Gong Jue and the Fourth Elder didn’t know what Lu Yun had discovered, nor did they have the luxury to ponder it.
Because their entire attention was completely captivated by the purple core shadow hovering in the space behind Lu Yun’s head.
’What is that thing?’
Gong Jue’s pupils trembled slightly. Her one hundred and fifty years of experience were utterly useless in this moment.
She had seen the external release of Qi when a Grandmaster of Huajin struck with full force. She had seen the legendary Divine Will True Qi of a Grandmaster of Divine Intent. She had even seen the profoundly mysterious techniques of Warlocks recorded in ancient texts.
But none of them could compare to the purple core shadow before her.
’It’s not any form of Martial Arts power I’m familiar with. Lord Lu... are you certain you and the rest of us are even cultivating the same Martial Arts system?’
The Gong Family’s Fourth Elder subconsciously circulated the Qi in her body, trying to break free from the formless pressure. However, she found that the Qi she could normally command as easily as her own limbs was now suppressed, as if held down by something.
’It’s as if my every move is being restricted by heaven and earth themselves.’
She had never felt anything like this before. ’Even those Warlocks with their divine techniques don’t possess such outrageous power, do they?’
The power of a Warlock was certainly bizarre and unpredictable, but it was borrowed—borrowed from the Power of Heaven and Earth, from ghosts and gods, from all sorts of inexplicable external forces.
But the aura radiating from the purple core shadow was no borrowed power. It was the absolute control of a being that stood above heaven and earth, gazing down upon all of creation.
Gong Jue and the Fourth Elder exchanged a glance, each seeing the same shock and awe reflected in the other’s eyes.
If Immortals truly existed in this world, both Gong Jue and the Fourth Elder would have wholeheartedly agreed that the Lord Lu before them was the sole candidate.
Soon, Lu Yun withdrew the purple core shadow from the space behind his head, and the oppressive feeling in the great hall subsided somewhat.
He did not act immediately. Instead, his gaze fell upon Gong Ning’s paper-white face.
A moment ago, Lu Yun could have, in one fell swoop, used his Half-step Divine Thought Golden Core Power to annihilate the Blackwater Source within Gong Ning’s body, along with her physical form.
It would have been clean and decisive, leaving no lingering consequences. That was the safest approach, and it was his usual method when dealing with Martial Artists possessed by Outer Celestial Demons.
But this time, Lu Yun hesitated. He had taken notice of this young woman.
From their few chance encounters, Lu Yun had always held a good impression of Gong Ning.
The young lady was not only strong-willed and of upright character, but also neither arrogant nor impetuous. Among her peers, she was truly an outstanding prodigy.
’If someone like her were to lead the entire Gong Family in supporting the Lu Family in the future, I could rest much more easily.’
Lu Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, having already made up his mind. ’Then let’s give it a try.’
’I’ll see if I can help this young woman’s consciousness defeat the remnant will of the Outer Celestial Demon still inside her.’
’It would certainly take some effort on my part, but it’s not impossible.’
’The truly difficult part isn’t on my end, but with Gong Ning’s own remaining consciousness.’
’If this really succeeds,’ Lu Yun concluded, ’Gong Ning’s future probability of breaking through to become a Grandmaster of Divine Intent will be over eighty percent. It would be practically a certainty.’
An eighty percent probability. If anyone else were to hear such a figure come from Lu Yun’s mouth, their jaws would likely drop in shock.
Throughout the entire Daxia New Country, countless Grandmasters of Huajin spent their entire lives unable to even touch the threshold of a Grandmaster of Divine Intent. To have even a five or ten percent chance was considered a blessing from the heavens.
Eighty percent was practically a guarantee that as long as Gong Ning lived, she would one day reach that level.
Of course, that was all predicated on Gong Ning surviving the current ordeal. If she failed, Lu Yun would destroy her physical body without a moment’s hesitation.
Lu Yun withdrew his gaze and said plainly, "The three of you may leave."
Gong Jue and the Fourth Elder both froze. Before they could speak, they heard Lu Yun continue, "I can see this young woman seems to have a sliver of consciousness left. Perhaps she can be saved."
"But whether she ultimately succeeds will depend on her own destiny."
Those casually spoken words—"a chance to survive"—struck Gong Jue and the Fourth Elder like a clap of thunder from a clear sky.
They exchanged a look, and the despair in their eyes visibly receded, replaced by an almost unbelievable elation.
However, these words were more than enough for Gong Yuanshan. He knew what possession by an Outer Celestial Demon meant: his daughter was long dead, and the thing standing before him was merely a demon in human skin.
The next moment, Gong Yuanshan slammed his forehead heavily onto the floor, the force so great that it cracked the bluestone tiles beneath.
"Lord Lu! Whether Xiaoning survives or not, I, Gong Yuanshan, pledge to follow your lead from this day forth!"
In his mind, his daughter was already dead. He had already mourned her in his heart, prepared for the tragedy of an old man burying his child.
Now, someone had suddenly told him that his daughter could still be saved, that there was hope for her to live again. How was that any different from being given a new life himself?
Gong Jue and the Fourth Elder quickly moved to help Gong Yuanshan up, one on each side. Then, without another word, the three of them turned and swiftly left the villa.
’An unexpected complication,’ Lu Yun mused, narrowing his eyes slightly. ’I was originally thinking that killing this Outer Celestial Demon—one comparable to a warrior at the Peak of Divine Intent Grandmaster—would bring me a large amount of Modification Value.’

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