...

The Venerable's return?

Everyone's expressions changed.

Especially the Third Prince, Shentu Jingming, who was full of disbelief: "Little Spirit Artifact Sister, you must be mistaken, right? This girl, from start to finish, doesn't seem like an arrogant Venerable at all. One of the Top Ten Heroes..."

"Nonsense!" The Spirit Artifact Lanshan immediately became angry and scolded, "In front of the Venerable, how dare you speak such nonsense?! I am the Spirit Artifact personally created by the Venerable's research institute, how could I mistake the Venerable?"

"This..."

The Third Prince still had some doubts on his face, but he mostly believed it in his heart.

Because as time passed, the pressure emanating from that girl grew stronger, subtly giving him the feeling of being reprimanded by his own Demon Emperor Ancestor.

"This aura, this pressure, is indeed extraordinary." Zhuo Lao's pupils also contracted, his expression complex and hard to decipher, "I never expected that the renowned Demon Plant Venerable, one of the Top Ten Heroes, would successfully reincarnate."

"It's not reincarnation." The Spirit Artifact Lanshan solemnly corrected them, "I can feel it, she is the Venerable's true body. It seems that the Venerable's experiment in another research institute was successful. I knew it, the Venerable is the most powerful!"

Everyone looked at each other, their expressions filled with astonishment.

They had heard of True Immortal reincarnation and True Demon reincarnation, and even encountered them. Even if they did encounter it, they wouldn't be particularly surprised. But rebirth, that was a bit beyond the norm.

Throughout history, there have been countless stories of powerful beings returning through rebirth in various novels, and this theme has remained popular, with some famous ancient powerhouses having dozens or even hundreds of different versions of rebirth stories.

But these stories were just for entertainment.

Everyone knew how unreliable rebirth was.

Although the lifespan of True Immortal Realm powerhouses is long, it ultimately has a limit.

Among the recorded True Immortal Realm powerhouses, excluding those who fell unexpectedly, those who died of old age lived at least eight thousand nine hundred years, and the longest lived twelve thousand years. This was because she had a fortuitous encounter in the outer regions when she was young, using treasures to extend her lifespan, thus breaking through the lifespan limit of the True Immortal Realm.

As for true rebirth, since the establishment of the Immortal and Demon Dynasties, it has never truly occurred.

Is what this Spirit Artifact said true or false?

Could it be that it misjudged, mistaking True Spirit reincarnation or a special type of bloodline inheritance for rebirth? Or did some big shot really complete this research back then?

While everyone was filled with suspicion, Wang Shouzhe did not doubt the Spirit Artifact's judgment. What he was more concerned about was another piece of information the Spirit Artifact had just revealed—the other research institute.

Wang Shouzhe frowned secretly.

He knew a little about Lu Wei's origins. She was a baby picked up from a relic by the Changchun Immortal, but to keep her identity secret and avoid trouble, the Changchun Immortal claimed she was an adopted orphan.

Now it seems that the relic was not simple.

After all, how could an ordinary relic possibly yield a True Immortal reincarnation, or rather, a True Immortal's true body? At the very least, it must be a True Immortal relic on par with this one.

Moreover, this is already considered a core secret of the academy, and since Wang Shouzhe is not an official disciple of the Purple Mansion Academy, it is normal for the Changchun Immortal to withhold some information.

However, it seems that the relic explored by Ancestor Liu Xuanfu with her master back then is likely the same one where Lu Wei was found. After all, relics of this level are not common, and being discovered at the same time is even less likely.

Then, what is the story behind the [Innate Dao Embryo Spirit Seed] that Ancestor Xuanfu inadvertently obtained? Could it also be related to the Demon Plant Venerable?

The more Wang Shouzhe thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss, and a vague suspicion began to surface in his mind.

Even with his composure, he felt a bit flustered.

After all, this concerned his closest person, Liu Ruolan, and he couldn't help but be anxious.

"The Venerable is in a special state now, seemingly awakening some sealed memories." The Spirit Artifact Lanshan finally calmed down from the excitement of the Demon Plant Venerable's revival and began to usher people out, "Dear guests, please leave for now and return to pay respects to the Venerable after she completes her awakening."

With that, everyone was ushered out into the corridor.

Due to Lu Wei's sudden change in identity, everyone was somewhat absent-minded. Zhuo Lao and Ji Yue'er, the two Void Realm powerhouses, frowned, lost in thought.

However, the Third Prince Shentu Jingming, as usual, was carefree. As soon as he left the room, he went to chat with Wang Shouzhe: "I say, dear brother, what is the background of your beauty? She's actually the reincarnation of the Demon Plant Venerable!"

Wang Shouzhe ignored him and instead supported Ancestor Long Yan to the side: "Ancestor, since we have some free time, why not find something to do? Here's some tea the younger generation sent for you, have a taste."

Saying this, he took out a table, chairs, and a set of exquisite tea utensils, brewing a pot of Lixian brand immortal tea for Ancestor Long Yan.

This tea was made from tender buds personally shaken off by Lixian's true body, totaling less than an ounce, and was reserved specifically to honor Ancestor Long Yan.

As the tea brewed, a refreshing aroma filled the air, brimming with immortal charm and containing a fresh life energy that instantly invigorated the spirit.

"Good tea, good tea~ Let me have a sip too."

The Third Prince Shentu Jingming, smelling the tea's fragrance, knew it was something special and immediately thickened his face to come over, trying to get a share.

"I'm talking with the family's children, what are you, an outsider, doing here?"

Wang Long Yan's face immediately turned cold, and with a casual grab of his collar, she threw him out. Then, with a wave of her slender hand, a vast barrier of icy profound energy was constructed, leaving only her and Shouzhe to talk.

"Shouzhe, be honest, what is your relationship with Junior Sister Lu Wei?" Wang Long Yan sipped the immortal tea, glaring at Wang Shouzhe, "Don't blame me for not warning you. You must not wrong Ruolan; she has sacrificed and contributed too much for our clan."

"Ancestor, I'm innocent~" Wang Shouzhe hurriedly defended, "I have a clear and pure relationship with Senior Sister Lu Wei, absolutely no personal feelings. I will never let down Ruolan."

In front of Ancestor Long Yan, no matter how capable Wang Shouzhe was, he was still a junior, a child. Just like Wang Fugui, who would stir up trouble outside, but when he returned home, he would listen obediently to Wang Shouzhe's reprimands.

"Junior Sister Lu Wei is the reincarnation of the Demon Plant Venerable, which means she has great potential for the future, possibly achieving the True Immortal Realm. But this also worries me a bit." Ancestor Long Yan frowned, her expression conflicted, "After all, the Demon Plant Venerable is one of the Divine Dynasty's Top Ten Wanted Criminals. What if she goes on a rampage after regaining her memories?"

It's important to know that although the Demon Plant Venerable wasn't a true demon cultivator, nor was she as bloodthirsty as some of the Top Ten Wanted Criminals, she was notorious in history for creating many forbidden techniques and extreme research results, which is why she became a wanted criminal.

"Ancestor, I actually trust Senior Sister Lu Wei quite a bit. Her nature is simple and pure, just lacking common ethical views, always focused on conducting some rather extreme research." Wang Shouzhe pondered, "Rest assured, I will keep an eye on her and prevent her from going down the old path. But as for that Third Prince... Ancestor, should we take this opportunity to get rid of him? To prevent him from constantly pestering you and possibly leaking Senior Sister's identity."

"This..." Ancestor Long Yan hesitated for a moment before shaking her head, "Although Shentu Jingming is a prince of the Demon Dynasty, his nature is not evil. Moreover, the Demon Emperor seems to dislike him openly, but in reality, he dotes on him quite a bit. If something were to happen to him, who knows if the Demon Emperor might be provoked to do something earth-shattering."

"The secret of Junior Sister Lu Wei being the reincarnation of the Demon Plant Venerable, I will personally warn Shentu Jingming and make him swear not to reveal it. Rest assured, although he is a bit reckless, he is quite loyal and will keep his promise."

"Then let's do as Ancestor says." Wang Shouzhe nodded, no longer dwelling on the matter.

After chatting with Ancestor Long Yan for a while and finishing a pot of tea, he had the Ancestor lift the icy barrier.

Seeing this, the Third Prince Shentu Jingming, who had returned, eagerly came over again: "Ruobing, when you threw me out just now, I accidentally picked up a spiritual herb. This is your opportunity, you must accept it."

Saying this, he handed Ancestor Long Yan a spiritual herb with at least a few thousand years of maturity.

At the same time, his eyes glanced at the leftover tea dregs from Ancestor Long Yan's tea, and he secretly used his divine sense to try and collect them.

"Shentu Jingming, what are you doing?" Ancestor Long Yan frowned, her expression somewhat indescribable.

"This..." The Third Prince, caught red-handed stealing, was a bit embarrassed, "I'm just being frugal. I thought your leftover tea could still be used to make tea soup or something..."

Ancestor Long Yan's face darkened.

She snatched the tea dregs back and then took some of the two ounces of immortal tea Shouzhe had given her and threw it to the Third Prince: "Take it, and don't do such shameless things again."

"This, is this for me?" The Third Prince was pleasantly surprised.

"If you don't want it, give it back!" Ancestor Long Yan glared at him disdainfully.

"I want it, I want it!" The Third Prince hurriedly put the immortal tea away carefully, then patted his chest, his face full of happiness, "As the saying goes, 'Sincerity can move even the hardest of hearts,' I knew my persistence would pay off, and look, I received a gift from Ruobing."

"Come here, I have something to tell you."

Ancestor Long Yan called him over and warned him carefully, then reminded him, "If you can't keep this secret, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Rest assured, Ruobing." The Third Prince patted his chest loudly, "I'll take this secret to my grave, I won't even tell my own parents, the Demon Emperor. And as for Zhuo Lao, I'll warn him too. If he dares to leak anything, hehe~~ this prince is not to be trifled with when I get angry."

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Zhuo Lao.

Zhuo Lao's heart skipped a beat, and he smiled wryly.

The Third Prince was truly infatuated with Wang Ruobing.

But then again, Wang Ruobing was indeed outstanding, with few peers among her generation of women. As for this matter, he could only play dumb, pretending not to know anything.

Otherwise, if the Third Prince really got angry, it might cause a big disaster.

Having watched this young prince grow up, no one knew Shentu Jingming better than Zhuo Lao.

Shentu Jingming, if you say he's foolish, he's particularly shrewd in some aspects, but if you say he's shrewd, he's particularly gullible at times.

The key is, he's stubborn, once he sets his mind on something, he won't care about anything else, even the Demon Emperor sometimes can't out-stubborn him.

Zhuo Lao considered himself not as resilient as the Demon Emperor, so he naturally wouldn't go against him.

Moreover, the Third Prince befriending Wang Ruobing was equivalent to befriending the forces behind her, and also connecting with the reincarnated Demon Plant Venerable.

Such a result was all benefit and no harm for the Third Prince.

If he truly intended to vie for the Demon Emperor's position, these connections would be powerful chips in his favor.

Time passed in a flash.

Before long, the Spirit Artifact Lanshan had results, and everyone returned to the reception room of the research institute.

At this moment, Senior Sister Lu Wei had already returned to her original appearance, blinking her pure eyes at Wang Shouzhe: "Junior Brother, I've remembered quite a bit, but there are still many things I can't recall."

Wang Shouzhe hurriedly stepped forward, concerned: "Senior Sister, can you tell me the truth of the matter?"

"Actually, I'm not sure myself if I'm truly the reincarnation of the Demon Plant Venerable." Senior Sister Lu Wei frowned, lost in thought, her expression somewhat dazed, "I vaguely remember building a rebirth research institute for a new type of rebirth method besides reincarnation, but the technology wasn't mature."

"Later, we fought a group of very powerful outer region demons and encountered an especially formidable one. We eventually repelled them, but we were severely injured, and my soul's core imprint was on the verge of collapse, so I had to hastily initiate the rebirth plan."

"We?" Wang Shouzhe's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked.

"I'm not sure, because my soul's core imprint was severely damaged, I lost too many memories, and the rebirth technology was immature, so I can only remember a few things, vaguely recalling I had a few companions." Senior Sister Lu Wei racked her brain but couldn't figure it out, her expression pained.

"Alright, alright, if you can't remember, don't force it." Wang Shouzhe patted her shoulder with concern, "Maybe over time, you'll gradually remember everything."

"Are you worried about me?" Lu Wei blinked at Wang Shouzhe.

"Uh..." Wang Shouzhe, feeling a bit flustered under her gaze, still mustered the courage to say, "Sort of, after all, we're on the same side."

"Then, can you give me some of your life essence? I feel this is important, related to a crucial experiment." Senior Sister Lu Wei looked at Wang Shouzhe pitifully, her eyes full of expectation, like a little kitten begging for food.

Not again?

Wang Shouzhe's face darkened, and he firmly refused: "Senior Sister, don't bring this up again, I absolutely won't support you in such experiments."

"I can pay you, aren't you short on money now?" Senior Sister Lu Wei casually summoned a pile of dozens of top-grade spiritual stones into her palm.

Those top-grade spiritual stones were lustrous and exuded a rich spiritual energy, extremely tempting.

So many top-grade spiritual stones?

Wang Shouzhe gulped, swallowing hard, and with difficulty, he refused: "No, no, it's not about the money, it's a matter of principle."

"Dear brother, you're being foolish~" The Third Prince, anxious, circled around Wang Shouzhe, "It's just life essence, what's wrong with selling her a bit? These are dozens of top-grade spiritual stones, treasures even Void Realm experts cherish, and True Demons and True Immortals consider important cultivation resources!"

Of course, Wang Shouzhe knew the value of top-grade spiritual stones.

Back in the Blood Venerable's relic, he only obtained nine top-grade spiritual stones, and now Senior Sister Lu Wei casually produced dozens, dazzling everyone's eyes.

But this matter, it's not just about that.

Wang Shouzhe resisted the temptation with all his might, still refusing: "I won't sell, if you want to sell, sell your own."

The Third Prince, tempted, shamelessly went to plead with Senior Sister Lu Wei: "Um, Miss Weiwei, do you want mine? I can sell it cheaper, ten, no, eight will do!"

However, before Lu Wei could respond, Ancestor Long Yan, unable to watch any longer, grabbed him by the back and threw him out.

Shentu Jingming instantly turned into a streak of light, crashing through a series of rooms before stopping, finally buried under a pile of rubble.

"Ruobing, I was wrong, I won't sell, I won't sell, okay?" The Third Prince, Shentu Jingming, crawled out from the pile of broken bricks and rubble, looking pitiful and miserable.

"Speak nonsense again, and I'll cut off your head with one sword." Ancestor Long Yan's phoenix eyes were sharp, her entire being exuding a cold chill.

"Yes, yes, Ruobing, you have the final say." Despite his envy, the Third Prince dared not bring it up again.

Meanwhile, Senior Sister Lu Wei had no interest in even glancing at the Third Prince, continuing to look at Wang Shouzhe with hopeful eyes: "If you think it's not enough, I have something better."

Saying this, she flipped her hand, producing three [Immortal Spirit Stones].

The entire Wang Clan had only obtained one Immortal Spirit Stone from the Blood Venerable's relic, and it was still listed in the clan's treasury exchange list, with the contribution points required for exchange being astronomical.

It was a high and mighty bait, urging clan members, retainers, and offerings to accumulate contribution points diligently.

Lu Wei's generosity was overwhelming.

Wang Shouzhe was almost blinded by the offer, nearly succumbing.

He used all his willpower to resist the temptation, pleading with difficulty: "Senior Sister, please don't do this. In this world, you can't do whatever you want just because you have money."

"Foolish, so foolish." The Third Prince, stimulated to the point of tears, lamented, "These are three Immortal Spirit Stones~! At this price, I guarantee you could even buy my Demon Emperor father. Great Goddess Wei, why don't you consider our family's ancestor? I can help you connect and even take a commission."

"Not considering, I only want Junior Brother's." Senior Sister Lu Wei firmly refused.

"By the way, Senior Sister." Wang Shouzhe quickly changed the subject, "Where did you get these top-grade spiritual stones and Immortal Spirit Stones?"

"Isn't it just the shared space treasury?" Senior Sister Lu Wei casually explained, "Because there are many laboratories, and they're not all in one place, for convenience, a shared space treasury is naturally needed, so resources can be directly retrieved from it no matter which lab you're in."

With her explanation, Wang Shouzhe remembered.

He had heard of this in the Shenwu Royal Dynasty's new recruit training camp.

Back then, the Spirit Artifact of that camp retrieved reward materials from the public treasury. He had even exploited a bug to obtain many treasures from the shared treasury.

"Senior Sister can create such a shared space treasury?" Wang Shouzhe suddenly became excited.

The utility of such a treasury was immense. If access points were placed in various countries, sharing space, wouldn't it save a lot on shipping costs?

"I'm not specialized in the Dao of Space, how could I create such a thing?" Senior Sister Lu Wei shook her head matter-of-factly, "Moreover, creating this shared space consumes a lot of resources, the space volume inside is small, and each retrieval is costly. Unless it's particularly valuable, strategic resources, it's better not to use it, or you'll incur losses."

Uh... alright.

Senior Sister Lu Wei's words directly blocked the idea of using the shared space to transport large quantities of materials.

But even so, Wang Shouzhe found it extremely useful, for example, storing some Dao artifacts, Immortal Emperor Orders, and life-saving materials in the shared treasury.

In the future, if any important clan member needed them, they could be circulated through the shared treasury.

Unfortunately, this shared treasury seemed quite complex. It's unclear whether it required a True Immortal Realm expert specialized in the Dao of Space or an even higher-level expert...

Wang Shouzhe temporarily set aside this thought and asked Senior Sister Lu Wei: "Then, Senior Sister, have you resolved your cultivation method inheritance? Is there any [True Immortal Scripture] or [True Demon Scripture] in the treasury?"

From a broad perspective, True Immortal Scriptures and True Demon Scriptures are of the same level, True Demons and True Immortals are equally powerful, just following different paths, and demon and immortal are not absolutely distinct.

For instance, the Blood Venerable is a typical example. Although his cultivation method was the orthodox Holy Gu Codex, due to his mad behavior, he was classified as a "demon."

"No True Immortal Scripture." Senior Sister Lu Wei shook her head, then took out a vibrant, life-filled codex from her spiritual platform, explaining, "Only this half-step Immortal Scripture level [Green Emperor Codex]."

[Green Emperor Codex]? Could this be the continuation of the Green Emperor True Method he previously cultivated?

Wang Shouzhe was initially stunned, then suddenly felt something was amiss: "Half-step Immortal Scripture? Does that mean even reaching the True Immortal Realm, the codex can't be deduced to an Immortal Scripture?"

Back then, he spent quite a bit to acquire the Green Emperor True Method's inheritance.

However, the [Green Emperor True Method] didn't fully align with Wang Shouzhe's bloodline, nor could it fully unleash his bloodline talents.

He didn't expect that the Demon Plant Venerable had cultivated a lineage of the Green Emperor's inheritance.

"Boy, what do you know?"

Hearing Wang Shouzhe's question, before Lu Wei could speak, the Green Emperor Codex was displeased.

It fluttered its pages, grumbling, "Who told you that reaching the True Immortal Realm automatically allows one to deduce a codex to an [Immortal Scripture]? That's a misconception only an outsider would have."

"Every Immortal Scripture represents a complete Dao, guiding qualified inheritors smoothly to the True Immortal Realm."

"Generally, to complete an [Immortal Scripture], either a supremely talented, insightful big shot is needed, or it requires several generations of inheritors to perfect and refine it from different angles. The more generations it passes through, the more complete and smooth the Dao becomes, and it gradually becomes stronger."

Wang Shouzhe, not angered by the scolding, respectfully inquired: "Then, may I ask, what is the difference between a half-step Immortal Scripture and a regular codex?"

"A half-step Immortal Scripture is a Lingxu Codex that has at least helped someone ascend to the True Immortal Realm. With a Lingxu Codex of this level, as long as the inheritor's qualifications and bloodline are suitable, and resources are sufficient, there's at least a thirty percent chance of breaking through to the True Immortal Realm." The Green Emperor Codex explained, "Moreover, as more inheritors ascend to the True Immortal Realm, the codex will be further refined, and the success rate for later inheritors will increase, as predecessors have already paved the way. Thus, after three to five generations of True Immortal Realm inheritors, the codex might become an Immortal Scripture."

"An Immortal Scripture is different, representing a fully developed True Immortal Dao, allowing later generations to follow the path to the True Immortal Realm."

"As for regular codices, they vary greatly, with the weakest only aiding in reaching the early Void Realm, and the subsequent path must be forged independently. As more people tread the path, or if a particularly talented and insightful big shot emerges, the codex will gradually strengthen, eventually becoming a half-step Immortal Scripture."

The Green Emperor Codex's clear and logical explanation allowed Wang Shouzhe to fully understand the differences between a codex, a half-step Immortal Scripture, and an Immortal Scripture.

An Immortal Scripture is like an exceptionally skilled teacher, with it, you don't need to worry about anything else, just follow along. If the teacher isn't strong enough, you have to rely on yourself.

In other words.

If Wang Shouzhe wants to ascend to the True Immortal Realm, with sufficient cultivation resources, he either needs to elevate his bloodline qualifications to an extremely high level, taking the codex along...

Or, he needs to find a half-step Immortal Scripture and gamble on the odds.

Of course, the simplest way is to find a proper [Immortal Scripture] and let it guide him. Although for current Basalt cultivators, finding an Immortal Scripture isn't easy.

While Wang Shouzhe was pondering.

Suddenly, the ground of the reception room shook violently, and even the surrounding walls trembled and swayed. If not for the restrictions fixing everything in place, the room would have been a mess from the tremors.

Simultaneously.

From deep within the research institute, a series of loud "bangs" echoed.

Seeing this, the Spirit Artifact Lanshan's voice changed abruptly: "Not good, that monster has awakened again!"

...