Chapter 392: Invitation From the Human Emperor
In the end, the method of refining the black gourd and embracing the souls of the blessed deceased was passed on to King Zhennan.
Lu Heng also engaged in a friendly and cordial conversation with this noble prince, mentioning the conceptualization of the construction of the netherworld realm and the vacant position of the Ten Yama Kings.
In the current netherworld, not to mention the Ten Yama Kings, even the Chakravartin Palace under the rule of You Yue has a significant number of vacancies for ghost attendants and positions. Additionally, in the mortal realm, there is a need to establish a city protector system, which requires an even larger number of ghost attendants and positions.
At the very least, a city should have a City God Temple. Considering the vast expanse of the world, the construction of this netherworld reincarnation system requires an incredibly daunting number of ghost cultivators. The mere thousands of ghost cultivators in the Chakravartin Palace are like a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed.
At the same time, Lu Heng also smiled and informed King Zhennan that to the south, the Fire Pass Country has already begun preparations for establishing the netherworld reincarnation system, after annihilating the Green Hell Cave and expelling the malevolent spirits. Within the boundaries of the Fire Pass Country, wizards have begun tallying and observing the virtuous individuals who have done good deeds and displayed exemplary conduct in their jurisdiction. It is only a matter of time, a hundred years from now, before their souls will be guided into the realm of the netherworld.
Indeed, when Lu Heng mentioned that the Fire Pass Country had already set things in motion, King Zhennan's eagerness grew even more pronounced.
He stayed within the realm of the netherworld and engaged in spirited conversations with You Yue and other ghost cultivators for three days and three nights, before finally being sent back to the mortal realm.
Furthermore, after King Zhennan returned to Zhuxian Town, he casually exchanged a few words with the wife of City Lord Nangong, before leaving behind all his attendants and setting off towards the direction of the capital city, accompanied only by fellow innate cultivator, Baiyu.
He must expediently arrange a meeting with the ruler of the Youxiong Country.
As for Lu Heng, he found himself in a much more relaxed and leisurely state. After resolving the troubles in Zhuxian Town, he embarked on a journey northward, carrying the ancient Sword Formation that he had chanced upon.
Although Lian Cangqing downplayed the power of the Heaven's Divination Nine Swords as "average," for Lu Heng, it was sufficient for self-defense. With the Sword Formation in his possession, Lu Heng, who had always lacked conventional means to defend himself, felt much more reassured in his heart.
Amidst the swirling snowflakes, Lu Heng and Xiao Ai walked alone in the wilderness. Their leisurely strides resembled those of ordinary travelers on a journey, braving the snowy path.
However, with the mountains sealed by heavy snow, no merchants dare venture outside during such weather. In the chilling winds of midwinter nights, countless ferocious beasts and wild demons lurk along the desolate wilderness, lying in ambush for travelers passing by.
The departure of the Wuyou and Wuyu siblings made Lu Heng and Xiao Ai's wilderness journey more lighthearted, yet it also felt much lonelier.
After all, both Lu Heng and Xiao Ai were rather taciturn individuals.
Previously, when descending the mountain with Xiao Ai, Lu Heng didn't find it strange that they had few conversations between them. However, now that he had grown accustomed to the bickering of the Wuyou and Wuyu siblings, the sudden absence of these two children left Lu Heng with a somewhat empty and desolate feeling in his heart.
The deceased cannot be brought back to life, let alone the fact that the Wuyou and Wuyu siblings are characters who died two to three hundred years ago and were merely conjured into existence by dark magic.
Now that the truth has been unveiled and the illusions have vanished, these siblings, who were never meant to exist in this world, have naturally returned to dust and soil, beyond even the rescue of Lu Heng.
Contemplating this, Lu Heng felt a tinge of bitterness in his heart. He looked up at the snowflakes swirling in the sky and sighed, "Alas, I have ultimately missed this year's Eve…"
Lu Heng also pondered about giving these false offspring some red envelope gifts on New Year's Eve.
Xiao Ai, who was following behind Lu Heng, remained silent and refrained from expressing her opinion on the matter.
The solitary figure of a person and a wolf tread upon the pure white snow in the wilderness, becoming the sole moving traces upon the icy, desolate pale earth.
At their current pace, it is feared that it would take them at least ten years to leave the Youxiong Country.
However, as the group of demons ahead didn't accelerate, Lu Heng naturally could not increase his speed either, and could only maintain a pace similar to theirs as he journeyed northward.
Lu Heng was very perplexed. Did this group of demons, who were fleeing at such a sluggish pace, already suspect that he had been following them all along?
It is also unknown what these evil creatures are planning. Previously lingering near Zhuxian Town, Lu Heng thought they were going to intervene in the anomaly occurring there. However, in the end, he was unable to find them in Zhuxian Town.
Nowadays, as the evil creatures continue their journey northward, their speed remains as slow as before. It's truly baffling that they have covered less than a thousand miles in three days. One cannot fathom what these evil creatures are up to.
On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, to Lu Heng's surprise, that group of evil creatures suddenly stopped moving. Moreover, they happened to have halted near a large city. It made Lu Heng suspicious whether these evil creatures also intended to join in the festivities and spend New Year's Eve in the city.
In the wilderness, Lu Heng and Xiao Ai set up a temporary camp by a frozen lake.
Ever since Xiao Ai's cultivation became stronger, she has been engaging in more activities. She specially crafted a simple miniature magical treasure, which serves no other purpose than being a palm-sized wooden house.
Whenever Lu Heng and Xiao Ai come to a halt, Xiao Ai takes out this small wooden house and places it on an open space. The palm-sized wooden house quickly expands, ultimately transforming into a serene courtyard with three entrances and three exits.
Within the courtyard, pavilions, towers, and terraces are adorned, where flowing wine and winding streams can be found amidst the lush green bamboo, creating an incredibly tranquil hermitage. It is truly a secluded dwelling that perfectly aligns with Lu Heng's preferences.
And within this serene courtyard with three entrances and three exits, the temperature remains like spring throughout the seasons. Even in the current chilly winter of the twelfth lunar month, as long as one steps into the courtyard, they will not feel the cold.
Now, Xiao Ai has placed this little courtyard next to the frozen lake, appearing abruptly in the wilderness. If someone passing by were to see this tranquil courtyard suddenly emerging in the desolate wilds, they would surely mistake it for a secluded abode of mythical creatures inhabiting the mountains and wilderness.
Lu Heng named this courtyard "Green Bamboo Garden."
Presently, Lu Heng is sitting on the lakeside terrace, gazing at the swirling snowflakes descending from the sky. Before him, a radiant white light hovers, within which floats a palm-sized figure.
Within the radiant white light, threads of heavenly thunder incessantly flicker, occasionally sweeping through, imbuing the small figure, entirely composed of Heavenly Thunder Sand, with divine energy.
From the kitchen wafted the aroma of cooked food, as Xiao Ai was stir-frying a dish.
Inside the white light before Lu Heng, the small figure composed of Heavenly Thunder Sand was originally pitch black, with only rudimentary limbs and body shape. However, as Lu Heng shaped it with his thoughts, the exceedingly dark figure gradually acquired curves, and the color on its surface gradually faded away from black.
In the end, it transformed into the appearance of a young girl with silver hair and animal ears. It was indeed a miniature version of Xiao Ai.
Upon witnessing the successful shaping of the Heavenly Thunder Sand, a smile emerged on Lu Heng's face. He waved his hand, dispersing the thunderous light surrounding the divine artifact, and caught the descending miniature version of Xiao Ai with grace.
The sensation of touch, as the icy chill grazed their hand, faintly carried a touch of the aura of thunder.
This is the "servant" that Lu Heng has prepared for Xiao Ai. Although Luyu Manor is tranquil and elegant, it lacks menial servants. Every time Xiao Ai cooks and prepares meals, she does it alone; hence, Lu Heng wishes to provide her with a few assistants.
Since I happened to have Heavenly Thunder Sand in my hand, I will use it as a foundation to craft a simple puppet through the process of sacrificial refinement.
However, the miniature Xiao Ai in my hand, though it has already begun to embody a divine presence, bearing striking resemblance to Xiao Ai herself, is merely a rudimentary form of shaping. It still requires several tens of days of sacrificial refinement at the very least, in order to truly animate it.
However, such a simple shaping process has sparked Lu Heng's interest. He took out the remaining Heavenly Thunder Sand and resumed the sacrificial refinement once again.
When Xiao Ai called out to Lu Heng for a meal, on the terrace in front of Lu Heng, stood four young girls with silver hair and cold expressions, each with animal ears.
Though they were all just the size of a palm, each of these "Xiao Ai" had delicate and fair skin, with a cool and serene countenance. Their silver hair cascaded, making them look truly lifelike.
Upon witnessing this scene, Xiao Ai was momentarily stunned, and her little mouth involuntarily opened in surprise.
"Wolf… the Wolf God…" Xiao Ai stared blankly at this scene, feeling somewhat bewildered.
Lu Heng turned back with a smile and said, "I will help you refine a few puppet boys and girls and place them in the Green Bamboo Garden. From now on, you won't have to handle everything personally. You can simply instruct them to take care of trivial matters and miscellaneous tasks. In case of encountering minor obstacles, you can also directly call upon them for assistance."
"However, at present, they have only achieved physical form. In order for them to truly move, it will still take a considerable amount of time for them to be properly trained. As for the four boys and girls, it will likely take at least six months, if not more."
Lu Heng chuckled and said, "Since there is nothing to do on the journey north, I might as well cultivate… What do you think? Have I made it exactly like you?"
Lu Heng smiled as he handed over one of the boys and girls.
Xiao Ai's face turned slightly red, and she accepted it with a hint of unease. However, Lu Heng had already stood up and said, "Alright, let's have a meal first. If we wait too long, the food will get cold."
The sky at this moment had gradually darkened.
Since Lu Heng and his companions left Zhuxian Town and headed north, they had not witnessed a strong sun for many days. Each day was filled with biting cold winds and heavy snowfall, with the sky completely obscured by dark clouds.
On several occasions, Lu Heng was curious and wondered if he could fly up into the clouds to get a glimpse and see if what Ao Tianxing said about finding traces of the dragon race was true.
However, it is currently snowing rather than raining. Dragons are known to control the rain and shower blessings upon the world, but whether they have any jurisdiction over snowfall remains unknown.
Rain and snow on Earth are essentially the same phenomenon, composed of water. However, in this world that defies the laws of physics, snow and rain may not necessarily be identical entities.
After all, it is impossible for snow on Earth to simultaneously descend upon the entire world, disregarding geographical variations and subjecting every direction to the same piercing cold of deep winter…
As the sky gradually darkened, the vast expanse of white snow continued to descend from the nocturnal heavens. Yet, these ethereal flakes silently vanished upon reaching the verdant Bamboo Grove, leaving no trace behind.
Seated in the courtyard, Lu Heng and Xiao Ai were presented with a sumptuous feast of six dishes and one soup, all skillfully prepared by Xiao Ai herself. While it might have appeared excessive for ordinary mortals, it was easily a manageable portion for a cultivator like Lu Heng, who could effortlessly consume the entire meal.
At the dining table, Xiao Ai said, "Wolf God, tomorrow I would like to go to the nearby town to purchase some items. As New Year's Eve is approaching, I wish to prepare a truly special feast for you."
In the eyes of the little girl, there was brimming anticipation.
Although she has been following Lu Heng for almost nine years, she has never truly spent New Year's Eve together with him. Now, being able to stay in this place, the little girl feels quite joyful deep inside her heart. She silently prays and wishes for those evil demons to remain in the vicinity, until the passing of the Lunar New Year.
Upon seeing the anticipation in Xiao Ai's eyes, Lu Heng nodded with a smile and said, "Then, Xiao Ai, I'll trouble you tomorrow. Our New Year's Eve feast mustn't be limited to just six dishes and one soup, you know."
Xiao Ai was greatly delighted by Lu Heng's words, and she quickly nodded in agreement.
In this way, until they finished their meal with their utensils in hand, a joyful smile adorned the face of the little girl. Xiao Ai, who had always been aloof and indifferent, now beamed with happiness.
After finishing his dinner, Lu Heng returned once again to the terrace by the lake, where he sat on the edge, facing the chill wind, cultivating his puppetry skills.
However, this serene night was soon shattered.
A dazzling streak of light surged across the sky from the east and landed directly in the center of the icy lake.
After the dissipation of the streak of light, emerged within the heavy snowfall were two figures, one wearing green and the other purple. Presumably, they were two brothers with remarkably similar facial features. Their shimmering robes, in shades of green and purple, glistened faintly in the nocturnal breeze.
It is evident that they are top-notch cultivators.
Lu Heng, who was in the midst of manipulating the puppet, stood up and concealed the lightning and the puppet within the folds of his sleeve. Arching his hand in a gesture of astonishment, he inquired, "Do the two esteemed cultivators have any matters to attend to?"
These two individuals undoubtedly came specifically for him, Lu Heng. However, Lu Heng was not quite clear about their origin.
However, these two individuals had no intentions of concealing their own origins. Upon witnessing Lu Heng's salutation, they promptly bowed towards him and said, "In the name of His Majesty, the Human Emperor, my brother and I have come to extend an invitation to the Wolf God for the New Year's Eve banquet. The Wolf God, who eradicated ancient malevolent forces and vanquished demonic entities in the Zhuxian Town, has earned the deep admiration of His Majesty, the Human Emperor. However, with the New Year's Eve approaching, the affairs within the Human Emperor Palace have become overwhelmingly busy. Therefore, His Majesty has dispatched the two of us to seek the presence of the Wolf God."
"Otherwise, according to His Majesty's intentions, he should have personally come to greet you… I wonder if the Wolf God will be available tomorrow?"
The respectful inquiry from the two brothers left Lu Heng quite astonished.
Human Emperor?
Although aware of the existence of a human sovereign who reigns above all nations in this realm, the Human Emperor Palace has always maintained a lofty and aloof position, seldom meddling in mortal affairs, and never interfering in the internal affairs of other nations.
Only when calamities such as the upheaval in Zhuxian Town occur, does the Human Emperor Palace step forward to resolve the imminent danger.
In Lu Heng's perspective, he appears more like a firefighter revered and worshiped by the world, yet lacking a significant presence-a safeguard of the righteous realm, akin to a mere safety measure.
Little did Lu Heng anticipate that this safeguard would send someone to extend an invitation for him to attend a banquet…
Lu Heng glanced at the sky and smiled, saying, "The distance from here to the Human Emperor Palace is uncertain, spanning countless thousands of miles. Even if we were to set off now, it is unlikely that we would arrive in time for the New Year banquet."
Lu Heng politely declined.
Upon witnessing a cultivator clad in a green divine robe, bowing respectfully to Lu Heng, he said, "Return to the Wolf God, my brother and I have brought the treasured Floating Light Boat from the Human Emperor Palace. It can swiftly traverse the world with the fleeting brilliance, allowing us to reach the Human Emperor Palace within half an hour. We ensure that the Wolf God will be able to attend the New Year banquet."
The words of the cultivator in green robes left Lu Heng even more astonished.
The Floating Light Boat, this thing Lu Heng has also heard of, it is indeed one of the treasures of the Human Emperor Palace. It is considered a top-notch treasure in the world, and now it is being used to invite Lu Heng to a banquet?
This sincerity is truly overwhelming.
In the night breeze, Lu Heng hesitated for a moment, then turned around and glanced at Xiao Ai behind him.
In the end, he could only force a bitter smile and say, "I apologize, but Lu Heng already has prior arrangements for tomorrow and cannot attend the banquet. It would be a disappointment to the gracious intentions of the Human Emperor. I hope that both of you can go back and explain the situation. I will definitely come to apologize in person on another occasion."
Lu Heng could see Xiao Ai's longing for the New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow.
How could he let Xiao Ai's expectations be shattered for the invitation of a Human Emperor whom she had never met before?
Therefore, Lu Heng declined the invitation to this extravagant banquet that had the power to drive the people of the world into madness.
