"The barrier of perception, causing mother and son to meet yet fail to recognize each other. The Holy Venerable’s methods are truly beyond the reach of ordinary men! And utterly unexpected—"

The sound of admiration drifted through the misty vapor suspended in the high reaches of the sky.

This was the eighth layer of the Nether Prison, three thousand zhang above the ground.

The two stood there, utterly unseen and unheard. Yet, everything unfolding below was laid bare before their eyes.

Lu Tianqing mused to himself that this inability to recognize each other upon meeting was, paradoxically, several shades more cruel than outright preventing the mother and son from ever seeing one another.

If, in the future, these two managed to shatter this barrier of perception, he could only wonder at the anguish and regret that would follow.

Yet, his face betrayed none of this inner turmoil; instead, a pleased expression bloomed upon it.

"This junior has yet to congratulate the Holy Venerable; it seems your cultivation has advanced further!"

"This advancement is but minor progress. When it comes to perception, this Seat is far inferior to the Buddhist sects."

Lu Jueyan smirked, his expression inscrutable, before shifting his gaze. "Were those Crimson Sting Wasps your doing, Lu Tianqing? I recall that particular form of torture was not listed in the original decree."

"Holy Venerable—"

Lu Tianqing’s expression immediately changed, and he cast a look of sharp surprise at Lu Jueyan.

For a moment, he couldn't grasp the implication, and an inexplicable chill crept over him.

For these past seventeen days, Lu Jueyan had remained here, keenly observing every action (Zong Shou) took.

The matter of the Crimson Sting Wasps should certainly have already passed under the Holy Venerable's notice.

Why focus on it now, only to question him with a tone that implied the assignment of blame?

After careful deliberation, Lu Tianqing replied cautiously, "That was the deed of Lu Yungē, performed before the incident involving Hanyan. Yungē is Hanyan's betrothed. Barring that specific matter, the child Yungē naturally harbors a bone-deep hatred for Hanyan. It’s understandable, after all. Rumor has it that twenty years ago, Yungē loved Hanyan deeply. As they say, the deeper the love, the sharper the hate! It was precisely because of this profound humiliation that Yungē was able to advance so fiercely over these past two decades, now holding the second position among the Crown Princes of the Holy Court—"

"Yungē?"

Jueyan arched an eyebrow slightly, and a look of sudden realization dawned in his eyes.

The Fen Kong Lu family prioritized the continuation of their bloodline. Unions between close relatives were common occurrences.

Especially for someone like Lu Hanyan, marriage outside the clan was impossible. Elders often selected elite descendants within the clan for matrimony.

He had heard the name Lu Yungē decades ago. He had not expected the young man to ascend to such heights.

Ranking second among the dozens of Lu family heirs, his cultivation and bloodline should inherently surpass his kin. He must possess considerable influence, backed by at least two Nation Lords.

Lu Tianqing’s words served three purposes: to offer an excuse for Lu Yungē, to point out the underlying context, and to absolve himself.

Lu Jueyan simply let out a hollow laugh, treating these words as if they had never been uttered.

"But the keeper of this Death Prison remains you, Lu Tianqing. He intended to torment Hanyan with this method; you simply allowed it? Or specifically, this type of Crimson Sting Wasp?"

The Crimson Sting Wasp itself did not consume much, but its saliva contained venom that could multiply a person's suffering tenfold or a hundredfold.

The Lu family frequently utilized the saliva of these wasps, diluted, in conjunction with cruel tortures to interrogate captives.

Lu Tianqing, sweat now beading on his brow, grew even more perplexed by the intent behind Lu Jueyan’s words.

Could this Holy Venerable secretly favor Lu Hanyan? That seemed impossible—

If he truly disapproved, he wouldn't have covertly aided their endeavor twenty years ago, nor would he have ignored Lu Hanyan’s fate since.

He remained silent. After a full moment of intense contemplation, Lu Tianqing finally spoke again.

"This junior was in error; this should not have happened! Afterward, Tianqing will go to the Tribunal to receive punishment and shall ensure such a thing never recurs!"

"It is good that you admit your fault! As for the punishment, there is no rush! In fact, there is no need to speak of the future—"

Lu Jueyan shook his head slightly, smiling as he appraised the elderly man in the crimson robe beside him.

"You bear an injury? Was that inflicted by Zong Weiran three years ago? Does it cause you any current hindrance?"

Lu Tianqing stiffened, the veins on his arms instantly bulging, yet his expression remained placid. "A mere trifle, unworthy of mention! I thank the Holy Venerable for your concern."

Though he had repelled Zong Weiran, Lu Tianqing considered the encounter a profound disgrace!

A mid-stage Divine Realm cultivator had managed to injure him, Lu Tianqing, before swaggering away.

And this injury had not healed in three years!

Hearing this, Lu Jueyan’s smile grew even brighter. "That is well! I recall the Tianlin World under the jurisdiction of the Lu family possesses a Cangwu Sacred Tree. It flowers once every two millennia and bears fruit once every two millennia. Its fruit can extend one's lifespan by a century. You will travel to that world and retrieve ten Cangwu Sacred Fruits for me. Remember, this must be accomplished within ten days; do not delay!"

The command and tone brooked no argument.

Lu Tianqing was stunned once more. He was, of course, intimately familiar with the Cangwu Sacred Tree.

This item was a supreme treasure of the Lu family’s Holy Court, arguably one of the very foundations of the Fen Kong Lu family.

It bore fruit only seventy-two times every four years, strictly allocated among the clan members. Even figures at the Saint Realm, like himself, could not simply take them at will.

But what did Lu Jueyan want with these fruits? And ten at once?

Saint Venerables at the Ultimate Realm possessed near-eternal life; items that merely extended one's lifespan were meaningless to him.

He hesitated, on the verge of asking, but then felt Lu Jueyan's gaze press down upon him coldly.

He dared not delay any longer, acknowledging the order before he rapidly escaped through the void, his mind filled with suspicion.

His brow deeply furrowed, today’s events felt overwhelmingly bizarre.

Jueyan’s discourse had left him completely bewildered and unable to grasp the true intent.

At first, it seemed like an inquiry meant to assign blame, yet he was swiftly let off the hook.

Finally, he was commanded to retrieve the Cangwu Sacred Fruits.

Could it be... he intended to bestow them upon Lu Hanyan?

Ten sacred fruits could extend a life by four hundred years—

He immediately shook his head, driving the thought from his mind.

The Holy Venerable was supreme, but even such life-extending artifacts could not be used carelessly. If they were to be used, there needed to be justification for those clan members whose lifespans were truly nearing their end.

Lu Hanyan had already been cast out and scorned by the entire Lu clan. Even the Yan Yuan Holy Venerable, who had once doted on her, had not acted this way.

How much less so the Jueyan Holy Venerable?

As for today, to his knowledge, this Holy Venerable’s temperament had always been unpredictable. In his youth, he had committed countless absurd acts. Therefore, his current behavior wasn't entirely strange; perhaps he was simply overthinking things.

Besides, he dared not refuse this assignment, even sensing its impropriety.

Unbeknownst to him, just after he departed, a ball of crimson fire suddenly ignited beside Jueyan.

First, it vaguely took the shape of a phoenix, then a young woman adorned in opulent red feathered garments emerged from the flames.

A faint trace of mockery lingered in her eyes. "This Venerable Tianqing, are you truly prepared to abandon him just like that? While this man harbors too many schemes, he has, after all, handled many matters for you."

"Schemes and too many calculations."

Lu Jueyan gazed down at the swirling mass of black mist with an indifferent expression, unmoved. "I have not mistreated him for the deeds he accomplished for me. Now that I am casting him aside, I presume he should have no complaints."