Nine Evolutions of the True Spirit

After fusing with the Essence Brown Stone, the Seven Elemental Lightning Gourd now had two earth-element peculiar items; one more, and it would be able to gain its first earth-element divine ability.

In turn, after the golden sword absorbed the Dark Tungsten, its body was gradually filled with lightning arcs. The Seven Elemental Lightning Gourd had absorbed three gold-element peculiar items and gained its first gold-lightning-element divine ability, the Geng Jin Yin Lightning.

Inside Lu Ping's cultivation room in the cave-dwelling, Lu Dagui was quietly resting under the small pond and surfaced after seeing Lu Ping enter the room.

…

"So there really are some monsters that arrived from the East Ocean?"

After hearing Dagui's story for the past few years, Lu Ping asked, "You followed Lv Hai to the monster's home base, do you know what he was delivering?"

"It was most likely a Heaven-class wonder item for a monster Enlightened Master's Late Core Forging Realm breakthrough."

Lu Dagui was slow to communicate, but at least he was still able to deliver the message.

Lu Ping raised his eyebrows after hearing that it was possibly a Heaven-class wonder item, and he quickly asked, "Do you know what kind of wonder item? And who was it given to?" 24062

Dagui shook his long neck, "I don't know. But he seemed happy to see the wonder item, and he also had a high status because even Enlightened Master Lv Hai was humble in front of him. He was addressed as Lord Ao Yu."

"Ao Yu…" Lu Ping quietly remembered the name, and then he spoke to Dagui, "Dagui, organize and record everything you have been through in the monster race over the years. I want to know everything in the most detailed manner possible!"

After that, Lu Ping walked out of the cultivation room and sent out a message sword. Before sending it, he sealed a wave of true energy in it and cast a spell, making the message sword glow with a golden light as it flew out.

"What happened? What made you send a message sword to Senior Uncle Qu so urgently?"

Behind him, Hu Lili gracefully walked out of her room, and looked at the message sword with curiosity.

Lu Ping didn't keep her in the dark, and explained, "Dagui said the East Ocean monsters are here, and they number quite a lot."

A few days later, Qu Xuan-Cheng and the other Enlightened Masters returned to Huang Li Island. Among them, Xuan-Qing and two other Mid Core Forging Realm cultivators were wounded.

Lu Ping's heart sank when he saw their gloomy expressions, and he asked, "Junior uncle, did everything go well?"

Qu Xuan-Cheng looked at Lu Ping, and then forced a smile on his face, "It was alright. Only two Core Forging Realm monsters escaped; even Cuttleshit Mo was severely wounded by Junior Brother Xuan-Cang, and I. Even if he recovers from this, he may no longer be able to advance to the Avatar Realm in the future. Whilst pursuing Cuttleshit Mo, we killed a few other Core Forging Realm monsters that had come to help him."

This was exactly why Lu Ping was puzzled. If the martial uncles had all returned safely and the operation was a success, why did they all look so depressed?

So, Lu Ping turned around and tried to get more information from Enlightened Master Xuan-He. Xuan-He furtively looked at Xuan-Cang and Xuan-Qing, before then thoroughly explaining what happened to Lu Ping.

When the nine of them ambushed the monster race's site, the monsters were caught off guard and suffered greatly. Qu Xuan-Cheng and Xuan-Cang worked together to suppress Mo Wei while the remaining Enlightened Masters went ahead to occupy and plunder the monster base.

When Mo Wei was caught off guard and occupied by Xuan-Cang's attacks, Qu Xuan-Cheng seized an opening and released a great divine ability that severely wounded him. After that, Mo Wei knew he stood no chance and fled for his life.

During this time, two Mid Core Forging Realm monsters were also killed by the human Enlightened Masters and the resources were also plundered.

After that, the human Enlightened Masters continued to pursue the remaining monster Enlightened Masters, while killing any monster Enlightened Masters they came across along the way. It was all going smoothly until Qu Xuan-Cheng received Lu Ping's urgent message sword.

At first, they didn't believe him, but soon, Qu Xuan-Cheng noticed that the monsters were organizing a counter-attack. Hence, they quietly set up a trap and caught a monster Enlightened Master, searching his memories using a soul-searching technique.

They soon realized that not only was Lu Ping correct about the East Ocean monsters, but even the South Ocean monsters were in contact with the North Ocean monsters. At the same time, the monsters had also gathered a dozen Enlightened Masters and a Great Ancestor to hunt them down.

If news of the North Ocean monsters coming into contact with the East Ocean and the South Ocean monsters caused them great shock, then learning about the Great Ancestor's involvement in hunting them absolutely terrorized them.

They couldn't care about anything else and hurriedly returned, which was why they all looked so horrified and down.

Qu Xuan-Cheng and the Enlightened Masters didn't stay on Huang Li Island; as soon as the teleportation formation was restored by Hu Lili, they all left. Qu Xuan-Cheng didn't return to his post on Xuan Qi Island and instead went directly to Tian Ling Mountain to report the news.

In the following days, news of the battle on Huang Li Island spread widely in the North Ocean, attracting a large number of cultivators to come to the island to adventure in the monster seas.

This time, Hu Lili specially set up a protective formation for the teleportation formation so that it couldn’t be destroyed so easily like the last time. Lu Ping also requested two teams of six Blood Condensation Realm disciples to patrol the island from the sect. In addition to the previous two teams, the island now had a total of 24 Blood Condensation Realm patrolling disciples.

…

"You’re going back to Tian Ling Mountain? Is it because of the oceanic monster alliance?"

Hu Lili asked curiously. This was her first time seeing Lu Ping so concerned about the greater good of the North Ocean.

"Besides that, I also want to look into the attack on Huang Li Island."

Hu Lili looked at Lu Ping closely, and asked, "Have you found anything? Is it really someone from the sect?"

Lu Ping shook his head, "I’m uncertain, but there are too many questions that need answers. It could just be a coincidence, but if it's really a betrayal from one of our own, I will make sure they pay for the damage they have done."

Hu Lili smiled coquettishly, "The others only saw our gains, and not our pains."

"Which makes it all the more important to find out the truth. We are lucky to get away this time, but luck won’t be with us all the time."

"After you leave, the island's defense will decrease greatly."

Hu Lili said worryingly, while Lu Ping smiled, and said, "Don't worry, the monsters won't dare to come here in the near future. Furthermore, all three spirit veins are now free to use, so they can support the protective formation to defend against any Late Core Forging Realm attacks."

Lu Ping also added, "The snake trio are also on the island. They have been making a lot of noise lately, asking to advance to the Core Forging Realm, so I finally acquiesced. They are now in closed-door cultivation; make sure they don't come out before they can take on their full-human forms. Otherwise, I worry that their identities will be leaked."

Hu Lili nodded, while Lu Ping continued, "When I get there, I will ask Qin'er to come back to enhance the island's defense. If it wasn't for junior sister calling her away, you and Chen Lian wouldn't have had such a difficult time."

Hu Lili asked, "Are you suggesting that Qin'er's absence is also part of the scheme?"

Lu Ping smiled back bitterly, "It's hard to say. Naturally, little junior sister has nothing to do with this, but we can't dismiss the possibility that she was manipulated without her knowledge. Little Qin'er is an Enlightened Master, so she plays a major role in the island's defense and her absence can mean a lot."

Hu Lili nodded softly and looked at Lu Ping closely again. In fact, when she saw that Lu Ping had planned everything out, she already knew in her heart what was going to happen next.

She stared deeply at him as if wanting to imprint his image in her mind, and then said, "Are you going somewhere after this? How long will you be gone this time?"

Lu Ping thought about it, and said, "If it's necessary, I might have to return to the East Ocean one more time. I will leave Huang Li Island in your care. Other than yourself, don't let anyone into my cultivation room. Nothing in this room can be shown to others, especially the spatial mystic instrument. Luan Yu is my close friend, but his identity is even more sensitive than the snake trio's, so his existence can’t be known. When I’m gone, you can leave the alchemy to him. His alchemy is better than mine, and in fact I’m only better than him because of my cultivation base."

Before leaving for Tian Ling Mountain, Lu Ping and Chen Lian also set up a secret mini teleportation formation on the island, leading to the Spirit Stout Stone underwater cave. Through this, the Blood Condensation Realm disciples could mine in the cave from time to time.

Even though they no longer had any use for the Spirit Stout Stones, the spirit stones were still valuable materials for Blood Condensation Realm disciples to make defensive mystic instruments and even top-grade mystic instruments.

…

Tian Ling Mountain, Chong Hua Palace.

Lu Ping looked at the shut doors with shock. His teacher was not on Tian Ling Mountain; she had already left for a dozen days now, just when the monsters launched the attack on Huang Li Island!

…. Is this part of the scheme too?

Lu Ping thought helplessly. Then, he left to look for Second Senior Martial Sister Li Xuan-Ru. However, her disciple informed him that she had also left with the teacher. Not only her, but Third Senior Martial Sister Zhao Xuan-Ji and Fourth Senior Martial Sister Wang Xuan-Jing had also left together with her.

Left with no choice, Lu Ping could only make his way back to his cave-dwelling on Tian Ling Mountain. As he was making his way back, he suddenly heard a painful shriek followed by a loud shout, "You filthy monster bird! How dare you sneak into Zhen Ling Sect's Tian Ling Mountain! You will achieve nothing here but your death!"

Lu Ping's expression changed drastically, and he immediately spread his divine revelation in that direction. Then, he disappeared in the blink of an eye.