In the next instant, the Life Soul underwent rapid transformation, at times coalescing into a unified mass, and at times dispersing like smoke. Suddenly, the smoky clouds gathered and a human figure emerged from within.

    "A human figure born within the soul."

    "Soul Condensation Realm achieved!"

    Lu Qingfeng was overjoyed in his heart, feeling a sudden elevation in wisdom and a clarity of mind. The figure within the soul opened its mouth, and with a light breath, uttered two syllables—

    "Fire!"

    Immediately, a ball of fire appeared in the void and burst into flames.

    As the saying is manifested, so it follows.

    "The brother-in-law truly lives up to Father King''s personal praise as the ''once-in-a-thousand-year talent of Qi Country, both within and beyond.''"

    "One day to open the acupoints, seven years to condense the soul."

    "It appears that our Min River Dragon Palace is indeed about to produce another expert in sexual cultivation!"

    From within the void, Ao Lie''s voice echoed. A cluster of golden light approached, stepping through the air and landing before Lu Qingfeng''s Life Soul.

    Lu Qingfeng looked up to see.

    "Third brother."

    The figure within the soul gave Ao Lie a bow.

    Embarking once again on the path of cultivation, Lu Qingfeng had long recognized that this Third Prince of the Min River had reached the summit of Golden Core Peak, a true Immortal Daoist. Merely one step away, and he could achieve the station of True Primordial Spirit Realm.

    The Dragon Clan in this Immortal Qin Realm, albeit called dragons, were in fact far from the potent bloodlines found within the Primordial Earth Immortal Realm, quite diluted indeed.

    Upon reaching adulthood, they would only achieve the Jiedan Realm.

    Only their Life Span was exceedingly long.

    To step into the Primordial Spirit Realm, arduous cultivation, opportunities, and resources are indispensable. Among the three princes of the Min River, only the eldest, Ao Feng, ascended to Primordial Spirit a few decades ago. The Second Prince, Ao Yu, and Third Prince, Ao Lie, were still lingering at the Peak of the Golden Core Realm.

    However, these two lacked neither relentless cultivation nor resources. All they needed was that one moment of opportunity.

    Like Lu Qingfeng, back in the Barbarian God Realm, he should have remained stuck at the Teminal Phase of Golden Core Realm for an indeterminate length of time, but upon completing the Third Level of the Red Dust Longevity Technique, with an extended Life Span and a heart agitated with excitement, opportunity suddenly arrived and he gained enlightenment in an instant, stepping half a foot into the Primordial Spirit Realm.

    Even after dying once and cultivating afresh for thirty years, he still ascended to the Primordial Spirit Realm.

    Ao Yu and Ao Lie were merely one opportunity, one epiphany away from producing Divine Thought, to achieve the station of Half-step Primordial Spirit and subsequently ascend to Primordial Spirit.

    "Having now condensed your soul, quickly come with me to see Father King."

    Ao Lie''s booming voice resonated as he spoke, unaware of Lu Qingfeng''s internal reflections.

    "Alright."

    With a thought, Lu Qingfeng''s Life Soul returned to his body, and he stepped out from the quiet cultivation chamber, following Ao Lie towards the Dragon Palace Hall.

    ...

    Atop the Dragon Hall.

    The Min River Dragon Lord sat with majestic authority at the highest seat. By his side stood a person, hunched over, with a benevolent smile on his face—

    He was the Min River Dragon Lord''s trusted aide, the Prime Minister of the Dragon Palace, familiarly known as ''Minister Turtle.''

    On each side stood another individual.

    To the left, a towering figure clad in majestic armory radiated an unrivaled commanding aura.

    To the right, a middle-aged man with a frosty mien. Cloaked in a white robe, a chilly aura enveloped him.

    They were the Dragon Lord''s left and right-hand men—

    The General on the left, named ''Chi Yin.''

    The middle-aged man on the right, named ''Xuan Shuang.''

    Apart from the four, down below sat Princes Ao Feng, Ao Yu, and many great generals, with Lan Feihu among them.

    Ao Lie led Lu Qingfeng with great strides into the Hall.

    "Father King."

    "Father King." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Both bowed respectfully to the Min River Dragon Lord seated at the top.

    Clearly, those in the Hall had been waiting.

    Although the Min River Dragon Lord radiated an imposing aura, upon seeing Lu Qingfeng, a rare smile appeared on his face. He glanced left and right at Chi Yin and Xuan Shuang and loudly asked, "One day to open the acupoints, seven years to condense the soul. Have either of my Daoist brothers seen such a prodigy throughout Qi Country?"

    Chi Yin and Xuan Shuang exchanged glances.

    Xuan Shuang spoke faintly, "In Qi Country, twelve hundred years ago, Zhuge Yan opened his acupoints in seven days and condensed his soul in thirteen years, becoming a disciple under Qiu Xing, praised as ''the once-in-three-thousand-years talent of Qi Country.'' "

    "Ha ha!"

    "Prince Consort here opened his acupoints in one day and condensed his soul in seven years, a rarity throughout Qi Country. That old hack Zhuge Yan prides himself as a genius, but next to our Prince Consort, he''s not worth mentioning at all. How can he even compare?"

    Chi Yin grinned, his booming laughter shaking the Hall.

    Lu Qingfeng stood silently in the center of the Hall.

    Among those present, even the generals like Lan Feihu were Third Realm Life Cultivators. And those seated at the Dragon Lord''s sides were even more prominent figures renowned both inside and outside Qi Country.

    As a fledgling in the Soul Condensation Realm, Lu Qingfeng''s power paled compared to those present. It was only by merit of his position as the Dragon Palace Prince Consort that he was seated among them.

    He remained cautious and reserved.

    The Dragon Lord, smiling even more broadly upon hearing this, looked towards Lu Qingfeng and boomed, "Guang Yuan, now that you have entered the Soul Condensation Realm, speak freely of any reward you desire. My treasury is filled with countless treasures, and even if you can''t find what you desire here, we still have the Luo Lake Water Lord and Tao River Water Lord. Both are men of considerable wealth—a grand opportunity not to be missed."

    Chi Yin, who governs the vast Luo Lake, is known as the Luo Lake Water God.

    Xuan Shuang, who controls the main tributary of the Min River, the Tao River, is known as the Tao River Water God.

    Thus the Dragon Lord referred to the two as ''Water Lords.''

    "The Dragon Lord certainly isn''t one for subtlety."

    Chi Yin laughed heartily, yet before Lu Qingfeng could utter a word, he raised his hand and a stream of Xuan Light descended.

    Lu Qingfeng reached out to catch it, fixed his gaze upon it, and saw it was an ancient and unadorned piece of jade stone.

    "Evil Extinguishing Ancient Jade?"

    "This is quite a treasure indeed."

    Upon seeing it, the Dragon Lord turned to Lu Qingfeng and said, "Have you not thanked the Luo Lake Water Lord?"

    "The junior thanks the Water Lord for bestowing this treasure,"

    Lu Qingfeng, holding the jade stone, hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

    Then he looked back at the jade stone—

    [Miraculous Item: Evil Extinguishing Ancient Jade]

    [Description: It can fend off the Yin Thunder Demon Fire among the evil practices of the Left Dao, impervious to all evil; carrying it for self-defense is not without its merits.]

    In the Cultivation World, there are many foul practices of the Left Dao.

    Lu Qingfeng, newly having entered the Soul Condensation Realm, would find it difficult to deal with unexpected wicked magic. Wearing this Evil Extinguishing Ancient Jade, he could be fearless of clandestine attacks by ordinary practitioners of the Soul Condensation Realm.

    This truly was a fine treasure for self-protection and preservation of life.

    "This Evil Extinguishing Ancient Jade, I came upon in my earlier wandering days. Using it for self-defense requires no cultivation and is quite good," said Chi Yin, rather proud, and with a grin looking towards Xuan Shuang, said, "Xuan Shuang, Prince Consort, you and he both practice Sexual Cultivation; you can''t be stingy when it''s your turn to offer a gift."

    Xuan Shuang was expressionless.

    With a light flick of his sleeve, a Jade Ruyi fell down. Lu Qingfeng caught it and immediately shuddered, feeling an icy chill throughout his body, and in the blink of an eye, a layer of Xuan Shuang had formed on his brows.

    Within his body, his Human Soul stirred, and he visualized flames to hastily counteract the cold.

    "Thanks to the Tao River Water Lord for bestowing this treasure."

    It was only then that he looked towards Xuan Shuang at the head of the table and bowed in gratitude.

    Xuan Shuang acknowledged with a nod, his voice melodious as he said, "This is the ''Xuan Shuang Jade Ruyi,'' made from ten-thousand-year-old Mystic Ice Jade Marrow. Carry it with you and be invulnerable to thousands of evils. If you face danger, take out the Jade Ruyi, and it can withstand a full-force strike from a Third Realm practitioner. It can be used three times. Or, with a thought, you can transform these three instances of protective opportunity into a Xuan Shuang attack, freezing an ordinary Third Realm practitioner in an instant."

    [Wondrous Treasure: Xuan Shuang Jade Ruyi]

    [Description: Refined by the Tao River Water God Xuan Shuang, the entire body is made from ten-thousand-year-old Mystic Ice Jade Marrow, containing the power of the Xuan Shuang on three levels, capable of defensive or offensive use three times, with the might comparable to the Third Realm.]

    "The two Daoist Brothers have spared no expense; on behalf of Guang Yuan, this prince thanks you," the Dragon Lord said with a smile, acknowledging the value of both treasures.

    Chi Yin shook his head, pouting, "My Evil Extinguishing Ancient Jade pales in comparison to the Xuan Shuang Jade Ruyi."

    Xuan Shuang didn''t respond.

    Chi Yin, knowing Xuan Shuang''s nature, felt bored and turned to the Min River Dragon Lord, "The Dragon Palace Treasury is rich, and the Prince Consort is the Dragon Lord''s beloved son-in-law. I wonder what reward the Dragon Lord has to offer?"

    At these words, everyone present also looked forward in anticipation.

    The Evil Extinguishing Ancient Jade and the Xuan Shuang Jade Ruyi, in the hands of Third Realm Practitioners, were also top-tier treasures. The Dragon Lord had invited Xuan Shuang and Chi Yin to give gifts, but now found himself cornered.

    However, the Dragon Lord at the top was not flustered and with a slight wave of his hand, a Divine Light landed in Lu Qingfeng''s hands.

    Everyone looked and immediately fell silent.

    "A Divine Dao Seal?"

    Ao Lie''s pupils shrank as he looked at the Divine Light in Lu Qingfeng''s hand.

    Above the hall, the Dragon Lord''s voice echoed—

    "The position of Yuan Lake Water God has been vacant for quite some time; I personally visited the Shang River Dragon Palace a few days ago and sought an imperial edict for you. From this day forth, Guang Yuan will be the Fourth Grade Yuan Lake Water God, commanding the vast waters and myriad creatures of the seven thousand miles of Yuan Lake, overseeing the ten thousand miles of rainfall, thunder, floods, and tides; managing the climate of coolness and changes in weather; presiding over snow, hail, frost, and ice..."

    Accompanied by Xuan Music.

    Above the great hall, a golden light crisscrossed and vanished.

    Lu Qingfeng looked down to see the Dharma Seal materializing seven thousand miles of lake, unmistakably depicting Yuan Lake, the third-largest lake of the Min River System. The Dharma Seal''s Divine Light circulated, and the hall was ablaze with Golden Light. Lu Qingfeng was garbed in a green Daoist robe, which in a flash turned into a Water God robe, his head crowned with a Xuan Jade Crown, his presence surged, majestic and commanding.

    In an instant.

    He appeared nearly equal to Ao Lie, Lan Feihu, and the other generals beside him.

    "A Fourth-Grade Divine Being, equivalent to a peak Third Realm Practitioner!"

    Lu Qingfeng became aware in his heart.

    He promptly gave his thanks to the Min River Dragon Lord at the head, and then bowed in the direction of the Shang River Dragon Palace to the north.

    All present were silent.

    To the side, Princes Ao Feng and Ao Yu wore unchanged faces, their inner turmoil hidden from view.

    A Fourth-Grade Divine Being!

    Even within the entire Min River Dragon Palace, such a rank was exceedingly rare, with few remaining vacancies.

    Even on Ao Feng and Ao Yu, there were merely Fourth Grade Divine Positions. In the Dragon Palace, these were idle posts, incomparable to Lu Qingfeng''s control over the seven thousand miles of Yuan Lake''s Water Clan, commanding the rise and fall of ten thousand miles of rain and the thunder that comes with it; the difference was not measurable in distance.

    The Yuan Lake Water God, one could say, held real power.

    Once Lu Qingfeng took office, establishing the Yuan Lake Water Palace would, in relation to the Min River Dragon Palace, be akin to the Min River Dragon Palace in relation to the Shang River Dragon Palace—

    High above and beyond reach.

    A Sealed Border Official, with immense autonomy.

    Within the waters of the Min River, only including Yuan Lake, the four great lakes and three major tributaries held such power, all at the Fourth Grade. Each of these seven divine positions was cautiously appointed, a trump card used by the Min River Dragon Lord to attract powerful allies from all directions.

    Like Chi Yin.

    Like Xuan Shuang.

    One was the Luo Lake Water Lord, the other the Tao River Water Lord, both Fourth Grade Water Gods, both brought into the Min River Dragon Palace by the promise of a divine position, contributing remarkable efforts in the palace''s early days.

    Lu Qingfeng, newly advanced to the Second Realm of Sexual Cultivation, had soared to the rank of a Fourth Grade Water God, and it was clear what thoughts and intentions were stirred among those present.

    Even Lu Qingfeng himself was somewhat astonished.

    The Dragon Lord paid no mind to the thoughts of the crowd and, pointing to Lan Feihu and other generals down below, he said to Lu Qingfeng, "As the master of Yuan Lake, you will need underlings to govern and suppress the myriad creatures and demons within the seven thousand miles of water. Among the thirteen generals present, the cream of the Min River Dragon Palace, the Yuan Lake Water Lord may choose two to serve as Yuan Lake Water Generals, and I also grant you three thousand troops of the Min River Navy, to heed your command."