Yellow Court Daoist

"Investigation Department."

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Shu couldn't help but sink into deep thought.

His current position as the Purple Sun River Water Monarch was merely a Fourth Grade rank.

From Fourth Grade to Third Grade, it is an enormous threshold akin to a celestial gate, one that ordinary Fourth Realm Cultivators find exceedingly difficult to cross. For instance, Xuan Shuang and Chi Yin, from Min River, although Fourth Realm Cultivators, were only Fourth Grade Water Monarchs.

Similarly, Mighty Thunder General Zhang Chi and Six Waves Water General Du Yuanqing, both prominent figures of the Fourth Realm, expended countless efforts and heart power to attain the rank of Third Grade.

Now, if Zhang Shu simply nodded in agreement, he could step across this daunting threshold, a feat that would surely invoke endless envy and admiration.

Even Zhang Chi and Du Yuanqing couldn't help but feel touched when they heard this proposition.

"But His Majesty has no one under his command trained in the army—"

Zhang Shu looked at Ao Zhan with some hesitation.

Seeing this, Ao Zhan quickly waved his hands, "I will soon be granted the position of a Second Grade God General and will command an army of ten thousand. General Zhang can rest assured and leave without concern."

With this assurance,

all apprehensions dissolved.

"This subordinate wishes to follow the Divine Monarch!"

Only then did Zhang Shu bow down to Lu Qingfeng.

A Third Grade Divine Position.

And once again returning under Lu Qingfeng's command.

Zhang Shu was, of course, willing a thousand and ten thousand times over, overjoyed beyond description.

"No need for such formalities, General Zhang."

Lu Qingfeng reached out to help him up.

True feelings are seen in times of adversity.

Zhang Shu had accompanied Ao Zhan into this perilous land, showing both courage and wisdom, and henceforth could be relied upon as a confidant. Lu Qingfeng treated him with considerable honor.

No need to rush to appoint him as Deputy Officer or Correcting Good and Evil Messenger. It would be better to wait until Zhang Shu gets accustomed to the duties of both positions at the Investigation Department before deciding.

Having settled matters with Zhang Shu,

Lu Qingfeng glanced towards Ao Lie and his son Ao Jun.

Ao Zhan seeing this, couldn't help but jest, "What, lad, are you planning to poach everyone for your Investigation Department?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Lu Qingfeng gave a sheepish smile, quickly protesting his innocence and suppressing the thought of bringing Ao Lie and Ao Jun into the Investigation Department.

...

Yinchuan Water Palace.

In the inner hall.

Lu Qingfeng and Ao Le sat cross-legged, facing each other. Between the two sat a fist-sized, translucent crystal, emitting halos of light from all six sides. At first glance, one might become entranced by it, washed over by limitless force and losing all sense of direction.

If Ao Zhan were here and saw this six-sided crystal, he would undoubtedly be greatly surprised.

For this was no ordinary object, but a wondrous spiritual item even Primordial Spirit Practitioners would desperately seek—

an Immortal Crystal.

"A Mahayana True Immortal, when reaching a certain realm in cultivation, can extract the Immortal Spirit Qi of the Immortal Realm for cultivation. During the process, the vastness of Immortal Spirit Qi is hard to collect. Any excess Immortal Qi that escapes to the earthly realm condenses into Immortal Crystals."

"A single Mahayana True Immortal might only produce one Immortal Crystal every thousand years. Whether for one's own cultivation or gifting it to disciples and juniors, it stands as a top-tier cultivation treasure."

"An Immortal Crystal is the crystallized essence of Immortal Qi, containing the truths of the great Dao, far surpassing a million Spirit Stones, and is of great benefit to Core Formation and Primordial Spirit Cultivators in their practice."

"Le'er, your current cultivation level is still low, and you cannot refine the Immortal Crystal on your own. Your husband will seal it for now, with wisps of Immortal Spirit Qi leaking out, sufficient for your current cultivation. Once you advance to the Primordial Spirit Stage, you'll be able to break the seal and refine it freely."

As Lu Qingfeng explained to Ao Le, his hands formed seals, casting talisman after talisman onto the crystal. These talismans connected the Immortal Crystal with Ao Le, and as layers of light enveloped them, the last of these lights settled into Ao Le's Dantian, disappearing from sight.

Ao Le closed her eyes to look inward.

She saw the Immortal Crystal floating within her Dantian, shining in harmony with her inner core.

Threads and strands of Immortal Spirit Qi seeped out, and as the Five Thunder Heart Sutra circulated, her True Yuan moved in cycles, absorbing the Immortal Spirit Qi at a visibly rapid rate, adding much liveliness.

Layers of insight, subtle yet profound, ascended to her mind, immersing Ao Le deeply within them.

She cultivated for an indeterminate period.

Suddenly, the qi around Ao Le changed dramatically. Previously, Gang Sha energies scattered around her without coherence.

Now, as if Gang Sha had become an integrated whole, she experienced a feeling of completion, imbued with a sense of power.

She opened her eyes.

Filled with surprise and joy, Ao Le looked at Lu Qingfeng, "Gang Sha Integration!"

Ao Le's talent for cultivation was extremely poor.

Before marrying Lu Qingfeng, she had lingered in the Solid Pill stage for many years. It was only after Lu Qingfeng passed on the Five Thunder Heart Sutra and often provided her with guidance that she broke through to the Gathering Law Realm in a century.

And then, over more than six centuries, she finally completed Condensing Evil and Refining Gang.

That coincided with the time when Lu Qingfeng entered the Chunshen Realm.

Ever since then, Ao Le's cultivation had become stagnant again. Despite her diligent cultivation, she had been stuck at the final step of Gang Sha Integration for over eight hundred years. Although her True Yuan kept increasing, her mana failed to materialize.

She was always missing that final spark of Fire Control.

Now, with the help of the 'Immortal Crystal,' she had finally grasped enlightenment and penetrated the secret of Gang Sha Integration. Once the Gang Sha was condensed into mana, she could step into the Golden Core Realm.

"Indeed, the Immortal Crystal is extraordinary."

Ao Le breathed a sigh of relief, not in a hurry to resume her cultivation. She looked inward at the Immortal Crystal within her Dantian, and then looking towards Lu Qingfeng, exclaimed in amazement.

"A Mahayana True Immortal cultivates for a thousand years to produce a single Immortal Crystal."

"If it can't even help to break through the minor bottleneck of the Gathering Law Realm, how can one speak of its value?"

Lu Qingfeng also smiled.

One reason was his joy over Ao Le's breakthrough in cultivation.

The second was a delighted remembrance of the Immortal Crystal.

Back when his avatar Luo Fuzi became the Sect Leader of the Yu Mountain Sect, Rong Hong and other three Yu Mountain True Immortals bestowed upon him three Immortal Crystals. With the help of the Immortal Crystals, Lu Qingfeng's cultivation progressed at Divine Speed.

And this time—

Destroying the plots of the Blood Spring Demon Sect, rescuing countless lives in the East Xian State.

The Shang River Dragon Palace also presented rewards.

Such immeasurable Merit was single-handedly accomplished by Lu Qingfeng, and his contribution is truly monumental.

Numerous rewards.

The position of "Correcting Good and Evil Messenger of the Three Armies" is just one of them.

In addition to that, there are Immortal Crystals, Jade characters, and other Spiritual cultivation rewards.

"Shang River is wealthy and generous, bestowing twelve Immortal Crystals."

"Once you've refined this Immortal Crystal, the number of Immortal Crystals in your husband's hands will only increase."

Lu Qingfeng flipped over his palm, and a total of eleven Immortal Crystals hovered up and down at the center of his palm, these were the rewards given by Shang River. Originally there were twelve, but Ao Le took one, now only eleven remained.

As for the three Immortal Crystals bestowed by the Yu Mountain Sect—

One was refined by Luo Fuzi's Avatar.

One was refined by the Blood Sea Avatar.

One was refined by Lu Qingfeng himself.

Both Luo Fuzi and Lu Qingfeng still had not fully refined the Immortal Crystals on them.

"There's no need to coax me, husband."

Ao Le's eyes sparkled, gazing at Lu Qingfeng who sat opposite her, and she said with a radiant smile, "My husband is a top-tier cultivation genius under the heavens, now in the Primordial Spirit Realm, and sooner or later will surely achieve the Mahayana True Immortal status or even a higher realm. Le'er must strive to catch up, to keep up with husband's pace, to be companions through the Red Dust for ten thousand, a hundred thousand years without parting, so I will not be stingy with the Immortal Crystals in my husband's hands."

Ao Le spoke,

Her expression a bit playful.

This was indeed a transparent thought—

Lu Qingfeng worried that Ao Le knowing the preciousness of Immortal Crystals would harbor different thoughts in her heart.

But Ao Le saw through it at a glance and was even more clear and thorough in her thoughts, reversing the roles and instead comforting Lu Qingfeng.

"It should be as such."

Lu Qingfeng kept nodding, his eyes and face immediately filled with smiles.

...

"With the Merit Bright Light protecting me, I can travel through Ancient Shang without fear, as long as I do not provoke others, no one will provoke me."

"The dangers on the path of cultivation are largely gone."

"Now there are two top priority matters."

"First, Le'er's cultivation."

"Second, my own cultivation."

As Ao Le entered seclusion, set on making a breakthrough to the Gathering Law Realm, on the verge of ascending to the Golden Core Realm, Lu Qingfeng waited while also contemplating future directions.

In this life, counting the sixteen years in the Rebirth Pool, he had been in the Immortal Qin Realm for one thousand five hundred and seventy years.

From the Min River to the Yuan Lake, and then from Yuan Lake to the Chunshen Realm.

Crawling and struggling, facing endless dangers.

Moving step by step, planning cautiously.

Only today could it be said that the hardships have turned into sweet rewards, not only does he possess the undying Blood Sea Avatar, but he also has the protection of the Merit Bright Light, and even the Shang River Dragon Palace could only offer the First Grade Divine Position to bolster his own fortune, daring not to slight him in the least.

In the Immortal Qin Realm, there should no longer be life-threatening crises, and one could focus on peaceful cultivation.

Regarding personal cultivation—

"I have the Merit Bright Light shining upon my sea of consciousness and Divine Soul, helping me think clearly and more easily comprehend the Dao."

"At this moment."

"I should collect as many Postnatal Loose Characters and Innate Loose Characters as possible, these are shortcuts in cultivation, complementing Cultivation Techniques, which can aid in my enlightenment of the Dao, guiding my future cultivation path, the more the merrier."

"Besides that, I also need to accumulate more Immortal Crystals."

"Immortal Crystals contain Immortal Spirit Qi, not only can they increase mana, but the Pure Yang Qi contained within can also strengthen the Divine Soul."

Lu Qingfeng pondered.

The Primordial Spirit Stage of cultivation is extremely difficult, time-consuming, and the resources needed are immense. He was cultivating the "Twelve Heavenly Demon God Skill," a Supreme Level Cultivation Technique, consuming resources far more than the average Primordial Spirit Practitioner.

Immortal Crystals are rare.

Other Spiritual Objects also need to be collected diligently.

Not just for himself.

But also for Ao Le.

"Le'er's cultivation talent is not high, but after all, she is born from the Dragon Clan and has a long lifespan, there might still be a possibility for achieving the Mahayana True Immortal status."

Thinking of Ao Le, Lu Qingfeng couldn't help but frown.

The path to seeking the way of immortality is arduous.

It's already difficult for him to cross, and to aid others across, how much more difficult would it be by hundreds or thousands of times?

Even though Lu Qingfeng has many Cultivation Techniques at his disposal, and now holds great power, it is still uncertain whether he can lead Ao Le to ascend to the True Immortal Realm alongside him.

"The accumulation is still insufficient."

"Apart from cultivation resources, we must continue to collect various Cultivation Techniques. By choosing the best from them, there's bound to be a secure method of ascending to immortality."

This is not just for Ao Le, but also for Qing Shan, Qingyu in reality, and also for himself, Lu Qingfeng.

A thought arises.

Countless thoughts follow.

Lu Qingfeng contemplated for a long time, with various ideas brewing in his mind, he soon also immersed himself in cultivation.

...

Yinchuan Water Palace.

While Lu Qingfeng cultivated, he waited for Ao Le to emerge from her breakthrough, in no hurry to return to the Investigation Department.

The Mighty Thunder General Zhang Chi and Six Waves Water General Du Yuanqing were also waiting in Yinchuan. The two Generals were not just Third Grade Divine Generals, their cultivation had already reached the Fourth Realm of Primordial Spirit, the Unification Realm, just one step away from entering the True Immortal Realm.

Certainly.

There were quite a few Primordial Spirit Peak Practitioners, Fourth Realm Peak Practitioners like the Generals throughout the entire Ancient Shang Region.

These Primordial Spirit Practitioners, whether wandering and diligently cultivating, or joining the Dragon Palace, Heavenly Court as deities, are all accumulating experiences, just to take the last, most difficult step.

Yet, in the end, very few can truly ascend to the True Immortal status.

Lu Qingfeng would inevitably face this step one day.

However, at the moment, what he has to face is the threshold of ascending from the First Realm of Primordial Spirit, the Nourishing God Realm, to the Second Realm, the Divinity Transformation Realm.