23 Spirit Lake City

It had been a week since Wu Li and Wu Yang's conversation.

Wu Yang could hardly believe the power of the Golden Soul Restoration Lamp.

As he infused more Qi into it, he discovered its miraculous ability.

The Golden Soul Restoration Lamp is a lesser Heaven Grade Refined Treasure that could save a cultivator from the brink of death. It was said to contain a piece of a precious crystal that was formed in the depths of the earth and absorbed the essence of the Five Elements, creating a balance of Yin and Yang.

It was time to leave and both Wu Li and Wu Yang met.

"Brother Li, I've done it. I've put a part of my soul in the Golden Soul Restoration Lamp. Are you ready to go?" Wu Yang asked.

Wu Li nodded and said, "Alright. Let's head to the Jin Dynasty first. I'm curious about how our clan is doing."

Wu Yang nodded and asked, "And Sister Lin Xiaoqing? Is she not coming with us?"

"No, she's already gone to the Heavenly Spirit Empire. She had some urgent matters to deal with, so she didn't wait for us," Wu Li replied.

They set off on their journey. They traveled for days and nights, crossing mountains and rivers. They informed the Extreme Jade Sword Sect that they were going to visit their home and would return later.

After two months of traveling, they finally reached the Jin Dynasty. As Wu Li and Wu Yang approached, they could sense the dark atmosphere that hung heavily over the area. It was rumored that a devil had taken up residence there, bringing misery and misfortune.

They saw the gate of the Wu Clan estate and felt a pang of nostalgia.

Wu Li saw a boy running and quickly talked to him, "Hey, what happened here? Why is everything so desolate?"

The boy appeared to be frightened and hesitantly replied, "It's because of the devil that has been terrorizing the Jin Dynasty. He's a Core Formation Realm cultivator and extremely powerful."

Wu Li and Wu Yang both frowned.

Wu Yang asked the boy urgently, "Who is this devil?"

The boy glanced at Wu Yang and his eyes widened in recognition. "Oh! I didn't realize it was the Young Master. Please forgive me."

Wu Yang waved his hand and said, "Never mind that, just tell me about the devil."

The little boy regained some composure and said, "The devil is shrouded in mystery, its appearance is horrifying, and its name is unknown. The only thing that we know is that it slaughters anyone it encounters, drains their blood and then devours them. Our elders warned us to stay within the city boundaries since the Wu Clan will shield us from harm if we are inside the city."

Wu Yang handed the young boy a pouch of gold coins and said, "Good, quickly get inside your home."

The young boy dashed into his house with the pouch of coins, his eyes shining with gratitude.

"Come on, let's go see my father." Wu Yang said.

Wu Li agreed, he was eager to meet the Clan Head.

As soon as they entered the Wu Clan grounds, they were swiftly led to the main hall and Wu Chen was notified of their arrival.

Wu Chen and Shi Mei both exclaimed tearfully, "Yang'er!"

Wu Yang nodded and said, "Father, mother, I'm back."

Shi Mei said with a hint of joy in her eyes, "I've missed you so much Yang'er, I was afraid you had forgotten about us."

Wu Yang shrugged and said, "Let's talk more over dinner."

Shi Mei and Wu Chen both nodded, grateful to have their son back home.

Wu Chen looked at Wu Yang with curiosity and concern. "You've been away for six years, Yang'er. How have you been in the sect? What have you experienced?" he asked eagerly.

Wu Yang smiled faintly. "The sect has treated me well. I became the disciple of an Inner Elder and reached the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm," he said. He kept silent about his huge fortune, as he had no intention of sharing it with anyone if it didn't benefit him.

Wu Yang then continued, "Brother Li is amazing. He reached the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm a year ago and he has formidable talent. He even defeated a cultivator who was at the late stage of the Core Formation Realm, while he was only at the early stage."

The couple looked at Wu Li with admiration and awe.

Wu Chen's eyes shone with pride and joy. "Wonderful, wonderful! You two are the pride of our Wu Clan. I'm so happy and proud to see you grow so strong and outstanding. You will surely bring glory to our clan in the future!" he exclaimed.

Wu Li responded with a humble smile, "Clan Head, I am not worthy of such praise. It was Brother Yang who saved my life and put me in this fortunate position today. Without him, I would have been killed by Wu Kang."

The Clan Head's face tightened with anger as he remembered Wu Kang's misdeeds. He had heard about the wickedness committed by Wu Kang and his grandfather from the Third and First Elders and was filled with disgust.

Wu Chen nodded solemnly. "I've already stripped Wu Quanyan of his Elder status. He deserved it for what he did to you," he said.

Wu Li grinned and saluted. "Much appreciated, Clan Head. I was racking my brain on how to deal with that old geezer. Now that you've taken care of him, I can sleep like a baby."

They chatted for a while about their experiences in the sect, trying to make the couple feel more comfortable and relaxed.

Wu Yang also let his parents enjoy the family reunion for a while, but he knew he had to ask about the serious matters sooner or later.

"Mom, dad, what's going on in the Jin Dynasty? Why does the atmosphere feel so gloomy and bleak?" he asked.

Shi Mei let out a sigh. "It all started when the Emperor summoned us to the Imperial Capital. He told us that he was going to abdicate and pass the throne to Jin De, the Crown Prince. He asked us to support him and ensure a smooth transition, since we would benefit from having Wu Meng as the Empress."

She paused and continued. "This year was supposed to be the year of the coronation, but then a devil appeared out of nowhere and wreaked havoc in the Jin Dynasty. His power is unimaginable, even your father might not be able to fight him."

Wu Yang felt a chill in his heart. He now understood his father's strength in the Core Formation Realm since he also reached the Core Formation Realm and he knew how formidable he was.

"Is there anything else you know about this devil? Any clues or weaknesses?" he asked.

Wu Chen shook his head sadly. "We know nothing more than the common people. The devil is mysterious and ruthless. Whoever crosses his path will be killed without mercy. We are helpless against him."

He sighed and looked at Wu Yang with a pained expression. "Yang'er, there's something else we need to tell you. Your big brother, Wu Feng, has been missing for six years. We've searched everywhere for him, but we found no trace of him. We fear that he might have died."

Wu Yang nodded and shifted the topic of conversation to more lighthearted matters. He engaged in a lively exchange with his parents, while Wu Li regaled them with stories of his adventures. As Child of Heaven, his experiences naturally astounded the couple.

The sun set and the moon rose, and it was time for Wu Yang and Wu Li to depart for the Heavenly Spirit Empire.

After bidding farewell to the couple, Wu Yang and Wu Li mounted their flying swords and took off into the sky, leaving the Jin Dynasty behind them.

They traveled for three months, crossing mountains and rivers, forests and deserts, cities and villages.

Finally, they reached the Heavenly Spirit Empire, a mighty force that dwarfed the Jin Dynasty. The Heavenly Spirit Empire was home to hundreds of Nascent Soul Realm cultivators and a few Soul Palace Realm experts, who were revered as immortals by the common folk. The empire spanned dozens of provinces, each with its own unique features and resources.

"Brother Yang, we've arrived in Spirit Lake City. This is where we'll meet Lin Xiaoqing," Wu Li said quietly as they landed on the outskirts of the bustling city.

The Spirit Lake City was a lively and prosperous city, named after the large lake that was located at its center. The lake was said to have spiritual properties that enhanced cultivation and healed injuries.

The city was filled with shops, restaurants, inns, and entertainment venues, catering to the needs and desires of the diverse population.

Wu Yang and Wu Li walked through the crowded streets, drawing the attention of many people with their outstanding attire and powerful auras.

Wu Yang nodded and said, "Good, we finally made it to the Heavenly Spirit Empire. Let's go find an inn and rest for a bit."

Wu Li grinned, "Brother Yang, why don't we go to a restaurant first? I've heard from Lin Xiaoqing that the Heavenly Spirit Empire has the best food in the whole Jiaolong Continent. They even have fried chicken!"

Wu Yang felt a cold sweat on his forehead and said, "Brother Li, we are cultivators, not gluttons. We don't need to eat food. How about we just get a room and meditate?"

Wu Li shook his head and laughed, "Brother Yang, you are too boring. We need to enjoy life sometimes. Besides, we are brothers, we should drink some wine and eat some meat together, to strengthen our bond."

Wu Yang wanted to cry. He thought, "I'm trying to save you from getting into trouble with some Young Masters, you fool. Don't you know that every restaurant in this genre is a death trap?"

"I'm not hungry. How about tomorrow?" Wu Yang tried to persuade him.

But it was too late. Wu Li had already approached a random stranger and asked, "Hey, do you know a good place where we can eat and drink?"

The man felt a chill down his spine when he realized that he was addressed by the Extreme Jade Sword Sect disciple.

"Young Master, the Yellow Chrysanthemum Restaurant is the finest restaurant in not only the Spirit Lake City, but also the entire Heavenly Spirit Empire," the man said with a respectful bow.

"Shall I show Young Master the way to the Yellow Chrysanthemum Restaurant?"

Wu Li nodded and then the man showed Wu Li the path to the Yellow Chrysanthemum Restaurant.

Wu Li followed him and pulled Wu Yang along.

Wu Yang finally gave in and couldn't help but grumble, "Heaven has a road, you don't walk it. Hell has no door, you barge in."

After arriving in front of the Yellow Chrysanthemum Restaurant, the man said, "We arrived. I hope the two Young Masters will have a good time."

Wu Li smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for leading the way. You can go now."

As he said that, he also gave the man a bag filled with gold coins as a token of his gratitude.

"Brother Yang, let's go in. I'm sure we'll have a blast in the restaurant," Wu Li smirked as he salivated over the mouth-watering food he was going to devour and the fine liquor he was going to savor.

Wu Yang rolled his eyes and followed Wu Li into the restaurant. He thought, "Yeah, right. A blast of trouble from some arrogant Young Master who will pick a fight with us. Good thing I have the Golden Soul Restoration Lamp. It's like a cheat code for life. And the System, which is like a reset button, giving me an endless cycle of rebirth. I'm practically undying."

[A/N: Join our Discord Server(It has a Wiki): https://discord.gg/dK3PTsWUCQ]

[A/N: I've added the map of the Blue Sky Mortal Realm to the Wiki!]

[A/N: I'm curious, how do you feel about this style of not describing everything in detail?]

[A/N: Also, sorry I haven't published more chapters this week, but I was really busy. I promise I will try to post some more chapters, especially since these next few chapters will be easy to write.]