Lu Xing-zhou’s injuries had already healed, and Dugu Qing-li only had a bit of recovery left.

After this stimulating conversation, everyone stopped causing trouble. Dugu Qing-li diligently healed, and Lu Xing-zhou would occasionally take out a spare alchemy furnace, not just for backup alchemy but also to fine-tune his newly acquired Taiyin True Flame.

That immortal-grade furnace was currently in A’nuo’s keeping; no one knew what she would conjure with it.

This expedition had resulted in numerous injuries, and while cultivation hadn’t advanced at all, the gains were enormous. The Water Evasion Art, Taiyin True Flame, and Tianyi Divine Water added many practical methods to his arsenal, and the real combat experience was also highly valuable.

Sparring with the Dragon Guards was, after all, just sparring; they wouldn’t dare to strike with lethal intent. The life-or-death race in this Ice City was worth more than a hundred sparring sessions.

Unfortunately, Dugu Qing-li gained little besides combat experience, and even risked contamination by demonic influence.

Lu Xing-zhou’s current alchemy focused entirely on suppressing demonic influence and balancing the ice chill, feeling that it would be useful one day.

“Thump, thump,” came a knock on the wooden wall, which then split open a small crack, and Jiang Yuan’s head peered through. “Hey.”

“What is it?”

“Give me an Anti-Water Pill.”

“…I didn’t bring that. The existing materials aren’t suitable for refining it either. What do you need it for? If you’re afraid of corrosion, you can open a magical barrier, or do you have a Gundam to squat in?”

“What’s a Gundam?”

“It’s a huge mechanical man that you can get inside and pilot.”

Jiang Yuan: “…We have such puppets, but you don’t need to get inside to pilot them.”

“You really do?”

“Isn’t that how Enshi puppets are supposed to be used? Or did you think they were all for exploration?”

“Then why didn’t your grandfather use them during the fierce altar battle back then? The one that interfered with Gu Zhan-ting was just a small wooden man.”

Jiang Yuan snorted, “How can you casually use something that’s kept at the bottom of the box?”

“So you’re just telling me this straightforwardly?”

Jiang Yuan said, “What’s the harm in saying a few words? You still won’t understand the practical details.”

Lu Xing-zhou thought to himself, “As long as you say it like that, I’ll probably understand.” Of course, he wouldn’t say that out loud, only responding, “With so many treasures in your Jiang family, why don’t you have protective Dharma robes? Even if you didn’t bring them from the Ancient Realm, there are specialty stores in the capital; you’ve been here so long, didn’t you think of buying one?”

Jiang Yuan sniffed.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t brought them; they were damaged during the smuggling, and since then, she hadn’t found suitable materials to repair them, so they were temporarily put aside.

The capital did sell finished Dharma robes, but her own Dharma robes were too good, so her standards were naturally high. She didn’t think much of the ones in the capital and hadn’t bought any, only to regret several times falling short in such matters.

Eventually, the words that came out were: “The human world is a rural place; there’s nothing good to buy.”

“Oh, so the stinky beggar who fled the Ancient Realm to the human world has such high standards.”

Jiang Yuan was furious: “Who are you calling a stinky beggar?”

Lu Xing-zhou looked up from the furnace fire, glanced at her, and then slowly pulled out some materials from his ring, tossing them over. “These are some high-end artifact materials collected by the Huo family that I keep as backup. For example, this Cloud-Mist Brocade and Water-Fire Profound Gold Thread are very suitable for making Dharma robes. You can have them for now.”

Jiang Yuan immediately forgot about the “stinky beggar” comment, snatching them and stuffing them into her ring.

Lu Xing-zhou: “…”

Jiang Yuan: “…”

Lu Xing-zhou slowly said, “These things are in exchange for that piece of cloth. Don’t ask me for it back, okay?”

Jiang Yuan instinctively replied, “No! One thing at a time!”

“Then give these back to me, and I’ll give you your tattered cloth,” Lu Xing-zhou extended his large hand.

Jiang Yuan’s head retreated, and the wooden wall closed.

A day later, Dugu Qing-li recovered, and Jiang Yuan also put away her wooden wall. The three prepared to leave the secret realm.

Dugu Qing-li glanced at Jiang Yuan, then glanced again.

Jiang Yuan was still in her red warrior-style robe, looking heroic and dashing. However, the aura she exuded was different from before. Originally, it was just ordinary clothing, but now it felt like a powerful magical artifact, seemingly stronger than Dugu Qing-li’s own sword armor.

“You had such a powerful Dharma robe all along, and you didn’t wear it sooner. So, you were deliberately showing off yesterday when you came in, right?”

Jiang Yuan knew what the white-haired woman’s gaze meant, feeling both ashamed and indignant, unsure how to explain.

“This is my Dharma robe from the Ancient Realm, only it was damaged before, and your lover just gave me the materials to repair it yesterday.”

How could she say that?

“Your lover was flirting with me and giving me treasures right in front of you?”

If she explained, it would be open adultery; if she didn’t, it would be malicious showing off… Jiang Yuan’s mind was a mess, not knowing what to do. She could only sullenly plunge into the water and quickly swam out first.

Dugu Qing-li: “No wonder she’s best friends with Pei Chu-yun; they’re both flirtatious.”

Jiang Yuan stumbled, almost falling, even though she was already out of the Cold River.

Lu Xing-zhou also kept silent, not engaging in the conversation, and led the two back to Hanlan City first.

Si Han, having received notification from Ye Ting-lan, did not foolishly wait in the center of the Cold River. He was currently directing the post-disaster reconstruction efforts in Hanlan City.

Upon seeing Lu Xing-zhou and his party return, a crowd of citizens in Hanlan City knelt: “Thank you, Marquis Lu, thank you, Saintess.”

The earthquake had stopped as soon as it began, clearly not a natural disaster, but something amiss beneath the Cold River. Now, people knew that Lu Xing-zhou and Dugu Qing-li had braved danger to resolve it for them.

With just that one tremor, almost half of Hanlan City’s buildings had collapsed. One could imagine the tragic consequences if the shaking had continued. Yet, miraculously, there were hardly any casualties, only a few unlucky individuals injured. Lu Xing-zhou and Dugu Qing-li’s achievement was truly a blessing to the entire Tianshuang region.

The people offered sincere reverence and devotion.

Lu Xing-zhou waved his hand. “No need to be polite; it’s our duty. Moreover, the situation below is only temporarily stable, and there might be further changes in the future. I suggest that Lord Si arrange a grand array at the border between your country and the Cold River as a precaution.”

Si Han hurriedly said, “We are also contemplating this. Does Marquis Lu have any suggestions?”

Lu Xing-zhou said, “A formation of this scale requires the full strength of the nation to resolve. I cannot offer specific ideas. Lord Si can discuss this with the elders of Tianyao Holy Land stationed in Tianshuang. This matter is not urgent for now; we still have some important business, and we need Lord Si’s help.”

“Marquis Lu, please just give the command.”

Si Han, a dignified national lord, was now extremely humble.

As a Half-Transcendent, he could, with the help of the bone dragon, contend with Ye Ting-lan and Long Qing-huang for a while, and he was actually about to break through to Transcendent. Yet, he admitted he had no way to deal with the changes beneath the Cold River. However, Lu Xing-zhou and Dugu Qing-li had gone down for such a short time and resolved it, which made Si Han’s heart chill; he simply couldn’t comprehend it.

The achievements of this pair would absolutely not stop there; given some time, Transcendent was merely a stepping stone.

Anyway, the entire Tianshuang Kingdom was now under the protection of Tianyao Holy Land. At this moment, Si Han’s self-positioning was very clear: the lord of a small country under ecclesiastical authority. As long as he served the “Holy Land mother” above well, life would be very comfortable, and even disasters would be handled by others. There was no need to think about irrelevant things and cause himself discomfort.

Lu Xing-zhou pulled him to a corner and whispered a few instructions. Si Han nodded slightly, indicating he understood.

Lu Xing-zhou then went to a corner of the city’s ruins, set up a secret signal, and waited quietly.

Jiang Yuan had been silently following alongside them. Now, she finally spoke: “Why is this lord so obedient to you?”

Lu Xing-zhou said, “The Tianshuang Kingdom is now under the protection of Tianyao Holy Land, and many people in the country have joined the Holy Land.”

“But the Saintess is standing right there, why didn’t I see Si Han bow to her?”

Dugu Qing-li: “…”

Jiang Yuan stroked her chin: “With your power, you could totally rebel in Daqian.”

Lu Xing-zhou chuckled: “Haven’t we already rebelled once? The emperor was overthrown.”

Jiang Yuan fell silent; she wasn’t thinking about that.

The “rebellion” back then didn’t involve the Tianshuang Kingdom or the Demon Domain. But Lu Xing-zhou clearly had strong influence over both sides. What would happen if he raised his arm again? And if Daqian rebelled again, whose surname would the world bear?

As they were each lost in thought, a cold gust of wind swept by, and an old man shrouded in a black robe appeared, bowing to Lu Xing-zhou: “Greetings, Judge.”

The newly appointed Western Ghost Emperor of the Yanluo Hall, Yin Feng-laoren of the Yinshi Sect.

Lu Xing-zhou didn’t bother to say “I’m not the Judge.” He simply said, “You were originally allied with the Bingyu Sect. For so long, have you noticed anything unusual about them?”

Yin Feng-laoren shook his head: “We are merely allies and do not interfere with each other’s internal affairs. Moreover, given the current situation, we and the Bingyu Sect no longer need to be allied.”

“Why?”

“Uh… because the original layout of the Ten Yama Kings by the Yama Lord was for rebellion, and the Bingyu Sect was naturally colluding to rebel against Si Han. Now that Si Han is your ally, how could the Yama Lord possibly ruin your plans?”

Lu Xing-zhou asked, “How do you know what the Yama Lord thinks?”

Yin Feng-laoren sighed: “The Yama Lord issued clear instructions, saying to merely observe matters in Tianshuang. Furthermore, just this morning, the Yama Lord issued new instructions.”

“Oh?”

“We reported your visit here to her. She said if you come looking for us, we are to obey your every command.”

Lu Xing-zhou: “…Then I won’t stand on ceremony?”

“A Judge need not be courteous; we are all one of our own.”

“You, under the pretext of demonic cooperation, go directly to visit Ling Qi-xuan to discuss the matter of the Ice Demon. Qing-li and I will disguise ourselves as your followers and blend into your team. At that time, you’ll listen to my telepathic instructions and respond.”

Yin Feng-laoren bowed: “Yes.”

Jiang Yuan blinked.

The Lu Xing-zhou and Dugu Qing-li she imagined entangling with the Bingyu Sect wasn’t like this… What entanglement was there? They could totally just wipe out the sect!

This Lu Xing-zhou’s power was terrifying. He seemed to have gone to the Cold River alone with a white-haired girl, but in reality, his people were everywhere; it was practically his home ground.

Going out for a stroll certainly broadened one’s horizons. While in Daqian, she thought the Huo family was powerful, but coming out, she realized what was the Huo family? The world was vast; before, not only herself, but even her grandfather’s vision seemed too limited.

Actually, it was mainly because the Ancient Realm was just an attic; it really wasn’t that big.