Inside the tent, Fengg Sihai and several clan members were present, each looking somber, as they had often received Lvu Liang's care.

If Lvu Liang hadn't arranged for the Fengg family to be in the Inner City, they would have been affected by the first wave of the Demon Beast assault.

Now seeing him about to fall, an indescribable sadness welled up within them.

However, according to Qin Ming's wishes, Lvu Liang did not tell the Fengg family members that it was Qin Ming who instructed him to arrange it.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, you're here..."

Lvu Liang forced a smile on his pale face when he saw Qin Ming enter.

Then he said to the people around him, "I'd like a moment alone with Fellow Daoist Qin."

Upon hearing this, the people in the tent left.

Qin Ming understood Lvu Liang's intent and set up a Soundproof Restriction with a wave of his hand.

"Alas~ Cultivating for one hundred and twenty years, who would have thought it would all be in vain today..."

"Thinking about it, I still envy Fellow Daoist Qin, unrestrained, free and easy."

Qin Ming took out a Tier Two healing Spirit Pill and brought it to Lvu Liang's lips to consume.

Lvu Liang did not refuse, as he seemed to have more to say. After taking the pill, even though it didn't have much effect, it helped him hold on to a breath.

"My path is at its end, and the only thing I'm anxious about is my disciple."

"However, thanks to Fellow Daoist Qin, she has successfully reached Foundation Establishment and now has some ability to protect herself moving forward. Her future journey will depend on her own efforts."

"Cough, cough! I just... hope that if Fellow Daoist Qin has the chance, you can look after her from time to time."

"I have no regrets as I depart, Lvu Liang..."

"I don't have anything on me that Fellow Daoist Qin would find valuable."

Lvu Liang finished speaking, and took out two fruit kernels exuding an icy blue chill, almond-sized. As these appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted, quite mystically.

"Some days ago during a mission, I happened to find this item inside a Demon Beast Cave deep within the Beast Roar Mountain Range. It appears to be some kind of Spirit Seed from a Spirit Plant."

"It should be of some use to Fellow Daoist Qin, so I offer it as a gift."

Qin Ming accepted the two ice-blue Spirit Seeds, feeling quite astonished.

He naturally recognized this Spirit Seed, named 'Gloomy True Yin Flower.'

It is one of the two main ingredients publicly known in the Cultivation Realm for concocting the Golden Core Formation Pill. Besides the Fire-Bathing Golden Lotus, there's this Tier Three Low-Grade Spirit Plant 'Gloomy True Yin Flower.'

It only grows in extremely yin environments of the Netherworld. Not to mention in Wei Country, even in the entire Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm, it is exceedingly rare.

This Spirit Plant matures in five hundred years and, rather than bearing conventional fruits, it produces a Spirit Liquid known as 'Returning Nether True Water' after maturing.

Qin Ming couldn't imagine what luck Lvu Liang hit to stumble upon this Spirit Seed.

Luckily, he did not recognize it; otherwise, it wouldn't have fallen into Qin Ming's hands.

It would have likely ended up in the pouch of a Golden Core Ancestor.

Of course, given his friendship with Lvu Liang, even if they hadn't exchanged the Spirit Plant, he would have helped Lvu Wanjun as much as he could.

"Fellow Daoist Lvu, rest assured; even without this item, I would still look after your disciple." Qin Ming finished speaking and put away the Spirit Seed.

By now, Lvu Liang was as good as dead, his face covered with an intense aura of death.

The end was near.

After explaining his affairs to Qin Ming, Master Vast Sea, Nalan Xi, also entered from outside.

As Master Vast Sea's old subordinate, she arrived immediately to see Lvu Liang for the last time after handling urgent matters.

"City Lord..."

An hour later.

In the end, Lvu Liang passed away.

There were faint sounds of sobbing in the tent.

'Alas! How tragic, how lamentable... A lifetime ends, a century of cultivation turns out to be an illusion.'

...

After the matter ended.

Master Nalan Xi called Qin Ming aside for a private conversation.

"Friend Qin, how is the maturity of the Spirit-Transforming Demon Fruit coming along?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming immediately replied, "Soon, soon, don't worry, Elder; I will put in more effort and deliver it to you within half a year at most."

He also noticed that Master Vast Sea seemed quite troubled lately, probably burdened by the beast disaster situation.

After all, Immortal City had never experienced an instance where a Demon King broke through the defenses of a Tier Three High-Grade Grand Array.

The capabilities of the Heaven-Devouring Rat Demon King were indeed bizarre, actually managing to counter the Restriction and the Grand Array.

Even if the Array was repaired, if the beast tide makes a resurgence, the Grand Array of the Immortal City probably still wouldn't hold.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Nalan Xi's eyes brightened, with a trace of smile.

Once her Tier Three Spirit Turtle recovered from its injuries, it could alleviate a lot of pressure on her.

"Alas! Friend Qin, to be honest, Vast Sea Immortal City is now at a critical juncture concerning life and death."

"The maturity of the Spirit Fruit could be a huge help to me."

Nalan Xi said lightly.

"Ah?"

"Elder Nalan, has the situation with the beast tide become this dire?" Qin Ming couldn't help but be surprised upon hearing Nalan Xi's words.

Nalan Xi nodded slightly, "Based on our encounters with those Demon Kings, there seems to be a more powerful Demon King behind them."

"There might even be a High-Tier Bloodline Demon Beast Royal Race of Tier Three Mid-Stage or above."

"Today's incident was likely only a probing attack."

"What comes next will be the decisive battle for Immortal City's survival."

"If Vast Sea Immortal City falls, losing this barrier, the four countries in the Cultivation Realm will suffer from an even greater-scale beast disaster than before."

"It's unimaginable what that would be like..."

Listening to this, Qin Ming also felt a heavy heart.

"By the way, before Fellow Daoist Lvu left, he entrusted me to look after his disciple, Lvu Wanjun. Elder, could you arrange a position at the rear for her?"

"Let's leave a backpath for Fellow Daoist Lvu."

Hearing this, Nalan Xi gently nodded, "Even if you hadn't mentioned it, I'll arrange that."

"Additionally, I plan to transfer the ten thousand merit points left by Lvu Liang to her."

"Thank you very much, Elder Nalan." Qin Ming bowed in gratitude.

In Vast Sea Immortal City, ten thousand merit points are quite valuable, enough to support Lvu Wanjun's cultivation to Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

After the conversation with Master Vast Sea.

Qin Ming also met with Wei Wuya, whose words echoed Nalan Xi's closely.

"Alas! Fellow Daoist Qin, it's not easy being in power either!"

"I also have to manage sect affairs, truly stretched thin right now."

From his words, Qin Ming understood that if Vast Sea Immortal City truly couldn't hold, Wei Wuya would withdraw decisively and not stay to fight desperately.

After all, Thunder Origin Sect is a vast enterprise and cannot do without him, a Golden Core Ancestor.

...

Two days later.

Vast Sea Immortal City was abuzz with rumors, mostly unfavorable.

Most shops in the Inner City and Outer City were tightly shut, as if anticipating a looming storm.

Qin Ming also went to Lvu Liang's residence to pay respects at his memorial tablet.

"Alas! Such are the perils of war! Thankfully, I'm not fond of conflict and haven't joined any faction, so I am not forcefully assigned such dangerous tasks."

Qin Ming sighed again, poured a cup of Jade Qilin Wine, and commemorated his old friend.

Lvu Wanjun had also become quite haggard over these past days. Lvu Liang had been both teacher and father to her, and she couldn't easily recover from such a blow.

Afterwards.

Qin Ming chatted with her for a bit, telling her that if she encountered difficulties in the future, she could come to Wangyue Island to find him, and he would help to the best of his ability.

After all, he couldn't take Lvu Liang's Tier Three Spirit Seed for nothing.

But Lvu Wanjun, overwhelmed by grief, seemed absent-minded; it was unclear if she even heard him.

A little over half a day later.

As Qin Ming expected.

The beast tide didn't completely retreat but lurked around the Immortal City, once again rallying under the Demon King's command to pounce upon Vast Sea Immortal City.

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