A muffled sound came from within the body of Peach Mother Sacred Mountain.
Then a tremor surged from the ground.
Immediately after, the entire upper half of Peach Mother Sacred Mountain shook violently.
The next moment, the miasma of rotting peaches enveloping the mountain grew several times denser, a pink haze suddenly rose, and a terrifying aura abruptly emerged, pressing down towards the base of the mountain.
But it was futile.
In just two breaths, the top third of Peach Mother Sacred Mountain exploded.
The mountain collapsed, rocks flew in all directions.
Lu Zheng saw clearly that the massive peach tree, under the impact of hundreds of high-explosive bombs, held up its pink haze for only three breaths before it was torn to shreds.
Then came the tree itself.
Broken roots and branches shot outward, the towering trunk shattered into hundreds of pieces, the leaves and peach blossoms were almost entirely vaporised by the intense heat.
The terrifying aura from moments before rapidly weakened, then vanished completely.
The thousand-year-old peach tree spirit was reduced to ashes in five breaths.
If it were any other thousand-year-old demon, it might have fled the moment the bombs detonated, but the peach tree spirit could not. Its body was immobile, its soul bound to its physical form.
Was this not a sitting target?
When Lu Zheng learned of its nature, he had been planning this very scene. His initial thought was to make a trip abroad, acquire a batch of high explosives, and bring about a mountain-shattering collapse.
His first idea was Japan, after all, the Beacon Country had dozens of military bases there, and Japan’s annual military budget was substantial. It would be a shame not to help them expend some of it, would it not?
As Lu Zheng was considering a discreet overseas trip, it just so happened that Lin Wan was going abroad, so he naturally tagged along.
His original plan was to scout the way first, then return and cross the sea alone, but by chance, he encountered a few reckless Beacon Country soldiers, which piqued Lin Wan’s interest. So, he decided to act decisively, saving himself an extra trip.
Surely, a one-off event would not arouse suspicion.
Thus, the scene before him unfolded.
“This is beyond spectacular, it’s absolutely breathtaking!”
Lu Zheng, holding a camera, crouched behind a large rock, dodging the flying stones and wood fragments, continuing to film the scene for posterity.
“Buzz!”
A total of 461 strands of fortune’s light poured in, the largest single gain Lu Zheng had ever reaped since crossing over.
“Brilliant!”
Then, scattered strands of fortune’s light flowed into the jade seal, likely from other cultivators on Peach Mother Sacred Mountain. Lu Zheng’s actions had likely wiped out countless beings in one fell swoop.
“Could I have single-handedly dismantled the entire faction of Peach Mother Sacred Mountain?”
The flying stones and wood fragments gradually fell from the sky, the shockwave from the explosion began to subside, and the mushroom cloud in the sky slowly dissipated.
Lu Zheng put away the camera, then used his earth-travel technique to dive beneath Peach Mother Sacred Mountain, collecting all the bomb debris he could find into his gourd.
After erasing all traces of modern explosives, Lu Zheng emerged from the ground and took a stroll around the mountain.
Nothing of value was found.
By nothing of value, he meant neither valuable relics nor any signs of surviving creatures.
Threat eliminated, Lu Zheng felt unburdened.
Descending Peach Mother Sacred Mountain, he passed several villages and strongholds where people were rushing towards the mountain.
Lu Zheng did not linger. After passing the villages, he continued northeast, heading back to Lingnan Circuit in the Great Jing Dynasty.
At that moment, a voice called out.
“Brother Lu?”
“Hm?”
Lu Zheng turned sharply, seeing several figures descend from the sky, led by Hu Yijun and his son, Hu Zhou.
“Master!” Hu Zhou stepped forward, bowing deeply to Lu Zheng.
“Up, up!” Lu Zheng helped Hu Zhou to his feet, chuckling. “What a coincidence!”
“Why didn’t you visit Dingfeng Mountain while in the Southern Border, Master?” Hu Zhou asked.
Lu Zheng first saluted Hu Yijun, saying, “Greetings, Brother Hu!”
He nodded to the three men behind Hu Yijun, then turned to Hu Zhou with a smile. “This was a last-minute trip to the Southern Border, just me, so I didn’t plan to visit. I was thinking of coming with Qingyan for a trip by late spring.”
Excuses were easy to come by, were they not?
“Master had business here?” Hu Zhou’s eyes lit up.
“It’s done,” Lu Zheng replied.
“Oh.” Hu Zhou’s shoulders slumped.
Lu Zheng laughed, patted Hu Zhou’s shoulder, and turned to Hu Yijun. “Are you also out on business?”
Hu Yijun nodded with a smile. “Visiting friends, heading back now.”
Then, with a hearty laugh, he invited, “Meeting you here is fate, Brother Lu. Come back with us for a couple of days, get to know the place. It’ll be easier next time you visit.”
“Exactly, exactly!” Hu Zhou nodded eagerly.
Since they had met, and Hu Yijun and his son were so warmly insistent, Lu Zheng had no reason to refuse. He smiled and said, “Then I’ll impose!”
“Brother Lu is Little Zhou’s master, we’re family. No need for formalities! Let’s go!”
Hu Yijun laughed loudly, waved his hand, and a gust of wind rose, carrying Lu Zheng, Hu Zhou, and the three men into the air, soaring towards the southeast.
This was Lu Zheng’s first time experiencing flight by riding the wind.
It was… underwhelming.
Riding the wind, as it were, meant Hu Yijun enveloped them in true qi. They could barely feel a faint breeze, their feet resting on something slightly soft, not quite solid.
Lu Zheng felt as if he were standing on a soft carpet, wrapped in a layer of wind-blocking true qi, speeding along. Under this protective layer, he felt neither weightlessness nor the pull of gravitational acceleration.
What could he say? Newton’s laws did not apply in this xianxia world.
Flying was indeed faster than running on the ground, especially with Hu Yijun’s wind-riding prowess.
In just over half an hour, they crossed nearly a thousand miles, arriving at Dingfeng Mountain’s territory.
Along the way, Hu Zhou regaled Lu Zheng with tales of his adventures in Dingfeng Mountain, the new friends he had made, his spirits high and his expression joyful.
“Looks like you’re doing well here!” Lu Zheng laughed, patting Hu Zhou’s shoulder. “Good, good!”
Then he teased, “Have you taken a fancy to any girl? Got your dad to arrange a match yet?”
Hu Zhou froze, his eyes panicking, his face suddenly flushing.
Lu Zheng blinked. It was just a joke, could there actually be something to it?
Hu Yijun burst into laughter. “Brother Lu, you’re a true diviner! I took him to Feixiong Mountain this time to propose a match!”
