Chapter 466 (1)
Upon sensing Lu Qing’s friendly demeanor, the Second and Third Holy Lords unconsciously let out a breath of relief.
At the very least, they could be certain that Lu Qing did not bear any grudge over past events.
After all, the pressure he exuded was simply overwhelming.
His profound and unfathomable aura made it impossible for them to discern his cultivation level, no matter how they tried.
This alone was enough to prove that Lu Qing’s realm had reached a level beyond their comprehension.
“Little Daoist Lu, this place is rather crude. Why not accompany us to our cave dwelling for a gathering?”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the First Holy Lord extended an invitation.
“In that case, I shall not refuse,” Lu Qing nodded with a smile.
He was quite curious about the secluded dwelling of the three Holy Lords, who had dominated the world for over a thousand years.
Sacred Mountain, as the heart of this world, held a special significance.
Even in the era of spiritual energy depletion, it had allowed the three Holy Lords to break through their limits and reach the Foundation Establishment Realm.
This alone was proof of its extraordinary nature.
Now that the world had been recovering for so long, this towering mountain was likely even more mystical.
At the very least, Lu Qing could feel that the spiritual energy atop Sacred Mountain was no less abundant than the spirit veins beneath Everlasting Regret Mountain.
Beside him, Lin Zhirui was even more excited.
Although he was one of the most outstanding disciples of Tianji Tower, he had never before had the privilege of ascending the mountain alone to meet the Holy Lords.
Much less receive an invitation to their private cultivation grounds.
Soon, under the guidance of the three Holy Lords, Lu Qing and Lin Zhirui arrived at a cave dwelling.
The cave was not particularly large, only slightly bigger than the jade-transformed chamber in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
However, the moment Lu Qing stepped inside, his body suddenly trembled.
The spiritual aura within the cave was so dense it was almost inconceivable.
Even compared to the spirit veins beneath Changbai Mountain, this place was far superior.
Lu Qing could clearly feel that if he were to enter seclusion here for a time, his cultivation would see considerable improvement.
As for Lin Zhirui, the effect was even more dramatic. With his late-stage Precelestial Realm cultivation, the sheer concentration of spiritual energy made him feel as if he were “suffocating.”
Just by standing here for a brief moment, he could already sense signs of an impending breakthrough.
The First Holy Lord had been observing Lu Qing’s expression.
Seeing his astonishment, he chuckled.
“What do you think of this cave dwelling, Little Daoist Lu?”
“As expected of Sacred Mountain! The richness of spiritual aura in this cave is something I have never encountered before,” Lu Qing exclaimed in genuine admiration.
“In that case, we shall gift this cave dwelling to you, Little Daoist Lu. What do you think?” The First Holy Lord continued.
“Gift it to me?”
Lu Qing was momentarily stunned before his expression gradually calmed.
“Senior Holy Lord, I cannot accept such a generous gift without reason. This cave dwelling is far too precious for me to simply take.”
The First Holy Lord did not reply immediately but merely smiled at Lu Qing.
Lu Qing immediately understood his intent.
“Senior means… if I agree to your proposal, this cave dwelling will belong to me?”
The First Holy Lord nodded. “Indeed. Since we three are the ones making this proposal, naturally, we won’t let you suffer any loss.”
Lu Qing fell silent.
Though he had already made up his mind before coming, he had to admit that the First Holy Lord’s offer was very tempting.
At his current stage, he lacked nothing in terms of techniques, realm, or artifacts.
The only thing he needed was an abundance of spiritual energy to enhance his cultivation.
The spiritual energy in this Sacred Mountain cave dwelling surpassed even the spirit veins beneath Everlasting Regret Mountain.
For him, it was undeniably an ideal place for cultivation.
The three Holy Lords did not rush him, allowing him to ponder in silence.
After a while, Lu Qing suddenly smiled. “Senior Holy Lords, to be honest, before coming here, I had already made my decision regarding your proposal.
Frankly speaking, I have always admired the three of you.
For a thousand years, it has been Sacred Mountain that maintained order in this world.
Because of that, the lands under heaven have remained relatively stable.
At the very least, it prevented powerful Precelestial experts from wantonly abusing their strength and slaughtering common people.
Such a great contribution could be considered immeasurable.”
Lu Qing’s words were not flattery but sincere admiration.
The Holy Lords’ decree restraining Precelestial Realm cultivators had indeed contributed greatly to the world’s stability.
Back when Wang Cangyi of the Tian Cang Sect plotted to seize the Wei Family’s Li Huo Cauldron, it was precisely because of this decree that the Wei Family was given a chance to survive.
Otherwise, not only would the Wei Family have been annihilated, but the entire county might have been razed to the ground.
In such a scenario, he and his master would not have made it in time to intervene.
“Hearing such praise from Little Daoist Lu makes all our past efforts worthwhile.”
The three Holy Lords smiled in gratification.
If it had been anyone else offering such words, they would not have felt anything.
After all, they had long grown accustomed to countless grand praises over the millennia.
But hearing it from Lu Qing—undoubtedly the strongest existence in the world today—made even them feel a sense of satisfaction.
“Then, Little Daoist Lu, your answer is…?”
The First Holy Lord asked with anticipation.
“Actually, before I even came to Sacred Mountain, I had already decided that I would join hands with the three of you to contribute to the well-being of all under heaven.” Lu Qing smiled.
The three Holy Lords were overjoyed at his words.
“In that case, I shall immediately send out invitations to all major sects and factions to gather in Sacred City for a grand discussion?” the First Holy Lord asked.
“I will leave everything to you, seniors,” Lu Qing nodded.
With Lu Qing’s agreement, the First Holy Lord no longer hesitated.
He immediately sent out a spiritual message.
Following that, the entire Sacred Mountain began to stir.
Numerous powerful auras departed from the mountain’s foot, heading in all directions.
It was clear that preparations had been made well before Lu Qing’s arrival.
Lu Qing paid little attention to this. Instead, he turned to the Third Holy Lord.
“Third Holy Lord, there is something I wish to ask you.”
“You wish to ask me something?”
The Third Holy Lord was taken aback, completely unprepared for Lu Qing’s sudden inquiry.
Even the First and Second Holy Lords were surprised.
For a brief moment, they even wondered if Lu Qing intended to settle an old score.
“That’s right. I would like to ask if you happen to possess a certain spiritual pearl artifact?”
“A spiritual pearl artifact?” The Third Holy Lord was momentarily stunned before realization dawned upon him.
With a flick of his wrist, a white pearl appeared in his palm.
“Little Daoist Lu, are you perhaps referring to this Golden Spirit Pearl?”
As soon as the pearl emerged, an aura of sharpness filled the surroundings, causing even the skin and souls of those present to tingle with pain.
Seeing it, Lu Qing immediately smiled. “Indeed, that is the one. Third Holy Lord, this Golden Spirit Pearl is of great importance to me. Would you be willing to part with it?”
“You wish to obtain this Golden Spirit Pearl?”
The Third Holy Lord’s expression turned hesitant. “Little Daoist Lu, to be frank, this pearl is extremely compatible with my sword cultivation. It is one of my most vital treasures.
Without it, my swordsmanship would be weakened by at least thirty percent.”