Chapter 236: Chapter 121: Is Lu Lang Lu Changsheng?_3 Lu Changsheng recognized the Chen Family Cultivator. It was none other than Chen Shuisheng, the Chen Family Patriarch and leader of those who had ambushed them on their way to Qingzhu Mountain from Qingyun Sect with Lu Yuanding. But now, this same Chen Family Patriarch was slapped dead by Lu Yuanzhong with a single palm strike, emitting only a muffled grunt. “This is the gap between Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment,” Lu Changsheng thought quietly to himself. “Family Head! Even in death, our Chen Family will never submit!” “Let’s fight them with all we’ve got!” Except for some cultivators not related by blood who knelt to beg for mercy, the bloodline of the Chen Family fought to their last breath. Because they knew they were certain to die. Better to go down fighting than to wait for death. “Kill!” At that moment, not far away, a Chen Family Cultivator with a fierce face commanded a Flying Sword, aiming it straight at Lu Miaoyun. “Yun’er, be careful.” Lu Changsheng instantly activated a Talisman, forming a protective light shield around Lu Miaoyun. Following that, the Green-Face Sword was unsheathed, transforming into a piercing sword light that shot forth, piercing through the cultivator’s chest. “Urgh, urgh, urgh!” The Chen Family Cultivator, blood overflowing from his mouth, looked unwillingly at Lu Changsheng and the others before collapsing to the ground with a thud. “Yun’er, stay by my side,” Lu Changsheng said calmly to Lu Miaoyun. Though Lu Miaoyun had reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement, she had never really engaged in combat and had poor practical experience. This was also why the Lu and Bai Families brought their clan’s disciples here. Cultivation isn’t about sitting back and relaxing, meditating daily, and leisurely riding on cranes. It’s about fearlessness in the heart, slaying countless demons, braving brambles and thorns, to seek the path of true self. This endless road of cultivation is destined to go through countless calamities, honed by blood. “Alright,” Lu Miaoyun obediently nodded, somewhat surprised by the strength of her husband. In such a slaughter, he remained so composed. The Fourth Elder, watching this scene, was likewise taken aback by Lu Changsheng’s performance, feeling that her grandson-in-law was becoming more and more mysterious, unfathomable. Not only had he just used a Second Rank Talisman, but now he calmly killed a Sixth Level Energy Refining Cultivator. To think, Lu Changsheng had merely reached the Sixth Level of Qi Refinement himself. “No wonder Changsheng managed to escape from the hands of three Energy Refinement Late Stage cultivators back then,” the Fourth Elder thought to herself. She then instructed, “Changsheng, Yun’er, be careful and don’t stray too far from Grandma.” Though this battle was victorious, a cornered beast will still fight. The desperate retaliation from the Chen Family was bound to injure, or even kill, some of the Lu and Bai Family disciples. Such things were inevitable. “Grandma, rest assured,” Lu Changsheng nodded. He had no desire to rack up merit by killing enemies. If a Chen Family Cultivator charged at them, he would counter and kill. If not, he would stay with Lu Miaoyun by the Fourth Elder’s side. Meanwhile, above Red Leaf Valley, “Ah!!!” Ancestor Chen, amidst the siege of three Foundation Establishment cultivators, hair disheveled, spitting blood, wounded all over, was driven to madness. The moment the Great Formation broke, his mana had been damaged. Now entangled by three adversaries and witnessing the slaughter of his clan, he was driven to extreme desperation. “All of you will die!” “Boom!” Realizing his own end was near, Ancestor Chen pushed the secret technique he was using to the limit. He detonated his Spiritual Artifact and took out a blue pearl, hurling it towards the Bai Family Ancestor. After all, in his eyes, although this battle was due to Meng Xiaochan, he hated the Lu Family and Bai Family even more; he wanted to drag someone with him in death. “Boom! Boom! Boom!” Amidst the explosion of the Spiritual Artifact and the Heavenly Thunder Pearl, the sky erupted with a thunderous noise and a dazzling white light. It made everyone in Red Leaf Valley turn their gaze towards the spectacular white light in the sky. “Ancestor!” “Ancestor!” Lu Yuanzhong and the Bai Family Head hurriedly rushed toward the center of the white light. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺 “` “Cough cough, if it hadn’t been for my early precautions, that Old Ghost Chen’s dying struggle and the self-destruction of his spiritual artifact along with this Heavenly Thunder Pearl, I might really have been done for,” Lu Family Ancestor said, coughing up blood. “It’s fine, I had anticipated that the old fiend would fight desperately at his death,” Bai Family Ancestor, too, was coughing up blood, his spiritual clothing and feather cloak damaged. He was infuriated at the thought of Ancestor Chen trying to take him down with him. The injuries from this battle would take three to five years to heal properly. And with that mighty explosion, as Ancestor Chen perished, Meng Xiaochan’s mental spirit also regained a sliver of clarity. Her disguise of shape and appearance was broken in that moment. She transformed from a thin young man into a delicate-featured, stunning girl clad in purple, with an ethereal and vivacious aura. She too had been injured in the fray and the explosion of the spiritual artifact. Her complexion was somewhat pale, making her gorgeous face appear all the more pitiable. “Such a terrifying Lockheart Gu…” At this moment, Meng Xiaochan’s recognition of the horror of the Lockheart Gu deepened. She hadn’t laid a hand on Lu Changsheng herself, merely let Ancestor Chen make his move. But watching Ancestor Chen attack Lu Changsheng, the affection flooding her heart directly caused her to lose her sanity. The only thought in her mind was to die for love. “Once the Lockheart Gu takes effect, breaking free from it is extremely difficult.” “I can’t continue like this. While I still have not completely lost myself, leaving Jiang Country and never seeing him again is the best strategy,” “Moreover, this man seems to be my nemesis.” At this moment, Meng Xiaochan felt nothing but fear towards Lu Changsheng and harbored no ill will—only love. She no longer dared to suppress the effects of the Lockheart Gu, knowing that the more she resisted, the more she suppressed, the faster she would fall. Especially when the affection surged like a tidal wave, instantly causing her to lose her reason. Moreover, having been thwarted by Lu Changsheng three times, she had abandoned the idea of seeking revenge. The first time, she nearly lost her life and forfeited two Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects. The second time, not only did she lose the Lockheart Gu, but was also backfired on by the poison Gu, which almost cost her own life. Now this third time, for the sake of Lu Changsheng, she fought with Ancestor Chen and almost sacrificed her life. She dared not contemplate what the outcome would be if there were a next time. “Thank you for your assistance, Daoist friend,” Lu Family Ancestor expressed, without concern for Meng Xiaochan’s change in appearance, with a polite bow. This battle would have been impossible to win so easily without Meng Xiaochan’s help. Even if they could have taken Red Leaf Valley, he, the Lu Family Ancestor, would have had to fight to the death with Ancestor Chen and possibly perish here. “There’s no need for thanks. I assisted you all for the sake of Lu Lang,” Meng Xiaochan said with a lamenting tone. Saying so, her beautiful eyes filled with longing and affection as she looked towards Red Leaf Valley, at a handsome young man standing upright with a Magical Sword in his hand. “Lu Lang?” Lu Family Ancestor, Bai Family Ancestor, and Lu Yuanzhong were all somewhat taken aback by this address, not knowing who this Lu Lang was. Following Meng Xiaochan’s gaze, they immediately saw the Fourth Elder, Lu Changsheng, Lu Miaoyun, and others. “Lu Changsheng?” The moment Lu Family Ancestor saw the group, his eyes immediately locked onto Lu Changsheng. He surmised that this Lu Lang must be Lu Changsheng. This made him, a Foundation Establishment Ancestor, feel a surge of shock in his heart. He had always thought Lu Changsheng was extraordinary, a person with grand opportunities and destiny. But this was beyond belief. Despite still being in the Qi Refinement Realm, an Energy Refinement Cultivator had caught the heart of a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, who now looked at him with such a lamenting gaze. And, he remembered that when Lu Yuanding and the Fourth Elder reported to him about Lu Changsheng, they mentioned that Lu Changsheng liked to marry and sire children, having many wives and maids. In such circumstances, yet another Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator had fallen for him. This, this, this… Lu Family Ancestor didn’t know what to say for a moment. “Lu Changsheng?” Lu Yuanzhong also followed Meng Xiaochan’s gaze, his eyes full of surprise and suspicion as he looked towards Lu Changsheng. He was not very clear about the situation with Lu Changsheng, but Meng Xiaochan’s words and eyes left him utterly bewildered. “Lu Changsheng?” The current situation made Bai Family Ancestor feel that something was amiss. It seemed that this Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator wasn’t arranged by the Lu Family Ancestor as a covert collaborator within the Chen Family. It appeared to be due to a Lu Family disciple. Watching Meng Xiaochan’s tender and longing gaze directed at an Energy Refining Cultivator, he felt almost like he was in a dream. Even though this Energy Refining Cultivator was indeed handsome and striking, since when did the Cultivation World care so much about appearances? While the three Foundation Establishment Ancestors were in the midst of questioning life, Meng Xiaochan, with her dress fluttering in the wind, flew down towards Lu Changsheng in the midst of Red Leaf Valley.