Ch. 94 – Departure

“Fellow Daoist Feng Ye, I’ve finished packing. Why aren’t you ready yet?” Hao Chen leaned casually against the doorframe of Feng Ye’s room, teasing him as he watched him pack his things.

Upon hearing this, Feng Ye glanced at this person who claimed to have finished packing. Hao Chen was still dressed the same as before, without any bags or other travel items in sight.

His so-called “packing” was simply stopping by his own dormitory before rushing over to Feng Ye’s. The gap between their parting and reunion was less than half an incense stick’s time.

But Hao Chen really didn’t have much to pack. He had come to Lingxiao Sword Sect as a guest empty-handed, and he would naturally leave the same way. He couldn’t very well take the bedding from his guest room with him.

Also, cultivators had no need to carry bedding, cotton clothes, and dry provisions with them like ordinary people when they went out. Cultivators were not sensitive to cold or heat, nor did they require food. It was enough to keep a small amount of money, elixirs, and magic tools in their storage bags.

On the surface, they were only at the third and fourth levels of Qi Refining respectively, and neither of them had reached the stage where they could adhere to inedia. But their identities were all but exposed, so there was really no need for them to waste their energy pretending anymore.

Feng Ye didn’t plan to pack much, and was just tidying up his room.

Because after he left, he didn’t know if he would ever come back.

If this trip to Longqiu went smoothly and he was able to completely resolve the matter, he might not return.

In that case, today was the last time he would visit his dormitory. In the end, this room belonged to Lingxiao Sword Sect. He had been borrowing it all this time, and it would be a shame to return it in a dirty, messy state.

Without turning his head, Feng Ye placed the folded bedding into the closet. Then he went to the table and tossed a rag to Hao Chen, saying without any courtesy: “Come and help.”

This rag was thrown with great accuracy straight toward Hao Chen’s face. Hao Chen caught it with lightning speed, preventing the dusty rag from marring his fair and handsome features.

Hao Chen looked down at the rag in his hand, feeling that in all his time in Lingxiao Sword Sect, each day found him either sweeping the floor or wiping down tables. How could he, the Lord of the North Sea, have fallen to such a state?

But when he gave it some more thought, the man in front of him, the infamous Yinglong whose hands were said to be piled high with corpses and blood debts, had just been carefully folding a quilt. In light of this, he didn’t seem to have anything to complain about.

They clearly weren’t even married yet, so why were they doing housework? With these complicated thoughts swirling around in his head, Hao Chen dutifully began to wipe the table.

And as he wiped, he chattered continuously: “Fellow Daoist Feng Ye, you’re going to Longqiu to find the Living Soil?”

Feng Ye knew very well that he had absolutely no chance of concealing this matter from Hao Chen. His objective had always revolved around Jianmu, so his sudden announcement that he was heading to Longqiu was undoubtedly for the sake of the Living Soil.

He hummed in agreement.

“Then what are Fellow Daoist Feng Ye’s plans for travelling? Longqiu isn’t exactly nearby,” Hao Chen asked again.

Feng Ye thought for a moment, then replied: “We’ll go by ship.”

This ‘ship’ did not refer to a vessel sailed on the sea, but specifically to a ship-shaped magic tool that could soar through the sky, just like the one Lingxiao Sword Sect used to travel to the Floating Island Secret Realm last time.

In addition to such privately owned ships, there were also some public ships that travelled along specific routes.

Although cultivators were able to fly on swords after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, flying on their own still consumed spiritual energy. This was fine for short distances, but long distances required resting between periods of flight, which was far more strenuous than taking one of these public ships.

The price of a ship ride was also not expensive, and only required paying a certain amount of spirit stones.

Although Feng Ye had already emptied his pockets in North Sea City, his sect subsidy for the month had conveniently just arrived, providing him with a dozen or so spirit stones. It was just enough to purchase a ship ticket.

Upon receiving this answer, Hao Chen felt a pang of regret.

Taking a ship wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. He very much wanted Feng Ye to fly there himself…..

Then Hao Chen could sit beside Yinglong’s horns, riding a dragon in the wind…..

Of course, he knew this was just wishful thinking. Feng Ye wasn’t even willing to remove his disguise, so how could he possibly shift into his true form and let Hao Chen sit next to his dragon horns?

But everyone needed a dream – even a fish. Hao Chen couldn’t help but imagine what such a future would look like.

He wondered when he would be able to touch Yinglong’s scales with his own hands, how different they would feel from fish scales, whether they were smooth or rough, and how pleasant to the touch they would be…..

The more he thought about it, the more absorbed he became, and his mind grew increasingly scattered. In a daze, he even felt that he had already touched those scales, and that they felt rather exquisite.

Feng Ye, unable to bear it any longer, flung Hao Chen’s fingers off the back of his hand. Even as this fish was wiping the table, there was a strange smile on his face. There was no telling what was going through his head.

After folding the quilt, Feng Ye had gone over to Hao Chen and waved a hand in front of his face, trying to call back the fish’s soul.

Unexpectedly, Hao Chen grabbed his hand and began to caress the back of it with all five fingers, inch by inch, like a big scoundrel.

Hao Chen belatedly realized what he had done after Feng Ye shook off his hand. It wasn’t just an illusion. He had really touched the dragon’s claws.

He reacted quickly, defending his actions with an earnest expression: “I was just reading your palm.”

In response, Feng Ye grabbed the rag and threw it at Hao Chen’s face.

This time, Hao Chen wasn’t able to react quickly enough. It was a direct hit. He immediately stopped trying to argue and ran out to wash his face.

With some annoyance, Feng Ye watched Hao Chen leave before turning back to continue tidying up.

By the time Hao Chen returned after washing his face, Feng Ye had finished cleaning. He surveyed the room with satisfaction. It was spotless and immaculate.

“Ready to leave?” Hao Chen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Feng Ye nodded: “Let’s go.”

Although Hao Chen was unable to fulfill his wish of riding in the wind on a dragon, he was still very much anticipating the journey to Longqiu.

Because it was just the two of them on this trip. What a perfect two-person world.

Hao Chen rubbed his hands together, pondering how he should break through Yinglong’s hard scales and touch his soft interior.

After weighing the matter carefully, Hao Chen concluded that it was better to take a step back than to push forward.

Whether Feng Ye himself was aware of it or not, after spending so many days together, Hao Chen had already realized that Feng Ye was not easy to get close to. He seemed to have a deep-rooted aversion to any sort of intimacy.

If Hao Chen got too close, the result would be just like before – the dragon’s stress response would be triggered, and he might even receive a beating.

Getting a rag thrown at him was nothing. A real beating was no fun at all.

Therefore, Hao Chen decided to patiently display his masculine charm, strength, safety, and reliability to the dragon during this trip to Longqiu, in the hopes of making the dragon willingly throw himself into his arms.

Then he would catch the other man against his broad chest. Feng Ye might not let him ride in the wind on his dragon form, so he would transform into a peng bird and carry Feng Ye on his back.

Side by side, Feng Ye and Hao Chen walked toward the mountain gate. Hao Chen’s eerie smile returned after only a few steps.

Feng Ye: “…..” Had this fish lost his mind?

As Feng Ye debated over whether he should ditch this fish and continue on his way alone, he unexpectedly caught sight of two familiar faces at the mountain gate.

“Shixiong!” Fang Yang greeted him happily. He was carrying a small bundle on his back, as if he was about to embark on a long journey.

“What’s going on…..” Feng Ye asked hesitantly.

Fang Yang wasn’t the only one carrying supplies. Cao Zirui also had his own package in the form of a fist-sized, jar-shaped satchel.

“We’re going to Longqiu too!” Fang Yang excitedly informed Feng Ye of the details.

After parting ways with his Useless Shixiong, he went to eat in a rather low mood, planning to visit Cao Zirui after finishing his meal. Unexpectedly, before he could head over, Cao Zirui came to find him first and told him that he was also going to Longqiu, then asked Fang Yang if he wanted to come along.

Fang Yang…..naturally wanted to go!

His shixiong and friend were both going to Longqiu, so how could he possibly stay at the sect alone?

But he didn’t know if Feng Ye had already set off, so he hastily packed his things and ran to the mountain gate to intercept him.

Luckily, he was able to catch him.

Cao Zirui was also going to Longqiu?

After hearing this explanation, Feng Ye looked at Cao Zirui with some surprise. Going to Longqiu at this time, it could be for no other reason than for the Living Soil.

But why was Cao Zirui looking for it?

Feng Ye’s eyes suddenly narrowed, zeroing in on the fist-sized ceramic jar that Cao Zirui was carrying across his body. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it really was a jar rather than a storage bag.

This jar was narrow at the top and bottom, yet wide in the middle. Consequently, unless one peered down from directly above, it was impossible to glimpse what was inside.

But without even looking, Feng Ye could guess what the jar contained.

Hao Chen noticed it too. They exchanged a glance and saw the same answer in each other’s eyes.

Jianmu.

“Has your Sect Leader Ji ever married?” Hao Chen abruptly asked a seemingly random question.

“No,” Cao Zirui replied with a puzzled look.

“If he does get married, even if the woman’s entire family worked together, they would likely never find his secret stash of money,” Hao Chen couldn’t help but lament.

What on earth was this about?

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were equally baffled.

Feng Ye nodded in understanding. Although Hao Chen’s example was far-fetched, it was indeed accurate.

Ji Chengyue really was a…..genius at hiding things.

In fact, Ji Chengyue had planted the Jianmu sprout in the busy main square, and although he had set up a protective array, it was still not entirely safe.

Yesterday’s battle had made it abundantly clear that the force behind Xue Ren was after Jianmu. Having failed once, they were bound to try again.

Although Jianmu was a divine object, it was, by the same token, a magnet for trouble.

No matter what kind of protection was used, the person in possession of it would never have complete peace of mind, and they would certainly be in grave danger.

Ji Chengyue’s solution was to carry out a covert operation.

First, he openly made it known that he had planted the Jianmu sprout in the main square, and then he took it out and substituted a fake one.

Like this, everyone vying for Jianmu would focus solely on the fake one in the square.

And as for the real Jianmu, it was entrusted to Cao Zirui.

And Cao Zirui was instructed to stay far away from the center of the conflict.

Not only would this preserve the Jianmu sprout, but Ji Chengyue’s only remaining disciple would also be safe.

It must be said that this was a brilliant idea, killing two birds with one stone.

Ji Chengyue had previously hidden Jianmu in the most obvious place, and neither Feng Ye nor the creature impersonating him had found it the first time. Now, he had come up with an alternate way to hide it. Ji Chengyue’s mastery of concealment was truly admirable.

Fang Yang saw his Useless Shixiong and Hao-dage exchange a look, but he didn’t understand what it signified. He turned to chat with Cao Zirui, glancing back at the sect they were about to leave: “Ai, I didn’t even have a chance to see what Jianmu looks like,” he sighed.

Their journey had come at the last minute. In the morning, he had thought he would have plenty of opportunities, but with this unexpected afternoon departure, he wasn’t able to catch a glimpse of the Jianmu sprout.

When he heard this, Cao Zirui instinctively clutched the small jar he was carrying.

He wanted to tell his friend that Jianmu was actually here with him, but then he recalled his master’s instructions. He pursed his lips and ultimately didn’t tell his good friend.

The fact that he had absconded with Jianmu must be kept completely confidential.

Only if no one else knew about it would the enemy keep their eyes on the fake in the square. If it was exposed, then Cao Zirui, who was carrying the real Jianmu, would be in extreme peril.

In truth, Ji Chengyue had come up with this method out of desperation.

This time, Jianmu had absorbed divine power in order to sprout.

However, Yinglong gave the sprout to Ji Chengyue, and without a continuous source of divine power, Jianmu once again showed signs of decline.

Ordinary soil was simply incapable of providing it with sufficient nutrients for growth. If it continued to be cultivated within the sect, sooner or later, it would inevitably wither and die.

Only when all three nutrients were acquired for Jianmu would the sprout truly come to life.

Ji Chengyue didn’t know how long Jianmu could survive in ordinary soil, but the sooner these things were found, the better. Thus, the search for Living Soil was an extremely urgent matter.

However, he had his hands full with sect affairs and couldn’t spare the time. His identity as a sect leader was also too conspicuous, so it would be impossible for him to go to Longqiu unnoticed.

If he couldn’t do it himself, then he had to hand over the responsibility to someone else. But that person must be absolutely trustworthy. Ji Chengyue had been pondering who to entrust it to.

As it happened, Cao Zirui had just arrived to bid him farewell. This young disciple of his was someone he could trust without reservation, and while Cao Zirui had a formidable reputation within the sect, he was fairly unknown to the outside world.

He had only been a disciple for a year, and his trip to the Floating Island Secret Realm had not yielded any outstanding results, so he naturally went unnoticed by most people.

With his low profile and trustworthiness, Cao Zirui was simply the perfect candidate to search for the Living Soil in his place.

And after Ji Chengyue explained the advantages and drawbacks, Cao Zirui readily agreed.

Although his internal injuries had not yet healed, as long as he didn’t tell anyone that he was concealing Jianmu, he shouldn’t run into danger.

There was no problem with going out to get some fresh, healing air, and if he was able to help his master along the way, the situation couldn’t be better.

Thus, carrying the small jar containing Jianmu on his back, he invited his friend out and set off.

Since Jianmu wasn’t an inanimate object, it couldn’t be placed in a storage bag, and he could only find this jar to store it in. This jar had an ordinary appearance, but it was actually a magic tool capable of concealing an object’s aura.

Generally speaking, no one should realize that Jianmu was hidden among them.

Feng Ye and Hao Chen only noticed it when in very close proximity to Cao Zirui.

Although the boys were unaware of why Feng Ye and Hao Chen were going to Longqiu, having company was a good thing, so the two waited for them at the mountain gate.

Gazing at the two youths standing before him, each with a small bundle strapped to their back, Hao Chen belatedly realized that the “two-person world” he had just been envisioning suddenly felt a little crowded.

Contrary to Hao Chen’s reluctance, Feng Ye was quite agreeable to this arrangement. It was just as well that Cao Zirui kept the true Jianmu by his side. As long as the matter of the fake Jianmu remained undiscovered, Cao Zirui would face no danger. But should it ever be exposed, Feng Ye would be ready to intervene at a moment’s notice.

Thus, the four people, each with their own thoughts, walked out of Lingxiao Sword Sect’s mountain gate. As the mountain wall inscribed with the four large characters of the sect’s name disappeared from view, they officially embarked upon their journey to Longqiu.

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Chapter 93 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 95