Chapter 145: I Will Lead You into the Dao

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: I Will Lead You into the Dao

"Lu Yuan!" Yan Qing appeared. "Senior Brother, hurry up and get on your horse."

Lu Yuan handed the reins of a horse to him.

"Alright." Yan Qing took the reins.

"This is my father, Lu Ming, and this is my senior brother, Yan Qing," Lu Yuan briefly introduced.

"I’ve long heard of your great name, Chief Lu," Yan Qing greeted respectfully.

"Master Yan is the one whose name truly precedes him," Lu Ming replied. "I’ve heard much about you, and Yuan often mentions you at home. Thank you for looking after him."

The two quickly got acquainted.

Lu Yuan went to check on the Lin Family’s carriage. Confirming everything was in order, he waved his hand. "Let’s go!"

Aside from Lin Qingfeng, both families had turned out in full force. Anyone who didn’t know better might think they had committed a crime and were fleeing the city together.

Just as they entered the main road, they encountered the Su Family’s carriage. Su Wan sat inside with her two maids, while a guard drove the vehicle. And so, a procession of three carriages, three horses, and over a dozen people left the city together.

They headed straight southeast. Burdened by the carriages, their pace was rather slow. It took them more than two hours before they finally came to a halt.

"Right here!" Lu Yuan stopped and found a tree to tie his horse to.

"This place is..." Lu Ming’s expression shifted as he gazed at the wide river, feeling the thick moisture in the air. He knew this place. It was Qishui Bay!

"The environment here is excellent, and the Primordial Qi is abundant." Yan Qing took a look around and nodded in satisfaction. His junior brother had definitely put a lot of thought into choosing this spot for his breakthrough.

"Indeed," Lu Ming nodded. It was a good location.

SWISH!

Over on the Lin Family’s side, Ink Jade darted straight off Lin Siyao’s wrist and slithered toward the riverbank. This was its home; its birthplace was right here.

"Is the little guy heading home?" Song Yumeng smiled. She knew Ink Jade’s origins.

"She was born here. This is where she hatched," Lin Siyao nodded. She could sense the little creature’s emotions and thoughts.

"Lu Yuan certainly knows how to pick a spot." Song Yumeng swept her gaze across the area. She easily grasped the atmospheric conditions within a ten-mile radius, perceiving the flow of Primordial Qi and the convergence of natural fortune. A place capable of incubating a Black Water Profound Snake until it hatched was naturally extraordinary.

"Mother, you have to protect Brother Yuan later..." Lin Siyao pleaded.

"He’s so confident; do you really think he isn’t sure of himself?" Song Yumeng teased.

"I’m the one who isn’t sure." Lin Siyao’s eyes were filled with worry. She wasn’t confident about Lu Yuan’s breakthrough. It was too rushed. Less than a month ago, he hadn’t even reached the Ninth Grade, yet now he was about to break through to the Seventh Grade. He had spent far too little time consolidating his foundation in the Eighth Grade. On top of that, he was using a highly unconventional method—breaking through via the Zither Dao.

"Do you... understand now?" Song Yumeng pointed out. "Lu Yuan’s talent has fully awakened. If he were still as ordinary as before, you’d spend your entire life drowning in anxiety and worry."

"I prepared myself for this long ago. Besides, isn’t this exactly what I love about him?" Lin Siyao disagreed. To love someone meant loving everything about them. Without worry and longing, how could love ever be unforgettable? The only reason she had asked her mother for help was simply to do everything within her power.

"I’ll see what I can do." Song Yumeng neither agreed nor disagreed.

"I’ve prepared food and drinks for everyone, as well as kites, fishing rods, and more..." Lu Yuan unloaded the supplies from the carriage. Today was for his breakthrough, but it was also a picnic. He couldn’t let everyone get bored.

"How thoughtful of you," Wei Huiling praised. It had been a long time since she had left the city for an outing, and it felt quite nice.

"Young Master, let me help you!" Yaoyao stepped forward to lend a hand.

"Thanks, what a good girl," Lu Yuan praised her. It was just a few items; there wasn’t much to carry.

"The environment here is quite nice." Su Wan strolled around leisurely with her two maids and spotted Lu Yuan unloading things. Her expression shifted slightly when she saw him carrying down an object wrapped in red silk. "Is that a zither you bought?"

"I made it myself," Lu Yuan shook his head. He was a Weapon Master; why would he need to buy one?

He pulled off the red silk, revealing a bright reddish-brown long zither. Carved onto its surface were several lifelike phoenixes dancing with their wings spread. A unique aura radiated from it.

"This is... a Profound Weapon! Can I take a look?" Su Wan’s eyes instantly lit up with excitement. Up until now, she had come into contact with no more than three Profound Weapon zithers. Each one was someone else’s treasured possession, and she had barely been allowed to touch them.

"No!" Lu Yuan shook his head, rejecting her decisively.

"You..." Su Wan was a little angry. Lu Yuan actually refused her too!

[A crisis has occurred in your relationship with your Dao Companion, Su Wan. Intimacy -20.]

"Did you bring your zither?" Lu Yuan asked.

"I did!" Su Wan pouted. He had told her to bring it beforehand, so how could she not?

"That’s good. You might reap a huge harvest later," Lu Yuan smiled.

"What do you mean?" Su Wan’s expression immediately changed as her curiosity was piqued.

"You’ll understand when the time comes." Lu Yuan didn’t elaborate. It wasn’t something he could easily explain anyway.

Lu Yuan then went to find Lin Siyao. "Later, harmonize with me using your zither music. Stand over there..." He pointed out a spot for her.

He could break through on his own, but the effects would be much better if two zithers harmonized with him. Furthermore, he could guide Su Wan and Lin Siyao to experience the Zither Essence Dao, which would greatly help improve their Zither Skill. They might even be able to enter the Dao directly and use this method to break through in the future.

"Mm!" Lin Siyao nodded solemnly. She would definitely follow his instructions to the letter and absolutely would not hold Brother Yuan back.

"Don’t be nervous. Relax," Lu Yuan reassured her. The two women only needed to harmonize; they couldn’t be too intense or try too hard. Otherwise, their music might clash with his, which would backfire and could even cause them to suffer backlash and get injured.

"I understand." Lin Siyao took a deep breath, clearing her mind of distracting emotions. As a possessor of the Profound Yin Body, she had a natural talent for staying calm.

"Lend me Ink Jade for a moment," Lu Yuan held out his hand.

"Ink Jade!" Lin Siyao called out.

SWISH!

Ink Jade quickly slithered back.

"Listen to Brother Yuan!" Lin Siyao handed the snake over to Lu Yuan. Because he had helped her enter the Dao previously, Ink Jade was now quite fond of Lu Yuan and very obedient to him.

"Support me later, and I’ll lead you into the Dao." Lu Yuan patted Ink Jade’s head. He then walked to the side and began to calm his mind and nurture his Qi.

Sensing the shift in Lu Yuan’s demeanor, everyone instinctively softened their movements. Some even backed further away.

Roughly an hour later, the sun rose to a position corresponding to around eleven in the morning. High noon was fast approaching...

SWOOSH!

Lu Yuan suddenly opened his eyes. With a powerful leap, he soared forward for more than a dozen meters. He touched down lightly on the river’s surface, skimming over the water like a dragonfly as he strode across the waves. He sprinted toward the center of the bay, clutching the reddish-brown long zither in his arms...

"What is he doing?" Wei Huiling was bewildered. She wasn’t surprised that Lu Yuan could walk on water, but why run all the way to the center of the bay?

"Just watch," Lu Ming remained composed. With himself, Yan Qing, and Mrs. Lin here, what was there to fear?

Upon reaching the center, Lu Yuan stopped, standing upright upon the water’s surface. He then sat cross-legged, resting Phoenix Dance across his knees.

"How... how is he doing that?" Wei Huiling’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"There’s something under his feet. Just keep watching," Lu Ming explained. He had caught a glimpse of a black object and realized what was going on.

"You..." Wei Huiling shot him a glare and fell silent.

Yan Qing continued to watch without saying a word.

By now, Su Wan and Lin Siyao were already in position. Both stood on the shore, about two to three hundred meters apart, forming a triangle with Lu Yuan. Tingzhu and Qingxiang stood guard beside Su Wan, while Song Yumeng stood behind Lin Siyao.

"I’m looking forward to this," Song Yumeng smiled.

CLICK!

Lu Yuan’s hand moved. He flipped a switch on Phoenix Dance to the first setting.

HUM!

The internal meridians opened, activating a portion of the Primordial Qi within the zither. The Essence-Gathering Array hummed to life, beginning to absorb the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

Soon, a crimson glow emanated from the zither’s body, while red, blue, and golden lights shimmered along its strings.

Shrouding his hands in Gang Qi, Lu Yuan extended two fingers and pinched a single string...