Volume 9, Chapter 580 – Benefactor, You’ve Finally Arrived

Lu Yao might be “cold-blooded”, but she wasn’t heartless. At first, she had intended to simply break through and move on, but now that the other party had dared to strike first, she saw no reason to hold back.

Zong Ye, a Earth-grade Immortal, possessed overwhelming strength. His powerful divine sense crashed down like an avalanche. Wherever it swept through, from immortals down to ordinary cultivators, all were crushed, their bodies pulverized, blood and flesh scattering like a descent into hell.

‘He’s actually killing indiscriminately?’

Even Qi Huang was startled, though she quickly realized Zong Ye, this elder of Zhenyu Sect, clearly intended to eliminate all witnesses to prevent news of Tianjizi’s whereabouts from spreading further.

Most of the cultivators present were below Monarch-grade in cultivation, take the members of Batian Escort Bureau for example. Under the terrifying pressure of that divine sense, they didn’t even have time to think. Deep down, they were only lucid enough to understand one thing: they were completely “done for”. Terror contorted their faces.

As the divine sense pressed toward Lu Yao, she saw all the people ahead of her reduced to bloody mist. With a cold snort, she casually raised her right hand and waved it forward. Her powerful physique rippled outward, sending a ring of spatial shockwaves expanding like rippling water.

That spatial ripple appeared unimpressive, yet its power was terrifying, it crushed Zong Ye’s divine sense like dry twigs.

“Ahhh!”

Zong Ye let out a wretched scream as his divine sense was devastated. Before he could recover, the expanding wave of spatial force swept over him and the disciples of Zhenyu Sect.

Pfft! Pfft!

Next, Zong Ye and the group of disciples exploded like firecrackers, transforming into drifting blood mist scattered across deep space. They were crushed even more thoroughly than those he’d just suppressed with his divine sense.

With Zong Ye’s physical body obliterated, the “Divine Sense Great Wall” he had constructed vanished instantly.

“Heavenly Immortal Realm?”

Zong Ye’s Life Soul stared blankly at Lu Yao, then turned to flee. The souls of his disciples did the same.

Lu Yao understood the principle of leaving no loose ends. The yin energy within her transformed into countless horrifying chains that surged forward. Each one accurately found a soul, wound around it, and yanked tight, causing the target to instantly disintegrate, body and soul.

Zong Ye was also caught by one such chain. He struggled with all his might and screamed in terror while thrashing, “Yin energy! That’s yin energy! You’re a fiend!”

With a flick of Lu Yao’s thought, the chain suddenly tightened, crushing Zong Ye’s Life Soul to dust.

A dead silence fell over the battlefield. Only the few escort guards from Batian Escort Bureau who had come to find Ai Qing were still alive. They stared, eyes wide, at the carnage before them, trembling with fear, unable to even summon the strength to flee.

Ai Qing turned her head stiffly to look at Lu Yao, her lips trembling. “You… you’re a fiend!”

Lu Yao didn’t waste words. She grabbed Ai Qing’s hand and vanished on the spot.

After flying for a while, Lu Yao stopped and scanned her surroundings.

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Ai Qing, regaining her senses, immediately dropped to her knees with a thud, begging for mercy: “Please spare me, my lady! I didn’t know how powerful you were… if I offended you before… please forgive me!”

“Enough nonsense! Take me to Lanhuan Planet. You’ll be free the moment we get there. If you try anything funny, I won’t mind turning you into a snack.”

Lu Yao commanded coldly, a crimson glow of resentment flickering in her eyes.

“Y-yes… yes, absolutely! I’ll obey!”

Ai Qing stammered, her legs shaking uncontrollably like some deformed creature.

She then pointed in a direction before obediently entering the storage ring.

Lu Yao slipped on the ring and resumed her journey. About an hour later, she said to the ring, “Come out. Tell me where we are now, and which way to go next.”

Lu Yao reappeared and glanced around blankly, muttering, “Where are we?”

“You’re the guide and you’re asking me?”

Lu Yao’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

“S-sorry, my lady! Let me check the ‘Planetary Map’.”

Flustered, Ai Qing pulled out a map and began studying it.

“Didn’t you say you’ve been to Lanhuan Planet? Why do you need a map?”

Lu Yao’s fangs were beginning to show.

“My lady, I have been there, but that doesn’t mean I remember every planet! Besides, I don’t know whether you’ve strayed from the correct path.”

Ai Qing rushed to explain.

Lu Yao now fully bared her fangs, she hadn’t expected to end up with such a useless guide.

Qi Huang, though merely a bystander, couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ai Qing. She was truly worried that this zombie girl might lose patience and eat the poor thing.

But Lu Yao didn’t strike in the end. After all, she’d chosen the guide herself. No matter how bad they were, she had to accept that responsibility, didn’t she?

Ai Qing studied the star map for a long time, her expression gradually becoming one of disbelief. “Th-that’s Hongxia Planet? How can that be?”

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“What is it?”

Lu Yao asked impatiently.

“N-nothing. It’s just… your speed is way too fast. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

“Cut the crap. Did we stray from the route?”

Lu Yao barked.

“N-no, we’re still on the right track.”

“Good. Which way next?”

“Head back.”

Ai Qing pointed behind them.

“If we’re on the correct path, why go back?”

“Because you overshot it.”

“Ah?”

Now it was Lu Yao’s turn to look embarrassed. But she still tried to argue: “That’s your fault. A guide is supposed to warn me!”

‘How was I supposed to know your speed was like that?’

Ai Qing muttered inwardly but only said aloud, “It’s fine. We’re not far from Lanhuan Planet anymore. Even at my speed, it’d only take—ah…!”

She didn’t finish her sentence, Lu Yao had already grabbed her and taken off again.

“Wuwu… slow down… I can’t even see where we’re going!”

Ai Qing begged all the way through the air.

In less than fifteen minutes, Lanhuan Planet appeared in their sights.

It was called Lanhuan ¹ 蓝幻 (lánhuàn). 蓝 (lán) = blue, 幻 (huàn) = illusion/mirage because of its massive deep-blue ring, made of ice and stony debris, clearly visible in space. The planet’s surface was blanketed year-round in ice and snow, thousands of zhang thick, with an extremely low temperature. Even for immortals and cultivators, the environment was brutal, so few ever lived there.

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Ai Qing took a deep breath, relieved that her task was finally over.

“You can go now.”

Lu Yao dismissed her.

“Uh…”

Ai Qing stood still, hesitating.

“What? Not satisfied with the payment?”

Lu Yao frowned and tossed her a premium spirit stone.

Ai Qing caught it, then hastily explained, “No, no! I just wanted to ask when you plan to return. If I go back on my own, it might take decades.”

“You want me to fly you back?”

Lu Yao burst out laughing, baring her sharp fangs. “Get lost before I eat you.”

Startled, Ai Qing clutched the spirit stone and fled in panic.

With a cold snort, Lu Yao finally turned toward Lanhuan Planet. But at that very moment, she noticed a figure approaching.

Unsure whether friend or foe, she held back her attack.

“Benefactor, it’s been over twenty years, but I’ve finally found you!”

As the man drew close, he dropped to his knees in reverence.

Qi Huang examined the figure, a gray-haired middle-aged man. Though his clothes were neat, his hair was messy, his face worn, and he looked utterly travel-worn.

“I don’t know you. When did I ever help you?”

Lu Yao immediately distanced herself, clearly wary.

“That’s okay. Maybe not before, but you definitely will in the future. You’ll soon become the great benefactor of our Yu family. I am Yu Qian’s father, Yu Wan.”

The middle-aged man introduced himself.

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‘Yu Wan? Yu Qian? What brutish names.’ ² 虞万 (Yú Wàn),  虞芊 (Yú Qiān). 虞 (Yú) = worry,anxiety/fear, 万 (Wàn) = ten thousand, 芊 (Qiān) = grass/vegetation. Not sure what Qi Huang means by brutish names, Ten Thousand Worry and Ten Thousand Grass sound like normal names to me. Jokes aside, it could be because these names lack the elegance and subtlety typical of refined Chinese names. Chinese names often use poetic, sophisticated characters with deep cultural meanings.

Qi Huang couldn’t help but comment inwardly. As for why this man had appeared out of nowhere, she’d seen too much by now to be surprised.

“Yu Qian? That little Tianjizi?”

Lu Yao instinctively asked for confirmation.

“Yes. My daughter foresaw this day when she was very young. That’s why she instructed me to wait here and give you her exact location.”

Yu Wan explained.

“So she knew all along I’d come looking for her?”

Lu Yao gave a self-deprecating chuckle.

“Not just that, she knows where you come from, your purpose, and how your journey will end.”

Yu Wan’s words were shocking.

“Is that so? But I don’t like being someone else’s pawn.”

Lu Yao’s expression turned dark. After all, who wanted to be manipulated?

“You misunderstand, benefactor. You’re not a pawn, you’re a great benefactor to the Yu family. You help my daughter gain her freedom, and she tells you what lies ahead. It’s mutual aid.”

Yu Wan expertly flattered her.

“If it’s mutual, how is that being a benefactor?”

Lu Yao replied indifferently, then asked, “What if I refuse to save her?”

“Then every step you take will be seen clearly by the Heavenly Dao. Your ending is doomed to fail.”

Yu Wan answered calmly.

“And if I choose to meet her, then what ending awaits?”

Lu Yao asked, expression unreadable.