Chapter 385: Lu Yang's Patent Fee

Yunzhi was the most proficient person in Taoist magic of her time. Her mastery was not solely due to exceptional talent but also greatly stemmed from her diligent study of classics in the Scripture Repository and her profound comprehension of countless Taoist methods. Logically, even if she couldn't perform certain worldly spells, she should have at least heard of them.

Yunzhi silently watched the still-spinning arm, recalling what she had seen and heard. She couldn't tell what spell her junior brother was practicing. She sighed softly, stepped forward, grabbed Lu Yang's wrist, and pulled him out of the palm.

"Whoosh—whoosh—gag—"

After emerging, Lu Yang swayed unsteadily, seeing double. The world spun around him, his mind was muddled, and he couldn't stand straight. He leaned against the Qulong tree, gagging. Golden Core cultivators can typically regulate their organs to prevent dizziness from spinning, but this requires training. Lu Yang, however, had immediately started spinning wildly without any time to adapt or buffer.

"A self-contained space within your palm? Are you learning a divine ability similar to 'Buddha's Kingdom in the Palm'?" Yunzhi discerned some clues.

Lu Yang closed his eyes, steadied himself, and leaned his forehead against the large tree, which made him feel much better.

"It's, it's the 'Universe in the Palm' technique the Immortal Fairy taught me. I've grasped the general idea."

Considering Lu Yang's learning ability, Yunzhi roughly guessed what had just happened.

Middle Golden Core stage, not bad. It seems her junior brother had been diligently cultivating during her absence.

*Whoosh—*

Yunzhi gently blew a breath towards Lu Yang. Like a spring breeze, it immediately cleared Lu Yang's mind. "Senior Sister, you're back?" he said, recovering.

Lu Yang glared at the Immortal Fairy, who was watching the spectacle from his mental space. "Look at Senior Sister; she helped me stop spinning as soon as she returned. And you? You enjoyed yourself for as long as I was dizzy!"

The Immortal Fairy, feeling guilty, turned her head away. She had initially intended to stop Lu Yang, but then found his spinning quite amusing and simply watched with interest.

"Go quickly and ask about my patent fees!" Lu Yang wouldn't let the Immortal Fairy off easily; he willingly let the Immortal Fairy…

The Immortal Fairy wanted to resist, but she couldn't overcome Lu Yang and was forced to possess him.

"Yun girl, have you finished questioning that Great Yu Tribulation Transcender?" the Immortal Fairy asked boldly, deciding on a roundabout tactic.

"Yes, I've finished, and we gained some insights. The person behind him is the second Imperial Advisor of the Great Yu Dynasty, whose specific cultivation level is unknown. The second Imperial Advisor instructed him to test the power and function of the Great Xia Dynasty's national fortune. That's why he dispatched two ancient Integration stage cultivators to duel with the Qingzhou Governor."

"If my junior brother hadn't called me over, he would have succeeded."

The Imperial Advisor system of the Great Yu Dynasty was one of the root causes of its eventual demise. However, it's undeniable that this system played a crucial role during the dynasty's early establishment. The first two Imperial Advisors, in particular, were extraordinary talents with world-shaking abilities, who stabilized the situation and led Great Yu to strength. The first two Imperial Advisors held immense influence within the Great Yu Dynasty, becoming almost mythical figures through popular legend.

"Unfortunately, the second Imperial Advisor communicated with him only through a single, direct line, so he was unaware of the second Imperial Advisor's location."

"He also didn't know how many Great Yu Tribulation Transcenders had revived. However, based on the tasks assigned by the second Imperial Advisor, he surmised that he wasn't the only revived Great Yu Tribulation Transcender; there was at least one other."

"He possesses significant intelligence about Great Yu Integration stage cultivators. This matter has been handed over to Junior Brother Dai and the Great Xia Luoshui Guard. However, these Great Yu Integration stage cultivators are extremely cautious and may have noticed the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony, possibly already having fled. The number we can apprehend will depend on luck."

"According to his confession, the most dangerous individual under his command is True Monarch Tomb Bone. Though his cultivation isn't exceptional, he possesses a shattered Myriad Souls Banner. This banner was originally whole, but he failed to preserve it during his long slumber. It gradually decayed over the years, and vengeful spirits escaped from it, wreaking havoc in the world."

"In the 30,000th year of the Great Xia calendar, Liangzhou experienced a ghost plague. Vengeful spirits ran rampant, making life unbearable; no one dared venture out at night. Ghosts were ubiquitous throughout the vast region of Liangzhou. The imperial court dispatched numerous personnel to suppress the plague. Unfortunately, at that time, the court was unaware of the ancient cultivators' revival and didn't consider that possibility, so the true cause of the ghost plague remained uninvestigated."

That ghost plague was likely caused by True Monarch Tomb Bone's Myriad Souls Banner, and the timing generally aligns. True Monarch Tomb Bone is currently repairing the Myriad Souls Banner, which requires vast quantities of blood and resentful souls to be completed.

"Acquiring vast quantities of blood and resentful souls inevitably involves slaughter."

"His ongoing repair of the Myriad Souls Banner implies he has already found a source of blood and resentful souls, yet we have received no intelligence about it."

"It would be like 'the fish breaks the net' – destroying the Myriad Souls Banner would unleash vengeful spirits from it, bringing disaster to an entire province." By the end, a rare hint of solemnity had entered Yunzhi's voice.

"If we can't find him quickly, once the Myriad Souls Banner is fully repaired, even if we manage to apprehend him, it will be too late. He will..."

Lu Yang: "..."The Immortal Fairy: "..."

"Why does this True Monarch Tomb Bone sound so familiar?"

The Immortal Fairy hesitated, then asked, "What does this True Monarch Tomb Bone you're talking about look like?"

The Calamity Venerable had already described the appearances of all his subordinates. Yunzhi snapped her fingers, and a wisp of smoke drifted out, slowly forming an old face that looked very familiar to both Lu Yang and the Immortal Fairy. It was a withered old man, looking as though he hadn't eaten in days, clutching a broken banner.

"It really is him!" Lu Yang and the Immortal Fairy exclaimed in unison.

"You know him?" Yunzhi asked, puzzled. "True Monarch Tomb Bone is a Great Yu cultivator, always hidden. We haven't even pinpointed which province he's hiding in. Where would you two have met him?"

The Immortal Fairy spoke calmly, like a profound and far-sighted figure, pressing her fingers as if calculating something, though it looked more like she was having an epileptic fit. "This Immortal performed a divination and discerned that a demonic cultivator was active in Liangzhou. So, I dispatched my subordinate, the Underworld Heavenly King, to hold the line, and we joined forces with the Nine Nether Sect. Together, we subdued the demon, located this scoundrel, captured him, and, as a gesture of friendship between our two sects, presented him to the Nine Nether Sect!"

Yunzhi mentally translated: it meant that for some unknown reason, the Grand Elder and Vice Sect Master Shi had already captured True Monarch Tomb Bone, with Lu Yang and the Immortal Fairy observing the entire process. The specific process didn't matter, as long as he was caught.

Yunzhi cupped her fists. "Venerable Dou's schemes are astonishing."

The Immortal Fairy was smug, casting a slightly provocative glance at Lu Yang. "There's also a small matter regarding Lu Yang that this Immortal wishes to ask you."

"Please do, Senior."

"Lu Yang applied for a flying vehicle patent, and Fifth Elder Xiao said the patent fees have already been remitted to you. Why haven't you given them to Lu Yang?" As the Lord of the Heavenly Court, the Immortal Fairy showed no deference to the Heavenly Court Sect Master.

Yunzhi seemed to recall something, her tone flat. "Oh, that."

"Why didn't you give them to Lu Yang?"

"I forgot."