Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 391 - 367 Luo Fuzi of Snow Eagle Mountain

"Who is undergoing tribulation here?"

Lan Feihu's voice boomed, echoing through the tribulation cloud above.

Yuan Bi eyed the distance, his green eyes suddenly sharpening.

Holding a sword in one hand and a trident in the other, he stepped forward through the air towards the figure standing like a sharpened sword, greeting with clasped hands, "Yuan Bi of Yuan Lake Water Palace, pays respects to Master Luofu."

"Master Luofu?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Feihu stepped forward to inspect and recognized him as the one clad in white with a long sword—the very same Luo Fuzi who, thirty years ago, founded his practice hermitage on Snow Eagle Mountain some eighteen thousand li to the east of Yuan Lake.

"Ah-ah-ah."

"I had forgotten, this place is but three thousand li from Snow Eagle Mountain. If someone is undergoing tribulation, Master is surely the first to know."

Lan Feihu grinned at the white-clad Daoist.

Though he himself was a formidable practitioner of the Third Realm of the Life Dao, he was not foolish. This white-clad Daoist known as 'Luo Fuzi,' rumored to be a Southern Sea Independent Practitioner who briefly settled here, did not cultivate the Nature Dao or Life Dao, but the Immortal Dao Method.

Snow Eagle Mountain was originally occupied by the 'Tianxuan Battle Ape' from Life Dao's Third Realm, known as the Tianxuan Demon. Though not of divine beast lineage, it was an extraordinary creature of nature, master of Tianxuan Star Fire, fearsomely potent. With thousands of demon under its command, it ranked as a top formidable force within a hundred thousand li centered around Yuan Lake.

Leading its demon host, it often raided the towns of the Human Clan along the Southern Pass Road, preying on humans for sustenance, its evils numerous and its sins heavy.

When Luo Fuzi passed by Snow Eagle Mountain, he obliterated the Tianxuan Demon's Divine Soul with his formidable mana. The demon underlings scattered like sand, mercilessly slaughtered by Luo Fuzi's fierce Sword Array.

Demonic blood splattered across Snow Eagle Mountain, yet undissipated to this day.

This forged Luo Fuzi's fierce reputation.

Lan Feihu, a ruthless individual himself, considered himself only slightly superior to the Tianxuan Demon.

As for slaying?

Certainly, he could not accomplish it.

He was far inferior to Luo Fuzi.

Furthermore—

"Prince Consort has spoken several times of inviting this person, but regrettably, on several visits, Luo Fuzi never opened his doors," Lan Feihu telepathically communicated to Yuan Bi. "It's rare to meet him now, but unfortunately, Prince Consort has gone to arrange the clouds and summon the rain."

Otherwise, it would have been an excellent opportunity to invite him.

Yuan Bi, listening, his green eyes gleaming, glanced at the tribulation cloud above. There was no one undergoing tribulation below, but within the tribulation cloud, there seemed to be a vague figure.

"What a fierce tribulation."

Even cultivators who practice advanced techniques of the Life Dao wouldn't dare to rush into the tribulation clouds; seeing this, Yuan Bi was naturally astonished.

Suppressing the astonishment in his heart, he looked towards the stern-faced Luo Fuzi, "May I ask, Master, who is the one undergoing tribulation—"

"My junior."

Luo Fuzi was a man of few words and indifferent demeanor.

"I see."

"Yuan here offers early congratulations to Master."

Yuan Bi was also a person of indifferent mien, but upon facing Luo Fuzi, his face forced a stiff smile.

"Mm."

Luo Fuzi nodded slightly, clearly uninterested in conversing further; standing mid-air, his eyes almost closed, occasionally a strand of chilling Sword Intent would surge but was quickly retracted.

With someone from the sky undergoing tribulation, Luo Fuzi, although standing guard, was contemplating the Sword Dao.

"So devoted to the sword."

"No wonder he has achieved so much."

Yuan Bi internally praised, not minding Luo Fuzi's coldness, and spoke again, "Master has established his practice on Snow Eagle Mountain, very close to Yuan Lake. Our Water Lord has long admired you and has thrice visited your door. Unfortunately, you were always in retreat, and we only saw your Daoist Child. It's rare to encounter you—Master must visit Yuan Lake Water Palace. Otherwise, our Water Lord would find it hard to not reproach Yuan and General Feihu."

Beside him, Lan Feihu also added, "General Yuan Bi speaks truly. There happens to be a banquet set at the Water Palace, to celebrate this junior Daoist Brother from the sky advancing to the Third Realm."

Luo Fuzi, still as a mountain, stood like a sword, turned a deaf ear.

Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi exchanged glances, spotting a hint of awkwardness in each other's eyes. Luo Fuzi's disposition was indeed eccentric, hard to communicate with.

The two decided not to press further, wary of angering Luo Fuzi.

They chose to remain silent, merely watching the tribulation clouds in the sky.

The tribulation clouds masked perception, and the thunder concealed the figure; neither Lan Feihu nor Yuan Bi could clearly see the physical form or appearance of the person undergoing tribulation in the sky—there was even no hint of aura detectable, shrouded in total darkness.

From all directions.

Great demons, sensing someone undergoing tribulation here, soared through the air, only to turn swiftly away upon sighting the white-robed, long-sword-wielding Luo Fuzi.

Not daring to stay a moment longer.

For a person's reputation casts a long shadow.

Just so.

Seeing this, Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi were even more helpless. Such a figure, claimed as invincible among the Third Realm, would only with propriety be approached by the Min River Dragon Palace; their Prince Consort with his dubious reputation, and the newly founded, hundred-year-old Yuan Lake Water Palace, likely did not suffice.

Thunder roared in the heavens.

Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi were in no rush to depart.

Firstly, perhaps after the tribulation, Luo Fuzi might be willing to pay a visit to Yuan Lake Water Palace; leaving now would be unfortunate, though the possibility was minute.

Secondly, the practitioner undergoing tribulation in the sky, once successful, would be a master of the Third Realm—an apprentice of Luo Fuzi. If they could invite him to Yuan Lake Water Palace, not only would it add another Third Realm master to the palace, but it could also establish a connection with Luo Fuzi; at crucial moments, it might be possible to ask this powerful individual for assistance.

A master claimed as unrivaled in the Third Realm was highly regarded even by the Min River Dragon Palace.

Let alone Yuan Lake Water Palace.

Boom, boom, boom!

As they waited, the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulations approached their conclusion.

The thunder receded, and the tribulation clouds dissipated.

Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi both looked keenly, eager to see the true face of this unaccompanied individual, who had taken only two Daoist Children on Snow Eagle Mountain and two disciples among the Southern Pass Daoists, as mentioned by Luo Fuzi, known as the 'junior.'

However.

The moment the tribulation cloud dispersed, a fierce sword light suddenly erupted beside them.

"Master Luofu!"

Startled, Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi retreated explosively, on high alert.

Yet, Luo Fuzi waved his hand, directing a Sword Light Array in mid-air, only to once again obscure the figure of the one crossing the Heavenly Tribulation above. His sleeves flying, he enveloped the Sword Light Array and left with it.

"This—"

Lan Feihu, embarrassed, lowered the Golden Stick he held, and staring after the departing sword lights, couldn't help but say, "He's just a junior, does he perhaps have some special identity that must be hidden?"

Before his words fell, a faint indifferent voice came from the direction where the sword lights had fled—

"Nine Mirror Stones, serve for a hundred years."

Following this, the sword lights dispersed, leaving no trace.

...

Amidst Yuan Lake, on Dragon Mountain Island, enveloped in silvery-white.

In the distance, the Nine Turtle Islands lined up, consisting of nine small islands resembling nine turtles, forming with Dragon Mountain a spectacle of 'One Dragon Chasing Nine Turtles'.

At this moment, both Dragon Mountain Island and the Nine Turtle Islands were covered in snow, transformed into a White Dragon and nine White Turtles.

A Divine Light descended from the sky, landing on Dragon Mountain Island.

A man clad in blue robes.

It was Lu Qingfeng.

With head held high, he strode toward a thatched cottage on Dragon Mountain Island.

"Husband."

Ao Le had come out to meet him.

The life span of the Dragon Clan was long; a hundred years passed in a blink, leaving not a mark on Ao Le's face, just as it was over a hundred years ago when Lu Qingfeng first saw her under the red bridal veil.

"Why have you come out of seclusion?"

Lu Qingfeng stepped forward, taking Ao Le's hand and feeling its coolness.

"Husband, take a careful look," said Ao Le, grasping Lu Qingfeng's hand and revolving around him.

Dressed today in yellow palace attire, she stood on the snowy ground like a fairy descending from the heavens. There was tranquility in her demeanor, with a hint of playfulness. She looked up at Lu Qingfeng, eyes brimming with joy.

Lu Qingfeng's eyes sparkled slightly, a joyful expression spreading across his face, "So, it's the True Body that has been forged, ascending to the Gathering Law Realm."

Despite being of the Dragon Clan, Ao Le had previously been hindered from cultivating due to her circumstances. After being brought to the Min River by the Min River Dragon Lord, although her cultivation was unceasing and often guided by the Dragon Lord, she had been stuck at the Solid Pill stage for a long time.

Until arriving at Yuan Lake.

After being taught the Five Thunder Heart Sutra by Lu Qingfeng, and with his help in Enlightenment, she finally advanced to the Gathering Law Realm after a hundred years.

"How narrowly I caught up to my husband."

Joy shone in Ao Le's eyes, plainly visible on her face.

In a mere hundred years, Lu Qingfeng had reached the Life Dao Refining Pill Realm at the 'Gang Jin Bao Dan' stage, comparable to the second stage of refining a Solid Pill in the Immortal Dao Core Formation, already catching up with Ao Le. Although happy for her husband, Ao Le also wanted to enhance her strength to aid Lu Qingfeng more.

It was a breakthrough from a bottleneck that had persisted for hundreds of years.

Even though Lu Qingfeng would soon catch up or even surpass her, it was still progress.

"It's all thanks to father's support, otherwise, by myself alone, how could I have achieved this today?" Lu Qingfeng walked alongside Ao Le on Dragon Mountain Island, covered with three feet of snow.

Ao Le had been in seclusion for three years, and it had been some time since the couple last met; they strolled aimlessly, chatting idly.

Mostly, it was Lu Qingfeng and Ao Le discussing the changes around Yuan Lake over these three years, or just talking about household matters.

They talked about everything and anything.

Just then.

"Your Highness, the Prince Consort, greetings to the young Princess,"

Lan Feihu and Yuan Bi, coming from the skies, landed in front of Lu Qingfeng.

Lu Qingfeng, engrossed in conversation and seeing them, knew their purpose but still asked, "What brings the two generals here?"

"Reporting to the Prince Consort."

"Just now, fifteen thousand li to the east, a cultivator was undergoing tribulation. We encountered Luo Fuzi at Snow Eagle Mountain, who claimed the cultivator in the heavens was his junior..."

Lan Feihu recounted the incident with Luo Fuzi, emphasizing the words Luo Fuzi left behind.

Lu Qingfeng and Ao Le exchanged a glance.

Ao Le blinked, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Nine Mirror Stones."

Lu Qingfeng feigned contemplation, then quickly looked up and said to the two, "You've worked hard, generals."

"The Prince Consort plans to—"

Yuan Bi readied himself to take leave, while Lan Feihu, looking at Lu Qingfeng curiously, seemed about to speak but hesitated.

"There's no harm in speaking," said Lu Qingfeng.

"Then I shall speak out of turn."

Smiling broadly, Lan Feihu then began, "Although the Nine Flower Mirror Stones are precious, among the experts like Luo Fuzi in the Dragon Palace, there are surely no more than three. He did say 'serve for a hundred years,' but if during this century, we could bring him to the Water Palace or even the Dragon Palace, not to mention nine Nine Flower Mirror Stones, even eighteen would likely be a small price for the Water Lord and Dragon Lord. Even if unsuccessful, if Luo Fuzi could advance to the Fourth Realm within these hundred years, it would still be tremendously profitable."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qingfeng's eyes lit up, "General Feihu means to say, using nine Nine Flower Mirror Stones for a chance to recruit Luo Fuzi. If it doesn't work, having Luo Fuzi serve for a hundred years would still be worthwhile?"

"It's just the reckless musings of your general, Your Highness. Surely you see far clearer than I."

Lan Feihu opened his mouth, revealing sharp teeth that starkly contrasted his flattering words.

Just then.

A howling sound from beyond the heavens, the voice arriving before the person—

"Brother-in-law."