322: Integrate segmentation!

After the flowing light subsided, Lu Ming's figure appeared in a sheltered indentation in the rock wall.

Lu Ming quickly glanced around. After confirming he was temporarily safe, he sat down cross-legged.

Immediately, a streak of Profound Yellow Light flew out from his Dantian, landing and transforming into an ancient banner.

It was the human emperor banner!

The banner surface stirred, and a slightly ethereal but refined and tranquil scholar figure drifted out. It was the Banner Spirit—Wonderful Brush Scholar.

As soon as he appeared, Wonderful Brush Scholar offered Lu Ming a respectful bow without any verbal exchange and immediately began to act.

His soul body emitted a gentle radiance, and as he traced patterns with his hands, Formation Runes composed of Soul Power appeared out of thin air, precisely branding themselves onto the surrounding rocks and the ground.

He was rapidly setting up a complex Formation that combined concealment, defense, and early warning functions, creating a relatively safe temporary resting place for Lu Ming.

Lu Ming didn't pay much attention to this.

Although his complexion was normal and his Qi was still abundant, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding environment.

The fatigue between his brows, however, was hard to conceal.

"This crisis was purely of my own making." Lu Ming closed his eyes, immersed his mind, and began to deeply reflect on this perilous encounter.

"Sure enough, long periods of stability allowed me to unknowingly relax my necessary vigilance."

Especially after entering the Profound Spirit Domain, he hadn't encountered any decent opponents or faced any fatal crises.

For a time, it made him seem to forget that this was not some well-ordered, rational, and lawful paradise.

But the naked, Dog-Eat-Dog, crisis-ridden Cultivation World!

One mistake, and he could be Eternally Damned.

"Ultimately, I've been involved in the Low-End Scene for too long these past few years, mingling with lower-level Cultivators, and my mindset has somewhat integrated into that segment."

Lu Ming gave a wry smile, realizing the root of the problem.

Although fiercely humiliating the weak made him extremely comfortable and adept.

He had become accustomed to crushing opponents weaker than him with sheer strength, so when facing Blessed Land Families with truly profound heritage and unpredictable methods, he was somewhat exposed.

"But realizing it now is not too late!"

A Fall Into The Pit, A Gain In Your Wit!

This pursuit was not just a crisis; it was a wake-up call that completely sobered him up.

Immediately, Lu Ming's mind stirred, and his consciousness quickly sank deep into his Sea of Consciousness, looking at the golden book suspended quietly there.

He saw a name glowing on it.

[Zhuge Mingyi]

"Zhuge... is that the Zhuge I'm thinking of?"

Lu Ming's eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the name.

In the Northern Territory, and even the entire Outer Domain of Profound Spirit Domain, the surname “Zhuge” often referred to one place.

That was one of the Thirty-Six Blessed Lands—the Heavenly Mechanism Zhuge Family!

This Family's Legacy was ancient and unfathomable.

What made them famous, however, was the Zhuge Family's Dao of Deduction, which comprehended Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and mastered the Eight Trigrams and the principles of change.

They were also recognized by the Outer Domain of Profound Spirit Domain as the most profound force in the Dao of Heavenly Mechanism and Numerology.

The “Heavenly Secret Pavilion” they founded and controlled was spread throughout the major territories and cities of the Outer Domain.

It was the preferred destination for countless Cultivators seeking intelligence, Divination of Fortune and Misfortune, calculation of Opportunity, and even tracking enemies.

And there was even a popular Jingle circulating about the Zhuge Family.

“Heavenly secrets are endless, found within Zhuge's palm.

Fortune and misfortune are thus judged, the universe secretly weighed.

Do not say spying on Heaven is easy, Heaven and Earth communicate profound secrets.

If you ask about future matters, first prepare Spirit Stones and gold.”

Although these words were likely exaggerated, they revealed the Zhuge Family's authority in Heavenly Mechanism and Numerology!

("If you ask about future matters, first prepare Spirit Stones and gold") further implied that those who Cultivate this Dao often had to bear the cost of the "Five Defects and Three Deficiencies" (Widower, Widow, Orphan, Childless, Disabled, Money, Life, Power) ("Do not say spying on Heaven is easy, the Five Defects always follow").

"I had suspected before that my whereabouts were locked onto so easily by the Li Family, someone must have been fueling it behind the scenes." Lu Ming felt a chill in his heart.

"If the Heavenly Mechanism Zhuge Family was truly involved, then everything makes sense."

As for why the Zhuge Family would help the Li Family deal with him, it was actually easy to understand.

The line "If you ask about future matters, first prepare Spirit Stones and gold" had already clarified their operating principle.

Clearly marked prices, work done for money!

The Zhuge Family was fundamentally a business, and the existence of the "Heavenly Secret Pavilion" was specifically to take orders and profit.

As a powerful force also among the Thirty-Six Blessed Lands, the Li Family coming forward to request a deduction gave the Zhuge Family no reason to refuse.

Moreover, deducing the whereabouts of an unknown Mid-stage Golden Core Loose Cultivator was merely a trivial effort for them.

At least, that's how the Zhuge Family must have seen it.

Why wouldn't they pursue a project with low risk and high returns?

Not only could they make money, but they could also befriend the Li Family, who was also one of the Blessed Lands. It was clearly a good deal.

"Heh, calculating the fate of others for a lifetime, I wonder if they've ever calculated if their own Bazi is tough enough!"

Lu Ming sneered, a cold killing intent already rising in his heart toward this "Zhuge Mingyi."

"I wonder if they'll feel pain if I kill one of their Late Golden Core Stage Family Core Members..."

Lu Ming was not shooting blindly regarding this.

Due to the unique nature of their Cultivation Dao, the Zhuge Family's prolonged prying into Heavenly Secrets and manipulating Karma often led to their clansmen being affected by the Five Defects and Three Deficiencies, which is the so-called Heavenly Dao Backlash.

This resulted in Family Descendants having difficult fates, and their population had never been prosperous.

Every talented Family Descendant who could stand on their own was an extremely valuable asset to the Zhuge Family.

However, this didn't mean the Zhuge Family was a Soft Persimmon easily bullied.

On the contrary, precisely because their population was not prosperous, they focused more on cultivating individual strength.

Therefore, Zhuge Family Cultivators not only performed Karma divination but were also skilled in Combat.

Especially the strange and unpredictable methods involving destiny, fate, Karma, and Qi Mechanisms, which made them impossible to guard against and deeply feared.

There was once a legend that during its most glorious period, the Zhuge Family secretly used Fate-Reading to usurp the “Fate and Luck” of an opposing Golden Core Perfection Great Immortal Master.

This caused him to suffer a proliferation of Heart Demons and a Reversal of Vital Energy at the critical moment of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage, ultimately leading to his demise under a terrifying Nascent Soul Lightning Tribulation.

The truth of the legend was hard to discern, and Lu Ming did not know its credibility.

But it was enough to deter outsiders, causing the vast majority of forces to keep a respectful distance from the Zhuge Family and be unwilling to provoke them easily.

The reason Lu Ming understood the Zhuge Family so well was not based on hearsay, but stemmed from Mu Han's memories.

Inside a Colossal Force like the Soul Devouring Demonic Sect, which was at the level of the Seven Grotto-Heavens, there was also a branch of the Zhuge Family.

Of course, this did not mean the Zhuge Family was subservient to the Soul Devouring Demonic Sect.

Heavenly Mechanism Families like theirs had always adhered to the principle of “Neutrality,” maintaining a relationship of cooperation that was neither too close nor too distant with all major forces.

After all, Casting A Wide Net And Forming Good Relationships was their guiding principle.

And the Source Tracing and Returning to Truth Method, which Lu Ming had obtained from Mu Han and used multiple times, had its original source as one of the Zhuge Family's Legacies.

Lu Ming himself had deeply experienced the profound mystery of this Overbearing Secret Technique that could trace back to the source and transfer injuries.

Thus, the more he understood, the more intense the killing intent in Lu Ming's heart became.