Yellow Court Daoist

After my third brother, Ao Lie, was reincarnated.

Lu Qingfeng and Ao Le's closest kin in the world were only their father Ao Zhan, their mother Ao Yun, and this nephew, Ao Jun.

As for their older brothers, the distance between them had grown much more.

Ao Zhan and Ao Yun wandered about, seemingly trying to make up for the thousands of years they'd lost, without leaving any way to be contacted. Lu Qingfeng wanted to find them, and indeed he could, but there was no pressing need, and it would only disturb the two of them.

So.

When Ao Le bore a son and a daughter, only Ao Jun came to visit.

Due to the busy affairs of Tianshu Mansion, Ao Jun had to rush off after staying just three days in Jimo City.

...

In the Governor Mansion of Jimo City.

After Ao Jun left.

"Now I've really blown my own trumpet too much."

Ao Le looked at Lu Qingfeng, pursed her lips, and hummed, "Jun'er really has an eye for quality. Of all the people to fancy, he had to set his heart on that wench, Su Mu."

Ao Le shook her head.

Then she glanced at Lu Qingfeng with a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes.

Seeing this, Lu Qingfeng replied with his usual expression, "I think Su Mu is quite suitable for Jun'er. One's a 'Futu Sword Immortal' of the Heavenly Court, and the other's a 'War God of Shang River,' both with bellicose temperaments."

Going back more than fifty thousand years.

Lu Qingfeng had a connection of sorts with this 'Futu Sword Immortal' Su Mu.

Back in the day, when Lu Qingfeng, known as Luo Fuzi, entered under the tutelage of Rong Hong True Immortal of Yu Mountain Sect, he and Su Mu were sect siblings. When Lu Qingfeng saw her, he was even supposed to call her 'Eighth Senior Sister.'

But at that time, Lu Qingfeng had outwitted Su Mu with his superior skills, taking over Yu Mountain Sect for Shang River, which had caused Su Mu to bear a grudge for many years.

Once the situation in Chunshen Nine Provinces had stabilized somewhat.

For tens of thousands of years thereafter.

Whenever Su Mu had some free time or made a breakthrough, she would seek out a contest with 'Luo Fuzi.' Yet, consistently refraining from going in for the kill, she left Lu Qingfeng with no choice but to deal with it.

Ao Le, having heard of this, had no idea how many times she had laughed about it.

Unexpectedly.

Ao Jun had actually taken a liking to such a person.

"But husband, it seems that Eighth Senior Sister has long had her heart set on someone else. I'm afraid she doesn't have room for Jun'er," said Ao Le with a playful smile. Seeing Lu Qingfeng's stiff expression, she wrapped her arms around his, slightly tilted her head, and rested her chin on his shoulder, smiling mischievously, "Why not, let that Sect Leader of Yu Mountain take the young miss under his wing. After all, Jun'er doesn't know the whole story, and it would put an end to his thoughts sooner."

Luo Fuzi being one of Lu Qingfeng's Body Separations was known only to Ao Le, apart from Lu Qingfeng himself.

Apart from that.

Neither Ao Jun nor anyone else had a clue.

"What nonsense!"

Lu Qingfeng glared at Ao Le upon hearing this, "I've told you everything about my relationship with Su Mu, and I haven't hidden a thing. Humph! If it weren't for the backing of One Yuan Ancestor behind her, I would have already suppressed her beneath the Three Mountains!"

That statement was an exaggeration.

Although Su Mu frequently sought out 'Luo Fuzi' for a challenge, she harbored neither a killing intent nor malice. Lu Qingfeng had always adhered to his own code of conduct. To suppress Su Mu over such trivial feelings of love was not something he would do.

However, when speaking with Ao Le, it was necessary to be more assertive and to place all the blame on the One Yuan Ancestor of the Jiuzhen Immortal Sword Sect.

After all.

Given the status and power of One Yuan Ancestor, he wouldn't mind these matters.

"Alright, then."

"And now, husband, you're being fierce to me over that girl, Su Mu!"

Ao Le hummed, her face suddenly showing a deeply wronged expression, pitifully looking up at Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng stroked Ao Le's hair, somewhat torn between laughter and tears.

Over the years they had grown closer.

Ao Le had become increasingly dependent on him, and ever more childlike.

Seeing that Lu Qingfeng had quietly stopped talking, Ao Le changed her position, snuggling into his arms, and whispered softly, "Le'er truly wishes for husband and Su Mu to be reconciled. This way, even if I'm gone one day—"

"Stop talking nonsense again!"

Lu Qingfeng, sensing something amiss, quickly interrupted.

Ao Le, nestled in Lu Qingfeng's arms, looked up at him, her face innocently charming.

Lu Qingfeng felt both annoyed and amused; he reached out into the air and grabbed a spirit pill emitting a Pure Light, holding it in his hand. Taking the pill, he brought it to Ao Le's mouth, "This 'Nine Revolutions Life Extending Elixir' of mine, one pill can grant life for three thousand six hundred years. With me here, how could I let you go first?"

As he spoke.

Lu Qingfeng was about to feed Ao Le the pill, still talking while doing so, "The Spiritual Medicine needed to refine the 'Nine Revolutions Life Extending Elixir' may be hard to find, but with officers from the Investigation Divine Bureau and demons out searching, General Zhang Shu loves to explore unknown dangerous territories and often brings some Spiritual Medicine as well. I assure you there will be no shortage."

However.

Just as the pill reached her lips, Ao Le closed her mouth tightly.

Her eyes remained fixed on Lu Qingfeng.

With eyes so clear and penetrating, Lu Qingfeng felt a flurry in his heart, but he was careful not to show it on his face, asking in puzzlement, "What's wrong?"

Ao Le stayed silent.

Lu Qingfeng held the spirit pill, turning it over and over, growing more perplexed, "Is there something wrong with this spirit pill?"

Finally, Ao Le moved.

He wasn't opening his mouth.

But grasping Lu Qingfeng's arm to rise, small hands gently rolled up the long sleeves of Lu Qingfeng's arm. Seeing this, Lu Qingfeng became even more flustered, trying to withdraw his arm without a change in expression, and with a smile still on his face, said, "This is broad daylight, it's improper."

Ao Le paid no heed.

Holding Lu Qingfeng's arm, stopping any movement, and then lifting her head, only then did Lu Qingfeng see that Ao Le's eyes were already red-rimmed, yet she bit her lips to keep the tears from falling, just gazing at Lu Qingfeng with a somewhat hoarse voice, "Husband, dispel the spell and let Le'er have a look."

"Look at what?"

Lu Qingfeng rubbed his exposed arm back and forth a few times, a blank look on his face, "What kind of spell is there?"

"Husband's Dao ability is profound, the Blinding Technique you've cast is something Le'er certainly can't see through."

"But Le'er can still feel it."

Ao Le's expression was a bit stubborn as she looked at Lu Qingfeng, her hand taking the so-called 'Nine Revolutions Life Extending Elixir,' her voice trembling slightly, "Le'er can feel that although husband deployed many spells on this Spirit Pill, it's still entirely imbued with husband's essence. After more than fifty thousand years with husband, one cannot be deceived by essence."

Listening, Lu Qingfeng felt a sudden tremor in his heart.

But he still said with a laugh, "I thought it was something serious. This 'Nine Revolutions Life Extending Elixir' is the result of a Jiazi's worth of my effort and painstaking refining. Without resorting to any outsider's help, naturally it's all imbued with my essence."

"This Elixir should not be held for long, you should take it quickly."

With that,

Lu Qingfeng reached to take back the 'Nine Revolutions Life Extending Elixir' to feed it to Ao Le.

But Ao Le clutched the Spirit Pill in her palm, shaking her head, "It's not like that."

"Dispel the spell, let Le'er see, okay?"

Ao Le bit her lip, her lips turning bloody, even a trickle of blood emerging, stark red and glaring. Her eyes fixed on Lu Qingfeng, with a voice already carrying a few sobs,

"Le'er."

Lu Qingfeng gently wiped her lips, his hand instantly smeared with blood red.

Ao Le didn't care at all, her face full of pleading, "Husband, let Le'er take a look."

Her hand caressing Lu Qingfeng's left arm, her palm cold, yet Lu Qingfeng couldn't feel a thing. Only within his heart was a complex feeling, named with difficulty, seeing Ao Le pleading so bitterly, Lu Qingfeng could no longer hold on.

With a thought.

He lifted the Blinding Technique from his right arm.

Only to see the arm that was previously as white as jade, flushed with a rosy hue, suddenly turned into White Bone. The bone was like jade, yet not a touch of flesh was on it, starting from the palm all the way to the shoulder.

"Husband."

"Husband,"

Ao Le was prepared and was not startled. Just murmuring with a weep. Palm stroking the White Bone, tears no longer able to hold back, overflowing, falling upon Lu Qingfeng's White Bone hand.

"There's not much to be worried about."

"I've already reached the peak of Primordial Spirit, just one more step and I will ascend to a True Immortal. Such flesh and bone injuries can be recovered with a bit of nurturing using Immortal Spirit Qi."

Ao Le embraced Lu Qingfeng's White Bone right arm, and with his left arm, Lu Qingfeng hugged Ao Le, and softly patted her back to comfort.

Teardrops continuously fell from Ao Le's eyes.

Soaking Lu Qingfeng's White Bone hand completely wet.

With her head lowered, she looked at the White Bone hand, her voice hoarse, "Actually, the first time I took the 'Nine Revolutions Life Extending Elixir,' I felt husband's essence within the pill. At that time, I didn't pay it much mind, thinking it was indeed as husband said, refining the pill for a Jiazi, it was normal to leave behind one's essence."

"The second time I took the pill, I felt husband's essence again. Husband used the same words to put me off, but I knew it couldn't be just that."

"The third time I took the Spirit Pill, when I slept with husband, I would often see husband in my dreams. Husband smiling at me, but occasionally appearing normal, and at times, the right arm turned into White Bone."

Lu Qingfeng listened, feeling a pause in his heart, involuntarily letting out a long sigh.

Ao Le, wiping her tears, continued to speak.

"At first, just the palm appeared as White Bone. Gradually, the forearm also turned into White Bone. Then, it was the entire right arm, the entire body turning into White Bone."

"I wanted to grab hold of husband, but no matter how I tried, I couldn't."

"In a panic, I awoke."

As Ao Le narrated, Lu Qingfeng also remembered, in these recent years, Ao Le indeed often woke up startled in the middle of the night. When asked, she only said it was a nightmare. What the dream was about, she never spoke.

Looking now.

It was clear she had her suspicions already.

No wonder she insisted on having a child with him ten years ago.

Lu Qingfeng held Ao Le, feeling tears soak his clothes, a chilling feel, and tried to give Ao Le a forced smile, "I cultivate the 'Red Dust Longevity Technique,' which can extend life for one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred years. I am a Red Dust Immortal, my body having reached Tong Xuan. My blood is Longevity Blood, my flesh Longevity Meat. Drinking one mouthful of blood can extend life by a hundred years. Eating one bite of flesh can preserve life for six hundred years. You and I are one, I--"

Ao Le listened, raised her head to look at Lu Qingfeng, her face already streaked with tears, her eyes vivid red, just staring at Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng found himself unable to continue.

If the roles were reversed.

If he had to sustain himself by eating Ao Le's flesh and blood, he too would not be able to do it.

But he had no choice.

Although Ao Le was born of the Dragon Clan, with exceptional Root Bone, it was only relative to ordinary Human Clan Cultivators. After reaching the Golden Core and Primordial Spirit stages, the usefulness of Root Bone diminishes greatly.

It's more about one's understanding.

In this path, Ao Le indeed lacked talent for cultivation.

When Lu Qingfeng first entered the Chunshen Realm, Ao Le was stuck at the Gang Sha Integration stage in the Gathering Law Realm for hundreds of years.

The cultivation of the Primordial Spirit is much more difficult than the Jiedan Level.

Even with Lu Qingfeng's frequent guidance at her side, occasionally using his spells for Enlightenment, and his efforts to seek out, steal, or pilfer, desperate to find all sorts of items that could help with cultivation.

Assisting Ao Le in her cultivation.

But in the end, Ao Le was still mired in the Primordial Spirit Unification Realm for nearly twenty thousand years, with no breakthrough in sight.