"Di Ting let out a disingenuous laugh, 'As long as you've come to terms with it.'"
Cultivators did not merely cultivate realms.
There was also their state of mind.
Neither could be lacking.
Now, Chen Nan was about to cross that invisible barrier within his heart.
He was about to broaden his horizons and his capacity.
This was the first step he was taking towards rebuilding the Heavenly Court.
Everything else was inconsequential.
He bought ten jin of Shaojiu.
Chen Nan also bought some cooked food from the street.
Then, he carried the wine and meat towards home.
He had already envisioned the scene of the Lu sisters rushing into his arms, craving warmth, when they saw him.
And indeed.
This feeling of having someone eagerly await your return was truly wonderful.
But when he arrived at his doorstep.
Chen Nan's expression instantly turned grim.
The main gate had collapsed.
It looked as if it had been attacked.
"Something's happened!" Di Ting's gaze was heavy.
Without further thought.
Chen Nan's soul power instantly enveloped the surroundings.
He found Guo Yu in his room, gravely injured.
However, the Lu sisters were nowhere to be seen.
This gave him an ominous premonition.
He instantly appeared in Guo Yu's room.
On the bed, Guo Yu was severely wounded and had fallen unconscious.
Chen Nan immediately infused wood element laws into his body.
After the wood element laws circulated through Guo Yu's body for a small cycle.
Guo Yu, who had been unconscious, weakly opened his eyes.
Upon seeing Chen Nan, he almost cried out, "Brother, you're finally back!"
Chen Nan quickly asked, "What happened?"
"Who was so audacious as to cause trouble at our home?"
He was a Sixth Rank Yin Messenger of the court.
He was also the Director of the Demon Suppressing Department.
Furthermore, he had a good relationship with both Duke Tao and Song Linhui.
Frankly speaking.
No one in Guangling Prefecture dared to offend him.
Yet, the reality was different.
Not only had someone broken into his home.
They had even injured his brother.
This was unbearable for him.
Guo Yu struggled to sit up, his eyes filled with murderous intent, "It was people from the Lu family in Fengdu City. They claimed they were the 'Qilingzhe' of the Lu sisters, that the Lu sisters were part of the Lu family!"
Chen Nan frowned, "What is a Qilingzhe?"
Di Ting explained, "Qilingzhe is the one who bestows the surname from the ancestors of the Lu family. In the Lu family's genealogy, the ancestors of Lu Bailing and Lu Qingqing can be found."
"In this regard, the Lu sisters belong to the Lu family."
Chen Nan understood.
When he investigated the case of the Demon Suppressing Department Director's tragic death, he had spoken with the Lu sisters about the origin of demon race surnames.
He hadn't expected the Lu family to find them here.
He looked at Guo Yu and asked again, "Did the Lu family forcibly take the Lu sisters?"
Guo Yu nodded and continued, "They came here to apprehend the Lu sisters, saying they would refine them into elixirs."
Chen Nan's pupils trembled violently.
As an alchemist.
He naturally knew that demon races could be used as medicine.
However.
He hadn't expected the Lu family to refine Lu Bailing and Lu Qingqing into elixirs.
This gave him a sense of crisis.
He absolutely could not allow the Lu sisters to be refined into elixirs.
"The Lu sisters just left Snake Mountain."
"Meaning, the Lu family just learned of their existence."
"Even if they want to refine the sisters into elixirs."
"They will still need time to collect the medicinal ingredients."
"In the short term, the sisters are not in any mortal danger."
"However..."
"Their lives will certainly not be easy."
A fierce anger rose within Chen Nan, "How can my people be refined into elixirs by the Lu family?"
Di Ting sighed lightly, "If you had taken the Lu sisters earlier, even if the Lu family wanted to use them as medicine, they wouldn't have been worthy of being used."
There was a prerequisite for demon races to be used as medicine.
That was to maintain their virginity.
If Chen Nan had already been intimate with the Lu sisters, the Lu family's efforts would have been in vain.
The current situation would not have occurred.
Guo Yu suddenly said, "Brother, three days ago, Uncle Tian came here and said that you should go to the prefect's yamen after you returned. It seems Lord Yuan has returned."
Chen Nan had solved the bizarre case of the Demon Suppressing Department Director's death.
He had also killed Tuo Zhan and found the five lost pages of the Book of Life and Death.
Afterward, Yuan Zun took those five pages of the Book of Life and Death to Fengdu City.
"You rest first, I'll go to the prefect's yamen." Chen Nan tried to calm his emotions, then soared into the air and arrived at the prefect's yamen moments later.
Seeing Chen Nan's unhappy expression.
Yuan Zun raised an eyebrow, "What's with the long face?"
"Why do you look so dejected?"
"You should know, if I summoned you here, it must be for good news."
"The two snake demons by my side were forcibly taken by the Lu family, to be refined into elixirs!" Chen Nan did not hide the matter.
Yuan Zun's expression changed drastically, then he said, "The Lu family is a prestigious family in Fengdu City, and the matriarch of the Lu family's surname is Zheng, the sister of Imperial Tutor Zheng Yu!"
"I cannot rule out that this is a tactic by the Imperial Tutor to retaliate against you."
He knew Chen Nan came from the mortal world.
He knew Chen Nan had many means.
And he knew Chen Nan's weakness.
Yes.
Women were his weakness.
"The Imperial Tutor is truly like a mad dog!" Chen Nan's face was grim, "I wish I could skin that old man alive!"
Yuan Zun chuckled wryly, "Calm yourself, first calm yourself!"
"Uh, let's put the matter of the Lu sisters aside for now."
"The main reason I summoned you here is to inform you of the Great Emperor's reward for you solving the Tuo family case and finding the Book of Life and Death!"
"Have you not been looking at the Yin Messenger Order these past few days?"
"No!"
Chen Nan had been busy cultivating the Xuanwu Transformation these past few days.
He had been busy controlling the water element laws.
He had not paid any attention to the Yin Messenger Order at all.
Yuan Zun smiled, "You can check the Yin Messenger Order now!"
Chen Nan's mind moved.
The Yin Messenger Order immediately floated into his palm.
"Rank Eight?"
"I've actually become a Rank Eight Yin Messenger?"
Seeing the conspicuous 'Eight' on the Yin Messenger Order.
Even Chen Nan's eyes lit up, and his breathing quickened.
At this moment, he even forgot the danger the Lu sisters were in.
He was a Sixth Rank Yin Messenger before, and now he was directly a Rank Eight Yin Messenger.
His goal of becoming a Ninth Rank Yin Messenger and entering the eighteen levels of hell was getting closer!
He was a little excited.
Yuan Zun smiled and teased, "To be honest, I have to bow to you now."
"After all, there are only a handful of Rank Eight Yin Messengers in the entire court."
"Shall I kowtow to you?"
Chen Nan pouted, "Don't tease me here. You know my goal is to become a Ninth Rank Yin Messenger and then delve into the eighteen levels of hell."
Yuan Zun's expression turned serious, "The Great Emperor has given you a mission. If you can complete this mission, you will become a Ninth Rank Yin Messenger."
Chen Nan's eyes lit up, "What mission?"
Yuan Zun said, "The Great Emperor wants to establish a special organization called the Celestial Oversight Department, and you will be its Director!"
"This organization will only obey the Great Emperor."
Chen Nan frowned.
Why did this so-called Celestial Oversight Department feel so much like the Eastern Depot?