Starting From A Son In Law To Build An Long Lasting Family Chapter 1874: 484:

Yet, he felt no desire to reveal it. With a soft lift of his hand, he slipped into a green robe, his form erect and lithe, resembling an immortal emerging from an artwork, aloof and celestial.

Still, this presence, merged with the grand qi of a fresh advance to the Fourth Rank of Body Refinement, appeared mismatched within a single being.

A striking and unearthly figure, radiating an unmatched and supreme overbearing dignity.

"Congratulations, my lord, on advancing to the Fourth Rank of Body Refinement."

Hong Lian's lovely eyes sparkled with light, her crimson lips showing a soft, tender smile as she elegantly curtsied to Lu Changsheng and offered her praise.

"Ha-ha, it's merely a minor step forward, hardly noteworthy."

Lu Changsheng dismissed it with a wave and chuckled.

Even though reaching the Fourth Rank of Body Refinement allowed one to confront a Nascent Soul True Lord directly.

To him, body cultivation served only as a supporting path, far from matching the leap to Nascent Soul.

"As expected of my lord, achieving the Fourth Rank of Body Refinement at the Core Formation Stage while staying so poised and unruffled."

Hong Lian marveled inwardly to herself.

While the Cultivation World held plenty of dual cultivators.

Reaching Golden Core Peak alongside top Third Rank body cultivation, and focusing on the Fourth Rank of Body Refinement breakthrough first, stood out as exceptionally uncommon.

Typically, one would form Nascent Soul before pouring vast resources into body cultivation advances.

"Hong Lian, how much time passed during my breakthrough?"

Lu Changsheng ignored Hong Lian's inner surprise and questioned her directly.

From his rough guess, the process shouldn't have dragged on, ideally finishing before the Whale Hunting Banquet.

"Precisely half a year."

Hong Lian answered in a gentle tone.

"Then, no hurry is needed."

Lu Changsheng, learning a month remained, figured it gave enough time for the Sea Splitting Mysterious Dragon Whale's return, so he skipped using the [Michen Banner].

This interval suited perfectly for solidifying his realm and exploring the secrets of Fourth Rank Body Refinement.

"Big Black, time to move."

Lu Changsheng wasted no time, summoning the Sea Splitting Mysterious Dragon Whale from the ocean depths.

"Roar!!!"

The Sea Splitting Mysterious Dragon Whale bellowed, surging from the waves, as Lu Changsheng stored the Golden-Winged Heavenly Peng in the Qiankun Shadow-Confining Belt, then joined Hong Lian inside the creature's belly.

...

"Crossing Tribulation brings numerous gains, but it demands heavy tolls; not just did the [Five Directions Tribulation Stone] break apart, two of my magical treasures suffered damage too."

Inside the whale's belly, Lu Changsheng thought back to how the Heavenly Tribulation had outright destroyed his armor and magical robe amid the Crossing Tribulation, leaving him somewhat troubled.

After all, those ranked as superior magical treasures.

Even with the spoils from defeating Lou Mountain True Monarch, Heavenly Silkworm True Monarch, and Purple Grey True Monarch—gaining several magical treasures—he couldn't indulge in such losses.

"I'll need to craft a superior magical robe soon."

Remembering the fights in the [Vast Sand Illusion Realm] that harmed his Fate-Defying Robe and Golden Tiger Dragon Pattern Armor, and now lacking any solid magical robe or armor, Lu Changsheng mused silently.

With a Fourth Rank Physique in hand, he truly had little need for magical robes or battle armor.

However, they proved useful in certain scenarios.

Besides, the Yin Yang Robe from the "Yin Yang Creation Classic" and the Brahma Demon True Saint Armor from the "Brahman Demon True Saint Technique" boosted the related divine skills of those methods, justifying their recreation.

Seated in the lotus position, he worked to steady his body's qi and blood, sensing the renewed vitality post-Heavenly Tribulation, along with the wonders of Fourth Rank Body Refinement.

"The flesh, meridians, bones, and dantian have all grown... while the body turned far cleaner, as though infused with fresh... vitality."

Lu Changsheng examined his skin, like the finest jade and satin worldwide, paler and clearer than sheep fat jade, glowing with a subtle crystalline sheen.

Lu Changsheng understood his body now mirrored a Spiritual Treasure, awakened to a novel spirituality!

Or perhaps, akin to a demon beast, growing keener to diverse auras, particularly with a faint warning of threats.

As the proverb states: the duck first feels the spring river's warmth, and the cicada predicts before the autumn wind stirs!

Much like a cultivator entering Foundation Establishment sheds mortal coils, sharpening spiritual sense and gaining flashes of insight or discomfort.

Body cultivation breakthroughs felt more straightforward and primal, letting the body detect hazy perils ahead.

For example, should anyone plot against Lu Changsheng, trying to probe him via divine sense or a magical treasure, they might slip past his Taiyi Divine Soul yet alert his physical form.

"The human body truly holds vast depths and wonders."

Lu Changsheng reflected, delving further into the Fourth Rank Physique's secrets and firming his cultivation base.

...

Great Dream Immortal City.

Lately, Great Dream Immortal City hummed with lively energy.

Partly because the Great Dream City Lord felled a Fourth Rank Demon King, stirring Jiang Country and drawing crowds of cultivators to linger by Great Dream Marsh, boosting the city's visitors.

Partly owing to the City Lord Mansion's whale hunting banquet.

Though the whale hunting banquet targeted elite cultivators, requiring Nascent Soul Immortal status for entry.

Beyond the whale hunting banquet, the City Lord Mansion arranged an auction as well.

Once the whale hunting banquet concluded, the City Lord Mansion planned an auction to offload select Third Rank heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and demon beast parts.

Under these circumstances, droves of cultivators flocked to Great Dream Immortal City.

Especially with whispers of Third Rank Demon Pills, Core Formation Spiritual Objects, and rarities like Coagulation Crystal Elixir up for grabs, various factions arrived ahead of time to prepare.

"The whale hunting banquet nears, so why hasn't Father come back..."

At the City Lord Mansion, Lu Wangshu attempted to focus on inscribing Talismans for calm, but anxiety gripped her tightly.

Days prior, she had stumbled upon word of the Vast Sand Illusion Realm.

She heard of Yangming True Master's and Azure Phoenix True Monarch's remarkable feats there, slaying three Nascent Soul True Lords, and yearned to ask her father if it rang true.

But her father stayed away from the Immortal City.

With the whale hunting banquet looming and Nascent Soul experts from many sects gathering in Great Dream Immortal City, his absence fueled her growing unease.

She had seen him seem untroubled before, and Aunt Ling Zixiao assured her he was busy but would arrive soon.

Still, the reports from Vast Sand Illusion Realm gnawed at her, stirring deep concern.

Right then, far beyond Great Dream Immortal City by tens of thousands of miles.

"Whew!"

Lu Changsheng and Hong Lian stepped from the Sea Splitting Mysterious Dragon Whale's inner chamber, instructing it to recover here, before the Michen Banner materialized in his grasp.

"Buzz!"

The Michen Banner unleashed a burst of five-hued glow, wrapping Lu Changsheng and Hong Lian, then shifted into a multicolored mist, rippling as it whisked them toward Great Dream Immortal City.

Following a swift shift, they materialized within the City Lord Mansion.

Though familiar with the Michen Banner, Hong Lian still marveled at its ease.

"Zi Xiao."

Lu Changsheng quickly located Ling Zixiao, checking on the whale hunting banquet's progress.

"Husband, the Heavenly Sword Sect, Qingyun Sect, Luoxia Sect, Spirit Taming Sect, Danxia Mountain, and Huan Yin Sect... all dispatched representatives."

"The Heavenly Sword Sect sent only Ancient Sword True Man; neither Xuanjian True Monarch nor Absolute Sword True Monarch appears."

Ling Zixiao reported.

Barring disguises, normally cultivators entering the Immortal City couldn't dodge the Celestial City Formation's detection.

Particularly for the whale hunting banquet, the Celestial City Formation ran at peak for months, and weak concealment of mana would trigger its alerts.

"Nascent Soul True Lords keep to themselves; since Heavenly Sword Sect committed to joining, there's little cause for concern."

Lu Changsheng replied with an easy grin.

To him, Xuanjian True Monarch and Absolute Sword True Monarch's presence or absence changed nothing.

Without them, he could host a simple event, extend goodwill, and keep building his strength steadily.

"Mm."

Ling Zixiao agreed quietly, passing a roster to Lu Changsheng.

"Impressive scale, truly."

Lu Changsheng noted, scanning the roster's array of prominent Jiang Country cultivators.

But thinking how he had bested two Nascent Soul foes and killed three, it all seemed rather commonplace now.

"Oh, and Wangshu likely caught wind of your exploits in Vast Sand Illusion Realm; she's been fretting over it."

Suddenly remembering, Ling Zixiao pointed out.

"Fine, I'll visit her."

A quick intent from Lu Changsheng released the Three Treasures Huaxiang Pearl from his brow, shaping into a duplicate of himself in look and aura.

For the event, as Deputy City Lord, Changsheng True Master had to appear.

The Three Treasures Incarnation wore the peculiar mask from Azure Phoenix True Monarch, which only Xuanjian True Monarch's advanced arts could pierce.

As for his true self.

After hitting Fourth Rank Body Refining, his flesh pulsed like a Spiritual Treasure, brimming with essence, grasping the inner small universe, his qi-blood power impeccable; without full scrutiny or divine skills, even Xuanjian True Monarch would struggle to spot flaws, so he dropped the heavy reliance on odd artifacts for hiding.

Furthermore, among cultivators, probing others with arts without consent counted as rude, rarely attempted.