After escorting the Heaven Mandate Immortal, whose artifact refinement skills were merely average, back to the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace, Lu Yang’s cultivation resumed its proper course, and he devoted himself to it with single-minded focus.

An hour later, a conniving sycophant appeared, disrupting Lu Yang’s cultivation plans.

“Old Lu, I heard you went to the immortal palace?”

“Why? Envious, aren’t you?” Lu Yang snorted smugly, causing Meng Jingzhou to gnash his teeth in indignation.

Ever since the sun’s power intensified, Meng Jingzhou had grown increasingly wary of approaching women. A place like the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace was practically a forbidden zone for him.

Meng Jingzhou had been mystified when Lu Yang vanished into thin air. Only upon asking around did he learn that Lu Yang had abandoned him and gone off to the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace to enjoy himself.

Meng Jingzhou couldn’t bear to watch Lu Yang sink into such decadence. He berated him harshly, hoping to jolt his wayward friend back to reason. “Envy my ass! We cultivators should devote ourselves to cultivation with a single-minded focus. Someone like you, who spends his days wandering about idly, will definitely never amount to anything!”

“And what about you? Have you cultivated this past month?”

“More or less. While you were gone over the past month, I went to a secret domain that opens once every three hundred years and happened to bump into Long Huo. From subtle clues, I deduced that the secret domain’s spirit was its owner. I thwarted his body takeover scheme and fought him. Though his cultivation realm was higher than mine, I have a natural advantage against soul entities. After overcoming the gap, I joined forces with Long Huo to capture him.

“Afterward, I handed the soul over to the local authorities. While waiting for their commendation, I noticed they were exceptionally efficient, almost eager to chase me away. Upon investigating secretly, I discovered traces of corruption within the local authorities and their collusion with the Heartless Creed. Following that lead, I uncovered that the prefect was the source.

“When the prefect realized his plot was exposed, he scurried away that night. Amid a torrential downpour, I pursued him for a thousand li, cutting down the sacrificial soldiers he dispatched and ignoring the honey trap of the beauties he sent after me. I chased him until dawn, finally pinning him down at a city gate.

“Looking up, I realized my pursuit had led me all the way to the imperial city. After dealing with the prefect, I stopped by my house for a visit. Upon returning, I heard you had come back from the immortal palace.”

“So...when did you cultivate in the past month?”

Meng Jingzhou said with a straight face, “At the very least, I had maintained the heart to cultivate. It was merely that mundane affairs had kept me from finding the opportunity.”

“Me too!” Lu Yang fumed. As if you’re the only one tangled by mundane affairs.

“Yeah, right.”

“Old Meng, let me tell you—you’d better watch your tone. You still have time to cozy up to me now. It’ll be too late if you want to in the future.”

Meng Jingzhou dismissed his words with contempt. “Me, cozy up to you? Dream on.”

“You don’t know, do you? During this trip to the immortal palace, I didn’t just encounter Great Qian cultivators; I even met the Heaven Mandate Immortal. When he saw me, he was extremely grateful and patted me on the shoulder, encouraging me to cultivate diligently. He promised to take good care of me when I undergo my heavenly tribulation.”

“What?!” Meng Jingzhou was absolutely floored. To think that Lu Yang had obtained such a fortuitous opportunity while I wasn’t with him.

Which cultivator isn’t afraid of heavenly tribulations? Even the mighty Qin Haoran had met his demise during his heavenly tribulation, reincarnating as Junior Brother Li. With Lu Yang’s connection to the Heaven Mandate Immortal, wouldn’t he be free from the greatest obstacle to cultivation, able to soar to the skies unimpeded?

Meng Jingzhou solicitously began massaging Lu Yang’s shoulders and head, his tone softening. “Old Lu—ah, no, Senior Brother Lu—I might have spoken a bit harshly just now. Please forgive me. You know, considering our relationship...”

Lu Yang was now a person of standing. As the Second-in-Command of the Great Dou Dynasty, how could he lower himself to petty squabbles with Meng Jingzhou? “Our relationship goes without saying. We’ve always shared fortune and adversity. Don’t worry, when I meet Senior Heaven Mandate Immortal again, I’ll make sure he takes good care of you, too.”

Meng Jingzhou was deeply moved. “Good brother! You’re truly loyal!”

“By the way, on my way back, I also heard that several of the immortal palace’s higher-ups and disciples have become pregnant after your visit to the immortal palace. People are saying that it was your doing. Do you know about that?”

“Rubbish!” Lu Yang’s eyes reddened with anger. All these rumors are outright slander! Does this have anything to do with me? It’s the Twins River water that caused their pregnancies. What did I do? I only gave the immortal palace a suggestion.

“Wait... Putting it that way, this matter does have something to do with me.”

Hearing this, Meng Jingzhou, whose hands were massaging Lu Yang’s shoulder, immediately grabbed his shoulders, hurling him away. His eyes blazed with fury.

“Well, well, Old Lu! I can’t believe I misjudged you. To think you’d be capable of such filthy acts! Show your hand; I must teach you a proper lesson today!”

“No, I meant I merely gave them a suggestion to drink from the Twins River...”

A golden swastika-symbol fist seal that was ten zhang across came crashing down upon him. Lu Yang formed a sword with his fingers and cleaved it apart. “Damn it, Old Meng, you’re pretending not to hear me, aren’t you—”

“Lecherous scoundrel, take this!

“It’s the perfect chance to let you witness the Supreme Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation I learned from my ancestor!”

Behind Meng Jingzhou, a golden Dharma Manifestation resembling the great sun slowly rose. It towered a hundred zhang, its features indistinct. Every one of its movements was imbued with the aura of primordial ages past. It wielded a shield in one hand and a halberd in the other.

“Supreme Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation?” Lu Yang had heard of the Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation, which was exclusive to those with a Pure Yang Immortal Physique. But this looks like an even more extreme version, likely tailored by Meng Junzi for Meng Jingzhou.

Boom!

One arm of the Dharma Manifestation swept down, sending Lu Yang flying away. Lu Yang was certain now. This is definitely more powerful than the Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation. Based on the Immortal Fairy’s description, it’s not this formidable.

“Do you think I’ll be afraid of you?!” Lu Yang drew the Qingfeng Sword and activated the Immortal-Exterminating Sword Array, pointing its tip at Meng Jingzhou.

Having anticipated this, Meng Jingzhou attacked, lunging at Lu Yang. This way, even if I have to kneel, I can still bring Lu Yang down with my Dharma Manifestation.

Lu Yang inwardly cursed Meng Jingzhou’s shameless act, then changed his sword technique. “Ten Thousand Swords Return to One!”

The Chengying Sword, the Seven-Star Sword Set, and the Qingfeng Sword merged, and sword qi surged explosively. The Supreme Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation raised its shield to block, while its other hand swung the halberd at Lu Yang.

“Cosmos in Palm!”

A massive hand descended, clamping down on the Supreme Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation.

Seeing this, Meng Jingzhou executed Three Heads Six Arms, and his Dharma Manifestation followed suit, its six arms stacking together as they blocked the terrifying palm strike.

“Is this all you’ve got?”

“This is more than enough to handle you!”

The two became a tangled knot, their sword moves, spells, and the Dharma Manifestation clashing relentlessly.

Not far away, Yun Mengmeng sat on a tree branch, swinging her legs. She was clearly in a good mood. Every now and then, she would take a dried potato slice from a paper bag and munch on it with relish. She pointed at the dueling pair with fingers covered in potato crumbs. “Shouldn’t someone stop them?”

Seated beside her, Yun Zhi also took a dried potato slice and savored it slowly. “There’s no need to stop them. They’ve always been like that.”

Yun Mengmeng turned to Gan Tian on her left. “Would you like some dried potato slices?”

“No, it’s fine. I shall play my qin to help them liven things up.”

Gan Tian placed her guqin on her lap and began playing an epic melody that reverberated throughout Heaven’s Gate Peak, driving Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou to fight with even greater intensity.

Since Gan Tian’s hands were occupied, Yun Mengmeng would feed her a dried potato slice every now and then.