Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Indeed, before long after the Jade Slip shattered, a fierce wind swept through Yuzhou City. From the east, a dark cloud approached, hovering over Lu Zhang's courtyard, and from it emerged a palace-dressed woman.

Her clothes fluttered gracefully, and her beautiful face enchanted all beings, especially her eyes, which shimmered with endless allure, seemingly holding countless emotions.

"Yue'er, who exactly injured you to this extent?" The woman sternly demanded, looking at the fox vomiting blood in front of her.

Without waiting for an answer from the fox, she turned her head and faced Lu Zhang and his companions, asking, "Was it you who laid hands on her?"

Only then did she realize that the people before her were not ordinary. One was a Hidden Dragon with a strong aura of destiny, capable of becoming a True Dragon; another was a Cultivator with the demeanor of a Yin God; and there was also Hu Shengliang, whom she hadn't seen in years.

She feared that her nephew had found out about Hu Shengliang's presence and came looking for trouble, only to unwittingly provoke the Hidden Dragon. She guessed the situation in just a moment.

"Humph! Hu Shengliang, you've really grown capable, learning to join outsiders to bully my nephew."

"Su Xiuniang, you know very well the kind of character your nephew is. Better take him home early to avoid further troubles." Hu Shengliang had always been at odds with this woman. He had originally intended to keep the peace for Lu Zhang's sake, but seeing Lu Zhang signal him discreetly to not be afraid, he spoke unapologetically.

"Very well, you think you can act arrogantly just because you've allied with the Hidden Dragon. I'd like to see what you can do, for I have yet to taste what this Hidden Dragon is like!"

Fierce flames suddenly appeared out of nowhere, turning into a Fire Dragon that charged at the trio. Soon, a Talisman appeared in the sky, its Runic Inscriptions glowing, and a Water Dragon descended from the sky.

When water and fire met, it created a vast amount of steam, turning the entire mansion into a mystical landscape floating among the clouds.

However, this clash of water and fire also marked the beginning of a great battle. Within moments, the woman and the Taoist used dozens of spells, and the glows of the spells continuously flashed through the fog.

The Taoist, a direct disciple of a sect with divine understanding of Taoist Laws and exceptionally skilled in talisman magic, fought with the might of an army single-handedly.

Seeing that she could not overcome them, the woman grit her teeth in secret and revealed her true form, a gigantic Six-tailed Fox appearing over the Lu Mansion.

The six massive tails swished back and forth, the strong winds they brought up painfully whipping everyone's faces.

Witnessing this, Chang Chunzi naturally did not dare to be careless. He pulled out a golden Talisman, muttering incantations. Suddenly, a golden light appeared, bathing the entire Lu Mansion in gold.

Touching the cold sweat on his forehead, the Taoist inwardly thought, "Luckily for me, I was quick-witted. If I had accidentally destroyed the mansion, how could I ever hold my head up among my peers thereafter?"

He then spirited up and continued the great battle, fully unleashing his capabilities. Talismans and spells flowed from him like money was no object, aimed at the giant fox.

The fox seemed bewildered by the dense barrage of spells. She had never expected someone to carry so many Talismans on them, and seeing herself without a chance of winning, she was reluctant to retreat, her strong-willed nature unable to accept such defeat.

At that moment, she suddenly noticed Lu Zhang standing below her, and an idea struck her.

She planned to swiftly kidnap Lu Zhang, knowing that the Taoist, fearing to injure Lu Zhang, would then be easy to deal with.

The plan went smoothly. The Taoist, caught up in the fight, failed to notice her subtle movements, allowing her to swiftly move next to Lu Zhang.

However, just as her massive jaws were about to clench Lu Zhang, an Ebony Plaque on Lu Zhang's chest suddenly emitted a Boundless Light, infused with the strong Power of Incense and Fire, instantly scorching Su Xiuniang's mouth.

Boundless light flashed, and a majestic Divine General appeared out of nowhere. He was clad in golden armor, holding a long spear, and his face was resolute, surrounded by green ribbons twirling around him.

"This humble general Lu Wu greets his lord!" the Divine General saluted Lu Zhang, his voice booming across the sky like a great bell.

Lu Zhang stared at the imposing Divine General before him, his heart bursting with joy. He knew that the item his uncle had given him was extraordinary, but he had never imagined it would be such a mighty Divine General, who also seemed wise from his speech.

The fox felt a wave of trepidation upon seeing Lu Wu's stance. It was clear that this Divine General was not easy to deal with, especially with the arrival of the plump Taoist.

"If I don't leave now, I might not be able to escape at all!" she thought to herself, not even caring for her nephew who was lying on the ground, already unconscious.

But as she prepared to rise and fly away, a tremendous force from the sky pressed down on her, pinning her fiercely to the ground, as if a massive mountain rested upon her. Only then did she look up and see a Treasure Vase hanging in the sky. Pure white like jade, the top of the vase depicted the sun, moon, and stars, while below was a vast ocean, radiating brilliance.

"Fellow Taoist, please show mercy and spare my impetuous younger sister!" a gentle voice called from the distance.

"Hmph! The old comes after the young is beaten, is it because they think the Lu Family has no one?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhang knew it was his uncle's voice, and he felt even more at ease.

"Fellow Taoist, please do not misunderstand. It's due to my poor supervision that my little sister nearly caused a great disaster. I ask you to spare her this time for the sake of the relationship between our two families."

"If it were not for the sake of Emperor Yu, your sister would already be a corpse."

At that moment, two figures appeared in the sky, one was a beautifully dressed, dignified and beautiful woman, the other was a Scholar dressed with a treasured sword at his waist, indeed Lu Yu.

"Qingqiu's Su Mei greets the fellow Taoist, may I ask from which school does the fellow Taoist come?" Su Mei eyed the young face of Lu Yu with curiosity, knowing that such cultivation at such an age indicated a proper lineage, thus she spoke to test Lu Yu's mentorship.

"I am merely an independent cultivator from the mountains, I have no such mentoring lineage."

Listening to this, Su Mei couldn't help but curl her lips, not believing Lu Yu's claim. Anyone who could link Qingqiu and Emperor Yu didn't seem like some ordinary cultivator, but seeing that Lu Yu didn't wish to discuss it, she also didn't press the matter.

The gigantic fox, seeing this woman, instantly calmed down and reverted back to human form, only to find herself still unable to rise, trapped in a humiliating position on the ground.

"Could the fellow Taoist graciously allow my sister to rise?"

Lu Yu snorted coldly and beckoned with his hand, and the Treasure Vase returned to his palm. Su Xiuniang immediately felt relief, took a deep breath, and hurriedly stood up to tidy her dress.

"The fellow Taoist is invited to the mansion for further discourse!" Lu Yu gestured with his hands.

Su Mei naturally agreed, and along with a frightened Su Xiuniang, followed Lu Yu into the main hall.

"It is hardly justifiable for your family member to come uninvited and cause trouble at my nephew's place," said Lu Yu, maintaining propriety but not mincing words in his speech.

"This fault is ours. When we return, I will surely punish personally. As for the losses to your estate, our Qingqiu family will provide compensation to ensure your satisfaction." Su Mei clearly understood that without some concession this matter might not resolve easily. She knew Lu Yu's boldness signified strong backing, so she quickly agreed, hoping to foster goodwill.