
Lu Changsheng followed the Meihua Temple disciple to the Meihua Temple near the main peak of the Jinglong Mountain Range.
The spiritual energy of this place was second only to the main peak.
As the direct disciple of the Temple Master, Shangguan Zhao'er held an extremely high status, almost that of the Holy Maiden of the Jing Long Immortal Temple, and the resources she enjoyed for her cultivation were second only to the Temple Master.
Inside the Meihua Temple, Shangguan Zhao'er was softly playing the guzheng under a plum tree, with her slender, dexterous fingers effortlessly strumming, her demeanor serene and elegant, with several Spirit Birds lingering by the edges of her fairy dress.
When the music ended, the lingering sound resonated.
"I wonder, Brother Lu, for what reason do you come to visit?"
Curiosity glinted in the bright eyes of Shangguan Zhao'er.
"..."
Lu Changsheng was called "brother" but could not refute it.
Although Shangguan Zhao'er ascended to the Immortal Realm as an unparalleled genius forty thousand years ago, in comparison to the immeasurably long lifespan of Heavenly Immortals and Daluo Golden Immortals, she was still quite young. To call Lu Changsheng "brother" was not inappropriate.
"The Yellow Springs Sect has set a trap, and the target is very likely Fairy Shangguan..."
Lu Changsheng detailed his deductions.
Hearing this, Shangguan Zhao'er fell into thought, and then opened her bright eyes, "The Yellow Springs Sect intends to use my relationship with you to target your Mount Shu and then lure me into their trap. We can turn their plan against them and ask my master to take action."
"That's exactly what I'm thinking."
Lu Changsheng secretly admired her.
Shangguan Zhao'er, a genius from the Hidden Dragon Temple, was well-versed in strategy and immediately set about counterattacking.
"The Sect Master of the Yellow Springs Sect is a sworn enemy of my master, and the two great sects stand firmly on opposite sides of good and evil. Six thousand years ago, I struck down his youngest son, and ever since, he has wanted me dead. With my master's protection, the Yellow Springs Sect can do nothing to me; hence, they turned their attention to you to execute their plan to kill me.
But if my master takes action, we can retaliate. Aside from my master, we may need the help of a few protectors."
Shangguan Zhao'er began to refine the plan.
"Also, I've discovered that someone from the Jing Long Immortal Temple is secretly monitoring your every move."
Lu Changsheng reported the abnormalities he discovered at the Temple gate to Shangguan Zhao'er.
"I am already aware."
"Why haven't you exposed the other party?"
"The person is one of the four great protectors of the Immortal Temple, Protector Han, whose cultivation is even higher than mine. He has pursued me numerous times without success; protected by my master, he can do nothing to me. But he has many underlings in the Immortal Temple who monitor my every move, and I have no good way to deal with it.
I've set up a barrier around the Meihua Temple, allowing no one to enter except disciples. When my cultivation surpasses his, I'll teach him a lesson."
Shangguan Zhao'er analyzed everything methodically.
Lu Changsheng admired her even more.
Even though Shangguan Zhao'er was aware that Han Protector's underlings were watching her, she pretended to be oblivious and silently focused on her cultivation.
In the Immortal Realm, it's the survival of the fittest; as long as Shangguan Zhao'er surpasses her opponents' realm, they will indeed be powerless against her.
"You should stay at the Meihua Temple for several days while I go to explain the situation to my master and plan a counterattack against the Yellow Springs Sect."
"Alright."
Lu Changsheng noticed that the Meihua Temple was quite expansive; it's just that Shangguan Zhao'er usually did not allow anyone other than her master and disciples to enter, making it seem somewhat desolate.
The spiritual energy of the Meihua Temple was even more majestic than that of Tianxuan Mountain, making it an excellent place for cultivation over the next few days.
In the Wuwei Temple, Protector Han was meditating when a disciple came in to report, "Master, Elder Shangguan has allowed the Sect Leader from Mount Shu to stay in the Meihua Temple."
"What?"
Protector Han immediately opened his eyes, and an earth-shattering aura erupted, like a flood or a fierce beast.
With his high cultivation, he had never been able to set foot in the Meihua Temple, but Lu Changsheng could win the favor of Shangguan Zhao'er and stay in the Meihua Temple.
"What is the background of this Lu Changsheng? Investigate him thoroughly," ordered Protector Han.