Chapter 108: Secrets of the Wu Zhou Group and the Great Solar Flame Furnace

Zhou Yunqiong?

Lu Yuan was undoubtedly surprised that Jiang Ningxian would suddenly bring up this name, though he remained calm. He was curious as to why someone from beyond the realm would care about Zhou Yunqiong. A thought began to stir within him, but he kept it to himself, choosing instead to look at her and wait for an explanation.

"I am aware of the grievances between the Wuzhou Group and you, King Lu. Your relationship is not very good." Jiang Ningxian spoke. She had been here for some time and had gathered a great deal of information. Since she had arrived early to serve as an advance party for the Ancestral Star and to handle subsequent arrangements, she was well-informed. Without unnecessary pleasantries, she explained, "The Wuzhou Group is controlled by the Zhou family, but in reality, they have another identity."

"This Zhou family is a descendant of the Ji clan from long ago, and that so-called 'Winged Heavenly God' is a remnant of the Celestial Race."

"In the past, the two clans joined forces to overthrow a dynasty, and the Ji clan became the masters of the world."

She did not say much, but the information she revealed was profound. Upon hearing this, even Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly. Previously, he had only known that the Zhou family was far from simple. Later, they had joined forces with certain great star-system clans, expanding their influence and becoming increasingly inscrutable. He had not expected them to be descendants of the Ji clan.

Wuzhou, Wuzhou—there are two interpretations in history: one refers to the Zhou dynasty established by the Empress of Emperor Gaozong during the early Tang Dynasty; the other is the conquest of Shang by King Wu of Zhou, who bore the surname Ji. The Zhou family had hidden themselves well.

The Ji clan. Setting aside everything else, they were one of the great surnames in history, possessing immense influence, much like the Jiang clan. For instance, Xuanyuan, one of the Five Emperors, was also of the Ji surname—the Yellow Emperor of the Yan and Huang people. As for the Winged Heavenly God, if one were forced to make a connection, a similar entity did indeed exist during the era of King Wu's conquest of Shang.

"I see. Thank you for the information, Miss Jiang." For Lu Yuan, this news was indeed valuable; it allowed him to better understand the future landscape, and the fact that she had brought it up was a reminder to him.

"Actually, with King Lu's current strength, there is no need to worry about the so-called Wuzhou Group."

"The key lies with Zhou Yunqiong. The bloodline she carries is no less than that of the main branch of the Ji clan in the depths of the star-system. Her potential is limitless."

As the Saintess of the Jiang clan, Jiang Ningxian’s vision was incomparable, perhaps surpassing everyone in this world. That was why, when she first discovered Zhou Yunqiong, she could not help but feel shocked. She had never expected that a remnant of the Ji clan left behind here could produce such an individual. She knew of some of the grudges between Lu Yuan and Zhou Yunqiong, so she could not help but mention it; whether he took it to heart was another matter.

"I understand."

Lu Yuan, however, remained extremely calm, his emotions unruffled. To him, whether it was the Jiang clan or the Ji clan, no matter how powerful or mysterious they were, it had little to do with him. If there were a conflict, he would naturally crush it with his own strength.

"Then the two of us shall take our leave."

Jiang Ningxian seemed to perceive the powerful self-confidence in Lu Yuan, and her impression of him improved further. However, she chose not to say more. After nodding, she led the old man out of the room. They did not use any special techniques, walking like ordinary people, appearing entirely unremarkable.

"Saintess," the old man following behind could finally no longer resist, "This Lu Yuan certainly has potential and sufficient strength, but are you truly prepared to gift him the Great Sun Flame God Furnace?"

"This item is one of the few supreme treasures you brought from the Ancestral Star. It is exceptionally precious—a sacred object for tempering the physique and blood essence."

He felt it was a pity. Even knowing that Lu Yuan was not simple, the cost was too high. Moreover, the great age had not truly arrived, and the road ahead would only become more difficult. Whether Lu Yuan would fall along the path of evolution remained to be seen.

"Since he had the fortune to obtain the essence blood left behind by our ancestors, he is destined to be extraordinary."

"Especially in this world, to have reached such a level while it is still in its infancy... I think he is quite impressive."

Jiang Ningxian answered after a moment of thought, a faint smile on her face. "Alright, no need to say more. I have already decided. Let's go."

The old man did not press the issue; since the Saintess insisted, he simply had to obey. The two sped up, and their figures slowly vanished.

Elsewhere, Lu Yuan settled his mind and recalled what Jiang Ningxian had said. The information was limited, but combined with his own memories, he began to understand. Simply put, this world was not like this in the distant past. Everyone possessed transcendent power, and there were endless streams of powerful individuals. However, due to various wars for unknown purposes, the sages of humanity, in order to protect the majority, cast the "Great Severance of Heaven and Earth," cutting off the connection between this world and the deep space beyond. Since then, the transcendent had gradually faded, eventually evolving into the current development centered on technology.

Yet, as time passed, the means of the Great Severance began to fail. This, it seemed, was the truth behind the changes in the world.

However, there was one point Lu Yuan still did not understand: the deep space beyond, the vast and endless universe—why was this world so special? Clearly, there were more secrets hidden within, ones that perhaps even the Jiang clan of the Huangyan Immortal Domain could not fully explain. It seemed everything would have to be explored slowly in the future.

With these thoughts, Lu Yuan left the room to find Elder Yun. He told him about the cooperation proposed by Jiang Ningxian. When Elder Yun heard that the two came from the deep space beyond the realm, he was shocked and disbelieving. But he soon calmed down; having experienced the major events of the new era, he could quickly accept even the most bizarre occurrences. However, he could not make the decision regarding the cooperation on his own, so he chose to summon Elder Ji and the others to discuss whether to agree.

Elder Ji and the others rushed to the Mount Tai Trial Institute upon hearing the news. It was a major matter concerning the future, and they could not afford to be careless. Over the next few days, several meetings were held. They also gathered Ji Yuzhen and Dean Zheng to hear their opinions, but it was clear they were struggling to reach a decision. They asked for Lu Yuan's opinion, but he said nothing, leaving it to them. He knew that given his current strength, his opinion would likely sway them too much. He merely stated that he would support whatever they decided.

Eventually, they decided to speak with Jiang Ningxian face-to-face. Lu Yuan arranged the meeting. A few days later, Jiang Ningxian and her companion returned to clarify the purpose of the cooperation. They required nothing more than a place to reside and a foothold, and in return, they would provide various forms of assistance to the authorities in the future.

The two sides discussed for a long time. In the end, Elder Ji and the others were heavy-hearted, having realized that extraterrestrial beings would descend and that the future situation would become increasingly severe and uncontrollable. They chose to agree to the cooperation, but only on the condition that they maintained the leading role. It was a helpless necessity. Jiang Ningxian agreed.

This result was within Lu Yuan's expectations; it had been the same in his previous life.

Of course, he did not know the details of their conversation, nor did he choose to participate. He simply headed to Mount Tai whenever he was free to chat with the spirit monkey. According to the monkey, the world was changing again, and some legendary places and beings would appear in this era—it was unclear whether it would be a blessing or a curse. Therefore, he prepared to focus on his cultivation for a while to improve his strength and face the chaotic times ahead.

As for Elder Ji and the others, after the cooperation was finalized, they poured more resources into the promising juniors and the elites of the academy. Various disasters were becoming more frequent, and there were sporadic riots of exotic beasts. Although they had not yet formed a beast tide, they were already affecting human survival. The chaos was reappearing.

In short, both humans and exotic beasts seemed to know that the second great change was imminent. The establishment of the Human Alliance meant that China no longer had to worry about external crises and could focus on internal defense.

One day, at the Mount Tai Trial Institute:

"King Lu, thanks to your bridging of the gap, the cooperation was completed smoothly." Jiang Ningxian said with a smile, the old man still following behind her. Since the agreement with Elder Ji, the two had stayed here, effectively becoming Lu Yuan's neighbors.

"Even without me, you could have negotiated it yourselves. My role was not significant." Lu Yuan shook his head. He did not waste words and asked, "I wonder what brings Miss Jiang here today?" Since moving into the Mount Tai Trial Institute, she had been busy with other matters; this was her first visit to his residence.

"It is, of course, to express my gratitude." Jiang Ningxian smiled and took out the Great Sun Flame God Furnace, her gaze incredibly sincere. "As I said before, once the cooperation was finalized, I would gift this to King Lu. I hope you will not refuse again. There is no ulterior motive; just take it as a gesture of goodwill from the Jiang clan toward you."

This was the second time she had met Lu Yuan, but she seemed to have grasped his temperament, knowing he would not accept it if she were too direct. It was better to be frank; once everything was laid out, it saved much concern. Conversations between intelligent people did not need to be overly convoluted.

Lu Yuan did not answer immediately. He looked at Jiang Ningxian for a long while before revealing a smile. "In that case, I shall accept with humility."

The young girl was determined to gift him this item; if he refused, she would only come again. Moreover, she had stated it was a gesture of goodwill, and Lu Yuan was not one for false modesty, so he accepted immediately.

"Good, thank you, King Lu." The girl beamed, revealing two small dimples that made her look quite playful. "I have some matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave now."

Having accomplished her mission, she felt a burden lifted. She bowed slightly and turned to walk out the door. Beside her, the old man looked helpless, as if his Saintess were the one who had received the treasure. However, he remained silent as usual, quietly following behind her.

In the main hall of the house, only Lu Yuan remained, looking at the bronze furnace, which was only a few inches in size. It bore no special runes, only the engraving of a great sun. A scorching heat emanated from it, raising the temperature of the room. This was without it even being activated; otherwise, it would be even more powerful, capable of melting metal and stone with ease.

Just as its name suggested: The Great Sun Flame God Furnace!

Lu Yuan could feel it. This treasure was perhaps even superior to the eleventh-grade Blood Pagoda. The blood essence within his own body stirred in response; it was a divine object for tempering the physique. However, he did not intend to use it immediately, planning to study it first.

"King Lu! King Lu!"

Just as Lu Yuan put away the Great Sun Flame God Furnace, Elder Ji and Elder Yun arrived. Their expressions were anxious, clearly having rushed over. Upon entering, they spoke in unison: "King Lu, something has happened!"