Two years later.

A warship broke through Qingyun and Chang Feng, emerging from Sky-reaching Gorge and headed straight for the east.

The warship was massive.

Twenty-odd li in length and over a thousand zhang in width.

The ship had four layers. Both the topmost and bottommost levels were filled with elite soldiers standing guard, each wielding a halberd and clad in armor, radiating an air of exceptional prowess.

The second and third layers were where the True Immortals and Primordial Spirits were located.

On the second layer.

Lu Qingfeng and Zhu Yang were not in their respective quarters, but gathered on the outer walkway of the second floor. Looking outwards, they could see the clear blue sky and layers of clouds. Although the warship seemed to move slowly as it ploughed through the clouds and rode the wind, in truth, it was hurtling thousands of miles at breakneck speed.

Far surpassing the flight speed of a True Immortal.

"The Sky-reaching Gorge bears the names of Three Creeks, Six Valleys, Eighteen Peaks, housing a total of twenty-seven invincible warships. The 'Three Creeks Eighteen Peaks' serve outside the domain, while the 'Six Valleys' travel back and forth between the Little Dragon Tiger Realm and surrounding smaller realms. The warship we're on, called the 'Jade Dragon,' is named after the Jade Dragon Stream and is one of the top warships of the Sky-reaching Gorge."

"The route between the Outer Domain and the Little Dragon Tiger Realm is fraught with dangers. It would be difficult to cross without one of the top warships and the presence of an extraordinary True Immortal to command it."

"The current master of the 'Jade Dragon' is the patriarch of the Battle Hou clan from the Sky-reaching Gorge, Gu Jin."

...

On the outskirts of the second layer.

Several True Immortals gathered to discuss.

Lu Qingfeng and Zhu Yang, upon hearing their conversation, exchanged glances. The latter then said, "I've heard that the Sky-reaching Gorge has four top True Immortals. Two of them are disciples of the immortal ancestors of the Sky-reaching Gorge, and they are the elder brothers of Han Immortal who developed Han's Spirit Communication Liquid. Both of them possess formidable Dao abilities, are experts in the Array Dao, and lead numerous Primordial Spirits and True Immortals of Sky-reaching Gorge in constant battle outside the domain."

"The remaining two are the patriarchs of the Black Armor Clan and the War Hou Clan. The one presiding over the Jade Dragon this time is the latter."

The so-called top True Immortals have cultivation that could approach the Mahayana Fourth Realm.

Among them, there are stronger and weaker ones.

Lu Qingfeng had once seen the Black Armor Clan patriarch Meng Ba during his ascension. Although Meng Ba was not weak, Lu Qingfeng could tell that within the Refining Dao Realm, Meng Ba was merely at the bottom.

"I wonder how the strength of this War Hou Clan chieftain compares to that of Lord of Star Absorption, who is currently suppressed within Dutian City."

Upon hearing the mention of 'Han's Spirit Communication Liquid' from Zhu Yang's mouth, Lu Qingfeng's mind paused, and without changing his expression, he thought about Gu Jin, the top True Immortal presiding over the 'Jade Dragon.'

At that moment.

A burly elite Armored Soldier approached, saluted Lu Qingfeng, and said respectfully, "My general requests the presence of the senior in front."

"Brother Eight Desolates."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yang's heart instantly lurched.

True Immortals nearby also cast curious glances this way.

"It's alright."

Lu Qingfeng, unfazed, reassured Zhu Yang and then said to the approaching man, "Lead the way."

Right away.

He followed the Armored Soldier to the first layer of the 'Jade Dragon.'

This first layer was much like a deck, very spacious.

Hundreds of elite soldiers were dispersed around the perimeter, on high alert for battle. At the forefront stood a nine-foot-tall, broad-shouldered general with his arms folded behind him, gazing forward.

"General."

"Eight Desolate Daoist has arrived."

The Armored Soldier led Lu Qingfeng to the general.

The general then turned around, his tiger eyes looking towards Lu Qingfeng as he grinned and said in a hearty voice, "Gu Jin of the Sky-reaching-Gorge greets the Dutian Daoist."

This general was none other than Gu Jin, the patriarch of the War Hou clan.

He was also the commanding officer of the 'Jade Dragon.'

"The general is too kind."

Recognizing his identity, Lu Qingfeng was not surprised.

If he intended to pass through the Sky-reaching Gorge and go to the Outer Domain, and even initially seek the two brothers he had not yet met, it would naturally be impossible to keep this matter hidden from the Sky-reaching Gorge.

Han Ling'er had already informed her teacher and the two brothers outside the domain about his intentions.

For Gu Jin, being one of the top four True Immortals of the Sky-reaching Gorge and the master of the 'Jade Dragon,' knowing Lu Qingfeng's identity was not strange.

"Han Immortal sent a message saying you've made a number of enemies in the Little Dragon Tiger Realm and asked me, old Gu, to be particularly vigilant along the way to ensure your safety. Therefore, I took the liberty of summoning you, please don't take offense."

With a candid smile and a rough, amiable demeanor, Gu Jin managed to quickly close the distance between individuals.

Hearing these words, the image of Han Ling'er's sly eyes flashed through Lu Qingfeng's mind.

Without much thought, it was highly likely that these remarks were specially instructed by Han Ling'er for Gu Jin to relay—a habitual way to curry favor with him, much like how she had "accidentally" revealed that she had resisted the temptation of 'one hundred Immortal Crystals' from Xun Zhenbei, thwarting his plans.

Additionally, the gesture was probably also to proactively extend goodwill to mitigate the mishap of the severely uneven distribution of benefits previously.

"Han Immortal is thoughtful."

"Thanks to her, I will have to trouble the general on this journey."

Lu Qingfeng also responded with a smile.

"Of course," Gu Jin said nonchalantly with a wave of his hand.

Then the smile faded from his face as he pointed to the deck below and spoke solemnly, "No one dares to be unruly on the 'Jade Dragon'. However, among the True Immortals accompanying us this time, be wary of a few."

Lu Qingfeng perked up and quickly said, "I would appreciate any guidance, General."

He had the Inverted Void Glazed Glass Wall to conceal his Divine Soul, and this Eight Desolate Avatar was indeed unified with his true self, naturally concealing the Heavenly Mechanisms from detection.

Even his nominal senior brother, Mei Hua Wanderer, who had received the legacy of Jiuyu Immortal in the art of divination, skilled in prognostication and prediction, might not be able to ascertain his exact whereabouts.

But not everything in the world needs to rely on divination.

To outsiders, Lu Qingfeng's effortless escape during his ascension was largely thanks to Han Immortal's help.

Ascending in the Mountain and Water Realm and arriving in the Spirit Domain, he was bound to be in the Little Dragon Tiger Realm.

And it just so happened that Sky-reaching Gorge was recruiting cultivators from all over to send to the Outer Domain Battlefield.

Hence, to anyone intent upon deducing his whereabouts, it wouldn't be difficult to speculate that he might join the 'Jade Dragon' to the Outer Domain to avoid trouble.

Of course, there could be other possibilities and conjectures.

But this particular thread will not be ignored.

Even amid uncertainties, along with the apprehension of Ancestor Master Qin Feng, forces like the Fire God Palace and Chi Lian Mountain would not rashly deploy en masse. However, sending one or two True Immortals to blend into the 'Jade Dragon' is only normal.

Gu Jin said while counting on his fingers, "On the 'Jade Dragon', there are currently six top-notch True Immortals from the Fire God Palace, Chi Lian Mountain, Danxia Mountain, Wuxiang Zen Temple, and Ningbi Cliff, and Seven Extremes Mountain. Among them, apart from the True Immortals from Chi Lian Mountain and Seven Extremes Mountain who are being somewhat secretive, the other four are openly joining under the guise of using the 'Jade Dragon' for travel to the outer domain."

Just as Lu Qingfeng predicted, none of the various forces he had provoked missed the 'Jade Dragon', which was the most likely place he would hide.

"Six top-notch True Immortals."

That is to say, they are all at least of the Mahayana Enlightenment Realm and sincerely regard him highly.

After counting, Gu Jin turned to look at Lu Qingfeng, his heart feeling a sense of strangeness.

A minor cultivator from the Lower Realm, who ascended merely two years ago, had somehow caught the attention of powerful forces from the Little Dragon Tiger Realm. Putting aside his cultivation and Dao ability, just the talent for stirring up trouble and garnering enmities was unparalleled in the world.

"This—"

Lu Qingfeng listened, showing a pained smile on his face, but he wasn't truly concerned.

He had the 'Dutian City' as a backup, and beings like the Lord of Star Absorption, comparable to top-notch True Immortals, could be easily suppressed. Even if those six top-notch True Immortals made their move together, he didn't boast of annihilating them, but escaping would be no problem.

"Earth Immortals do not engage."

"With the capabilities of 'Dutian City', I can be invincible against True Immortals."

Lu Qingfeng was confident.

"Fellow Daoist, don't worry."

"On the 'Jade Dragon', even top-tier True Immortals dare not wreak havoc. Once in the outer domain, with Generals Guan Hai and Ting Feng overseeing things, no one would dare misbehave."

Seeing the 'Dutian Daoist' with a troubled face, Gu Jin immediately comforted him.

In his words,

he had high regard for the 'Jade Dragon', as well as Generals Guan Hai and Ting Feng.

"Yan Guanhai."

"Ting Fengzi."

"These are Han Ling'er's two senior brothers."

Lu Qingfeng knew of them only by their reputations.

But judging from Gu Jin and Han Ling'er's discussions, these two must be extraordinary. Furthermore, Ancestor Master Qin Feng, being exceptionally talented himself, must have taught disciples who were leaders among their peers.

Lu Qingfeng was somewhat looking forward to it.

He wasn't eager to inquire about these two individuals.

Finding a top-notch True Immortal like Gu Jin who regularly fought in the outer domain, Lu Qingfeng wouldn't let the opportunity pass and immediately steered the conversation to ask Gu Jin about the situation outside the domain.

The information previously obtained from Han Ling'er was vague and uncertain. Han Ling'er had never been to the outer domain, and all she knew was based on hearsay, which couldn't compare with Gu Jin's knowledge.

As Lu Qingfeng inquired,

Gu Jin, entrusted by Han Ling'er, was not stingy with information.

The two conversed with great enthusiasm.

Along the way,

the 'Jade Dragon' rode the winds, breaking through clouds, accumulating energy time after time, shuttling through space. Traversing thousands of miles, it had unwittingly left the Little Dragon Tiger Realm.

Within the Little Dragon Tiger Realm,

One-Line Sky Passage was well-known, and no one dared to block the 'Jade Dragon'. But after leaving the Little Dragon Tiger Realm, the deterrence of the Sky Passage significantly declined, and gradually they encountered brazen demons and monsters attempting to rob them.

However,

could the demons and monsters commonly interfere with the 'Jade Dragon' that navigated the outer domain? Whether it was laying out Great Arrays in advance or top-tier fierce beasts and demons obstructing the way, all were torn to shreds by the 'Jade Dragon'.

Lu Qingfeng witnessed with his own eyes.

From around the 'Jade Dragon', countless holes opened, and from them, bolts were shot out rapidly. A salvo could tear through any Great Array, turning thousands of demon soldiers to dust.

In terms of might,

it was no less formidable than a typical battlefield.

Like a ferocious beast born from ancient times, it was daunting.

From the Little Dragon Tiger Realm to the outer domain, passing eastward through a total of seven domains including the Little Youdu Realm, it would take the 'Jade Dragon' six to seven years, despite its speed.

Such a long time, Lu Qingfeng couldn't always accompany Gu Jin.

Taking advantage of the opportunity,

he also wandered through the Second Layer, befriending Loose Cultivator True Immortals and those from Sky-reaching Gorge. He found a few with similar temperaments, often gathering to discuss the Dao together, and thus formed connections.

Time passed.

In the blink of an eye, six years had gone by.

...

On this day,

Lu Qingfeng awoke from his cultivation, his expression shifting, his hand within his sleeve. After a long moment, he waved his large sleeve, dispersing a cluster of ashes from his sleeve cuff.

"I can finally no longer hold back."

A trace of a smile appeared on Lu Qingfeng's face.

He stood up and left the Second Layer, heading to the First Layer. Along the way, several True Immortals cast glances his way, but no unusual expressions were seen. Lu Qingfeng ignored them and went straight to Gu Jin.

"Fellow Daoist Dutian."

Gu Jin was in control of the 'Jade Dragon'; seeing Lu Qingfeng approaching, a rough smile appeared on his face, "Don't be impatient, fellow daoist. Once we pass through the Bearded Abyss ahead, we won't be far from the Seventh Battle Domain."

Outside the Nine Netherworld, there are seven defensive lines, dividing into seven battle domains, from inside out, they are the Seventh to the First Battle Zone.

The First Battle Zone, directly bordering the Demon Domain, is the most dangerous.

Among them, two War Cities belonging to Sky-reaching Gorge are all located in the more hazardous Third Battle Zone. Ancient Void paths connect the various battle domains, providing convenient travel.

Once reaching the Seventh Battle Domain, the destination was not far.

"Bearded Abyss."

Lu Qingfeng's mind was stirred; he glanced ahead and then asked Gu Jin, "General, could you tell me about the Bearded Abyss?"