Chapter 122 The Great Foundation:

Madam Mei's revelation stunned everyone present, leaving them speechless with shock.

Even the experienced treasure-hunting team was deeply shocked. They never expected that the truth revealed by the mission they took in this remote little place would be a hundred times more exciting than the adultery-catching missions assigned by nobles in Shengjing. If they continued talking, it would overturn the balance of power among the three major sects of the cultivation world.

"Ah, no wonder!" Shen Bingsi seemed to have realized something. "I thought it was a coincidence, but I didn't expect it to be deliberately built like this—the layout of your Lu family's courtyards is really similar to the Heartless Dao Palace in Zhilan Ridge!"

They all had the same heavily fortified layout, with walls separating the living areas. The courtyards were poorly ventilated, consisting mainly of walls and narrow paths, much like the examination halls for taking exams.

Shen Bingsi had little contact with the Lu family. He had come to the Lu family with Miss Shen when he was a child, but he had forgotten what he came for. He had never come back since. This time, he was looking for Rong Xie, and it was the first time he had returned to the Lu family in many years.

Upon seeing it, he felt a little awkward, but he didn't think much of it. He just thought to himself, "No wonder Lu Yingqi adapted to life in Zhilanling so easily. It turns out his hometown looks like this too."

"Hmph, of course it's not a coincidence. The Lu family mansion was built this way precisely because I modified it according to the layout of the Ruthless Dao Palace. This layout is more suitable for cultivation, rather than like an ordinary family that spends its days eating, drinking, and gossiping about other people's business." Madam Mei said coldly.

"The young masters and ladies begin their training at the age of five, undergo their first spiritual root test at six, and prepare for the entrance examination of the Xuantian Sect from seven to twelve. During this period, they will receive their own personal attendants. The bond they develop through training and living together in their youth is the strongest. After the age of twelve, they will begin to participate in the selection examinations of various sects. Because the disciples trained by the Lu family best meet the needs of the Xuantian Sect, their success rate in passing the entrance test is very high, which quickly attracted the attention of the Xuantian Sect. In the following years, the Xuantian Sect set up a disciple reception point in Qinghe, and other sects, large and small, also began to pay attention to the Lu family."

"And all of this is thanks to me."

After saying this, Madam Mei took a deep breath and showed a very satisfied expression.

For so many years, he has been living in seclusion in this remote corner of the world, secretly arranging everything in a small, unknown family. No one in the entire cultivation world knows what Qinghe County is, no one knows who Madam Mei is, and even the Lu family members themselves do not know who Madam Mei, who is leading the revitalization of their Lu family, is.

The frustration of doing something extraordinary yet remaining unknown is something not everyone can endure. Madam Mei has borne humiliation and hardship for so many years, and finally revealed her earth-shattering achievement in such an unexpected setting. Her most perfect work—the Xuan Tian Sword—was still by her side, serving as powerful evidence of her extraordinary achievement and silently proving her success.

Madam Mei was very satisfied. In fact, she was even a little grateful to Rong Xie for revealing the truth about the Spirit Spring Well today, which finally gave her a chance to announce to the world the great cause that would make her name in history.

"What a pity..." Madam Mei sighed, her gaze sweeping regretfully over the treasure-hunting team and Rong Xie. "You know, but you can't spread the word. The time isn't ripe yet. Only when Young Master Qi ascends to immortality will Madam Mei's name be known throughout the world, hahahaha..."

Mrs. Mei burst into uncontrollable laughter, looking up at the sky.

"..."

Shen Bingsi stared blankly at Madam Mei, as if she were possessed by Lu Yingqi at this moment.

His fingers twitched unconsciously, and a cluster of golden light overflowed from his fingertips, cutting into the invisible wall of energy in front of him and slowly and steadily drawing a circle.

Lu Yingqi's pupils suddenly twitched and shifted towards him.

The next moment, the silver chains broke through Lu Yingqi's invisible aura barrier and went straight for Madam Mei, who was laughing loudly, instantly binding her tightly.

The chains grew longer as they encountered people, snake-like as they wrapped around Madam Mei's ribs, elbows, and neck. Except for her legs, which could still move, her upper body was firmly locked. A silver chain used for pulling returned to Shen Bingsi's hand, which he grabbed.

"Bang!"

Madam Mei's body was suddenly pulled forward, her face slamming into the invisible wall of energy. Her mouth, which had been laughing loudly just moments before, was now twisted and contorted, her heavily made-up face pressed against the transparent barrier, presenting a distorted and ridiculous appearance.

Shen Bingsi gave a disdainful "Ugh," as if he wasn't the one who had just been pulling the chains.

After doing all that, he tilted his shoulder at Lu Yingqi and looked at him provocatively from below with a smile: "Thanks for going easy on me, Senior Brother Lu."

Lu Yingqi's lips moved slightly, and his icy face showed signs of breaking down. It was really uncomfortable to see the usually gentle and upright "Rong Xie" acting so shamelessly.

Just as Madam Mei was feeling smug, she was suddenly bound by chains by Shen Bingsi.

He immediately stopped laughing. His chin, which had been knocked askew, twitched several times before he managed to straighten it back against the invisible wall of air.

"Young Master Qi—" As soon as Madam Mei regained her ability to speak, she struggled to rush towards Lu Yingqi, who was standing to the side. "Young Master Qi, look what he's done! He tied me up! He's going to take me to the Mirror Palace! Then our Lu family will be finished, the Lu family's century-old foundation, and the Lu family disciples I've painstakingly nurtured! Especially you, Young Master Qi, you are my most perfect creation. You can go even further. As long as you listen to me, you will attain enlightenment and ascend to immortality, becoming the only cultivator to ascend in the past five hundred years of the Ruthless Dao Palace of the Xuantian Sect!"

"..." Lu Yingqi glanced at Madam Mei and said indifferently, "My ascension to immortality is my business, and your punishment by the Mirror Palace is your business. Everything has its cause and effect. Sowing evil causes will reap evil consequences. I have no interest in interfering in other people's evil consequences."

When Lu Yingqi said these words, he finally made his stance clear: he would remain on the sidelines. Rong Xie and the treasure hunting team secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and Shen Bingsi was also slightly moved, showing Lu Yingqi a more favorable expression.

Madam Mei never expected that after he finished explaining his contributions to the Lu family and how he would greatly help Lu Yingqi's future development, Lu Yingqi would remain unmoved. Not only did he stop helping him as before, he also went easy on Shen Bingsi, allowing Shen Bingsi to ride roughshod over him.

Could it be that he was completely wrong, that Shen Bingsi didn't care that much about the Lu family or his future development?

"Young Master Qi, are you really going to watch the Lu family fall?" Madam Mei asked unwillingly. "Every cultivator has their own family behind them. Even if you sever your kinship, don't you care about that support?"

"I don't care." Lu Yingqi said these three words without any further explanation.

"..." Madam Mei choked up, "If the Lu family is disgraced and your past practice of using a furnace for cultivation is exposed, according to the rules of Zhilan Ridge, you will be a traitor who steals the sect's teachings and will be expelled from the sect. Don't you care?"

"No." This time, Lu Yingqi's answer was more decisive and briefer.

Madam Mei stared at Lu Yingqi in astonishment. After a moment, he suddenly laughed.

"Truly worthy of being a prodigy of the Ruthless Path," Madam Mei sighed. "This temperament is impeccable, far surpassing that of Elders Red and White back then. No wonder he is a natural-born Ruthless Path Saint Body that I personally nurtured!"

"..." Shen Bingsi tugged at the silver chain, "Have you finished talking nonsense?"

Madam Mei slammed into the invisible wall of air again with a "thud".

He pressed himself against the wall of energy, panting heavily, and with difficulty turned his head to look at the ruthless Daoist Saint Body, struggling to say, "Where's Xiaozhi? You don't care whether he lives or dies?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yingqi's pupils contracted slightly, and his cold, chess-piece-like eyes slowly turned towards Madam Mei.

Mrs. Mei smiled knowingly.

Shen Bingsi's brow twitched: "No way, no way, Senior Brother Lu, you have the Ruthless Dao Saint Body, you keep talking about proving the Dao and ascending to immortality without asking for help, but you can't even let go of a mere servant boy. I'm telling you, you'll never be able to prove the Dao like this! Sooner or later, I'll trample you under my feet!"

"Besides, Rong Xie has already explained to you that this old monster doesn't have anything that can control Xiao Zhi. Don't let your thoughts show on your face just because he tests you, okay? That really tarnishes the reputation of our Ruthless Dao's chosen one!"

However, Shen Bingsi's shouting had no effect; Lu Yingqi still did not release his invisible air barrier that had a hole in it.

Standing inches apart, Lu Yingqi stared intently at Madam Mei: "What do you mean?"

Madam Mei sneered: "What Rong Xie said is indeed true. I don't have the means to control Xiao Zhi. Xiao Zhi has made something of himself now. His furnace physique was originally not allowed to establish a foundation, but he actually broke through that barrier... However, a furnace physique is still a furnace physique. The more it is used, the faster it dies. Only I know how to nurture a furnace physique. Even Elder Hong doesn't know. Are you sure you want to send me to the Mirror Palace?"

"Liar! If he knew how to maintain the furnace, why doesn't he maintain himself?" Shen Bingsi pointed out sharply.

"Pah, what's wrong with me? Decades have passed, and I'm still so young and healthy, still charming. That's already quite remarkable," Madam Mei paused, glancing disdainfully at the old man pretending to faint behind her. "Besides, I don't even have a capable cultivator by my side. What's the use of me trying my best?"

"Pfft—" Shen Bingsi almost dropped the chain in her hand. "Lu Yingqi, you don't actually believe his nonsense, do you?"

"Don't laugh, you surnamed Shen," Madam Mei's eyes darted past Shen Bingsi to Rong Xie in the distance, her voice lowering, "Your little friend, was he also picked up by the Shen family? How can you be so sure he's not a furnace cauldron? What if he was abandoned at your Shen family's doorstep after our Lu family's failed transformation? What if the head of the Shen family also intends to follow our Lu family's example and ask us to send a child there, and he happens to be one of them?"

Shen Bingsi's smile vanished, and his amused attitude disappeared instantly. He yanked the chain hard, slamming Madam Mei against an invisible wall of energy. Several cracks appeared in the air instantly. Madam Mei didn't even have time to react before letting out a short groan. Her eyes glazed over, and blood flowed from her ears.

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Shen Bingsi said viciously. "Then we can't let you go even more. Once we get to the Mirror Palace, I have plenty of ways to make you spill everything you know. —Lu Yingqi, release the barrier!"

"..." Lu Yingqi looked down at Madam Mei, who was slowly sliding down the invisible wall of energy and finally hanging in mid-air by chains. He neither helped her nor broke the barrier. "No, he can't leave."

Shen Bingsi looked up at Lu Yingqi in disbelief.

“Until he has clearly explained everything about the furnace cauldron,” Lu Yingqi glanced back at Shen Bingsi, “no one can take him away.”

Shen Bingsi stared at Lu Yingqi, and gradually, the annoyance in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a strange excitement: "A battle between you and me is inevitable. It seems that this battle will have to be brought forward?"